Top 7 Sask Soccer Bromances

1. CGFL guys - For those of you who are unfamiliar with CGFL it stands Canada Games For Life. But it might as well stand for Constant Guy Flavored Love. More than a decade ago these guys played on a team, fell in love with one another, and continue to want the whole world to know it. They are still churning out new gear and teams to show their devotion to one another. If I knew how to make a heart shape I would do it now.  

2. The Patterson Twins - Literally putting the bro in bromance these two can't do anything without one another. From birth, they have been inseparable and it is always assumed that if you ask one of them to play you are actually asking both of them.

3. Braden Husdal and 2007 - Somehow, back in 2007, Norway managed to win the WCP Cup, forever tainting the significance of winning and giving hope to every future underdog. Braden is not about to let anyone forget about it either. Constant reminiscing seems to be all Norway has going for it but they continue to play the role of champions... whatever keep your relationship fresh.

4. Julio and Himself - Besides the CGFL guys I don't think there is a bigger love affair than Julio has for himself. I imagine him living in a house of mirrors so that he can vainly stare at himself all day. Julio actually quite often refers to himself in 3rd person. Perhaps though, its Julio's narcissistic ways which make him so darn entertaining to listen too.

5. Kevin and Anyone Jamaican - Kevin must be in love with anyone who's Jamaican because as far as I can tell his team has never cut a player. Not only do they not cut anyone but they seem to give everyone equal playing time. Watching Korthius get subbed off for 7 mins to put on some plug is a definitive sign of love.

6. The Oneill Guys - I don't know exactly what happened in this north end Regina High School but these guys seem forever bonded. They continue to reconvene their team for tournaments etc. It was probably their time together or some sort of event which fused the group together. In my mind it likely played out much like the movie "The Outsiders" but I could be way off  on that...

7.The Worker Bees And Kevin - The worker bees will really do have an undying love for Kevin and there is only way to truly profess this love. Of course that is to either adorn a black AC Jacket or a Blue WCP Jacket. Aww... it's just like high school with Letterman Jackets. Wait am I a worker bee? Hmm....

Things We Hate About WCP - Nathan Reis Edition

So hate may be a strong word but I think its fair to be critical of the things we don't like in hopes that improvements may be made.

Mike's List

1) U-18 Division - I have brought this up before but will continue to pile on here. There is such flawed logic in making this division. If you are not good enough to make a Men's team, some of which are absolutely pitiful, you shouldn't play. The answer is definitely not to make a division for you play in. Sorry but I don't want to watch the players who can't make the benches of the bad Men's teams. So wrong.

2) Being Confronted By People I Don't Know - I don't know why people think because I run this blog or play on ROI that they can come and take up their rift with me. Over Xmas I was at a very formal party where one of the guests came up to me and decided that this was the appropriate occasion to verbally lambast me. For over 10 minutes, while his anger increased, we covered everything from how ROI was was too good, too how I single handedly ruined the tournament and that he would never play again. Bravo.
 
3) It's Not The Real World Cup - The amount of stock people put into this tournament is nuts. If you lose in this tournament it's not the end of the world you just go back to playing actual soccer and get on with it. If winning the WCP Cup is the crowning achievement in you soccer career then you probably haven't had much of a career. Sorry to burst your bubble. People need to appreciate this tournament for what it is, a fun, 3 week tournament to hang out with your friends and play some ball. Oh, and if you are training year round (or at all actually) as a team for this thing, well I just don't get the point.

4) The Bad Teams - I will get straight to the point here and this may not be a popular opinion but there are too many teams in this tournament. The discrepancy between the good teams to the bad teams is way bigger than it needs to be. You can't argue that if you combined teams like Italy, Scotland, Northern Ireland into one team that they wouldn't be better for it. In my opinion its time to trim the fat.

5) RSA Fees - The RSA is just a ridiculous group to deal with. Last year I payed $900 to WCP for our team to play. I payed the RSA over $1000 to sign up 11 out of town players. Does this seem completely unjust to anyone else? I am not real happy about seeing my money put to use by paying their employee to facebook at the front desk while I set up the nets for them. In contrast to play in the Saskatoon World Cup the Saskatoon District Soccer Association charges me $2. Talk about having your hand in the cookie jar. 

6) Handicapping Rules - I know I am beating a dead horse here but this is an issue for me. I know rules like no fouls, kick-ins, and having an extra man on the field are needed so that 70% of the teams are able to compete but as long as I'm in the other 30% I am in favor of changing them. #LetTheBeatDownsBegin

7)People Who Think Megs Are The Greatest Thing In The World - This really irks me. I know megs look good but I feel I need to clarify something here. MEGS ARE NOT GOALS. They rarely work, especially in such close quarters, and trying one in your own end is stupid. If I hear one single person yell "OLE" after a meg during the tournament I am going to hunt you down.

Nate's List

Keep in mind that I am by no means trashing the tournament itself, as I think we can all agree it's an annual highlight of soccer in Saskatchewan. Hell, if I didn't like it, I wouldn't spend half of April in Regina. This segment merely provides an opportunity to state some of the lowlights that seem to get under my skin.

1) Players who think Sir Alex Ferguson is in the building looking for the next Roy Keane. Breaking someone's leg isn't getting you scouted: in fact, nothing in this tournament is. Take it for what it is, and play for the great atmosphere and decent competition.

2) Extending on the notion of taking the tournament for what it is, do so off the pitch as well as on. If I hear one player tell me they can't have a pint or ten after the match because they have a game next Wednesday, don't be surprised if you end up with your share of those pints dumped on your head by night's end. Luckily for me, this is by no means a concern on my team (ROI).

3) Player's girlfriends/wives from other teams punching me and pushing me off a stage for no apparent reason.

4) National Anthems. I know the tournament is very multi-culturally themed, given the fact that it takes on the World Cup style format, but the anthems are a drag. Some of them, Italy for an example, seem to last an eternity. Does anyone actually look forward to them? Maybe the time could be used for an additional 5-10 minutes warm-up. Thoughts? 

5) People complaining that "so-and-so is not of a certain descent", and thus should not be allowed to play for the team they are on. Granted, I did not play the first 2 or 3 years of the tournament and am under the impression the reins have been loosened a bit on where players are permitted to play. But regardless of which team wins it all, there aren't going to be any parades in Berlin, Paris, Oslo, etc. The whole idea behind having teams as countries is for the fans to show support with colors, flags, and whatever else may be relevant for the given nation. Play for your team, don't pay attention to where others are playing, and get on with it.

See ya'll in 3 weeks. Cheers

Nate

7 Things To Love About WCP - Dwayne Gareau Edition

 Dwayne Gareau (ROI) is the next in line in my series of guest writers. His post is a little lovey-dovey for my liking so Nathan Reis and I will follow up with the much more cynical 5 Things We Hate about WCP tomorrow.

1) Rumors - There is no shortage of rumors leading up to the tournament and even throughout the tournament. The who will be playing for who rumor or will the out of town players make it down for that game rumor. The who is carrying an injury rumor. The who posted as an anonymous poster rumor. The endless amount of rumors are always entertaining.

2) The Voice/Music/Fans/Volunteers - I love walking into the center and hearing the music and energy and of course the gooooooaaaalllll announced over the loud speaker. Although drastically over used throughout the soccer world hearing it adds to the atmosphere and of course adds to the tournament. The tournament only works and has success due to the commitment and cotribution of these people. Last year for instance walking off the pitch to our drunken ROI fans giving us high fives and having them be actually happier than us after winning a match. Of course it was probably due to being so intoxicated that they were just in that happy drunk phase but none the less they were there supporting us.

3) Players Actually Feeling Like Somebody's/Celebrations - 95% of the people in this tournament have not had the chance to play in front of crowds this size and actually feeling like a somebody. It is a highlight for all types of players including the "no goods" who are just there to take in the atmosphere and enjoy feeling like a somebody in the game of soccer. Watching a "no good" score a big goal is actually something I enjoy seeing. Their celebrations are usually quite animated and usually lame but still you have to love how good they must be feeling in that moment. The chest pumping or running over to their supporters to say "ya I did".

4) Players/Teams Surprising Me - I have been an active player in Saskatchewan since I was a kid (now 31 years of age). This team allows some players to step up and surprise me. I usually already know the very good players in Saskatchewan, both young and old, but sometimes someone will come out of no where who I have not seen and I take notice. I was a strong advocate for my Huskie Alumni team to pick up Jarvis after seeing his work rate and ability to defend Korthius in the Canada vs Jamaica game last year. Jarvis did a very good job in that match and made me a believer and in turn a good addition. Also, guys like Lee Mooney stepped onto the scene potting a couple great goals while gracing everyone with his first taste of action is Saskatchewan. Unfortunately, I was not able to catch any of the Sudan games, but apparently their physical and come out of nowhere competitiveness made them a surprise and supported by the neutral fans as everyone loves a good underdog story. (See Jeremy Lin)

5)Camaraderie - People can bicker and hate on each other as much as they like but this tournament brings a soccer community together. Sure not everyone is going to get along and be friends, but mostly everything is left on the field as it should be. For those guys/gals that allow things to carry over off the field shame on you as that is not the intentions of an event like this. It is wonderful to see after a game teams and fans gathering together upstairs or in the stands to watch another match and have some beverages as they discuss what went right or wrong and how they plan on making adjustments and such as they move forward. This tournament is unique to Regina and Saskatchewan and it is a wonderful event that continues to grow and bring together the soccer community.

6) Bahia - Kash has a new haircut and his flow will no longer be with us. He is in Edmonton but he is hopefully going to be back for a few games. I also room at the Bahia household while I am in Regina so they deserve special thanks.

7) Refs - Love them or hate them, they deserve a mention as this is easily one of the most underappreciated positions in the whole sporting world!

Good luck to everyone and enjoy the tournament.

 

Julio's Top 5 Rivals According to Julio

Mike: A part of me is slightly reluctant to post this because I am not sure how it will be received but gotta find out somehow I suppose. The one and only..... Julio.

Although Julio is in a class of his own... Julio does have a few rivals to mention.. some are known others will be gladly surprised at the love Julio doesn't have for you!

At the end of the day, most of this stuff is a complete joke... so before you freak out and get your little panties in a bunch... rememberthe blog is for entertainment, and I am a main attraction... so I got to bring some sugar and spice.

Don't take it personal, as at the end I don't really hate anyone.. I was presented with the opportunity to write on this topic and I felt like I should run with it.Lets get the party started. Boom.

1.Dufus Husdal (Braden Husdal) - Why do I chirp DUFUS so much you may be wondering? Well I guess this would be the perfect opportunity to answer that question. Growing up I was never a big DUFUS fan. The tipping point was some of the write ups and questionable practices that he allowed on his blog. DUFUS hypes up Norway in ways that you would think that Norway had never lost a game in the tournament, and that their closest match was a 10-1 win over ROI. DUFUS criticizes every other team and rarely gives credit where credit is due. I think last year he barely put ES in the top 10, and to say the least ES was a top 10 team last year. What really heated my dislike for DUFUS was the fact that he would skew the blog. DUFUS would delete any posts that proved him wrong/made him or Norway look bad. But most embarrassingly, he would let posts against people he disliked be left on, no matter how offensive they were. DUFUS liked to chirp me on his little blog, but little has he realized that I won the war. I overwhelmed his blog with posts last year, that his blog activity is so low and with people not wanting to post there, that he may as well call it a day and realize that his blogging days are long behind him. As for DUFUS being a soccer player; all I have to say is that I hope I am having a good day when we play Norway cause I'd love to dangle him left and right and see wht he says.... as I know if I have my typical off night he won't shut up all week about it! Norway vs ES ..... A must watch game!

2) Bart (The Polish Prince) - In my opinion Bart makes a hell of a mascot! Keep that guy in his tight little pleated skirt with that dynamite face paint, and have him work the flag pole like a champ. That is when Bart is at his finest! An exceptional talent as a mascot as that face paint alone is epic. I would love to see a duel for the mascot of the tournament between him, Flavio, and the Scottish guy with the kilt. Bart starting beak me as an anonymous poster and then continued to beak me during the 3rd place match last year. I am just returning the love for good old Bart, but I guess he's become camera shy! I wonder how Bart will be able to play now that there is extra pressure put on him to perform. I am going to guess he is going to be BRUTAL. Bart likes to mock what I do with the ball. A dream final would be ES vs Poland and me taking a run at Bart 1 v 1, beating him to cut into the middle with a ridiculous leg pump, as he calls it, and sniping the game winner as I celebrate in front of the WHOLE Polish nation! Now that would be an epic ending to the tourney. I can just see the tears flowing down Bart's little face right now. Poland vs ES. Dream final!

3) Greeks/ The Greek God of Videos (Zeus) - I like the fact that the Greeks have a video hype man: I can respect that much. I feel that if there was more video footage flying around it would make the marketing for this event that much more epic. Sadly, I am a self proclaimed video junkie and I feel disrespected when I see someone flaunt a mediocre piece of editing and call it a masterpiece! I am really hoping that the Greek God of Videos steps up his game and posts an acceptable video as then that would mean I would have to produce some magic of my own to compete with the little Spartan. I'm ready to dine in hell baby, are you?
Alot was made last year about my subtle Greek beaks. They were funny little one liners but I guess to expert blogger David Brown: Greece vs ES is a battle waiting to happen! I live for the games where the crowd is at its finest and will try to make it to the Greek game. I want the Hellas fans too boo their little hearts out. I want to see this work ethic and intensity that the Greek's mention they have. But ultimately, I want this game to be a thriller. Greece made a magical run last year and I am not going to lie, I was a little heartbroken at how they lost to Laos. Greece vs ES. Don't miss it!

4) Rory Edmundson - This guy doesn't deserve much of a paragraph. I will say this... I do dive on occasion, and I know many other players do as well, yet I dive when I have the ball and someone has made an effort to try to tackle me. Good old Rory thought pulling a Rivaldo in last years quarters would be a great idea. I hadn't even touched the guy, nor was the ball in our half and Rory was down on his knee, face covered as if he'd been shot.... embarrassing and disgusting to say the least. I hope by shedding light on his antics more people will notice how blatantly he dives even when no one is around. Hopefully he changes his ways! It would be hypocritical to say cut out diving all together but pulling a Rivaldo is embarrassing. 

5) Anonymous Posters (Blog) - It always seems like it's a show down between me and an anonymous poster! It still blows my ind how a keyboard and a computer screen makes people so tough. let's be honest, you leave an electronic footprint with every entry you make, people are going to find out who you are and what you said so at least post with your name. Look at what happened to Clock Cleaner. That could happen to anonymous posters as well. At the same time don't be so obvious. Some anonymous posters try to make 3 or 4 posts bashing the same person, yet they format their entries all the same way, they make the same spelling and grammatical errors and they say too much. It's obvious that it's the same person. Even more obvious is when someone pumps their own tires on every single blog. Unless someone has a secret love for you, I don't think anyone would post on every blog about how unreal you are. If you're going to pump your own tires at least post your name behind it. Then you can claim to have the 2nd biggest ego in the room behind mine!

Julio

5 players Who Don't Get Enough Credit - Scotty Myrah Edition

The guest blogging has really caught on and I have people lined up to help out. Today we cover players who in our opinion don't get the credit they deserve. So here is round 2 served up bi Scotty Myrah and myself.

Mike's List

1.Abu Okonofoa (Afghanistan/Nigeria) - When I first played with Abu he was a keeper... it was clearly not his calling. However, Abu has remade himself into a defender and a fantastic one at that. Powerful and composed Abu is a player anyone, myself included, would love to have on their team.

2. Dwayne Gareau (ROI) - Dwayne is in a tough place being on ROI. The team is full of goal scorers who get much of the credit as well as having to constantly play in my shadow. Seriously though, Dwayne is a natural ball winner and is great at reading the field. Exactly the kind of thing that goes unnoticed in this tournament.

3. Spencer Veikel (El Salvador) - Speaking of players who are overshadowed, Spencer has to contend with Alvi and his looming ego all the time. Whenever people think back to the ROI vs. ES game everyone seems to only remember Alvi being out there. Granted that Alvi did have an exceptional game but Spencer played just as well for ES last year. Time to give him some props.
  
4.Reis Cooper (Norway) -  Yes I know what you're thinking, Reis Cooper? But if you can somehow block out those ridiculous/unnecessary slide tackles and focus on his overall body of work you can make a pretty good case for him. He's a hard worker, who last year showed he could show up on the goal scoring sheet by finishing in the Top 5 in goal scoring. Wow.

5. Troy Lydiate (Jamaica) - I was higher than most on Troy during last year's tournament as I thought he was a pivotal part of Jamaica's squad. Having seen him play this year in indoor has reminded me up just why I thought that. Troy's pace, endurance, and overall athleticism is something every team will have to account for.

Scotty's List

1. Steve Irinici (Laos) - Plays center mid for Laos and over 4 years has been solid. Laos is known solely for their strong wing play which takes a lot of hype from their center mids. Stevie has come up big and has scored crucial goals for Laos when needed.

2. Justin Sawka (Canada) - From what I've noticed he is the heart of Norway's attack. Known mostly for their defensive style the attack is often overlooked here. But like Stevie he scores big goals and is a good playmaker in the WCP cup format.

3. Paco Brown (Columbia) - The only real skill out of Columbian my mind. Has carried this team into promising positions even when he doesn't have the links to gain more success. He's got slick skill and a knack for the net. Very dangerous and very underrated.

4.Stephana Papa (Greece) - He hustles and works his way to success. Its always hard to pick out a star from Greece but he seems to be it. Scores big goals and never stops working.

5. Andrew Sanderson (ROI) - Overlooked by most spectators in a star powered ROI line up he has quietly controlled the back line and kept Ireland's goals against to a minimum. Plays big and tough and uses his left foot to his advantage.

Things to Keep Your Eyes on leading up to WCP - David Brown Edition

Alright here is the first attempt with a guest blogger. Today's guest, David Brown, and myself sat down and both listed 5 things to keep an eye on leading up to or during the WCP Cup. Here is goes.

Mike's List

1. Powerhouse Poland - Poland is this years France. A relentless juggernaut that crushes anything that gets in its way. As long as this team doesn't have to play Afghanistan they will roll through this tournament. Mark my words.

2. Prohibition - The #1 concern of every soccer fan is will there be alcohol? Where will it be allowed? Where will it be served? These are all very important questions. Let's face it some of these games require multiple drinks to be watchable.

3. The new teams - There are 4 new teams entering into the tournament. Somalia, South Korea, Hungary and Vietnam. What do these team have to offer - if anything? Will any have a Sudan-esque run. I sure hope so.

4. Player Integration - Always interesting to see how the new players react to this type of tournament. Its also fun to see a new acquisition on a new squad and how those acquisitions are utilized by the team. The new players ability to quickly integrate into their teams style of play may prove pivotal to a teams success.
  
5. Julio Hatred/Love? - Last year everyone was hating on Julio because of his blogging, (over?)confidence and style of play. I was more than a little surprised when the blog community began grumbling that the blogs weren't the same without him. Will be interesting to see if the perception of him has changed. Cheers or Jeers for Julio?


David's List

1. Group D - We get to see "Julio" square off against Greece and Norway! This promises to be entertaining. There has been a lot of banter over the past couple years and we will finally get to see it happen on the field. I see these being being high paced with some hard tackles being dished out.

2. Group B - Laos, Jamaica, Canada Afghanistan. Any 2 of these teams could make it out of this group. Although Columbia and Northern Ireland are known to cause the occasional upset I do not see them being able to make it out of this tough group. This group promises some of the best games in the round robin. I expect Laos to go through along with the winner of Jamaica vs Canada.

3. Who will win the golden boot? - My top three picks are Nathan Reis, Mike Collins and Jay Tomchuk. With an easy group I expect ROI to put away many goals with Mike and Reis leading the way. I don't see Poland scoring too many goals but all the goals they do get will be coming through Jay.

4. Keep an eye on the blog  - The blog is just starting to take off, and it's only going to get better. As the games get closer and as they happen there is a lot of entertaining opinions on here! Although the majority of them are anonymous they still provide quite a few laughs.

5. The Fans - Whether its the Laos and Poland fans, the Ireland fans and their obnoxiousness, or the Chile fans and that damn drum its the fans who make this tournament. The atmosphere they create gives the out of town players, such as myself, the desire to play. Disappointed to be missing out this year!

New Segment - Guest Blogging

Though I rarely tire of hearing my own thoughts I am sure many of you have. So in order get some new views on this blog I have decided to create a new segment. Every few days I will invite a guest writer to suggest an idea and then will both write on the subject. Hopefully this will keep things fresh. Send me a message if you want to be a guest writer. Tomorrow's guest writer will be the Top WCP Cup scorer of all time David Brown!

#Countdown

20 Quick Completely Random Thoughts on WCP 2012

1. Goalkeeping may be the most important part to a teams success. Has a team ever won a playoff game with a keeper that is not playing in the top division of their city? I can't think of one. 

 2. When gauging how to rank the teams coming into this tournament the first thing I look at is where the elite talent is located. By elite talent I mean players who are the difference makers. Now obviously this is subject to opinion but I would say there are currently about 20-25 players who could be considered "elite".

3.With the majority of the elite being on ROI, Laos, France, and El Salvador it's not surprising they are probably the most successful teams in WCP history. Now I know this is practically blasphemy in 2012 BUT

4. Poland seems to be the team that everyone is talking about but I am not sold. They seem to be a team that has 2 elite guys and then a lot of slightly above average guys. Not sure that equals a championship.
 
5. Speaking of Poland, a 2-2 draw against Afghanistan is a bad result. Even if it is an exhibition game.

6. I have a lot of friends on France but I am very worried about that team. Not only are they missing some key guys but many of their guys are playing little to no soccer. Could be in for a bumpy ride.

7. Germany has managed to keep the Pattersons and picked up a few other players (not sure on names) but if Germany can get a bit of roster turnover they might actually make it out of their group this year.

8. I have seen a lot of teams practicing down at the facility and I am not exactly sure I get why. Unless you're going to train everyday then training 10 times a year is not going to help. It's fun but is it worth the expense?

9. Anybody got a pick for Golden Boot this year? With David Brown out, the race is wide open.

10. That being said it will almost certainly be someone from ROI. The teams in their group are bad and some of those games are going to get ugly.

11. I am excited to see what the always fashionable England womens team do to up their style this year. I am thinking leather bomber jackets embroidered with the 3 lions. Wicked.

12. So Ukraine women's to win this year right? That seems like a good guess.

13. 2-2 is such a bad result.

14. This year has been particularly quiet in terms of beaking on the blogs. I usually have to sensor so many more comments. Haters, where ya at?

15. Things are particularly secretive in the Jamaica camp. Secret training times, mystery exhibition games..... What are they working on behind the scenes? Could this be the year they finally put it all together and win the whole thing........ROFL

16. Biggest transfer of the year so far? Has to be Jay Tomchuk from ROI to Poland. One of the few natural finishers in this tournament. He'll score, alot.

17. One criticism I have with this years tournament is the introduction of a U18 division. I know its nice to get everyone involved but if these guys aren't good enough to make the bench of some of the bad senior teams then I have to question if it's something I want to watch.

18. Why not have a division for dogs? Get the pet owners involved.

19.  Chico to Afghanistan. Did anyone see that coming? I sure didn't.

20. Because of the circles I roll in I definitely have more information on some teams than I do on others. I am also not real familiar with the Womens or Youth divisions. If you want to see something on here then feel free to contribute info. Otherwise we roll on.

Giggs "Tearing You Apart Since 1991"

Ran across this on the internet and couldn't resist putting it on the website. A lot of people are tipping Steven Gerrard to be the next England captain which would be quite the achievement. This video of Man U fans chanting during the Liverpool match pretty much sums up how Giggs' career compares to Gerrards.

Of course referring to the number of titles each has one. Hilarious!

Transfers and Rumours

Now that the schedule is out I thought I would start a spot to talk player movement and what is people are hearing about new teams etc. Here's what I have heard.

ROI have lost both Brett Levis and Jay Tomchuk to Poland as Poland look to poised to make a push to the final.

ROI have also lost Brendan Garritty, Jeff Friesen and double golden boot winner and all time leading WCP Cup goalscorer David Brown after he tore his ACL. They are now openly searching for a striker.

Germany have picked up Saskatoon native Kent Mcdonald as well as bringing in Josh Forsberg from Portugal.

The Patterson twins are stuck in a transfer saga with Germany wanting to keep them but ROI and France both pressing for their signatures.

France could be in for a bit of a tough year as they have some players who are either hurt or no longer living in Saskatchewan. That list includes Brett Bachelu, Kash Bahia, Yianni Harbis, Mason Bulych and Gordie Peever.

From what I gather Laos' Josh Northey is 50/50 to return. This is something to keep an eye on as he is pivotal to their success.

This is just a start. Would love more on other teams as well as new teams and womens and youth teams. Fire it up people!

Suarez - World's most ignorant man?

Ahead of Man U - Liverpool tomorrow I thought this might be an appropriate time to go on a bit of a rant on a player who I have grown to absolutely despise.... Luis Suarez. This guy is something else. For those of you not familiar with Suarez, he is a talented Liverpool striker who was recently suspended for 8 games for directing racial slurs (I am sure they can be found if you scour) towards Man U defender Patrice Evra. Suarez, of course, was quick to deny the allegations. However, his story of the events, wavered and then wavered some more and with a number of witnesses actually hearing him say these things to Evra as well as video footage and his own eventual admission he was found guilty and suspended.

Then came the excuses. His first beauty being that use of such language was commonplace in Uruguay where he is from. Really? First of all, I am not familiar enough with Uruguayan culture to know if that's true (if it is you need to get with the times Uruguay), but I am sure Suarez is not going around calling his friends what he called Evra. If he is I don't imagine they remain friends very long.

Then came one of the most audacious comments I have ever heard. Upon returning from his 8 match ban and doing this:  (click on image to view)

and then

Suarez went on the radio and said this little doozy "I knew what I did and there is a kind of football law that says 'what happens on the pitch, stays on the pitch and that's the end of the story',”. Shocking. This kind of stuff doesn't belong anywhere, let alone on a football pitch. The idea that football is some sort of brotherhood that should protect Suarez is insane. Listen buddy, just cause you look like a neanderthal does not necessitate that you have to act like one. Ok I am done.

2-1 Man U by the way.

Updated Groups - Powerhouse Somalia Joins Group A

Womens Division

Group A
1. Ukraine
2. Italy
3. EL Salvador
4. Netherlands
5. Poland

Group B
1. Germany
2. Chile
3. Canada
4. England
5. Ireland

Mens Division
Group A
1. Ireland
2. Sudan
3. Scotland
4. Botswana
5. Serbia
6.Somalia

Group B
1. Laos
2. Colombia
3. Jamaica
4. Afghanistan
5. N.Ireland
6. Canada

Group C
1. Poland
2. Nigeria
3. Portugal
4. Germany
5. Vietnam
6. Hungary

Group D
1. EL Salvador
2. France
3. Norway
4. Italy
5. South Korea
6. Greece