Wrong Score...Right Result

Well...I was wrong. I freely admit that. My guess about the quarterfinals of the World Cup was wrong.

I predicted a final score of 3 - 1. It was, in fact, 1 - 0. But unlike the vast majority of those who thought to predict the results of this match...I was right...simply, plainly, clearly...RIGHT!!!

OK, so gloating isn't the most becoming image. Still, when I look at the predictions on ESPN.com, SI.com, MSNBC.com, etc., etc., and see how many so-called experts predicted an easy victory for Brazil, my arm aches with patting myself on the back.

Yes..I predicted a France victory, against so many others' guesses. Not to gloat more, but according to my fantasy picks on ESPN.com, even though I did rather poorly in the group stage, I have predicted every single winner in the knockout stages up to this point. Yes, I even predicted a Portugal victory over England, as well as a German victory and an Italian victory. What does this mean? Absolutely nothing. I don't gamble. But boy...if I did!

Nonetheless, I just want to say how awesome Zinedine Zidane was. His elegance on a football field is nothing short of artistry. Ever since I saw the man play on television in 1998, I have been amazed at his ability to pass, control, fake, and see out of the back of his head. He is the premier soccer player of his generation, bar none. At age 34, in today's match he made Ronaldo and Ronaldinho look ancient. I also have a new player to support: Ribery. Now that he has his nerves under control, he has been nothing but trouble for other teams. His speed, his energy, and his drive make him a joy to watch. Keep it up, monsieur.

So what will happen in the semis? Well, I'm not changing horses now. Here's my guess:
Italy upsets the home town heroes Germany in overtime, and France defeats Portugal in regular time, setting up a rematch from the European Cup of 2000, France vs. Italy. And in the finals? Who else? France defeats Italy 2 - 1, with Zizou holding the trophy up high as the champion that he is. Will I be right? I don't know...but I sure hope so...ALLEZ LES BLEUS!!!