Alternately, is there a Spanish word for “shame?”
Courtesy of Mexico’s 1-0 win over Costa Rica, I spent Sunday afternoon yelling phrases containing the words, “you,” “cheating,” and “bitches” at my television. I haven’t read much on the game to this point - I can recall only Luis Bueno’s wrap up for Sports Illustrated - but read enough to know that the referee was American, Terry Vaughn. Bottom line: I have never seen a ref get played like Vaughan did on Sunday. That dude is blind, gullible, or corrupt - or some combination of all three.
Libel laws being what they are, I’ll shy away from the last of those.
Some observations on the game:
- What is missing from the Mexican game? They move the ball well enough, find and utilize space, and generally get themselves in dangerous places. The Mexican defense stands up well enough and, shockingly given what happens on the other side of the ball, plays fairly clean. So, why did it take them nearly 100 minutes (if not more) to break down a Costa Rican side that defended well, if a little desperately, while not causing too much trouble at the other end? The answer, off the top of my head, is trouble with the dreaded “final ball.”
- There’s also a predilection among Mexican players for dicking around with the ball - e.g. a flank player (say, Medina) will chase a ball down the flank and instead of playing a first-time ball, he’ll pull up, twist and turn in the corner for a while (prelude to sleeping?), pull up, putz around a little more....then drop the ball back down the line to another player. So much momentum went down the Mexican flanks only to die.
- I can’t put my finger on the moment when the Mexicans stopped playing soccer to focus on conning the ref, but that might have come not long after Vaughn ejected a Costa Rican player (Aleman) for DISSENT?! Look, nothing short of producing a photo of his mother fucking a horse while his grandmother spanks her butt should bring Vaughn to a second yellow. And given the way he allowed players from both sides to crowd and hector him all day, I can’t imagine why Aleman’s behavior stood out...barring that photograph, that is.
- While looking into how to spell Terry Vauhgn’s name, I came across an article featuring Costa Rican coach Hernan Medford suggesting a conspiracy to get the U.S. and Mexico to square off. Well, Hernan, can’t say I blame you. I was a neutral and I'm struggling to find an explanation for Vaughn's officiating.
- In any case, the Mexicans proceeded to milk Vaughn’s bottomless gullibility/vision impairment for all it was worth. Is it any friggin’ wonder American refs don’t go to the World Cup? Would you want Terry Vaughn calling your game? Are you fucking crazy?
- In terms of the worst bit of Mexican fakery, I’m torn between the player who play acted a head-butt from a Costa Rican - which, naturally, Vaughn and the linesman bought - and Cuauhtemoc Blanco parlaying the slightest touch to his shoulder to the Hammer of Thor smiting on his face. I think I’ll go with the head-butt, seeing as that resulted in the second sending off for Costa Rica.
- Whether they deserved it or not, I was praying for a Costa Rican equalizer, then rout. Simple justice demanded no less.
- Not surprisingly, I’m hoping that Guadeloupe not only pounds the holy, humiliating shit out of Mexico in the semis, but that every Mexican players’ shorts simultaneously fall to their ankles at or around the 65th minute.
- I’m expecting neither to happen, but would gladly take a Meatballs-style shorts-rip and would pay (in installments) any resultant fines leveled against Guadeloupe.
Showing posts with label Costa Rica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Costa Rica. Show all posts
Gold Cup Quarters Set + Some Thoughts on 'Em
A week ago Tuesday, I took a stab at predicting the quarterfinals for the Gold Cup. Here's what I came up with:
Costa Rica v. Guatemala
U.S.A. v. Canada
Mexico v. El Salvador
Haiti v. Panama
So, how'd I do? Here's what how things panned out:
Canada v. Guatemala
U.S.A. v. Panama
Honduras v. Guadeloupe
Mexico v. Costa Rica
Obviously, I missed a few, especially when it came to who would face whom. Then again, I got - let's see - six of the eight teams placed...not so hard, I suppose, given only twelve teams in the hat.
Seeing as my first stab at predictions went so swimmingly, I'll just confine myself to some observations. Taking it by bullet points:
- I don't envy Canada the game against Guatemala. Still, I hope our neighbors to the north beat the Central Americans. It's not that I'm nervous about meeting the latter again, so much as I'm not relishing the idea of watching a second U.S. v. Guatemala (which, unless I'm misreading things - again - is what would happen; but semifinal #1 pits the winner of quarterfinals #1 and #2, right?).
- Speaking of, Panama won't be a walk in the park either. But I'm thinking it will be a good game.
- Honduras looks hot, or at least that's one possible reading of the 5-0 drubbing they meted out on Cuba in their final group game. Guadeloupe looked a lot better after the win over Canada than they do after letting a seemingly lackluster Costa Rica into the quarters.
- It's this last detail that makes me think Mexico got the biggest kiss for the quarters.
All right, then. Nothing to do now but peruse some previews and wait for the weekend's action. Good stuff.
(#########)
Costa Rica v. Guatemala
U.S.A. v. Canada
Mexico v. El Salvador
Haiti v. Panama
So, how'd I do? Here's what how things panned out:
Canada v. Guatemala
U.S.A. v. Panama
Honduras v. Guadeloupe
Mexico v. Costa Rica
Obviously, I missed a few, especially when it came to who would face whom. Then again, I got - let's see - six of the eight teams placed...not so hard, I suppose, given only twelve teams in the hat.
Seeing as my first stab at predictions went so swimmingly, I'll just confine myself to some observations. Taking it by bullet points:
- I don't envy Canada the game against Guatemala. Still, I hope our neighbors to the north beat the Central Americans. It's not that I'm nervous about meeting the latter again, so much as I'm not relishing the idea of watching a second U.S. v. Guatemala (which, unless I'm misreading things - again - is what would happen; but semifinal #1 pits the winner of quarterfinals #1 and #2, right?).
- Speaking of, Panama won't be a walk in the park either. But I'm thinking it will be a good game.
- Honduras looks hot, or at least that's one possible reading of the 5-0 drubbing they meted out on Cuba in their final group game. Guadeloupe looked a lot better after the win over Canada than they do after letting a seemingly lackluster Costa Rica into the quarters.
- It's this last detail that makes me think Mexico got the biggest kiss for the quarters.
All right, then. Nothing to do now but peruse some previews and wait for the weekend's action. Good stuff.
(#########)
Gold Cup Report; The Yanks' "Mexico Dilemma"
Before picking through the past two days’ MLS and U.S. Men’s-related Gold Cup results (I’ve had “things,” none of which should interest the present audience), I wanted to post some brief comments on the tournament in general.
Even though the print coverage has been pretty swell in general, I thought I'd chuck in a one-stop update or those not keeping tabs. The Gold Cup’s first two days turned in the following results:
Canada 2 - 1 Costa Rica (what?! Forza Canada!!)
Haiti 1 - 1 Guadeloupe
El Salvador 2 - 1 Trinidad & Tobago
All I want to say about that is, what a delightfully baffling tournament so far - especially the Canada/Costa Rica result. Costa Rica needing results from the next twoo sets up some lovely intrigue in Group A; I figured Haiti might cause some headaches, but now have to wonder whether 1) Guadeloupe might as well, or, 2) whether Haiti is weaker than I suspected. Good stuff.
The Group B results followed expectations a bit more closely, what with the chaos in the Trinidadian camp. And, without digging too deeply into my thoughts on the U.S.’s performance against Guatemala (more later), let’s just say I’m happy to be getting Trinidad first.
In semi-related materials, something that ran a couple days ago in the Houston Chronicle - something I had intended to pass on yesterday, but couldn’t due to “things” - laid out CONCACAF-only rankings for the participating teams. The rankings themselves aren’t all that shocking - e.g. Mexico is #1, we’re #2, Costa Rica’s #3, etc. - but it’s kinda nice to have rankings within the larger FIFA rankings available.
The 1-2 set-up, however, begs a question that the present tournament may or may not answer: why is Mexico, who the U.S. Men have beaten with meaningful regularity, still ranked #1? For what it’s worth, I don’t think the ranking is wrong so much as it could use some explaining. Here’s a stab at it: while we do beat Mexico, we don’t often look like world-beaters doing it; also, there’s the fact that we’ve never beat them in Mexico...everywhere else, yes, but Mexico, no.
That last detail is a curious thing, but it’s one that strikes me as especially meaningful. It provides a rejoinder of sorts to a contention in an Ives Galarcep article that the U.S. could “prove something” by beating Mexico in the Gold Cup final. While the contention that we need to prove anything is controversial on its own, it's the home-field angle that leaves me dubious on signing off on Galarcep's specific argument. Here’s the thing, we could deliver a humiliating, tear-provoking ass-pounding in the final, riding the score up to 14-0 and I’m around 90% certain the Mexican players and coaches would unpack the usual comments about American’s “playing like women.”
Given that, I don’t personally believe that the coming Gold Cup final - assuming both the U.S. and Mexico make it - will bring any meaningful changes in the perception of both teams. Even if we win our second consecutive Gold Cup, the changing of the guard will only come if and when Mexico perceives itself as the weaker team - and I can only see that day coming when we beat Mexico in Mexico. That’s when the denials will finally ring hollow and the crown fall from Mexico’s head. After all, we’ve gone 7-1-0 (W-L-T) in the past eight meetings and that hasn’t changed a thing. In other words, so long as any form of comforting excuse remains at hand, Mexicans won't buy into second-place status.
Another way to dry up the excuses would be to play the Gold Cup outside the U.S. (how is it we keep winning this no-bid hosting gig?) I'm less certain of this, but beating Mexico in any other Central venue would do go some distance to drying up excuses as well. But, seeing as that can’t come about for another couple years, seems like we’ll have an earlier crack at winning in Mexico.
Can we do it? Sure. Paraguay did just a couple weeks ago. And I don't even think they've got Mexico's number like we have lately.
Even though the print coverage has been pretty swell in general, I thought I'd chuck in a one-stop update or those not keeping tabs. The Gold Cup’s first two days turned in the following results:
Canada 2 - 1 Costa Rica (what?! Forza Canada!!)
Haiti 1 - 1 Guadeloupe
El Salvador 2 - 1 Trinidad & Tobago
All I want to say about that is, what a delightfully baffling tournament so far - especially the Canada/Costa Rica result. Costa Rica needing results from the next twoo sets up some lovely intrigue in Group A; I figured Haiti might cause some headaches, but now have to wonder whether 1) Guadeloupe might as well, or, 2) whether Haiti is weaker than I suspected. Good stuff.
The Group B results followed expectations a bit more closely, what with the chaos in the Trinidadian camp. And, without digging too deeply into my thoughts on the U.S.’s performance against Guatemala (more later), let’s just say I’m happy to be getting Trinidad first.
In semi-related materials, something that ran a couple days ago in the Houston Chronicle - something I had intended to pass on yesterday, but couldn’t due to “things” - laid out CONCACAF-only rankings for the participating teams. The rankings themselves aren’t all that shocking - e.g. Mexico is #1, we’re #2, Costa Rica’s #3, etc. - but it’s kinda nice to have rankings within the larger FIFA rankings available.
The 1-2 set-up, however, begs a question that the present tournament may or may not answer: why is Mexico, who the U.S. Men have beaten with meaningful regularity, still ranked #1? For what it’s worth, I don’t think the ranking is wrong so much as it could use some explaining. Here’s a stab at it: while we do beat Mexico, we don’t often look like world-beaters doing it; also, there’s the fact that we’ve never beat them in Mexico...everywhere else, yes, but Mexico, no.
That last detail is a curious thing, but it’s one that strikes me as especially meaningful. It provides a rejoinder of sorts to a contention in an Ives Galarcep article that the U.S. could “prove something” by beating Mexico in the Gold Cup final. While the contention that we need to prove anything is controversial on its own, it's the home-field angle that leaves me dubious on signing off on Galarcep's specific argument. Here’s the thing, we could deliver a humiliating, tear-provoking ass-pounding in the final, riding the score up to 14-0 and I’m around 90% certain the Mexican players and coaches would unpack the usual comments about American’s “playing like women.”
Given that, I don’t personally believe that the coming Gold Cup final - assuming both the U.S. and Mexico make it - will bring any meaningful changes in the perception of both teams. Even if we win our second consecutive Gold Cup, the changing of the guard will only come if and when Mexico perceives itself as the weaker team - and I can only see that day coming when we beat Mexico in Mexico. That’s when the denials will finally ring hollow and the crown fall from Mexico’s head. After all, we’ve gone 7-1-0 (W-L-T) in the past eight meetings and that hasn’t changed a thing. In other words, so long as any form of comforting excuse remains at hand, Mexicans won't buy into second-place status.
Another way to dry up the excuses would be to play the Gold Cup outside the U.S. (how is it we keep winning this no-bid hosting gig?) I'm less certain of this, but beating Mexico in any other Central venue would do go some distance to drying up excuses as well. But, seeing as that can’t come about for another couple years, seems like we’ll have an earlier crack at winning in Mexico.
Can we do it? Sure. Paraguay did just a couple weeks ago. And I don't even think they've got Mexico's number like we have lately.
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