7/10/2006 - World Cup soccer

I do apologize for this entry, but I simply wouldn't be myself if I didn't write a review about the World Cup. My verdict is: CRAP! There have been a few good games, but I think this year's tournament will be remembered for one thing and one thing only: crappy refereeing! I don't even want to complain about my country's early exit against the Portugese in a game destroyed by the referee. Sure, the Netherlands were screwed by referee Ivanov, but the Portugese were screwed just as badly. Sixteen yellow and four red cards in a 90-minute game... It's as if the Gulag Archipelago was invented just for this man! Then there's the Australia v Italy game, where the referee gave a last gasp and thoroughly undeserved penalty kick to the Italians, who are of course a sportswear market of 35 Million as opposed to Australia's 20 Million inhabitants. People are seriously suspecting a conspiracy here! It's sad, when you realize that the only two teams who have really gone full throttle this year, the US (especially v Italy), and Australia, have been screwed by referees who have given their opponents game-deciding penalty kicks in decisive games.

Four teams are still in it right now. That's four European teams. This too is a sad situation. I think the World Cup should always be decided in a game between two continents. In my heart I hope Portugal will win it, as that's a small country, but since my dad was from Germany, I'm now rooting for the Germans.

Post World Cup verdicts:

Best team: Germany

Most attractive teams: Ghana, Australia

Best player: Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Best Dutch player: Robin van Persie

Best goal: Maxi Rodriguez (Argentina) 2-1 v Mexico

Best referee: none

Worst teams: Serbia/Montenegro and?Poland

Least attractive team: Poland

Worst referee: Valentin Ivanov (Russia, 2 games - 32 cards)

Biggest disappointments: Brazil, Ruud van Nistelrooij (Dutch player)

Biggest scandal: the penalty awarded to Italy v Australia

Oh well, with Italy winning the cup I at least turned ten euros into 21.

7/3/2006 - Referees???

I am so disappointed with those so called referees I know they are only human and make some mistakes but ........I would expect at world cup level that they would be of the highest caliber. I and many Australians don't think the world body of soccer or football wanted us there after all they have done their damnest to keep us out for years by making us play the South American nations to qualify on the last leg of the qualifying games. Now this time we get in with the help of some Dutch magic in the form of the Gus factor and a referee kills us off, but having said that we should have put the chances we had in the net. That same referee gave a red card to the Italian bloke for who knows what and it turned out it was the wrong bloke and this drongo...(idiot in Aussie lingo) referee gets another whistle to go out and referee again. Oh! For the what ifs...if we had beaten Italy I think we could have gone even further because at the end of the day I think we were a good team with some good raw Aussie talent. But that's not to be and we will have to wait now to see who the new coach is and wait another four years. As long as Italy doesn't win I don't give a hoot who wins. I have a feeling France and Germany may play for the cup. What do you think? (((hugs)))) and a :-) from Dawnie.

P/S."Hard Yakka"...means hard work, We even have work pants and shirts with the label name of hard yakka. My husband has some hard yakka work pants. Just ask away about any Aussie lingo you want to know about and if I can tell you I will. :-)