恶人谷

Saw Portugal last night on Univision's repeat broadcast. Their passes and interactions are very nice, very pretty, especially in midfield. "Almost reminds me of Brazil," I thought, then realized that their coach was indeed Scolari. Hmm... Not so much flare as Brazil but the details and patience were there.

***

Previously a lot of people mentioned how calm and collected the best players are in the box facing the goalie. Really it is both difficult and easy to score in many occasions -- the difference is whether the player panics. The phrase that came to my mind is:

"DON'T PANIC!"

True wisdom to live by...

Of course, it's easier said than done. You gotta have the chops to remain calm and not panic.

In fact, the logic is probably backward. Not that the best players are able to remain cool, but the ability to remain cool helps them become best players, in addition to talent, physicality, brains...

Considering how many players panic while shooting the ball, it is surprising that so many Brazilian players are so darned cool.

***

OK, then. The question is: How does one stay cool?

You probably think I will say: It's GENETIC, dude!

Well, not really.

I think the ability to stay cool is directly proportional to the player's confidence. You gotta be very confident of your talent and skills in handling the ball. You gotta be confident that you can and will score and believe it will be a breeze, that no one can stop you.

Of course you have to have the chops too. Just imagine someone who has no talent but a lot of blind confidence in themselves...

***

The Golden Rule

DON'T PANIC!

probably applies more to the defense than to the attackers. It's hard not to panic when the opponent is beating down your door. Even the spectators are losing their cool. But the consequence of a panicking defense line is very very bad.

Hence my hats off to all defenders who keep their cool. I really believe defenders do not get the kudos they deserve. You work your butts off, especially if you're in a team with a weak front and midfield who cannot push the opponent back in the first place. You only get to assist in the offence occasionally and miss all the fun. And you never get the credit and praise for your hard work because everyone has his eyes on the score. It's not like you can't score as many goals as the forwards, but you take your job in the back court too seriously and dedicate to your team too much. So unfair. If only people would appreciate your efforts and a little more, you'll be happy.

Netherland is going to play against Portugal for the next game.... I will bet more on Portugal.....

Jun's Guide to the Football Game吗? 你的电脑什么时候能打中文？

Scolari，那天我第一次看葡萄牙比赛，一瞅这人好眼熟啊。至少他和队员语言上是一点问题也没有了。

I have to beg our IT department to let me install IME...

JUN你去 www.input.com用那个online Chinese input吧？

CAVA wrote:Scolari，那天我第一次看葡萄牙比赛，一瞅这人好眼熟啊。至少他和队员语言上是一点问题也没有了。

真的爱,我还没想到这个.

还有 www.inputking.com

Don't Panic = 千万不要猴急

More thoughts --

Why should top players like Beckham, Ronaldinho, etc. play too hard and too aggressively at World Cup? They probably have very little incentive to do so. Their clubs are their boss, they pay their bills, and therefore the players' first loyalty is to their boss, no? And it's not like these players have anything to prove at World Cup. It doesn't matter too much if their national team fails to win or get into the final. They'll just go back to the own clubs and continue to rake in the big bucks. Most important, they don't want to risk injury at the World Cup and end up affecting their professional career.

Jun wrote:More thoughts --

Most important, they don't want to risk injury at the World Cup and end up affecting their professional career.

Michael Owen just did it...

就我看过的国际比赛，小贝还是很卖力的，进攻防守中场满场跑。这样的应该还有（暴露出我很久没看球的事实了）。很多大牌难道不是在杯赛中表现出色，从此本职收入以几何级增长？再说，世界杯最好挣国际大众知名度，广告合约才能滚滚而来。

本国的球迷应该能看出谁卖力不卖力吧？英格兰的球员几乎都在自家岛上耗着，平时什么样大家都看在眼里呢。谁敢在关键时刻磨洋工，当心被唾沫淹死。98年小贝被罚下场，惹怒了全英格兰，成功地扮演了替罪羊的角色。

懂行的评论员和文章常对某个后卫赞不绝口。大众爱进球的球星，英雄崇拜么。所以将来要踢球的，尽量往前锋发展吧

This year I am watching World Cup without any background. I have not read any articles or books or magazines or analyses. I am not familiar with any players and barely know the history of Beckham, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Owen (who's now gone home). I don't know how each team did in qualifying rounds and who's hot and who's not. I'm approaching the game blind. American TV commentators are of no substantive help anyway, and I don't understand SPanish!

I'm actually enjoying this blind approach. I don't have any expectations for certain teams and players and coaches. I'm not rooting for the dominating team or the underdog. I can let each team unfold in front of my eyes and my open mind. It's actually pretty cool!

说起后卫，请容许我再来花痴一把巴西队。

上届比赛里，巴西队有个进球让我念念不忘，虽然恐怕没别人记得了。近似倒钩，背对着球门，翻身一脚，哇赛，简直漂亮得。。。让我眼前登时天花乱坠，耳边礼炮齐响。仔细看看射门的高手，1？没听说过，3号还是5号来着，名字我也不记得了，反正跟球星不沾边。真是藏龙卧虎啊。:love011:

前天看巴西跟日本踢，有好几次，右边那个Cicinho（后卫吧？）接收cross-court长传，象炮弹一样又高又远飞过来的球，被他脚尖一勾，就象只小猫一样服服贴贴地扒在他脚旁了， 决无缺失，别人根本没有抢的机会。 That is one of the sexiest things I've seen!!!! Right up there with Lambiel's variation sit spins and Jeff Buttle's Ina Bauer... I just love that stuff. 至于进球嘛，有时是好看的，有时倒还不如他们过人和传球那么精彩。

这种态度，注定了我不是球迷的本质。

其实啦，我倒觉得，或许替后卫比踢前锋更有意思更有成就感，虽然没有那么名利双收，glamorous. 你看荷兰的Robin, 巴西的Ronaldo经常在前面晃来晃去，多数时候不过是空跑而已，等着别人给他喂好球。前锋摸球皮的时间恐怕比后卫短多了。而后卫在防守时惊险万分，组织进攻时又放眼全场，手握大权贯彻战术方案，调度别人或者自己一冲到底，多爽啊。

恭喜恭喜广大人民群众（就是我），JUN终于有中文输入了！

白博你这么开心，让我很惭愧。周末比较空所以用justinput输入中文。平时偷懒不用，主要因为中文写着慢读着快，英文读着慢，我写起来可就快了。

****

说了这么多，善良的人们不禁要问了：你跟得冠军有仇么？净说些顾左右而言他的话题，对前锋和球星又大不敬的。这个，恐怕真是我的怪脾气这两年看花样滑冰看多了，更加变本加厉起来。

本届比赛，如果真要下注赌钱的话，我没得说一定是放在德国队上的。德国队比较实实在在，不胡思乱想，不tempermental,没那么多花头反而是好的，好象Pete Sampras, 或者郭靖。所谓成就，有时真的是笨鸟先飞，勤能补拙，百分之多少的天赋加百分之多少的汗水云云。可是人都喜欢不劳而获的调调，所以上学时不是成绩最好而是不见他读书而考高分的cool kids最受大家羡慕。

****

答上面CAVA关于卖力不卖力的问题。我觉得，拼命跑来跑去的努力是没问题的，不过遇到冲撞比较激烈的情况下，某些球星就似乎不那么起劲了，好象考虑自身安全比较多，并不冒险去突破。也许是我小人之心，等进了淘汰阶段就都全力以赴了。象Ronaldinho这种球星，我很难想象他还能怎么涨工资或转会标价－－已经是全世界最热的一位了，他不需要证明自己。倒是新冒头的球员们，还卡在澳大利亚或者非洲呢，世界杯正是他们audition的舞台，需要说服星探们看中自己啊。

****

说到冲撞，有些球队比较physical，比较不怕硬碰硬的naked aggression，例如阿根廷队，我一直觉得他们是很激烈很physical的风格，跟欧洲的某些强壮的队没有两样。我不禁胡思乱想起来，这是不是因为阿根廷出产牛肉，当地人民特别爱吃的原因呢？要知道，去年我在NPR节目上听说过，世界人均牛肉消费量，阿根廷可是榜首！第二名，IIRC, 好像是智利。

我去查了一下第一阶段统计数，犯规数最少的队是：巴西，意大利，日本。有时候我疑心巴西队之所以短传，带球过人，从对方脚下抢球的技术这么高明，是因为他们不想直接跟人冲撞的结果！连后卫也是这样，似乎总是尽量避免跟人推来搡去的正面冲突，极少见他们去躺下来铲球。虽然大部分时候光凭技术还是能有效对付的，不过有时也在自己门前搞出来一些无比惊险的场面。

意大利比较让我意外一点，因为在02年他们给我的印象也是相当physical, aggressive，尤其是跟韩国的比赛，挖，简直跟打架一样。今年却似乎大改了。

顺手查了一下日本队的教练，哇塞，我昏倒。真是孤陋寡闻。

好象Pete Sampras, 或者郭靖

哈哈哈哈，亏你想得到。

不知道小涵在瑞典是否安全地退出了看比赛的场地。幸好她不是在上届世界杯时的韩国

昨天还跟人说，英格兰支持不了几场，我不用半夜三更起来看电视了。结果人家跌跌撞撞又赢了，这场球可真闷人。

刚才某处看见这么一句，笑得我：

我要是巴西的球迷就好了，看球再也不用提心吊胆了。

英格兰下一场对葡萄牙，胜面很大哦。葡萄牙半个球队都上不了场了。

今天跟荷兰队的比赛真是我见过的最漫长最难看的一场。

I was watching the Portugal -- Holland game yesterday afternoon at a friend's house. Around the time the 4th red card came out, we were talking about how absurd this game had been. I muttered, "This time the international scandal is on the football referee, just like ..." We looked at each other and said the same time --

"Figure Skating!"

And the kicker is this guy is Russian too, just like all the figure skating scandals have to do with Russian or Eastern European judges.

It sure was one of the "dirtiest" games I have watched. I didn't have enough fingers to count yellow and red cards. Well, the Dutch coach is so outstandingly-looking -- I am not saying cute or handsome. But he's like coming from the GQ cover. So tall and fit and his white shirt was so uniquely tailored (without wearing any undershirt the beauty of HD TV )

这就是著名的饭把四疼，９０年代的荷兰三剑客之一。
花花您老就快赶上那个询问阿根廷看台上的那个胖子是谁的psudo球迷了。

小将军, That handsome Dutch coack is: 范巴斯腾. I watched the game too and figured this out after the game.

You don't know Marco van Basten? He was, like, the biggest star in his generation (around 1990 I think). Both pretty and smart I guess. [But he was a forward and you all know how I feel bout forwards -- yawn. ]

Yesterday my friend was commenting on how calm he looked in the middle of the chaos, especially compared with all the yelling and running up and down of Scolari, but I thought he was just stunned.

The players take some of the blame, of course, but the referee was just ... I had to laugh.

哦

花花 you crack me up!
Yes he is hot.... Totally my type. //drool

Even if the Russian/Portugese mafia had paid the referee off, he should have done it with a little more subtlety, me thinks. Too late now...

It was kind of freaky actually. On Saturday I was explaining to a nonfootball fan about referees in the game and how they are an integral part of the sport -- they don't just observe the competition but actually RUN the game and determine the pace and flow of the game. Football referees have a lot of power and their judgments are very subjective and split-second fast: when to blow the whistle, when to give penalty kicks, when to pull out yellow and red cards. In essence, football referees are more like figure skating judges than, say, a basketball or tennis referee. It's an art that requires a lot of experience and intuition. The nonfootball fan thought this system was too subjective and vulnerable to inconsistencies and unfairness. I said that's part of the charm of the game. Life is unfair and inconsistent like hell.

And that was Saturday. Now I have to reassess my opinions!

it is so fun to see huahua so flustered once in a blue moon, hia hia hia
今天早晨看美国地铁小报恶毒攻击足球这个运动来着，说没有action，blah blah blah

Stupid redneck Americans. All they care about is to score

Talk about sports with no action, baseball is the most boring sport ever, besides golf!

And they get to know Beckham by learning he married a former spice girl. I wish Beckham bent their red necks

speaking about the handsome handsome soccer star, the goal he scored! wow!

Right before his free kick that scored, I was about to say something derogatory about him and his screaming girl fans and his publicity. The goal kind of shut me up.

I know what you mean. Yes he might be a slut and a publicity whore, but above all he is still a soccer star.

nobody can bend it like Beckham

可见jun看足球还是不多啊，“黑哨”这个词就是为不公平的足球裁判们发明的 而且不象橄榄球有review，有教练challenge，他们在球场上是可以一手遮天的！

Jun wrote:Even if the Russian/Portugese mafia had paid the referee off, he should have done it with a little more subtlety, me thinks. Too late now...

It was kind of freaky actually. On Saturday I was explaining to a nonfootball fan about referees in the game and how they are an integral part of the sport -- they don't just observe the competition but actually RUN the game and determine the pace and flow of the game. Football referees have a lot of power and their judgments are very subjective and split-second fast: when to blow the whistle, when to give penalty kicks, when to pull out yellow and red cards. In essence, football referees are more like figure skating judges than, say, a basketball or tennis referee. It's an art that requires a lot of experience and intuition. The nonfootball fan thought this system was too subjective and vulnerable to inconsistencies and unfairness. I said that's part of the charm of the game. Life is unfair and inconsistent like hell.

And that was Saturday. Now I have to reassess my opinions!

黑哨”这个词就是为不公平的足球裁判们发明的

I have heard of this and know the common lack of consistency and fairness in football. The question is how to better the game without killing its flow and idiosyncrasies. Or we can all treat it like figure skating and forget about who wins...

I guess the difference is that in football, a lot of money is made and lost through such manipulation, while figure skating is virtually profit free.

CAVA wrote:不知道小涵在瑞典是否安全地退出了看比赛的场地。

我饱含热泪地说 回来了俺安全回来了。我扭捏很久最后还是没在脸上画红黄黑三色旗， 不过提心吊胆坐在广场上的一小搓脖子上套着红黄黑花环的球迷中间。不过瑞典太早就很不悲壮地没戏了， 所以大众们更多是沮丧， 不是愤怒。还好还好。

Don’t even get my started . There are whole bunch of idiots in Canada who just wouldn’t shut up about how much better hockey is than soccer. One of them even wrote a lengthy article to prove his point. Take a look this :

http://andrewcoyne.com/2006/06/why-hock ... s-suck.php

Sour grapes. I think Canadians and Americans are just feeling jealous because they are left out of the party.

Who would have thought World Cup is turning into an Olympic figure skating competition... LOL...

我昨天下班后打开电视机，不幸看到葡荷最后十分钟，那叫什么：sheer desperation，双方球员和裁判都是。

看到了巴斯腾和白衬衫，身形果然突出。到处有人说巴斯腾酷，从网上搜了点照片，面孔长得还真不算好看。原来还是要看‘工作美’ 希望荷兰球迷对他手下留情，这届世界杯他可揪的小辫子不少。Sven Goran Eriksson因为在场边貌似镇静，被英国人骂了个贼死 ―― 当初喜欢他的时候说是cool，现在要踩的时候就是缺乏激情。

CAVA, 你现在和我一个时区吗？

昨天谁看意大利对澳大利亚的比赛了？ 今天看一个报道，说如果你是意大利的球迷，或者是中立的球迷，你都会很高兴看到那个很有争议的点球。 因为中立球迷会很高兴这难看比赛终于结束了。

我和笑嘻嘻劳模狸在一个时区。

今年难看的球是不是很多？人家英国队说了，难看有什么关系，赢才是重要的。原来他们自己也知道踢得有多难看

今天也许看巴西。

oh, 对, 忘了葡荷是晚上9点那场了.

反正我还没看到一场好看的。 都说阿根廷对墨西哥那场好看， 没看着。

今天估计只能看法国对西班牙了。

花花，我也不认得范巴斯腾。

Brazil vs. Ghana now 3:0. Looks like a very competitive game. 1 red card already.

I was amazed that the judge gave out 6 yelow cards in the first half. Is he trying to break the record too, or is it the same judge?
I am following the game using google world cup.

我觉得Brazil 队是an assembly of superstars with superego，谁都只管自己进球，不肯传球给人家，不然球赛还会好看很多
下午法国对西班牙，3点，我们有个电视机在小间里开着，我有时候会捧着公文在电视机前面办公

花差花差小将军 wrote:我觉得Brazil 队是an assembly of superstars with superego，谁都只管自己进球，不肯传球给人家，不然球赛还会好看很多

小罗比较nice，前几场比赛他还是很勤恳的给大家喂球的。

Well, Brazil has been criticized for making TOO MANY passes, especially in the box, and not shooting the ball as soon as they can. So I guess different impressions. In the early rounds, I almost suspected that Ronaldinho didn't ever want to score at all. In the last game (vs Japan), he had a great heel-pass with Ronaldo, but really he could have made the shot himself. And they missed that shot.

you guys are so 个人主义

棒球实在是太太太没劲了，不明白美国人一边嫌足球闷，一边怎么能忍受棒球这种更郁闷的活动。昨天在酒吧盯着棒球看了二十分钟，一点激动人心的场面都没有。更有甚者，投手，击手和接手，一个比一个胖，穿着紧身裤站着蹲着，屁股大得象铜锣。终于转向另一面电视看近于porn的女子摔跤了。