Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
No, I'm not dead yet
Just laying low, that's all. I'd like to say that work has kept me too busy to post anything, but that would just be a big lie. But I do have excuses....
1. Wedding Planning - Dude, I'm not kidding. This crap takes a lot of time and energy. Its like herding cats. We almost had to hold the owner of the reception site hostage to get her to meet with us. Flowers, invitations, favors, cakes, suits, dresses, guest lists. This shite takes time.
2. Fatigue - My day now starts at 5.20 AM. This ungodly wake-up time is so that I can make the vanpool, which gets me home at around 6.00 PM. That's a 12 hour day. Now, if I'm lucky, I get to telecommute one day a week, but when I'm home resting and finding other things to hold my attention, blogging is pretty low on the list.
But I'm back, and going to make an attempt to get this thing back on track. We've made some updates, removed quite a bit of the political propaganda (more on that shortly), and are tidying up around her to get things going again.
Let's see if I can encapsulate the last two months in short form here. Work is about the same - I interviewed for another position in the office that is not a grant position. I interviewed for it last week, and I think I have a good shot. I hope it works out, because it would get me away from a PITA project coordinator and get me out of some road trips too. Laura's job nearly has her at her wits end, but she's being a trooper and sticking it out for the time being. Our weekends have been split between resting at home, going back to the County to plan for the wedding, and going to DC for United matches. United have advanced to the conference finals. If you're looking for a last minute B-day present for me, MLS Cup 2006 is in Dallas this year, and it looks like there's a good chance DC will be playing for one for the thumb. It's not too hot down there this time of year.....
Last weekend I went to the Celtic Festival - the games were cool, but the vendors were disappointing. It had rained the whole day before, so it was like Woodstock 94 all over again, minus the mud people. And the overpriced food. And the music. And the overflowing portapotties. OK, maybe not that much like Woodstock 94. But it was muddy as hell. The guy that sells scotch eggs had his cart shut down by the fire marshall, so I went somewhere else and got a meat pie instead. It came with a free bonus - food poisoning. So I spent Sat night and most of Sunday hating life.
So this week I was sitting at lunch, bored out of my skull because, quite honestly, my coworkers get on my nerves. A good part of the time was spent making fun of me because I had a wooly and my Columbia shell jacket on to walk to the cafeteria. OK, so it was in the upper 60's. But it sure was cold that morning at 5.45 when I left my house in C'ville to go work while those fuckers were still in bed drooling on their pillows. Assholes. Anyway, when they weren't having a go at me, they were talking politics. This is a regular topic of discussion. This political season has been worse than usual, and I think my cynicism is reaching critical mass. I'm still going to vote and all, but I'm really feeling done with politics.
They all lie. They all cheat. They all take soft, dirty money. It doesn't matter if they are GOP or Dems. They're dirty, and trying to hold up one over the other as a pantheon of morality and virtue and goodness is far beyond ridiculous. They're all going to tell lies to get into office, and then, once there, they're going to do just enough to satisfy their constiuency. They will then spend the rest of the time doing WHATEVER THE FUCK THEY WANT TO. And not think twice about it. So, if they care so little for me, just pandering to me enough to get a vote so they can continue their journey of power, why should I care at all for them. So I don't think I will. I'll vote based on platforms, but won't hold out much hope for the candidate to stick to their guns. I think that any interest I will maintain in it will be to monitor the effort of some people in this country to dictate what other people can do in their own lives - think abortion, same sex marriage, things of this nature. This country was formed to escape the oppression of individual rights and liberties, and yet people seem hellbent on telling other people what they can and can't do in their own individual pursuits of liberty and happiness. Something seems broken here.
Oh, and I added a new blog to the list on the sidebar. It is the effort of my dear friend Elizabeth, as she chronicles the growth of her yet unborn child. A great read so far, and it should only get better as the months pass. E, congrats again to you and T. Couldn't happen to better people. You're still the best boss I ever had!
I got a new mobile phone and number. Cingular pissed me off for the last time. So if you want to call me, and didn't get the email I sent out about my new number, drop me a line and I'll send it to you. Curious about the phone (no, I didn't get the Razr)? Check it...
Yeah, its a slider. A badass little slider. I wanted a Nokia phone (always been the best I've ever used), but Alltel doesn't rock Nokia. I had a Samsung a few years ago with Sprint, and it was quality. B has a Samsung now, and he likes it fine, so I decided to go with this little number. Light, small, a couple booty shakin' ringtones. Everything I need in a communications device.
Finally, I have some terribly sad news to share with you. Most of you know (and many of you have ridden in) my beloved Ford Taurus, who we affectionately refer to as Bubba. Well, one of the main activities of the last couple of months has been working on getting Bubba well. He has been having some transmission problems, and I think I have them worked out for the time being. The problem is that the Taurus is notorious for having horrible transmissions that are expensive to fix, which has me thinking that this relatively small problem is just the tip of the iceberg. So I've had to come to grips with the heartbreaking realization that my time with Bubba is short. We've had a lot of good miles, but he's getting old (just tripped 90K miles), and its time for me to move him while he still has some value.
So I've been doing a lot of looking and test driving, and I have made a decision about what my new car will be.....
For those of you not familiar with it, thats a Mazda3. Damn fine car. I've driven it twice now, and it has really grown on me. Nice interior, one of the largest engines in its class, good reliability and resale value, and quite a bit better gas mileage (28/35). I'm not quite sure when I'll be getting it just yet. If I get the other job here in the office, there's a good chance it will carry a salary increase as well. If that goes down, I'll probably purchase before Turkey Day. If not, I'll probably be hanging onto Bubba until I get my tax return so that I will have paid off more of Bubba's note and have more money for a down payment. It's a great car, and I'm looking forward to getting it (Laura is already trying to steal it from me, and I don't even have it yet). I am open to suggestions on the name that this new vehicle will be christened with. I have a couple in mind, but am open to suggestions (the color will probably be charcoal or powder blue, if that makes a difference), so let 'em rip.
Yeah, its going to be nice. But I'm going to miss Bubba.
Much like I have been missing all of you. I promise to try and do better in keeping up with the blog until the holidays (all bets are off between T-day and New Years, though). Thanks to everyone for emailing/calling/etc. and harrassing me into finally posting again. Missed you guys too. ;)
I hope all of you are doing well. Be good.
1. Wedding Planning - Dude, I'm not kidding. This crap takes a lot of time and energy. Its like herding cats. We almost had to hold the owner of the reception site hostage to get her to meet with us. Flowers, invitations, favors, cakes, suits, dresses, guest lists. This shite takes time.
2. Fatigue - My day now starts at 5.20 AM. This ungodly wake-up time is so that I can make the vanpool, which gets me home at around 6.00 PM. That's a 12 hour day. Now, if I'm lucky, I get to telecommute one day a week, but when I'm home resting and finding other things to hold my attention, blogging is pretty low on the list.
But I'm back, and going to make an attempt to get this thing back on track. We've made some updates, removed quite a bit of the political propaganda (more on that shortly), and are tidying up around her to get things going again.
Let's see if I can encapsulate the last two months in short form here. Work is about the same - I interviewed for another position in the office that is not a grant position. I interviewed for it last week, and I think I have a good shot. I hope it works out, because it would get me away from a PITA project coordinator and get me out of some road trips too. Laura's job nearly has her at her wits end, but she's being a trooper and sticking it out for the time being. Our weekends have been split between resting at home, going back to the County to plan for the wedding, and going to DC for United matches. United have advanced to the conference finals. If you're looking for a last minute B-day present for me, MLS Cup 2006 is in Dallas this year, and it looks like there's a good chance DC will be playing for one for the thumb. It's not too hot down there this time of year.....
Last weekend I went to the Celtic Festival - the games were cool, but the vendors were disappointing. It had rained the whole day before, so it was like Woodstock 94 all over again, minus the mud people. And the overpriced food. And the music. And the overflowing portapotties. OK, maybe not that much like Woodstock 94. But it was muddy as hell. The guy that sells scotch eggs had his cart shut down by the fire marshall, so I went somewhere else and got a meat pie instead. It came with a free bonus - food poisoning. So I spent Sat night and most of Sunday hating life.
So this week I was sitting at lunch, bored out of my skull because, quite honestly, my coworkers get on my nerves. A good part of the time was spent making fun of me because I had a wooly and my Columbia shell jacket on to walk to the cafeteria. OK, so it was in the upper 60's. But it sure was cold that morning at 5.45 when I left my house in C'ville to go work while those fuckers were still in bed drooling on their pillows. Assholes. Anyway, when they weren't having a go at me, they were talking politics. This is a regular topic of discussion. This political season has been worse than usual, and I think my cynicism is reaching critical mass. I'm still going to vote and all, but I'm really feeling done with politics.
They all lie. They all cheat. They all take soft, dirty money. It doesn't matter if they are GOP or Dems. They're dirty, and trying to hold up one over the other as a pantheon of morality and virtue and goodness is far beyond ridiculous. They're all going to tell lies to get into office, and then, once there, they're going to do just enough to satisfy their constiuency. They will then spend the rest of the time doing WHATEVER THE FUCK THEY WANT TO. And not think twice about it. So, if they care so little for me, just pandering to me enough to get a vote so they can continue their journey of power, why should I care at all for them. So I don't think I will. I'll vote based on platforms, but won't hold out much hope for the candidate to stick to their guns. I think that any interest I will maintain in it will be to monitor the effort of some people in this country to dictate what other people can do in their own lives - think abortion, same sex marriage, things of this nature. This country was formed to escape the oppression of individual rights and liberties, and yet people seem hellbent on telling other people what they can and can't do in their own individual pursuits of liberty and happiness. Something seems broken here.
Oh, and I added a new blog to the list on the sidebar. It is the effort of my dear friend Elizabeth, as she chronicles the growth of her yet unborn child. A great read so far, and it should only get better as the months pass. E, congrats again to you and T. Couldn't happen to better people. You're still the best boss I ever had!
I got a new mobile phone and number. Cingular pissed me off for the last time. So if you want to call me, and didn't get the email I sent out about my new number, drop me a line and I'll send it to you. Curious about the phone (no, I didn't get the Razr)? Check it...
Yeah, its a slider. A badass little slider. I wanted a Nokia phone (always been the best I've ever used), but Alltel doesn't rock Nokia. I had a Samsung a few years ago with Sprint, and it was quality. B has a Samsung now, and he likes it fine, so I decided to go with this little number. Light, small, a couple booty shakin' ringtones. Everything I need in a communications device.
Finally, I have some terribly sad news to share with you. Most of you know (and many of you have ridden in) my beloved Ford Taurus, who we affectionately refer to as Bubba. Well, one of the main activities of the last couple of months has been working on getting Bubba well. He has been having some transmission problems, and I think I have them worked out for the time being. The problem is that the Taurus is notorious for having horrible transmissions that are expensive to fix, which has me thinking that this relatively small problem is just the tip of the iceberg. So I've had to come to grips with the heartbreaking realization that my time with Bubba is short. We've had a lot of good miles, but he's getting old (just tripped 90K miles), and its time for me to move him while he still has some value.
So I've been doing a lot of looking and test driving, and I have made a decision about what my new car will be.....
For those of you not familiar with it, thats a Mazda3. Damn fine car. I've driven it twice now, and it has really grown on me. Nice interior, one of the largest engines in its class, good reliability and resale value, and quite a bit better gas mileage (28/35). I'm not quite sure when I'll be getting it just yet. If I get the other job here in the office, there's a good chance it will carry a salary increase as well. If that goes down, I'll probably purchase before Turkey Day. If not, I'll probably be hanging onto Bubba until I get my tax return so that I will have paid off more of Bubba's note and have more money for a down payment. It's a great car, and I'm looking forward to getting it (Laura is already trying to steal it from me, and I don't even have it yet). I am open to suggestions on the name that this new vehicle will be christened with. I have a couple in mind, but am open to suggestions (the color will probably be charcoal or powder blue, if that makes a difference), so let 'em rip.
Yeah, its going to be nice. But I'm going to miss Bubba.
Much like I have been missing all of you. I promise to try and do better in keeping up with the blog until the holidays (all bets are off between T-day and New Years, though). Thanks to everyone for emailing/calling/etc. and harrassing me into finally posting again. Missed you guys too. ;)
I hope all of you are doing well. Be good.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
My brother: "Is this thing on?" Me:"What are you doing, dave?"
Indeed, it still is. Remember a while back about how I was bitching that I was bored at work with nothing to do? Well, let me tell you a story.
Every year my family goes to the Outer Banks for summer vacation. Its a big deal, lots of extended family on my Uncle's side. The trip is always the tops - we always have a blast. But one year, when I was about 12 or so, it was the middle of the week and I was bored with everything. I made the mistake of telling my Aunt this fact, and for the rest of the afternoon my cousin and I did chores around our rental house. The lesson? Be careful about bitching about being bored, or you might end up with an unwelcome remedy.
Let's put it this way. I'm still learning my lesson. Hopefully I'll post next week before, ironically, we head to the beach for vacation.
Whats that? You want to know how life is going? Well the short, short version is that all is well. The move went fine, and Laura and I now live in something remotely resembling domesticated bliss. We haven't even had a fight. Yet. As for work, let's go with a graphic (in more ways than one) representation of me at the office.....
Don't you wish you had a desk job? Happy weekend, kids...
Every year my family goes to the Outer Banks for summer vacation. Its a big deal, lots of extended family on my Uncle's side. The trip is always the tops - we always have a blast. But one year, when I was about 12 or so, it was the middle of the week and I was bored with everything. I made the mistake of telling my Aunt this fact, and for the rest of the afternoon my cousin and I did chores around our rental house. The lesson? Be careful about bitching about being bored, or you might end up with an unwelcome remedy.
Let's put it this way. I'm still learning my lesson. Hopefully I'll post next week before, ironically, we head to the beach for vacation.
Whats that? You want to know how life is going? Well the short, short version is that all is well. The move went fine, and Laura and I now live in something remotely resembling domesticated bliss. We haven't even had a fight. Yet. As for work, let's go with a graphic (in more ways than one) representation of me at the office.....
Don't you wish you had a desk job? Happy weekend, kids...
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
You ever see Airplane 2?
Of course you have. Remember that scene where the flight attendant comes out and announces that they've run out of coffee, and the shit hits the fan?
(Yeah, I use that pic alot. I can't help it. I think its funny as hell. A thousand points if you can name the movie it is grabbed from).
Well imagine that times a thousand, because apparently England supporters are drinking Germany dry. Breweries are reporting that if England make it to the final match, they may well drink the country dry. Recently the horde invaded Nuremberg ahead of their quarterfinal match with Paraguay. In their first day there, the 70,000 Brits averaged consumption was seventeen pints per person per day. That's fucking ridiculous. One commentary I read on this said the following: "The French drink to savor, the Americans drink to get drunk, and the Brits drink to projective vomit." Indeed.
Let's get the World Cup out of the way, and then I'll make a little post about life (which is really about the same) in a bit. So on Thursday the US went out of the tournament, with a tame showing against Ghana. I said before the tournament that one of the big issues with this team was who Arena would pair up with McBride. Well, instead of answering that, Arena decided to ignore the issue and leave McBride up front alone. When I saw the lineup thursday morning before the leaving the house, a lineup that included Backpass on the wing and McBride alone up front, this went off...
I was beside myself, and assured Laura that we would lose the match. I hated to be wrong, but wasn't surprised at all. I am more disappointed in this performance than in 1998, when we finished dead last. I don't understand Arena's decisions, and I think he should be fired. Yes, the players have to make plays, but the coach has to make the decisions that make that as easy as possible. And Arena didn't do that. His man-love for McBride and Reyna was too much. I believe his arrogance wouldn't let him see this 4-5-1 shit, which we never played in qualification, was a bad idea. I think he was like "Fuck em all, this will work, I'll show them." Well he showed us how much of a dumbass he can be. Yes, he significant advanced soccer in this country. But he can't take it any farther. Its time for someone else to see what they can do.
As for the rest of the tournament, I am frustrated and disillusioned with the number of games that have been decided by players taking dives. I think FIFAs mandate for refs to be quicker with the cards has had a horrible, unintended consequence - that being more players going to ground faster to try and get the ref to book someone. Fans around the world have taken to calling the Azzuri the Italian Diving Team, and I think its well founded. They are only thru to the quarterfinals because of a dive they took to beat a better Australian team. Want proof? Click below for their training video:
Yeah, its just a Euro 2004 commercial, but still funny as hell. Thierry Henry must have studied it will, because his Rivaldo-esque dive, clutching his face which was never close to being stuck, set up the free kick that sent Spain home. Dives also sent the US and Tunisia home. And that's just the start of it. I don't know how FIFA can deal with it, but they have to figure out a way, because I'm about as hardcore a soccer fan as they come, and I've just about had enough.
Spain did underachieve, and didn't produce the offense to go through, but Henry's dive was no less detestable. With Spain exiting stage right, I'm now reduced to pulling for England again. This will almost surely end in more heartbreak - the English are playing a the same stunted 4-5-1 that Arena employed, and only beat a game Ecuador side on a Beckham free kick. Portugal is short a couple players, but will still beat England unless they decide to attack. The litany of English excuses has included their claim that the pitchets are being cut too short and kept too dry. Gimme a fucking break, boys. Its the World Cup, sack up and try something besides route one football.
Once the English lose, I will be reducted to pulling for....................God, I can't even hardly say it.....................Germany. I never, ever thought I'd say that. They are the only team that is playing attractive, attacking soccer. And I can't remember any really horrible, cynical dives by their players. They've played well enough that they haven't had to resort to such tactics. I like Argentina, and would like to see them win, but knowing that such an event would bring joy to Maradona means I can't pull for them. I will be able to once again once that bloated fuck of a cheat is no longer using valuable oxygen. If Ukraine, Italy, or France go on to win, I will be one pissed off soccer fan.
So, another World Cup that will, most likely end in disappointment. But yeah, I'll keep watching. Because in between that disappointment there will be moments of ridiulous athletic ability and creativity. That's enough to keep me watching.
(Yeah, I use that pic alot. I can't help it. I think its funny as hell. A thousand points if you can name the movie it is grabbed from).
Well imagine that times a thousand, because apparently England supporters are drinking Germany dry. Breweries are reporting that if England make it to the final match, they may well drink the country dry. Recently the horde invaded Nuremberg ahead of their quarterfinal match with Paraguay. In their first day there, the 70,000 Brits averaged consumption was seventeen pints per person per day. That's fucking ridiculous. One commentary I read on this said the following: "The French drink to savor, the Americans drink to get drunk, and the Brits drink to projective vomit." Indeed.
Let's get the World Cup out of the way, and then I'll make a little post about life (which is really about the same) in a bit. So on Thursday the US went out of the tournament, with a tame showing against Ghana. I said before the tournament that one of the big issues with this team was who Arena would pair up with McBride. Well, instead of answering that, Arena decided to ignore the issue and leave McBride up front alone. When I saw the lineup thursday morning before the leaving the house, a lineup that included Backpass on the wing and McBride alone up front, this went off...
I was beside myself, and assured Laura that we would lose the match. I hated to be wrong, but wasn't surprised at all. I am more disappointed in this performance than in 1998, when we finished dead last. I don't understand Arena's decisions, and I think he should be fired. Yes, the players have to make plays, but the coach has to make the decisions that make that as easy as possible. And Arena didn't do that. His man-love for McBride and Reyna was too much. I believe his arrogance wouldn't let him see this 4-5-1 shit, which we never played in qualification, was a bad idea. I think he was like "Fuck em all, this will work, I'll show them." Well he showed us how much of a dumbass he can be. Yes, he significant advanced soccer in this country. But he can't take it any farther. Its time for someone else to see what they can do.
As for the rest of the tournament, I am frustrated and disillusioned with the number of games that have been decided by players taking dives. I think FIFAs mandate for refs to be quicker with the cards has had a horrible, unintended consequence - that being more players going to ground faster to try and get the ref to book someone. Fans around the world have taken to calling the Azzuri the Italian Diving Team, and I think its well founded. They are only thru to the quarterfinals because of a dive they took to beat a better Australian team. Want proof? Click below for their training video:
Yeah, its just a Euro 2004 commercial, but still funny as hell. Thierry Henry must have studied it will, because his Rivaldo-esque dive, clutching his face which was never close to being stuck, set up the free kick that sent Spain home. Dives also sent the US and Tunisia home. And that's just the start of it. I don't know how FIFA can deal with it, but they have to figure out a way, because I'm about as hardcore a soccer fan as they come, and I've just about had enough.
Spain did underachieve, and didn't produce the offense to go through, but Henry's dive was no less detestable. With Spain exiting stage right, I'm now reduced to pulling for England again. This will almost surely end in more heartbreak - the English are playing a the same stunted 4-5-1 that Arena employed, and only beat a game Ecuador side on a Beckham free kick. Portugal is short a couple players, but will still beat England unless they decide to attack. The litany of English excuses has included their claim that the pitchets are being cut too short and kept too dry. Gimme a fucking break, boys. Its the World Cup, sack up and try something besides route one football.
Once the English lose, I will be reducted to pulling for....................God, I can't even hardly say it.....................Germany. I never, ever thought I'd say that. They are the only team that is playing attractive, attacking soccer. And I can't remember any really horrible, cynical dives by their players. They've played well enough that they haven't had to resort to such tactics. I like Argentina, and would like to see them win, but knowing that such an event would bring joy to Maradona means I can't pull for them. I will be able to once again once that bloated fuck of a cheat is no longer using valuable oxygen. If Ukraine, Italy, or France go on to win, I will be one pissed off soccer fan.
So, another World Cup that will, most likely end in disappointment. But yeah, I'll keep watching. Because in between that disappointment there will be moments of ridiulous athletic ability and creativity. That's enough to keep me watching.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Howdy
Its been a busy couple of weeks, and when I have some downtime, I usually use it to watch soccer, so I haven't been blogging. Apologies. Whats that you say? I'm always bored at work, why not blog then? Well, two things about that - 1. I'm actually being kept pretty busy, as amazing as that is, and 2. I've found a way to watch the matches at my desk. I won't go into too much detail, but let's just say God bless bored Chinese college students who have nothing better to do than pirate state television signals.
As for what's up, nothing really. I was on the road for work two days last week, and will be for one day this week. I finally got my business cards, so I can act like I'm a professional and stuff - pretty cool. Laura is doing well. We went and paid some more on the ring this weekend. She is dying for me to pop the question, but she's just going to have to wait. I've told her that I'm helping her learn some patience. She, meanwhile, sees no need for such a lesson. But I'm still gonna make her wait. ;)
Last weekend we went up on the Blue Ridge for a picnic to celebrate Laura's mom's birthday. It was a really nice time, although a little hot. In the middle of the afternoon, my brother called and left me a message telling me that he had big news that I would want to hear. I called him back, and found out that his friend had a ticket for game 7 if, and it was mine if I wanted it. It would have been completely badass to go, but I turned it down. He only had one ticket, so I would have had to go by myself, and get back home at like 4.00 am. It was tough though - game 7's don't happen that often in the finals. Oh well, didn't really have the cash to spend anyway.
I have a new gadget, and it is courtesy of my lovely girlfriend. She was feeling bad that I was going to be having such a long commute once I moved to c'ville, so she was going to get me a video IPOD as an engagement present. Well, it just so happens that I had been thinking about getting a portable satellite radio receiver to help pass the commute time, and had found a great deal on a unit in the process - much less than a video IPOD. It works out well, because I'll have my laptop with me to watch movies and videos, so I really wanted the sat radio receiver instead. I went ahead and picked it up yesterday because I was afraid it would sell out because it was such a good deal. The deal got even better when I went to activate it and found out I could get a year of service for $77, which is basically half price. I'm listening to it right now - the bluegrass station, channel 14, brilliant stuff - and at 3.00 I'll be tuning it to their live commentary of the World Cup. It was a brilliant idea on her part, and really thoughtful too. How could I not love her?
World Cup comments? I thought you'd never ask!
Who I'm really impressed with: Argentina has shown up really well, and showed how scary they could be in match two, dismantling the soundest defensive team in the tournament, Serbia andMontenegro, by a 6-0 scoreline. They brought on two wonderkid subs, Messi and Tevez, and that pair made the team lethal. They may be hard to beat. However, right now, my money is on Spain, who has looked like the best team, top to bottom. Tunisia played awfully well yesterday, but could only keep the Spainards under wraps for 70 minutes before they broke through with three. Honorable mentions to Ecuador (I called that one) and Austrailia, who were wronged by a ridiculously biased ref in their loss to Brazil.
Who has been disappointing: This is going to read like a laundry list of world powers: Brazil, Germany, England, and France, with Brazil probably being the worst. They have looked flat, uninspired, and unentertaining. It looks like they're trying to make the perfect goal, but that they don't really have the creativity to come up with it. I don't see them winning. Germany has looked good, but hasn't really played anyone yet. Remember, their group is the easiest of the tournament. They will play the second place from group B, and they better be praying that T&T pulls a miracle and gets through, because if they have to play the Swedes they could be done. England looks for a spark today from Rooney, but have lacked decent form as well. The French seem to be in an international coma following their 1998 triumph. They need a boost to avoid making an early exit for the third straight time in an international tourney.
How have my stars of the group and players to watch picks done so far:
Group A
Star of the Group: Michael Ballack, Germany - Sat out the first game, and has been unremarkable in the rest. Klose and Schweinsteiger have done more for the Krauts.
Player to watch out for: Edison Mendez, Ecuador - Not a bad choice, but Tenorio has been more active. Not sure this group has had a no-name player stand out - Lahm from Germany would probably be the best candidate (of course Chel$ki is chasing him now).
Group B
Star of the Group: Steven Gerrard, England - Notched the insurance goal against T&T, but has been just as lackluster as his mates for the most part. If Shaka Hislop has another big match, his name belongs here.
Player to watch out for: Nelson Valdez, Paraguay - Well, Mr. Valdez has his moment to step up, and just simply hasn't Paraguay has had nothing to offer. Allback from Sweden has stepped into this role.
Group C
Star of the Group: You want me to choose one? Never. Juan Ramon Riquelme, Argentina, Ruud van Nistlerooy, Netherlands, Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast - Riquelme has been solid but overshadowed by Maxi Rodriguez, and the sub duo of Teves and Messi. van Nistlerooy has played second to the wing combo of van Persie and Robben, and Drogba has had too hard a fight being the lone striker.
Player to watch out for: Lionel Messi, Argentina, the Toure's (Kolo and Taya), Ivory Coast, Mladen Kristajic, Serbia and Montenegro, Arjen Robben, Netherlands - Messi has been on injury, but if his health continues to improve, he will leave a mark on the tourney. He looked great late against S&M. Kristajic was hampered by defensive formations, leaving him little time to impress. The Toure's have struggled on an Ivory Coast team that has struggled internally. Robben scored the first two of the tournament for the Oranje, and then in true Dutch fashion was lambasted for being a ball hog.
Group D
Star of the Group: Christian Ronaldo, Portugal - I'm going to be perfectly honest here. I picked Ronaldo because no one else stood out in this pretty boring group. Bravo from Mexico has stepped up to the role. Meanwhile, Ronaldo continues to be the whiny little bitch he has a reputation for being. What a waste of talent.
Player to watch out for: Rafael Marquez, Mexico - Predictably solid, but far from a breakout star. Bravo could fit here just as well too.
Group E
Star of the Group: Milan Baros, Czech Republic
Player to watch out for: Eddie Johnson, USA - Baros hasn't played yet due to injury, and Johnson hasn't played yet due to boneheadedness by Arena. So wrong and wrong for me there. Star of the group so far has probably been Rosicky or Gilardino. Emerging player would probably be Rosicky, but must of the world knew about him already.
Group F
Star of the Group: Ronaldinho, Brazil - Looks tentative, but their attack has been gummed up by a geriatric-looking Ronaldo, so that hasn't helped.
Player to watch out for: Niko Kranjcar, Croatia - Has been good for Croatia, but Tim Cahill is the clear choice here. He's been the engine behind a very capable Aussie side that should go through.
Group G
Star of the Group: Thierry Henry, France - I should have known better than to pick a Frenchman in an international tourney. Frei is probably the choice here.
Player to watch out for: Emmanuel Adebayor, Togo - Togo has been through so much, including the threat of a boycott over they pay scandal, it was hard for him to show what he's got. Park Ji-Sung might get the nod, but there really hasn't been a player like that in this group.
Group H
Star of the Group: Andriy Shevchenko, Ukraine - Sheva and his mates ran into a buzzsaw in the Spain match, but recovered well against the Saudis, and Sheva was on fine form. However, a Spaniard probably deserves the spot.
Player to watch out for: Fernando Torres, Spain - Nailed this one. Villa got lots of press, but Torres has shown the goods on the field.
As for team US? I was thorougly embarrassed after the Czech match and couldn't have been prouder after the Italy match. The web is afire of arguments about the red cards against Italy, but the fact of the matter is that we got the point we needed. Now we just need an expected Italy win, and a result against a Ghana team that won't have their goalscorers from the Czech match. Some are worried about the gap created by the Mastroeni suspension, but the bad in that is outweighed by the good of Pope not being out there.
I have long been an Eddie Pope fan, in spite of the fact that he's a Tarheel. He played a long time for DC United, and I always liked him. But his international career should be over. He has been the single worst player on the pitch for us, and probably one of the most outclassed players in the tourney. He got abused by Koller in the Czech game, and pulled the offside trap when no one else did, allowing the Gilardino goal. If we make it to the second round, and he's back on the field, I may pass out. Honorable mention for worst US player goes to DeMarcus Beasley. Apparently DMB was castrated before the tournament, because he no longer has the balls to actually attack someone with the ball. As soon as he gets the ball and has a defender in front of him, he turns around and passes the ball backwards. As a result of this, I have decided that henceforth and forevermore, I will refer to Beasley simply as 'Backpass.' No way he should see the field anymore either. Convey and Dempsey have looked good, as have Gooch, Cherundolo, Bocanegra, and (as much as I hate to say it) Reyna. Donovan seems to be suffering the homesick curse again. He looks pretty sheepish out there too.
It will be interesting to see how Coach fills the hole left by Pablo. Loo and I would like to see Benny Olsen in there, but my guess is that he'll drop Reyna to Dmid, put Landon in the attacking midfield role where he is more comfortable, and put Eddie Johnson up front with McBride. Coach has to attack Thursday - there's no room to be playing for a point. Only a win can put us through, and even then we need some help.
Ok, enough WC chat and everything else - the England v. Sweden match is about to start. I hope that everyone is doing well, and staying cool in the heat that has suddenly crept up on us - 97 on Thursday. It'll be a hot day to watch the US try and go through. I hope everyone has got their summer off to a good start. Let me know about all your vacation plans so I can be jealous.
Happy World Cup 2006, kids.....
As for what's up, nothing really. I was on the road for work two days last week, and will be for one day this week. I finally got my business cards, so I can act like I'm a professional and stuff - pretty cool. Laura is doing well. We went and paid some more on the ring this weekend. She is dying for me to pop the question, but she's just going to have to wait. I've told her that I'm helping her learn some patience. She, meanwhile, sees no need for such a lesson. But I'm still gonna make her wait. ;)
Last weekend we went up on the Blue Ridge for a picnic to celebrate Laura's mom's birthday. It was a really nice time, although a little hot. In the middle of the afternoon, my brother called and left me a message telling me that he had big news that I would want to hear. I called him back, and found out that his friend had a ticket for game 7 if, and it was mine if I wanted it. It would have been completely badass to go, but I turned it down. He only had one ticket, so I would have had to go by myself, and get back home at like 4.00 am. It was tough though - game 7's don't happen that often in the finals. Oh well, didn't really have the cash to spend anyway.
I have a new gadget, and it is courtesy of my lovely girlfriend. She was feeling bad that I was going to be having such a long commute once I moved to c'ville, so she was going to get me a video IPOD as an engagement present. Well, it just so happens that I had been thinking about getting a portable satellite radio receiver to help pass the commute time, and had found a great deal on a unit in the process - much less than a video IPOD. It works out well, because I'll have my laptop with me to watch movies and videos, so I really wanted the sat radio receiver instead. I went ahead and picked it up yesterday because I was afraid it would sell out because it was such a good deal. The deal got even better when I went to activate it and found out I could get a year of service for $77, which is basically half price. I'm listening to it right now - the bluegrass station, channel 14, brilliant stuff - and at 3.00 I'll be tuning it to their live commentary of the World Cup. It was a brilliant idea on her part, and really thoughtful too. How could I not love her?
World Cup comments? I thought you'd never ask!
Who I'm really impressed with: Argentina has shown up really well, and showed how scary they could be in match two, dismantling the soundest defensive team in the tournament, Serbia andMontenegro, by a 6-0 scoreline. They brought on two wonderkid subs, Messi and Tevez, and that pair made the team lethal. They may be hard to beat. However, right now, my money is on Spain, who has looked like the best team, top to bottom. Tunisia played awfully well yesterday, but could only keep the Spainards under wraps for 70 minutes before they broke through with three. Honorable mentions to Ecuador (I called that one) and Austrailia, who were wronged by a ridiculously biased ref in their loss to Brazil.
Who has been disappointing: This is going to read like a laundry list of world powers: Brazil, Germany, England, and France, with Brazil probably being the worst. They have looked flat, uninspired, and unentertaining. It looks like they're trying to make the perfect goal, but that they don't really have the creativity to come up with it. I don't see them winning. Germany has looked good, but hasn't really played anyone yet. Remember, their group is the easiest of the tournament. They will play the second place from group B, and they better be praying that T&T pulls a miracle and gets through, because if they have to play the Swedes they could be done. England looks for a spark today from Rooney, but have lacked decent form as well. The French seem to be in an international coma following their 1998 triumph. They need a boost to avoid making an early exit for the third straight time in an international tourney.
How have my stars of the group and players to watch picks done so far:
Group A
Star of the Group: Michael Ballack, Germany - Sat out the first game, and has been unremarkable in the rest. Klose and Schweinsteiger have done more for the Krauts.
Player to watch out for: Edison Mendez, Ecuador - Not a bad choice, but Tenorio has been more active. Not sure this group has had a no-name player stand out - Lahm from Germany would probably be the best candidate (of course Chel$ki is chasing him now).
Group B
Star of the Group: Steven Gerrard, England - Notched the insurance goal against T&T, but has been just as lackluster as his mates for the most part. If Shaka Hislop has another big match, his name belongs here.
Player to watch out for: Nelson Valdez, Paraguay - Well, Mr. Valdez has his moment to step up, and just simply hasn't Paraguay has had nothing to offer. Allback from Sweden has stepped into this role.
Group C
Star of the Group: You want me to choose one? Never. Juan Ramon Riquelme, Argentina, Ruud van Nistlerooy, Netherlands, Didier Drogba, Ivory Coast - Riquelme has been solid but overshadowed by Maxi Rodriguez, and the sub duo of Teves and Messi. van Nistlerooy has played second to the wing combo of van Persie and Robben, and Drogba has had too hard a fight being the lone striker.
Player to watch out for: Lionel Messi, Argentina, the Toure's (Kolo and Taya), Ivory Coast, Mladen Kristajic, Serbia and Montenegro, Arjen Robben, Netherlands - Messi has been on injury, but if his health continues to improve, he will leave a mark on the tourney. He looked great late against S&M. Kristajic was hampered by defensive formations, leaving him little time to impress. The Toure's have struggled on an Ivory Coast team that has struggled internally. Robben scored the first two of the tournament for the Oranje, and then in true Dutch fashion was lambasted for being a ball hog.
Group D
Star of the Group: Christian Ronaldo, Portugal - I'm going to be perfectly honest here. I picked Ronaldo because no one else stood out in this pretty boring group. Bravo from Mexico has stepped up to the role. Meanwhile, Ronaldo continues to be the whiny little bitch he has a reputation for being. What a waste of talent.
Player to watch out for: Rafael Marquez, Mexico - Predictably solid, but far from a breakout star. Bravo could fit here just as well too.
Group E
Star of the Group: Milan Baros, Czech Republic
Player to watch out for: Eddie Johnson, USA - Baros hasn't played yet due to injury, and Johnson hasn't played yet due to boneheadedness by Arena. So wrong and wrong for me there. Star of the group so far has probably been Rosicky or Gilardino. Emerging player would probably be Rosicky, but must of the world knew about him already.
Group F
Star of the Group: Ronaldinho, Brazil - Looks tentative, but their attack has been gummed up by a geriatric-looking Ronaldo, so that hasn't helped.
Player to watch out for: Niko Kranjcar, Croatia - Has been good for Croatia, but Tim Cahill is the clear choice here. He's been the engine behind a very capable Aussie side that should go through.
Group G
Star of the Group: Thierry Henry, France - I should have known better than to pick a Frenchman in an international tourney. Frei is probably the choice here.
Player to watch out for: Emmanuel Adebayor, Togo - Togo has been through so much, including the threat of a boycott over they pay scandal, it was hard for him to show what he's got. Park Ji-Sung might get the nod, but there really hasn't been a player like that in this group.
Group H
Star of the Group: Andriy Shevchenko, Ukraine - Sheva and his mates ran into a buzzsaw in the Spain match, but recovered well against the Saudis, and Sheva was on fine form. However, a Spaniard probably deserves the spot.
Player to watch out for: Fernando Torres, Spain - Nailed this one. Villa got lots of press, but Torres has shown the goods on the field.
As for team US? I was thorougly embarrassed after the Czech match and couldn't have been prouder after the Italy match. The web is afire of arguments about the red cards against Italy, but the fact of the matter is that we got the point we needed. Now we just need an expected Italy win, and a result against a Ghana team that won't have their goalscorers from the Czech match. Some are worried about the gap created by the Mastroeni suspension, but the bad in that is outweighed by the good of Pope not being out there.
I have long been an Eddie Pope fan, in spite of the fact that he's a Tarheel. He played a long time for DC United, and I always liked him. But his international career should be over. He has been the single worst player on the pitch for us, and probably one of the most outclassed players in the tourney. He got abused by Koller in the Czech game, and pulled the offside trap when no one else did, allowing the Gilardino goal. If we make it to the second round, and he's back on the field, I may pass out. Honorable mention for worst US player goes to DeMarcus Beasley. Apparently DMB was castrated before the tournament, because he no longer has the balls to actually attack someone with the ball. As soon as he gets the ball and has a defender in front of him, he turns around and passes the ball backwards. As a result of this, I have decided that henceforth and forevermore, I will refer to Beasley simply as 'Backpass.' No way he should see the field anymore either. Convey and Dempsey have looked good, as have Gooch, Cherundolo, Bocanegra, and (as much as I hate to say it) Reyna. Donovan seems to be suffering the homesick curse again. He looks pretty sheepish out there too.
It will be interesting to see how Coach fills the hole left by Pablo. Loo and I would like to see Benny Olsen in there, but my guess is that he'll drop Reyna to Dmid, put Landon in the attacking midfield role where he is more comfortable, and put Eddie Johnson up front with McBride. Coach has to attack Thursday - there's no room to be playing for a point. Only a win can put us through, and even then we need some help.
Ok, enough WC chat and everything else - the England v. Sweden match is about to start. I hope that everyone is doing well, and staying cool in the heat that has suddenly crept up on us - 97 on Thursday. It'll be a hot day to watch the US try and go through. I hope everyone has got their summer off to a good start. Let me know about all your vacation plans so I can be jealous.
Happy World Cup 2006, kids.....
Friday, June 09, 2006
Well, well, well
OK, I can't claim full bragging rights to Ecuador's win over Poland, since I did change my rankings for their group yesterday. Concerns over the lack of sex and the weather got the best of me, along with the traveling Polish contingent, but I did leave this gem in the group capsule:
"Ecuador is getting no love from the world media, but I'm playing a hunch, thinking that Mendez might surprise a few people. If they can get a win against a meek Poland squad with keeper issues, I think they can make it through."
Now, if I had just left the group prediction the way I had it! I'm not sure why everyone else was so down on Ecuador - they beat two superpowers (Brazil and Argentina) in qualifying. Assuming a victory over Costa Rica (which looks now to be a great match), they are assured of passage to the knockout stage. Poland, meanwhile, looked just like I expected them to - meek. It seemed like they were in slow motion out there, until the last ten minutes, when apparently they grasped the gravity of the situation. They rattled the woodwork twice, but waited to long to join the match, and will probably not make it out of the group as a result.
Three matches tomorrow, including England's debut and the first match of the group of death. Should be a great day of footy - I'll settle for it being as good as the first.
"Ecuador is getting no love from the world media, but I'm playing a hunch, thinking that Mendez might surprise a few people. If they can get a win against a meek Poland squad with keeper issues, I think they can make it through."
Now, if I had just left the group prediction the way I had it! I'm not sure why everyone else was so down on Ecuador - they beat two superpowers (Brazil and Argentina) in qualifying. Assuming a victory over Costa Rica (which looks now to be a great match), they are assured of passage to the knockout stage. Poland, meanwhile, looked just like I expected them to - meek. It seemed like they were in slow motion out there, until the last ten minutes, when apparently they grasped the gravity of the situation. They rattled the woodwork twice, but waited to long to join the match, and will probably not make it out of the group as a result.
Three matches tomorrow, including England's debut and the first match of the group of death. Should be a great day of footy - I'll settle for it being as good as the first.
Off to a Flyer!
Historically, the first match of a World Cup is a tentative affair, with reserved play and rarely more than two or three goals. Well, welcome to World Cup 2006, where the opener treated us two six goals, including an absolute screamer from Torsten Frings that is an automatic goal of the tourney nominee (Lahm's opener was damn fine too). In fact, its the most goals evern in an opening match.
Germany is surely excited by their start, but I don't think they should be. Why? Giving up two goals at home against a low level CONCACAF qualifier is a bad sign. Concerns over the German backline look well founded. Germany showed off their new Americanized style of play (Klinsmann lives in SoCal), and it is a shock to the system if you are used to the old, workmanlike Germany. Ballack will be back, so this team should only get better. But if they can't work their offside trap better than against the Ticos, they will be in a heap of trouble. They aren't going to see defenses much softer than that for the rest of the tournament.
Look for scorelines to remain high throughout the cup. Just like in past cups, a new Adidas ball is being used for the event. Much like the Fevernova ball in 2002, keepers across the board are complaining about the Matchgeist ball being used (if you've been watching MLS, its the same ball they're using this season, just a different color scheme). The ball's seams are recessed, so when you hit the ball right, it does all sorts of funky wiggles and spins. Frings' goal is clear proof of that. He struck it well with the outside of his right foot, and that ball was moving something nasty. Look for keepers to continue to struggle and strikers to continue to rejoice. I think that we may see a lot more goals like the one Frings scored in the games to come.
Finally, the wait is over, and the cup is back. Its like Christmas morning, except Christmas lasts 31 days. And if the first match is any indication, there are some great thing waiting for us under the tree. Game on!
Germany is surely excited by their start, but I don't think they should be. Why? Giving up two goals at home against a low level CONCACAF qualifier is a bad sign. Concerns over the German backline look well founded. Germany showed off their new Americanized style of play (Klinsmann lives in SoCal), and it is a shock to the system if you are used to the old, workmanlike Germany. Ballack will be back, so this team should only get better. But if they can't work their offside trap better than against the Ticos, they will be in a heap of trouble. They aren't going to see defenses much softer than that for the rest of the tournament.
Look for scorelines to remain high throughout the cup. Just like in past cups, a new Adidas ball is being used for the event. Much like the Fevernova ball in 2002, keepers across the board are complaining about the Matchgeist ball being used (if you've been watching MLS, its the same ball they're using this season, just a different color scheme). The ball's seams are recessed, so when you hit the ball right, it does all sorts of funky wiggles and spins. Frings' goal is clear proof of that. He struck it well with the outside of his right foot, and that ball was moving something nasty. Look for keepers to continue to struggle and strikers to continue to rejoice. I think that we may see a lot more goals like the one Frings scored in the games to come.
Finally, the wait is over, and the cup is back. Its like Christmas morning, except Christmas lasts 31 days. And if the first match is any indication, there are some great thing waiting for us under the tree. Game on!
It's almost time.....
News of the morning:
- In a not surprising change of heart and mind, Ballack has now declared himself fit to play. He claims the decision is now up to Klinsmann. Some have indicated that this whole thing is the result of tension between coach and captain, but both have downplayed the incident. Don't expect him on the pitch today, even if he is well enough.
- The Ecuadorans have stepped up to the plate and filled in the gap - we hadn't had a "no sex during the tournament" story yet this year, but they took care of that. In a show of solidarity, the coach has placed himself on the ban as well. What a trooper.
- Wait, how many people live in China again? The state TV service there is predicting that the opening matches, happening in the middle of the night there, will be viewed by 10 Billion people.
- Zlatan Ibrahimovich has told the media that harmony abounds in the Swedish camp, most likely to try and boost team and national morale. Injuries have been an issue, and they face a tough group.
- Argentina has already named their starting XI for the Ivory Coast match. No real surprises, except for the fact that Gabriel Heinze is fit and will start.
- Deco, the Portuguese playmaker and midfield partner of Figo and Ronaldo, has picked up a left foot injury, and is doubtful for the Angola match tomorrow.
- Gerrard has claimed he is fit and ready for the Paraguay match tomorrow, and word is that Rooney may see more time in the group stage than at first thought. In other England news, if you've followed International football the last ten years, you know that penalty kicks have often been the downfall of the English. Well, they are practicing spot kicks in a new way, telling the keeper which way their going, so their kicks have to be even more accurate. The Brits hope that this extra practice will come in handy the next time they are forced to the spot.
Finally, news this week that ESPN has optioned the Documentary on the New York Cosmos called 'Once in a Lifetime.' You can check out the trailer here. It will be released around the country in July, but an ESPN spokesperson has indated that the doc will also be broadcast on TV, airing on ESPN2 on Wednesday, September 20th, at 9.00 PM.
Finally, the waiting has come to an end. The most amazing sporting event in the world is back. Let the games and the fun begin!
- In a not surprising change of heart and mind, Ballack has now declared himself fit to play. He claims the decision is now up to Klinsmann. Some have indicated that this whole thing is the result of tension between coach and captain, but both have downplayed the incident. Don't expect him on the pitch today, even if he is well enough.
- The Ecuadorans have stepped up to the plate and filled in the gap - we hadn't had a "no sex during the tournament" story yet this year, but they took care of that. In a show of solidarity, the coach has placed himself on the ban as well. What a trooper.
- Wait, how many people live in China again? The state TV service there is predicting that the opening matches, happening in the middle of the night there, will be viewed by 10 Billion people.
- Zlatan Ibrahimovich has told the media that harmony abounds in the Swedish camp, most likely to try and boost team and national morale. Injuries have been an issue, and they face a tough group.
- Argentina has already named their starting XI for the Ivory Coast match. No real surprises, except for the fact that Gabriel Heinze is fit and will start.
- Deco, the Portuguese playmaker and midfield partner of Figo and Ronaldo, has picked up a left foot injury, and is doubtful for the Angola match tomorrow.
- Gerrard has claimed he is fit and ready for the Paraguay match tomorrow, and word is that Rooney may see more time in the group stage than at first thought. In other England news, if you've followed International football the last ten years, you know that penalty kicks have often been the downfall of the English. Well, they are practicing spot kicks in a new way, telling the keeper which way their going, so their kicks have to be even more accurate. The Brits hope that this extra practice will come in handy the next time they are forced to the spot.
Finally, news this week that ESPN has optioned the Documentary on the New York Cosmos called 'Once in a Lifetime.' You can check out the trailer here. It will be released around the country in July, but an ESPN spokesperson has indated that the doc will also be broadcast on TV, airing on ESPN2 on Wednesday, September 20th, at 9.00 PM.
Finally, the waiting has come to an end. The most amazing sporting event in the world is back. Let the games and the fun begin!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Need another reason to pull for the US?
Well, if you do, check out this article about Clint Dempsey. Yeah, he can be a bit of a hot head on the field, but considering what he's been through, I think he can be given a pass for that.
No Ordinary Background
Serious stuff there about Clint and his journey to the National Team.
How can you not love this game?
No Ordinary Background
Serious stuff there about Clint and his journey to the National Team.
How can you not love this game?
Potentially big injury news
- Possibly BIG injury news from Germany today. Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved limped off the training ground with a knee injury. The manager downplayed the injury, but if Nedved is injured it could be a huge blow for their opener with the US.
- England manager Sven Goran Eriksson has declared Wayne Rooney injury free, and says his only limitations will be match fitness.
- Those fickle Germans. Michael Ballack is now being lambasted in the German press for not seeking treatment for his injured calf sooner.
And one piece of news - it is estimated that 1.5 billion people will watch the opener between Germany and Costa Rica. That's 20% of the world's population. And yet, the US media continues to pay mere lip service to the event, and most of that is questions about why Freddy Adu isn't on the squad.
Listen people, he isn't on the squad. Get over it. More to the point, he just isn't that great of a player yet.
He's not there. He's not going to be there. He will have no impact on this tournament.
DEAL WITH IT.
- England manager Sven Goran Eriksson has declared Wayne Rooney injury free, and says his only limitations will be match fitness.
- Those fickle Germans. Michael Ballack is now being lambasted in the German press for not seeking treatment for his injured calf sooner.
And one piece of news - it is estimated that 1.5 billion people will watch the opener between Germany and Costa Rica. That's 20% of the world's population. And yet, the US media continues to pay mere lip service to the event, and most of that is questions about why Freddy Adu isn't on the squad.
Listen people, he isn't on the squad. Get over it. More to the point, he just isn't that great of a player yet.
He's not there. He's not going to be there. He will have no impact on this tournament.
DEAL WITH IT.
