Never Doubt Paul the Octopus

The World Cup final was today and Paul the psychic octopus in the Berlin Aquarium predicted Spain would come out on top. It was a long, drawn-out nailbiter of a game but Paul was right. VIVA ESPANA!

If you didn't get to see it, you missed a damn good game. There were more cards given in this game than in any other World Cup final so you know there were a bunch of hard knocks and faked injuries. And I have to admit that it was definitely a cutie patootie parade. In addition to my Pique' there were several other hotties out there. If the players weren't enough eye candy, Spain's Prince Felipe was sitting in the stands. Muy caliente!

It's been a long month of games and, with Spain losing their first game to Switzerland in round 1, there were some questionable moments of the outcome but hey, in the end, SPAIN WON!!!!!! Life is good.

More World Cup Fever

I have absolutely no nails left because I gnawed them all off sitting on the edge of the couch and playing armchair soccer coach yesterday. My throat even hurts from all the screaming I did but what can I say...the Spain v. Paraguay game was a nailbiter. If you read the earlier World Cup posts, you know we're all "Viva Espana" at my house and this game was extremely important. It's go big or go home time because if Spain didn't win this game, they wouldn't move into the semi-finals. How could I survive if I didn't get to see my future hubby Pique' until club season starts back this fall?!?

But the final four have been set. Tuesday and Wednesday are the semi-finals with the Netherlands facing Uruguay and then Spain taking on Germany. I pity my poor Franklin class; they have to take a test while this game is on. I'll have ESPNsoccernet on the computer and it will probably take everything I have not to scream/shout/pull hair/throw things. (I'll be good- I promise!)

Regardless, we're in the home stretch of the World Cup. It ends next weekend so I'll have to find something else to fill the sports void. What will I do without soccer? Luckily college football season is right around the corner!

More World Cup Fever

OK just so I haven't talked about the World Cup in the last few days doesn't mean I haven't been watching it. As a matter of fact, just the opposite. I've pretty much been glued to the TV for all of the games. And I just have to say, thank goodness for ESPN Classic because they re-run that day's games in the evenings. I can watch my favorite bits again!

Seriously though, this World Cup has been pretty interesting so far. No headbutt (yet) but then again, France's Zinedine Zidane isn't there. I do love his Adidas commercial though. With his black hood, he looks like a Sith from Star Wars...Darth Zidane, I love it!

However, there has been a lot of blood. My poor little Pique' has lost so much that he might need me to give him a transfusion. There have been some crazy games- USA's Landon Donovan's stoppage time goal to push his team into the Knockout Round and then the big loss in the very next game (I know I said earlier that I didn't think they would make it that far, but I was really hoping they would go further than that), referees who know how to do their jobs- like the guy who told Portugals Christiano Ronaldo he better not end up on the ground unless he's hurt (Ronaldo has a tendency to roll around on the ground if a strong puff of wind wafts in his general direction), and unfortunately, referees who have no clue how to do their jobs- there are too many example of this for me to even get into.

It's like a soap opera without women. Would you have ever thought such a thing could exist?

Caitlin is giving a speech in her public speaking class today informing people about the wonderfulness that is soccer and trying to convince them to watch the World Cup. Let me leave you with a few of her points...#1, it's the biggest sport in the world, #2, it is actually very exciting, a contact sport without pads and #3, the guys are HOTTTT. Go ahead, find you a pretty one to root for. Just remember, Pique' is MINE!

World Cup Fever

Four years ago, Caitlin was bouncing off the walls, literally refusing to leave the house for the entire month of June because the 2006 World Cup was on and she wanted to be able to watch every single game. To be perfectly honest with you, I didn't have the foggiest clue what sport actually competed for the World Cup. When I found out it was soccer, I sort of gave her the side-eye and wondered how in the world my gently raised little Southern girl ever learned what soccer was. I mean, we're a college football kind of family. ROCKY TOP BABY!!! I had never seen a soccer game. I remember waving my hand dismissively because there was simply no way soccer could be as interesting as football, could there?

Flash forward to 2010. Caitlin wants to be a diplomat in Spain when she gets out of school. Her interest in soccer has increased since the 2006 World Cup and like a good mommy, I figured if my baby was into the game and was going to end up living in Spain one of these days, I ought to at least support her.

OMG, folks, I am here to tell you that I am a convert. I was wrong. Soccer IS as good as college football. You have to support a club team and our team of choice is Barcelona. Caitlin has decided that she is going to marry their coach one of these days (Check out his pic associated with her name in the followers list). We have spent our Saturdays and Sundays watching countless numbers of games. We must watch Barcelona play and we have to watch the other games that might effect Barca's standings. I know, I know...we've gotten all die hard now!

The 2010 World Cup started this week and yup, you guessed it, we're both glued to the television supporting Spain (I'm pulling for the USA team too but I just don't think they'll go very far). Going into the tournament, Spain was the favorite to win the whole thing. I say "was" because they sort of muffed their opening match game with Switzerland yesterday. It was a nailbiter though; I sat on the floor screaming and trying to kick the ball for them. Despite the loss, I'm still pulling for Spain FTW.

The more games I watch, the more I'm learning the ropes. I have actually begun to understand the rules and regulations a little bit. Caitlin says that by the end of this year's World Cup, I might actually have moved up from youngling to Padawan. I will freely admit to you that one thing that keeps me watching is the fact that there are a lot of cutie patooties on the soccer pitch. I figure that if Caitlin gets to claim Barcelona's coach then I get to pick one for myself- only fair, don't you think?- so if you look at the pic at the top of the post, Spain's #3 Gerard Pique' is spoken for. To borrow a phrase from Bill from True Blood, "Pique' is MINE!"

Regardless, if you aren't a soccer fan, give it a chance. Don't be surprised if you end up addicted to it like me!