Nice comment on the USA team from one of the better

[malaise]

journalists on the subject.
http://www.supersport.com/football/blogs/peter-davies/World_Cup_Winners_and_Losers
<snip>
What a month it's been. Never has a host nation more emphatically rammed the words of their doubters down collective throats than the vibrant, can-do, boer-maak-‘n-plan, party-til-we-drop, hosts-with-the-most Mzanzi Nation. Herewith some of the World Cup's great Winners and Losers.

WINNERS

South Africa. To quote BBC pundit Alan Hansen: “The best thing about this World Cup so far has been the atmosphere in South Africa - all the major tournaments I've been to, or played at, pale into insignificance in comparison.” And as Jerome Valcke pointed out (only partly tongue-in-cheek), the country will be Plan B for every succeeding World Cup.

The Metrorail train to Soccer City. Which grew in popularity from suspicious and sparsely populated for the opening game to packed carriages later on.

USA: Undertook to win hearts and minds with humility, mingling with the locals and heart-stopping late goals. Mission accomplished.

[nevergiveup]

1. If you are an American soccer fan

there are no words to describe the emotions surrounding the late goal against Algeria. This has been a fun World Cup with some of the most dramatic games I have ever seen. Thanks for posting the article.

[slutticus]

4. Yep! I will never forget that moment!

Where I was, what I said (many expletives ...) and who I was with.

It reminded me of the Music City Miracle of the Titans in the 2000 NFL playoffs....such a burst of emotion is rare to come by....you never forget it!

[malaise]

6. I would argue that the three most improved teams

at the World Cup are Spain, Ghana and the USA. Spain has made the final - Ghana made the quarters and the USA made the Round of 16. All three played great football. The Netherlands have reached the finals before so they'll have to win to qualify for improvements and I don't think this is the best Dutch side I've seen.

[tabatha]

2. Thanks for that article.

Love this sentence:

What a month it's been. Never has a host nation more emphatically rammed the words of their doubters down collective throats than the vibrant, can-do, boer-maak-‘n-plan, party-til-we-drop, hosts-with-the-most Mzanzi Nation. Herewith some of the World Cup's great Winners and Losers.

[malaise]

5. He wrote a great piece at the beginning of the world cup

An Open Letter to the Foreign Media

http://www.supersport.com/football/blogs/peter-davies/Open_letter_to_our_Foreign_Media_friends

[tabatha]

8. Neat. Thank you.

Just wish Lucky Dube could have seen it all.

[malaise]

10. Isn't that the truth

and he loved sports big time. He was at the cricket world cup in 2003. Indeed he was murdered the night before he headed to Paris for the Rugby world Cup final where RSA played England and won.

We wept that night.
http://www.allgambian.net/NewsDetails.aspx?id=94

[tabatha]

11. My heart was sore for months.

I only got to know his music after I left South Africa. It was on a trip back that I bought a cassette of Urban Music that had two of his cuts on it (including "Slave") - and I used to play it over and over. Eventually, I bought more of his CDs, but loved his "Different Colours". It was the coming together of Black and Whites and all nations in this World Cup that would have filled his heart with joy.

My favorite quote I found after he died was:

"A very big tree has fallen, a tree bigger than the oak. A tree whose branches swing with great whistling music all across the world, a tree that stands tall and rubs shoulders with others, a tree that provides perfect shade filled with love and affection, passion and emotions. -Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti".

[Scurrilous]

3. Thanks.

K & R :thumbsup:

[malaise]

7. Did you see this -one of the big losers

Paraguay’s captain: who whinged that South Africa was not ready to host the World Cup because their luxury coach broke down once. Has anyone been to that Nazi bolthole called Asuncion recently. Or a little Iguacu Falls border town called Cuidad del Este? No? Don’t. Ever.
Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah hahahahahaha :rofl:

[tabatha]

9. Ciudad del Este

is very popular among tourists for its reputation that anything can be found there, from counterfeit Viagra, pirated CDs, exotic pets, and AK-47 rifles. Paraguayan Blogger Muna Annahas blogs about how shocking the landscape of Ciudad del Este can be for a tourist:

On the way I saw all kind of things like people with babies and small children in motorcycles without helmets, teens jaywalking and crossing the route, small booths on the side of the streets selling all kinds of fruits and other small items.

I honestly hate the route, there is absolute not respect for the other drivers, its a no law route…

It is a small growing city that most of its income comes from goods sold to the Brazilians, in Ciudad del Este you can find all kind of goods, huge malls with all kinds of stuff you can ever imagine, from original to counterfeit…from delicatessen to car accessories, from perfumes to laptops parts…everything you can possible imagine, you can find there.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/01/19/paraguay-the-chaotic-ciudad-del-este/