No Alarms and No Surprises
So the USA got shut out by an older Czech side and people seem surprised. SURPRISED? Come on people we know what's up. The Czechs are 2nd in the world, and the USA is an overrated side of college students who are still "finding themselves". Although to be honest I didn't think it'd be that bad of a drubbing.
The biggest complaint I've had about the tournament so far is the racism of the referees. Winning or losing is one thing, and no one can really affect that much. The thing of it is the calls. The referees are consistently treating the football "powers" with kid gloves (18 fouls on Ghana vs 7 on Italy ring any bells?) while treating every African team like a bunch of convicts in "The Longest Yard". It's sort of infuriating especially when accompanied by the "they ought to be happy to be here" attitude of the commentators (who really ought to stick to golf or curling or whatever their day job is). What remains to be seen is if this continues or someone wakes up and slaps FIFA around a bit.
Comments
And might I point out the obvious bias against East Africans? First they load up on W African hacks like Togo, Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, then they throw in Angola to appease the rest of us from the continent. Not falling for it, FIFA! Might've worked with Gabon (pronounced GAY-bon), but everyone in the know knows that your garden variety Angolan would sooner play jai alai or lacrosse than engage in footy.
Clearly a statement is being made: stay out East Africans. You're not worthy.
Just my $.02....
Mad African
Posted by: Mad African | June 14, 2006 1:20 PM
Totally with you on that. They are also handing out cards like candy for some really weak offenses.
Man was I bummed when Togo lost...
Posted by: jesuisme | June 15, 2006 9:44 PM
Mad African you're so on the money with that comment. Between teh bias and the card happy officiating I am torn about the whole tourney.
Good news? Ghana showed why African teams need to be included and feared today. It should have been 5-0 in the so called "group of death".
Posted by: Lo Fat Mo | June 17, 2006 5:55 PM