Tuesday, July 8, 2014

World Cup Finals

In the semi-final soccer match today, Germany humiliated the number one seed and the host country, Brazil.  The score 7 to 1. Their Government, probably thinking Brazil will go to the “Final”, invited leaders from many countries to watch the finals.  Now that Brazil will not be in the finals, what the Brazilian Government may do?
 
Cancel the invitations? Or
 
Cancel the final itself?
 
There have been incidents in the past where the organizers have cancelled the finals.  Here is one I came to know off.
 
In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a school in Delhi called American School.  It is for teaching the American kids living in Delhi.  They used to have a basket ball tournament every year.  It was called Lincoln Memorial Basketball Tournament.
 
A few local school teams and many men’s team would participate.  Indian men’s average height was around 5’8”.  American school kids average height was around 6’2”.  American school kids would win the tournament every year.  They will keep the trophy to themselves.
 
One year, by luck (or unlucky for American kids) American School was defeated by a local team in the semi-finals and did not go to the finals.  Do you know what the American School administration did?
 
They cancelled the finals.  Gave no reasons.  And, they cancelled the tournament also from the subsequent year.
 
Don’t worry.  The World Cup Final will not be cancelled.  It is not organized by the Brazilian Government. It is organized by the FIFA (International Federation of Association Football).

27 comments:

  1. The news about the American school is news to me! How mean minded! They were scared to lose the match to the locals again and again in the future, I think!

    Than god, FIFA is conducting the match now.

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  2. Deutschland! Go Deutschland!!

    Anybody but Brazil is my motto.
    Their arrogance plus home field advantage made them think they were invincible.
    But Deutschland gave them a beatdown as if Brazil owed them some money or something.
    Brazil got absolutely worked for 90 minutes like a cheap $20 stripper. Multiple guys kept "scoring" on them repeatedly.
    Yes sir, this wasn't just any old beatdown. This was a James Caan, Godfather movie, garbage can beatdown.

    I expected to see a gunfight today but Brazil showed up wielding a spoon...and then they got served.
    Did Brazil even field a team of 11 players out there today? I saw 11 uniforms but that could've been 11 stadium janitors out there based on the way they played.
    Pathetic Performance from a highly overrated team.

    Deutschland! Go Deutschland!!
    And they said that European teams have absolutely no shot in South America.

    Regards,
    All of Berlin, Stuttgart, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and all points Germany!

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  3. Thanks for your comments Sandhya. Yes they were mean minded.

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  4. Thanks for your comments Berlin, Stuttgart, etc. There is a term called “War Rape”. The occupying power (in a battle) is kind of allowed to rape and destroy properties. This is your time to enjoy. But don’t over do it. You still have to face one more match.

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  5. cancelling the finals, just because you are not there..is not sports..

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  6. Thanks for your comments Renu. I agree with you. That's what they did in the 60s and/or 70s in Delhi.

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  7. I wonder how the home crowd will behave. I mean, without viewers, it will be a dead / silent match. But then, they still have TV audience to woo.
    P.S- Are you really interested in the game?

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  8. Gosh! Calling off the finals and that too in a school!! Unbelievable! Now I know what they must be teaching to the students!!

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  9. Even if Brazil had organized the event I am sure they wouldn't have cancelled the finals.

    Pretty childish, the American school thing. Weren't they aware of something called match-fixing? :P

    Destination Infinity

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  10. Home crowd may not view the finals. Lot of Germans have gone there to witness the finals. They make money from the TV revenue. Yes, I am interested in the game.

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  11. Thanks for your comments Shilpa. Yes, that was disgusting.

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  12. Thanks for your comments Rajesh. I know Brazil will not cancel the finals. That was a tongue-in-cheek remark.

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  13. That is so un-sportsmanly , but the two semi-finals were at extreme ends of the spectrum, in the end the better team won.

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  14. Thanks for your comments Reshma. You are right. Unsportsmanlike conduct.

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  15. That was an anecdote about the American school that i did not know. Thanks for sharing. But the calling of the finals clearly shows their attitude of one- upmanship. Sad for their unsporty spirit.

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  16. The Cup will not be canceled, but Brazilians vandals have burning bus because they are revolted, do you believe? -.-

    I hope to say goodbye Dilma and goodbye Felipão!

    And what happened with that school was terrible. If it's a game, someone have to lose!

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  17. Ohhh! Is that school still running???? If a school cannot teach how to accept failure, it cannot survive too!

    Thanks for letting us know that something like this may happen!

    Regards,
    Sindhu
    Tantu
    The Arts & Me

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  18. Thanks for your comments Asha. You are right. Unsportsmanlike conduct.

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  19. Thanks for your comments Camila. Burning buses as a revolt is very common in India also.

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  20. Thanks for your comments Sindhu. I think that school is still there in New Delhi.

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  21. I didn't know about the American school canceling the finals. That was horrible.
    Fans are pretty disappointed that Brazil is no more in the finals.

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  22. Thanks for your comments Ash. It is true. The American School in New Delhi cancelled the finals. Also, they cancelled the whole tournament from the next year.

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  23. The Universal police make others dance with their whims and fancies.
    The phrase 'sportsman spirit' is loosing its lustre due to in-fight.

    Really an interesting read.

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  24. Thanks for your comments Sarala. You are absolutely right.

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  25. recently pele met harbhajan singh and spent a hour with him and shared some light moments with him....why did he give so much importance to harbhajan? (google harbhajan meets pele)cricket is not played in whole south america let alone brazil!!!...becoz thats the respect one sportsperson shows to another sportsperson...schumacher dsnt know what cricket is then why does he gives so much imp to tendulkar?..when a legend of another sport comes to see ur game...even gets a standing ovation from whole audience...represents the same brand that u reprsent and even asked once to share screen space with him...all ur fellow players know him...hold him in high regard...u r also expected to know him.dont u agree??

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  26. brand nname was canon..in 2011 after wimbeldon sachin was invited for royal dinner..federer and sharapova also attended the dinner!!!...sachin saw the match of federe from royal box..in the same tounament maria participated and lost final.maria sharapova was supposed to play a exhibition match with sachin for sunfeast open..in 2007 she pulled out last moment and didnt partcipate sunfeast open but her best frien maria klv played alongside sachin..won sunfeast open.the bitch is either lying or suffering from memory loss or simply got no real respect for other sportspersons and legends.tiger wood said he was thrilled to meet sachin...even ronaldo who dsnt what cricket is..knows sachin...browse net to ascertain facts..

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  27. Thanks for your comments Sandeep. The hell with all the athletes. They all play for MONEY. Tell me one person who played for the country for no money (except Ramanathan Krishnan of India). Nowadays, even if you reach the quarter final in Wimbledon you are assured of millions of dollars. Krishnan reached Semi Finals 2 times in Wimbledon. He was ranked 6th in the world. He got ZERO money. Just the name he represented India. Make Tendulkar play just one match for India for no money.

    How many Indian cricket players know who Joe Montana is. Arguably, the greatest living athlete...of course, within USA and Canada.

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