WORLD CUP ROUNDUP: DAY 11*

We've seen more than a fair share of upsets in this tournament. We've also seen a great deal of tying. If these trends continue, the knockout stage should be most entertaining and random.

Serbia 1, Germany 0

An overactive Joe West kind of ref put his mark on this game by issuing 9 cards, including a red to Germany star Miroslav Klose. That being said, Lukas Podolski missed numerous chances to score, including a softly taken penalty shot. Germany is one of many favorites who will be up against it in their 3rd match.

USA 2, Slovenia 2
Give credit to FIFA for quickly knocking out referee Koman Coulibaly for his still unexplained disallowance of an American goal in the 85th minute. The NBA could learn something there. The US was robbed of a win, but also shouldn't have found themselves down 2-0 to Slovenia at halftime. With all the tying in Group C, the 3rd pair of matches will be most intriguing.

Algeria 0, England 0
The English cannot score. Algeria is one of many underdogs to frustrate a favorite with excellently executed defensive play. Results like this demonstrate that the World Cup will go to a the side most capable of adapting to various tactics employed against them.

Netherlands 1, Japan 0

The Netherlands might be that adaptable team. This win wasn't pretty, but compared to what's been happening to the other Top 8 (7-5-2 combined record so far, that's Wins-Draws-Losses) teams, the Dutch will take it, and also be one of the first teams to clinch a spot in the Round of 16.

Australia 1, Ghana 1
Ghana's been a disappointment, as have most African teams, playing on their continent for the first time in World Cup history.

Denmark 2, Cameroon 1

Cameroon are perhaps the biggest of all the African disappointments. They were the first team eliminated from the 2010 World Cup with this 2-1 loss to the Danes. Denmark and Japan will vie for the second advancement from Group E.

Paraguay 2, Slovakia 0
It's been a bad tourney for Africa, but good for South America. That continent is undefeated at 7-2-0.

New Zealand 1, Italy 1
This was the biggest result in the history of the All Whites. New Zealand are ranked 78th by FIFA, just below Wales, and only two spots above Iraq. Yet they deservedly drew with the 2006 World Cup winners. It's true their goal was offside, but it's also true that Italy won a soft penalty. These two teams are now tied with 2 points in Group F.

Brazil 3, Ivory Coast 1

Brazil haven't clinched advancement, but they're as close as you can get. If North Korea doesn't win today, Brazil are in the Round of 16.

The 2nd round of Group matches complete today, then it's time for some pivotal 3rd matches.

HELLO, RED SOX

After starting the season 19-20 (.487), the Red Sox have won 24 of their last 32 games (.750), and have just completed an impressive 8-1 homestand. They've risen from 4th place into a tie for 2nd, only 1 game behind the Yankees. This also makes them tied for the 2nd best record in all of baseball.

Who do we have to thank for this turnabout? Clay Buchholz for one. Last night he gutted through his 10th win of the season, struggling early, but working through it, settling down, and getting the ball to Bard-Papelbon.

The resurgence of Dustin Pedroia is also a key reason behind the recent success. He was 3/4 last night with a triple, a run, and some heads-up baserunning. The Laser Show is back on as he's gone 23 for his last 64 (.359), and 20 for his last 40 (.500).

There's been the steady offensive performance of Marco Scutaro, filling in for Ellsbury atop the Sox lineup. There's been the surprising contributions of Daniel Nava, who's 10 for 27 since being called up.

In short, everything's going right for the Sox. In those first 40 games, they found ways to lose. Now they're finding ways to win.

But as I said, the Sox started 19-20, and are 24-8 since then. Reality lies somewhere in between. The Sox are not a below .500 team. Nor are they a .750 team. I'll be the wet blanket and try to temper some exuberance. The Sox have had a juicy schedule to feast on the last few weeks.

Not only do the Diamondbacks suck, they were cold when they came to Fenway. They'd lost 16 of 20. The Dodgers are your token NL "contender." And the Phillies are in the midst of an 11-19 stretch.

So while the Red Sox have gotten hot and soared up the standings again, let's not lose our minds here. Daniel Nava is not going to finish the season with a .370 average.

Then again, it's still enjoyable to watch the overrated Rays (I'll admit to overrating them myself) fall to Earth. But this season looks like it will be a turbulent roller coaster ride, and not for the faint of heart. And whoever's on their way up come October will get the jewelry.

Sox go to Denver to play the Rockies. Lester vs. Jhoulys Chacin Tuesday night.

Photo Credit:
Reuters

WORLD CUP ROUNDUP: DAY 8*

The first round of group play came to an end, and the second phase began. Some teams are sitting pretty, and some are in desperate trouble.

Chile 1, Honduras 0
A slight upset here. I had Honduras as a contender in Group H, but now they're in early trouble with Spain and Switzerland left to play.

Switzerland 1, Spain 0

Biggest upset of the tournament so far. The Swiss had NEVER beaten the Spanish in something like 15 meetings. Gelson Fernandes scored the game-winner. He doesn't look Swiss, his name doesn't sound Swiss. He was born in Cape Verde but moved to Switzerland when he was 5, so he's not one of those mercenaries that some international squads hire.

Uruguay 3, South Africa 0
The Vuvuzelas have made me hate South Africa, so I'm glad to see Uruguay crush them. Uruguay didn't even qualify for 3 of the last 4 World Cups, and they haven't advanced to the Round of 16 since 1990. They're on the verge of doing so in 2010.

Argentina 4, South Korea 1

Look out, Argentina has woken up. Gonzalo Higuan scored a hat-trick, but was greatly assisted by Lionel Messi. But Argentina's defense looks to be having trouble making decisions, and may ultimately be their undoing. But not quite yet.

Greece 2, Nigeria 1
Nigeria made mistakes, Greece capitalized.

Mexico 2, France 0

France fucking sucks. They still haven't scored a goal. And even down 2-0 in the 80th minute, they kept Thierry Henry on the bench. How's that strategy working out?

Mexico and Uruguay are in the driver's seat to advance to the Round of 16. And they play each other on June 22, both needing a draw to advance. So look for some defensive soccer in that game. But even if one team beats another, they can still advance if France and South Africa draw, or if their goal-differentials remain superior (Uruguay is +3, Mexico is +2, France is -2, South Africa is -3).

THE WRONG KIND OF HISTORY

The Celtics had never lost a Game 7 to the Lakers, or in the NBA Finals until last night. But the series wasn't lost in Game 7 alone. It was lost in Games 1 and 6, when the Celtics put forth lackluster efforts, were inexcusably flat, and allowed the Lakers to walk all over them.

Let's get one thing straight: the Celtics didn't choke. The Lakers were the favored team in this series. And the fact that the C's advanced so deep into the playoffs is commendable. Despite the disappointing Games 1 and 6, the Celtics gave their maximum effort in Game 7. They simply didn't execute as well as the Lakers.

I'm going to rip Ray Allen for a bit. Defensively, he had an exemplary night. But offensively, he was a cancer. 3 for 14 from your biggest shooting threat is shameful. I know shooters can have off-nights, but he had 5 off-nights in this series. He was 33 for 90 (36.7%) from the field and 12 for 41 (29.3%) for three. Exclude Game 2's record-setting performance, and he was 22 for 70 (31.4%), and 4 for 30 (13.3%).

The Celtics couldn't find offense, and that's one of the big reasons they lost Game 7. And Ray Allen's offensive contribution was negligible. Certainly not worth $18.8 million.

The most glaring Celtic deficiency and Laker proficiency was rebounding, particularly LA's offensive rebounding. The Lakers hauled in 23 offensive boards. That's 23 times the Celtics could have triggered their breaking offense, 23 times that LA got an extra shot.

The Lakers didn't shoot well (32.5%), but were allowed to shoot often (81 field goal attempts).

The Celtics also put the Lakers to the line far too often. I've already heard grumblings from Celtics fans about the officiating, but it was a superbly refereed game. Very few mistakes. They let the players play. The Lakers actually struggled at the line, but they got there more often. 20 times more often.

The Celtics bench didn't do much, but neither did LA's. Then again, the C's bench was a matchup that favored the Celtics, so a draw serves as a win for LA.

The defense was excellent, especially the help-defense that clamped down on Kobe Bryant. Unfortunately, he got help from his friends. Ron Artest had the game of his life with 20 points, Gasol had 19 along with his 18 rebounds, Fisher's 10 points all seemed to come at key moments. Bryant finished with 23, but only 12 of those came from the floor. The other 11 came at the line. He did have 15 rebounds.

Maybe the Celtics missed Perkins in the paint, and perhaps that contributed to the Lakers' getting so many offensive rebounds. Then again, Perk was averaging only 5.8 rebounds per game this series, 3.5 of which were defensive. His replacements, Rasheed Wallace and Glen Davis, each had 9 and 8 rebounds, respectively. So excuse-mongers, look elsewhere.

The Lakers played better; in Game 7 and in the series as a whole. There's nothing to do right now but mourn and look ahead to 2010-11.

Photo Credit:
Getty Images

HIGH NOON FOR BIG XII

It looks like the Big XII has survived their showdown with the Pac-10, as conference juggernaut Texas has decided to stay put.

“This is a long-term and unequivocal commitment. We’ve decided the Big 12 provides the best long-term opportunity for our university.”

That's University of Texas President William Powers Jr.'s verbal commitment to the Big XII.

What prompted the decision was the promise of more TV revenue, particularly for headlining programs like Texas and Oklahoma. Texas will also be able to start its own TV station, broadcasting its sports across the country. Something which the Pac-10 wouldn't have allowed.

What really broke apart the Pac-10's power grab was a Mexican standoff between the Big XII, Pac-10, and SEC. Just like the end of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.



The Pac-10 didn't just want Texas. They wanted Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech to defect. But they needed all five to agree to it. Then A&M and Oklahoma started leaning toward the SEC. This dissolved the unanimity of The Big Five, and broke up the Pac-10's scavenging.

Sweetening the deal for Texas to stay was that they, along with Oklahoma and A&M, will likely split the money surrendered by Nebraska and Colorado for leaving the conference. Smaller Big XII members like Baylor, Iowa State, and Kansas State will divert their shares of the buyout money to the big members of the Big XII.

I have to say that I'm glad the Big XII is remaining, even though it will be a 10 team conference, with no more title game. Texas and Oklahoma playing Oregon in a conference game is simply wrong. I do think the notion of conferences is antiquated for college football, but I'm also glad to see the gluttonous Pac-10 thwarted.


Source:
AP via Yahoo!

WORLD CUP ROUNDUP: DAY 6*

Lots and lots of surprises in group play, especially for goaltenders. Very few seem to have a good gauge on the ball.

Netherlands 2, Denmark 0

Nobody's really talking about the Dutch, who are always competitive and bring deep teams to the Cup. They're ranked 4th by FIFA for a reason.

Japan 1, Cameroon 0
This is a huge upset, as the Japanese had never won a World Cup game away from their home soil.

Italy 1, Paraguay 1

If not for a goalkeeper's error, Italy would have lost its opener 1-0. The Italian National Team are like Maseratis. They're sleek, expensive, fast, but wholly overrated, completely unreliable, and you're better off spending your money on a Ferrari, Porsche, or Aston Martin.

New Zealand 1, Slovakia 1
This was New Zealand's first point EVER at the World Cup. So in their minds, they've already won and can go back to focusing on rugby.

Ivory Coast 0, Portugal 0
In the Group of Death, you just want to avoid losing your opener. Both teams played defensively sound, and neither were able to break through to score. It's to be expected.

Brazil 2, North Korea 1

Brazil didn't score until 54 minutes in. If they hadn't beaten North Korea, the undisputed bitch of Group G, they would have been in a world of hurt.

I LOVE INTERLEAGUE PLAY

Don't look now but Clay Buchholz is tied for the League lead in wins. He recorded his 9th over the Diamondbacks last night as the Sox rolled to a solid 6-3 victory.

The usual suspects knocked in runs for the Sox. Ortiz's 13th homer netted him RBIs 40 and 41. Youkilis kept pace with his 41st. Pedroia knocked in his 32nd, and Victor Martinez his 35th.

I don't have much to say about this game except I wish the Sox could play NL teams more often. Of course, with the Yankees continuing to win, anything short of a sweep over the 5th place team in the NL West is shameful.

The Sox also moved up the start time of Thursday's game to 6:10pm, which will allow fans in attendance to enjoy most of Game 7, which tips off after 9.

Jon Lester opposes 2-5 Rodrigo Lopez tonight.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

CELTICS DROWNED BY LAKERS

I don't think the 89-67 pounding the Lakers gave the Celtics was as bad as the score suggests. But it was still pretty bad. The Lakers dominated the inside game, outrebounding the C's 40-28 (the ratio was much worse before garbage time). The Celtics missed 2 dunks and 3 lay-ups in the 1st half alone. LA's bench outshined Boston's, scoring 25 points, compared to 13 from the C's. The difference was 24-0 at one point in the 3rd.

Then again, Perkins only logged 7 minutes before leaving with a sprain. Then Sheed got himself into foul trouble. This allowed the Lakers to really pour it on. That being said, even a healthy Perkins and the Celtics still lose this game convincingly.

We've seen this kind of game before. The Celtics offense depends on defensive success in order to really get going, particularly Rondo. But the Lakers seemingly hit every shot. Hell, Ron Artest was 6 for 11, and 3 of 6 beyond the arc. When Ron Artest is making jumpshots, it's just not going to be your night.

But the rebounding also killed the Celtics. 5 of Gasol's 8 rebounds came off the offensive glass. Those kind of second chance opportunities kill both the Celtics defense, and slow down their offense.

The Celtics only attempted 10 free throws. The Lakers had 19. To me, that demonstrates the Celtics forfeiting that inside game. And without your starting center, you can't really blame them. But the Celtics need to get to the line, and need to get key Lakers in foul trouble to disrupt LA's defensive scheming.

The Lakers played about as good as they can. Although Kobe is capable of more than 26 points, as we well know. And the Celtics played almost as poorly as they can. 33.3% from the field, 21.7% for 3. No bench contributions, mediocre defense, no rebounding. All the ingredients of a blowout loss. But they can improve. And they must.

Ironically, the regular season comes into play here. All post-season, we've repeated the following mantra in Boston: "See, the regular season doesn't matter." Now it does, with Game 7 on LA's court, where they've won 10 of 11 playoff games.

Game 7 Thursday night. Will Perkins play? Will Bynum? Lots of questions to be answered, but that's what Game 7s invariably do.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo