World Cup

I warned you not to be too surprised if our team continued to do well in the World Cup! We beat Mexico 2-0 and now play Germany. We played thoughtfully; fine defense and terrific counterattacks. It was a well-deserved victory. Note this Mexican fan reaction in Juarez, Mexico, across the river from El Paso. If American fans acted like that we would be called hooligans and racists. Bad show for the Mexicans. Germany is a tough team, with great experience in World Cup play. They normally play methodical and thoughtful soccer, and don't normally score until late in the second half. Therefore I expect them to try mightily to score early. So we have a dilemma. We can play them like we played Mexico; play defense and score on counterattacks, letting the Mexicans have the ball almost 70% of the time. Such play would be dangerous against the Germans. Therefore we have to attack early (as they will), yet play great defense at the same time. We have to wing it on this one. It is easier to disorient the Mexicans than the Germans, yet it is possible: overwhelming force and tactical ingenuity is called for. They are not expecting it. They are too arrogant. We have a chance, a good chance, of victory.

And this is a good article about USA's wonderful goalkeeper Brad Friedel. He is possibly the best goalkeeper in the world. I am not surprised. About the upcoming game against Germany, he just has this to say: "We are going to pour our blood on the field against Germany." Good comment, and it should be understood by all, especially the Germans. The game is Friday morning. Don't miss it.

And then consider (especially in light of the reaction of Mexicans) this skeptical piece about soccer and why other countries take delight in treating us (at least in soccer) as lightweights. On the other hand, if we keep winning, they will not be able to do that. And there will be repercussions, possibly diplomatic ones. President Fox said after the match, "This won't hobble the country. This won't sap the energy of each and every Mexican." Gee, I hope not. I wonder what German Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder will have to say if we should win the match against favored Germany?

The coach of the U.S. Team, Bruce Arena, when asked if we had a chance against the three time World Cup Champion Germans, said: "On paper, it looks to be no match. However, we don't play this game on paper." For some insight into the way he manages some very good players, see this piece from the Washington Post. He's going to make the Germans work for it. He is just clever enough, just humble enough, just arrogant enough, to pull it off.

And then there is this good (and short) piece in Slate about the relationship between patriotism and soccer, and why the U.S. gets less enthusiastic about our victories than countries do: they have fewer outlets for expressing their affection for their country than we do. In fact, they have almost no others (the elites are embarrassed by such shows of primitivism) and that's why they get so excited about soccer.

Leadership in War

NRO is excerpting part of Eliot Cohen's fine new book, "Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership." This is the first installment. Also note this fine article by Patrick Garrity on Churchill, in the form of a review of two pretty good new biographies.