Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Scolari's Heroĩs
Portuguese midfielder Raul Meireles (2ndL) scores during their Euro 2008 Championships Group A football match at Geneva stadium in Geneva, Switzerland. Portugal won 2-0. (AFP/Pierre-Philippe Marcou)
Portugal won their group HANDILY - posting 2-0 and 3-1 victories in their first two games. On their third game, having already qualified for the quarter-finals, Portugal's perennial coach (Luis Felipe Scolari) decided to rest ALL of his BEST elements - and so, it was "team B" that took the field against one of the two host countries: Switzerland. Portugal basically let the host get at least ONE win in the tournament - saving face a bit because, to see a host who is completely shut-out in his own backyard, well, there's nothing quite as humiliating, eh?
What a kind, generous and well-mannered gracious guest Portugal is!
I remember though, upon hearing of this and seeing the final result (a 2-0 loss) I could not hold back a luminous sigh and complaint combo that was phrased like this:
"what will be Portugal's reward for being so gracious? They let the host win - and now, from that point onward, who will bow out of their way so that they can fulfill their destiny as Futebol's Number One Nation?"
I suspected the answer would be "nobody" - and indeed it was.
The very next game, led by their youthful captain Cristiano Ronaldo (the renowned best player in the game today) and all of their elite squad, Portugal fell just short of the goal - dropping a 3-2 decision to Germany in what was not to be the most stunning upset of all this time around (it was dwarfed in comparison by the Netherlands' loss to upstart Russia - but still isn't as mind-boggling as the 2004 huge upset when Greece stole one from Portugal!)
And, just like that, Portugal's march towards a championship and international confirmation of what they truly are (the world's foremost experts and leaders in Futebol) was halted - yet again.
Turkey, a country Portugal handled with ease, made it to the semi-finals instead (no surprise there; Portugal had easily defeated Greece in their first match in 2004 too - and then were still upset in the Final.)
Verily, once again, I'm the ideaman with the best solutions to all of these injustices: and the way to circumvent at least part of these revolting turns of events would be to make the quarter-finals a true TOURNAMENT too, just like the qualifying rounds - there's an elite eight left? Split them into two groups of four then - everybody plays three games, not just a do-or-die game, and the best two from each side form the FINAL FOUR. Even there, you could have the SAME FORMAT - three more games, and the BEST TWO ARE IN THE FINAL. And THEN, AND ONLY THEN, is the Final a "do-or-die game" - with the loser getting the equivalent of a silver medal, at least! Follow the Olympic model all the way or NOT AT ALL, dammit!
I am sure that, this way, Portugal would win it all more often than not!
The pressure of a "do-or-die game" is not good for a nation that has so much riding in these games and types of events.
And as for Cristiano, Açoreano as he is - I'm convinced that he suffers from the exact same thing that Luciano has suffered from, intermittently, over all these years - something that prevents him from getting over the hump and lead his nation to victory, like a Diego Maradona did for his beloved Argentina, for example...
Labels: Força Portugal, Futebol, Portugal
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Keanu Reeves
Yup - THAT K.R. guy...
I never thought I'd get to the point where I'd willingly recognize an admirable rebellious/righteous streak in this guy - but I do and I have to give credit where credit is due!
First and foremost, he is the only actor who, once he's sold out and done "crap" - will immediately turn around and sign on to do the BETTER VERSION OF THE COMMERCIAL CRAP HE'S JUST DONE...
And he's done that REPEATEDLY TOO:
After The Matrix, he did the immensely-more believable CONSTANTINE.
After Speed, he did the immensely-superior CHAIN REACTION.
After Bram Stoker's Dracula, he did THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE.
After Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, he did Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey!
Plus: he stood by the plain jane he got involved with when she became pregnant and mourned her intensely when she died in a car accident. The mere fact that he loved a simple woman and did not get involved in a carnal affair devoid of true sentiment with just any Hollywood tart speaks volumes as well...
Really, Keanu is a good guy.
I leave it to you, the reader, to search for pics online - and to find out more on his evenly balanced-out filmography, on www.imdb.com - where else!
