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Time for Munich sports fans to look for more

21 Oct

I don’t expect the waiting list for FC Bayern season tickets to disappear after everyone reads this blog.  Nor do I the expect the loyal fan block at 1860 matches to stop coming to an already empty Arena, dreaming of promotion.

The football clubs rule the sports headlines and will define the city and its fans.  But I believe it is time for sports fans to expect more when they go to a sporting event.

And I already see a shift.  The 64,000 who allegedly attended Tuesday night’s Champions League match between Bayern and Cluj (I say allegedly because there were blocks of empty seats that didn’t compute to a sell out – but that’s another issue for another time) were subjected a half-hearted display of football by both clubs.  This is the best of Europe?  Those empty seats prove people are beginning to look carefully at how they spend their time.

Bayern fans are spoiled.  They expect to be at the top of the table.  But this year, the other clubs in the Bundesliga have been exacting revenge on a team still hungover from the World Cup and is decimated from international-duty related injuries.  There was not one part of the evening that I felt the crowd was happy to be there last night.  Those who watched the wretched display from the warm comfort of their sofas were glad to have made the right decision.

(For the purposes of the obvious, I won’t analyze the crowd at 1860 matches at this time.)

But I tell you where you can find fun, enjoyment, WINS, and value – the Olympia Eissportzentrum.  You say, ‘Sal, I go to the ice skating rink at Karlsplatz during the holidays, why should I skip football to skate…’.  No, not talking about you skating.  I’m talking about watching professionals – those who want to WIN (notice the emphasis on WINning) and come out with their best effort every night.

The fans are up and cheering the whole match.

I’ve recently discovered both the ice hockey and basketball teams of Munich and I want to share my recent experiences in a nutshell:  2 hockey games, 2 exciting WINs.  2 basketball games, 2 sell outs, 2 blowouts.  4 games, 4 enjoyable evenings.  2 different sports, 2 first place teams.

Wins?  Fun?  How is that?

First, for EHC (Eishockey Club) München, this is their first year in the top level of German hockey, the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) .  The team has ‘grown organically’ as described by EHC Sports Director Christian Winkler, and the team is only now discovering its potential and talent in playing top-flight hockey.  Like in all sports, injuries are part of the game and EHC has had its share.  But unlike Bayern football, EHC’s subs have stepped in to cover for their fallen teammates and have battled every night and risen to the top of the table.

I have not once felt the team has quit on the ice, battling back in one match and holding on as all 3000 fans stood the final 5 minutes to cheer the team to victory.  When’s the last time everyone was up the entire time at a Bayern match?  OK, the Champions League match against ManU was an exception, but during the regular season?  Against Cologne?

For Bayern basketball, they are in the second level of German basketball, but they have made it a goal, nay, a Mission, to get promoted to the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), the NBA of Germany.  The company side of the football club has committed resources and money to bring together a team that is so far undefeated in the ProA division and well on their way to promotion.  The star guard went down with an injury in the first game, and lost another one with a season ending injury in the last home game.  But the bench is deep and have not relented yet.

Beware: Appreciative Players may enter your area.

The main difference you feel between Bayern football and Bayern basketball is that you feel the ballers are happy to be out there on the court.  You feel it in the energy when Darius Hall runs out during his intro, all the way till the end when he’s in the crowd singing along with the fans.  The sellout crowds for the first two matches have been on every play despite the two routs, cheering and clapping to the plays and music during the timeouts.

Maybe there will be a time when fans will turn against both these clubs after they succeed and have prolonged ‘failing’ seasons.  But for now, to enjoy pure and unbridled sports, you won’t find it at the double AA this winter.  The Eissportzentrum will heat up the cold nights and it’s time for Munich to discover it.

This weekend will feature both teams returning home.  Tomorrow night EHC will host the DEG Metro Stars, face-off at 20:20 CET.  And then Sunday late afternoon, Bayern Basketball will tip-off against Chemnitz 99 at 17:00.

Cheerleaders. Any other reason needed to go?

Updated: thanks for everyone who sent in their response to the trivia question.  Both the basketball and hockey seasons are long as is the winter.  Keep checking back for trivia and prizes in the future.

OK, also going for the Zamboni. I'm sold!

Salman Mitha is a sports reporter and columnist for The Munich Times. He has covered sports the past 15 years and is a life-long sports fan.  Email him at salman.mitha@themunichtimes.com and follow him on Twitter @sal_TMT_sports

 
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Ryder Cup review: Europeans back their brash talk, take home Cup

07 Oct

Young stars beat their brand-name counterparts from the U.S.

The shocking part was not that Europe won the Ryder Cup – it’s not a surprise when someone wins an award 6 of the past 8 times.  Or that they won in dramatic fashion in the final match.  What caught my attention last weekend was the new bravado demonstrated by the usually tacit pros from Europe.

Montgomerie's Boys take home the Cup

Even before the tournament started, 21-year-old Rory McIlroy called out golf-legend-in-the-making Tiger Woods, saying he wanted to play the struggling star that’s off his game.  Normally, that’s asking to bring out the best in Tiger, as others who have challenged the world’s #1 golfer can attest to after losing to him.

But this is a different Tiger.  He’s not the Tiger we’ve grown to know from April 1997 (his first Masters win) till November 2009 (his well-publicized off-the-course incident).  He’s still the best out there, but he hasn’t been able to bring together all facets of his game to be that force on the course.  And the other pros know it.  And they want his head in their trophy cases as long as he’s not at the top of his game.   And once that Tiger Shield is deactivated, the other U.S. pros like Phil Mikelson, Jim Furyk, Jeff Overton and Hunter Mahan are no longer daunting to their opponents.

In addition to Tiger’s shaky play, Europe is enjoying a rebirth in young golfing stars that are not only promising, but winning the major tournaments of the world.  Consider these numbers after the Nick Faldo/Seve Ballesteros/Bernard Langer Era 1979-1997 (12 Majors between these three legends) and the current Tiger Era 1997-2010:  from ’97-‘06, only two Europeans won majors, both in 1999; from 2007-2010, 5 Majors champs hail from Europe.  Padraig Harrington took advantage of Tiger’s injuries to win 3 times, including consecutive Open Championships 2007-2008.

This past year gives us the best evidence of the shift.  Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell (U.S. Open) and Germany’s Martin Kaymer (PGA Championship) won titles and were both prominent in the Ryder Cup victory with McDowell clinching the Cup against Mahan in the last match.  Add in the other rising talent in McIlroy, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Ian Poulter – shoot, the whole team – and there’s no doubt that the winning will continue.  And the normally reserved European golf fans took their confident cues from McIlroy & Co., cheering and singing through the rain, reacting to every positive play for their side and negative play by the Americans.

Speaking of Kaymer, he’s only the second German to play for Europe in the Ryder Cup and is considered to be the successor to Langer.  Kaymer, who was born in Dusseldorf, is currently the top golfer on the European Tour, #1 in the Race to Dubai Championships that will crown the year’s best.

Despite the weather and the weakened U.S. side, this year’s Ryder Cup was a wave of emotions that was one of the closest ever.  European captain and Scottish golfing legend Colin Montgomerie acknowledged the U.S.’s efforts.  “The Americans played brilliantly today, they really did.  They battled hard. But we won this because we were three points ahead. And that was a team effort. That’s why we won the Ryder Cup.”  Later Montgomerie claimed that this was the best moment of his golfing career.

It was a long flight home for Tiger & Co.

The disappointment of losing the final match was tough to swallow for Mahan, who had to fight back tears during the press conference.  “The Ryder Cup brings stuff out of you that you don’t know you had, from an emotional sense, from a golf sense, and that’s what is personal about it,” Mahan said. “I don’t think people give us credit for how much we actually care about it. It’s not fun to lose in this event. It’s not fun to watch them parade around and get a victory at their home place.”  The Americans will get another shot when the competition returns in 2012, this time outside of Chicago on U.S. soil.

The 2018 location for the Ryder Cup tournament is not yet decided.  There is a bit of anticipation among the growing number of German golf fans (myself included) that Bavaria will get the nod and host it.  The bidding location is Wittelsbacher Golf Club in Rohrenfeld, southwest from Ingolstadt.  In 8 years, we probably won’t see Tiger or Kaymer or McDowell in their primes.  But here’s hoping that the current trend of rising stars continues… on both sides of the pond.

 
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Ice-hot hockey action tonight

24 Sep

EHC Muenchen host Cologne Sharks 19:30 tonight at Olympia Eissportzentrum

Munich, September 24th – Summer is now gone (was it ever here?), so time to focus on the sports of winter.  We are lucky to be so close to the world’s best skiing, snowboarding and cross-country venues.  But this season, Munich is also the home of one of Germany’s top ice hockey clubs.

Hockey Night in Munich Source EHC Muenchen

Last spring, EHC Muenchen earned the promotion to the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) by winning the 2.Liga playoffs.  After only 5 matches in the top flight, they are still searching for that magic that got them here, earning only 7 points and sit mid-table.  Sports Director Christian Winkler is not too worried about the team’s start just yet.  “We are all excited to be in the 1.Liga,” Mr. Winkler told The Munich Times in a phone interview.  “We expect to challenge every night, find out place in this league, and build a foundation for the future.”

Their season continues tonight against the Koelner Haie – translated Cologne Sharks – who are at the bottom of the table but they are the club with the most history in the German version of the NHL.  They’ve won eight DEL championships and went to the playoffs for 27 consecutive years until the streak was snapped a few years back.

Mr. Winkler expects two new players to lead EHC through the rigors of the top league.  Canadians Eric Schneider (1 goal, 6 assists) and Stephane Julien (2 goals, 3 assists) have already established themselves as leaders on the scoresheet.  Fellow countryman Jordan Webb is the top goal-scorer for the club with 4 goals.

The visiting Sharks are led by Jason Jaspers (2 goals, 3 assists) and Ryan Ramsay (3 goals, 1 assist).

Faceoff is at 19:30 tonight.  For ticket information, visit www.ehc-muenchen.net and click on tickets (site in German).

Upcoming home matches:

Tonight, EHC Muenchen vs. Koelner Haie, 19:30

Sunday, October 3rd, EHC Muenchen vs. Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg, 19:05

Salman Mitha is a sports reporter and columnist for The Munich Times. He has covered the Bundesliga and European football for 7 years and all other sports the past 15 years.  Email him at salman.mitha@themunichtimes.com and follow him on Twitter @sal_TMT_sports

 
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Germany left wondering once again, looking to 2012

11 Jul

Don’t get me wrong, the Final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a riveting match.  Tremendous drama.  With every opportunity after the 75th minute, I was on the edge my seat.  Who will finally score?  Who’s gonna make the one mistake that will decide the match?

But this final was not an advertisement for soccer.  Dirty fouls, lack of creativity, and the missing ‘capture the moment’ feeling marred the Final once again.  OK, there was no head butt this year, but we almost had that ugly moment when Nigel de Jong decided to show off his Kung-Fu skills.  Or, even worse:  the idiot in the pre-match who almost ran off with the World Cup.

Bottomline:  the Netherlands and Spain earned their place in the Final, but didn’t live up to the moment.  Why do I say that?  The people who voted for the best player of the World Cup was hoping that either Wesley Schneider or David Villa would continue their high level play, but they disappointed so much, Diego Forlan won the Golden Ball by default because he was one of four players to score the most goals.  I can name 7 other players who were ‘better’ and had a more positive impact on this tournament (Lionel Messi, Thomas Mueller, Mesut Oezil, Miroslav Klose, Iniesta, and the aforementioned Schneider and Villa).

Speaking of Mueller, he and his German teammates have to wonder once again after falling just short for the second straight time.  In 2006, Germany played scared without a key player in the lineup versus eventual champion Italy.  Germany came out in the 3rd place match against Portugal and put a nice ribbon on the summer dream.  Italy and France played uninspired in the Final and it ended in a penalty shootout.  It was the same this time around.  Germany played scared in the semi-final, only to show their brilliance against unworthy Uruguay.

Sure, the stakes in a 3rd place match aren’t as high as the Final, but why do teams have to play scared in the Final?  Perhaps the youth and excitement of Germany would have been a solution to a boring final.  Germany scored 16 goals in the tournament and captivated the spirit of the beautiful game better than anyone.  Spain scored EIGHT goals in 7 matches.  Really, they are the best team in the world?  Sure, the best defensively, and they came up clutch throughout the tournament, but worthy of champions?  No.

What now for Germany?  Bastian Schweinsteiger, who earned his ‘Fussball Gott’ nickname in this tournament, said to another newsource that the clear goal is to win Euro 2012.  If they are to do that, Jogi Loew will have to figure out how to get this team to play loose and creative in all matches, especially when a player like Mueller or Schweinsteiger are missing.  That means not wilting against the Italians or the Spaniards or anyone that they ‘respect’ and maximize the talent that they have.  First comes the qualifying for Poland/Ukraine, and if they can finish up that tournament, Brazil 2014 awaits.  Seeing how France and Spain have both been able to hold both the Euro and the World Cup trophies at the same time, there’s no reason that this generation of German footballers can’t do the same.  The core is there, there’s no questioning the talent.  The German football federation, DFB, have to either trust Loew can lead the team to maturity, or find someone who can.  We have seen what happened to Portugal and England as they have wasted their respective Golden Generations, it would be a shame to not see multiple trophies in the next 8-10 years coming back to Deutschland.

But until then, time for Germany to put the Vuvuzelas away, practice the samba, enjoy the accomplishments of another 3rd place finish and motivate themselves at what might have been.

Final thoughts:   Arjen Robben will return to Munich wondering what place in history he would have written if he had been able to convert his chances.  Ironically, he didn’t flop on the one breakaway that left Carles Puyol spinning behind him, trying to take out Robben.  Players have to ask themselves – “do I keep playing and risk not getting the call, or do I try to flop?”  Credit Robben for not diving and trying to capture the moment, but when Suarez of Uruguay ‘cheats’ and his team wins, players have to wonder what the Football Gods are thinking….   I do have one positive note about the Final, and interestingly enough, it’s the referee.  Howard Webb did a tremendous job to keep the match under control.  The Dutch’s strategy was to test the Spaniards’ cool and tackle hard.  I don’t think de Jong kicked Xabi Alonso on purpose, but that was a red card.  But Webb didn’t want to put his mark on the final.  He let the players decide it and after Heitinga fouled Iniesta and got sent off, that was all the Spanish needed to win the Cup.  Webb is the kind of referee that I felt can be trusted in the big game.  He also worked the Champions League final.  His effort tonight is what FIFA should use as an example in training the other referees to improve the game, along with goal-line technology and maybe replay…

Great job South Africa, I thank Andy for taking us there with his blogs.  And thank you all for reading.  Bundesliga starts August 21st!  See you then.

Salman Mitha is a sports reporter and columnist for The Munich Times.  He has covered the Bundesliga and European football for 7 years.  Email him at salman.mitha@themunichtimes.com and follow him on Twitter @sal_TMT_sports

 
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Once again, Spain were just better

08 Jul

I have to give credit to Paul the Octopus.  He was able to put aside his allegiances for his country of residence, take a stand, and make an objective prediction.  Many asked me – ‘Sal, where’s your preview for the semi’s??’  I just couldn’t separate myself from the emotional tide of this German team.  They have played in a way that had saved the World Cup – action, scoring, teamwork, exciting.  And I wanted this ride to continue.  But I also couldn’t get out of my mind the experience and talent on this Spain squad.  I was caught up along with the rest of the media of the failure of the England squad, with their stars.  But because Spain lost to Switzerland in the first match, we wrote off their Euro 2008 title, the long winning streak until last year’s Confederations Cup, and their talent.  They are so deep, they were substituting class players with class players.  Meanwhile, Jogi Loew was bringing in Mario Gomez to save the day (sorry ladies – I don’t care how he looks, he can’t score).

So, I didn’t say anything, and any article I would write would be no different than what you would read anywhere else.  And I think I already jinxed the match, as Germany’s fate was sealed when Thomas Mueller was out for this match.  History repeated itself on Saturday.  Germany beat Argentina.  Lost a member of their starting roster.  Played a strong European opponent in the final only to play listless and lose.  In 2006, they lost Thorsten Frings after the melee vs. Argentina and proceeded to draw blanks against eventual champion Italy.  With no Mueller, Loew’s rotation was out-of-whack and despite the talent, the team did not respond.  Bastian Schweinsteiger was not the same.  Miro Klose and Mesut Oezil were not running into open spaces.  And Lukas Podolski did his usual disappearing act.  Maybe the downside of playing within a disciplined system is the lack of flexibility and creativity when things are not going your way.  This will be something that Loew and the players will have to figure out, as suspensions and injuries are part of the game.

Whether Germany would have played better with Mueller, we’ll never know.  However, let’s give credit to the Spaniards.  Their midfield and back line anchored by my least favorite player Carles Puyol even before this match controlled the action.  With their red jerseys, it seemed the German attack was a bull trying to go throw a bullfighter’s red cape only to be fooled that nothing was there.  Only Toni Kroos was close to fooling the Toreador defense and getting a goal.  Even with Fernando Torres on the bench, Spain were able to attack Manuel Neuer like no other team had before in this tournament.  Neuer was game, stopping Pedro and David Villa on tough shots.  But nothing could stop that cracker of a header from Puyol in the 73rd minute.  And we saw this already.  In the Euro final two years ago, the score was also 1-0 for Spain, but it should have been worse.  Jens Lehman was peppered all night with shots and finally a defensive breakdown by Philipp Lahm allowed Torres a shot on goal that was the difference.

Now Germany hope for history to continue repeating, a win in the 3rd place match on Saturday vs. Uruguay will complete a tremendous run by this young squad.  Along with this consolation match, the Germans and FC Bayern Munich can look to the future and see that their star players are young enough to make a mark on the European and global scene.  But for this World Cup, the Spaniards time is now and they will go for history and try to win the World Cup along with their Euro Cup.

 
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Waka, waka, it’s time for… South America?

02 Jul

With apologies to Shakira and the official song, ‘Waka, Waka, it’s time for Africa’, I think the song should now be ‘Ole, Ole, time for South America.’

There was hope that the first World Cup on African soil would be a great opportunity for the countries on the continent to showcase their skill.  Not many people watch the African Cup of Nations, and for those that do, find the quality not as high as that in Europe or South America.

Going in, there was little chance for the hosts South Africa to advance, so the hope relied on the Ivory Coast, Cameroon, and Nigeria.  All three were knocked out in the first round.  Nigeria has called for a moratorium until it can get its house in order.  Only Ghana was able to make it into the knockout phase, but scored two penalty kicks during the group phase.  However, their skill and speed was head above the best team from CONCACAF, the United States.  I don’t give Ghana much of a chance to win the Cup, however, we cannot underestimate their role now as the hope of the entire continent.  But there is a bigger story brewing.

This is shaping up to be a South American World Cup.  History in this competition has always been that no team except Brazil has won the Cup on a foreign continent.  Another piece of information:  no team from the opposite hemisphere has one on the other side of the planet.  Thus the chances of all four teams standing by Saturday night are very good that it may be Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina.

“We, the South Americans, are playing the World Cup the way it should be played by all,” said Argentinian head coach and football legend Maradona.

If you are a fan of Germany, Holland and Spain, it doesn’t look good for your team’s chances.  A friend texted me that we are witnessing the end of the dominance of European soccer.  Sure, England, France and Italy have to overhaul their programs, but when I see European teams knocking each other out and the fortunate draw for the South American clubs, I’ll wait a bit longer on writing the obituary.  The UEFA clubs still alive represent the best of the continent going in and they’ve lived up to expectations.

So, other than geography, why have the South Americans performed so well in the this year’s Cup?  All we hear are excuses from the European federations that it’s the long seasons, too many matches and tournaments, the lack of youth and/or talent (except Germany), or they are just not good enough.  Well, the South American countries have a drawn out World Cup qualification process that lasts TWO YEARS.  And they don’t have to play Andorra and Faroe Islands, no disrespect.  They professional clubs play a similar tournament like the Champions League, the Copa Libertadores.  They have summer and winter tournaments and champions (well, because they can still play in their winters).

Maybe it’s just geography, because the this kind of domination by any continent is unheard of.  Is it a socioeconomic reason, or cultural?  Are European players spoiled by the golden carrot of big contracts, endorsements and media coverage, and South Americans just want to play football?  Or maybe, the whole continent is now just plain better than everyone else and have done a better job preparing for this tournament than most, especially Africa.

“We play to attack and to win,” says former Chilean star Ivan Zamarano. “Teams with a footballing history, like Brazil and Argentina, are always protagonists. But right now the Uruguayans, Paraguayans and Chileans are all showing clear signs they’re more alive than ever.”

An interesting thought about the future of the World Cup.  But for now it’s time to return from our 48-hour break and find out if we need to review our Spanish in preparation for the semi-finals.  Ole!

TMT Fan Challenge Update:  Don’t forget to place your vote for our fan competition!  http://bit.ly/tmtfanchamp

 
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World Cup preview: Three reasons why Germany or England will win today

27 Jun

I agree with Kaiser Franz.  England were careless and didn’t win their group and thus, they set up a matchup that is more fit for a semi-final.  Regardless, this is what we have so let’s break it down.

Why England will win

I find arguing for England the hard part.  England has not played well at all in this tournament.  They are the only team still alive in the tournament that had to change their goalkeeper.  But yet they are here, and here’s why they will win:

1.  Experience:  Despite the absence on the pitch of their talisman David Beckham and captain/lynch pin at the back Rio Ferdinand, this team is match-tested.  John Terry, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard are leaders in their own right.  All play football at the highest level week in and week out.  Sometimes 3 times a week!  So what that there is internal strife?  When the whistle blows, they can bring out the best.  Especially Stevie G.  He helped Liverpool come back from 3-0 at halftime of a Champions League Final.  If they can establish control of the middle early, it will frustrate their opponent.

2.  Rooney has yet to start:  The English have been harsh on Emile Heskey, but he’s been able to produce.  However, he doesn’t distract the defense away from Wayne Rooney (maybe why Heskey gets so many chances).  Fabio Capello finally put in Jermain Defoe and they scored early in their last group match against Slovenia.  And there seemed to be more activity up front, there was even another goal but disallowed.  But the effort was there, something that disappeared after their early goal against the US and stayed away against Algeria.  If Rooney can get going, we all have seen his talent.  Furthermore, this will open up space for Aaron Lennon and anyone else that Capello decides to play to create.  Hopefully Joe Cole is able to come out and show his brilliance.

3.  Pressure is ‘off’:  There was so much on the backs of the English squad going into this World Cup.  They didn’t make the Euro 2008.  They came in with controversy, both with the selection of the squad and off the pitch.  And they could NOT lose to the U.S. in the opening match.  They didn’t, but the Hand of Clod didn’t help matters.  Well, now they are through.  Sure, they’ll be disappointed to lose to Germany, but there won’t be shame as losing to Slovenia or Algeria.  They will play loose and focused as now they will play a respected opponent.

Why Germany will win

They only had one bad match, and did just enough against Ghana.  After seeing what the Black Stars are capable of after they were clinical and efficient against the US, Jogi Loew‘s men were very lucky to get by.  But, they too are here, and it’s now time to recapture the 2006 magic:

1.  Talented:  As I’ve written throughout the tournament, they will win or lose with their young.  The Serbia match was not surprising.  Coming off a fairly easy match against Australia, Germany did not take the next match seriously.  Evidence:  Lukas Podolski‘s missed penalty.  Miroslav Klose‘s careless fouls.  However, they both have scored in this tournament.  Mesut Oezil, Thomas Mueller, Sami Khedira, and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer have played solid for their first World Cup.  This group has won a championship, sure, as U-21s, but wins are wins.  They’ve all shown that they are ready for this moment.  The future is now.

2.  Disciplined:  Compared to the France and England football squads, FEMA looks like a well-oiled machine.  Both teams seem to allow external factors to distract them.  The players don’t respect their coach and speak out against him through the media.  Not Germany.  After the loss to Serbia, the team was able to regroup and win.  Loew is respected and he has trust in his captain Philipp Lahm.  I believed without Michael Ballack this team  would wilt under pressure.  But Lahm has shown to be more than just a quiet leader.  He’s leading by example and controlling the action at the back.  There’s no one better at his position.  And the team is responding.

3.  Tournament tested:  Loew, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Lahm, Klose, Podolski, Per Mertesacker, Arne Friedrich were all part of the 2008 team that fought their way to the European final, only to lose by one goal.  The system has been in place since 2004.  This team has shown it can find those moments and make plays that win matches.  Like the England squad, the German squad all play in their home country.  The leagues are close in talent and competitiveness.  The difference here is Germany has proven to rise in tournaments throughout their storied history and recently – 2002, 2006, 2008.  We’ve been hearing “2010″ for four years now, this team will make it happen.

I expect Germany to win this match in regulation, but if this match goes to a penalty shootout, I have my last point:  Germany is 4-0 in World Cup shootouts.  England is 0-3.

 
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Golf in Bavaria: Beer, Brez’n and Birdies

25 Jun

The BMW International Open is a great way to enjoy some great competition without having to sit all night and hope someone scores.  And it’s a Vuvuzela-free zone.  Seriously, now when I watch ANY sports, I expect to hear it blowing in my ear.  But not in golf (yet).  Before I only expected someone to scream ‘get it the hole!!’ as the Americans do but European golf fans show more etiquette and respect for the game.

The annual tournament is in town until Sunday and the top players around the world are all vying for spots on the European Ryder Cup team and of course cash.  The setting at Eichenried Golf Club is peaceful, green and intimate.  You can get up-close-and-personal with the best.  And most importantly, you can witness that the pros also hit the ball out-of-bounds or in the bunkers.  It’s a must for any golf fan.

At the end of Round 2, Bradley Dredge of Wales leads the way at -13.  Two Spaniards, Pablo Larrazabal (-12) and Ignacio Garrido (-11) and Peter Whiteford of Scotland (-11), are right behind him.  Fan favorite Bernhard Langer from Bavaria is 8 strokes off the leader as is fellow German and 2008 Champ Martin Kaymer.  Notable names missing the cut are Ernie Els, Sir Nick Faldo, Sergio Garcia, Robert Karlsson, and last year’s winner Nick Dougherty.  They get to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

I decided to follow the popular pairings in the afternoon of Ernie Els-Sergio Garcia-Fisher Ross and Martin Kaymer-Robert Karlsson-Alvaro Quiros.  The course is set up beautifully so that fans can watch one group tee off, then see the other group put and then tee off… and back to first group to putt.  Here are my pics of the action.

The Big Easy, Ernie Els tees off

Alvaro Quiros: "No, I'm not bored. Seriously, golf is exciting."

It's how WE do: Beer, brez'n and birdies

Sergio Garcia gave his team some luck, too bad it was not reciprocated. He would miss the cut at +9.

'Golf wie Bayern': refreshing Weissbier on the course

Sweden's Robert Karlsson tees off as the gallery watches in amazement

I wonder if they made the cut...

Oh right! The World Cup is on!! The guys in the Media Center reminded me. Off to Lisboa Bar!!

I don't think they are watching golf...

TMT Fan Challenge Update:  I found the eight and final entry into our Quarterfinals.  Check out the Fan Page!

 
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World Cup saved… for now.

24 Jun

When I wrote that England, Germany and the US have to win or go home, I was expecting all three to throw their respective weight and talent around and crush their opponents.  Win, they all definitely did, but by the narrowest of margins.  OK, before I analyze further, yes, I’m still getting my voice back after that US-Algeria finish and we’ll get back to it.

What a disaster it would have been for FIFA if three of the marquee names were to drop out on the same day.  The World Cup has already lost all but one African team including the host for the first time ever, a former champion in France, and Italy is on the brink – their fate will be decided today.

The English started the day the best, mainly because Fabio Capello realized Jermain DeFoe is a better complement to Wayne Rooney.  And this early goal put England as the group leaders at the time and on their way to the next round.  However, if England are to advance after Sunday, Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have to join the party.  Up 1-0, they should have crushed Slovenia.  But a win is a win, they’ll take it and move on.  (More on England’s chances when Andy James from Johannesburg and I battle it out for Round Two:  England vs. Germany – coming soon).

The US played the best but it didn’t show up on the score sheet.  The early England goal put the US and anyone rooting for them under pressure and that added to the drama.  Maybe their tactics could have been better, but they knew that if they didn’t put out 120% effort, they would lose credibility at home, turn off US soccer for another 4 years and have to start all over again.  So, they were going 100 mph all match.  Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore were so determined to score, they kept getting in each other’s way and making poor shots/passes, that it was clear this would be their downfall.  Sorry Alexi Lalas, cheating and bad calls are not the most beautiful part of the game.  What the US and Algeria did yesterday – one team desperate to move on and coming close again and again and again and not scoring, and the other playing just enough defense and creating counter opportunities to hold on – THAT’s why we watch football/soccer.  Everything was on the line.  And credit the US.  Despite their tactics, their will helped them through all 94 minutes and finally, Donovan saved US soccer, and brought back the drama that we have all been waiting for the past two weeks.  The evidence is in the tears and the emotions at the end of the match – on both teams and in the crowd (including all of you who were watching).

A massive sigh of relief from the German side could be heard from Johannesburg, all the way to Munich.  The Germans had the worst match of the three.  Defensive errors, lack of creativity, and just an overall sense of nerves kept the match scoreless for Joachim Loew‘s men.  Ghana should have taken an early lead, but Philipp Lahm and Manuel Neuer did just enough to keep the upset from happening.  When Mesut Oezil scored, it wasn’t as much joy as relief.  He missed an earlier easy shot, but this time his strike was perfect.  The Black Stars just didn’t have anything after that to threaten the Germans.  So Loew and Oliver Bierhoff cancelled their booking for LH2014 back to Frankfurt and get to stay a bit longer.

So, the World Cup is saved for these three teams for at least one match.  England and Germany have to face each other on Sunday.  Andy and I will break it down, Andy of course will tell us why The Three Lions will win, I will once again be right as why Germany will win.  Stay tuned.

 
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Win or go home: Germany, USA and England fates are in their own hands

23 Jun

If you are an athlete, you can only hope for a chance to play for a championship.  And have your fate determined by your own play.  For Germany, the United States, and England, despite everything that has gone on for each of these teams, their respective World Cup futures rest in their performances today.

And if you are a supporter for these teams, or just a sports fan like myself, you can only pray for days like this week.  Only one of the matches going into this last round of the group phase has no implications for the knockout round.  We had some riveting matches yesterday and today it continues.

Germany came in as one of the favorites despite its youth, however has yet to play a complete match.  They will have to overcome Miroslav Klose‘s suspension and hope whoever replaces him can produce upfront.  In addition, they will have to avoid exacting revenge on Ghana‘s Kevin-Prince Boateng, who ended captain Michael Ballack‘s last chance at a World Cup in last month’s FA Cup Final.  Kevin-Prince once played for Germany’s U-21 squad along with his half-brother Jerome Boateng, who is on the current German roster.  It will be interesting if both siblings will be on the pitch together and what will happen.  Jerome has already cut off communication after Kevin-Prince’s hard tackle.  Much has been written in the German press that Jogi Loew‘s team was missing Ballack’s leadership in the Serbia match, perhaps throughout the preparation of the tournament.  Loew is hoping the team can put all personal feelings aside and move on in the tournament.

If Germany moves on, they may take on either the US or England.  Team America will have to forget that their valiant comeback against Slovenia was tainted with a referee issue.  Sure, they missed out on two points, but they are still alive and have everything to play for against Algeria.  In the last World Cup against Ghana, they didn’t show up.  And that cost Bruce Arena‘s job as coach.  Bob Bradley was brought in and since then, led the USA to their only FIFA Final in last year’s Confederations Cup in South Africa.  And they moved to the knockout phase by beating Egypt, a team similar to Algeria.  Can the US prevent going into a hole and not letting the referees decide the match?

Since France is gone, Team England is now Team Drama.  Like Les Blahs, Fabio Capello‘s men also had some controversy coming in with the John Terry/Wayne Bridge situation.  And now, after poor play in the first two matches, there is player dissent, the coach’s role is being questioned, and the fans are booing their over-priced, over-hyped stars.  Unlike the French, a win today and England can move on and then all is forgiven… until the next loss.  I’ve written that England won’t win this World Cup, but it’s still entertaining to see the world’s most recognizable stars to move on in the tournament.  Slovenia has proven it can play with a win against Algeria and leading the US.  It will not be an easy task.

If you are an athlete, and you want to win, your focus has to be in the moment.  Forget your teammates’ WAGs, questionable referees, and underwhelming play up to now.  Win… or go home.

TMT Fan Champ Challenge continues today – email me at salman.mitha@themunichtimes.com or send me a tweet @sal_TMT_sports and tell me where to find you.  Show your spirit and perhaps you’ll make it to the TMT Fan Challenge knockout phase.  Hey, if your team won’t win, you might as well.

 
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