Italy! Champions of the World!!

Well, Italy did it, though it wasn't as perfect as I had hoped. France dominated the second half and the Italians looked dead tired. But the fact is we beat 'em at penalty shots and won. Having lost 4 out 4 penalty shootouts in the past world cups this was actually nice. The truth is Italy never got scored on this entire world cup except on 2 penalty shots so I think they deserved to win and the celebrations here were massive.
It was sad to see who is considered the world's greatest player and who is retiring this year, France's captain Zinedine Zidane, head butt Italy's defender in the chest and get kicked out of the game. That was bizarre. I think that negative energy closed up the game for France. Oh well.

Yeeeehooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gooo Italy!!!

By the way, I was at my brother's and we drank some Swiss beer, Calanda Brau, and celebrated with Perrier Jouet Champagne. Go figure!

Best,
Agostino

Forza Italia!

I was sorry to not watch the game because I was on stage singing a concert up in the Berkshires! Actually, one of our sets was sung in Italian to words of 16th century poet Torquato Tasso! Certainly Italy deserved to win - I am very happy.

I head to Rome and Spoleto Umbria in 2 weeks. Will be in Italy for 3 weeks, ending my stay in Positano on the Amalfi Coast!

[James Roscoe]

The floppers won, big deal. When will the real football season get started?!!

Awright wiseguy!! Everybody flops in soccer, its accepted practice. I agree with you though. Having grown up in the U.S. I find it hard to accept all the choreographed falling down drama. It seems weird to me. But as an American you have to try extra-hard to accept other countries' customs and habits the way other countries have to deal with America's. I won't go into details except to say that I haven't seen so many flags flown in Italy for this world cup since right before the Iraq war when there were peace flags here on every balcony...

Paulo,
Enjoy your trip to Italy. I envy you.

[James Roscoe]

Awright wiseguy!! Everybody flops in soccer, its accepted practice. I agree with you though. Having grown up in the U.S. I find it hard to accept all the choreographed falling down drama. It seems weird to me. But as an American you have to try extra-hard to accept other countries' customs and habits the way other countries have to deal with America's. I won't go into details except to say that I haven't seen so many flags flown in Italy for this world cup since right before the Iraq war when there were peace flags here on every balcony...

The temptation for a snappy comeback is almost overwhelming. Congratulations. I always like seeing other nations showing national pride. It makes them seem less foreign somehow.

[David M. Bueker]

Forza Italia!

I was sorry to not watch the game because I was on stage singing a concert up in the Berkshires! Actually, one of our sets was sung in Italian to words of 16th century poet Torquato Tasso! Certainly Italy deserved to win - I am very happy.
!

Were you at Tanglewood? If so I could have sat on the lawn and had wine while you were singing? Argh. Say I didn't miss it.

Forza Italia!

I was sorry to not watch the game because I was on stage singing a concert up in the Berkshires! Actually, one of our sets was sung in Italian to words of 16th century poet Torquato Tasso! Certainly Italy deserved to win - I am very happy.
!

Were you at Tanglewood? If so I could have sat on the lawn and had wine while you were singing? Argh. Say I didn't miss it.

I was in Lakeville, CT - at another Vocal/Choral event. I sang with a quartet the William Hawley Italian songs, a Bach duet, and 4 Brahms quartets and a Schumann piece auf Deutsch. I';ll be there next year and will let people know ahead of time!

[David M. Bueker]

Forza Italia!

I was sorry to not watch the game because I was on stage singing a concert up in the Berkshires! Actually, one of our sets was sung in Italian to words of 16th century poet Torquato Tasso! Certainly Italy deserved to win - I am very happy.
!

Were you at Tanglewood? If so I could have sat on the lawn and had wine while you were singing? Argh. Say I didn't miss it.

I was in Lakeville, CT - at another Vocal/Choral event. I sang with a quartet the William Hawley Italian songs, a Bach duet, and 4 Brahms quartets and a Schumann piece auf Deutsch. I';ll be there next year and will let people know ahead of time!

I remember you saying you would be there, but I always think of Tanglewood whenever people mention music in the Berkshires.

You know it's not easy, but it may be time next year to resurrect the infamous Tanglewood offline. The first one was a blast. The second one, while small, was quite fun as well.

The floppers won, big deal. When will the real football season get started?!!

Well.... not a flopper.... just half Brazilian/half Italian..... Brazil got kicked out so rooting for Italy was obvious!!! I don't get American football - it feels to slow for me, plus it's unattractive to look at big guys running into each other; soccer, at least, you have the handsome "runners" sprinting with utter control of the ball - a true art form!!! Viva Italia!!!

Added to that the soccer player does not need a full body armour suit, just a pair of shin pads for when someone DOES make contact with their shins.

Paulo,
Enjoy your trip to Italy. I envy you.

Thanks, JC!!!! Don't envy, come with!

[James Roscoe]

Added to that the soccer player does not need a full body armour suit, just a pair of shin pads for when someone DOES make contact with their shins.

Of course the second someone does make contact they're rolling around on the "pitch" acting as if they've been struck by lightning. Five minutes later they get up and are running around like nothing ever happened. You would never see that in real football. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy both games, but American football is in my blood.

Don't get me wrong. I agree fully about the play acting. From what I have seen Field Hockey players use the same shin pads, and even if they get hit with a stick, they carry on with the game. Much better ethics. We don't get to see much American Football down here. A few games on TV and a small league. Small? I have just checked out the web site and the competition has been running for over 24 years.

http://eteamz.active.com/nz-american-football/index.cfm?

Then there are the celebrations that the soccer fans have to put up with when a goal is scored! Rip your shirt off and career around the pitch like a mad person.

I went down to Circo Massimo to Join in the celebrations last night Impressive !!

[James Roscoe]

Oh, come on, it's not like they won the Super Bowl!

World Cup soccer equates to CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!!!

How about a hoozah for the Stanley Cup champions, Carolina Hurricanes! It's the first major league championship for any Carolina team, although the Carolina Panthers have come close twice in the NFL. Retired hockey player Ron Francis and his wife have been honorary chairpeople for the Triangle Wine Experience, a major annual charity event with wine dinners, educational programs, wine auction, vintners' tastings, etc. Held every February, it benefits the Frankie Lemmon School for children with special needs.

If you watched the Stanley Cup coverage (not many did apparently) you may have seen a young girl fighting leukemia. Her family are neighbors of the Hurricanes' coach and the team has held benefits for her and visited her in the hospital, etc.

[James Roscoe]

World Cup soccer equates to CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!!!

Only in soccer. How much did adverisers pay to sponser the game? Compare that with what the Super Bowl rakes in. Okay I'm yankin' chains, but in the U.S. the Super Bowl rules!

World Cup soccer equates to CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!!!

Only in soccer. How much did adverisers pay to sponser the game? Compare that with what the Super Bowl rakes in. Okay I'm yankin' chains, but in the U.S. the Super Bowl rules!

Indeed, football does rule in the US, but soccer rules the rest of the world when everyone shuts down to watch the game - literally, everyone in the country stops for 90 minutes; and when a goal is scored the entire country rumbles with joy - sorry, but I have been in the US for a long time and have never experienced what I experienced both in Brazil when I lived there and while in Italy during the world cup. There is a difference in the number of people who actually watch the game. Here, there is more drama and "rumble" over Janet Jackson's "popping out" of her outfit than the game itself.

[James Roscoe]

Paulo,
Have you ever lived in a city that won the Super Bowl? I lived in the DC area through the Joe Gibbs glory years. Trust me, it's incredible. I also lived in Philly when the Flyers won their first Stanley Cup back in '75. You would not believe the reaction in that town. If the Eagles ever win the Super Bowl I would advise you to either stay off the streets or join the riot.