TOTUS Can't Be Bothered With National Team

It seems the great budget destroyer negotiator in chief has so much on his plate that he couldn't take a few moments out of his busy fund raising closed door temper tantrums to even acknowledge that our women's World Cup team will be competing this weekend for the title. The route to the final has been a script that not even Hollywood could imagine, mostly because they don't believe anything good comes from America.

This is the same president who when the men's team was competing in Africa vowed he would make the trip if they got to the semis. They didn't. He didn't. I don't know how he can ignore a team that a goalkeeper named Hope Solo, I mean wasn't he the guy who ran on a platform of hope? Maybe Sheila Jackson Lee can read between the lines. Wouldn't this at least be better optics for the First Burger Eater Lady? She wants to promote sort of get off your ass and move program. I would think this would be a good opportunity to promote such a venture. Unless maybe there is just a little jealousy creeping in there.


Here is what Hope Solo, the goalkeeper of the USA team had to say in the aftermath of their miraculous win over Brazil in the semi finals.

“To all our fans, both new and old, to our MLB, NFL and NBA fans, to our German fans, our Military fans and to all of America, Thank you for standing behind us. Never has a team come back to win from a man down, a goal down and in such dramatic fashion. Last night I had a moment as I sat waiting for the penalties. I felt the energy of the stadium, I witnessed how far the game has risen and I felt the spirit of our team as we fought together, unwilling to lose, our backs against the wall. Last night is a feeling you work your whole life for. To break free. To write your own destiny. And That's what WE, this 2011 USA team have set out to do, to write OUR OWN story. Go ahead, jump on the bandwagon and let's do this together. One Nation, One World, One Team.”

The World Cup is being played in Germany and for the most part most of the fans in the seats rooting for team USA have been the military stationed over there. Yeah, that same nasty bunch of neolithic cave dwellers that so many want to be brought home cause it seems to be the only item in the budget that they can find to cut. The Americans have been winning over fans from Europe as their teams have been eliminated and it is really sort of surreal to see folks from Germany, Norway, Italy and elsewhere rooting for the USA. The games are being shown to the troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq for those fortunate enough to be stationed somewhere with such amenities, which in light of hit pieces written lately about what a colossal waste of money it is to provide these men and women with things like tents and air conditioning is a minor miracle in itself.

Their opponent in the finals is Japan, which have their own story of overcoming a myriad of obstacles to get to the final off the field. You might have heard something about earthquakes, tsunamis, and nuclear fallout which beset their homeland, which for many people make them the sentimental favorite and if you read some of the commentary elsewhere, you will actually see people who advocate that the US throw the game. They normally end their comments with the phrase, "it would only be fair".

I have no doubt that should the girls close out the deal he will invite them to the White House and pose for numerous photos and the media lap dogs will make it seem as if he was calling in strategy to the coach during the whole tournament, like somebody else we know.

"Kim Jong-Su, the general secretary of the North Korean FA, has said the Dear Leader gave 'in-depth guidance' on how to develop the game in the country and the coach himself has claimed he received regular tactical advice during matches, apparently using mobile phones that are not visible to the naked eye."

The game is Sunday with coverage on ESPN beginning at 2:45 EST. Gee they couldn't even bother to put the game on one of the networks.

American Attitude

I'll admit it, I am a big soccer fan. I began playing soccer as a wee lad back in the 70's when the sport was a virtual unknown in the United States. I had role models like Pele from Brazil and Kyle Rote Jr, in America. I continued playing until the knees just wouldn't take the punishment anymore somewhere in my mid 40's.

I have played in Germany, while stationed there, for both American and German teams. I have played against teams from other countries, not at the top level, mind you, but still in situations where I was representing the United States. It is hard to explain to somebody what it means to play a game where when you hear the national anthem being played you are fully aware of just what it means to have that flag on your sleeve.

That is why I was very pleased by the comments I heard from the players and coaches in the wake of the U.S. victory over Brazil this weekend in what is arguably the best game ever played. The United States team had to overcome questionable calls, play a woman short for almost half the game and into overtime and finally decided by penalty kicks. At the end it was sheer willpower to force your leg to make one more kick on target. Legs that had probably long ago given up protesting in pain and were now resigned to simply carry your body because your mind willed it.

The game itself lasts 90 minutes and the overtime period is 30 minutes with additional time added for stoppages. There are no timeouts in soccer. No break between plays to huddle up or sit in a dug out. There is nothing but the relentless moving, sometimes at a sprint, sometimes at a jog, but always moving.

First comments from the woman's coach who once was a member of the Swedish team, which coincidentally has beaten this U.S. squad twice this year, once in the first round of this World Cup.



And then from a player, Abby Wambach, who while not having the best of years is still managing to be there when it counts.



Next up for the U.S. women is France on Wednesday and as great as this win is, it is over and now it is time to move on to the next game for in soccer the only relevant question is what have you done lately?

Soccer fan or not, you have got to admire these athletes and would hope all Americans can get behind them.

So, Who Won The Game?

Seems the adults in this country need to grow a little thicker skin. Some kids at a high school in Nebraska have been suspended over an incident in which green cards were found on a soccer field, which was the site of championship game. One of the schools in the game has a predominately Hispanic population.

Several Lincoln East High School students have been suspended for making or distributing "green cards" thrown onto the field following the high school championship soccer game.

The cards were directed at Lincoln East's rival in the Tuesday night game, Omaha South High School. Sixty percent of Omaha South's students are Latino, and the green cards were an apparent reference to immigration status.

Folks, I played soccer for many, many years, starting in high school. If I was in a championship game I would look for anything to give me an edge over the competition. If I thought sprinkling green cards on the ground would get into the head of the opponent, then that field would be so pretty and green it would make the blue grass of Boise State jealous.

Just a little more information for those not familiar with soccer there is a carding system for infractions. A yellow card is administered for a minor violation of the rules and is basically a warning. A couple of them and you can be ejected from the game. A red card is an immediate ejection. Once ejected from a soccer game your team must play short handed the remainder of the game. So it is with a nod to this card system along with the current broo haha over illegal aliens that led the students to play this prank.

So I really want to know. Who won? Did this stunt sufficiently unnerve the other team and lead to their defeat or did they prevail in spite of it?

Cause Of Muslim Outrage #1,654,753

The latest item for Muslims to add to their list of things that piss us of, other then non believers breathing the same air as them is a song sung by German soccer fans.

The third verse contains the words: "Muhammad was a prophet who understood nothing about football".

Of course proving that once again threats and having a culture which revolves around violence is proving to be very effective at tamping down other peoples' fun, the team is of course consulting some Muslim "experts" to decide how to proceed. I think most of us are experts now on the cult of perpetual outrage.

The Gelsenkirchen club, which plays in Germany's top league, the Bundesliga, has asked an Islam expert to consider whether the song might be insulting.