Peleton has been smashed to pieces…

And the pink polka dot jersey and the yellow jersey are sprinting to the finish after a batale royal

[originally posted on FB after win over Mexico. But because this might be too upsetting for some folks on FB, and they might as a result not see my post, decided to post on my blog]

As a long suffering admirer of Dutch football, this was a fine switch. Not winning a world cup in 1974 because of the Kaiser – no other team could have stopped Total Football, in 1978 because of the incomparable Cruyff’s decision to not play an Argentinian side that would not be denied, in the 1990’s the great Dutch team of Van Basten and Gullit and Rijkard denied by a style of soccer that permitted thuggery, violence and willful attempts to injure great player and last world cup denied by an imbecile of a coach who let the Spaniards dictate play and Robben missing a key goal late in the game.

The penalty was weak, but man this team deserves a little bit of luck.

This being the Dutch, of course, they will lose 2-1 to the Brazilians in the final. Because they have a history of doing that.

Real skype chat with my cousins:

[6/29/14, 2:50:03 PM] kostadis roussos: four more minutes
[6/29/14, 2:50:15 PM] kostadis roussos: ante dana let’s break some hearts
[6/29/14, 2:50:43 PM] kostadis roussos: WE BROKE SOME HEARTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The IMF has paid the ref’s to overlook a hand ball, give us an extra player, and finally we put one in…

Since I work in the USA, where Soccer does not bring the country to a stand still, watching today’s game of Greece vs Cote D’Ivoire was impossible. And because this is the USA, no one knows that the world cup is on.

While Greece was leading 1-0, and about to secure it’s spot in the knockout round for the first time ever, I was super-happy. We’re having a meeting about something very contentious and I have a very happy face.  Then all of a sudden, I look at my phone and slam it down very loudly and curse.  Everyone was taken aback. Worried that something horrible came in email. Given Juniper’s IOP’s you could imagine what they thought.

When I explained that it was Greece getting tied, they were relieved and confused. A few minutes later, a good friend sent me an SMS saying we won, and I was jumping up and down and cheering, this time they weren’t frightened but confused. They were even more confused when I got up, picked up my phone to talk to a buddy about a the game, instead of staying in the contentious meeting.

This reminds me of an IBM ad from the 1990’s, where there is this Italian wedding. The father is visibly unhappy and sad during the wedding. You think he’s really unhappy about who his daughter is getting married to.  And it’s confusing as to what is going on. Then at the very end of the wedding as the married couple drives off, he is visibly happy. We look at his phone, and see that Italy just scored and is up 2-1.

I have been mocking that ad for 20 years. Today I was that ad.

Spain world cup gear cheap

Nicholas having coffee with dad.

My wife made Hawaiian stew