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Credit to Germany and the very opposite to Time Warner Cable
June 30, 2006Here’s one of my least favorite World Cup stories.
It’s my 20th birthday — June 5, 2002 — and I arrive home for work at 1 a.m. (I was interning for this very paper).
In one hour, the U.S. will take on Portugal in the WC opener. I sit down and turn on the TV, and SHZSHZSHZSHZSHZSHZSHZSHZ (the noise of static. I guess that’s what it sounds like).
Yep, this minor storm had knocked out the cable. Yep, the Time Warner lady told me, someone would fix it first thing in the morning.
“How about now,� I naively asked.
“How about no,� was the general response.
Now I had waited four years for this game, and after frantically waking up my roommate Rique, we searched for a location with acceptable reception. We missed the U.S.’ first goal, but luckily watched the momentous win on someone’s TV across town.
Now why do I tell this story now, you ask?
Because today, in about the 70th minute of Germany-Argentina, ESPN suddenly disappears from the screen, and a green screen pops up with the weekly weather test.
I KNOW this is crap because that stupid weekly warning came on during Tuesday’s France-Spain game, forcing me to miss how Spain was awarded a PK.
But it doesn’t end after 20 seconds. Instead the screen alternates between that and a fuzzy, headache-inducing bad attempt at a soccer broadcast.
I don’t panic, switching to Univision. But Jeff, our photographer, calls in a worried voice, asking me if I was suffering the same fate.
I called Time Warner just to pass on the info, and the phone lines were busy for about 15 minutes. (I can imagine the despaired calls of German pilots training at Sheppard Air Force Base).
Right before extra time, Time Warner fixes the problem, so now my ears can enjoy English instead of some language that I faintly remember studying for four semesters in college.
Sorry, Mr. Fuertes. Te amo your clase!
Germany, Italy advance
My gut feeling was Argentina would win. But judging by my track record of erroneous predictions (I thought the Aussies and Spaniards would still be kicking a ball instead of kicking back brews), I should have known it’d be Germany’s day to shine.
The host country stayed alive by winning in penalty kicks, 4-2, and here’s why I credit Germany.
Goalie Jens Lehmann made a couple of ingenious PK saves (vintage Zach Duncan ’99) and Germany’s guys delivered when it mattered.
Miroslav Klose headed a crucial, well-developed goal to tie it in the 80th minute, and the Germans did a better job of using your subs.
I mean, how can the Argentinean coach not play midfielders Saviola or Messi? If you don’t start them, at least sub them in.
I knew Argentina would lose in PK’s right before they started, with those two, forward Hernan Crespo (subbed) and stud midfielder Roman Riquelme (subbed) not participating.
Italy took care of business in downing Ukraine 3-0, and the Italians have yet to allow a goal in which their own defender hasn’t scored.
Italy is getting better every game, and they should give Germany fits in a must-watch semi.
And kudos to Ukraine, which made it pretty far in its first World Cup.
Stat of the day: This World Cup is averaging 2.3 goals a game, making it the second lowest scoring WC (1990 in Italy is the lowest).
Also, Germany has outscored its opponents 21-2 when captain Michael Ballack has played over the last two World Cups.
Next up: England-Portugal’s storyline was made more entertaining with all of those cards, plus the questionable return of Christian Ronaldo (the Portuguese midfielder was hurt against Holland).
Brazil-France is a 1998 World Cup final repeat, but the French are no match for the five-time champs.
Or at least that’s my prediction. Which means it’s wrong.
My quest: I’ve already discussed how obviously Time Warner Cable has a World Cup-sabotaging employee on the site, so now I’m done about that. Here's a shout out to John, who continues to be the only loyal poster out there. John, you get 10 points. Everyone else, you get -10 points.
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