Chess Match

Its not good when the soccer commentators liken football games to a chess match. I have gone all the way to Quebec City from Ottawa to attend a Quarter Final of the World Chess Championship (the days of Kevin Spragett) but normally that drama is far from the excitement of the World Cup. The Quarter Finals of FIFA's showcase this year however were dreary (in fact stultifying is a word which comes to mind to describe some of them). The play acting seems worse than ever. Case in point Portugal against England. Conning the ref and avoiding shooting at goal seem the new mantra. Maybe its sour grapes but I lament the passing of the Czechs, Spain and Ecuador. Even the Japanese and Australia. And the USA if only because they came to play against Italy. One commentator described the lack of timing as shot after shot was off target to days when golfers find the rough but never the fairway (been there, done that). Another thing is that irritating announcer who feels we are all going through an "emotional shredder" anytime overtime looms, which is just about every game. Emotional my foot when you feel like nodding off as the game protracts for lack of scoring. As for the English fans singing little else but the national anthem, when last did any of them pay hommage to God or the Queen outside of a football ground? Oh well, guess it is a religion after all but this is one adherent who is losing the faith.