First Game Recap and the Vuvuzelas

As of now, each team has played their first game of the group stage and here are a few of the themes:

> The big teams failing to make the big statements: With Germany being the lone exception, most of the heavily favored teams failed to dazzle us. Some looked good but couldn't get their the goals (Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Holland), some teams looked a little flat and disorganized (Portugal, Ivory Coast, England) and some looked lost (France).

> Few goals scored: I'm waiting for the stats on how the goal tallys compare to previous tournaments -- They've got to be on the low side. Could it be the ball everyone's complaining about? (there were a lot of really off shots.)? Obviously though, this is largely due to teams being very conservative in their opening games, feeling each other out, not wanting to take big risks. We can expect this to change as teams need to open up and go for it.

> The vuvuzelas...

I’m not buying the argument that you only hate vuvuzelas if you don’t have one. They’re absolutely awful and mindless.

Besides the obvious issue of them being completely annoying, what bothers me the most is they actually take away from the games…We’re losing the cheering, the songs, the chants. When a goal is scored and you expect to hear the roar of the crowd, we get nothing, just the same incessant buzz. I remember seeing an exciting breakaway during the first game and immediately noticing there was no change in the background sound. I'd love to hear what the players think.

I remember in the MLS’s earlier days when the crowds were a few thousand, you’d hear one or two every 10 seconds and I hated them then. This is a whole new level. I’ve heard ESPN has tried to minimize them in the TV broadcast and I commend them for that (now if we can just get them to take away the update ticker at the bottom of the screen. Note to ESPN: I’m just making a guess here, but most World Cup fans don’t want to see the latest MLB stats during the World Cup).

It’s a safe bet this World Cup will forever be remembered by these things unless, in the reaming three weeks we see more Hands from Gods or head-butts.

Now it's on each team's second game to see how everyone reacts to their current position. Bring 'em on!