Sunday, July 17, 2011

USWNT 2, Japan 2 (Japan 3-1 in PK)

In the 112th minute Ian Darke, ESPN carnival barker, says, "the US is eight minutes from winning and sparking a national celebration," which made me wish Japan would win, and I'm sorry. I wasn't invested in this team - it's not lack of damn but lack of time - but I've loved ones who are. But ESPN's shilling - and I don't watch helmetball or basketball, maybe they shill for everything - of the major significance of this game pissed me off, and anyone who thinks a victory would mean more to the US citizenship than the Japanese - as in Japan post-earthquake and tsunami - is a moron. (Speaking of morons and barkers: Julie Foudy.)

Game ball to Japan's Iwashimuzu who deliberately took a red card taking down a breakaway for Alex Morgan in the 120th minute, though to be fair, without the US's shockingly inept finishing, its clownish and panicky defending, and its choke-choke-choking in PK, Japan doesn't win. Japan doesn't win if the US doesn't think it won the game twice. Japan didn't win, the USWNT lost.

Read this guy. He knows the players on USWNT, having been a season-ticket holder for the Germantown Freedom before they up and split for Florida. He can speak towards his loathing for Rachel Buehler and why I'm wrong to say Hope Solo had a miserable game and why I'm wrong to ask why Alex Morgan didn't start (I thought she was the best player on the field).

But rely on me to draw the strained metaphor: there are echoes in the USWNT's choke and collapse amid media screaming of their exceptionality that redound on many levels. Perhaps I'll tease them out later, or not - we're going out to eat the best Indian food in MOCO with Hamster in a couple of minutes - though tease them out yourself, or not.

11 comments:

  1. You don't think the Japanese goals were essential to their win?

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  2. Oh, yes I do! I just don't think they could have done it without the USWNT's help!

    Not to take anything away from the Japanese and their grit and effort, but the difference between the USWNT defense when the game was tied versus their defense when trying to protect a lead was astonishing.

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  3. I'm up, and you're unfair.

    First, you said Hope Solo isn't that smart and she's not very good. Had you said that she had a miserable game, the discussion would've been different. But it wasn't what you said, until now. Don't fucking EricCantor me, bitch.

    To that point? If she had as bad a game as Rachel Buehler, I'd find it noteworthy. She didn't. Rachel Buehler and others (including the three US players who missed penalties) put her in the position to be where she was. She still won the Golden Glove, and deserved it.

    Second, I didn't say you were wrong to ask about Alex Morgan. I answered your question truthfully and without scorn, echoing her coach--with whom it cannot be argued that I always agree. Seriously, dood, don't EricCantor me.

    Record corrected, you're right--ESPN's touting of exceptionalism was thoroughly nauseating. And on thought, you're right about the red card--it was very well done.

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  4. Doesn't "they couldn't have done it without [the other team's] help" apply to every single sporting match or contest?

    Someone has to lose, no?

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  5. PS - Landru,

    "Relentlessly jingoistic" is a spot on description. I hate ESPN. I don't root by nation, to start, but their coverage had me cheering for Japan just to watch them stumble all over their stupid narratives.

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  6. ESPN made no bones about their coverage being parochial.

    Best player on the field: Megan Rapinoe. I'll take her on my team anytime! She touched the ball w/ confidence every time. She hustled & defended and passed brilliantly. Japan scored after she left.

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  7. Iceland is the greatest country in the world, and anybody who doesn't want to admit that is a fucker.

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  8. Jim, I was startled that Tobin Heath came in for Rapinoe rather than for Heather O'Reilly, who had, by that point, looked completely gassed to me for some time. I was never all that invested in the Rapinoe vs. Cheney faux choice, especially when Rodriguez was having such a miserable tournament--as Sundhage concluded just in time to lose the tournament. And notice it wasn't Rodriguez she put in when Cheney got hurt. Correctly, in my view, but my view at this point has to reek of hindsight, even when I say that the choice was clear.

    Jack, I'd agree with you if not for ESPN's relentless pursuit of the earthquake angle, which was as mawkish as their pimping of USWNT was jingoistic. And if, y'know, I wasn't so jingoistic on this topic my ownself.

    BFF, it couldn't possibly be that USWNT's defense when leading reminded you of anyone, could it? Because...uhm...well, it did me.

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  9. This is why one watches sporting events with the sound turned down and the tunes turned up.

    And why one has to finish, but as miserable as they were (with good luck, that 3-0 after 20 could have been 5-0 at half), they still weren't as bad a Brazil's PKs. Holy fucking hell, drunken grade schoolers couldn't have been more comical.

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  10. Yes, I thought of United, though the bunkering by USWNT didn't seem as blatant as ordered by St. Benny. Maybe it should have been. Heh.

    To be honest, and not to be mean (really), it was just a terrible case of the anxious yips. I understand why they had them.

    I wonder what the winning percentage in PKs is between the team that tied that sent the game to PKs and the team that gave up the lead. 2-0 in this WC involving USWNT.

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  11. Ken Beatrice is just another reason to loathe Kornheiser. (For those who don't know -- http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/19511/last-call)

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