I lost my hair and football

It was a small quiz. A quiz in which I answered all questions, like many others. Luck was with me on that day. A lucky draw got me a football. The Euro 2008 football – Europass (from Adidas). 

It was a showpiece item in my home. It hung on the window bar in the living room for some days. After renovation, we put it in the attic for some days.
Then came the football world cup season. We woke he sleeping football. Put him in the car. As a show piece in the car, it hung near the rear glass (not sure what that is called!).
 

Yesterday went for a drive. Came home. Locked the car and went in. After 30 mins or so, came out. Went inside the car. The ball was missing. Theft. Nothing else was missing.
 

How?
 The backdoor window was left open when we got down. So there was no break in. Just pickup and go.
 

Why?
 My dad usually sits in the front seat. Via the switches next to the driver seat, I close the windows (only the front ones are power windows in my car). My dad sat behind yesterday. No habit of closing windows. He closed the door and walked away leaving the window open.  
 

I hope that the football is in the place where it has to be…On the ground and getting kicked.

On the same day, I lost a lot of hair too. And this happened early morning when I was fully awake and aware. At the hair dresser’s shop! Long hairs were cut short. He he....

Answers - FIFA World cup 2010 quiz

Here are the answers for the World cup 2010 quiz posted earlier in my blog.

Q1 –
It’s the logo of Merlin Entertainments Group. This group is the owner of the Sea Life Center of Oberhausen which is the host to the octopus - Paul.

Q2 –
Before the tournament had even started, the Vuvuzelas already had a nickname in Germany.
"Uweseela", named after former German international Uwe Seeler.
Seeler reached the final of the World Cup in 1966 with Germany.

Q3 -
These are the only 2 "own" goal scorers of this world cup.
Danish, Daniel Agger scored for the Dutch in Denmark’s 2-0 loss.
South Korean, Park Chu Young scored for Argentina in Korea's 4-1 loss.

Q4 –
They are the Palacios brothers. First time 3 brothers played in the same world cup and for same country – Honduras.
Wilson PALACIOS,Jerry PALACIOS,Jhony PALACIOS

Q5 –
It’s K’naan – the composer of the “Waving flag” – Coke’s anthem for worldcup.
Listen to the original song..Very inspirational. The song can be the story for a movie.

Q6 -
It is the late Dani Jarque.
Immortalised by Iniesta in the finals of WC2010 by the Tshirt caption - "Dani Jarque siempre con nosotros" (which means "Dani Jarque always with us")

FIFA World cup 2010 quiz

The world cup is over. Did you watch it well?
After the pre-world cup quiz, here is a quiz on this edition of FIFA world cup.

Q1 – What’s the connection to FIFA world cup 2010?

Q2 - Explain the connection

Q3 - What is their claim to fame?

Q4 - Who and what record did they make?

Q5 - Identify this guy

Q6 - Who and Why is he in this World cup quiz?

What was missing in this world cup?

Many of us missed the goals from Rooney, Messi, Ronaldo, Kaka. Media has starting writing about the curse of Number 10. But these are part of the actual football on field activities.

Off the field there are many things that catch main news space during the world cup. Some common ones which did not make news in this edition of FIFA world cup –

• Crazy hair styles of players
• Big discount sales on electronics in India
• Naked fan invasion to the ground
• English fans hooliganism
• Special delicacies based on the theme of world cup

• Messi mixture
• Lipi lolly
• Robben roti
• Villa vada
• Forlan faluda
• Puyol Palav

And

• Paul payasam

But the missing things were compensated by -

• Haunting music of Vuvuzela (did you realize that the logo of this world cup has vuvuzela in it?)
• Octopus predictions
• French revolution against their coach
• Debate on use of Technology
• The Jabulani ball

Football World cup quiz - Answers

Here are the answers to the quiz posted earlier in my blog.

Answer Q1 -

Man in black and white- Jules Rimet

The man kissing the world cup - Silvio Gazzaniga

Silvio Gazzaniga is the artist who designed and created the FIFA World Cup Trophy.

Before the FIFA world cup trophy was designed, the winners were given the Jules Rimet trophy. Jules Rimet is in many ways considered as the brain behind the competition.

 

Answer Q2 -

Serbia's Bora Milutinovic and Brazil's Carlos Alberto Parreira

These are the only 2 coaches who have coached 5 different countries to the world cup.

Bora - Mexico (1986), Costa Rica (1990), the United States (1994), Nigeria (1998), and China (2002).

Parreira - Kuwait in 1982, United Arab Emirates in 1990, Brazil in 1994 and 2006, Saudi Arabia in 1998 and South Africa in 2010.

 

Answer Q3 -

 These are the only 4 players who got red card in finals of world cup.

The first 3 were caught kicking.

The 4th guy - Zidane was an intelligent player, so used his head!

Watch them achieve this feat.

France - Desailly (4:20 to 4:40) - 1998 finals

Argentina - Pedro Monzon - 1990 finals

Argentina - Gustavo Dezotti - 1990 finals

France - Zidane - 2006 finals

 

 

Answer Q4 -

The cartoon character is "Sport Billy"

From wiki - Sport Billy was adopted by FIFA as the Fair Play Mascot for Soccer World Cups, and a trophy of the character was presented to the most sporting team at each World Cup. The character was used as a mascot in many sporting youth programs internationally, promoting sportsmanship and fair play.

 

Answer Q5 -

I wanted to cover the conterversies of world cup....

Perhaps you have heard about fan riots, player killing, a war because of world cup. Here's another conterversy.

In the picture - A person wearing the patriotic orange Lederhosen(also called Leeuwenhosen...he is most likely a Dutch fan)

Dutch fans generally wear this when their country takes to field.

 

In WC 2006, Dutch fans were asked to strip the Leeuwenhosen before entering the stadium. Why?

Because this orange peice of garment had "Bavaria" written on it. This was against the sponsorship deal of FIFA. Budwieser was the official beer partner of FIFAworld cup and "Bavaria" is a rival Dutch beer company which has no sponsorship contract with FIFA. More than 1000 fans watched Holland's 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast, in their undies. (Now you know what this picture symbolises)

Now the Bavaria Leewenhosen is a collector's item. If you have one, it may be worth a million when the dutch win the cup!

Full story here

 

Bavaria has caused yet another conterversy in this edition of world cup. Now with miniskirts.

 

Answer Q6 -

These are the names of the football used in different editions of the world cup.

The list is complete with 

• Teamgeist
• Jabulani

Enjoy the football season....

Football World cup quiz

Q1

 

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q5

1. Identify the gentlemen. Why are they part of World cup quiz?
2. What record connects the 2 gentlemen?
3. Connect the 4 players
4.  What is the contribution of this cartoon character to the football world cup?
5. Explain - In the context of world cup.
6. Complete the series
   • tango
   • asteca
   • estrusco
   • questra
   • tricolore
   • fevernova
   • __________
   • __________ 
    

Football WC - Team Bus slogans

FIFA announced the bus slogans for the football world cup. The slogans will be printed on the team's official bus. The slogans were selected via a contest organized by FIFA in association with Hyundai. Some slogans are very good. I just wanted to dissect them and bring out a funny meaning from the slogan. Here's my feeble attempt.


Algeria - Star and crescent with one goal: Victory!

Good to have a goal, but have to be realistic!

 

Argentina - Last stop: Glory

When is the last stop? 2014?

Australia - Dare to Dream, Advance Australia

Are they their followers - How dare you dream of Aus advancing?

Brazil - The whole of Brazil is in here!

Stampede and hence no football!

 

Cameroon - The Indomitable Lions are back

Read it -  The Indomitable Lions are back at home - there is no deer in SA to hunt.

Chile - Red is the blood of my heart, Chile will be Champion

Blue is the color of  sky, Chile will not be champions - Absolutely random

Côte d'Ivoire - Elephants, let's fight for victory!

Trying to fight? Elephants, lets physically run for victory!

Denmark - All you need is a Danish team and a dream

All you need is a Danish team For a beer!

England - Playing with Pride and Glory

Playing with Pride and Glory...not for victory!

France - All together for a new dream in blue

All "HANDS" together for a new dream

Germany - On the road to get the Cup!

Its hard to get in on the field!

Ghana - The hope of Africa

If Africa hopes on Ghana, God save Africa

Greece - Greece is everywhere!

Including your pockets and bank accounts!

Honduras - One Country, One passion, 5 Stars in the heart

One Country, One passion, 5 Stars in the heart but no cup

Italy - Italian Azzurro on African sky

Ok! What's on the earth? No space for Azzuries on SA land.

Japan -The Samurai spirit never dies! Victory for Japan!

Beware of Japan, Samurai war to be seen! Remind them it's football. 

Korea DPR -1966 again! Victory for DPR of Korea!

Decades behind schedule!

Korea Republic - The Shouts of Reds, United Republic of Korea

Shouting doesn't win cups, good football does.

Mexico - It is time for a new champion!

Inspiration for all first timers. Its time for you.

Netherlands - Don't fear the big five, fear the Orange eleven
Horror movie on cards...Don't fear though 

New Zealand - Kickin’ it Kiwi style
Wondering, how far can a kiwi kick a football!

Nigeria - Super Eagles super fan united we stand
I thought eagles fly...but these stand.
 

Paraguay - The Guarani lion roars in South Africa!
This is African safari...You will only hear lion roars. 

Portugal - One dream, one purpose… Portugal victorious!
Hope you wake up from the dream!

Serbia - Play with the heart, lead with a smile!
And we will win hearts, not cup!

Slovakia - Shake the green field: Go Slovakia!
Earth movers on the prowl!

Slovenia - With eleven brave hearts to the end
Oh, they already scripted the end. 

South Africa - One nation, proudly united under one rainbow
As hosts, they are advertising their nation and not football.

Spain - Hope is my road, victory my destiny
One victory and destiny is reached!

Switzerland - "C'mon Switzerland!"
C'mon we miss you at home!

Uruguay - The sun shines upon us. Go Uruguay!
We do not win the evening games, Sun doesn't shine then!

USA - Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Victory!

Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and now South Africa - The Pursuit of Victory never ends.

PS - I did not participate in the contest. I do not intend to belittle the winners of the slogan contest. This blog is purely for fun.