World Cup. More World Cup

We are getting closer! Closer to the beginning of the greatest tournament in the world of sports. Just sixteen days and then the best national teams in all of soccer will go head to head in Germany for the World Cup.

32 teams. 64 games to determine the World Cup champions. I've got the DVR in the shop getting fitted with a turbo booster and extra memory, and the reinforced buttons on the remote control. I'm going to record every match possible and watch soccer until my eyes bleed.

I'm already on record with the obligatory patriotic statement that I'm cheering for Team USA first and foremost. Should a miracle occur and the team suddenly conflagrates into a side of Rocky-like underdog overachievers (on 2nd thought, I probably shouldn't use Rocky as a metaphor, since he lost to Apollo Creed in the 1st movie; oh well, that's what you get on a free blog) I will cheer them against all-comers.

However, in the more likely event that they fail to make it out of group stage, I will be rooting for everyone's favorite overdog, Brazil. I fell in love with soccer during Brazil's victory over Germany in the 2002 WC. Their creative flair with the ball is like a form of dancing, and not ballroom dancing, Samba! Brazil's biggest challenge is that they are so good, they're ripe for an upset.

Why is Brazil so good? I found an interesting article over at the BBC football page. One of the most interesting points in the article is how creativity is encouraged in the Brazilian system by not forcing players to play specific positions at a young age.

More Arsenal news. My favorite midfielder, Robert Pires, is gone; off to Villareal, where that team appreciates men of a certain age. Arsene Wenger would not bend his policy of only offering 1-year contracts to players over the age of 30, and the 33-year old winger found the Spanish side willing to give him a 2-year lease on the sporting life.

I'm sorry to see lanky Frenchmen go (especially with all the #7 jerseys I own! Looks like I'm going to need to buy some Ljungberg strips). He was an exceptional midfield player for the Gunners - 2002 Footballer of the Year, he owned the EPL scoring record for midfielders until this year, and sealed some incredible victories for the Gunners. But you could see the writing on the wall. He had gone from 1st team player to part-time starter this season. My favorite moment from this season was the out-of-his-socks tackle and strip on Patrick Vieira in the Juventus game that led to a crucial score and helped Arsenal advance past the Italian giants (although they may have been helped by the lack of an Italian referee in that game, eh?!)

You lose some, you win some. This week Arsenal added Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky from Borussia Dortmund. I've never seen this kid play, but the word is that he will be Arsenal's replacement for the Dutch Master Dennis Bergkamp. No pressure, Tomas!

Franklin Foer (How Soccer Explains the World) writes in Time about his painful choice between Arsenal and Barcelona for the Champions League final. Foer is a Barca fan and rooted for the wrong side, but I can't blame him. Barca is 1 of my favorite 3 teams and it was tough watching them match up against my Gunners.

For the record, here is my list of teams I root for, in order:

1. Arsenal
2. Celtic
3. FC Barcelona
4. Whoever is playing against Chelsea
5. Whoever is playing against Manchester United