How to drop the rig and get under one of the low lying bridges..............
Sorry, video has been removed!
Short tacking up the river. We see several examples of the classic Norfolk Broads cruiser; low freeboard, boxy coachroof, long footed gaff or gunter main with tiny jib hung off a bowsprit. I like those small bent SS tillers........
Ghana showed what you can do with world class strikers who can fight off two defenders and blast the ball over the hands of the keeper. For some reason, USA doesn't develop world class strikers and this has always handicapped us when we go against the good teams (Landon Donovan played an attacking midfield role in this World Cup). A lot of our attacks depend on that cute last pass in the box which most top teams have no issue in denying.
Coach Bob Bradley went with two players in the lineup, Findley and Clark, who hadn't done much in previous matches and failed spectacularly this game. To correct this glaring mistake, Bradley used two early subs to get back to the side that played well at the end of the Algeria match. This left him with few options at the end to get some fresh legs when the game went into extra time.
For those of you who thought I was off my nut or, maybe a tad immature in the last post, I return to more sober sailing topics.......
I wrote previously how getting off a lee shore is number 1 for comic disasters in small boat sailing.... number 2 has to be the upwind port/starboard encounter when racing. Starboard tack has the right of way and when on port, the skipper must employ complex spatial calculations to avoid hitting or interfering with the starboard boat. This calls for split second decisions on whether to duck the starboard taker or maybe tack underneath and how to execute the maneuver with flawless course corrections. The experienced calmly zoom across the stern of the starboard tacker, within inches of the rudder. The not so experienced.... well, lets go to the video tape........ (local sportscaster George Michaels favorite line)......
I took leave of work to watch this at home. F..king unbelievable! With the Yanks, the skill may sometimes be lacking but the heart is always out there.
I turned on the TV 4 minutes in. Immediately, USA back Jay DeMerit whiffed on a ball inside the box, the Algerian collected and clanged a zinger off the top bar. Whew! Double Whew! At the 20 minutes mark, there was Dempsey sneaking up the back post to put in a brilliant goal.... Wait! Offsides! Not another goal disallowed! Friggin unbelievable! And the frenetic pace of Red, White, and Blue all during the second half when it was known that England had the one goal lead over Slovenia. Dempsey, wide open, another clanger off the far post and he collected the rebound only to knock it wide.........groan, Altidore, Buddle, almost as one on a header right to the hands of the Algerian keeper........AArgh!!!!, Michael Bradley on a free kick, zinging around the wall right into the hands of the keeper...Sh..t!!!!, Dempsey, another swerver punched away by the keeper...my left arm punching the air only to be withdrawn.. another disappointment.... Altidore, parked in front of the goal, knocks one over the top.... Groan.. Jozy...Jozy., face in hands, curses..........
And when all seemed lost; 1 minute into injury time, USA keeper Howard heaves the ball up to midfield for Donovan, to Altidore on the wing, to Dempsey in front of the keeper, Dempsey crashing a redirect into the desperate keeper who could only punch it away to a sprinting Donovan who, zap, exclamation point!, zing, punched it in for the winner..Exclamation point!!!!! Me, some kook all alone, hands up, sprinting around the TV room, hooting and hollering while, Sammy, my old canine buddy looks on, puzzled.
2 and half minutes left, 90 minutes finished, only injury time remaining, tie Algeria and you go home, bye bye, board that flight back to the USA.... and they get it! they finally close the deal, they get the f...king goal that puts them through.....
F...king unbelievable!!!!!
Yanks of the match.
Forget the morons of the media who are always looking for the goal scorers......
Clint Dempsey, amazing workrate, took an elbow, bleeding from the nose at the end of the match, always pressing, always probing... if he hadn't pressured keeper Rais Ouheb Mbouli on that last goal sequence, Landon wouldn't had the rebound. Dave Kelly, Mr. Fulham, this ones for you......
and
Jay DeMerit - excepting his miscue at 4 minutes, he stepped up the rest of the game. A physical, no nonsense presence on D, settled in to deny Algeria many opportunities, and when we subbed in strikers for D in the second half we needed our three backs to be there and they were. We all know, when it comes down to championships, big D, defense is the key.
Ghana next.....
Vamos USA....
Vamos USA
"America the Beautiful" sung at one of the men's urinal's at the World Cup......
I finally got one of my Classic Moths back together to attend the Classic Moth New Jersey Championships this past weekend in Brigantine New Jersey. Brigantine is the next town north of the East Coast gambling mecca, Atlantic City. I'll gin up a more complete regatta report when I get some photos.
We have a pre-race party at Absecon, across the bay from the Atlantic City. There are spectacular views of the Atlantic City skyline as the late afternoon turns to night.
A short video of Atlantic City shot across the marsh and bay.
Tip of the hat to Joe C and wife for a great party..........
Bald but my eyebrows are growing at a prolific rate. Sailed Windmills and Y-Flyers in the 1960's. Founded Miami University (OH) sailing team. Sailed International 14's and Lasers in the 1970's. Sailed International Canoes in the 1980's to mid 1990's. Sailed Classic Moths since 2002. Enjoy boatbuilding though I'm very, very slow at it (the Internet doesn't help matters). Name in real life: Rod Mincher
After choosing this username (Tweezer is the name of my Classic Moth), further research on the Internet turned up that Tweezerman is a corporate name for a line of pedicure products. Let me emphasize that I do not work for, nor endorse these products.
