ASNN

why I hate Argentina

I've always thought Argentina was a team of whiners ON the field, but I had no idea their crying carried over to the press podium as well.

The following are excerpts from Argentina's futbolistas after their World Cup loss to Germany:

Hernan CRESPO (ARG) Germany weren't better than us and the game was decided by the smallest of details. [...] I’m not really bothered who wins it now to be honest. I support Argentina and that’s it.

Carlos TEVEZ (ARG)
The fact that we played well doesn’t make it feel any better either. They attacked twice and scored a goal but Argentina were the better side.

Gabriel HEINZE (ARG)
I really don’t know why we lost. And don’t ask me if I think Germany will win the World Cup or not because the truth is I really couldn’t care less.

Javier MASCHERANO (ARG)
I’ve got nothing to say because if you watch the game you’ll see that we were the better team. We showed we’re up there with the best teams in the world, and in my opinion there’s no such a thing as justice in football.

Leonardo FRANCO (ARG)
We missed out and there’s nothing we can do about it now. All the same, we have to keep things in proportion because they weren’t better than us.

Julio CRUZ (ARG)
Although we know we lost, Germany weren’t better than us. They just had more luck in the penalties, that’s all.

Esteban CAMBIASSO (ARG)
We’re still standing tall. We outclassed them and we can go home with our heads held high.

Oh boo hoo. Go home, jerks.

On a more positive note (though Argentina losing is pretty positive AFAIC), my prediction (that I didn't tell anyone, shaddup) of Germany v. Brazil in the final is slowly coming to fruition. Frankly, though, I'd prefer that England makes it after stunning Portugal (tomorrow) and Brazil (after that team beats up on the French). With Germany v. England, I could be happy if either wins. Unfortunately, I think it's a pipe dream - it would be fortunate for England to beat Portugal and downright miraculous if they beat Brazil after that. We shall see!

sports thoughts

In "celebration" of Vanessa being in Milwaukee, I'm going to celebrate on the topic she loathes most: sports. ;-)

• The World Cup is amazing. Don't get me wrong: I'm an American (or "'Merkan" if you're from the South) through and through. I think baseball is a brilliant game. I'll even eat apple pie now and again. Nonetheless, I love the World Cup. I hate the refs for hating Australia. I hate Argentina, but am resigned to their greatness. And I'm rooting for England to pull off a miracle and NOT choke.


• David Ortiz is so ridiculous, he's ridonkulous. Thank God he's on our side.


• I don't get the point of the all of the off-season football garbage. I didn't get the draft, and I don't get the "breaking down every team at every position" garbage on ESPN right now.


• Speaking of ESPN, could they please stop pretending that they know ANYTHING about soccer? Their money would be better spent on real-time translators of the Univision announcers. Take a typical stray one-timer: "He struck with a strong right foot. He struck with power and soul. He struck... without any idea of where the ball was going." Nevermind the fact that they understand what constitutes an actual penalty and what is simply a horrible call while ESPN types clearly do not.


• Family Guy is freaking hilarious, and Lois is hot. This has nothing to do with sports, or in fact reality, but it's the way it is.


• The NHL finals were the best thing no one saw. Or, at least, I think so - I didn't actually watch. Where's OLN on Dish Network again?

Oh Vanessa, come back soon. :-)

up yours, jobu

I don't whine too much. I really don't like whining. (I don't like "whinging" [sic] either - how can someone misspell "whining" like that?) So please cut me some slack as I need to just complain a bit.

Warning: may cause blushing or discomfort the next time I see you.

What kind of a world is it where the following sequence of events happens?

- Boy meets and marries Old Girl. Boy and Old Girl have two healthy children. All is well.
- Boy and Old Girl pursue permanent birth control. Boy sacrifices for Old Girl by undergoing vasectomy, which is safer, cheaper, less-invasive and easier from which to recover than tubal ligation.
- Fast forward four years.
- Old Girl completely screws over Boy, dumping him from jail, leaving him with the bills and the two healthy children.
- Boy meets and marries Girl.
- Boy and Girl want to try to have kids someday.
- For all his trying to do the right thing, Boy gets to pay $4,000 to $6,000 for a vasectomy reversal surgery. The reversal surgery yields the VERY slim possibility that Boy could ever get Girl pregnant. (That is, $6,000 might pay for a failed surgery, or for a successful surgery to reconnect non- or low-producing testicles.) Never mind that Boy doesn't remotely have $4-6000 laying around... but it's still cheaper (and possibly less painful, time-consuming, and risky) than other fertility treatments.

And for the final, mocking twist:

- Old Girl is pregnant.

Now, I've been around long enough to know that life isn't fair. I don't have any delusions of life owing me something, or of me being entitled to wealth and happiness. But this is just rank. There's no answer to how cruel people and situations can be, except the ol' standby, "But God is good." Yeah, that helps. That moral platitude really helps pay the mortgage and taxes. It really helps explain why I'm abused and saddled with bills and responsibilities for doing what's right. It's a great assistance in explaining to my beautiful bride that she gets to pay for my stupid decisions (aka, getting a vasectomy in the first place at 24 years old - what the HELL was I thinking?!).

I feel like I might never stop paying for the "sins [or mistakes] of my youth". So you know what? Screw you, life. You've never done anything for me - don't expect a Christmas card.

chinatown quote

Help. I just watched Chinatown (which I loved, but that's another story) and I can't understand what Jake mumbles in the last scene. It's not the last line of the movie ("Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown.") but one that comes as Jake sees something shocking. He mumbles something that sounds like, "Hell is possible." But I can't quite make it out.

Any ideas?