This stream of consciousness style of writing that you have is bizarre.

Sports (or any) competition is basically “Chess on the Gridiron”, i.e. Game Theory in Practice.

“Risk Management..”
– Bobby Baldwin, youngest Poker Champion (at the time)

Mark Wise/Caltech physics prof (he stood in for D. Politzer a few yrs ago, for the Nobel Prize) is a fan of Finance & “risk management”. During any game, & the Portugal/England game, I heard the commentators refer to Portugal’s strategy of “hanging back”. I.e., they were taking a conservative approach..NOT taking unnecessary risks. Risk Management. Taking risk for an offensive-chance, may give the opponent (England) a “transition opportunity” for a score. I noticed Figo (Portugal, came out of Int’l retirement) took himself out of the game late..because of exhaustion. This is a reflection of Portugal’s conservative strategy (like Chess: Beginning Game, Middle Game, End Game): “if you go too hard in the beginning & middle, you may run out-of-steam at the End”. Games are often won at the end (“if you’re gonna lead a lap in auto-racing, you must lead the last lap in order to win”), so I think Portugal’s coach realized this. Marathon runners are famous for conserving their energy (“some fuel in their tank at the end”), & make a big “kick” at the end.

Both teams had opportunities late in competition, they were going for a goal..which would have been devastating for their opponent (with time running out). As it turned out, Portugal won the PK shootout..their goalkeeper Ricardo came up BIG..stopped a number of chances. There you go, a good goalkeeper (especially, one who gets HOT during the playoffs) is like GOLD. If he is a “total wall” (utlimate defensive stop) the opponent, then your team will most likely win. It’s just like in Baseball:

“You can always find good hitters, it’s hard to find good pitching (& defense). You can never find enough good pitching”

That’s why during playoffs, teams scramble to trade/acquire •experienced• pitchers. A few yrs ago, the Oakland A’s top pitcher just basically ran-out-of-steam during the late-season, he was beaten by the California Angels in a critical showdown series. The whole thing about Endurance/Attrition came into play.

“Good players play, but TOUGH players wind Championships”
– Tom Izzo, Michigan State coach

The team that wins the World Cup, may not be the BEST team on paper..but the one who stays away from Injury, Penalties, Who-Wants-It-The-Most (Emotion is a big part of this). An Enduring team.

“Victory belongs to the most Persevering”
– Napoloeon

I remember the last World Cup, when Brazil beat Germany..the German goal keeper said:

“Yes, I made a mistake [ Ronaldo score on him to open the floodgates ], & we were PUNISHED”

I like this quote, because this demonstrates that German team understands the concept of “Negative Reinforcement”. This is something sports-teams practice all the time (benching players, firing managers, etc)..& what Academia has a PROBLEM with. I just heard a bizarre story coming out of Caltech Physics, from a former LIGO grad student. (tell you later, it’s about an out-of-control physics woman prof there who abuses grad students & the Provost..throwing things!). Academia can take a real lesson from Sports teams:

“We really appreciate your “contribution” (saracasm), but we’re really going to miss you [ you're outta here! ]”
– John Wooden, legendary UCLA basketball coach, aka “Wizard of Westwood”

[ as told by Bill Walton on PBS show, legendary UCLA center ]

The problem with Academia, is they don’t have a program of “Checks & Balances” to weed out the deadwood & troublemakers. (“The difference between a Tenure Professor & a Terrorist, is that you can negotiate with a Terrorist”, as told to me by my old prof who became Dept Head/EE/Univ of Michigan, the day before 9-11)

I’d like to see Brazil & Germany in a re-match from the last World-cup playoffs, that would be a GREAT game. Can you imagine the fan-interest all over the world? That game could have ratings “thru the roof”. I’m beginning to like Portugal (their young Ronaldo who sealed the PK shootout, & their goalkeeper Ricardo who has the “right stuff”). I remember Germany in the last World Cup, they looked REAL TOUGH..always applying pressure (offense & defense)

“There are 2 types of Pressure: that which is Felt, & that which is Applied”
– John Fox, Carolina Jaguars head coach
[ he learned under the legendary Bill Parcells ]

I think Germany has the right “pressure points” to go all the way. “Deutschland uber Alles!!”

The world cup has been a lot of fun so far!