July has been good to me so far when it comes to sports predictions, knock wood.  I correctly predicted the National League’s All Star victory back in April.  I also correctly predicted Spain’s victory in the World Cup in June.  I was one of the first to tell you about Paul the Psychic Octopus.  Maybe we’ll have more picks up our sleeve or tentacle? 

 

Posted by an excited Tank “Taking it to the Bank” for my readers. 

Spain was my pre-tournament pick to win the World Cup.  Spain meets Holland on Sunday in Johannesburg.  Holland and Spain are the best countries never to win the World Cup.  One of them will only be the 8th country to win the World Cup.

 

The Tank’s Fearless Prediction: Spain will beat Holland 2-1.

 

Posted by The Tank looking forward to the World Cup Final.

Steve traveled to South Africa last week for the World Cup.  He witnessed first hand the sound of the vuvuzula.  The vuvuzula is a horn that makes a very loud sound at Steve videotaped here.  The sound is so loud that it is hard for players to communicate and commentators to comment. 

 

Video courtesy of Steve and posted by The Tank looking for earplugs. 

You know it's bad when FIFA referees make MLB umpires look good.  The referring in the USA-Slovenia game was dreadful.  England and Mexico have every right to complain about their losses on Sunday.  Argentina's Carlos Tevez was clearly off sides when scored the first goal in the 25^th minute.  Mexico clearly appealed to the referee to watch the in stadium replay.  The referee refused. 

 

England scored what was thought to be the tie goal at 2-2.  The English players celebrated but the referee didn't allow it.  German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer admitted to “fooling” the referee by getting the ball out of goal before the referee realized it.

 

Argentina went out to win 3-0 and Germany went on to win 4-1.  Yes, they were favored as The Tank and Paul the Psychic Octopus told you in another “Take it to the bank with The Tank” victory.  But I want the right call.  No one is perfect and the technology has long been available to get the right call.  Why does the ref wear a head set and microphone?  The booth can tell him if it's a goal or not in a matter of seconds.

 

The Tank’s Bottom Line: FIFA should model video replay in other sports, especially in basketball and hockey.  A bar code can be stamped on the ball and tracked to see if crossed the goal.  But, no, FIFA won’t even allow instant replay in the stadiums.  FIFA is even more arrogant than Bud Selig and MLB.  That’s a black eye to the “beautiful game”.     

 

Posted by an upset Tank.

I looked for Adam, Jack and Michelle on Saturday at Gaf on the UWS on Saturday afternoon.  I couldn’t see them and started to text them.  They then start yelling and I squinked near the back of the bar.  I know I can be a professional referee or umpire. 

 

The bar starts to fill as the match between USA and Ghana was about to begin.  Can USA avenge its previous World Cup defeats to Ghana?  Ghana is a tough side but the bar is psyched.

 

Team USA got off to another slow start as Boateng scored in the 5th minute.  Howard had the wrong angle and the defense got smoked.  What stress!  Ugh!

Team USA rallies back as Landon Donovan equalizes on a penalty kick in the 62nd minute.

 

"You let your father down!" Adam screams as Michael Bradley kicks it to the Ghana goalie in the 76th minute.  His dad Bob is Team USA Coach. 

 

Jozy Altidore just missed in the 81st minute.  No! 

 

"He got branded!" Michelle screamed as a Ghana played got cleated.

After taking down Altidore, Ayew got carded in the 92nd minute.  He misses the next match.

 

Ghana got a late corner in the third minute of stoppage time but didn't convert.

Altidore is out for extra time.  He must be hurt or something.  He was under the weather before.

 

Gyan scores in the 93rd minute.  The defense was barely existent.  Howard had a good angle but Howard was too low.  Gyan kicked it just over Howard.

 

ESPN commentator John “Captain for Life” Harkes should be the last person to comment on attitude.  He allegedly had an affair with Erik Wynalda's wife in 1998 which crippled the morale of the team and was stripped of his “Captain for Life” title and kicked off the 1998 World Cup team.

USA had a corner in the 98th minute but couldn't convert.

 

Ghana had a 2-1 lead at the end of the first 15 minutes of extra time.

An American player was almost stripped of his shorts in the 108th minute.  Where’s the card?  Where’s the free kick?

 

Inkoom bicycle kicks himself out of the game.  The stretcher takes him out the far side.  He then limps across the pitch so Muntari can come in. That was disgusting display of gamesmanship!

The Tank’s Bottom Line: USA has some good chances but couldn't convert.  The slow start in regulation is one thing but another in extra time.  Ghana won 2-1.  USA couldn’t avenge previous losses to Ghana. 

 

Posted by a dejected Tank reporting live from Gaf on the UES.

I have been struggling of who to pick on Sunday, England or Germany.  Germany has owned England but the English are due for a victory.  The English have more experience but the Germans are young and athletic. 

 

I was doing my research and came across Paul the Psychic Octopus.  Paul was born in England but raised in Germany.  He correctly predicted a Serbia win over Germany.  He predicts a German victory over England. 

 

For more about Paul the Psychic Octopus, please go here.  He’s 80 percent correct.  I think Germany 2 – England 1.

 

Posted by The Tank trying to “Take it to the bank with The Tank” for my readers.

Team USA is set to meet Ghana tomorrow in the knockout round of the World Cup.  USA will attempt to advance from the World Cup’s Sweet 16 to Elite 8.  I like the USA’s chances.  Howard is solid in goal, the offense is energized with Donovan’s late goal, and Ghana’s doesn’t have Essien.

 

The Tank’s Fearless Prediction: USA 2 – Ghana 1.

 

Posted by The Tank in a World Cup state of mind.

Team USA endured lots of criticism in its Group C.  A tough tie to England, the winning goal against Slovenia which was negated by a blindly corrupt referee, and a tough Algerian Desert Fox squad.

Team USA never makes it easy, kind of like NY sports teams.  They should have some kind of cardiac warning label on their games.
Today's action was scoreless to stoppage time.  Captain Landon Donovan scored on a rebound in the 92nd minute for the 1-0 victory.  Incredible!  He was mobbed by his teammates afterwards and was emotional in his post match comments.

Today was the first time that the USA won their group in 80 years.  And 1930 was the first World Cup.  Wow!  Talk about making history. 

Today was also a sad day for Serbia who lost to Australia 2-1.  It was extra sad because I was supposed to join Steve for the match live from Nelspruit, South Africa.  Work commitments prevented me from attending in person.

Posted by The Tank trying to see the glass half full in a World Cup state of mind.

The Lakers shot 27 percent in the first half but were only down by six points at half.  Queensbridge native Ron Artest led all scorers with 12 points in the first half. 

 

Neither team got many style points as ABC/ESPN analyst Jon Berry recommended putting a steel cage around the ring in a wrestling style event at halftime.

 

The Lakers were down by 13 in the 2nd half but the Lakers closed it to 57-53 at the end of the third quarter.  Gasol scored the first basket of the fourth quarter to close it within two 57-55.  Celtics 59-55 lead with 9 minutes left in the fourth quarter.  Few points with lots of defense and turnovers.

 

Kobe is only 5 of 21.  What happened?  The Lakers are terrible at the free throw line.  But, Kobe hit three free throws to close it to 59-58.  Ron Artest hits a runner to tie it at 61 with about 7:30 left.  Ray Allen missed a free throw.  It was his first in 22 attempts.

 

Derek the Dagger ties it at 64 with about six minutes left.  Kobe gets a great rebound and is fouled.  The Lakers take a 66-64 lead.  Kobe gets the rebound and the basket to make it 68-64 with 5:21 left.  These are the ugliest 20 points you'll ever see.  Gasol hits two free throws to make it 70-64.  Kobe gets his 15th rebound.

 

The Lakers missed about half of their free throws.

 

Gasol had a great block on Pierce going down the lane with about two minutes left.  Yessss!!!!!!!!!  Rasheed Wallace tries to get the ball but lands on the fans court side.  Lakers ball.

 

Gasol does as both ends of the flow as he is fouled but make the basket to make it 76-70 with 1:30 left.  Rasheed makes a three but Artest answers.  Allen answers Artest to make it 79-76.  Kobe misses a three but Gasol gets the rebound.  Rasheed fouls out on Kobe with 25.7 seconds left.  Kobe hits two free throws to make it 81-76.  Timeout.

 

Celtics are great out of the timeout.  Allen misses but Rondo hits a three to make it 81-79 with 13 seconds left.

 

Vujacic is fouled on the inbounds.  Vujacic hits both with 11.7 seconds left.  Clutch.  Yesssss!!!!!!

 

The Celtics miss.  Gasol gets the board.  The Lakers win their 16th championship 83-79.

 

Posted by The Tank celebrating the Lakers 16th Championship and stopping the Boston Sports Apocalypse.

Tonight is Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers.

 

The Lakers were impressive in their 89-67 win in Game 6 on Tuesday to tie the series at three games each.  Kobe, other starters, and the bench hit on all cylinders.  Farmar had a great hustle dive play to get the ball.

 

The Celtics also lost Kendrick Perkins to an injury in Game 6.  This will present match up problems for the Celtics in Game 7 since he can't play.  Andrew Bynum says he is going to play.  The more he can play, the better the Lakers chances.

 

The Tank's Bottom Line: Who wants it more?  Can Kobe surpass Shaq's four rings and move within one of Jordan?  It's also a chance for the Lakers to avenge their 2008 loss.  They need to come out with the same determination in Game 7.  Though I was off on the amount of games the series would go, I am still sticking with the Lakers.

 

Posted by The Tank Keeping the Faith for the Lakers on the road to defending their NBA Championship.