A wacky and uneven World Cup tournament came to an appropriate end with the referees playing an excessive role, two ...   more »

Anyone suspicious that FIFA and their referee corps have an agenda and are fixing the World Cup matches as best ...   more »

Well, overall the Germans seem to be taking their humiliating defeat at the hands of Italy well.  Despite falling 2-0, playing at home in Germany's most home-team friendly stadium, and being clearly outplayed through most of the match, the German press seems to looking on the bright side.  Could this be a true sign the the manic-depressive German personality is actually changing?

Bild says in its headline "They Battled Like World Champs."  A clear overstatment, but a least the headline doesn't say "German Victory Snatched Away By Jewish Traitors."  Stern optimistically claims "Mission Stopped, Continuation to Follow" which is an improvement on "First Poland, The World to Follow."  Uber-serious Spiegel goes slightly upbeat with a typically supercilious bit of advice: "Cheer Up Germany".  Well at least it doesn't say "The Gotterdamerung Is Arrived!"

So what can we take from Germany's embarassing debacle at the hands of the cheating, diving and generally unsportsman-like Italians--well that unfortunately we had to have a semi-final of these two teams, but at least the better team won.  I don't like Italy any more than Germany, but they were the better team.  They'd crushed Germany a few months ago, and although the krauts played better yesterday, Italy still dominated. The stomboli eaters dominated possession, corner kicks and shots on goal.  The goal posts saved the Germans twice.  Meanwhile, Germany had just one decent chance on goal, and Italy's stellar goalkeeper Bufoon--or something like that--made a stunning save. It was quite clear at the end that the huns were playing for a tie and penalty kicks, which is the same as saying "Let's just let Jesus decide who he likes better."

Now all right thinking people have to hope Portugal defeats France and goes on to win the championship, just so we can finally have a nation that is not Brazil, Germany, Italy, France or Argentina win the World Cup.  Probably won't happen though.  France is playing quite well now behind the great Zidane, and will probably handle Portugal.  Italy has yet to be scored on (the own goal against the US doesn't count.)  France and Italy will play in the final and France or Italy will win.  That is my fearless prediction.  Go Portugal!

Is soccer is anti-American?  The answer is yes.  I say this both as a patriotic American ...   more »

Klinsman as coach          As player and German team captain

Among many astute observations and recommendations during his commentary on World ...   more »

Let's finish up America's World Cup Losers, before I die of boredom. 

Loser #3:  DeMarcus Beasley.  Some people, like ESPN ...   more »

The losers category for the American Men’s National Soccer Team, and associated interests, is going to be long, after a ...   more »

The US was eliminated from the World Cup tournament today after another lackluster performance.  Yeah, the team got screwed again ...   more »

Okay, sorry to say this, and I hope I am wrong, but the US appears to be cooked and Bruce ...   more »

Landon Dovovan celebrates after 1-1 with Italy during which US still scored no goals on its own. 

The US will ...   more »

John Pantsil, a Ghanaian who plays professionally in Israel, waives an Israeli flag after the Ghana upset the Czech Republic....   more »

England and Sweden fought to a 2-2 defeat tonight in Cologne, Germany.  Incredibly, this is the first time that both ...   more »

I'm not going to comment on the ref in the US-Italy game, other than to say he was obviously horrendous.  ...   more »

Ghana upset the Czech Republic 2-0 a few minutes ago.  The question now is whether this result will have greater ...   more »

The US finally faces Italy tomorrow in a do or die match to continue on in the World Cup soccer ...   more »

Evil Baby Shiloh is already doing her bad juju.  Today she permitted two of the World Cup's lamest, most suck-ass, ...   more »

Against Germany today, Poland faced a situation very like, although somewhat less dire, as the US will face against Italy ...   more »

Ronaldo pauses to pass gas during training, following his usual heavy lunch.

Brazil today barely defeated a feisty Croatian team ...   more »

Well, it was a 3-0 blowout and the US will certainly not advance in the World Cup this time.  The ...   more »

Getting US forward Brian McBride a few good chances against the Czechs, and tough defense, could be all the US need for ...   more »

I’ve watched at least a portion of every World Cup game played so far with the exception of the Poland...   more »

It's a commonplace observation that in every country participating in the World Cup tournament, the attention, anticipation, worry and excitement, two days before kickoff, ...   more »

"The Soccer Wars" is an example of what you get by writing an article in a major newspaper refuting something ...   more »

The US defeated Latvia 1-0 Sunday in the team’s last public friendly before the World Cup (the US will play ...   more »

Clint Dempsey in yesterday's game.

I didn't know that Venezuela was the only South American team never to make it ...   more »

The US Men's National Soccer Team's 1-0 loss to Morocco last night was like a bad appendicitis--not a disaster, and ...   more »

Freddy Adu in last night's game.  

I don't think I've commented on DC United yet this season, but so far ...   more »

Paraguay in the red, white, blue against Mexico.

These next few weeks promise to be heaven for soccer fans with a ...   more »

Landon Donovan during his last, unhappy German sojourn.

For the American national soccer team to have any hope of advancing ...   more »

US National Coach Bruce Arena announced the roster for the 2006 World Cup last night.  The Washington Post's Steve Goff ...   more »

Tonight we'll know the exact makeup of the US World Cup soccer team, but if you can't wait, the Washington ...   more »

I only saw the second half of the US Men's National Soccer Team's 1-1 tie against Jamaica last night, but ...   more »

The Washington Post's ace soccer reporter Steven Goff has an interesting profile of American defender Oguchi Onyewu today.  Hopefully, there ...   more »

This will be my last post on the US v. Germany soccer debacle. 

In fairness to US coach Bruce Arena, ...   more »

This just a brief follow-up on the US v. Germany debacle since the morning paper came out and we have ...   more »

Well, in the end Germany rolled over the US in a friendly match in Dortmund.  I predicted a 2-1 US ...   more »