EDitorial ± 22-Jun-2006

World Cup 2006, Day 14

Unlike Freddie Shepherd, Middler *did* vomit yesterday and so won first prize of a day off the hell that is junior school. Which didn't sit well with The Boy, unable to stomach the injustice of it all and who sat wailing on the doorstep declaring his wish not to be educated that day. Life's not fair, Boysy.

Being a p(r)awn of the McLuhan meeja, I gamely consumed (a) the Guardian's daily WC podcast -- wittily held together by TV's Football Italia chappy James Richardson, though featuring some guy called Mike whose whiny voice reminds me of an annoying colleague -- then (b) that same paper's minute-by-minute coverage of the crunch Czech-Italy game from the (cliche alert) Group Of Death. Now, wishing to brag, some are born great, etc, so take a look at the 43rd minute para. That's me, that is.

Back to the footy -- McFly! -- and it's Zbohem to the (great for one game) Czech Republic and so long to the hope of the States. Arena's going home.

Ronaldo is Big In Japan and in his full-length bedroom mirror. Maybe those white shorts gave him that extra 10cm of pace, enabling him to score not one but two, the second a beaut with his boot. Delightful one-two with goofy Ronaldinho too. Match got the shot it needed when a wiley fella named Cagey Tomato blasted Japan ahead. Old men Carlos and Cafu were rested in favour of a brace of Gilbertos, and little Robinho, looking like Theo Walcott's younger brother, stole the show. Sayonara, Japan.

Simultaneously, the Wizards of Oz kept their Kewell in a match loosely officiated by Graham "Straw" Poll. Life's not fair, Croatia.