"Anyone else want to see my fancy new red cards?"

"Or how about my shinny new whistle. It's so cool I think I'll just keep blowing and blowing it..." And so that is how Jorge Larrionda, fresh from his shopping trip at the FIFA referee shop, began his workday Saturday. And he blew and blew and flashed red card after red card like a 12 year-old boy showing off his first pubic hair. Until about 15 minutes before the end when Larrionda seemed to have broken his whistle. At least I don't remember hearing it again. Well at least until he ended Italy's inept attempts to break down a nine-man US team dead on its feet.
All this came one day after I lamented the lack of a Cinderella team. Not only does Italy fail to beat a highly overrated US team, Ghana outplays the Czechs, defeating them 2-0 and providing a glimmer of the light of the round of sixteen to an African team. Now the US team did play out of its skin but they are not the fifth best team in the world. And what to make of the African teams? Are their results due to the lack of the traditional African powerhouses not being present? Perhaps Nigeria or Cameron may have done better but Ivory Coast would have qualified had they played in n easier group. And Ghana, should they defeat the US and the Italy v Czech result goes their way, could face a so far lack luster Brazil in the second round.
The first four groups look as though they will finish much as predicted. (Although as I write Mexico trail Portugal and Angola lead Iran 1-0)
One could argue the results of this Cup so far have shown 2002 to be a bit of a fluke. Except for France, who (insert lame French surrender joke here - I just couldn't think of one and I also tried to fit in the Maginot Line as well - they're efforts, like the Maginot Line, don't extend far enough?) under the tutelage of Domenech seemed determined to fail? Henry, a player I thought would light up the tournament, if only to disprove his critics that he can't play on the international stage, has been starved of quality support in both games. Which brings me to my last thought in this rambling passage: Brave managers. Domenech is not brave enough to sit Zidane, Bartez, Thuram and the rest of the holdovers from the 1998-2000 team. Even though France boast a young and talented bench. Many of those kids are coveted by top European teams. Now compare Domenech to Arragones, the crazy, old bastard in charge of Spain. (Who called Henry a "black shit" in an attempt to inspire a young Jose Antonito Reyes, Spanish winger and teammate of Henry's at Arsenal)? He sat national hero and Real Madrid mainstay - no matter his form - and chose instead a strike partner ship of the young and talented Torres and David Villa. Add to that midfield sub Fabregas- whose form makes Zidane look like me in the midfield- and you can make your case for youth over experience in this tournament. Argentina and Holland both jettisoned many of their veteran players for youth. Almost all of Holland’s back line plays in the Dutch league although it's yet to be seen if they can hold up for the entire tournamnet. Youth as won out over those whose laurels look well rested upon.