World Cup Today -- Day 23

Thunderdome continues today as two teams enter the arena yet one team leaves with title aspirations intact. Today two of the pre-tournament favorites will have their mettle tested but top competition.

The early game brings Germany vs. France. The irresistible force meeting the immovable object. France has been a goal scoring machine through Karim Benzema. Paul Pogba has been right along side to help the French attack. So far nobody has kept them below two goals in a game. How will France handle the very forward attacking style of Germany and Mezut Ozil and Bastian Schweinsteiger? How will the French defense handle the cutting German strikers, something they haven't had to deal a lot with this tournament because they have always been in the ascendency in attack. Johnny thinks if France were to get the first goal today it would see them through though they might indeed need two, something that has been no problem thus far. Johnny likes France in the upset.

The 4pm game is fitting because it's a firecracker on the 4th of July. Columbia, maybe the best and most consistent team thus far vs. pre-tourney favorite Brazil. South American style in a place where Brazil hasn't lost a home competitive match since 1975. Brazil, for Johnny's money has been whistling past the graveyard with their play. Today he thinks the Columbian Reaper comes to collect. Johnny's pick? Columbia 2 Brazil 0.

France vs Germany noon
Columbia vs Brazil 4pm

Happy Independence Day!

All anti-fireworks laws have been suspended for 24 hours, but you might wanna keep the grills close to the garage or under an awning, this Hurricane spinning up the coast could give us some rain bands early on.

Happy Independence Day to all those who love America!

Late night open thread

How much do you know about candy Jersey City? Here's a one-question quiz and the answer can be found in comments.

Which candy do Americans eat more than any other?
A) M&M's
B) Candy Corn
C) Kit Kat
D) Snickers
E) Reese's

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Rutgers has been shamed into getting a new Scarlet Knight mascot

Just three days into their Big Ten experience, Rutgers is having to change how their mascot looks. Here he is in all his current, well, awfulness:


That may well play in the Big East or whatever no-count conference Rutgers spent last year in but in the Big Ten where one of the most beloved college mascots of all-time resides, which already looks the role of Ser Gregor Clegane, you must step up your effort from John Kerry with a JEEP grill on his head:

So Rutgers has indeed announced "A New Knight" to be unveiled on August 8. A Sparty-like body with Chris Christie's head? Will the New Knight have a Snooki Knight sidekick? Guess we'll just have to wait. 

Oh, and to any Rutgers fans that Johnny will no doubt be offending as a long-time MSU fan, you wanted into the conference, take your hazing like a knight.

Late night open thread

For 50 points name the movie this animation comes from in comments.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's a sizzling hot July News Roundup!

*First off, it could well feel like º100 today with humidity in some spots in the Garden State. A Heat Advisory has been posted. July has arrived. Please check on those without air conditioning and make sure to check on vulnerable pets!

*New York Giants legend and all-around teevee good guy Michael Strahan was attacked by a homeless man who wanted to kill him.

*The Jersey Journal's Terrence T. McDonald points out just how many Steve Fulop cronies walk the halls of 280 Grove St. Wasn't this exactly what Fulop used to rail on Healy about?

*If you are still feeling the impacts of Superstorm Sandy the Jersey Journal wants to hear from you.

*New Bayonne Mayor James Davis did a pretty douchey thing by inviting all former living Bayonne mayors to his swearing in except for the guy who he just beat, Mark Smith. Talk about thin-skinned.

*Jersey City may itself be divided up in half when it comes to the new ambulance contracts.

*More on Jersey City's NYC topping fireworks display at Liberty State park in front of Jersey City's own Statue of Liberty for Friday.

*Duane Reade's parent company Walgreen's is looking like they are bailing on their US citizenship and want to dump $4 billion of THEIR tax burden on taxpayers by moving their HQ to Switzerland (on paper only). Probably time to rethink shopping there.

World Cup Today -- Day 21

Well, the USA has bowed out. It might have hurt more if as a nation we felt the USA was a better team than Belgium which clearly wasn't the case. The USA had chances to WIN this match and win it late to boot but alas, we wait until 2018 in Russia for our next chance. Heroic effort by Tim Howard yesterday. Legendary effort.

So, the USA went out by the same score at the same point giving up a goal in early extra added time like they did to Ghana in 2010. Make no mistake this is a MUCH better team four years on with a MUCH better head coach. Every kid after yesterday who wants to play soccer will pretend to be the wall known as Tim Howard, diving right and left and jumping to put balls over the crossbar. What the USA needs is midfielders. You kids grow up to be ball control midfielders. That's what the USA needs most. They need the Zusi's and Beckerman's and guys coming up behind them to pass and control play.  The defense was pretty good, better than Johnny had planned for. They had a much better link up on offense and scored 5 goals in 4 games, respectable. AND they competed against MUCH tougher competition this world cup than last, and looked pretty good in doing so.

Big positives going forward, if you're a soccer fan you'll see the growth over the next four years. If you just follow the Wold Cup you should be already excited by the USA's chances in Russia.

No games today, not until Friday.

Late night open thread

Simplify. Vanilla ice cream, New Jersey cherries, and a warm summer night.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

If you are making plans to fly out on the 4th of July or going to the beach you need to hear this

Tropical Strom Andrew, the first named tropical storm of 2014 is expected to impact New Jersey and the Jersey Shore on Friday, July 4th with heavy rain, heavy winds and heavy surf. The storm is located off the shore of Florida currently and is slowly making it's way north.

Saturday's weather forecast is 84º and sunny.

World Cup Today -- Day 20

So we arrive at the BIG moment. The USA will take the field against the "Red Devils" of Belgium at 4pm today. As more than one analyst has said though, has this World Cup come one year too late for Belgium?

First off though we have the Argentina vs. Switzerland match at noon. Both France and Germany got by yesterday but not by much, especially in Germany's case. Could Switzerland, who upset champs-to-be Spain in their first 2010 World Cup game. The Swiss know the routine, they know how to lock teams down. It is one of their stronger aspects to their game. Can Argentina score without have to wait for Messi to save them? Will someone other than Messi score for the Argentines? If the South Americans get a goal from Higuain or DiMaria or anyone else to take the pressure off of Messi they sand a good chance. If they get a lead and force Switzerland to open up a bit they should be fine. If Switzerland should score first, look out. Johnny sees this as a 2-1 Argentine victory. 

Which brings us to the biggest US soccer game probably not in 1950. Belgium, tactically excellent, and even more devastating on set pieces, ire free kicks and corner kicks. However the Belgians were playing at a much higher level at this time last year, in fact beating team USA 2-0. If the USA can keep Belgium off the scoreboard on set pieces their chances improve markedly. Jozy Altidore who stretched his hamstring 20 minutes in the USA's first game against Ghana has been declared "available" today. Johnny doesn't see Altidore starting but he could come on with his great speed and size and power late in the match when Belgian legs are tired and go all out for 15-20 minutes and maybe make a difference. The USA will most likely have to attack from the wide spaces as Belgium may pack it in tightly on defense with the many injuries their central defense have. Manchester City's Vincent Kompany has a groin pull, Anthony Vanden Borre with a broken fibula and an abductor strain for Laurent Ciman. Americans may also thank whatever god you pray to that the best ball header on earth, Christian Benteke who plays for Aston Villa, is not playing for Belgium today either. The USA will want more possession in this match to slow down the Red Devils attack so players like Graham Zusi and or Justin Bedoya must be sharp in service in the middle of the park. Cheap giveaways and poor possession will send wave after wave of Belgians forward. Slow and steady wins the race today. So, again, if the Belgians don't score on set pieces good things can happen. The USA cannot keep a clean sheet to save their lives (ie get a shutout) so we're going to say moxie and conditioning win the day. Nobody better at that than the USA. Belgium wins their games late. Today the USA will turn that trick back on them. 2-1 USA with a goal by Michael Bradley late in extra time.

Argentina vs Switzerland noon

USA vs Belgium 4pm