how do you spell underachiever?
B-R-A-Z-I-L


pardon me for continuing my world cup themed posts. after the final this coming sunday, maybe i can bitch about something else. i always have a hard time hearing "experts" calling one team or another a stone cold lock favorite before a season or a tournament begins. exibit a: usc football 2005-06. exibit b: connecticut basketball 2005-06. exibit c: brazil futbol 2006. how much more, i wonder, do these "experts" really pay attention to their sport of choice than i do? i mean, how many folks knew what to expect from brazil? i knew the names and most of the club teams of all their starters, but not before world cup did i see them play together. the fact of the matter is most world cup squads are just like the us and convene a month or two before the biggest tournament on earth and the teams either gel or they don't. there were/are teams in the tournament that have just as much talent as brazil. see france or england or portugal or argentina or spain. why weren't they the overwhelming favorites? this world cup is just another example of the "nobody knows anything" hypothesis i threw out around ncaa tourney time.

"i can't spell brilliant, but i can see it, and that kid is gonna be a god." words spoken by my flawed fucker of a stepfather that i'll never forget because, one, it is silly, and two, it was about his son that was a star in pee-wee football but didn't get off the bench for his high school. i do appreciate the sentiment, though, as it relates to listening to "experts", reading espn.com, and listening to friends talk about what they "know" vs. seeing something with my own eyes. what did i see in the overwhelming favorites to win the world cup? roberto carlos with his rocket of a left foot and penchant for disappearting on defense. a problem, this is, considering he is a defensive back. a past his prime ronaldo who never fucking runs unless the ball is within five yards of him. a too old cafu. a drama queen of a central defender in lucio. a clumsy striker named adriano who is, like roberto carlos, way too left-footed. i will give props to kaka. one of the only guys from the incredible "impossible is nothing" adidas commercials that showed up during world cup. and that brings us to ronaldinho. the two time reigning world soccer player of the year. outside of some fancy dribbling, what did he bring to the table and team? zero. sqadush. nada. shit. fun to watch? sure, if fun to watch means brazil is no more likely to score because of him than me. a team of stars. all proven on their club teams. also proved at this world cup as a team never a real threat to win it all.

i knew this after i saw their first match. i also knew that argentina was going to win it all. so, what do i know?

i know i'll root for germany tomorrow and more brilliance from zidane and cristiano ronaldo and figo and thierry henry wednesday and enjoy the heck out of the championship game sunday.

you can believe what you hear. what you read. what your friends say. but until i see the odds on favorite with my own eyes, you'll have to pardon me if you catch me rolling my eyes.