We're BAAAAACK!!

Just like DaMarcus Beasley (pictured above), or that pesky little booger on your finger, we just won't go away. Yep, after 3 months, Walsh and I are back and ready to deluge you with more unbelievable crap that you folks love to read. I actually had 1 or 2 people ask if we were ever coming back. Quite frankly, that's 1 or 2 more people than I thought visited the site...

But I'm finally healthy enough to work, and therefore, write, and I think Pat needed the break as well to shovel the 20 feet of snow he got in Baltimore over the past 2 months. So, with that out of the way, we've got a lot to cover, so strap yourselves in.

1. U.S. vs. Netherlands - The Yanks head to Amsterdam to take on the 3rd-ranked team in the world, although nobody thinks of the Dutch as World Cup contenders in June. Walsh and I do, and as you'll see later in the column, we were willing to put some money down on them in Vegas. Big test for the Americans, who could be without as many as 6 potential starters, or at least, the folks most of us HOPE will start June 12th against England. Seriously, Beasley and Eddie Johnson called into camp? The last time either was on form was during the FIRST term of the George W. Bush administration. The good news is that Landon Donovan is playing as well as he ever has, and you know the speculation of a full-time move to England will only grow over the next several weeks and months. Hopefully he can keep his current form, which makes him the U.S.' most dangerous player, and it's not even close. However, I'm also hoping to see a good run from Jozy Altidore. He seems to have found a rhythm at Hull City, and should only get better with additional playing time. Again, he just needs to transfer that to the International level. Hopefully Stuart Holden can play well and make a case for getting into the starting 11 also.

All that said, the U.S. just doesn't match up well in this game. Even at full strength, they don't have the firepower, or the midfield, to pose much of a challenge. I think this is the best Dutch midfield since the underachieving squad from the early 90's, and if they can just find a killer instinct, they'll do some serious damage in South Africa.

Prediction - Robben scores early, Kuyt seals it late, and the Dutch are never seriously challenged in a 2-0 win.

2. England - Some interesting scenarios and soap opera-like drama going on here. Captain John Terry (who's married with kids) nails teammate Wayne Bridge's girlfriend (now an ex-girlfriend). Terry is stripped of his Captaincy by Coach Fabio Cappello, but Bridge gives a big middle-finger to the National Team anyway as he won't play w/ Terry anymore. Now there's a bigger problem; with normal starter Ashley Cole out due to injury (happened after he went in on a challenge to Landon Donovan, ironically), Bridge was the natural replacement. Now there's a hole that needs to be fixed on the field, as well as in the locker room. In Italy, David Beckham is smiling as he is happy to finally not be the current focus of the English football media. On the good side, Wayne Rooney might just be the best player in the world right now, something that doesn't bode well for the central defense of the U.S. when they meet June 12th.

3. MLS - They don't have a collective bargaining agreement in place and the players have threatened to strike. Yet they play on, knowing it's a hell of a lot better than substitute teaching or working as a Wal-Mart greeter. I think something will get done in the next few weeks, and then the players can move on to bitching about something else they don't like about the league. As for the exhibition season, it means nothing, so we won't say much about the league until we do our predictions column in a few weeks' time.

Other Stuff

Went to Vegas (again) last week. Saw a couple of great shows in Jersey Boys and Garth Brooks (especially when Trisha Yearwood came out and joined him on stage).

Went to the new Aria Hotel and Casino and walked through Vdara, another part of the $8 billion MGM City Center project. Can't say I was impressed at all. The layout was confusing, the casino dark, the restaurants empty (when you walk by and see the chefs, waiters, and hostess all standing at the bar talking, that ain't a good sign), and the place just had no vibe. It looked and felt like something out of Europe. Somebody should have told them they were in Vegas. You gotta have SOME glitz, glamour, and tackiness. I think this place is in serious trouble already, and I would love to be a fly on the wall at the next shareholders meeting...

Funniest/weirdest thing I encountered this time: You all know I'm a Colts fan, and as I was in the Sports Book at the Gold Coast, I saw a fellow fan in Colts shirt and hat. I walked up and said "tough Super Bowl, but overall I thought we had a great season."

He responded by saying "You know Manning was on the take for that game, right? When he was on the sideline, he wasn't looking at pictures, not talking to anybody, then he throws the interception when they were going for the tie...he was obviously paid off."

No, he wasn't joking. I just smiled and walked away. What else can you say after something like that, other than "dumbass?"

Finally, since this is supposed to be a soccer/sports column, let's end on the topic of World Cup gambling (parents, don't let your kids read this part).

So Walsh and I agreed to go in on 3 teams for the tournament based on the current odds. We went with:

Ghana at 70-1. Found these odds at Boulder Station. Everyone else had 50-1 or 40-1. Sure it's a longshot, but 70-1 for arguably the best African team, who are also in the weaker of the 2 brackets? Yep, that's a no-brainer.

Ivory Coast at 20-1. Got this at Gold Coast. The odds when Pat and I agreed on this one were 25-1, but as I was getting ready to place the bet, the odds dropped to 20-1. H'mm, maybe somebody knows something we don't ( impossible, as Walsh and I are on top of everything!!!). Still, it's another African team, but that doesn't bother us. Seriously, wouldn't this year be the best chance for an African team to win it? On their own continent? Jus' sayin...

Netherlands at 10-1. The toughest of the 3 to pick. France was also at 10-1, but I think after the way they qualified against Ireland, a lot of people will be rooting against them. It might affect them. Plus, they aren't that good this year, which kinda influenced our decision. England was also in consideration at 11-2, but the team isn't that different from the one 4 years ago, except the team is now collectively 4 years older. In a short tournament like this, young legs are the key. Not sure Capello's squad has enough of those this time around. As for the Dutch, they've never won, and have never really been close since the '78 loss to Argentina in the Final. Still, they have a relatively weak group, and will more than likely play a weak opponent in the round of 16. Once you get to the quarterfinals, anything can happen.

So that's where we went with the wagering. Agree? Disagree? Share your thoughts.

FYI, here are some of the other odds when I left:

Brazil at 3-1

Spain at 7-2

Germany at 8-1

Italy at 8-1

U.S. at 30-1

Mexico at 30-1

Good to be back. Thanks as always for reading!