First off let me apologize to the dozen or so people that actually read this blog - I'm sorry for not having posted for like, ten days.  I've been wrapped up in - well - work.....If you can call watching the World Cup and preparing World Cup stories work.  Many people reading this would not, I'm thankful that I can.

Now - to the topics bugging me most.....

A) The bashing of the officials at the World Cup

--Does anyone else view Sepp's ranting against the officiating as hypocritical?  This is a man who said dozens of times before the Finals that the players better be ready for a crackdown on rough play, shirt-tugging, time-wasting and simulation - and now that his officials have done what he asked, it's too much?  There's an Argentine writing World Cup articles for France paper L'Equipe and he put it best: until FIFA gets out of the stone ages and helps the officials by embracing technology within the game, the officials will continually be asked to do an impossible job.  I actually think they've done pretty well myself....

B) Was It A Penalty?

--I've been asked this a few times in the last few days - did I think the Italian PK was justified versus Australia?  Bobby and Max both said they agreed with it and let me say there have been some very HEATED discussions around here about it in the past few days.  I originally didn't think it was a good penalty call so I whipped out the old 'Laws of the Game' (2004 edition) and looked it up.  It says a PK can be awarded if any of the ten offences for a which a Direct Free Kick is awarded is committed in the penalty area....flip...flip...flip....A Direct Free Kick is awarded if a player 1) kicks or attempts to kick at an opponent 2) Trips or attempts to trip an opponent 3) Jumps at an opponent 4) Charges at an opponent 5) Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent.  Based on #2, I guess it is a PK.  Damn shame for Australia though - I think they had it if they went to extra-time.

C) Bruce Arena and MLS

--This story isn't bugging me, I just found it interesting.  With the US's early exit, Arena came out in a number of interviews and didn't bash MLS per se but he did give an idea of what he thinks of the league by saying that more US players need to ply their trade in Europe.  As many who are reading this already know - I wholeheartedly agree!!  While I appreciate MLS for what it is trying to be, it's about time people saw it for what it is - a developmental soccer league.  There's nothing wrong with that - and if it was the North American Cup instead of the World Cup, the US would dominate - but it's not.  MLS is a feeder league for Europe and save Landon Donovan & Carlos Ruiz, most players in the league wouldn't think twice about taking off to Europe given the chance because there they can develop their game with the world's best - not North America's best - which is what they're doing here.  MLS will have it's fans and I'm certainly one of them but to get to the last eight, last four, last two of the World Cup, Bruce Arena is right - more of the US squad have to be playing the European game.  It wouldn't hurt to also have a European coach....

D)  My Picks For The Quarterfinals

Why people care who my picks are I don't know but I keep getting emails asking so, here goes.  By the way, if you lose any money because of any of these - I'm not taking the blame....But I'll take a cut if you win....Kind of like the government.

Germany v. Argentina - Argentina....Too much class and the German defence is too young.

Italy v Ukraine - Italy....Easiest game to call of the round.  Voronin out kills Ukraine attack.

England v Portugal - I'm going to hedge here....If Sven goes 4-5-1, then Portugal wins.....If he goes 4-4-2 then I think England wins.  Hardest game to call because they are so similar.

Brazil v France - Brazil.....In a walk.....The aging stars of France are no match for the likes of Brazil.  The difference is that while France have gotten older, Brazil has kept their youth.

That's it!  Enjoy the Quarters.....Happy Canada Day to all the Canadians out there (July 1st for the unaware).....See you next week!

I'll be honest, I didn't see most of the US/Italy game on the weekend - that's what happens on a Saturday with the fridge empty, a new house and a new wife.  BUT, I DO have satellite radio and while the missus and I were running around, we did listen to most of the game and from what I heard, it was a much improved US performance - which I expected.  I caught the last 15-minutes on TV and was equally impressed. 

What I didn't expect is for the referee to hand out three red cards.  I thought for sure when Pope was sent off, the Americans were done - but great resolve and great move by Bruce Arena to bring on DaMarcus Beasley for Clint Dempsey - and it almost paid off with a goal were it not for a clear offside.

I liked the fact the US kept attacking the Italians and were not content with the point.  That's all they may have gotten out of it but they showed that even a man down, they are still somewhat dangerous - and I agree with many pundits out there that THIS is the US team people have been expecting to see.

But at the same time - WAS it a great US showing - or a poor Italian one?  Marcelo Lippi's side made some uncharacteristic lapses in defence giving the US chances to get the full points and I think that says a lot about the game - for both sides.  Arena treated them like a wounded animal - and kept going at them which I admire.  It shows he had a great sense of the flow of this game. 

BUT

When they play the way we all know they can play, Italy are almost unbeatable.  When the US play the way we hope they can play - it's better, but still not enough to beat the greats.  Let's remember that while they took a point, they didn't score - and when they had chances to, there wasn't the finish required - which isn't just a US problem, lots of WC teams are having finishing issues (England, Holland, Italy).

Don't get me wrong - I liked what I saw from the US very much.  They showed that they can play with the best - but I'm still not convinced they can beat the best 11 v 11.  But a gutsy performance 10 v 9 and lets hope they build on it going forward!

**As an aside, I must comment on the WC coverage on satellite radio.  It is outstanding!!  XM has done a wonderful job and while I (as a listener) would like to hear the European commentary, I (as a broadcaster) appreciate the fact North American Play-by-Play guys are getting a shot at it.  Nicely done!  By the way, XM has all the World Cup games on ch. 148.

Ok, so being the 'pools' guy at work means I was the one responsible for getting and running the World Cup version this time out.  It's been fun so far - and surprising!! 

Those of you who are regulars over at B-Mac's blog likely already know the bad news - Bobby sits dead last and his wife - the lovely Mrs. B-Mac - sits third....19pts ahead of my esteemed colleague. 

Here's how we're working it - everyone involved (21 of us) went through and picked the results of the Group games only - win or draw basically.  If you pick the game right, you get three points.  For added fun, people could also predict the score - if that's right, you get an extra point.  Needless to say, Mrs. B-Mac has been listening to her husband over the years because she's picked most of them right - and had the score bang-on for Mexico/Iran and Australia/Japan.

Perhaps Bobby should have peeked at her sheet before he handed them in.

Bobby has made the critical error that many of us do at some point - we think too much about it.  B-Mac picked a lot of draws and I think if he could do it again, he'd have picked things differently - to which he would say 'of course I would, now I know the results!'

But Bobby isn't the only one struggling - oh no.  He has company in the bottom half of the table.  Carlos Machado, Mitch Peacock, Miguel (Producer) and Luke (Sr. Producer) are all near the bottom.  In fact, it is FSWR guys that make up five fo the bottom six!!

Looks like a bunch of us over analyzed it!

In terms of the FSWR people - Michelle is the leading point-getter with 24pts while I sit just below her on 22pts.  Ethan Zohn isn't a member of FSWR but the FC Fox host is hanging around with 21pts.  There's talk of a side bet of some sort - a million bucks perhaps EZ? 

As is always the case, the pool is being led by someone who knows as much about world soccer as I do about cooking - which isn't very much. 

And he's running away with it to boot!!  He has yet to get a game wrong and has predicted a number of correct scores.  I can take solace in the fact that his name is also Jeremy but that's where the similarities end!

However, as I told B-Mac - still lots of time to redeem oneself.  And there's always the knockout pool after the group stage. 

Maybe consult with your wife before submitting your picks for that one Bobby.

For those of us who've watched many a US game over the past few years, it wasn't hard to predict they would go down in flames to the Czech Republic Monday.  Sure, some of us thought they'd come through with a draw but that was being hopeful - and we all knew it.

What we saw Monday was a complete dismantling of the Eagles by a team that could very well win the whole darn thing.  Head coach Bruce Arena was spot on with his tactics in 2002 but he was completely mistaken in the opener.  And even if Arena was correct, I'm still not sure the US would have the quality on the park to beat the Czechs.  

After the game, the coach singled out Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley and Kasey Keller blaming the two outfield players for being largely invisible and thrashing Keller for sending a kick too far up the field where there were no US players and starting off the sequence that led to the Czech opener.

And then Thomas Rosicky hit a cracking second goal - the goal of the tournament in my mind.....Until Andrea Pirlo smashed home Italy's opener two hours later.  Rosicky added a second late on and showed everyone why Arsenal are so excited about this guy.  This could very well be HIS tournament.  Milan Baros was their danger man in 2004, Rosicky could be the guy in 2006.

But back to the US.....And I know I'll get lambasted for saying this but I really don't think that Major League Soccer is an adequate training ground for the World stage.  Yes, it is a good developmental league - but more US players need to be playing abroad in the European game.  Especially since those are the teams they have trouble beating - European ones - when it comes to international games.  Ya, they can walk all over CONCACAF but it doesn't mean anything when your group at the Finals is made up of European sides and you get hammered 3-nil in the opener with Italy next up.

I'll be very interested to see what happens to the lofty ranking of the US if they get eliminated at the Group stage.  I've always thought the FIFA rankings were askew and as much as I hate to say it - the US are a prime example of that.  The new rankings system is going to be detrimental to their position but will (hopefully) provide a more accurate picture of just how good they are.  Yes, the Czechs are second in the world but does anyone out there think the US play Monday afternoon did justice to their ranking?  I didn't think so.

We'll see what they do against the Italians - a game that MUST yield at least a point if the US has any chance of getting into the 16's.

 **Just wanted to promote the blog of colleague Bobby McMahon while I have a moment.  As many of you know, Bobby is in LA and he's been blogging like a maniac since he got there.  He said to me before he left 'what is this blogging thing?' - it appears he mastered it pretty quick!  Anyways, B-Mac is updating during almost every game with his expert insight and analysis - if you haven't read his stuff yet, START!