Porcelain

(REUTERS Photo/Kieran Doherty)

Some friends were bitching about the US-Italy match. "Are the Italians made of porcelain?" they protested. "They barely fall down, and then they're carried off on stretchers, only to return to play thirty seconds later."

Fair enough.

I find the Academy Award-worthy acting of international footballers amusing, though... the falling down, the flailing of arms and legs, the blatant attempts to draw attention to otherwise questionable fouls. Maybe that's just my read, but it's one of my favorite nuances of the sport; who can be more dramatic? England, Italy? Argentina, Spain? Brava! I'm not whining about soccer not being physical enough, mind you... I find the acting enjoyable, it's one of football's charms, and it's a hoot. Seriously.

With that in mind, I offer a toast to USA's Brian McBride (photo), for trotting off the pitch (he returned quickly) rather stoic, rather bloodied, and on his own two feet. He made me proud, even though he's no actor. And here's another toast, to Italy and USA, for playing their hearts out despite some overzealous officiating, and for providing the most exciting, most physical match of the World Cup so far. I carry no match bias, of course; Spain was very exciting today and Fernando Torres is the star forward of my fantasy-league team, but that Italy-USA match was something to behold.

Maybe I should temporarily rename this blog WorldCupWench...

So, Tuesday... what to do? Germany and England, my Lieblingsmannschaften, playing on the same day, with England scheduled in a manner that has me leaving for work at the half.

I guess I'll wake up early, watch Germany (bleary-eyed), and set the Tivo for England, hoping to avoid a score and watch it in its entirety after work.

I doubt I'll get a rush of locals at the bar, spoiling the match for me. World Cup might be catching steam around here, but I still can't imagine barstools packed with good ol' boys talking about how damned serious a contender Spain has become.

In Bronson Arroyo news... 9-3 and a complete game, bitches!! Woot!

Porcelain
Do you carry the moon in your womb
Someone said that you're fading too soon
Drifting and floating and fading away
Porcelain
Are you wasting away in your skin
Are you missing the love of your kin
Nodding and melting and fading away

- Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Porcelain"

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