Tag: Sweden

  • ODDS and ENDS: Spain v England, The Gym, and I Hate Summer

    (You Couldn’t Be Bad…)

    Holy Crap! I do know something about International Football Teams! Or At least I did at the start of the World Cup! And then I changed my mind… But now I am back to my original idea! England will win the World Cup! Unless it’s Spain, which was a team I never had much faith in because everything I read was that Spain was a bit of a shit show that couldn’t get their act together. The point here is that I don’t know anything, and I make predictions, and I am wrong often, but the end result is way more exciting than I expected. It is fair to label me a very enthusiastic fan of football, though not highly educated on the nuances of the sport. Not that it matters as I am having fun with all of it. I really didn’t think England would make it past Australia. As for Spain, I thought there was no way in hell they would get past the Dutch, let alone Sweden… I’ve said this before, if sports was predictable, then there would be no reason to watch it. Looking forward to the final on Sunday morning.

    I went back to the gym this morning. It’s been three months of absence. Even my gym app was asking me if I was planning on going back anytime soon. I’m tying the gym into all the schedule changes we have been making as a family with the kid starting at a new school, at a much earlier time. The goal is to get back to going four times a week. If I lost some weight, that would be cool, but right now I am just looking to get healthy, improve my attitude, and get more focused. Starting this journey today, I did thirty minutes of walking on the treadmill. On the tv in front of me, they gym was playing an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. Not what I was expecting.

    And I want to end on this point; I’m tired of Summer, and I hate the season. Sure, back in March I was all about making vacation plans, sitting on a beach, getting my shorts on, and being outdoors. Now that it’s mid-August in The City, it’s just hot and humid. It’s gross out. I want it to end. I’m an old man bitching, but I don’t care, because I’m dreaming of sweaters, flannel shirts, leaves changing color, the windows being open, and coats – wonderful warming coats. It’s time for a season change.

  • ODDS and ENDS: Harry Kane, Goodbye Japan and England, and Bookstores

    (Witty Quip!)

    After three years, and I believe it has been three years, of me saying that Harry Kane will leave Tottenham for another team; it has come to pass. The Athletic is reporting that Kane is going to Bayern Munich. I wish it weren’t true, but it is. And though I would have liked to have seen Tottenham win, I don’t know, several trophies – the odds of that happening in the near future are slim. If Kane wants to be considered in the top tier of international footballers, then he needs to win some hardware, and Bayern makes sense for that reason. In one year, he could win the Bundesliga championship, and the Champions League. Sadly, Tottenham management, looking at you Levy, couldn’t get their act in gear and deliver a manager and additional players to move Spurs into that level, and hence, why Kane left. I don’t blame him. You compete in professional sports to win, and you have to go where your odds are best for that outcome. I guess I will need to start watching Bundesliga now.

    And Japan lost to Sweden! I didn’t see that coming. I started to think that this was Japan’s Cup, and that there wasn’t another team out there that could keep up with them. But the Swedish women aren’t messing around, and I think they might take the whole thing. As for England – they’re done. The two-game suspension on Lauren James’ Red Card against Nigeria is a team killer. She and that team lost their composure, and that is a fall that is hard to recover from. I see Columbia taking full advantage of this situation, seeing how far they can push England. That having been said, since I am always wrong with soccer predictions, I am now calling a Sweden v Australia Final. 100% Guaranteed. Take it to the bank!

    And in the end; I about to head to the local bookstore with the kid. I’m going to get her a book or two. Maybe one for myself as well. It’s late Summer and the clock is ticking until she’s back in school, and then we start the marathon to the end of the year. So, with that in mind, I want to go to a bookstore. And wander the shelves, and let my kid go forth and discover things that she might want to read. My dad used to do this with me when I was her age, and being lost in a bookstore does somehow slow down time. Nothing happens quickly there, as discovery arrives on its own schedule.

  • Women’s World Cup: Day 13

    It was close to being very “Unlucky #13” today – Team USA was inches away from being eliminated from the Group Stage. Portugal almost had this match, and Team USA looks beatable. There is no sense dancing around it, that target on their backs is very big and very heavy. If it turns out that Sweden is the team that USA faces in the Round of 16, then this could be the end of the Tournament for America.

    I am often wrong when it comes to football, and my predictions are wildly off base. Yet, Team USA did a very slow, grinding slide in their Group Stage. The win against Vietnam was the best match that they played, and even in that, they didn’t seem very aggressive. Everyone knew the Netherlands was going to play them hard, so no one was surprised at the draw. But Portugal should have been a win, and if nothing else, they should have at least got one ball in the back of the net. I’ve watched many big teams in big tournament struggle in the group stage. From what I’ve seen, to be successful in the Knockout Stage, you needed to have corrected your issues in the Group Stage. Hoping that the Group Stage “sacred you straight” never materializes. You need to leave the Group confident, not wounded. Team USA is wounded. And they won’t have Rose Lavelle in the next match due to yellow cards, so that just makes it more challenging.

    That having been said… I’m keeping my eye on Japan and England. They are playing hard, take no prisoners football, and they want it. I’m not giving up on Team USA, but if they do get past Sweden, then they most likely will have to play Japan. So… If I can have a Plan B wish for this Cup; an England Japan final would be pretty cool. Just throwing that out there.

    Anyway, see you on Sunday at 5am.

  • Women’s World Cup: Day 1

    It’s been a long time coming, but here we are; The First Day of the Women’s World Cup 2023. I have been looking forward to this, and I am flying solo for the time being, on the Group Stage of the Tournament anyway, as my daughter is off at camp. She’ll be back for the Knock Out stage, and I am looking forward to watching matches with her, but I just need to be patient for that.

    In the meantime, there’s a lot of football to be played!

    And the Tournament has started off with some excitement! New Zealand defeated Norway in an upset. This gave New Zealand their first ever win in the Cup, which is cool and fun. They still have a tough road ahead of them, but hey, enjoy the moment.

    As for the other match of the day, Australia defeated Ireland, which wasn’t a big surprise. Australia is ranked #10 in the world, and they are playing at home for the Tournament, so I’m keeping an eye on them.

    Clearly, I am here supporting Team USA, as they go for their third Cup in a row. Odds are pretty good that they will do it, but I will add that this Cup is the most competitive that I have even seen. England is looking especially good, but I wouldn’t count out Germany or Sweden to have a strong run. Canada is my dark horse pick, and my gut tells me that Japan might surprise people.

    Not that I know anything about football, because if you have read this blog and my football related posts, I’m wrong a good amount of time. Not that it stops me from make more predictions, nor from having a crap ton of fun watching matches!