Blog

(July 12, 2011)

By Randy Gardner

There are several things in life that I enjoy, most of all of course, is my family, but above and beyond that soccer is a true passion of mine. Like most North Countians I grew up around the game and played it through high school and college and absolutely loved the game itself.

On Sunday when the USA Women’s team beat Brazil, I loved it once again. I did not get a chance to see the game live but had to watch it on tape delay a day later but the victory was just as sweet. I heard about the miraculous win as I sat judging the Ms. Senior Missouri Pageant Sunday and couldn’t wait to see the game itself.

Most of the time as you hear the score of a game, all is spoiled but not with this. I sat and watched in anticipation of every scoring attempt and every hard foul.

The game lived up to every word that was spoken of it.

From most people in the soccer world, they will say that the United States, whether it is the men or women team will always get the short end of the stick, meaning bad foul calls and the lack of the judgment call.

That was so evident in this game it was sickening. The refereeing was horrible as an American defender was tossed with a Red Card on a play that wasn’t really even a foul in my mind. Then the Brazilians were handed a penalty kick that they missed but were given a second chance as they said that Hope Solo, the American goalkeeper moved early. Of course, the Brazilians scored to tie it up.

What was so sweet about the victory was what I talk about all of the time and that is Karma. One of the Brazilian ladies faked an injury late in the game and was carried off on a stretcher wasting several minutes of playing time.

The time was added onto the end of the game and that time was when Amy Wainbaich scored on an amazing header to tie the game at 2 and send it to penalty kicks where the U.S. won. It was sweet payback as even the fans in Germany were chanting for the Americans after the disgusting display of unsportsmanship from the Brazilians.

By the time you read this, the U.S. will have played the semifinal game against France, so this all might be a moot point if they lost but what a stepping stone for soccer in the U.S. if they are on their way to the finals of the World Cup.

Home Run Derby: One of the coolest things about Baseball and summer is the All Star break and the home run derby. On  Matt Holliday stepped up to the plate for the Cardinals and the National league in the Derby but fell short of making the second round. Even if you don’t like baseball, you have to love the exhibition of power that these professionals put on.

The torque at which they can swing a bat is amazing. All I can say to the youngsters out there is to keep practicing it could one day be you at the plate. As you say, the winner of the Derby was a young man who’s father pitched to him that night, and for most of his young life.

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