Captain... Forlan?

Nabbed via another bloggerfootyblog, but I remember when I was a kid spending my summers in Asia, the equivalent to mid-day cartoons would be Slam Dunk and Captain Tsubasa. I ended up watching way more Slam Dunk because it was on more often, but Captain Tsubasa was definitely the more exciting series.


I love how big anime has gotten in South America, with classics like Macross being entirely translated and dubbed in Spanish. Of course, it makes complete sense that Captain Tsubasa would be one of the more popular series.

Anyways, it seems that in Uruguay, someone made a fitting cartoon tribute to Diego Forlan. Awesome.

How to Mute Vuvuzela Pt.2

A different approach than the method I posted before, but nonetheless effective.

"Quiet dust!"

Playground Tactics

I figure that if you've clicked your way here, you must've already seen this clip. Juan Manuel "Matador" Mata lays down the best bit of skill in the entire World Cup. Unfortunately (or not?) it was in training. Against his own teammate Raul Albiol. This is playground bullying at it's finest.



I spent a good 10 minutes trying this move out. Brace yourselves as this trick becomes the next elastico.

The Jay Demerit Story

I love everything about this man's story. So unique, but so refreshing.

How to Mute Vuvuzelas

The only solution known to man that doesn't involve Sepp Blatter or moving the World Cup to a different continent.

Waka waka

I don't know who or how or why this is not EXALIFTIN, but Shakira's song has been selected as the official song for the World Cup this summer.







waka waka, personally I like exaliftin better.

FIFA shows true colors, re-hires nincompoop ref

This is the man who broke the hearts of millions, and not just for drunken Irishmen. You may already know it, but I am a little resentful towards him, and towards bad refereeing in general, but I am not here to touch on the whole camera/traditional refereeing debate.

Nope, just pissed off and frustrated at another perennial annoyance. This.

FIFA has released the list of 30 referees that will be officiating the matches this summer. Somewhere in that crowd of blue, Martin Hansson's bald head is standing there open-mouthed breathing. This was the only response I could come up with in my head.

"Outstanding."

Bravo FIFA.

Do you believe in conspiracy? Grab some hot cocoa, get ready.

Argh, so much to write and say, about everything. I feel like football goes through phases when nothing exciting happens and then out of nowhere South Africa becomes relevant.

First, let me start  by saying again, great draw, amirite? I said before that I would come back and hash out this interesting little Group C. And I am going to be straight for the first time, and just come and out say it. I am an American, and as we get closer to June 13th, this may or may not become more apparent. In any case, I won't be sympathizing with an English perspective of the E(ngland) A(lgeria) S(lovenia) Y(anks) group.

The Sun has never really been an accurate predictor of even the weather (if they've ever been ballsy enough to do that), but I'm fairly certain most of England, and maybe the rest of the world, will feel similarly. But let me just point out, that despite the obvious "Oh well, it'll be England - Germany in the next round" statements, there are a number of eerie coincidences that might make a 9/11 conspiracy theorist wary.

A couple months back, the new kits for World Cup teams were starting to get leaked. The following somehow surfaced on the interwebs, as supposed USMNT kits for South Africa.

It's a pretty good looking shirt, but even better is that it was designed as a tribute to the 1950 US team that went to the World Cup Finals in Brazil.

When I first saw this, I didn't even think to question what was so special about these guys. I vaguely remembered a movie made about it, or something odd like that, but like most sports history it was too far away for me to care.

Recently, I decided to dig a little deeper. Turns out that in the 1950 World Cup finals, the third World Cup appearance by a hugely underfavored yanks and the first ever appearance by an English team, the USMNT and England were drawn in group play. In Belo Horizante, the US beat England 1-0 in what is considered one of the greatest sports upsets in history. That entire team was inducted into the USSF Soccer Hall of Fame. The manager of that team, Bill Jeffrey, was a legend himself, coaching his entire life and dying of a heart attack on the field in the middle of team training.

So, before the draw had even happened, the kits had been decided (or at least leaked). But now, after the draw, it's been made so much better. A little less than 60 years later, England will again be playing the United States, again with hugely differing expectations and odds. To say the US will be underdogs is only a confirmation of your mental sanity. It's just odd how history has a way of repeating itself. Karma? Or vindication?

If that doesn't get your juices flowing, how about this...

There is a possibility of Landon facing off against lover-turned-hater-turned-lover Becks this summer. You have to admit, these boys have gone through a lot together now. Drama, fighting, gossip, and a loss in the finals. Injury woes, travel, bad haircuts and balding heads. What doesn't break it only makes it stronger, and you can bet that these brothers cannot wait to face each other. Wait, Beckham won't be playing? But they look so happy together on FC Hollywood...

Not that I am a sick freak who enjoys watching personal meltdowns, but come ON, this could be better worse than Rooney and Ronaldo. I don't doubt for a second that the World Cup brings out the best and worst in teammates. It's only the fact that Landon is sitting on top of the finest game of his life, and Beckham is getting ready to choose between the paths of 'has-been' and 'legend'. Both have a lot on the line this summer.

So, a personal rivalry spanning the Atlantic, and another history lesson to be taught in remedial summer school.

You still aren't excited by this tie? OK, what about the fact that there's this World Cup, but then there's 2018?



After watching that you have to stop to think. Wait. What? England, the footballing nation, has to put together a three minute instructional video telling you why they want to host the finals? You know, the UK never really understood technology and the changing times...

Which is why when you see this, you have to be impressed. The US committee may not have Becks, but we have Drew Carey and Harry Kissinger. I think Drew Carey alone got the quarter of a million votes on the petition.

It may or may not be a stretch, or even related in the least bit, but you know it just as well as I do. If the US beats England on June 13th, and even gets past the group, the US 2018 bid becomes that much more legitimate. The same goes for if England win, the English media will ride that horse until it's dead, reaffirming English football superiority. The fact is that even if the match itself has nothing to do with hosting the finals, this summer's performance will be sitting in the back of Sepp Blatter's head.

It's great though that for something as big as the World Cup, there are still people who think the BCS championship game is fairer than the World Cup draw. Not saying it's rigged... but how can one match and one game mean this much?

Of course, it can only be this special if you want it to. Like a paranoid schizophrenic who finds hidden meaning in everything, this match won't just be a score line. I can't help but see all the small details building up to such a fantastic fixture. This draw is on it's way to being historical.

OH MY GOD

I am salivating, jittery, shaking, and about ready to poop my pants.

 

Can you believe this draw? I don't even know what to say, thank you oh magical World Cup.

I cannot wait until next summer. Your thoughts on the draw? Give me some time to recollect my brain and my chin from the floor, I'll be back with a better reflection of what this draw truly means.

Pots are set

Friday friday friday, the draw for the World Cup Finals will be going down. The seedings and draw pots have been set and decided.

The seedings were based off of the October rankings, and not the playoff matches. There is a bit of room for potential "Oh shit" groups, with France and Portugal missing out on seedings. I'll get back later this week with a look at what the final groups will be.

In the mean time, do you ever feel that the Irish are too often misunderstood? Studs up!
And American-abroad Danny Califf is coming home to Philly. Good signing for this startup team.

The Big Dance

The number and statistics obsessed guys at The Best Eleven put together this great visual. Here are your final 32 contenders, gents.

Take that you thieving talent stealers

German born Jermaine Jones, a former native of Chicago and Greenwood, Mississippi, has passed his citizenship change.

Now, there are many different ways to analyze this, but here at Backwards Pass, we choose to pursue the moral low ground. Germany and their the baby-stealing national team have always been noted for the mixed heritages of their players, in a rather controversial way. In the last Euro 2008, five players were foreign born, including:

Kevin Kurányi - Brazil
Miroslav Klose - Poland
Piotr Trochowski - Poland
Lukas Podolski - Poland
Oliver Neuville - Switzerland

They may not be as bad as Sven Goran Money Burns Holes in My Pants' singular efforts to deMexify the Mexican national team, but Germany's finest players, notably Klose and Podolski, made it an objective to play for Das Mudderland. If FIFA regulations had been different, then maybe Poland would have been runners up in the past two World Cups. Most likely not, but still the argument even existing serves the purpose.

Anyhow, JJ is a fine player. He's no Podolski, and thankfully not a Kuranyi, but he would be a no-brainer starter if he should wear the Red, White, and Bloo to South Africa. In fact, the picture I nabbed is from 6 months in the future. He got the tattoo on his arm after the USA knocked out Germany in double overtime to win their first ever World Cup.

YEEEEAAAAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!

Oh wait. That's Martin Tyler.

Well done ESPN, I won't have to gauge out my ears with forks. Thank you for the polite consideration.

Heartbreaking blow, dreams dashed

Breaking news is spreading like wildfire, Charlie Davies was just involved in a horrible car accident.

"U.S. national team forward Charlie Davies had several broken bones and a lacerated bladder after a one-vehicle accident Tuesday in which another person was killed.

Davies underwent several hours of surgery at Washington Hospital Center Medstar, where he was listed in serious but stable condition. The injuries make it unlikely Davis will play in next year's World Cup.

"The car was pretty much split in half," Schlosser said, according to The Washington Post.

Davies was airlifted to the hospital after the accident, where a team of doctors first repaired the ruptured bladder and then inserted titanium rods in both broken leg bones. A statement released by USSF said the procedure was performed "with no complications." (soccernet)

Both legs broken, facial fractures, lacerated bladder.

This is absolutely bad news for the USMNT that just qualified for the World Cup days ago. With one qualifier left, the bigger question is whether or not Davies will be fit next summer. With the World Cup set to start 8 months from now, the recovery and rehab involved for injuries this significant do not present a good situation for Davies. 

This is heartbreaking. Davies was a big part of the US shock in the Confed Cup, and he recently helped inject confidence into the national side, who could really use his talent and potential.

Godspeed and get well Charlie.

No shenanigans, they've set phasers to kill.

That's right. If you were planning on bringing flares, smoke bombs, or Millwall bricks to Johannesburg, you might want to repack your matchday satchel.

The new national police commissioner in the world's deadliest and most criminal country (50 murders a day) has revealed that he plans to meet any and all shenanigans with some serious brute force. South Africa will be the world's stage next summer, so it's no surprise that deputy security minister, Susan Shabangu, also supports the stronger arm of the law.

"I will not tolerate pathetic excuses"

"Aiming her words at police chiefs, she said of criminals: "You must kill the bastards if they threaten you or the community. You must not worry about the regulations - that is my responsibility. Your responsibility is to serve and protect.

"I want no warning shots. You have one shot and it must be a kill shot.

"Criminals are hell-bent on undermining the law and they must now be dealt with. End of story." DailyMail

It has brought up fears among some that it may bring back apartheid style policing, with the notoriously trigger happy law enforcers of the 50's and 60's. If you still plan on witnessing the World Cup in person, just be sure to be on your best behavior, and try to stay away from the cops and robbers.