“Black Stars. Here to illuminate Brazil” – Ghana World Cup Team Bus Slogan.
EL BARIO, BRONX – This was an intense week for any sports fan but even more so for yours truly, the good Deacon Blaber. My sports bully pulpit has been locked and loaded since Friday Morning. We will discuss this epic round of NHL playoffs, the NBA Playoffs, World Cup Slogans and the crazy games college kids play.
NHL Playoffs: Sweet Baby Jesus, these NHL Playoffs are one for the ages. The conference semi-finals will have had 3 game 7s and one game 6 that should have been a 7. The Montreal Canadians rose above the dirty tactics of the Boston Bruins. The Bruins are annoying because they are a quality team, but for reasons known only to them, have decided to become the main d’bags of the league, led by Milan Lucic. Spraying water on opposing players on the bench, in gloves, hooking a guy by his gonads and then making threats after they lose. Poor form all around and real cry-baby stuff in a sport renowned for its toughness.
The NY Rangers came back from 3-1 down, spurred by the sudden death of star Martin St. Louis‘ mom before game 5. The Blueshirts found their grit while Pittsburgh was found wanting again. Whisper it quietly in the halls of the Igloo, but the Penguins softness is screaming for the guiding hand of John Tortorella.
Out west, the cheap-shot Blackhawks managed to find enough class led by Patrick Kane to beat a Minnesota Wild side that played a lot better than they looked on paper. They just lacked that extra bit of specialness to win. And the Anahiem Ducks v LA Kings series has been a tale of two different series as each side has gained momentum only for the other to shatter it and go on a run themselves.
Hockey playoffs are peerless in the world of pro sports for the action, storylines and intensity. They just can’t be beat.
NBA Playoffs – The Clippers despite their owner (who is no refusing to sell the team, pay his league fine and fighting back with a lawsuit) are playing well. They were hard done by a bad call in game 1 but I still expect Oklahoma City to be in the final. Meanwhile in the east, it is down to Miami and Indiana as I called it, a few months back. Back then it was recommended that we should have scrap the previous two rounds have the two sides play a 9 game series. Miami defeating Brooklyn was no surprise but the fact that Brooklyn collapsed with 35 seconds left was sad. Ray Allen in the corner and Lebron James on the ball not withstanding the Nets should have won that game and pushed it to 6 games.
World Cup – No one on the staff cares about soccer and I get it but I want to introduce a fun little game. Below is a list of all the World Cup Bus slogans for all the nations involved. So based on knowing nothing about the teams but their slogans pick one to root for. I am of course going for Ghana but for my second team, it has to be Greece. I liked the Dutch and their “Real men wear Orange” but how can you beat “Heroes play like Greeks” it is so beautiful and confident despite the fact that even I don’t think I know the name of one player on the team. Here are the slogans, let me know your pick, by when you post in the comments.
Algeria – Desert warriors in Brazil
Argentina – Not just a team, we are a country
Australia – Socceroos: hopping our way into history!
Belgium – Expect the impossible!
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Dragons in heart, dragons on the field!
Brazil – Brace yourselves! The 6th is coming!
Cameroon – A lion remains a lion
Chile – Chi Chi Chi!, Le Le Le! Go Chile
Colombia – Here travels a nation, not just a team!
Costa Rica – My passion is football, my strength is my people, my pride is Costa Rica
Ivory Coast – Elephants charging towards Brazil!
Croatia – With fire in our hearts, for Croatia all as one!
Ecuador – One commitment, one passion, only one heart, this is for you Ecuador!
England – The dream of one team, the heartbeat of millions!!
France – Impossible is not a French word
Germany – One nation, one team, one dream!
Ghana – Black Stars: here to illuminate Brazil
Greece – Heroes play like Greeks
Honduras – We are one country, one nation, five stars on the heart
Iran – Honour of Persia
Italy – Let’s paint the Fifa World Cup dream blue
Japan – Samurai, the time has come to fight!
Korea Republic – Enjoy it, Reds!
Mexico – Always united, always Aztecas
Holland – Real men wear orange
Nigeria – Only together we can win
Portugal – The past is history. the future is victory
Russia – No one can catch us
Spain – Inside our hearts, the passion of a champion
Switzerland – Final stop: 07-13-14 Maracana!
Uruguay – Three million dreams … let’s go Uruguay
USA – United by team, driven by passion
College Beer Pong – Most of the MTM staff finished college (note: I didn’t say graduated, I said they are finished). In their time there most if not all played beer pong. However, this high end beer pong pictured above has lots of historical references and rules, which are hysterical. However, since it is called Jews vs Nazis and some members of this parish are of the chosen people with a rare few even history buffs, I want to hear people’s thoughts on it. I just think it over complicates the task of drinking and getting drunk.
That is it for now, feel free to comment below and come back tomorrow for the one and only Cheesy Bruin
P.s… If you want to read more of my ramblings as a Rugby Guy, you can find them on RugbyWrapUp.com and our Facebook Rugby Wrap Up Page and follow us on Twitter @RugbyWrapUp and @JunoirBlaber, respectively
