Evanston: a European World Cup; ‘The Man In the Bed’
Evanston: a European World Cup; ‘The Man In the Bed’
A few hours changed 2010 from a South American to a European World Cup.
Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay are gone; and Uruguay ought to be.
To those of us who have seen all the matches, Brazil’s and Argentina’s loses did not come as a surprise. The Netherlands have been steadily impressive, and Germany has been mostly spectacular. Their only loss came when they played much of a match with only ten men after a probably undeserved red card. What was surprising, of course, was Germany 4, Argentina 0.
While the World Cup TV announcers and analysts have been mostly good, some have resorted to cliches. Because this is a German team it is described as ‘well-organized’ and ‘disciplined’, when in fact the Germans are the second youngest team in the tournament--Ghana is the youngest--and play with attacking speed and flair usually ascribed to Brazil. Before the tournament began I wrote that Germany always rises to the occasion of the World Cup. But this side has far exceeded expectations.
The two most heart breaking moments so far of this World Cup have involved African teams.
(I exclude the English goalkeeper’s error in the match against the U.S. because it ended up being only a small part of a much greater disappointment.)
In its final group match against South Korea, a Nigerian player standing right in front of an empty goal somehow missed the easiest of shots that would have resulted in victory and a place in the final 16.
But that pales compared to the end of the Ghana/Uruguay quarter final.
Tied 1-1, the match went into overtime in the final seconds of which a sure goal by Ghana was prevented by a handball by a Uruguayan player. The goalie had just blocked a shot and was out of position. I don’t believe that Suarez even thought about the handball. He just knew the ball was going in the goal and instinctively reached out and batted it away.
There was no doubt about the call or the prescribed punishment: Suarez was given a red card, left the field and headed directly for the dressing room according to broadcasters in tears; and Ghana was given a penalty kick with no more time on the clock. Make the penalty kick and Ghana would be the first African nation to make the semi-finals. Gyan, the Ghana player who took the shot, hit the crossbar and missed. The TV announcer had already started to proclaim Ghana the winner and in mid-word corrected himself.
A teammate ran after the distraught Suarez with the news. He returned to the field smiling.
With time up, it went to a penalty shoot-out, with each side taking five shots. Gyan made his this time, but others on his side missed. Uruguay moves on and Ghana goes home.
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Yesterday morning we bicycled along the lakefront to Northwestern and back.
I knew the parks and bike path would be crowded, and they were even at 11:00 a.m.
Because we are fortunate to live within walking distance of the lake, I forget how critical parking spaces can be for the millions of others who have to drive. As a species we are like seagulls in that our evolutionary strengths are being aggressive, eating almost anything, and having a strong urge to reproduce. Seagulls fighting over a scrap: men bickering over a just-vacated parking place.
I am repeatedly struck--fortunately not literally, but almost--by how little sense most people have of their spatial relationship to others. It is not news that there are around 10,000,000 people clustered here on the western shore of Lake Michigan--several hundred and probably thousands of whom were picnicking and playing along the Evanston lakefront on July 4; but most seemed as oblivious as if they were on deserted islands.
I am pleased to be able to report that we made it there and back unscathed and unscathing.
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A reader sent me a song. I believe that is a first.
The song is “The Man In the Bed” sung by Dave Alvin, of whom I had not previously known, as part of the album, ASHGROVE. I don’t have the legal right to share it with you; but you can buy it from iTunes for 99 cents.
I like the song very much. It is apposite to me and an entry I have been planning for a while about possible future voyages and will write now that the World Cup is taking up less of my time.
Thank you, Jim.
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The photograph was taken a few minutes later than the one posted June 30 and facing in the opposite direction.
Monday, July 5, 2010