A Bit Of Green On A Monday Morning.

Especially the Monday after Germany's World Cup win.

Oh my, what a final. In a way I am glad that it turned out to be such a late ( and lone ) winning goal even though it had most of us on the edge of our seats, beds or jumping from one leg to the other. Yes, at times it could have gone Argentina's way and for a second there I did have a bad feeling, but thankfully Mario Götze took care of that.

You know, if the final would have been a walk - over ( such as the unforgettable 7-1 ) the win wouldn't have been so fabulous. Again, WOW, what a team, what a trainer, what a tournament.

Back to my idea of a green start to the day. When I go walking with my camera, I point and click at portraits of nature that catch my eye. Often I don't have a look for a day or two at the pictures on the chip card and when I do, it surprises me again. At the moment everything seems to have a bit of a green glow. For the plants and vegetables, this green unfortunately signals the start of a decline...ending with harvesting. Ouch for the plant!

Regal & proud. The maize, nutritious and ever present.

The little " Lady Bug " resting on the green hills of a maize leaf. A content scene of nature, even supported by a blue sky.

Looking at this, I could get lost in my thoughts for hours. A soothing green canvas, creating endless possibilities for a mind to go off on a tangent....

It rained a river yesterday afternoon and I tried to catch a droplet or two. Alas I am not that quick with the button. But I think you can get a sense of moisture in, on & all around this vine foliage.

This is one of my favourite views on my daily walk. It also happens to be at the top of the last hill on my route. You have seen this view in all season and even in its green phase, it looks enticing.

Biggi

So It's Germany Vs Argentina After All...

A nervy four days ahead.

Compared to the other semi final, the one played last night was, to put it mildly; not-so-much-fun-to-watch. Yes, Germany's 7 historical goals have spoiled us for a long time to come or at least until some other memorable match takes place ( and it doesn't count if it is a top ranked team playing against a lowly ranked one! ).

When the penalty shoot out began, I told Schatzi that I thought it unfair to judge a game with these goal kicks at the end. They have battled it out for 120 minutes and it is all down to penalties. Schatzi put in a veto toute-de suite

" Of course it is fair. They both get shots at the goal. Just watch! "

One thing is certain: when there is a penalty decision at the end, it means that the game was not so great to watch. But, that makes soccer so exciting. You never know when and who will score. Psst, can you keep a secret? Well, the ball moves so fast at times, that if it weren't for the enthusiastic commentator raising his voice an octave or two, I wouldn't know a goal was imminent.

On Sunday the whole world and their aunt Fanny will have enormous expectations regarding goals scored. Like the old fashioned gladiator arena of Caesar, the crowd will be braying for at least 5 goals a side! Unrealistic I know, but most of us do have unrealistic ideas.

• World Peace... Friends, Family, Neigbours & Countries getting along peacefully.
• Politicians who care more about us then their next election or their sponsor.
• Anti-Wrinkle creams that work.
• Buying a Nespresso coffee capsule machine and expecting George Clooney to come along and make you a cup.
• Hoping your computer will self-delete any of those " fabulous " missives you wrote after half a bottle of vino.

Bring on Sunday and the World Cup Finale. Germany, I am right behind you, cheering and shouting. 3-1 is my prediction, with Miroslav Klose scoring at least one of them. It would be nice for him to have an extra goal as a safety cushion to keep his record of scoring the most goals in World Cup history, a while longer...

Biggi

German National Soccer Team: Just Simply Fabulous.

A whole nation celebrates.

Already folk are saying how cruel Germany was to score so many goals after it seemed certain they were to win. But hey, this is a competition at the highest level and the team played and gave it their all. Why should they patronize the Brazilians? If the boot was on the other foot, do you think Brazil would have stopped at goal #5...ya, right!

After seeing a few matches recently that were slow; slow in passing the ball and slow in scoring, this was a match that kept us glued to our seats with eyes wide open. Did the ball have a turbo charge in it or were they just plain energized after the four day rest?

Personally I think the dark & different coloured team shirts helped. The team players stood out against the green and yellow. When you have to react out of your periphery, I think a colour like that helps. Wasn't it just the bee's knees when those goals kept on adding up for Germany. In the previous round, it wasn't plain sailing for the Germans, so it is no use to pretend otherwise:

They played fabulously, the outcome is fantastic and simply; just great.

Even though it seemed like a walk over, it certainly wasn't. Brazil is a world class team and they can score goals. I did find it rather rude, selfish and unsporting to hear that some of the Brazilian fans had already left at half time. When you support a team, it needs to be through thick & thin. This feeble "fan-ness" is wrong. Oh, the papers in Brazil will print forests full of front pages with accusations against their national team. Blaming and pointing fingers is a pastime of most papers the world over, when the results aren't what was expected.

Don't bother wasting all that ink, because as sure as the sun will rise in east, the Brazilians players know, really know, where they went wrong.

They were interviewing Thomas Müller after this match and he re-iterated the fact that yes they scored well, but the main thing was that they played as a team...and he reminded viewers that after the Algerian game ( which almost didn't go Germany's way ) the press was very negative and not so complimentary to the them...

Oh, this next semi-final will be so exciting to watch: who will be trying to break through the German defence: Holland or Argentina? I would love to see Holland be the other finalist, how about you?

P/S: Queen Maxima will be in a bit of a pickle. Who will she support tonight?

P/S #2: Well done to Miroslav Klose for being the top goal scorer of all times in World Cup History!

Biggi

A Bite, A Goal & A Need For Contact Lenses!

A New World Order in Soccer perhaps?

You know, I could never understand the euphoria of the mega Football Clubs winning a match, league or tournament. On the one hand it was great soccer being played ( mostly ) but on the other hand there was this niggling thought in the back of my mind:

They are only winning because they have the biggest purse....

Whose fault is it that clubs purchase talent as opposed to nurturing young sprigs into talented club players? Are we so driven by results that we forget about the sheer enjoyment of a soccer match where relatively unknowns score goals? Yes, some of you already are thinking how naive I am; let's face it, worldwide, money rules above all else and we abet this in a way because we cheer for the clubs and pay to watch them.

These mega clubs with mega purses and a bevy of soccer stars competing in a league, is the same as those fun races at school, where some of us had to hop on one leg while others could use two. A foregone conclusion!

Do you also feel it? There is a change afoot in the status quo of international soccer. This World Cup in Brazil is highlighting a problem....the Big Stars aren't performing as expected. Maybe they only do so well when they have other Superstar team mates to help them score the goals. Some almost looks like lost lambs on the pitch, not sure what to do without a ball to kick while others were amazing, ie .Arjen Robben. Wherever you looked, he was in the mix making opportunities for his team. Nice.

No one will forget the match played last night. The nail biting, shoulder biting one. The Italy - Uruguay one. Italy having to pack their bags to fly home is small fry. Having a repeat biter showing his fangs on the International stage is the clear winner of headlines and dare I say coffee break discussions ( albeit the new reality of coffee break discussions is everyone sitting having a cup of coffee while typing up a tweet or posting on Facebook...very sad.).

It was rather funny hearing the German commentator during and after the incident. He once or twice said that ' the biter / Der Beisser " was in control of the ball. A minute later he must have been tasked in his earpiece, because he used his full name after that...

The only thing I want to add to this " Draculian " affair, is that normally toddlers do it to get attention and he should have been given a funky tooth guard like rugby players wear.

Leading up to the departure of Italy from the World Cup 2014, were a lot of blundering obvious misses. How on earth can such seasoned, professional and mega rich players miss a goal by such distances. Not once, but often. Did they want to lose, or should they have their eyesight tested? The kids in our village wouldn't have missed some of these goal opportunities...

Biggi

Soccer Madness Has Taken Over.

The World Cup 2014 will be one to remember, I think.

Somehow the recent upsets of the Titans / Big Shots / Millionaires of soccer not making that much of a difference, ( ie. countries that everyone had tagged for the semi finals, are not even past the first round of matches ) has made this tournament come alive for us spectators.

Far from favourites, suddenly upsetting the apple cart and winning matches is a treat to behold. Watching these modern day " gladiators " battling it out is fun. Granted, some of them are prone to do a bit too much acting the closer they are to loosing a match. A mere opposing finger tip touching them is their cue for a wonderful impression of a worm wreathing about on the floor.

By the by, do the " thespian " players think we are that gullible? One minute they are agonizing on the floor and the next they are going for it full guns ahead! Highly suspicious...

Isn't a World Cup tournament a sort of Shopping Mall for the various clubs and trainers? They are all out looking to spend oodles of money. Just like in a mall they'll have the discount shops and the luxury ones. Talent will get discovered and I imagine laziness uncovered...

Have you also noticed how at times the important stars, those that do earn unbelievable amounts of money, seem not so eager any more? Let's face it, if you had 10 / 20 or more million in the bank ( and know that there is more on the way ) would you still give it your all? Are these soccer stars reflecting the malaise of society? Overindulged, bored and wanting for little.

What I have noticed about this particular World Cup and not really seen at others, is the large amount of players sporting tattoos. Are they trying to out match one another while at the same time have one up on the guy that started the craze; one David Beckham?

Yesterday's match between France & Switzerland was a cracker of a game. Wow, edge of your seat kind of stuff. A spectators heaven. This is what we want to see. A team pulling on the same rope and finding the net again and again.

On a personal note, Bob kicked a soccer ball about while waiting for our class to start. He was showing off and pretending to look as light as a feather on his feet while at the same time flicking the ball forward.

" Schatzi, you are like Messi....only spelled with a Y. "

at least I can still get Bob to laugh with real abandon...

Biggi

The Art Of Staying Awake For The World Cup Soccer Matches Tends To Elude Me.

Surely there must be a trick of sorts?

Isn't it typical. As a partial insomniac I've slept through most of the World Cup matches bar one: Germany vs Portugal. But oh, what a cracker of a match it was to watch. Why can't most of the matches be at around six o'clock and this good?

If the matches are exciting then of course staying awake is easier. Maybe a foul here and there to start off with, or a speedy goal such as the Americans performed, helps the matter. We have got to have a reason to stay glued to the match. The Belgium vs Algeria performance yesterday was a yawn fest until half time, and then we got a glimpse of why they say that the Belgians are whispered to be among the secret contenders to win!? Well, they almost stayed extremely secret.

Wherever the tournament is held, someone is having to burn the midnight oil. We have been lucky so far with having decent viewing times in past World Cups. Let's hope that the good matches in this one, are shown at earlier times.

During half time, the presenters ( mostly old - soccer stars ) go through a bit by bit explanation complete with arrows on screen. Bob things it is tedious but I assume they need to warrant such a huge salary to the TV station. Little crumbs of insider knowledge do tend to be banded about. Did you know that the height ( or lack of ) the Belgium player helped score the 2 goals? Now that will be impressive knowledge for moi to drop among a round of guys...

Even though Bob and I slept through the opening ceremony and only hopped aboard the World Cup " Train " through Germany's prolific goal scoring, we now do try and make the effort to watch the matches. The early one's aren't the problem. The semi-late one ( 9 o'clock ) means at least one of us is asleep. The midnight performances will be lost to us and unfortunately I only read about the thrilling finale of John Brooks scoring the late goal to win the match for USA. That must have been a great game to watch and I think they will be playing Portugal soon.

This is a match I will try and stay awake for. Naturally I would cheer for the USA, but I know that eventually Germany will go through in this group. Talking of Portugal, does the Superstar know that it is very obvious that he has his eyebrows enhanced by a beautician? Don't let me get started on Bob's comments regarding the Superstars perfectly oiled crowning glory! His moves are impressive though.

The world cup fever seems to have caught up with us and it is safe to assume that we will be watching all the early matches in full. ( Goodness gracious, I even googled Thomas Müller yesterday and was shocked to find out that he is only 24 years old!!! ) Is there anyone else who is amazed at how quickly the time has passed between the last world cup in South Africa and this one in Brazil? Where have the last four years gone to?

Biggi