are you ready for some football?

love this puddle shot

all photos in this post from boston.com's big picture...more here...

i think i am.

i've been following rich's blog, read some nytimes articles and a tim howard feature in the new yorker, caught a little bit of lalas on espn. i declined an offer to join rich and t's world cup pool because that's one step above the level of involvement i'm prepared for right now. i really just want to watch a few key games, and read the reporting/blogs. (did you notice i like reading about sports?) there's a lot of really grand, slamming tennis coming up, and that will remain my priority.

but my WC essentials will be:

rich's previously mentioned "football fever" blog on men's health;

steve nash (on youtube and cbssports.com) because...i love him;

and george vecsey.

when i think of sportswriting about football/soccer he's the first person that comes to mind--he wrote a wonderful piece a few years back, lamenting the close of l'angolo cafe in the west village. at the time i'd been living down there and passed that place all the time, never knowing it was home to such a devoted band of football brothers. i might have developed a deeper love for the game (as opposed to the fever, every four years) if i'd been immersed in a proper setting? anyway, the article left an impression.

he's blogging this WC, and he's giving and asking readers for venue recommendations....

i suppose that's the other thing i'm looking forward to--meeting up with friends for food and drink. it's like a month of superbowl parties. maybe this year changes everything for me, and i stay on the bandwagon for good.

(maybe.)

hello, world (cup)

big, exciting news to report.

it's not this exactly...

nor is it this...

it's THIS...do you see it? FOOTBALL FEVER?

yes it's my friend, the fine actor and erstwhile film snob (though maybe he and his better half take that up again in the fall), richard short, who just landed a gig blogging about world cup football for menshealth.com.

it won't be a straight-up sports-only blog--it's men's health, so expect there to be a little side chatter (the social aspects...i.e. bars? babes? say this, not that? ).

BUT he really knows his football--and he's a great writer (i joined his fantasy football league just to receive his weekly email bulletins). i think the editors are letting him write in his brit voice, too. it wouldn't be the same otherwise.

if you're an enthusiastic-every-4-years fan, like me, he'll offer a solid and entertaining primer; if you follow the game closely--go ahead and challenge him. he'll love it.

here's the link.