Jürgen's Boys

So proud of the U.S. Men's Soccer Team, even after their defeat by Belgium today. They worked hard today, and in every game this World Cup, but even that is not enough.

The team lacked an attack, possession time and timely scoring, which is exactly what Belgium did to win. Tim Howard made a World Cup record 16 saves, which shattered the old record. Without him, the match never would have went to extra time and it would have been a lopsided defeat. Truly a performance in goal for the ages.

This team displayed a lot of grit though, lesser teams would have given up when they were down two goals in extra time, not this one. They fought, got a goal back and nearly pulled out the tying goal late. Not meant to be. Not enough polish to get through. Fair play to Belgium, who seem to have a penchant for late, dramatic goal scoring during their run this tournament. Best of luck to them against Argentina.

As for the U.S. Team something to build on for 2018. Klinsmann and his staff have some tweaking to do. A few players are likely to leave, Tim Howard will most likely step aside for Brad Guzan, and some attack needs to be developed.

No idea if this team, this World Cup is going to increase the interest in soccer here. I've heard all the jokes for the past 12 years about how boring soccer is, they have not changed. The fan base though, is on the upswing. If you were watching this match and not freaking out in joy and the potential of belief during the last ten minutes of this game, you have no soul. How can that not grab your attention and make you want more?

Watch it or do not, choice

For me it happened on my seventh birthday - when you see something for the first time that is much bigger than you thought it was.

The World Cup is in full swing, there have been little tragedies and heroic acts of physical ability in the soccer stadiums of Brazil.

While this is going on, people of Brazil are being trafficked, exploited and displaced by their government in a corrupt embrace with FIFA, I'm well aware of this. I'm well aware of the tax folly that is Nationwide Arena and the hypocrisy of college athletics. I'm disgusted by the bloodsport that the National Football League is turning into, which is causing many lives to end prematurely. I'm aware of the bread and circuses that happen around me daily.

Trying to be authentic, to not support those who exploit others in any way is next to impossible in this consumer society. This computer I'm using to type this was probably made by wage slaves, on a good day. There's blood on this keyboard and I'm not sure if I still have to hate Ani DeFranco now that Gary Oldman is the latest celebrity target of I do not like him anymore.

When I went up that ramp on that June day in 1971 and saw a blue sky, that huge scoreboard I'd only seen on 19 inches of black and white television screen, the greenest and largest field of grass in the world, I thought.

Loved the game, the sport but when you're small, weak and have glasses that fly off your face at any impact, it was impossible to find a niche. I was horrible at bat, average at best in the field, could run a little. My last softball game was about twenty years ago, when a ball struck me square in the face, I think it cracked my sinus cavity.

So I watch. A lot of football, a good deal of hockey, and some baseball. It took me almost twenty years to attend a major league game in person after the strike of 1994. For a year after I did not read a single box score or watch a game. It's taken me a long time to get over that.

I watch a lot of soccer now. been to a few Columbus Crew matches, even went to a game in Glasgow, which was not the same as here and amazing all at once. The culture of the sport in Europe is completely different, which is why the World Cup is such an incredible event.

And it can be violent, there is no denying that. But it can also be sublime, jaw dropping and incredibly sweet.

At the end of a day, or in the middle of a bad one (or even a good one) sometimes you just need to sit, zone out, and watch the greatest athletes out there do their thing. Do not attempt to guilt trip me into a while this match is going on a few miles away from the coliseum something bad is happening. Because, where I'm typing this, a few hundred yards away, I'm sure something bad is happening too.

And that's why I type this. Because remembering the first time I stepped into Shea Stadium and wanting to keep doing that keeps me going.

While the rest of the country catches on, a morning in Columbus tells another story

I was getting my car repaired this morning. ESPN was on in the waiting area. Some guy whose tire was being fixed said that he did not understand why ESPN was showing so much soccer. I told him the World Cup was going on. He said, "Who cares?" I said, "The World." He then half jokingly said soccer was a communist sport before holding forth on the American sports of baseball and the NBA along with the John Cooper era of Ohio State football. MLS still has this to contend with in Columbus.

Tires rotated and balanced, tested it out by blowing by a truck on I70. I was well over the speed limit and the steering wheel was not shaking like a poor Swiss guy was after his country got their asses beat by France yesterday.

Hey, it's the First of July

It was an eleven person slam last night at Writers’ Block. I drew third and presented a new rant. Not sure if an inferior poem did not go over well, or if I did not have the lungs to present it. Maybe it was a combination of both as I placed ninth in the round.

Scores were low, which I always like so as the second round scores were coming in low I thought I could sneak up and maybe snatch third place. Did My Thunder, which went over very well, just enough to miss third place by two tenths of a point. Not a bad climb, but no points. A fun night overall. No one is really blowing me away right now though, and I include myself in this criticism. A lot of tired and distracted poets, busy too. Being sick is no excuse, really, but I’ve lacked the lungpower to get it right the past couple of weeks.

The social schedule kicks in next weekend. Squeeze and Cheap Trick are next Friday, parties on the weekend. More activities will come as the month progresses.

Google analytics is a rather fascinating way of finding out who is looking in here, and for how long.

Been lax on posting pictures lately, perhaps there will be an update this weekend. Depends on how busy the boy wants to be. Really have to get some rest between World Cup matches (Go Spain!) and swimming. The heat is supposed to increase again.

We Will Be Invincible

It's not that England would have won yesterday's World Cup match. The goal that was completely missed by all the officials would have tied the game at two. But, there would have been a shifting in momentum and urgency by both teams that could have changed the complexion of the game. I think Germany would have won, and decidedly so, we'll never know now.

Missing or allowing goals due to blown offside calls is one thing. Screwing up when the ball has clearly past the goal line is another thing entirely. FIFA have a great deal to answer for. They're earning billions with this tournament and for a goal to be clearly missed in the net messes with the game's integrity.



I was very impressed by this memoir by Pat Benatar. A very compelling story of being one of the only female rock stars in the early eighties. During that time, there really were not many solo rock women out there other than Debbie Harry, Joan Jett and Chrissie Hynde. She is one of the few stars who never went into rehab or hit any deep rock bottoms in her personal life. Despite unbelievable pressure by a douchebag record company to produce music and an incredible amount of sexism she prevailed and is now living her own life on her terms. She has a story to tell, and slapping a record company executive is a stunning part of this book.

I was not overly wowed by The Passage, Justin Cronin's thick book about the end of the world. American scientists have created a virus that may slow down the aging process, it's put into convicts, things go horribly wrong. For the first 150 pages it was quite the page turner, then the point of view shifted and I was left bored and stranded. I plodded on through the last 450 pages and could not wait for the book to end. It reads a lot of Stephen King's The Stand and even includes a pious and wise black woman for spiritual relief. Ugh. After finishing the book I was told it's to be a trilogy. Books two and three will not be in my house.

Been trying to shake a cold. Now Captain Trips has invaded my sinus cavity.

The Everton Connection

Very cool to see Tim Howard made the save, then the throw to and eventual game winning goal by Landon Donovan in yesterday's World Cup match. Three months playing for Everton turned Donovan into a man!

Had it on at work, listening in headphones. They know, and appreciate my updates. I don't cuss and click the screen on when something exciting may happen. When the goal was scored I clapped loudly.

Feeling like a wreck physically so I was far from 100% at last night's slam. It's no excuse but my energy was not there. Came in sixth out of seven and had a great time while doing so. My three minute did not grab the crowd but my one minute had them, but not the judges. Oh well, another night perhaps. It's good to have a one minute poem to be able to use on the subway or in a pinch.

Been reading a book that I'm plodding through. Started out exciting enough then took a point of view turn about a third of the way through that initially turned me off, but I'm dealing with it. If it was not over six hundred pages I'd be bailing.

Tonight at the Ohio Theater the CAPA Summer Movie Series is presenting Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr and Second Chances. Both will have scores performed by Clark Wilson on the Mighty Morton Organ. I've seen both of these films, but never in this setting. My Scottish Wife has not seen either of these treasures. It's going to be a spectacular night at the cinema!

Robert Green: American Hero

It was a festive atmosphere at the place where I watched half of the USA/England soccer match. About five minutes into my visit, I was accosted by a Liverpool fan/idiot for wearing my Everton jersey. He calmed down after I mentioned that Tim Howard plays for Everton.



Not sure what a group of local bagpipers have to do with a soccer match, but it was a lot of fun just the same.

Know what I like about watching soccer on television? The lack of commercials every three minutes. Networks that do not force promoting of their crappy programming down your throat at every break in the action. Those are some of the things I love about viewing the game. It is constantly in motion. The clock is always counting down. If you turn around, you may miss a great pass, a fine tackle.

I'm slowly giving up my involvement in NFL Football. It's a dying sport that does not give me as much pleasure as it once did. I will not disagree that the fortunes of the Buffalo Bills have something to do with this. I've been saying for years that when their owner, Ralph Wilson, dies, the history of the team in Buffalo will end soon after his funeral, or after the team is sold.

Here's what happened shortly after Dempsey's shot on net yesterday...



It was quite the wild scene at Claddagh yesterday afternoon. Over 2,500 came out to watch the match. I'm still a bit reeling about what happened after ward. It seems the manager of the bar was let go by corporate for reasons that are still unclear to me. I'm not sure why someone would be sacked after the biggest day in that bar's history but a good part of the staff immediately quit in protest.

Just when you find a place to head for a drink once or twice a week, a local with staff that remember your name, weenies have to ruin in, and for what?

I never went to Claddagh for the food, and certainly not the low prices (there were not any), but it was the staff and friendly, welcoming atmosphere that brought me back, something that will probably never happen again.