World Cup Update - Day 7

ECUADOR 3 - 0 COSTA RICA

Ecuador are for real!! I'm really looking forward to watching them play Germany next!

ENGLAND 2 - 0 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

What's up England? Seriously, these boys looks B-A-D....they definitely aren't coming into these matches with any heart. Thank God for Rooney and Lennon, being subbed in. Rooney just brought a spark and got the crowd into it again, but Lennon, did a great job creating space for himself and also drew two players to him which opened up space for Beckham. Who is still spot on with his crosses, but they need some fire!

COME ON ENGLAND!

SWEDEN 1 - 0 PARAGUAY

If this World Cup is remembered for anything, it should be remembered for all of the late goals! Freddie Ljungberg scores in the 89th minute.

new artist

This piece....

Loo's Garden (acrylic on canvas)

Is my 4 year old daughter's first non-crayon piece of art. She did such an awesome job and had such a great time painting it.

There's a good story of the picture also....

"There's the sun, and some red roses and here's a rain cloud and there's one little raindrop for the flowers"

World Cup Update - Day 6

SPAIN 4 - 0 UKRAINE

Did you expect anything less?

But this group should be pretty easy for Spain.

TUNISIA 2 - 2 SAUDI ARABIA

Tunsia score in extra time to get the draw.

GERMANY 1 - 0 POLAND

91st minute goal from sub Oliver Neuville gives Germany their second win and 6 points.

World Cup Update - Day 5

SOUTH KOREA 2 - 1 TOGO

Togo strikes first and then they have a player sent off and Korea scores from the ensuing free kick. They were bound to score again, with Togo only playing with 10 men.

FRANCE 0 - 0 SWITZERLAND

Will the real French team, please stand up??

I saw players that looked like the French team, but they sure didn't play like them!! (Maybe they did....lest we forget that France had a pretty difficult time even qualifing for the World Cup)

BRAZIL 1 - 0 CROATIA

Croatia should be proud. They held the defending champs to one goal, and also created SEVERAL chances for themselves!!

Jose +10

If you've watched any of the World Cup, then no doubt you've seen these Adidas +10 ads. These ones with the kids are awesome.

These spots got me thinking....which 10 players would I choose? Since I only really know players from the last 5 or 6 years (outside of Pelé) and then since the commercial uses only players who have contracts with Adidas, I think I'd probably end up with some combo of the players chosen....I know one thing though....I wouldn't put Defoe in goal!!

Jose +10 - Part 1


Jose +10 - Part 2

Get Me Some Crack, Berry!!

I got a "crackberry" today!!

Random Thoughts About the World Cup

Just some random things about the World Cup....

What is up with Christiano Ronaldo from Portugal?? Dude wears a long sleeved jersey just so he can cut the sleeves up a quarter of the way up. He looked like a dork....I've never really liked him anyway!


Did anyone see that fan who kept the ball that went into the stands? That would be sweet!!

What's up with the braided frontal triangle haircut on Angola's Loco?

Is Brent Musburger embarassing to anyone else?? It seems like he knows NOTHING about soccer....I mean nothing at all. I'd love to talk to Alexi Lalas off the record to find out what he thinks of him. I mean I understand that he's a super senior anchor for ABC Sports, but jeez....come on people! He seems like he's just reading from the teleprompter.

I wish Dwight Yorke was still a striker. If he moves any further back he'll be playing in goal by the time the last group game is played.

How awesome is Tommy Smyth (widda Y)? This guy ROCKS!! Not only does he know WTF he's talking about....his accent is great!

David Beckham is DAMN HANDSOME!! I like how he moved himself into the "good light"....he's such a good model. Look at him, the cameras are out and he's in the zone....everyone else is cracking up....not David, he's in "Sexy Bitch" mode.

I actually think he's using Rooney's face as a reflector!

World Cup Update - Day 4

Australia 3 - 1 Japan

Way to go SoccerRoos....there's nothing like waiting until the last 6 minutes of a match to score 3 goals!

That Japan goal shouldn't have counted, that's for sure. Hopefully THAT GOAL won't case any goal differencial problems.

USA 0 - 3 Czech Republic

I don't even want to comment on this match....I thought the US Team would at least show up!

I'll admit that I didn't even think they would make it out of the group stage, but now, I don't think they have a chance! They'll have to beat Ghana just to get third place in the group.

Italy 2 - 0 Ghana

Is this a surprise to anyone?

ABC, ESPN & ESPN 2's World Cup Coverage

ABC, ESPN and ESPN 2 are showing every World Cup match this summer. Here's my take on their choices for match announcers.

Dave O'Brien & Marcello Balboa....During the England match I felt that I could have done a better job commentating on this match. I don't know Dave's credentials, but get over the jitters already! Marcello doesn't even sound like he even played soccer for the US National team. They did a much better job with the Mexico vs. Iran match.

Glenn Davis & Shep Messing....These two are REALLY good together. They are constantly talking to the viewing audience and giving some great information.

JP Dellacamera & John Harkes....great job so far. My only gripe against them is with the Netherlands match....in the first half they had to make it a point to mention which Netherlands players and how many of them played with or against U.S. players and who those U.S. players.

Adrian Healey & Tommy Smyth....This is the BEST team they have going....it's too bad these two will be relegated to the "bad games." These two obvioulsy announce soccer matches for a living an not just every 4 years. (Sorry Dave and Marcello)

I wonder who's going to get the Final game?

If I had to pick a current team, it would be a toss-up between Glenn & Shep and Adrian & Tommy.

World Cup Update - Day 3

HOLLAND 1 - 0 SERBIA & MONTENEGRO

With all the ball possession that Holland had in this match, I thought they could have scored at least once more.

Robben scored the goal and is getting a lot of "air time" in highlights, etc. It's too bad he was such a ball hog in this match.

Mark my words....Arjen Robben will be given a yellow card for diving by the end of the World Cup.

IRAN 1 - 3 MEXICO

Iran played pretty well....I don't think anyone really gave them much of a chance in this game, let alone in the World Cup. Two last goals from Mexico really showed how dangerous they could be....Oh and also Iranian mistakes don't hurt either.

PORTUGAL 1 - 0 ANGOLA

Portugal almost score on the opening possession, and then score inside 4 minutes!! The rest of the first half was full of attacking football. Then with defensive substitutions in the second half, they settled for the 1-0 win.

Personal World Cup Flashback

Four years ago, while we were living in Singapore, my daughter was only 4 months old and she would lay on her back and watch the World Cup with me from the floor. She watched every match that I watched.

Even my wife would mention, "She seems to like it."

Fast forward 4 years....this morning my daughter comes downstairs and says, "More soccer??!! Daddy, what about cartoons?"

Unfortunately for her, it's only Day 3 of the World Cup!

World Cup Update - Day 2

ENGLAND 1 - 0 PARAGUAY

England looked good in the first half, although they got lucky with the own goal off the Beckham free kick. Second half, they looked AWFUL!

SWEDEN 0 - 0 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

Sweden didn't really play their game....and to draw with T&T who played much of the second half with only 10 men....that's embarassing!!

ARGENTINA 2 - 1 IVORY COAST

Drogba just couldn't get them going and I thought that Toure and Eboue would have done a better job....is Argentina that good?

World Cup Update - Day 1

GERMANY 4 - 2 COSTA RICA

I was able to watch this game, (after I knew the score) thanks to the DVR.

Other teams in Group A are sure to try and find the same holes in the German defense that Costa Rica found.

POLAND 0 - 2 ECUADOR

I was only able to watch the last ½ an hour of this game, but I saw it live at Baja Fresh. Even though Poland got robbed a couple times by the woodwork (once off the crossbar and then off the post). Poland didn't look like the favorite to me.

Long Distance Coin Toss

I've waited a few days to post this story....but here goes.

My little family and I go out to the mall on Monday evening, just walking around. Not really looking for anything, just window shopping.

In the center of the mall, there's a fountain....it's not huge or anything, maybe 6' in diameter.

My oldest daughter who loves to throw coins into the fountain, asks if she can throw a penny in the fountain....I dig in my pocket and pull out my change. No pennies, but I do have a nickel.

I look at the wife and say, "I bet you can't make it from here". At this point we're about 20 feet away from this fountain. It's Monday night, there's hardly anyone in the mall. She looks at me kinda funny and says "From here? No problem!"

What?

Sooooo, I throw in some difficulty. There's some trees right where we are standing....they're not Oak trees or anything, just cute skinny little "mall trees".

So I say, "But, you have to throw it from right here behind this tree....in this square."

AH-HA!! I can see a nervous look on her face!

"What do I get if I make it?", she says.

"Anything you want under $50!", I said.

She steps into the square, leans over to look around the tree, first to the right, then the left....leans back and tosses it.

SPLOOSH!!

Right in....no problem. So now have to make it.

I step up to the square....shoot....

CHINK-A-DINK

I missed that fountain by a good, 5 feet!!! I guess I forgot the wife has REALLY good aim!

Now, that I'm writing this....I don't think my daughter ever did get to throw a coin into the fountain.

Sorry Loo

OH NO! It's Raining!!

WARNING!

Rant ahead....

I've been living here (in California) for 30+ years and driving here for about ½ of that time. Can someone help me answer this pleeeaase....

Why can't Californians drive in the rain? I mean seriously!! WTF??

Today it was MISTING and everyone was all over their brakes....it's like they get all stupid or something!!

"Ahhhhhh....is that water on my windshield??" Yeah, it is! Calm down....make sure to breathe!! It's like they're gonna melt....(insert plastic surgery jokes here)....COME ON!!!

Just DRIVE!!!

It's not a freakin thunder storm, it's MISTING!!

I mean, it's like me hanging out of my car with a squirt gun and shooting at your car....it's not doing anything to you or to your car!!

Just DRIVE!!!

It's funny to drive by people on the freeway and see the look of utter TERROR on their faces....I mean is there a radio station that freaks people out as much as the local news does with STORM WATCH? (Don't get me started on Storm Watch)

Did I mention,

Just DRIVE!!!

Ghost Rider Trailer

If you saw X-Men: the Last Stand, then you may have seen the trailer for Ghost Rider.

I saw the trailer a couple of days before I went to see X-Men, and the first thing I said when I saw Nick Cage was...."NOOOO....come on....we couldn't have gotten anyone else?"

Now, I didn't read the Ghost Rider comics, but I know who the character is and some of the basics.

I guess to me, Nick Cage just doesn't scream Johnny Blaze....but I saw the trailer and....
DUDE! I'm sold

....on the special effects!!

I'm not sure that Nick Cage is the right guy (at this point) but I'll still see the movie!

fivefingers

Check out these SWEEET shoes....fivefingers


Click on the shopping cart in the upper right to see the different colours.

Stranded with a Star

I watched a little bit of the E! Entertainment Special - Stranded with a Star.

Kind of a cool concept....but would have been much better with different hosts and maybe a different setting. Here's who they had....Brett Michaels (of POISON fame), John Salley (ex NBA player and current co-host of the BEST DAMN SPORTS SHOW), Bai Ling (actress), Leeann Tweeden (Model/TV Host) and some stand up comic guy. They were all sitting at a round table in what looked like a restaurant or a bar.

So they whole show was based on certain scenarios, but all based on being stranded on a desert island.

For example:

Which Batman actor would you want to be fighting crime with on a desert island?

A) Michael Keaton
B) Val Kilmer
C) George Clooney
D) Christian Bale
E) Adam West

So the 5 of them banter about it and then they mix in "man on the street" interviews....then show who the public picked and then banter about the public's decision!

For the most part....SUPER BORING....but some of the questions were pretty good.

(The classic) Ginger or Mary Ann?

Which "Brokeback Boy"....Heath Ledger or Jake Gyllenhaal?

Which Sisters....Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen or Jessica & Ashlee Simpson?

You get the picture....click the link above if you want to see the whole poll.

....He does it AGAIN!

ENGLAND 6....Jamaica 0

Crouch adds the arm wave to his RoboKOP celebration dance! Scores 3 goals, missed a penalty, but has more than likely earned a starting spot for England's first match against Paraguay.

It was a great match for England and they should go into the World Cup with a lot of confidence, even without Wayne Rooney.

Beckham looks great....I mean the spot kicks are dead on. The long passes are amazingly accurate.

Sol Campbell still looks a bit shaky to me....but he probably won't start anyway. I do think it'll be good for him to get some playing time, but Sven shouldn't take any chances.

and now the VIDEO!

You knew it was coming....so ENJOY!

I'm hoping to see this one again and again at the World Cup!

RoboCROUCH

DUDE!
Pictures of Crouch doing the....R O B O T