www.Go To The Mountain - Musings of a Potential Guru

One solid month was over and four solid years to wait. Copacabana, Christ The Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro and the land of the beautiful game was a world spectacle except that unfortunately Brazil no longer play the game beautiful but congratulations to Germany! Credit too to Argentina for pushing them to the limits and giving them a good contest.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unERy12bwaE (B. Manilow) We fell in love at the Copa, Copacabana. Sports, especially soccer and no other sports unite the world like soccer. Even people who were waging civil war, stopped to take a break to watch the World Cup. Even North Korea reported they were in the 2014 World Cup final after beating many teams. Put all your money on North Korea! Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPPyhs-sI1w Before each live game kicked off, you saw all the players singing their national anthems up close. My observation was that while they do soccer very well, they can't sing to save their lives! Finally, the...

A throwback to the the programme "The World At Their Feet"of the  1970 World Cup screened in 1974 caught my imagination. The "Total Football" of Rinus Michels and "The Flying Dutchmen'' gave us inspiration but in that final in 74, the Germans won. The Netherlands got an early penalty and many believed they would have won with their flowing football and the early lead. Cruyff left Berti Vogts for dead and Neeskens converted the penalty that had Sepp Maier beaten and led within two minutes.  In the 25th minute, English referee Jack Taylor awarded another penalty this time to Beckanbauer-led Germany and Paul Breitner scored against Jan Jongbloed. Two minutes before half-time, Gerd Muller scored the winner. From that day onwards I have watched German soccer not only at the World Cup but also "Soccer Made In Germany" and found the commentator Toby Charles very familiar as he used to give commentary on "Telematch". http://www.youtube....

Two more matches and it is all over. Another four-year wait to unite the world. I think they should just do away with third placing as it bears no significance nor purpose. Who would remember who were the third and fourth best teams? Every team goes home from the World Cup with a different future direction, some to devastating effect but there have been so much to learn and to glean from. We now know it will be a Germany versus Argentina final. Germany playing so well and consistently throughout are favourites and ready to add to several new records already set by being the first European team to win outside their continent while Argentina playing pragmatic soccer have yet to play a more exciting match.  Meantime, I know how these footballers feel. Win and you are heroes, lose and you get pelted with eggs. When people follow my blog predictions and win, no hugs and kisses, lose and I do not even get eggs or omelette. It was not my intention for anyone to punt. I just write a...

First a quiz. Who was trained to ignore pain and to ignore sleep? Rambo, John Rambo. While some could take more pain than others, few could ignore sleep. If you could ignore both, you are in the "Special Forces".  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSzCbJVTxDY Welcome to the Rambo club if you have been passionately following the World Cup. Not having enough shut eye is like not being able to take a sh*t. You get screwed. You go groggy, you become like a zombie, you may be there but your mind and soul are not. Your system can go haywire. I watched them all at home diligently and it has been a lonely job then I form my views on each team based on my observation.   It depends on how passionate you are about soccer. Punters are excluded because if there were "live" matches to see which paint dry faster or which grass grow faster, they'll stay up. It is a different motivation. If your passion for anything is too weak, you cannot sustain a th...

If I have a choice, I would make Latin and Central American teams face off with European teams. I love the World Cup because of its contrasting styles but for me, Latin soccer is the best. It is colourful, passionate, full blooded with flashes of sublime skills.  Do you noticed that European teams are methodical while the Latin teams are naturally full of flair? Didn't the ex players and soccer experts say that in these days with the money, technology, conditioning, etc. climate will play a lesser part on the outcome? I beg to differ. Clearly, the European teams are suffering more from the sweltering heat and humidity. Well, it was the first time that I saw soccer matches having 3-minute water breaks in each half.  Before I rant further, here are some of the best goals - Best Goals of World Cup 2014:  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=745983918777535&set=vb.266828596693072&type=2&theater My prediction for the last 16 have been much better includ...

I was strolling at Cold Storage recently when I heard someone calling out ''uncle". I turned around when the call was repeated.  Bad mistake, I do not like people calling me uncle. I saw this young man with a teenage look and he called me uncle again and I was thinking what's your problem when he shot at me "who do you think will win - Italy or Costa Rica?"  I looked at the background and it was Singapore Pools and he was busy scribbling some bets. I think he just barely touched the legal age for gambling which explained his anxiety.  Then he asked again: "You think Italy can win 3-2 over Costa Rica?" I stared at him almost wanting to tell him if I knew I would be a millionaire. Or a fortune teller telling him it was epic failure for him as a noob knowing nothing and yet wanting to bet. I am no punter but if it was about soccer knowledge he has come to the right place. If this young man is doing it for fun then well and good because you are never...