Argentina vs Germany 4-2

Angel di Maria Hat-Trick of Assist ( Argentina vs Germany 4-2 ) International Friendly Match

My July 4th Weekend Plans: World Cup Soccer

But of course.

Google predicts France, Brazil, Argentina and Netherlands will win. I agree with three of the four. But I don't see how Germany could lose. We shall see.

But if France does win, Brazil will beat them to go into the final. To meet Argentina? I hope.

Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil: Who Will It Be?

Netherlands seems to want it more than anyone else.

Messi deserves a cup as the top player in the world four years in a row to join the all time greats of the game.

Brazil is the home team and the eternal soccer superpower.

Who will it be?

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Brazil: Soccer: Photos

2,000 Squats

Image via WikipediaI just did 2,000 squats. Don't get too impressed. I did it 50 at a time. But do get impressed. I think I could have done 1,000 more.

This is my way of getting into the mood for StartUp Week. I did not even know it existed. I was aware of Social Media Week. I was aware of Internet Week. But StartUp Week? Well, it exists. And I am going to all events. I am showing up in my ninja outfit.

StartUp Week At NYU April 6-15

April 6, Wednesday, 6-9 PM, NYU Stern, Kaufman Management Center (44 W 4th St), Room 2-60
April 7, Thursday, 6-8:30 PM, NYU Law School (Vanderbilt Hall), Tishman Auditorium, 40 Washington Square South
April 11, Monday, 5-9 PM, Kaufman Management Center Room M1-100
April 12, Tuesday, 6-8:30 PM, Room M1-100
April 13, Wednesday, 5-7 PM, The Courant Institute 251 Mercer Street, Room 109
April 14, Thursday, 6-8 PM, NYU Tisch Hall, Paulson Auditorium (UC-50), 40 W. 4th Street

Looking For A Super Bowl Watch Party To Go To

Image via WikipediaI am not all that into football. I am more a World Cup Soccer kind of guy. I don't even know who is playing who on Sunday. But I end up liking the commercials. And I am on a lookout for a Super Bowl Watch Party to go to.



Almost every thing I know about football comes from one Al Pacino movie. I get it. Alright, I get it.

Brazil 2014

The Guardian: Brazil awarded 2014 World Cup: The Fifa president Sepp Blatter today confirmed that the 2014 World Cup will be staged in Brazil, who will host the tournament for the first time since 1950. .... Brazil were the only country bidding to host the finals .... five times world champions

World Cup: Spain Deserved To Win

Image via Wikipedia

For once I was not going to take my chances. I was wrong about Brazil, I was wrong about Argentina, and I was wrong about Germany. When you can't beat them, join them. For the World Cup Final, I was throwing my hat for whichever team Paul The Octopus had picked, and Paul had picked Spain, so I was for Spain. But then I show up and during the first 10 minutes of the game it was so very obvious Spain was dominating the game.

Someone once asked me a long time ago, can we call you Paul? P for Paul, P for Paramendra. No, you can't call me Paul, I remember saying. What did I know?

This was the roughest game of the entire World Cup. There were so many fouls, countless yellow cards. The most brazen foul of the entire  Cup happened in this game. It was an out and out flying kick. That is a martial arts term. Bam, you hit the other person in the chest and he falls like a tree trunk. That dude was still holding his chest 60 minutes later.

The first 10 minutes or so Spain dominated. Then the game got rough all the way to half time. Then Spain dominated, and there was some rough play. But then the teams decided risking a red card was not worth it, and so there was some good play, and Spain dominated again.

By now I was all out for Spain. Forget the octopus, this team was good. Or maybe not forget the octopus. I was emotionally invested in Spain's success. During extra time I was pining for that one goal. And it happened. But before that someone on the Dutch team got a red card. That is how you give a game away. By getting a red card. 10 is a seriously small number on a soccer field. You end up with 10 players and the opposing team sees a big, gaping hole on the field, on your side.

I was scared it might go all the way to penalty kicks. Because then all bets are off. The team that dominated the game does not necessarily win the penalty kicks part. There it is pretty much a toss up.

But, thank God, the Spanish team scored.

After the goal, the goalkeeper started crying, more like bowling. And I am thinking, poor guy, he feels bad he lost the game for his team. But then I noticed the jersey. No, this was the Spanish goalkeeper. These were tears of joy. Another sign this was the team that deserved to win.

This should have been a 4-4 to extra time, not a 0-0 to extra time game. There were so many obvious misses by both sides.

But then the Spanish side scored one goal, and there were maybe three minutes left, and I was not worried for them. They were the superior team. They could hold the slim ground. And they did.

It is a new world order in World Cup Soccer. The superpowers of the previous decades all fell by the wayside. France, Italy, England, Brazil, Argentina, Germany. They all fell.

One reason this was such a rough game was because for the two teams this was very much a first. This was their one shot at glory, and they were going to kick balls and limbs, whatever got in the way. They might not even get into the Final next time. There was desperation.

The Spain-Germany game was the best game of World Cup 2010, and the Spain-Netherlands game was the most dramatic.

Can't wait for 2014. In 2014 I might want to watch the Group Stage games as a neutral observer before I pick my teams. Pick your teams at the onset of the Round Of 16. Ugh, my picks made me look like an amateur.

Spain: The Octopus Was Right, I Was Wrong
The Germans Called Me Robin Hood
Argentina Was Not A Team
Brazil: The Overconfidence Of A Soccer Superpower
Soccer And Latin America
Brazil
Walking On The Moon
Lionel Messi (2)
Lionel Messi
Young Folks
Walk In The Park
Freehand Exercise: 1,000 Push-Ups, 1,000 Squats, 1,000 Crunches
Brazil And Argentina: My Choices And Those Of My Favorite Actor
The Eyes Of Truth
Hey Now, Hey Now
Tomorrow
Samuel Eto'o

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Argentina Was Not A Team

Image by Andrés Moncayo via Flickr

Brazil: The Overconfidence Of A Soccer Superpower

Either that or it was a team that melted in the face of a superior team: Germany. But my parting thought for the team I was rooting for is that Argentina has many great players, including Messi who is widely touted as the greatest player in the world. But soccer is not golf. This is a team sport.

Diego Maradona gets to take responsibility. The best soccer player of his generation was not that great a coach. Martin Scorsese could not act if his life depended on it. My favorite actor likes to say, "I don't know direction."

Brazil And Argentina: My Choices And Those Of My Favorite Actor

Diego kept saying to the last minute that Messi and one other player were the only players guaranteed spots on the Argentinian team. That attitude can boost your ego but it can be hugely detrimental to the team's morale. And Diego did not give enough respect to Messi himself.

This is like how Bill Clinton never really got over the fact that it was Hillary not him who was running for president. After Hillary lost in South Carolina, they gave him the microphone and he started talking about his foundation and how that work is "important." You saw Diego on TV as much as Messi.

Argentina fell like a house of cards today. How the mighty fall!

Brazil has a Pele hangover. Argentina has a Maradona hangover. I do too. That is why I picked those two teams.

There is always next time.

Right now it is looking like Germany will take the cup. They have done it many times before.

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Brazil: The Overconfidence Of A Soccer Superpower

Image via Wikipedia

Brazil has a special place in the soccer universe. It still is my favorite country to root for. Pele still is the best soccer player the world ever saw, the most famous athlete the world will ever know.

Brazil

But Brazil lost today. It was going to treat this game like it were the finals. I did not see much evidence of that.

Coach Dunga made two obvious mistakes even before the games began. He refused to put on the team some very obvious names, some star players. Why? Because Brazil was too big, there were too many good players to choose from. The coach is not the most important person on a soccer team, a VC is not the most important person on a tech startup team.

And he picked a wrong guy for team captain. I still do not know his name. His personal game was mediocre. But that can not be a deal breaker as long as you can exhibit leadership qualities. The dude got himself a yello card in a previous game, today he earned himself a red card. The yellow card rang alarm bells in my mind. The guy has a character flaw.

Instead of saying, we now have 20 minutes to even it out and still go win this game, let's go do it, the guy reduced the team size to 10 and brought the morale down for the team. 20 minutes were enough time. Kaka alone made two good attempts in those 20 minutes.

Brazil, great soccer country, lousy team captain, a coach lacking humility.

There was this pervasive overconfidence on the Brazilian side that prevented them from going for the small opportunities, learning the small lessons, treating the other side with sufficient respect when they had a one goal lead, and succumbing to frustration when that other side evened that out, and finally ended with a one goal lead.

Maybe the goalkeeper should have been the captain of the team on the Brazilian side.

Okay, so I am still rooting for Argentina. I am nervous the way I was not today. I was expecting to see Brazil win. But between Germany and Argentina, that is a hard one.

Soccer And Latin America
Lionel Messi (2)
Lionel Messi

Last night at Digital Dumbo I had an Argentina shirt on. One of the organizers invited me to the Dumbo Breakfast. Invite me for Dumbo Dumplings instead. (My Secret Sauce) Breakfast is a little too early. And, sorry, but today was Brazil's day, not Dumbo's, much as I love that place. I walked over there! Took me only a little more time than a train ride would have taken. But I hear flying is even faster.

July 1 Digital Dumbo: Do Not Miss

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Soccer And Latin America

Check this out. Each of the four quarter-final matches has one Latin American team in there. Is that something or is that something? Soccer is Latin America's game. Hats off to the continent of Latin America.

Brazil

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Walking On The Moon

Image via Wikipedia

Germany has been a soccer superpower just like Brazil and Argentina. I have been taking Germany seriously. This morning Germany made England look like it were North Korea.

France, Italy, England: three former soccer heavyweight countries are by the wayside now.

You got to watch Ozil. That dude can give one killer pass and tilt the game. Ask England.

Argentina had a field day today against Mexico. I was hoping for a 3-0 victory, but that was not to be.

I went ahead and bought myself a soccer ball afterwards, and went to a park nearby. I was able to touch the ball 38 times before it hit the ground. I guess I am in decent soccer shape.

Brazil's defense is like a castle, Argentina's like a whip.

When Messi dribbles it is like the entire field is mud. The ball is stuck until he commands it to move. And he likes to give short, quick commands.

Now Argentina meets Germany next. I am just a little nervous. I want Argentina to win, but I know the German team is in decent shape. I think it will be a close call, but Argentina will prevail. It will squeak by to meet Portugal in the semi-finals.

The scenario I am seeing is one where my two favorite teams - Brazil and Argentina - meet in the finals. It will be hard to pick the one to root for, but Diego might win me over. I might end up rooting for Argentina.

But I do want to have to make that call.

FIFA World Cup 2010

• FIFA World Cup 2010 Group B: Argentina vs Nigeria
  
• FIFA World Cup 2010 Group G : Brazil vs Korea
  
• FIFA World Cup Group B: Greece vs Argentina
  

Lionel Messi (2)
Lionel Messi
Young Folks
Walk In The Park
Freehand Exercise: 1,000 Push-Ups, 1,000 Squats, 1,000 Crunches
Brazil And Argentina: My Choices And Those Of My Favorite Actor
The Eyes Of Truth
Hey Now, Hey Now
Tomorrow
Samuel Eto'o

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Walk In The Park

CBC FIFA







At this point it feels to me like this is Argentina's cup to lose, although it can be argued Brazil is just getting warmed up. Those are the two teams I am rooting for. (Brazil And Argentina: My Choices And Those Of My Favorite Actor)

Diego (Maradona) looks as majestic off the field as he used to look on the field: for the love of the game, he will do anything, even come back as a coach.

I own three Brazil shirts, two Argentina shirts.



France and Italy are out. Those used to be heavyweight teams.

The US team has surprised many people. I commend their spirit, and their victories. I don't expect them to win, of course, but it is possible they pull a few more surprises. Expect to see a lot of soccer in Central Park this summer.

Freehand Exercise: 1,000 Push-Ups, 1,000 Squats, 1,000 Crunches
Brazil And Argentina: My Choices And Those Of My Favorite Actor
The Eyes Of Truth
Hey Now, Hey Now
Tomorrow
Samuel Eto'o

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Tomorrow

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
World Cup 2010: Into Africa - Two Teams, One Cup
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Internet Week: Going To Three Events So Far

World Cup party
Saturday, June 12, 2010 from 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM (ET)
The Parlour Bar
250 West 86th Street (at Broadway)
Downstairs
New York, NY 10024

I Must Be Following A Lot Of People On Twitter

Image via CrunchBase

Or people I follow must tweet a lot. I was just on my Twitter main page hoping to click over to my Direct Messages, but right before I clicked on to Direct Messages, I caught eye of a tweet by a woman who said something along the lines of, I love football, men wearing funny clothes, falling over each other. The tweet I thought was funny, very funny actually. Call me a Third World guy enamored by soccer and soccer alone, but I never quite got the hang of football. But by then I had already clicked on to my Direct Messages. I clicked the back button. But that does not do the trick. You are

Image via Wikipedia

still on the same web address when you click on Direct Messages. So I had to click on Home. The tweet was gone, flushed downstream. I kept clicking on More, until I could not do it no more. I guess Twitter allows you to click on More only so many times. The lady and her tweet were gone, nowhere to be found. That is when I realized to follow 27,000 people is to follow a lot of people. A refresh in 10 seconds puts you on another planet.

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