Don’t cry for me Argentina, etcetera

LIKE many others, I’ve stayed up for the goaliest nights of the 2018 Football World Cup. But my fearless forecast went pfft in the second phase (best of 16), with the end of the road for the uncrowned Lionel Messi’s Argentina and for Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.

(Messi was up at their 2014 World Cup rivalry in Brazil – four goals to Ronaldo’s one. Argentina finished runner-up and Messi was also best player for the 2014 Cup. But this is World Cup 2018, and Ronaldo did a hat-trick against Spain in a 3-3 draw. (A hat-trick is three goals in a game.) He also scored the lone goal for Portugal’s 1-0 win against Morocco. Although the two superstars didn’t meet at this World Cup, the rivalry ended: Ronaldo 4, Messi 1.)

Fast-forward to the quarter finals: France, one of pre-tournament favorites, knocked out Uruguay, 2-0. Watch for this youthful mega star teenager Kylian Mbappe, France’s youngest goal scorer who beat Peru, 1-0, and scored two more goals as France trounced Argentina, 4-3. In the other group quarterfinals, Belgium sent home Neymar and Brazil. (I was dumbfounded like many others. But Sportsbooks list Brazil as 180 favorite (risk #180 to win $100), and Belgium at + 150 (risk $100 to win $150).

By my deadline Saturday, England goes up against Sweden; Croatia v. surprising host Russia. The winners move up to the semifinals. I am tempted to call it England v. Croatia. But, again, better ask the bookies.

*** Where are we in this galaxy of the beautiful game? Insular PH places our hopes and our prayers on Azkals. We have one of the largest football plant turfs in Loyola Heights and in UP Dilliman. But basketball is in our blood. Or can we really ever learn to think on our feet? Our Ed Ocampo was Mr. Football before he became Mr. Basketball. We should give the beautiful game more game time. If we Pinoys do not want our pigmentation darkened by the sun, perhaps we should try playing before sunrise? Or maybe in the evening... with the Meralco lights on. Might this do the hat-trick? Or do I (again) eat my hat?

*** Basketball? Gilas Philippines geared up for revenge at home court, (after an 84-68 drubbing by the Australia Boomers in Melbourne for Qualifiers for the 2018 Basketball World Cup.) Yet the best-laid schemes of coach Chot Reyes gang aft a-gley.

Whatever was the mindset of our Gilas Pilipinas players, we were down big, 79-48, at the third quarter when our Roger Pogoy deliberately fouled Chris Goulding. This drew a kicker(t), which emptied the Philippine bench free-for-all resulting in nine Gilas players and four Boomers thrown out.

That left June Mar Fajardo, Gabe Norwood, and Baser Amer as the Gilas trio against the Australian Five to continue the game. Game ended at 1.57 left of the third canto with the PH deliberately fouling out and Australia winning by 36 points (89-53).

We await judgment on the fracas and its possible consequence on the Philippine participation, with unhappy consequence on the fabled Filipino hospitality. It didn’t help any that our players took a selfie after the brawl, which the Australian coach thought “very odd after a major altercation and seemingly enjoying the moment.”

On other Under-17 event, Batang Gilas lost to France (95-54), to Croatia (97-75), and a heartbreaker to Argentina (74-71). We need more Kai Sottos.

Yes,we are better pound-for-pound. Manny Pacquiao better make good that mantra vs Lucas Mathysse on July 15 and recover national honor.

*** My deep throat source OIV says that Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray is out on left field for calling US President Trump “cruel and inhumane” for separating children from their wetback parents. If Mexico were run like the US, it would be even richer than USA.

Without saying much, my deep throat source likewise looks at the unrealized expectations of PH. Prayers must go with good works.

***

IS THIS WHY THEY ARE CALLED FLATFOOT? The Senate may summon several former officials (DILG Secretary Mar Rojas II, DBM chief Florencio Abad and PNP chief General Alan Purisima) to shed light on the PNP’s 11.8-billion purchase of the Indian-made Mahindra jeeps. Many of these jeeps were “declined” before a year and abandoned for lack of spare parts. Poe asks why Mahindra was chosen over Ford and Toyota which offered the same price, and why it won the bid despite the terms of reference in the procurement process.

***

DIVORCE, GREEK STYLE. A man and his wife were getting their divorce at a local court in Greece; but the custody of children posed a problem. The judge heard both asides advance their claims:

Wife: She said she had brought the children into this world, so she should retain custody.

Husband: “Your Honor, when I put a coin into a vending machine, and a Coke comes up, does the Coke belong to me or to the machine?”

Believe it or not, the husband was given custody of the children. FEEDBACK: