Blogowers, I apologize it has been awhile since you’ve last heard a peep out of me, Kevin Frey Wannabe. Just because I’ve been mute though does not mean that I haven’t been paying close attention to what has been happening recently in the wonderful world of sports. That actually is the farthest thing from the truth as I have a confession to make: I’ve watched more Sportscenter/ESPN shows this week than I have since probably 7th grade. I am currently typing in the condo my family rented out down here in Siesta Key (Sarasota), Florida (Former Spring Training Home of Your Cincinnati Reds). We’ve been here since Saturday of last week and for me that has meant more than sufficent beach time as well as posting time in front of the television watching sports and hearing people talk about sports.
First, we’ve got the Reds in first place at the latest point in the season in over ten years as well as ten games above .500, which is their season high thus far. How fun is it watching Baseball Tonight highlights after a Reds win? Bringing back memories of the summer of ’99. Speaking of that team and Baseball Tonight, you get to see Aaron Boone each night biasedly boast about the Reds.
Secondly, Wimbledon certainly has caught the eye of even the casual sports fan with the marathon match from last week. Kudos to those guys. Two average tennis players who were just very evenly-average. Then you have the clock ticking midnight last night on July 1 and one would think all hell has broken lose on the NBA free-agent market is about to occur….or has it? Exciting stuff to come in the next week or so in the league and look for big-time shake-ups taking place that will change the landscape of the game for the next decade.
All content leading up to this point was written on Thursday, June 30. The following was written on Saturday, July 2
And then finally, last but not least, the greatest tournament in all sports, the global championship of the” beautiful game”, the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. I must say, whether you are a soccer fan or not, an American soccer supporter or not, the group stage and first knockout round have been nothing short of exhilarating.The champions (Italy) and the runners-up (France) of the most recent World Cup in Germany in 2006 both didn’t even make it out of the group stages of play this tournament. Italy was just overrated in my opinion whereas the French did their best representation of their country in general and kicked and screamed and when they didn’t get their way, just quit. This display, an embarrassment and waste of world-class talent, was the complete opposite of the American squad, a team that absolutely played its heart out and represented its country with great pride and dignity, laying it all out their on the pitch….and oh boy, did they entertain.
I hope that the general American sports viewing public’s opinion and perspective on soccer during the Yanks valiant effort in South Africa. If you didn’t yell out a giant, patriotic roar when Landon Donovan followed up Dempsey’s blocked shot in extra time versus Algeria, you aren’t human. That was unreal and will go down as the most emphatic and improbable goal in United States soccer history. Just incredible. I, as I am sure many of you, was heart-broken after the US’s loss to the Black Stars of Ghana last Saturday. Ghana was good but I know we were the better team and it just sucks to be on the losing end of a game like that, of that proportion, especially when it goes to an overtime to decide the winner. You’ve got to hand it to Ghana though, that was one hell of a shot that they won on. Too bad that douchebag couldn’t make a simple PK yesterday.
As for the remainder of the Cup, you’ve got to like the way both Germany and the Netherlands are playing. Both “upsetting” South American powers Argentina and Brazil respectively. I am in a World Cup tourney bracket contest with some college buddies and I can proudly say I had the Dutch winning it all: partially because I am partial to the Men in Orange because I studied in the Netherlands a couple of summers ago and less on the world of potential they had leading up to South Africa. Does it make me more of a fan if I went to their last Euro Cup friendly versus Denmark? Being over there, especially right in the middle of the Euro Cup made it nearly impossible not to fall in love with the pride and devotion of the Dutch faithful and their football squad. And let me tell you, those people know how to party in the name of soccer. Did they ever! Woooo-Weeee. For what it’s worth, I heard the announcers say yesterday that 40% of the country took off work yesterday to watch them defeat Brazil. Standard.
And finally while I mention announcers, can we all just agree that the announcers ESPN has had throughout the World Cup have just the sickest vocabulary and accents? I mean, I’d watch Women’s Croquet if these guys were commentating. At the very least, can we agree that they put to shame voices of the likes of Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, John Madden, Dick Vitale, Chris Berman, insert extremely overrated American Sports announcer here. These guys are "cheeky" to say the least.
Happy Fourth Yankees. Enjoy, be safe, and don't do anything I wouldn't do pyros. -Kevin Frey Wannabe
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