World Cup Notes

I sure many people remember the "U-R-Gay" joke from 'The Simpsons', but how many are aware that Paraguay translates into American as 'with Gay'?, as in, supportive of gay. Let this be a lesson for anyone who didn't think that Latin American 'culture' isn't awash with homosexuals and supporters of the radical homosexual agenda, as if it could possibly be otherwise in any society awash in soccer, cocaine, and so-called men sporting gigantic permed ponytails.

In other news, Italy was held to a surprise draw again today, by a New Zealand team that qualified by beating four countries with a combined population of just over one million and two hundred thirty three thousand, which would be about two-thirds the population of Nebraska, or less than one-third the population of metro Rome.

Still the Italians should be fine, and they've done this kind of thing before. At USA 94 they were part of the first and only group in which all four teams finished 1-1-1, and Italy was placed third after tiebreakers sorted the teams out. Lucky for them it was a 24 team tournament in those days, so that the four "best" third-place finishers in their groups advanced to the knockout stage. So Italy made it to the bracket and went all the way to the final from there.

In addition to the money to be had in getting bigger and better, it was incidents like that which led FIFA to expand the World Cup field to 32 teams for 98 and beyond, so that only that only the top two from each group advanced and squads would go in knowing that they would probably have to win at least one game to move on. Its no coincidence that the 90 and 94 cups, (and 86 to a lesser extent, at least until Maradona lit it up) were considered brutally defensive, while since the expansion things have improved a little bit.