Qualification, Anticipation, Commemoration, Bits and Bobs

The U.S. National Team rebounded from their worst match in a long time (a 3-1 loss away to Costa Rica) to humiliate Mexico 2-0 in the friendly confines of Columbus Crew Stadium. It was, by far, the worst performance I’ve ever seen Mexico give. Ever. I have a few friends who are Mexico fans, but they have been very, very quiet over the past few weeks. 

 

Couldn’t happen to a nicer team. Mexico (and its fans) have been terrible over the years, and the combination of rising standards in the region (the U.S. being the top team in the region, Costa Rica being pretty close behind, and Panama and Honduras coming in just after them, currently followed by Mexico) have made it tougher to get results.

 

It’s World Cup qualification, so it isn’t supposed to be easy, but you’d think Mexico would at least show up. 

 

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Transfer deadline day came and went, and it really wasn’t the best day for Man United. They were linked with a lot of players around Europe, only completed one transfer by the skin of their teeth, and had to overpay for the guy they got.

 

They added Marouane Fellaini from Everton, who is, really, just what they needed. (A midfield fulcrum who will allow Michael Carrick more freedom. 

 

Right after the deadline, we went right into an international break, so we’ll get to see Fellaini’s debut for the Red Devils Saturday morning on NBCSportsNetwork (alloneword).

 

I spent about five days feeling depressed about the results of the deadline, but then I realized, we’re the champions. What did we really have to add? We got a good midfielder. Yes, we overpaid, but in a world where Gareth Bale is worth over $100 million, what’s a few million extra pounds? (It really wasn’t good business, and didn’t make sense, but what can you do?)

 

I don’t know anything about Anders Herrera, am not interested in Fabio Coentrao, and don’t for a second believe we made an offer for Wesley Sneijder. (He and Robin Van Persie really, really don’t like each other. Why would United intentionally go out of their way to disrupt the taam’s chemistry?)

 

We still have a solid back four. We have added strength in midfield. We have the best striker in the Premiership. We have a young and improving goalkeeper who could be one of the best in the world in the near future. We have Shinji Kagawa. (Come on, Moyes! Let him play and give him some freedom. He’s gonna score some goals this year.) And we still have Wayne Rooney. 

 

Can’t win them all. 

 

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I got a little caught up watching some 9/11 commemorations during work breaks today. Here’s the cold open from Saturday Night Live’s first post-9/11 episode. I get choked up every time I watch it. 

 

 

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 A couple weeks ago I posted about my desire to switch to an insulin pump soon. I tweeted my post to the major pump manufacturers. I got a Twitter response from one of them:

 

“@brianhegarty In addition to community feedback to help you find what will work best for you, if you have any questions please let us know.”

 

Dear pump manufacturers,

 

Please respond henceforth in English, written in a manner I can understand. Just because you’re restricted to 140 characters or fewer doesn’t mean you should write in disjointed half sentences. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Future Pump User 

 

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 With the anniversary of 9/11 upon us, I’m reminded of an idiot former coworker. (The same one who believes, falsely, that vaccinations cause autism.) Shortly after meeting said idiot, he informed me and a couple other coworkers that he thought the CIA was responsible for 9/11. 

 

He sited the usual half-thought-out arguments, the fact that “numerous engineers” agreed it wasn’t possible for it to have happened without a controlled implosion, and all the other usual nonsense.

 

Having just met him and not wanting to alienate him by calling him an idiot, I said “Popular Mechanics put out a special issue debunking most, if not all, of these arguments. You should check it out.” The History Channel also did a special on Popular Mechanics‘ findings. 

 

(The magazine issue can be found here.)

 

A few weeks later, he came into my work space, when I was busy, and said, “Did you know the CIA is responsible for the Twin Towers collapse?”

 

I reminded him of the Popular Mechanics issue and asked if he’d read it.

 

Of course he hadn’t. Conspiracy theory idiots can’t confront facts. 

 

I was “friends” on Facebook with this clown until Sept. 11, 2012, when I saw in my Facebook feed “I just want to know the truth” (implying, of course, that our government, any contractors involved, and any employees who saw the preparations that had to be taking place, taking place, in addition to the thousands of other co-conspirators have all kept their mouths shut and maintained the biggest conspiracy in human history, and only half- wit idiots like my former coworker are capable of discerning said conspiracy).

 

I had had enough and unfriended him, as I knew he did not, in fact, ever want to know the truth, as it would interfere with his delusions. 

 

I don’t need those types of morons in my life.