Thoughts On A Tuesday

Damn, what a weekend, World Cup Qualifiers won by both the USA over Honduras, and Argentina over Peru. I didn't get to see either game, as I just had one of those weekends from hell.

First, on Saturday morning I took my car in to the shop... nothing serious, just had to get the belts on the engines replaced as they were squeaking loud enough to hear from the driver's seat with the windows up (and the radio off.) Not a big deal, should have only taken half an hour once they got it in, right? Wrong. There's a brace on the bottom that had to be taken off to get them off, and the bolt that held it had rusted through, and the brace it's self had started to bend.

So, 3 1/2 hours later, I finally get out of the shop, and head home to do the week's laundry and take a nap. I got one load in, and my nap, when I got a call from a friend who's been with out a car for some time calls. Where normally I see him 3-4 times a week, it's now only when I can go and pick him up... which has boiled down to once a week. So, I throw the washing that was in the washer in the dryer, load up the washer, and go pick him up.

Long story short, it meant I didn't finish up my laundry until the next day, so I've had little or no time to post my thoughts on the weekend's results, and a few other stray thoughts. Well, better late than never, right?

First up, USSF President Sunil 'Kumar' Gulati opened his mouth and made the proclamation that the USA team could win the World Cup in South Africa next year. He based this on the fact that during the Confederation's Cup they beat Spain, as well as having led Brazil 2-0 at half time during that tournament's final. Sunil, did you miss the fact that your team barely made it out of the first round?

As it was, the USA barely managed to beat Honduras 3-2 over the weekend. Granted, the game was in Honduras, but to even remotely be considered a true contender to win the World Cup, they should be sweeping aside teams of Honduras' quality with ease.

On the same day, a team that should be knocking off such teams, Argentina, also barely came away with a win over such a team, Peru. For we Lepra, we can take pride in the fact that Schiavi played the full 90 in this game, but how does one take pride as a fan of the Albicelestes when they only beat Peru by a 2-1 scoreline, a game barely won when Martin Palermo (Boca Juniors) score a game during second half injury time that could have been called back on for offsides?

With the USA, the win qualified them directly for next year's World Cup, so there is some reason for celebration in the victory. For Argentina, not so much. The win put them into 4th place in the South American qualifying table, but they could still end up dropping back out of the picture entirely should they lose to Uruguay, and Ecuador wins against Chile this Wednesday.

Yes, the goal by Palermo stood. Maradona was so happy he took a belly slide on the rain drenched pitch in celebration. But, looking back at the win the day before the final qualifying game? All I can see the win over Peru as is a sigh of relief that Diego's team isn't eliminated already... and hope that they can pull together tomorrow and take their fate into their own hands (or should I say feet?) and actually take Uruguay to task.

If they don't, we may just see something that we haven't seen sense 1970. A World Cup with out Argentina.

Meanwhile, the news that Charlie Davies (USMNT & Sochaux in France) is in hospital due to a 3 AM car accident just outside of Washington DC has rocked USA fans. There were 4 people in the vehicle when the driver (not Davies from all reports) lost control, and the vehicle was described as having been torn in half. A 22 year old woman in the car died, and two others are in serious condition. No specifics on Davies' injuries have been made available, but he was in surgery for three hours.

While I wish him a speedy recovery, and pray his injuries will not effect his career, I'm also a little pissed off about this. Nothing has been said, but my guts tells me this was an accident that could have been avoided. I've a suspicion that young Mr Davies was out partying with friends, and whomever was behind the wheel had a little too much drink for any of them to be on the road. This is, of course, just speculation, but why else would four young 20somethings be out on the road at such an ungodly hour?

A final note, I've created a page on Facebook for Newell's fans through out the world. Any Newell's fans interested in join up, log into your Facebook account and search for "Lepers In Strange Lands - Worldwide Fans of Newell's Old Boys." While the page name does lend it's name from this blog, it's intent is as a gathering place for Lepra through out the world. I've placed two links in the description of the group, one to this blog, and one to Jeremy's over at offside.com. I encourage anyone else with a Newell's related blog to introduce yourselves and post a link to your blog there, no matter what language it's in. No SINAS need apply.