By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season
Sports Web sites and other media outlets offering even the most basic World Cup coverage were just as ecstatic as Barbara Castelein and Mirthe Nieuwpoort Tuesday afternoon.
The two Dutch women were cleared of criminal charges in a Johannesburg courtroom, just days after being accused in a beer company's ambush-marketing gag at last week's Denmark-Holland Cup match, The Guardian reported.
The development gave sites everywhere another reason to publish the picture of the gaggle of gals sporting those form-fitting getups in that familiar Dutch orange, and use terms like "Hot Girls" in their cheap headlines.
NOTES FROM ENGLAND: As you know, OGS World Cup writer Steve Susi is wrapping up his whirlwind European tour this week, watching matches at pubs and what not, and sent these emails Monday evening:
"I just landed in London this afternoon and am blown away by how down-spirited the island nation is about their famous football team after two draws. I visited a Sainsbury supermarket here a few hours ago, and walking through the England World Cup merchandise aisle I heard an older guy say to his wife, 'They ought to put all this stuff on clearance.'"
And ...
"In a Notting Hill bar at the moment and just saw this incredibly amazing 'World Cup Managers Fashion Report' that absolutely excoriated Germany's coach Joachim Low, his butt-cut hairdos, and sportcoat/v-neck sweater. I haven't laughed this hard in a while. Like two days. But still, fantastic. (The music bed for the feature was Madonna's "Vogue," FYI.)"
RE: ALL: Susi's second note earned a cheeky reply from OGS Group F correspondent Mike Marshall: "That's awesome they're showcasing Joachim Low. Watching their last match the other day, I was dumbfounded that both he and his assistant were doing some form of Hugo Boss meets Mr. Rogers sweater shit. I'm expecting them to have low-tech head sets, rocking out to Kraftwerk in true Dita Dance Party fashion. They should check out Pep Guardiola for fashion tips."
VIDEO OF THE DAY: NBA star Steve Nash, a native of Canada and lover of seemingly all sports, is featured in Visa's latest worldwide GOOOOAAAAAL cheer, shows off his Brandi Chastain sports bra at the end of this short clip.
SUGGESTION BOX: If American football uses seven officials to spy a 100-yard field for NFL games, why do only three zebras patrol a pitch that in international footy can be as gargantuan as 120 yards long and up to 80 yards wide? Should FIFA consider adding more officials to Cup games?
KIT JOKES: I'd heard plenty of jokes about Slovenia's uniforms during their gift of a 2-2 draw with the Americans on Friday, most of which had a Charlie Brown theme. But this Facebook status update from friend Matthew Fenton was too good to ignore: "Some vandal broke into Slovenia's locker room and drew EKGs on their jerseys."