Beat their butts, U.S.

I take back the sort of nice things I said about Ghana winning their game against the Czech Republic the other day. I wish the Czechs had won! I hope the U.S. can beat them big time. Arrogance should never be rewarded (like last night's Heat vs. Mavericks game)- this from a washingtonpost.com World Cup discussion today:

Accra, Ghana: I happen to be spending the summer in Ghana and let me tell you that the assumption is they will crush the U.S. That is if they even consider the U.S. Mostly they are talking about taking on Brazil. While I do believe Ghana has a good chance of beating the U.S., I am perplexed by their total dismissal of the U.S.'s ability to thwart them in any way. They are deaf to any suggestion that football is never a sure thing. And they know nothing about the American team -- most I know have not even watched the other games the U.S. played.
As an American fan, I am accustomed to not raising my expectations and staying rather neutral, but the smugness I've seen really makes me hope Ghana will be spanked.

Camille Powell: It's funny that you say this -- that is the exact same impression I got from talking to a couple of reporters from Ghana yesterday. They said that people in Ghana expect a rout -- like 3-0, 4-0. The tenor of the Ghana press conference today (Coach Dujkovic and Appiah) was one of extreme confidence -- Dujkovic once again said that he thinks the Black Stars will reach the semis, and both men answered several questions about playing Brazil. (As an aside, the two Ghana reporters said that Ghana doesn't need or want Freddy Adu.)

Interesting. Remember, last December, the Ghana coach was going to ask Adu to play for them? But they don't need or want him! Whatever.

This item, from the Post's Sunday Source, sounded pretty interesting! I hope to check out a game sometime. Can I yell "huzzah?"

PLAY BALL, VINTAGE STYLE. The area's vintage baseball teams, Easton's Fair Plays, the Eclipse Base Ball Club of Elkton and the just-formed regional Chesapeake and Potomac Base Ball Club, have revived the rules and styles of baseball circa 1860 -- think umpires in starchy suits, no gloves and 25-cent fines for throwing curveballs. The teams, comprised of players sporting traditional uniforms and using replica bats (which are heavier and thicker than modern mass-produced gear), play in a July 15 tournament in Elkton, along with the Brooklyn Atlantics. Eclipse plans to take on other vintage teams like the New York Mutuals at home games, and the other teams are still firming up their summer schedules (check their Web sites for updates). The events are worth a road trip, if only for the chance to shout oh-so-proper vintage cheers like "Well fielded, sir!" and to re-create the days before steroids and salary insanity came to dominate the gentlemanly game. The teams are also looking for players and voluntee rs.
July 15 tournament: Games start at 11 a.m., 1:15 and 3:15 p.m., with the championship at 5 p.m. Elk Landing, 590 Landing Lane, Elkton. $5, student $1. 410-620-6400. Individual teams' locations and prices vary. Fair Play: http://www.hstc.org/baseball.htm , Eclipse: http://elktoneclipse.tripod.com/ , Chesapeake and Potomac: http://chesapeakepotomacbbc.tripod.com/ .