The average fan, the general public, the casual viewer of the NFL, is for the most part unaware, or at the very least, not AS aware, of the very imminent potential, possibility, likelihood that there will be no NFL football in 2011. They do not know or realize the extent of what the pundits, sportswriters, sport journalists, sports bloggers and other nattering nabobs are keenly aware of. A lockout of the NFL in 2011. Which means, for all intents and purposes for the average American, a day, and no doubt MANY days, without football. No Green Bay Packers, no Dallas Cowboys, no San Diego Chargers, no cheatin’ New England Patriots. Instead it will days of waiting around, pissing and moaning, with Who Dat? Who Dat? Who Dat? echoing into oblivion.
Yes, America. The Day Without Football is coming. Best prepare yourself NOW.
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Netherlands 0 Spain 1
Nothing can console the sad Dutch fans who saw their lads lose to a more skillful Spanish squad in what was perhaps the ugliest football match of all time….perhaps the ugliest sporting event of all time ((although there are several hockey games that could fall into that category)). Referee Howard Webb appeared as the match commenced to allow the lads to have at it…he didn’t call it close at first…but the game quickly got out of hand. That’s when Webb reigned them in, started calling it tight. That’s the rain of yellow cards began, and pretty soon it was downpour. The Dutch were clearly out finessed by Spain, so they resorted to what they know best….thuggery of the sort that would have given even the Philadelphia Flyers of the 70′s, the nefarious Broad Street Bullies, pause. So the Dutch gooned it up and a record 14yellow cards were handed out, including a red card to John Heitinga for his second yellow card, but no red card was shown to Nigel de Jong for a kick-punch to Xavi Alonso’s ribs worthy of the most brutal and ugly homo-erotic MMA match.
All that said, the strategy almost worked for the Dutch. Arjen Robben had several breakaway chances. But he couldn’t capitalize on the efforts of his goon squad. In the end, it was Andres Iniesta (yes, THAT Andres Iniesta =P) who cashed in on Spain’s finesse. Spain reminded me more of the Edmonton Oilers…a squad of pure skaters with precision passing. Now Iniesta is no Wayne Gretzky, but he came through when it counted, like Gretzky’s lesser known scoring partner, Jari Kurri, with a superbly crafted goal in the 116th minute.
It was an ugly game. And while Spain deserved to win. It was as ugly and terrible as watching 6-3 Cleveland Browns/Buffalo Bills tilt , game 15, in the horrible December of a brutal NFL season.
The consolation game on Saturday was so much better. And some interesting developments from that match are after the break.
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