World Cup

Apparently the LA Galaxy aren't bothering with that whole "losing a game thing" this season. After today's 4-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo, the Herbalife boys are 12-0-2 so far, tying the MLS unbeaten record. And they're continuing that streak without a couple of their big stars, in South Africa for the World Cup.

What's crazy is not just the streak. In the 14 games they've played, they have 22 goals for...and just 3 against. That's right: in the 1,260 minutes of Galaxy soccer this year (not counting added time), their opponents have managed three goals.

Let's see here...

"Republic of Ireland 3-0 Algeria"

An opening goal by debutant Paul Green and two from record scorer Robbie Keane gave the Republic of Ireland an easy win over World Cup-bound Algeria.

"Republic of Ireland 2-1 Paraguay"

Goals from Kevin Doyle and Liam Lawrence helped the Republic of Ireland beat World Cup finalists Paraguay in Tuesday's friendly at Dublin's RDS.

Ahem.

"Having beaten [Algeria and] Paraguay, it was the second time in four days Ireland had got the better of a team going to the World Cup finals."

Grumble grumble grumble.

Will he or won't he? I reckon the potential MLS work stoppage will enter into it.

evertonfc.com: "Chance of Donovan Stay"

David Moyes says there's an outside chance that Landon Donovan's stay at Everton could be extended.

The American international's loan deal from LA Galaxy expires after Everton's Premier League visit to Birmingham City next weekend, but Moyes revealed on Friday that there is a chance that the 28-year-old could remain on Merseyside beyond that date.

UPDATE

Grahame Jones at the LA Times has more, including speculation on Landon's lackluster performance with the US team against the Dutch side on Wednesday: "Everton wants to keep Galaxy's Landon Donovan a while longer"

On Friday, David Moyes, Everton's coach, revealed that the club has been in contact with MLS and with the Galaxy with an eye to extending Donovan's 10-week loan spell, perhaps until the end of the English season in May or perhaps longer.

"I am keen to keep Landon and it sounds initially in America that they might say yes," Moyes told the BBC. "I have not got that confirmed yet. I can't say exactly if that's going to happen. If we can make it happen, we will."

Practice and warmup games for the World Cup start in late May.

UPDATE 2

The official LA Galaxy blog has today's comments from coach/manager Bruce Arena regarding Landon's situation. Sounds like he'll be back with LA unless there's a lockout:

"Arena: Donovan to Return on Mar. 15"

Los Angeles Galaxy head coach and general manager Bruce Arena said the club is not interested in extending the loan of Landon Donovan to Everton of the English Premier League, despite reports that the Toffees will pursue such an arrangement.

Well, I don't see a true Group of Death* in the World Cup draw this time around, but there are definitely some interesting matchups. USA will be facing the big challenge of England, along with Algeria and Slovenia.

Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, Korea Republic, Greece
Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana
Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Group G: Brazil, Korea DPR, Côte d'Ivoire, Portugal
Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile

With all the French apologizing, torment, and angst regarding Thierry Henry's handball-assisted goal that sank Irish hopes of a World Cup berth, it's hard for me to stay irritated about it.

BBC: "French hand-wringing over dubious win"

For a nation not particularly known for its moral qualms - it once hailed a head-butting footballer as a hero - the French feel surprisingly chastened about their questionable qualification for next year's World Cup.

Reactions to Thierry Henry's handball, which led to the goal that sent the national team to the South African finals at the expense of the hapless Irish, have ranged from embarrassment to outrage.

So perhaps I won't be actively rooting against France after all. I will instead effect a Gallic indifference.

Gahh!!!

"Villain Henry as Ireland, Ukraine, Russia exit in play-offs"

Thierry Henry will not be granted the freedom of Ireland after his nefarious part in the goal that decided France's play-off with Ireland. It surely sent the Emerald Isle into a fervent rage they may long hold against the Barcelona striker after a 1-1 draw in Paris.

With Robbie Keane scoring the goal that placed the tie level at the Stade De France, and Ireland missing chances through both Keane and Damien Duff, justice will not be seen to have been served to a France team that continued to struggle under embattled coach Raymond Domenech. Extra-time dawned, after Nicolas Anelka had failed to secure a penalty with what looked a clear dive.

In the 103rd minute, a Florient Malouda free-kick found Henry, clearly offside in the first place. He used two clear touches of his hand to control the ball and then pass across the goal for an embarassed-looking William Gallas to nod in. Ireland and manager Giovanni Trapattoni flew into a justified rage. They exit the tournament with their dignity intact though, while France, losing finalists in 2006, deserve to be sheepish about their presence in South Africa. Their players - Henry especially - certainly looked so.

Well, I'll definitely be rooting against France during the tournament next year. ;D

UPDATE

Video evidence:

UPDATE 2

"Henry admits using his hand to qualify France"

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) - France striker Thierry Henry admits he intentionally handled the ball to set up William Gallas' equalizing goal, sending France to the World Cup at Ireland's expense after an intense 1-1 draw on Wednesday.

With Ireland leading 1-0 and the match level on aggregate deep into the first period of extra time, France won a free kick and Henry twice handled the ball - stopping it going out of play, then controlling it - in setting up Gallas for a header.

After the match, the Barcelona striker said Swedish referee Martin Hansson was the main culprit for not spotting the infringement.

"I will be honest, it was a handball. But I'm not the ref," Henry said. "I played it. The ref allowed it. That's a question you should ask him."

Closing a bunch of tabs. This was a particularly good couple of days for cool things to link to.

Jacket Copy: "Balloon boy story is right out of Edgar Allan Poe"

The Balloon Boy story may have been a hoax, but it if was, the Heene family is in good company. No less than Edgar Allan Poe had an entirely fictional account of a balloon voyage published in 1844 in the Sun newspaper.

A.V. Club Interview: "Alton Brown"

There have been [topics they wanted to do a show on but couldn't] and there are, and most of those have to do with boundaries set by what Food Network wants to show and doesn’t want to show. You know, they’re not gonna let me do a show about rabbit, because they don’t want to think about killing the little bunnies. There probably won’t be a Good Eats episode on, you know, anything glandular.

LA Galaxy Blog: "Landon Donovan Named Honda Player of the Year and Player of the Decade"

In addition to being named the Player of the Year, Donovan was also named the Honda Player of the Decade. This honor comes as little surprise as he had won the Player of the Year award in six (2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009) of the last 10 years.

BBC Sport: "Republic face France in play-offs"

The Republic of Ireland will have to beat former World Cup winners France over two legs if they are to make it to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Giovanni Trapattoni's side drew the 1998 champions for the play-offs to be played on 14 and 18 November and will play at home first.

Cyclelicious: "Bikes On Board: Stuttgart cog railroad"

German commuter trains have rush hour restrictions for bikes on board that many Americans who travel by train and bike are familiar with. "Die Zacke" cog railroad between Marienplatz in South Stuttgart to Degerloch, however, features this fantastic platform just for bikes.

BBC News: "At the centre of time"

Without it international travel would be in turmoil and calling friends in faraway places at the right time impossible. Exactly 125 years after the Greenwich Meridian line was drawn, how and why did Britain become the centre of time?

San Bernardino Sun: "Mayor unveils two-story globe design for SBIA"

A spiffy two-story world globe was unveiled Monday at San Bernardino International Airport as a symbol of world travel and sophistication in the city's plans.

The 19-foot objet d'art sits inside a 30-foot-wide fountain in front of the soon-to-be-completed passenger terminal on Leland Norton Way, said Steve Silver of TranSystems, who designed and engineered the globe.

NY Times: "One Reporter’s Lonely Beat, Witnessing Executions "

Of all the consequences of shrinking newsrooms, one of the oddest is this: Fewer journalists are available to watch people die. But Michael Graczyk has witnessed more than 300 deaths, and many of those were people he had come to know.

Jacket Copy: "Happy birthday, Ursula K. Leguin"

Today is Ursula K. Le Guin's 80th birthday. The multiple-award-winning writer is best known for "The Wizard of Earthsea" and is thought of for her science fiction, although she has crossed many boundaries.

[...] "I'm following Tolkien's prescription for fantasy creation. You are making a world out of words, and the only thing that's going to hold it together is its inner consistency.

"Writing science fiction and fantasy allow you to back off a little bit, to try to find the problems that always come back, that we never solve. Like gender relations, war -- once there's more than 50 of us living in one place we seem to have war.

If Charlie Parker Was a Gunslinger, There'd Be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats: "Heroes of American Literature #17"

John Steinbeck smoking and reading.

Phew! That's it. And Firefox should be feeling leaner as well. :)