Dogpile!

I usually don't like to kick a person - or, in this case, a country - while they're down but let's face it, Les Bleus deserve it. Les Bleus - The Blues - France's national football team, lost badly today to tournament host South Africa in the last Group A match from the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The scoreline read 2-1 but in reality South Africa controlled the match from start to finish. It didn't help that French midfielder Yoann Gourcuff was sent off in the 25th minute, leaving his countrymen to defend against a motivated South African side for the remaining 75. In truth, Bafana Bafana (South African term for 'the boys') should have scored more. Doing so might have seen them through to the knockout stages in place of Mexico, but it wasn't to be.

So much for the good ol' days...

How could the 1998 world champions fall so far? Let me throw out a few nuggets...

• Coach Raymond Domenech, after a 2-0 thumping by Italy dumped France out of the 2008 European championships, proposed to his girlfriend in the post-match interview. Nothing like being self-absorbed after an embarrassing team loss.

• Prior to this year's world cup, Domenech prepared a full program for his 24-player squad: mountain bike training, weights, swimming and hiking. It doesn't look like they kicked many balls in the Alps...

• Prior to the aforementioned 2008 European Championships Domenech admitted his team selection was influenced by astrology. Maybe that's why two of his best options, Arsenal regular Samir Nasri and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, weren't even selected?

• Earlier this year, French winger and all-around (not-so?) good guy Frank Ribery was implicated along with Benzema and several teammates in a prostitution scandal involving a minor. Yikes!

• Once Les Bleus actually got to the World Cup, they managed to score a grand total of one goal in three games. Striker Nicolas Anelka was dismissed from the team after allegedly making derogatory remarks concerning/to Coach Domenech during the halftime break of France's humiliating 2-0 loss to Mexico. 

• In protest, the entire French team refused to practice this past Sunday, apparently in a display of solidarity with the dismissed Anelka. Jean-Louis Valentin, the French team director, resigned afterward due to being 'fed up' with the team. You think?

•  Fitness coach Robert Duverne also stormed off the practice field Sunday, tossing his accreditation away in anger after an argument with French captain Patrice Evra - who, by the way, didn't even play against South Africa today. Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!

What a complete and utter train wreck.

At least, for the French, c'est finis. Now the rest of us can focus on really important matters - like the USA beating Algeria in a must-win to make the knockout round after being denied a clear winning goal against Slovenia by Malian referee Koman Coulibaly. Not that I'm bitter.

And speaking of dog-piling; the Irish, who were eliminated in a World Cup qualifier play off by, of course, Les Bleus, reportedly donned somberos and downed tequila shots after Thursday's win by Mexico over the French. Erin go bragh!

This World Cup has more drama than a WWE Smackdown. If this doesn't bring in the fans, I don't know what will.

But to the French...boux houx...and au revoir!

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Morality Play or Discrimination?

According to this report on MSN, a teacher was fired from a private Christian school for having sex outside of marriage. The teacher is now suing the school on discriminatory grounds.

At the risk of offending all free thinkers out there, I think the firing is justified, and here's why:

a) It's a private, Christian school
b) The teacher signed an employment application which clearly states, "...that as a leader before our students we require all teachers to maintain and communicate the values and purpose of our school."
c) The Bible is clear that sex outside of marriage is a sin

It should have been no surprise to the teacher that engaging in sex outside of marriage would put her employment at risk.

I am not setting myself up as a judge here. I'm merely expressing my opinion that considering the values and policies of her employer, the teacher should have been aware of at least the possibility that things could go this way.

I suspect that as a result of the pending lawsuit, the school will be required to spell out in their policies and procedures the types of behavior that are not allowed - that is, if they are allowed to keep some level of autonomy regarding said policies and procedures.

This whole situation is sort of a shame because, if you're a Christian and an adult, you should know these things already.

What do you think?

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Freaky Friday...

...no, not the one with LiLo.

You can tell it's a World Cup year when they have videos like this one out...



Short post today but honestly, it's quality over quantity, wouldn't you say?

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