BEEN watching some of the euro predictions here on tv here in the people's republic of canuckistan. germany seems to be the choice. your story of navratilova reminded me of the 1968 hockey game between czechoslavkia and the soviet union. can't recall if it was the olympics or world championships, but i think the latter. czechs won and i can remember being very pleased. as an aside, navratilova is, to me, of those rare elite athletes who seems thoughtful and engaged with the world in ways outside sports. one of my faves.....

i didn't realize you'd helped her. nice to know that perception was reality. also, felt the same way about arthur ashe and a few others. always seemed to be one of those--again in my mind at least--rare elite athletes who thought about things and realized there were some things more important than winning or losing a sporting event. perspective and all that. i remember reading a quote from an athlete at the university of western ontario up here in the 70s after his team lost a championship basketball game. he said, 'i'm disappointed we lost, but if this is the worst thing that ever happens to me, i'm a very lucky guy.'

Casey Stengel used to say that about baseball.
I feel that way about soccer/football because I am still in the novice learning phrase, not having grown up with it. so some things still amaze.
I've been visiting family today, caught a glimpse of Russia-Czech first half. What did I miss? GV

I'd sound foolish if I tried to fake any passion for or knowledge of soccer and/or Euro 2012, but I keep an open enough mind to read about it here and there.
And I'm glad about that because in doing so I stumbled into a wonderful little aside about Martina Navaratilova! Loved it.

Bruce, you left one out, you moddst Canadian, you.
The Russian anthem is touching. I think they scuttled it when the USSR went down, but revived the music with different words.
I love the pre-game ritual at international matches -- some anthems you never heard before, like tonight with the Antigua anthem.
GV

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Chris, I don't think I've seen you since I was the token Yank at the Canadian dinner before the final. GV

george, not modesty. just think it's pretty ordinary. heard one lush version years ago that i thought was ok. mieko really liked canada's. they changed the words about 30 years ago (maybe 30 years) ago. didn't like the inclusion of 'god keep us free'. if we're free god isn't going to have anything to do with it. didn't care much about the holocaust etc etc, not sure why he/she/it would be particularly worried about keeping canada free.....the anthem is classic canadian too. the original was written in french by a french canadian. english translation came much later. words' meaning are completely different in each language. of course, they used to boo the french version in toronto during leaf games. dumb. finally, when i was a kid at greensville elementary school we used to sing 'god save the queen'. thought that odd even when i was young. odder was reading from the bible at a public school. be nice to be rid of that foreign monarchy.....

what about worst jerseys in the world? right now it's those silly striped jerseys the US is pushing. It's all about selling something new. Candystriper players?
GV

John, one of my soccer mates told me Saturday that they have darkened the numbers on the foolish US jerseys, so the fans (and tv commntators, etc) can see them. A novel concept that Nike did not seem to understand -- visibility. But as long as they can get consumers to consume, that is the point.
GV

george, i thought the comments were mostly positive about the candystripers. there were some uncomplimentary comments about canada's jerseys during the soccer game vs the states. predominantly blue wasn't popular with many. red and white is traditional, i guess.
brian--not sure i want to listen to too many national anthems. just watched the russian one after sharapova's french open win. a foretaste of eternity tho i like listening to it. kimigayo (japanese is short) and the words are interesting.

brian,

looks like the dutch went alright.

have been my favourite team to watch since the 1974&78 teams. was very disappointed in their approach in the world cup final two years ago. thuggery supreme. thought they'd drafted hockey players and suited them up. talented team that, i guess, thought they couldn't beat the spanish any other way. i was gobsmacked at their alleged tactics.....

Ed, thanks for noticing. When listening to most theology discussions, I used to daydream about something (often futbol).
But not the other way around.
GV

Even playing halfway around the world in New Jersey Leo Messi managed to upstage Cristiano Ronaldo on saturday. Three goals against Brazil, while Boateng and Co. made it very hard for Ronnie to do much of anything. No question in my mind who is the best player in the world. I like Ronaldo, but in my book he's not even number 2(that would be Andres Iniesta...).