Cugalabanza

2:25pm ET on ESPN Tough, tough game. Teams are taking this tournament seriously. Spain destroyed New Zealand yesterday 5-0. This will be great experience for the U.S. team. Don't be surprised if this is a close one. The U.S. often does better in the underdog role. (And don't forget that only one team was able to take a point from Italy in the 2006 WC, the U.S.). Or, it could be an embarrassing thrashing, who knows?

Congrats! I understand at 6,000 they give you a matching ottoman for your leather chair in the TBD VIP mahogany room.

This is bullsh*%! Why can't these scientists figure out a way to give chimps more cancer?

Great, now those monkeys over on PPP are gonna be riled up all day.

Absolutely. Anybody who could do anything that sick and evil needs more help than they could ever get in one lifetime.

That's fine, Cincy, but please try to keep focused. We're talking about this guy's resignation letter here.

I'll give you 10 bucks if you work in the word "cockamamie."

Have a great Birthday, #34!

Sorry. Kitty punch accepted.

No, that's the basic plot of the movie (and tv series) The Fugitive.

Mexico will bounce back. The U.S. vs. Mexico game on August 12 (in Mexico!) will be a tough one and it will have real meaning for both teams. Keep in mind: It's not just about merely qualifying for the WC, it's also where you stand. Lower ranking = tougher group schedule in the WC. Going in, it looked like the U.S. would be an easy #1. Now, who knows?

So, you're siding with BK on this one? Interesting choice. I don't get it. Maybe you have some kind of personal stake in this. Was your wife killed by a one-armed man and then everybody thought you were guilty and then you had to run away and hide out like some kind of fugitive until you could gather the necessary evidence to convict the real killer?

No mention of Tad or Mudhoney? For shame! And I know Nirvana has not aged well, but Bleach is a pretty damn nice record.

You're right. I don't know why I said Sunday. Probably some kind of subconscious defense mechanism--like I wanted to trick myself into not watching it.

I agree that Adu should be getting more minutes and he will definitely be a part of the WC squad. The reason: good touch on the ball! That is what is missing most with U.S. players. He can hold the ball, he can dribble competently and he has the vision to make a positive pass. His trouble so far is that he has felt the need to penetrate the defense too much on his own, dribbling into trouble. But this can be corrected and to some extent it's what we want--it does create some chances and plenty of free kicks. My biggest problem is the defense. Onyewu and Bocanegra in the middle have been solid before. I don't think you're going to see a change there (although I would not mind trying Jay DeMerit in Bocanegra's place--I like his energy). But Wynne and Beasley on the outside, just a total disaster. I hope Wynne does not make the WC squad. Beasley has stuck around because of his speed, but I'm not sure he even has that anymore. His overall lack of skill gets exposed every time against quality opposition. I miss Steve Cherundolo and Heath Pearce back there. And Hedjuk has been serviceable too. I kind of thought he would have retired by now, but if he keeps his hustle then keep him around. I hope Bradley knows what he's doing. Maybe he's just sort of experimenting right now? Last night's game worried me, but I'll wait a little while before I start panicking. Honduras on Sunday, then Italy and Brazil in the next couple weeks in the Confederations Cup in South Africa. Could get ugly.

That was humiliating. Unforgivable. The effort was just heartless, soul-less, loveless and weak. I'm sick. I puke! Blecht! I'm a Buffalo Bills fan. Haven't I suffered enough? Is Marvell Wynne really the best we can do on that side? And Beasley on the other side? Give me a break. This team is capable of so much better. Lack of preparation plus low energy performance equals failure. Again, I puke! I apologize to anyone who watched this game as a result of me starting this thread. I am sorry.

That was the worst half of play I have ever seen from this team! And that's saying a lot. Total crap. No team work whatsoever. Give some credit to Costa Rica, who is playing with 100% hustle and commitment. And class. They are making the U.S. look like sad scared little fools out there.

Good point, but I don't think that takes away from the film at all. It was the correct choice to preserve much of the feel of a play by using so much of the original dialogue, long takes, etc... The movie did depart in some ways (it was shot with multiple camera angles, close-ups, etc... and was staged more like a movie than a play. Also, the scene at the bar in the movie was invented for the movie if I remember correctly.) True, it's the great performances from the actors that really make it, but it's a film with a legitimate identity and style of its own in my opinion.

Good stuff! I never checked out the Thin Man stuff, but I'm curious. I can't believe I left One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, To Kill a Mockingbird and Lolita off my list. (Lolita is actually my favorite Kubrick movie, but it doesn't get mentioned very often). The Third Man is one of my all-time favorite movies, but I did not read the book. Catch-22--I loved the book but the movie not so much. Honorable mentions: - Short Cuts (not from a novel, but a collection of Raymond Carver's stories). - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (from Edward Albee's play)

Those cats better be fast as lightning. Otherwise it could get a little bit frightening. That is, if they don't do it with expert timing.

Recent movie threads got me thinking. People usually say that the movie doesn't live up to the book. But there are quite a few exceptions. Here are some I can think of... The Collector Slaughterhouse Five Rebecca Jesus' Son American Psycho Carrie The Dead Zone The 25th Hour 1984 What are your favorite movies adapted from novels?

As far as I know. He's on the roster. And after his hat trick in the T&T game, I'd say he deserves to be in there.

Tonight at 10pm ET on ESPN2 Not as easy as it looks. Costa Rica has been very good on their home field (they play on artificial turf). Then again, the U.S. will have their A-list squad ready and they are no longer content to merely qualify. They want to impress and be the clear #1 team from CONCACAF. After this one, team USA comes back home to play Honduras this Saturday (June 6) in Chicago. Then they head to S. Africa for the FIFA Confederations Cup, where they will play some tough competition (Italy 6/15, Brazil 6/18, Egypt 6/21).

Ok, so Rockpile, buckeyemike and nero47 walk into a bar. The bartender goes, "sorry fellas, we don't serve trash." So Rockpile, buckeymike and nero47 say, "that's ok--we just want some beers." The end. Oh, also it's their birthday. Cheers!