We're Living in Kinky Friedman's America

Texas Gov. Rick Perry: 'I'm more Jewish than you think I am.'

Spotted at The Tablet:

The Tablet

Comments

[Live Free Or Diet]

Nice! Had no idea Kinky Friedman existed. "They Ain't Making Jews Like Jesus Any More."

[Alan Vanneman]

Not only that, Rick Perry has a 26-inch mezuzah!

http://www.tabletmag.com/scrol.....exas-sized

[Episiarch]

Saturday, Donny, is Shabbos, the Jewish day of rest. That means that I don't work, I don't drive a car, I don't fucking ride in a car, I don't handle money, I don't turn on the oven, and I sure as shit DON'T FUCKING ROLL!

[Hugh Akston]

Epi, if you can't ride in a car, how do you get around on Shamos?

[Episiarch]

God damn you Hugh! You fuckin' asshole! Everything's a fuckin' travesty with you, man! And what was all that shit about Shamu? What the FUCK, has anything got to do with Shamu? What the fuck are you talking about?

[Herpes Trismegistus]

Wait, you can ride a whale on shabbas but not in a car? That makes about as much sense as not being able to tear toilet paper on God's day off.

[MJGreen]

OVER THE LINE!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Were you listening to The Epi's story? You have no frame of reference here, MJ.

[Episiarch]

Has the whole world gone crazy? Am I the only one around here who gives a shit about the rules?

[prolefeed]

Since when did you start caring about rules?

Gonna take away your anarchist secret decoder ring if you keep this shite up.

[prolefeed]

Aaaand, timed it for 420 above just right.

[MJGreen]

I am the Walrus.

[Fist of Etiquette]

You're like a child who wanders into the middle of a thread...

[Wasteland Wanderer]

It always seemed to me that complying with all the rules of rest (particularly the more orthodox ones) takes more work than breaking them, and hence seems self-defeating.

[Stormy Dragon]

Perry took a moment to appreciate his surroundings. "I'm more Jewish than you think I am," he told me. "I read the part of the Bible that said the Jews are God's chosen people."

*facepalm*

[sarcasmic]

A few years ago I was at the local Greek Festival (it's the one time a year I get to eat lamb) and Olympia Snowe was there pimping some guy who was running for some office. He was blathering on about how he believed in common sense solutions or some other nonsense, then claimed to be Greek despite his French last name. Shameless. Completely and totally shameless. Don't know what happened with him, nor do I care.

[Heroic Mulatto]

it's the one time a year I get to eat lamb

Why?

[Rhywun]

Maybe FIFA let him play for Greece because he has a grandparent from there.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Opa! Where's the Ouzo, mavro, malaka?

[Wasteland Wanderer]

then claimed to be Greek despite his French last name.

Eh. Could be his mother was Greek. Hell, I have an Irish last name, but I'm only a bit more than 1/10th Irish (maybe less...I heard something about there being an adoption in there that could have broken the actual Irish bloodline, but I never confirmed the details). I'm mostly Welsh with some Scots and a few other western European nationalities thrown in for flavor.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Of course, he orders the most unkosher thing on the menu (the Reuben). What is the best sandwich? I vote banh mi.

[Brett L]

Serious question: Is a chicken stock soup with eggs in it not kosher?

Sandwich: Turkey Bacon Guac with swiss on rye.

[Heroic Mulatto]

Eggs, for whatever reason, are pareve, so you can have them with anything.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

My friend owns and Italian deli in the middle of Hymie town in Mtl. He's proud he convinces them to eat Genoa salami and sopressata and they end up hooked on it.

He's a shameless salesman - used to sell telephone systems. But he makes a mean sang-wich.

[jesse.in.mb]

My aunt tells stories of Jews and Muslims eating prosciutto in Bosnia and when confronted with it being pork and therefore not halal or kosher saying "no, no, it's not pig it's prsut, from the...prust animal! Totally kosher/halal."

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Yeah, he hears similar excuses too.

They go NUTS for prosciutto di parma.

I chimed in with my thoughts the other night in the TI threads about cocktail attire.

They say blue/gray is a must but I never had a problem with brown tones.

[jesse.in.mb]

I went in a nice red-gingham button up under a dark dark gray suit jacket and slacks and I seemed to be on target. There were a lot of brightly colored button up shirts and light pants, so I probably could've gotten away with dressing down more.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

That's always the case - people not taking fashion rules to heart.

The contrast musta been nice. I like wearing my charcoal jacket and/or suit with faint white pin stripes with a pink, cream or Oxford blue shirt.

[jesse.in.mb]

The lighting was not ideal for photos, but my roommate snapped this one of me before I ended up completely fucking hammered thanks to having had flapjacks and a few peanuts to eat the entire day on top of day and night drinking. Yay!

In the future I will make sure to stop someplace on the way rather than believing "I'm pretty sure there'll be food there."

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Nice beard.

[jesse.in.mb]

Thanks, I'm trying to enjoy it before they become terminally un-hip again. I had to go back to 2008 to find pictures of me beardless and that was only because I was required to shave by my Korean overlords.

[DesigNate]

I refuse to give up my beard because of hipsters.

Plus I really don't look good without it.

[Rich]

"The second-most-interesting man in the world."

[robc]

Bacon cheeseburger.

For both most unkosher and best sandwich.

[jesse.in.mb]

EDG pointed me to a place that does banh mi in my area. Before we had wall-to-wall pho, but no banh mi. The place takes phone orders and is relatively close to work. It makes me very very happy.

[datcv]

Jelly. Ever since I left the cess pit of Northern Virginia for small town Virginia my access to awesome and cheap Pho and Banh Mi has been much diminished. Not to mention my first love, Korean food. Luckily it is only a few hours away when I get the hunger.

[Marshall Gill]

I vote banh mi.

While we have certainly disagreed, I would be opposed to you being banned.

[The Late P Brooks]

he orders the most unkosher thing on the menu (the Reuben).

"Say, Kin y'all put some bacon on that? That would be awesome."

[Hyperion]

Why is a Reuben not kosher? I was under the impression that anything can be kosher if the kosher authoritah says that it is.

[Stormy Dragon]

It has both meat and dairy in it.

[Hyperion]

What dairy?

[jesse.in.mb]

Swiss cheese, no?

I think Russian dressing can be made with or without dairy as well.

[Hyperion]

I had a Reuben down at one of the local delis, owned by Jews, and their reuben is very good. I'm assuming that all of their food is kosher judging by the regulars there. But I didn't know that a reuben had to have cheese on it? I always thought it was corned beef and kraut on rye with a dressing? In fact, I have had many reubens and none of them have ever had cheese on them.

[jesse.in.mb]

I believe a traditional reuben is supposed to have Swiss. If you're going to very Jewish areas they may leave the Swiss off for their kosher customers. I had one in Venice a few weeks ago with no cheese on it, but I was also in Venice Beach which has a big Jewish community. The other flavors in the sandwich are so potent that the Swiss doesn't add much and I tend not to notice if it's there or not. I only noticed in Venice because the sandwich was much drier than I anticipated because they'd skimped on the Russian dressing and it had no cheese.

[Hyperion]

you're going to very Jewish areas

I don't have to go anywhere, I'm here.

But I have been eating reubens since I was a little kid and I have never had one with cheese on it.

[Stormy Dragon]

Is there a Mezuzah on the doorframe or not?

[Robert]

There's no milk in ketchup or mayonnaise, so how could there be in Russian dressing?

[jesse.in.mb]

A bunch of people I know dislike mayo and replace most if not all of it with sour cream or yogurt in any recipes that call for it.

Some of the store-bought brands use buttermilk and whey as additives.

[Old Man With Candy]

Mayo is pus.

[prolefeed]

I, for one, am glad to see that Rick Perry wants to continue to bring inadvertent comic relief to the presidential race again.

[Irish]

Walmart beats the shit out of the New York Times.

[Hyperion]

Well, I can appreciate that since Walmart provides many valuable things to many people, including jobs and great prices on a lot of stuff that we all need every day. The NYT? A bunch of useless scribblings by over educated and under intelligent hacks.

[Snark Plissken]

But you'd think someone at Walmart would know a picture of text is much more readable saved as a PNG rather than JPG.

[Wasteland Wanderer]

But you'd think someone at Walmart would know a picture of text is much more readable saved as a PNG rather than JPG fucking stupid and a waste of bandwidth.

FTFY.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

'Bout time they hit back.

[Rhywun]

I'm impressed that someone could write that article with a straight face.

[VG Zaytsev]

The Walmart benefits from welfare to it's workers is complete nonsense.

If anything, welfare increases Walmart's payroll expenses by decreasing the incentive for poor people to work.

[Hyperion]

So, anyone watching Estados Unidos vs. Portugal coming up here in a couple hours?

BTW, for all the nay sayers, Brazil is doing a pretty damn good job so far on the World Cup. It's not a disaster by any means.

[Snark Plissken]

I'm thinking about it, but it starts at 12 AM local time.

[Hyperion]

Here in 5 minutes, EST. Where are you?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Prague, I believe.

[Hyperion]

Ah, I see.

[Snark Plissken]

Yup, and still awake.

[Mt low rider]

You might know my sister, she teaches at the Murican school there.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I'll be watching.

[robc]

The announcers did say about one of the stadiums that it would be very nice if it was finished.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Yeah, I'd love to know the full story.

[Rhywun]

Some of the pitches have patches of green paint.

[Hyperion]

I don't know about any criticism of stadiums. The one they are playing this game in, is in Manaus, in the middle of a fucking jungle, the Amazon, and it looks pretty damn nice to me.

[Hyperion]

1-0 Portugal. USA might have a little bit of trouble dealing with the heat and humidity in Manaus if they get too far behind. Not that it's that hot in Portugal either.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Bush league defending.

[Rhywun]

Except for the giant moth plague.

[Hyperion]

What giant moth plague?

[Rhywun]

There was one sitting on the ground-level reporter's shoulder pre-match. Looked like a freakin' grasshopper.

[Hyperion]

Well, it's fucking Manaus, in the middle of the Amazon, dude, he was just lucky that it wasn't a giant bug that flew off with him.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

You're a newbie to the game. You're not cynical enough.

[Hyperion]

Oh, I'm cynical enough already. But yes, I am a newbie to the game.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I'm sure scotch tape was used in spots.

[Rhywun]

It's not a disaster by any means.

Wait till Russia. My god, the graft alone is going to be spectacular.

[Hyperion]

2-1, Estados Unidos.

[Rhywun]

Yeah, that was nice while it lasted.

[Hyperion]

Well, admittedly, it lasted until like 2 seconds before the game ended...

[Sevo]

Never saw a game that lasts 96'43". Is that "metric time"?

[Rhywun]

The clock is just a suggestion. The game lasts as long as the ref says it lasts.

[Timon 19]

Stoppage time is an interesting beast, but it's there because the referee keeps the time, period. End of.

[The Late P Brooks]

WHOOOOO, MEEEE?

Hillary Clinton said she and her husband's multi-million-dollar fortune doesn't compare with "a lot of people who are truly well off," adding that voters "don't see me as part of the problem," in an interview with the British newspaper the Guardian.

-------

Clinton was asked by the Guardian how she will convince voters that she's not part of the problem at a moment when the issue of income inequality is gaining increased focus.

"But they don't see me as part of the problem," she told the paper, adding, "because we pay ordinary income tax, unlike a lot of people who are truly well off, not to name names; and we've done it through dint of hard work."

Leaving aside the definition of "hard work" I suspect she and her husband (and their daughter) are well within the "one per cent".

[Irish]

They could probably lose about 20 million dollars and still be in the top 1%.

[Raven Nation]

we've done it through dint of hard work

Hmm, I thought one of the memes of the 99% was that a lot of people work hard and don't get ahead. Therefore working hard and being rich doesn't necessarily make you a good person.

I think EW has the talking points down better than HRC.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

The cognitive dissonance is stunning. Sure, hate on Mitt Romney and the Kochs for inheriting wealth but embrace the Clintons for getting rich on 30 years of graft in politics.

Never mind the fact that both the Koch Brothers and Mitt Romney exponentially increased their inherited wealth through hard work and smart planning.

[See Double You]

Not to mention the non-monetary value of being famous politicos.

[PapayaSF]

we've done it through dint of hard work

Shameless lying, pandering, cronyism, and groveling to campaign donors is hard work!

[Bam!]

She's really not good at this whole politician thing.

[Sevo]

"voters "don't see me as part of the problem,""

Yeah, they have a good PR firm. They've managed to convince some folks that Chelsea isn't bad looking.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Wonder if Jurgen is regretting not bringing Donovan in light of Altidore's injury.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Bradley is playing much better.

[Rhywun]

I was afraid a total collapse was coming. Instead, the Yanks have been OK since they woke up.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

They regrouped quickly.

[Hyperion]

Germany

[Rhywun]

Too bad he gave the ball away over and over again after 90'.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

It would be disappointing if the U.S. can't earn at least a draw. Portugal seem vulnerable at the back. Put pressure on them.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

The still doesn't play with its head. What the heck was Beckerman challenging a ball he had little chance of winning leading up to that Nani shot? This 'pinch in' mentality is where they get into all sorts of trouble. It's a bad habit that goes back to 2006. Sometimes pulling back is the wise thing to do.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Talking to myself.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

The 'U.S still doesn't play'

Darn.

[Hyperion]

The USA looked like the better team the entire game. But their goal keeper occasionally takes a nap. They are the opposite of Brazil, where it's nearly impossible to score against them, but no how many times they are in scoring position, they can't seem to get it done.

[Mt low rider]

WTF are you talking about, the goals against he had no chance. Bradley should have put the chance in, he struck it and it hit a defender on the knee...shithouse luck.

Bradley did cough up the turnover that led to the tieing goal, but other than that he was pretty good and Ronaldo struck a perfect cross.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Marx is making a comeback!

Marx's moral critique of capitalism and markets has never been fully comprehended or considered by anyone but the most ardent libertarians and a strain of thinkers broadly called communitarians. Broadly speaking, Marx's critique of capitalism resembles the Catholic church's critique: That by relying on greed and self-interest, markets degrade humans and encourage our worst impulses.

With the exception of libertarians, who have tried to turn the immorality of capitalism into a sort of perverse morality ("greed is good"), most politicians and economists are entirely unconcerned with the fact that capitalism is based on a collective drawing upon our deepest desire: to exploit.

The underlying logic of capitalism is that if we all take our most primordial impulses and mix them up in the magical mechanism called "markets," we are left with progress. Recent history suggests we may be left with only more ugliness...The participants in market transactions are not interested in fulfilling human needs ? they are interested in making a profit. Fulfilling human needs is one way to make a profit ? exploitation, the creation of desire through advertising or downright fraud are others. Human progress is an ancillary consideration, individual profit is the goal.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Wow, this article not only acknowledges but embraces the essential Marxist and socialist belief that liberty must be destroyed because man is too vile and corrupt to be trusted with it.

And yet they proggies will nod along despite the fact that it's the same belief held by religious extremists that they ostensibly hate and ridicule!

[Pathogen]

Soooo much concentrated stupid, in one convenient location... it's breath taking..

[Rhywun]

it's breath taking..

It's Salon.

[SweatingGin]

Listening to Mises's Socialism audiobook, I was struck by the idea that Marxism won. Sure, not everything is collectivized, but we can't even talk about these things except in Marxist terms. Classes, class warfare, exploitation.

Besides that, the final crowning step for the socialists in Mises's book was nationalizing the banks, for political control of capital. Our banks aren't explicitly nationalized, but they might as well be. They're definitely beholden to a political entity.

[Pathogen]

"The participants in market transactions are not interested in fulfilling human needs ? they are interested in making a profit."

Yeah, if only the people that provide food, potable water, sanitation, petroleum, plastics, materials & homebuilding, etc. were doing something useful like "fulfilling human needs", the altruist stockholders give them that money for just that reason..

"the creation of desire through advertising or downright fraud are others"

yeah, the Soviet model worked exactly as advertised, there was no bait and switch there. Trotsky was just another butthurt, Koch-drinking stooge, selfishly railing against the purity of Stalin's workers paradise.

"Human progress is an ancillary consideration, individual profit is the goal."

Go tell that to the Chinese..

[SweatingGin]

"The participants in market transactions are not interested in fulfilling human needs"

Presumably the people involved in the transaction are also humans, and are fulfilling their needs, as well. Maybe even using those filthy profits to fulfill their human needs.

[MJGreen]

Ugh. Fuck you. Put even a teeny bit of effort into understanding what libertarians/economists believe.

[Sevo]

"Put even a teeny bit of effort into understanding what libertarians/economists believe."

Proggies show up here regularly and lecture us on what libertarians believe, since they once read a review of Atlas Shrugged.
Boring, predictable.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

WOW! What a chance.

Nice play by USA.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Russia was hosed.

http://giant.gfycat.com/UnrulyCanineEgg.gif

[Hyperion]

Bosnia got totally screwed by the refs in that game against Nigeria.

[Timon 19]

Yes they did.

[Rhywun]

I don't even remember who got screwed when - there was so much bad reffing every day.

[Timon 19]

Dzeko was NOT offside on his goal.

Nigeria fouled on their way to theirs (though I can certainly see an argument that the defender should have stayed up).

[Hyperion]

Dzeko was NOT offside on his goal.

This is what I was talking about.

[Sevo]

Timon 19|6.22.14 @ 8:33PM|#
"Dzeko was NOT offside on his goal."

If the grounds keepers weren't on strike, they could have put some marks on the field.
Or is that "meteric"?

[Timon 19]

That would only markedly help viewers on TV. Luckily, there's already technology for the viewers on TV. No need for extra distracting lines.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Yes.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

THAT'S world class striking right there by Jones.

[SweatingGin]

Strike out?

[Hyperion]

Yep, that was beautiful, no way to defend it.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Oh my.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Oh my indeed.

But I think they're in a good spot.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

I'd suggest Klinsman give a Patton-esque speech about murdering those lousy Hun bastards, ripping out their guts, and using them to grease treads on their treadmills, but that might be awkward for him.

[robc]

Would fifa get pissed if no one on us or germany ever crossed midfield?

[Timon 19]

FIFA can go fuck themselves. You have NO idea what they're thinking at any given time.

I mean, JUST NOW they started to investigate Mexican fans for the "puto" thing, which has been going on since forever.

[Hyperion]

They must be learning that from the NFL, who are bound and determined to reduce a once great sport to touch only foozball, with automatic scores for hurting the feelings of anyone on the other team.

[Timon 19]

FIFA is second to no organization (except the IOC) for random, feckless, arbitrary, corrupt behavior.

[Hyperion]

They certainly call a lot of bullshit calls. I mean, is it an automatic penalty every time that someone play acts falling down? It seems that way, at least about 90% of the time.

[Timon 19]

Did you watch the game you just commented on? The referee waved Bitch Ronaldo up at least 3 times, and Nani was skating on the edge of a yellow card for simulation.

[Rhywun]

Yeah, for once they weren't buying it. But then, Portugal do have a, -ahem-, reputation.

[robc]

Reputation? Like falling down holding your head when the ball hits your shin?

[Timon 19]

Ronaldinho says hello.

[Hyperion]

I'm so used to it now, that I don't pay too much attention when someone falls down(often untouched) and draws a flag.

[Rhywun]

They really need to penalize that shit. I think they're just afraid of getting it wrong.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

That's the problem. There is a LOT of clipping and hitting on the shins. It's part of the game and sometimes that shit HURTS.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

There was contact on Nani though.

[Timon 19]

There was. But there's contact on all sorts of things. You don't honestly think that deserved a penalty, do you?

Nani was going down before Zusi stepped in front of him.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Not anymore, Hyperion.

[Hyperion]

Why? I'd be pizzed. We need to kick some kraut ballz!

[Timon 19]

You kidding? I'd totally take a lifeless draw right now.

[Hyperion]

Well, ok, but then how do you expect USA to actually beat Chili, Netherlands, or Brazil?

[Timon 19]

Huh? They don't have to go balls out to try to beat Germany if a draw will do both teams.

The match coming up on Thursday has zero bearing on the US' ability to beat any of those three teams (none of which they can possibly meet until very late in the tournament anyway).

[Hyperion]

It's like my wife not wanting Brazil to play Mexico again in the next match(which they aren't). I sort of understand this, but eventually, you have to play the better teams, or at least the ones that give you the most trouble. But I sort of understand this thinking from watching a few decades of NFL.

[Timon 19]

What? Brazil and Mexico already played to a 0-0 draw. They're in the same group. They CAN'T play each other again for a while.

[Hyperion]

Yeah, I know that man, I was just saying that my wife(who is a huge Brazil fan) doesn't want Brazil to play Mexico again. Brazil should have won that game, but the goal keeper for Mexico played a very good game, and Brazil looked flat again.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hyperion, Brazil is no better than the top teams in the field.

[Hyperion]

Hyperion, Brazil is no better than the top teams in the field

I know that. They may not be as good right now as Netherlands or Chili, or some other teams. Did I say that they are?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Germany already did that. With Austria in 1982. That's why the third games are played at the same time now.

[Timon 19]

Algeria was the victim of that. Evidently, they exchanged possession every so often and basically didn't penetrate much past their own side of the center circle.

[Timon 19]

That felt like a total gut punch, but goddamn the US played well from minute 10 to minute 94. I mean, they really played well. I am proud of that team right now.

Ronaldo was a total piece of shit for the entire game until the 95th. That alone was worth watching. Also, Nani was complete garbage apart from his gift goal. That was sweet, too.

[Hyperion]

USA was better team. We'll see what happens against Germany.

[Timon 19]

Who do you think played even poorly? I think a case can be made for Cameron based on the fluffed clearance and losing Valdana at the end, but really he played well otherwise.

Howard? He had some questionable moments, but had some tremendous ones as well. I can't really pick on anyone right now.

[Hyperion]

I would say Cristiano Ronaldo, until that last minute assist for the tie. But for a supposedly super star player, he sure doesn't look much like Neymar or Messi. Maybe he only needs to look purty, (:

[Timon 19]

I meant a US player who played poorly.

I know Bitch Ronaldo was useless for 94 minutes. It was glorious until then.

[Hyperion]

Ah, ok. I'm not that familiar with team USA, and I don't think I am nearly as learned about football as you are. I'm learning, still a noob. I can only wish that I know as much about this game as I do American football.

I'm a Brazil fan (they are not looking great so far, at all), and 2nd USA, 3rd Chili.

[Timon 19]

Ah. Didn't know you were a noob.

Please tell me you have some Brazilian heritage or whatever, because picking them as your first team is just as craven and dumb as when I go to the Middle East and all the locals are Brazil fans first. It's pathetic.

[Hyperion]

Please tell me you have some Brazilian heritage or whatever

My wife is Brazilian and her family are like the most wonderful people that I have ever been around. Also, I love Brazil, we have a place there and go at least once a year. Wifey got me started watching 'futebol' during the last world cup. So it's that.

[Timon 19]

Fair enough.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Would love to visit Brazil. Every Brazilian I've met were really nice. In fact, same with Venezuelans, Argentinians and Chileans.

[Hyperion]

picking them as your first team is just as craven and dumb as when I go to the Middle East and all the locals are Brazil fans first. It's pathetic.

I was a Brazil fan first of all, so I don't see it as being dumb. Unless you consider being a band wagon fan, as smart.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Yeah, those fairweather Brazil fans are hilarious.

[Rhywun]

I meant a US player who played poorly.

I hate to say it because he was so good in the first 90', but Bradley really stunk it up in extra time.

I don't fault Howard for anything - I thought he was fantastic.

[BakedPenguin]

That save from his hands and knees was great. Wound up being the reason the US still got a point.

It's just frustrating that they can look like a top flight team for long stretches. Then, almost instantly, it's gone, and they look like they'd be lucky to match up with Turks and Caicos Islands.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Happens to the best of teams - the greatest defensive side I've ever seen were those Italian teams of the 90s and they still let games slip. Euro 2000 final in particular. They shut down Brazil in 1994 though.

[Timon 19]

Yeah, Bradley switched off at the wrong time.

Howard flapped at that shot off the post, though. That looked bad until he saved the rebound.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Ronaldo and Messi is a discussion although Messi is more of an attacking/penetrating mid. Ronaldo is a classic striker.

Ronaldo is SUPERIOR to Neymar though.

Get your Brazil goggles off, please!

[Hyperion]

Ronaldo is SUPERIOR to Neymar though.

LOL. Not unless you're a little girl who lives in Portugal.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hyperion,

I speak as a SOCCER FAN who has been watching and playing for over 35 years.

What the heck has Neymar accomplished?

How can you even sit there and remotely make that comment when you look at the body of work.

I don't give a shit about Ronaldo but he's the BETTER PLAYER.

Neymar may get there but not now. And he's just as shameless a diver as Ronaldo to boot - if not worse.

[Hyperion]

Rufus, I'm going to defer to your vastly more experience at following this game. If I'm not mistaken though, Neymar has scored more goals sooner than Messi, is that incorrect? Also, watching him play since I have been watching, although for not that long, the guy is a striker. In this World Cup, that first goal he scored against Croatia was perfect, and he should have scored an equally perfect goal in the game against Mexico, except for a perfect defense by their goal keeper.

I'm just trying to pull your string about Ronaldo, lol, the only thing that I know about him is the opinion of teenage girls in Portugal, 'Ohhh, Ronaldo, we love you, you so pretty!' LMAO!

I'm going out on a limb here and saying that both Messi and Neymar are going to have more impact in this World Cup than Ronaldo.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

He does have a huge fan base.

Bah.

They're all good. I don't use the WC as a measuring stick for greatness even though people do. It's such a short tournament every four years it's unfair to players.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Jones and Bradley had strong games as did Howard in my view. They just have to learn to play to the whistle as a group. It's not a world class possession team so it's all part of the learning curve.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Not in the last 10 minutes they were. Portugal played it professionally and snatched one up.

Still, great results for USA in the first two games. Even if they lose to Germany, GD is in their favor.

[robc]

A tie means Belgium then Argentina. A win means Algeria? Followed by France.

Some point in going for the win. I think we are fine with a 1 goal loss.

[Timon 19]

1 goal and no more.

But it looks clear that either way, there's a tough road ahead, which is how it should be, really.

[Timon 19]

We also ought to be Portugal fans, but not too much. Portugal has to make up 3 goals. I think that's unlikely. Ghana, though, can take Portugal, IMO.

[robc]

I would like to see portugal up one at the half. They wont blow out ghana.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I agree. I think they can. Not sure Portugal believes they can overcome that -4 GD.

Ghana squandered that game against Germany they messed up on that 3 on 1 with score 2-1. The boob goes and takes a low percentage shot.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I think Russia will take Algeria.

But. Algeria is surprising me greatly. I watched some of their qualifying games and they were awful. I mean 'no chance they can improve awful'. But they played very well against Belgium, beat Korea and there's no reason to think they can't draw or beat Russia.

[robc]

Just realized, a Mexico-Croatia tie with a Cameroon upset tomorrow would cause all the lulz.

[Hyperion]

There's not going to be any Cameroon upset tomorrow.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Now we're seeing how that awful officiating in the first game impacted the group.

Brazil-Croatia should have been a draw.

[Hyperion]

No, it should have been 4-0, since Brazil scored the only goal for Croatia.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Nope.

Croatia got a goal called off that was legit, Hyp. Sorry. And that was not a penalty. Fred fell.

2-2.

[Timon 19]

That was a shameless dive by Fred.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Hyperion, since you're new to the game and are a Brazil fan. Might I insist you look up Garrincha and if you can get footage of his play you won't regret it. I grew up watching Falcao, Zico and Socrates.

[Hyperion]

Ok, thanks, will do.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Personally, I think he had the better moves than Pele. The mere fact he was disabled blows my mind.

[Timon 19]

I've been around the game for 33 years or so. I never had the pleasure of having seen Garrincha and Zico and the like, but of what I have seen (ESPN's 30 for 30 did a documentary on him), he absolutely was better than Pele.

[robc]

Thru 2 rounds, CONCACAF is averaging over 3 pts per team. UEFA is under 3 per team.

Asia is pathetic.

Maybe CONCACAF should be bumped up from 3.5 to 4 teams next time around.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Haven't they been asking for this?

CONCACAF is not a bad confederation with Mexico and USA in it. Costa Rica produces very good teams every now and then.

Now if we can just fricken get Canada's shit in order maybe we can make this thing work.

[BakedPenguin]

Thing is, CONCACAF's 4th place team probably isn't going to be all that great. Rufus is right - the US, Mexico & Costa Rica are decent teams, and they're all making a decent show of it. Honduras, OTOH, isn't looking all that great. I'm not saying they don't deserve to be there, just that I don't think a 1 game playoff against an Oceania team is too high a hurdle.