Soul in the machine

Another consensus -- or so it is reported here -- is that France had the better team, but Italy prevailed. Do you agree with that?

Yes I would agree with that wholeheartedly. But like I said, it's not about winning and losing to me, I don't like winning and losing sports because there is always a loser. When I play a game of chess I don't really care if I "win" or "lose" as long as the game is good. That's why for football the Brazillian team are so entertaining to watch. However for me the game of the championship was Germany vs. Italy -- a game the pundits will be talking about for years to come -- great soccer, end to end stuff, not too much fouling or diving.

England as usual played below their optimal ability and went out to a vastly inferior team named "Portugal" in the quarter finals. Christiano Ronaldo (even my daughter Katherine does not like the look of the Portugeuse player that got our Wayne Rooney sent off!) will not be able to play in the UK for much longer.

There is an awful joke? going around that France only lost because their key player "Zenidir Zidane" head-butted an Italian player and got sent off 10 mins before the final whistle. The joke is that Zidane is a Muslim and the Italian player Materazzi made a slight on Mohammed.

Anyway -- I am glad the Italians won as my buddy won the work sweepstake and will buy me an orange juice at the pub as a result :-)

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I once saw a baseball match (minor league) in Raleigh and was surprised at how much it was a family event, with kids etc. I had no idea what was going on, but I recall "we're in the bottom of the ninth" I think. Such a sport that can have a "World Series" with just American teams says a lot about what America thinks The World conists of wouldn't you say? :-)

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Cricket and Rugby are much better games than football according to some, but that's a UK class issue. To me, they're all the same really -- not something to get too excited about. I don't live in the physical world unless I have to and those things are very physical. One day we will all just download ourselves don't you think? And if so, what does that say about the soul? Thoughts?