Expect that all to change in the coming games. Despite the impression that everyone's on level terms, slight gaps have, indeed, opened. The teams that have the advantage will look to either defend it or extend it — everyone else will be chasing. Expect more goals and more excitement starting today.
The vuvuzelas have been one of two major off-field subjects (Jubulani ball being the other). The cultural implications still deserve discussion, but on balance these, too, have to be considered detrimental to the proceedings—both for the players (who, it seems, really can't hear above the din) and to the viewers (who, according to a Headers & Footnotes survey, just find it incredibly annoying). It's tempting to argue that the horn blowing betrays a lack of sophistication among its proponents and practitioners. The constant droning fails to register any change in the game—positive or negative—a trait that is the hallmark of some of the best spectator traditions (think a spontaneous, collective cheer for a great move or, more cruelly, chants of "olé" at each subsequent pass made around an overmatched team).
Football can be appreciated as a nuanced game, and, one argument goes, all those nuances are being flattened by the vuvuzelas' white noise. But it is also a passionate game (see: flares, hooligans, songs, etc.), and South African supporters have every right to vent their id how they see fit.
So instead, I'll just say that it's their arguments in favor of the horns that lacks sophistication. In story after story, the vuvuzela has been linked to indigenous tribal horns. Forgetting the fact that mass producing cheap, plastic horns is a dubious way of honoring genuine tradition, there are plenty of other holes in this argument. Presumably, the horns historically were used in isolation, no doubt creating a beautiful sound to resonate across the plains. En masse, these things retain none of that cultural significance.
One major historical lessons for the western world from late-20th century conflagrations in Rwanda and elsewhere is that westerners too often assumed all contiguous African tribes were the same. Fighting between Hutus and Tootsies, among other things, has gone a long way toward demonstrating how wrong and close-minded that assumption was. Nonetheless, arguments in support of the vuvuzelas draw on that very same fallacy by positioning the vuvuzela as an historical symbol for all South Africans. If divorced from issues of football, that suggestion could be considered borderline insulting in today's world. South Africa, after all, is a country of 11 official languages.
A last word on the horns: I expect (and hope) that some foreign contingencies, who we've been told have adopted the "instrument," will self-organize and, at the very least add some intentional rhythm to the incessant buzzing.
Ok, here's where we are in Groups A through D:
Group A
Siphiwe Tshabalala's smashing goal provided a Hollywood-worthy feel-good moment to open the tournament, one of the few moments so far truly worthy of all that horn blowing. It was also one of the few moments that ol' Jubulani behaved as a soccer ball should. But, as much as I'd like to see them through, I think they will be overwhelmed in later games. I expect Mexico to right the ship and give a diffident French team the beating they deserve. And I think that Uruguay will have a chance to sneak through behind striker Diego Forlan.
Group B
South Korea tops group favorite on goal differential, but expect Argentina to surge. Greece looked abysmal in their opening game; and Nigeria holding Argentina to one goal flatters the African side. I expect Argentina and South Korea to top the group.
UPDATE: Messi, clearly frustrated by the fact that 'keepers are preemptively diving to the most inconceivable corners of the net in order to meet his inconceivably brilliant shots, turns his attention to setting up goals instead. I'm pretty sure he called "bank" before knocking the ball off the left post, around the 'keeper and right to the feet of goal-machine Gonzalo Higuain for the simple tap-in — there is nothing this guy can't do. That goal was the second of three for Higuain, as Argentina rolls 4-1 and is all but through to the Round of 16.
Group C
In a tournament thus far marked by parity, we've resolved very little in the group that, at least on paper, looked the least evenly matched at the outset. Favorites England and, yes, the United States drew, and Slovenia eked out a less than convincing win against Algeria. Slovenia will be pleased with its perch atop the group, but it's all to play for over the next two games.
England will have to overcome their own ego and self-doubt—and all the confusion that paradox implies—to get a result against Algeria. The United States, to their credit, are confidently assuming the mantle of favorites and owning up to their must-win responsibility. I'll check back in tonight with a preview on this game.
Group D
The Group of Death moniker was quickly bestowed on Group G, but for my money, Group D looked like the most competitive top to bottom. In 2006, Germany, with a depleted squad, did as they always do: they won. And in that same tournament, Australia narrowly lost out to winners Italy in the Round of 16 on a suspect penalty. Ghana is loaded with European talent and, with Ivory Coast, represents one of Africa's two strongest squads, even missing influential midfielder Michael Essien. And Serbia, reflecting the modern influx of "eastern" workers to western Europe, has been supplying some of the biggest clubs in Europe with genuine talent.
Those facts made the results all the more surprising. Of all teams, it was Germany, which I expected to be characteristically deliberate, that gave this World Cup its first shot of adrenaline with a confident 4-0 win over Australia. And Ghana has the African continent's loan win.
Groups E through H to follow later today, as well as predictions for the US/Slovenia match.
Ok, here's where we are in Groups A through D:
Group A
Siphiwe Tshabalala's smashing goal provided a Hollywood-worthy feel-good moment to open the tournament, one of the few moments so far truly worthy of all that horn blowing. It was also one of the few moments that ol' Jubulani behaved as a soccer ball should. But, as much as I'd like to see them through, I think they will be overwhelmed in later games. I expect Mexico to right the ship and give a diffident French team the beating they deserve. And I think that Uruguay will have a chance to sneak through behind striker Diego Forlan.
Group B
South Korea tops group favorite on goal differential, but expect Argentina to surge. Greece looked abysmal in their opening game; and Nigeria holding Argentina to one goal flatters the African side. I expect Argentina and South Korea to top the group.
UPDATE: Messi, clearly frustrated by the fact that 'keepers are preemptively diving to the most inconceivable corners of the net in order to meet his inconceivably brilliant shots, turns his attention to setting up goals instead. I'm pretty sure he called "bank" before knocking the ball off the left post, around the 'keeper and right to the feet of goal-machine Gonzalo Higuain for the simple tap-in — there is nothing this guy can't do. That goal was the second of three for Higuain, as Argentina rolls 4-1 and is all but through to the Round of 16.
Group C
In a tournament thus far marked by parity, we've resolved very little in the group that, at least on paper, looked the least evenly matched at the outset. Favorites England and, yes, the United States drew, and Slovenia eked out a less than convincing win against Algeria. Slovenia will be pleased with its perch atop the group, but it's all to play for over the next two games.
England will have to overcome their own ego and self-doubt—and all the confusion that paradox implies—to get a result against Algeria. The United States, to their credit, are confidently assuming the mantle of favorites and owning up to their must-win responsibility. I'll check back in tonight with a preview on this game.
Group D
The Group of Death moniker was quickly bestowed on Group G, but for my money, Group D looked like the most competitive top to bottom. In 2006, Germany, with a depleted squad, did as they always do: they won. And in that same tournament, Australia narrowly lost out to winners Italy in the Round of 16 on a suspect penalty. Ghana is loaded with European talent and, with Ivory Coast, represents one of Africa's two strongest squads, even missing influential midfielder Michael Essien. And Serbia, reflecting the modern influx of "eastern" workers to western Europe, has been supplying some of the biggest clubs in Europe with genuine talent.
Those facts made the results all the more surprising. Of all teams, it was Germany, which I expected to be characteristically deliberate, that gave this World Cup its first shot of adrenaline with a confident 4-0 win over Australia. And Ghana has the African continent's loan win.
Groups E through H to follow later today, as well as predictions for the US/Slovenia match.
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