Musings about sports in general, & Cricket in particular. With baseball season coming up, will look into that, too. And lots of good cricket in 2007, including the World Cup.
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This is where you stick random tidbits of information about yourself.
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20060613
Another day, another great story. Today belongs to the Boys from Oz. Yes, in the upset of the day, the win goes to Australia. The goals came too fast too furious in the Aussies' stunning rally for a 3-1 victory over Japan on Monday. Tim Cahill scored in the 84th minute and again five minutes later. John Aloisi added one in injury time. "It was unbelievable to come away with a first World Cup win like that," Aloisi said. "It was 10 minutes of probably the most exciting soccer that Australia has ever seen." Cahill, who came on in the 53rd minute, made an impressive showing for a player coming off a knee injury who has seen limited playing time heading to the tournament. "It's been one big massive procedure for me to get fit in such a short period of time," he said. "To do what we did today shows Australian spirit, and it's good to be up there with the rugby and cricket players." And, for one day at least, up there with soccer's elite. Monday's comeback added another nerve-jangling chapter to the Socceroos' World Cup story. In November, they upset Uruguay in a penalty-kick shootout in a playoff to qualify. The Aussies didn't appear capable of even tying the game after falling behind in the first half. But Cahill equalized when he picked up a loose ball off a throw-in and beat Japan goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi with a right-footed shot. Kawaguchi erred in coming out of his net. Five minutes later, with the Japanese clearly off-balance, Cahill scored from 20 yards with a right-footed shot that went in off the goalpost. Although the stunned Japanese pushed up for a second goal, it was Australia's Aloisi who found the net in the final seconds from 15 yards after snaking through the defense. That finished off the comeback for his nation's first World Cup win. Australia's only other trip was in 1974, when it failed to score a goal in losing to host West Germany and East Germany and tying Chile 0-0. Shunsuke Nakamura gave Japan a lead in the 26th minute, floating a cross from 25 yards that sailed in over the head of Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. Schwarzer failed to grab the ball when he crashed into a group of players. Japan forward Naohiro Takahara made contact with Schwarzer as the two jumped, but there was no foul and Schwarzer walked off at halftime shaking his head. Kawaguchi made several key saves off free kicks in the second half before his blunder on the first Aussie goal. Japan is in its third straight World Cup. Co-hosts in 2002, the Japanese lost 1-0 in the round of 16 to eventual semifinalist Turkey. Their chances of advancing are slim now, considering they have Croatia and Brazil ahead. Australia, at least, can a bit more realistically contemplate making the second round.
At least for today, Oz has a winning team that doesn't play cricket or rugby. Good luck to them.
2:33 AM
20060612
Just finished watch the NBA Championship, game 2. At this point, doubt many thought that Dallas would be up 2-0, although it's good to finally see Jerry Stackhouse in a championship, after 11 years in the league. I remember when Jerry was in high school, in Kinston, over 15 years ago, going to see him then. There was all the attention when he went to Chapel Hill--even though he only spent 2 years there. He was one of Dean Smith's last great recruits. He's playing good, too. Shaq's playing really lousy: 2 for 19 at the foul line's just not acceptable at this stage. I'm glad Riley benched him most of the 4th quarter. For all his talk about being the Godfather, he needs to walk the walk more.
Watched the Mexico-Iran matchup in the World Cup, also. Mexico won, 3-1. It was most enjoyable. It looked the the other North American team had plenty of fans in the German stands, a veritable sea of green & red. It was not quite as enjoyable as the Trinadad & Tobago win, but it was an enjoyable match, nonetheless.
4:41 AM
20060610
This is quite the busy Sporting season: the England cricket team just finished up a Test series with the Lankans & are preparing for ODIs, the mlb season is underway with another thrilling pennant race in store (looks like) in the American League East, the Stanley Cup has produced another unlikely pairing in a team that hasn't won anything since Gretsky left & another team that plays in the heart of NASCAR & college basketball country, an NBA Championship between 2 teams that have never been there before, &, finally, the arrival of the quadriennial World Cup. I have been following all, catching games & matches here & there. Today though, is about the Cup.
It doesn't seem quite like 4 years since the Brazileans--the Overlords of Football--hoisted that strange looking trophy above their yellow & green heads (okay, so that's their kits). This year's cup began yesterday &, it being a Friday, I was unable to view either of the matches. Today though, I deliberately set aside time for the Cup, watching a very nervy sort of game for the English against Paraguay (they won, 1-0), & then a simply marvelous game as Trinidad & Togego (one nation) took on the favored Swedish side. Trinadad & Tobego--more famous for producing Brian Lara than any footballers--is the smallest country ever to qualify for the Cup (hopefully, the Vatican team can get it together & make it in 2010). Their star player received a red card in the 1st half. They lost their starting 'keeper in warmups, & had to start a 37-year old who didn't have much time to warm up at all. His name was Shaka Hislop, a former goalie at Howard U. in old DC, & he wound up being Man of the Match. Despite all this, or maybe because of it in a crazy, quirky sort of way, T&T prevailed. Now, they didn't win (keep your heads, now!). But they did draw, 0-0, & that broken-down 'keeper, the afterthought, kept out everything that came his way all afternoon. So, they still have an outside shot to make it into the next round, although they play England next. But what the hell--today's their day.
This may be one reason for the popularity of the Cup--like the Olympics, it's not around all the time, & it provides the opportunity for heroics like this that might now otherwise be seen.
7:01 PM
20060607
In the matter of England v. Sri Lanka, I know that most pundits are complaining that England didn't give the tourists a good thrashing, but then they didn't lose, either. Guess those same pundits forgot that just less than 10 years ago, England were hardly beating anyone. A draw on one's home turf may not be totally desirable, but it's no great shame either--especially the way England's been hit with injuries this Spring. Pakistan--no doubt--will be a tougher test, but by then some fitness concerns should be alleviated.
9:55 AM
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