Friday, June 09, 2006

The Beautiful Game


I have watched a few FIFA World Cups off and on over the past few years. Not having a Canadian team in the game sort of makes it hard to feel participatory. No cheers for Canada

And despite the Stanley Cup and the NBA playoffs in North America, the rest of the world is preparing for the World Cup of Football, which unlike 'World' cups in the US of Eh is really a World Cup. Stop Everything: The World Cup is On!

Like the Olympics it happens only every four years and grabs the attention of millions. Even in Canada. World Cup brings best out of Toronto

What makes it the Beautiful Game, well it is the least expensive sport, it is a democratic sport anyone can play, as the left wing South American writer Eduardo Galeano noted, and even the poorest of the poor can rise out of the ghettos of the world to make it in the game.

Of course like all sports the FIFA World Cup of Soccer is big business, very big business.

But strange bedfellows are made in the world of Canadian Broadcasting when it comes to this years cup. The result is we get to watch all the games.

Rogers Sportsnet holds the rights for the World Cup, but will share game broadcasts and the studio show with bitter rival TSN. More amazing, the biggest game of all — the final on July 9 — will be on CTV, parent network of the aforementioned bitter rival.
For the game schedules click here. And it will be HD digital for really clear in your face viewing.

Here is a couple of good beginners guide for those who don't watch football (only called soccer in North America to differentiate it from the CFL/NFL game)

Why you should care about World Cup

NAMING THE BEAUTIFUL GAME It's Called Soccer

Certainly the Stanely Cup playoffs have grabbed my attention this year, with unprecidented exciting hockey not seen since the Oilers heyday of the eighties or back during the Montreal Canadians dynasty.

And the CFL was hot this year with Edmonton winning. And the NFL Superbowl was no slouch either. That is the other 'football'.

And of course playoffs in any sport is sweeter and more meaningful when your team is playing.

Which is why I will be watching the FIFA World Cup.

I finally have a team I can cheer for while I await Canada's day at the Cup.

Yep the Ukraine is in it. Like the Oilers they are an underdog. Making it all the sweeter when they win.

Ukraine Out To Garner Respect In Its First Cup Appearance

They have several star players but none as well known as striker Andry Sehvchenko, who has been picked up by Chelesa.

They have a dynamic coach who has brought the team together, choosing young players for speed and depth. They have made the Cup. Nazdarovev.

Anatolii Tymoschuk has told skysports.com that Ukraine will command the respect of their World Cup finals opponents.

With Shevchenko reminding Ukrainians of his namesake the Great Ukrainian National Poet and Hero Taras Schevchenko, the spirit of the country is with them.

Will they win the Cup who knows, they played fifth ranked Italy to a draw, but that is not the point. They are in the cup. Lets see how far they get. And as I said now it gives me something to watch and team to cheer for.

The are playing in Group H against Spain, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, and I believe they can take it. And I am not the only one. Group H shows World Cup balance

Ukraine

Prediction — This is one of the tournaments true sleepers. They could have a potential meeting with France, a country with which their footballing talents are often compared to. And with their defense and finishing up front, it could mean au revoir Les Bleus.


Jeez getting old you turn into a sports nut.

Or perhaps its the war times, forcing us all to take out our visceral aggressions in sports, to deal with the stupidity of war and the politics of fear.


Also See:

Sports

Ukraine

Football



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