World Cup: May The Best Team Win, As Long As It's Germany.

Hamburg fans getting ready for the game.  From www.ndr.de

We'll be at the Rathskeller of the German Society of Pennsylvania to catch today's action.  A quick check shows the bookies around the world seem to like Germany, but when the whistle blows, that's irrelevant. There's a reason they roll the ball out there to play the game. The World Cup will be decided on the field of play, not on a computer, in a bookie's office or anywhere else.

Meanwhile, in a meaningless consolation game yesterday, the Dutch shut out Brazil, 3-0, leaving Brazil with a 1-10 goal differential in its final two games.  Victor Mather continued the New York Times' tradition of world class World Cup reporting with this piece on the game and the history of consolation games in general, which he called "a long-forgotten anachronism" in the United States.  Agreed.

But that was yesterday.  And yesterday's gone.  So bring on today's final.  And may the best team win.  Of course that would be Germany.