Let's talk about the World Cup

My background on the game where all you do is run around and kick a ball into a goal:

I grew up playing soccer along with other sports because I loved to sweat and run off anxiety.

My mother likes to tell this story. I was around eight years old and Rick was my coach. My mother came to pick me up after practice and said, "Joe, it's time to go home." I said to hear in a bout of confusion, "But we haven't started practice yet!" In all actuality, Rick had just thrown out a couple balls and let us all have it for practice. Boy, did he pull the wool over my eyes! I enjoyed playing because I was left-footed and could fly around that left flank and score a goal or two. It happened a few times!

Soccer began to conflict with baseball so my ability for soccer were fleeing and I enjoyed baseball more so it won the right for me to attempt the next twelve years of my life. The lack of playing the fit game closed my mind and heart for a large portion of my childhood.

Not until living beside a soccer brute in college, did I realize that this game is strategic and takes the most athletics athletes to play it at a top level.

Enter World Cup 2006. Fresh out of college and without a job, I was fortunate enough to watch most of the matches in the cool basement of my house. I printed off standings for the pods and followed every shot. The final was a spectacle for the ages and a head butt towards the end of the game sealed the victory for Italy over France.

2010 has the make-up to be quite the tournament.

A brief look at the round robin round. Try saying that eight times very fast!

6-11 The first match pits host South Africa with Mexico. South Africa will get to enjoy the tournament for its three games and then sit back and relax to watch the elite battle it out.

6-12 Big day aside for me (Trust me, it will not be put aside anywhere), the USA will travel to Royal Bafokeng to take on the Englishmen. This game could hold a lot of chips for my hometown squadron because confidence is a fickle thing in sport and taking out the boys from across the pond could leap frog Donovan's gang into a top four finish this year.

6-17 Mexico and France. I only put this one here because the resort may be out of service while this match is being played.

6-18 Germany and Serbia. Two top 15 teams battle in Port Elizabeth

6-22 This will definitely not be a slow Tuesday as Greece takes to the pitch against Argentina and Uruguay finishes the round with Mexico. Never too much Mexico I say as Mexico hopes to avoid being eliminated in this game. Greece is still feeling its way around the ranking table, but has come on strong in the last couple of years. The Argentinians know there way around the first place trophy as they took the crown in 1986.

6-25 A preview of the final game will pit Brazil and Portugal together for this late afternoon start in Durban. Renaldo vs. the team that has five titles under their belts since 1958. When I think of the top in soccer, it starts and ends with Brazil. Can the Portuguese withstand the pressure of a high ranking going into the tournament?

Sit back and relax!

Biggest lead of the year

The Reds on May 27th, 2010 are enjoying their biggest first place lead of the year: one game. I know what you're thinking Leo, it's early. And you're right, it is early....but it also feels really good to know that the team is seven games over .500 and cruising right along.

Injuries are starting to pop up: a sore shoulder here, a stiff neck there, a sore toe in the 'pen. That is what happens during the course of the season. The team just needs to avoid the big injuries that keep a guy out for extended time or the rest of the season all together.

As for me, the count is getting closer to single digits every day. I have ten more days to work, only one more Monday to work, and I could not be more excited!

The lake water temperature has risen almost ten degrees in the last few days thanks to some high 80 degree weather. Monday should be a great time to soak it up.

My pick for Indy: Will Power will overtake Rahal in the late stages to score the big win and drink the victory milk.

My pick for Charlotte: Matt Kenseth will outlast them all in the endurance race

Ending at the Barrel

Today marked the end of an era. For three years, I met every Thursday/Wednesday morning for a study/small group time. We read through various scriptures, devotional books, Backside books, and other studies. The fellowship was second to none and the friendship will be remembered for a long time.

With every ending they say, a new beginning blossoms. As I reflect on the sad moments of ending the group, I smile upon the growth and fun that the group has enjoyed for the last three years.