Ballistic Backman

Let me make one thing clear on Cristiano Ronaldo: I think the world of his talent and few can match his power, speed, size and ability to score from any angle.  But the diving act blights what should be the best player on the game, which at acknowledge at the moment he is not.  Don't get me wrong, he gets beat up more than any player out there and at times, it doesn't take much to knock a guy down in full flight, but when you're ripped head to toe like he is - and doesn't mind showing the world - you shouldn't go down as readily as he does.  CR7 was mostly invisible yesterday, much like his Portugal team were as they desperately tried to avoid a loss to a far more dynamic Ivory Coast yesterday in a game that ended a scoreless draw.  The negative tactics are becoming a sad theme of the first stage of the World Cup, with North Korea also trying to avoid embarrassment to Brazil and finishing a respectable - on the scoreboard anyways - 2-1 losers to Brazil.  The early game yesterday saw New Zealand pull a shocking equalizer in the dying seconds to draw Slovakia.

Up today, Honduras and Chile were the early game and Chile were 1-0 winners in a mostly good game.  Spain finally get into the action at 10am when they face Switzerland.  I won't curse them by predicting they show their full form as clearly, an unwilling opponent with a questionable ball can conspire to kill a game.  Uruguay faces South Africa in their second group A matchup.

The suspension of the University of Waterloo football team for the entire season is interesting on a variety of levels. One, why is an entire team suspended if only a small segment were caught on the gas?  Two, I don't believe for a second only UW were using roids because I know guys that went to programs at Laurier and Mac over the years that have told me different, including themselves being among the users. Three, if Waterloo was the only school using, you can take away the "performance enhancing" idea, no?

Bud Selig and the powers that be in baseball must just soil themselves when it is interleague play and it starts raining.

Roy Halladay got a reminder last night of what it is like to face a top offence and not the lightweights of the National League. 3 homers given up, tying a career worst. Welcome back to Yankee Stadium, Leroy. The Yanks pounded Philly 8-3 in a World Series rematch.

Thru yesterday's play, there were only 23 goals scored in first 14 World Cup games, the lowest by far of any 32-team World Cup.  At the more ideal end, the last three after 14 games saw 34 goals in 1998, 39 in 2002, and 31 in 2006.  Funny thing is that most soccer fans I've talked to can admit when it has been less than stellar, unlike fans in other sports that take it as an attack on their family when someone suggests their game is shit at the times.  I'm looking at you, Hockey Fan.

But, to make up for things, I present to you porn stars body painted in World Cup colours.  There, feel better?

That not good enough?  Okay, how about a guide to naked WAG's?  For the life of me, I can't figure how Shaun Wright-Phillips, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Peter Crouch pull that kind of talent.

The vuvuzela is on Twitter.  People come up with some funny stuff.  Check this out.

Your Culturally Insensitive World Cup Goal Roundup For June 15th.  Cannot help but laugh.

Former MLBer Wally Backman is now managing in the minor leagues and was recently mic'd up for a game. Well, he was thrown out of a game and unloaded a terrific rant. Definitely have your headphones plugged in if at the office for this.  Warning: THIS.  IS.  AWESOME.