Remember that multi-cultural family ride-along that debuted at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, “It’s A Small World After All”?
Well, it’s a small-minded world after all, too.
Anyone who has watched a few minutes of the World Cup might recognize the international TV feed directors are no different from US directors assigned to NFL games.
That is, if there are any well-comported, modestly dressed fans in attendance, we’re not likely to see even one. World Cup directors have been assigned or self-assigned to show every face-painted, down-in-front! high-hatted, feathered freak and World Cup-guzzler in every house.
Rewarding extreme public behaviorists might be OK if covering a parade — and if soccer throughout most of the world’s soccer-wild regions weren’t infested and infected by drunken, mob-empowered creeps (“hooligans,” in soccer-speak) who wouldn’t call it a good day until they’ve kicked someone’s head in or, as a mark of team devotion and fan club valor, had their own head sutured.
At a time when FIFA has launched campaigns to rescue soccer from its identity as a group activity for the malevolent, its sincerity is challenged from within as a matter of televised self-evidence. Even the sport’s quadrennial showcase grants favored status to lunatics who would attend to be seen rather than to watch.
Wednesday, more than 100 rabid Chilean futbol devotees, keen on watching Spain vs. Chile and who wouldn’t take no-tickets for an answer, charged through a security barrier, then smashed through a media entrance. Most were detained but a few made it inside where they were then perhaps captured on TV as wild and at least temporarily crazed standouts among the crowd.
Such modern soccer “fans” feel entitled, almost obligated to do whatever, whenever, wherever. And TV, when not making “Tsk, tsk, tsk” after a riot, serves as inspiration.
Again, our NFL TV shot-callers are no different. As the at-game “NFL Experience” has regressed to where it’s synonymous with a drunken, anti-social and often dangerous experience, which of the NFL’s TV partners has ceased providing the thumbs-up to the bare-chested, booze-infused creeps in every NFL house? Not even the NFL’s own network.
Of course, just as the NFL’s execs and TV directors would never choose to place their loved ones among those whose excessive behavior is rewarded by TV, neither would FIFA’s at World Cup matches. Yet, 15, 20 times per World Cup telecast, those selected as “The Beautiful Game’s” most telegenic fans appear to be folks whom the right-headed would avoid.
No Mensah Club: US benefits from bonehead
Who is Jonathan Mensah and why did he bring joy Monday to the US World Cup team, its supporters and hundreds of thousands of normally uninterested Americans?
Mensah is the Ghana player who, in the game’s closing minutes, needlessly muscled US midfielder Fabian Johnson over the goal line, providing the corner kick from which John Brooks headed the winner.
The unqualified rush of blood to the head that followed in the US was to be expected. However …
Except for two quick episodes of scoring brilliance, 86 minutes apart, the Americans played miserably, like strangers, which to a great degree they are. As Ghana took control of the game, there was no apparent US plan — or perhaps ability — to reverse that flow.
Michael Bradley, the US’ versatile and quick-minded midfielder, seemed to be the only American who contested or played a ball in midfield, and he then too often had to work the ball backward.
Don’t know how the US can fix things before Sunday’s 6 p.m. game vs. Portugal, a skilled side that had its own problems in a shocking 4-0 loss to Germany. But now that the red, white and blue blood has returned from the head to the lower parts, some fast fixing is needed.
Nurse! Tuesday, NBC’s Golf Channel aired a news conference from the Women’s US Open with 11-year-old qualifier Lucy Li, who doesn’t look a day over 10.
Throughout much of it, GC had posted beneath her a graphic that read, “Lucy Li (a) [amateur] first U.S. Open appearance.”
As if that told us anything! You mean she’s not a pro? And this is only her first Open? To think the graphic might have provided useful info, perhaps, “Lucy Li, 11 years old, youngest to compete in Open.”
My suggestion here Monday that no one skated more minutes this season (NHL, Stanley Cup, Olympics) than the Rangers’ Ryan McDonagh was quickly proven no cigar by several readers who noted Kings defenseman Drew Doughty skated more.
Farce play on replay decision
Look what they’ve done to my game, Ma: The reinvention of baseball via TV replays is akin to placing a fresh produce stand in the Garden of Eden.
Wednesday’s Reds-Pirates included a beyond-absurd, nobody-asked-for-it and nobody-wanted-it replay reversal that gave the Reds an extra run and an extra out, both fueling a seven-run inning that essentially ended the game.
In the top of the third, bases loaded and one out, Cincinnati’s Alfredo Simon hit a tapper to the left side of the mound. Pittsburgh pitcher Stolmy Pimentel fielded and threw to catcher Russell Martin, who caught the ball while lunging across the plate, forcing out the sliding runner from third, Devin Mesoraco.
Everyone, including Mesoraco, was obviously good with the “Out!” call. Nice play, standard baseball.
But then the umps huddled for a lengthy chat that ended when it was determined the play would be reviewed to determine if Martin, under the “new rules,” had illegally blocked the plate. What?! He put his foot on the plate for the force as he tumbled clear!
After another long delay, word arrived that Martin, who caught the ball where it was thrown — then, in the same motion, placed his foot on the plate — had illegally interfered with the runner’s access to the plate. Runner was safe.
Sanctuary! It wasn’t even a tag play; it was a force! Even had it been a tag play, it didn’t qualify as interference! Martin didn’t have the ball, blocking the plate, awaiting Mesoraco’s arrival!
Upon hearing the verdict, Martin threw his mask in the air as the umps appeared to explain to Bucs manager Clint Hurdle this wasn’t their idea.
Adding to the absurd was the fact that Mesoraco, likely to avoid being tagged, had it come to that, ran home inside the third-base line. He could have been ruled out before he was tagged or forced out — and then ruled safe.