Steven Douglas Maloney

Posts Tagged ‘Soccer’

Who’s the world’s most underrated striker?  In my view, it’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He’s never mentioned in aocnversation as one of the world’s best, but he should be.  Here’s proof.  There is no way that you could move your leg like this at any speed, much less do it that quickly and time it to hit a ball moving that fast towards your body.  Incredible.

In (proper) football, people will say “that’s class.”  What do they mean? Well, it is used to say that something has been done well, but not just through hard work and grit, but there is a level of technique and sophistication to it.  

The way Lukasz Podolski put home his goal against Croatia is “class” because he doesn’t just slam a loose ball into the net, he is perfectly balanced on his turn and he places the ball with the exact power and location of his choice because of how well he understood where to stand and how to turn.  

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT9o-36upZs"]

 

But people can also be “class” in terms of sportsmanship.  In this regard, “class” refers to the technique an understanding of a respect for the game, teammates and opponents.  Again, when Lukasz Podolski scores that goal against Croatia, his team is losing 2-1 in the second half and he does not celebrate for even a second. He goes and gets the ball puts it on the midfield line, and restarts the game, not wasting a second celebrating a goal that’s meaningless without a result. It is also “class” when Podolski, playing against the country of his birth, Poland, does not celebrate his goals against them either. In sum, I love Lukasz Podolski.

To not do such things however is not to be seen as vulgar. It is no insult to celebrate a goal against one’s opponents, and it is hardly difficult to see not getting so overjoyed in the moment as to not want to celebrate.  Just as, in the first case of “class”, Turkey’s comeback goal yesterday could be seen more as determination than “class,” but that in no way diminishes the quality of the goal or its importance.

One does things that are “class,” one cannot be ”class.” “Class” is not nullified by performances on other occasions that are not class. One does not have to be “class” all the time to have anything they do be “class.” The most extreme version of this would Bastian Schweinsteiger’s red card against Croatia.  It was not “class” to go back and shove the guy who took out his legs.  It was “class,” upon receiving the red card, to go over to the play, apologize and shake hands, apologize to the match official, and take full responsibility for his actions.  In WC ’06, it was not “class” by Daniella De Rossi to cut open Brian McBride’s head, but it was class to wait outside the United States locker room to personally apologize for the incident. It was also “class” by Brian McBride to accept the apology with the casual grace that he did.  

In short, “class” is the acute awareness of what the situation calls for in the very best way that it can be handled and the execution of that very best way. Whether it is moving the ball as a team (like the passing that set up the Sneijder goal against Italy), noting the special character of your opponents players after they have gutted your dreams with a last second goal (well played, Slavan Billic), or doing the right thing after you have just done the wrong thing, “class” is doing the best when simply doing something good, or doing something understandable, would have gotten you through with no complaints. 

Since we’re starting the knockout phase in mere hours, I thought I’d preview the quarterfinals. 

Germany (Group B Runner Up) v. Portugal (Group A winner) – This was the presumptive semifinal on this side of the draw when the tournament began, but a mildly disappointing German campaign brings it to our doorstep today.  

Those Germans seem to know how to win even when they look terrible, so you certainly would give them a chance. But Portugal look fast, organized, disciplined (for a change), and the Germans look frustrated, disorganized, and what I think will be their undoing, they are very slow at the back Merteseacker and Metzelder. Not to mention that Jens Lehman remains a wild card in every big match he plays.  

PICK: Portugal 2-0

Croatia (Group B Winner) v. Turkey (Group A Runner Up) - Cheers to the Turks for their improbable run to the quarters, but they have a lot of suspensions (including Volkan) and they really struggeled with Portugal’s team speed and possession.  I think Croatia are the clear cut favorites here.  

Pick: Croatia 2-0

The Netherlands (Group C Winner) v. Russia (Group D Runner Up) - What Holland have done in this tournament has been incredible, but I think Russia can definitely play with them. I think this one will be very close, and very exciting.  

Pick: Holland 3-2 in extra time

Spain (Group D Winner) vs. Italy (Group C Runner Up) - Yes Italy have seemed listless at times, but they have also been very unlucky and they still have gone through the group of death. They have been getting stronger as the tournament goes, and I just have a sense that they are going to lock down the Spanish midfield and keep the ball from Torres and Villa.  

Pick: Italy 1-1 in Penalties

I’d say three of these four matches are of the highest interest in terms of the potential for an epic, historic encounter… and if I’m right, we will get a mouthwatering pair of Semifinals. I love this game.

The group phase has come and gone: so I thought I’d look back.  Since I’m getting almost 1,000 hits a day on my pre-tournament predictions, perhaps we should look back on those as well (and wonder why people are bothering?) 

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The Volokh Conspiracy dares to infringe on my political theory/soccer crossover blogging. The comments section is unsurprisingly hostile towards anyone dare pretend soccer is interesting. All I can say is: hurray for the market–which allows me to watch the beautiful game even if a majority of Americans think that I should not (so long as there are enough people like me to make commercial transaction possible).

On a “paging Cass Sunstein” note, let me simply reply to all messages of this type:

As my high school football coach would say whenever the soccer sissys ran by our practice field: “Soccer: the official sport of failed socialist republics.”

by saying that what I like is in fact, not stupid. You are stupid. We could carry on this conversation on more adult terms, but I fail to see the point.