Today's England-Germany match had us back at the Rusty Barrel in Westlake. Check this out. You pick a team at the start of the match and get 50% off your bill if they win. I was the only one of our group to pick "the Germans". Danke schoen.

Best Fraulein Today





























The English basically crapped the bed in this one. Yes, history will show that Frank Lampard got hosed, when his obvious goal, was not called correctly in the first half. It would have tied the score at 2. Coach Capello is now able to say his tactics would have been different if it had been called a goal. Perhaps.

Ball Over Line = Goal



But it doesn't excuse their absolutely horrid giveaway on Germany's first goal. And it doesn't excuse their second half effort as the Germans took it to them and beat them into submission, 4-1. One of England's worst World Cup losses, and maybe one of their worst World Cups period. In a very clean game with few fouls and yellow cards, the Germans exposed every one of England's weaknesses. It completely destroyed the pre-game template of Germany's youth vs. England's experience.

As Thomas Muller, who scored twice, said after the match, "We are Germany. We are a tournament team." Take that, you oil spillers.

In the second game. Argentina used another incorrect goal call, to start a romp of Mexico. The Mexicans had barely deciphered that bad call when another giveaway led to another Argentine goal. They made it 3-0 on a cracker from Carlos Tevez (reported by Baghdad Dave on Channel 3 as "Carlo Tavis"). Hernandez scored on a beauty late for Mexico, and it was a 3-1 final.

The "Good" Tevez Goal



So, even though there was lots of good soccer played today, the question remains. When will FIFA embrace technology to correct bad refereeing decisions? They should have had it already. If we are sitting in a bar and know within seconds there was a bad offside call or a goal that should have been allowed, why doesn't FIFA go along with it. Jeezy creezy, while a guy is dancing around with his teammates, a quick replay won't affect game action.

Blind Refs



























It's beyond dumb they don't have it.

The next two afternoons offers some cool matchups. Brazil and Chile have a go tomorrow, while Spain and Portugal meet on Tuesday.

Meal of Links

Dave Weigel, who had been making many appearances on MSNBC the last few months, had to resign from The Washington Post. Seems some of his past anti-conservative online comments became an issue.

"Airplane" is now 30.

"Oh, stewardess. I speak jive..."



77 Unforgettable Movie Songs. I wish I could forget some of these.

Exercise Yard

The good news? Russell Branyan is now a former Indian. The not-so-good news? Arthur Rhodes, yes, that former Indian Arthur Rhodes, has now gone 33 appearances without giving up a run.

We last had him 5 years ago. He left the team for a month late that year under some odd circumstances labelled a "family issue". Then he left in mid-September for good.

Visitor

None, on a tropical Sunday.