What did England and Brazil have in common tonight?

What did England and Brazil have in common tonight?

Both sent their star-studded, astronomically-paid, highly-hyped national football teams to play on home soil, in their largest cities, against opposition that, while having good campaigns, is a bit substandard on a name-by-name basis. e.g. most players in the opposition first-choice 11 are either in lower-ranking leagues, or are reserves in average teams of top leagues.

Still, both were thoroughly outplayed, as:
- their hapless, seemingly lost coaches made blunders out of team selections (Carson? SWP? Mineiro? Gilberto?) and substitutions (Bent for Joe Cole? Josue for Ronaldinho?);
- their central midfielders were unable to exchange the simplest of passes;
- their forwards could not connect and resorted to individual glimpses that were most of the times simple to contain;
- their defense, missing first-choice starters, was wreaked havoc upon by previously unknown players who dribbled around in Ballon D'Or exhibitions (Luka Modric in Wembley and Cristian Rodríguez at the Morumbi);
- the opposition taught a lesson of teamwork over the disorganized bunches of big names.

The differences?

For England, it was an all-or-nothing match, and now they're out of the Euro, while Brazil's match against Uruguay was still at a fifth of the campaign.

And Brazil actually won its game - though, seriously, I repeat, outplayed - thanks to three things England missed:
- an excellent keeper playing at his best (Julio Cesar);
- a top-notch, classy, flawless defender (Juan);
- and a centre-forward who was not only willing and able, but also lucky (Luis Fabiano).

Urubu voar de costas

Não precisa gostar dele, nem ser pró-Lula, pra gostar desta entrevista genial do Paulo Henrique Amorim na Caros Amigos.

Eu sempre votei PSDB e acho que vou continuar votando, mas, PHA, você é dez.

http://conversa-afiada.ig.com.br/materias/465001-465500/465343/465343_1.html

Soros, Orwell, Rove...

Excellent discussion on political discourse and advertisement, and on manipulation of truth.

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/george_soros/2007/11/from_popper_to_rove_and_back.html

What I'm listening to

This is definitely a year of female singers for me. Marisa Monte, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and now Maria Rita.


Soon I'll be compiling my yearly lists of favorites, as in the previous years. But`it'll probably be no surprises.