World Cup HIghlights

The self-professed largest sporting event in the world is going on right now in South Africa. The World Cup, which is so full of itself that it doesn't even identify what the sport is in its title, consists of 32 teams in tournament play, deciding which country's soccer team is the best.

Now this is not to be confused with what soccer team is the best. Confused? Many club soccer teams from professional leagues around the globe are better than any of the country fielded teams. It is not uncommon for top players who are on the same club team to face each other competitively in the World Cup, where they play for their countries.

In any case, the main claim to fame of this World Cup is that it gives South Africans the chance to ruin world wide telecasts by blowing on their damn plastic vuvuzela horns, which generate a blasting 127 decibels of noise inside the stadiums. Teams, players, officials, coaches have all complained that they can't hear themselves think, much less carry on a game. There was talk of banning the horns before the tournament began, but South African organizers objected, saying that if they were banned, South Africans would be disenfranchised from their own games.

In tribute to the horns, the Tony award class acting performances by some players, and the English, who are ready to hang their goaltender for making one mistake in the opening game against the US ... I present a collage of wonderful soccer images. These go to show the main goal (pardon the pun) of the game is to play with balls. (Not necessarily the big white one!)