Staying awake for blue and white

Tonight is the final game of the World Cup 2006. Germany has had a successful run as a team and as a host. After 4 weeks, 32 teams, over 100 goals, penalties, yellow and red cards (did portugal get the most number of both?), it's down to Italy vs France. Both teams normally wear blue, but that would only confuse us, the viewers, not to mention the teams. So France will wear white, as decided by the gods of FIFA, and the azzuris will wear blue. I'm sure there's a reason they've been wearing blue for all this time, but given the Italian flag colors, it doesn't make as much sense as it seems.

I'm typing this at a internet cafe, and have plans to watch the game with a few valiant friends who aren't football crazy but who agreed to watch with me. We have a room at Red Box in Greenbelt and even got a gift certificate to watch the games. Not a freebie of a room, but it will be less expensive in the long run. Afterwards, I plan to hit a nice hotel buffet breakfast, then head home to sleep it all off. Perfectly timed, I have Monday off, and won't have to try to look half-awake throughout the day.

If either team wins, I'll be happy for them. The Italians are facing so much back home with the match fixing debacle that winning the cup would help them deal with the mess. The French team would also enjoy the end of the run of Zidane, a fitting finish to a fantastic player. Both countries would probably enjoy the momentary relief from their internal troubles if their teams win.

But....



go azzuris.