FOX OFF TO GOOD START AT WORLD CUP. REALLY!

 SHORT SHORTS ...(good luck with that):

NOT SURPRISINGLY, futbol’s World Cup has gotten off

to a dynamic, promising start … on the field. The games 

...sorry, matches … have been gripping, for the most part, 

despite typical lack of scoring which always has been a 

problem in building interest in this country.

And, it says here, Fox has done a first-class job …. despite (as 

always) having too many talking heads without identifying 

them often enough … as well as allowing background noise 

drown out its experts’ expertise. Too bad we couldn’t hear game 

commentary on the USA’s opening 4-2 win over Paraguay as 

well as we could Sunday’s Japan/Netherlands’ snoozer turned 

thriller. Final: 2-2, with all goals in the second half.

So Fox “missed several SECONDS of game action of Mexico’s 

tournament opener against South Africa,” which led to viewer 

outrage, according to national wordsmith who also wrote the 

network “drew the ire of soccer fans everywhere” by not 

condemning the hydration breaks as well as the network’s using 

the time to make money with commercials.

So ESPN, in a “SportsCenter” preview, had a graphic saying 

the U.S., would meet Panama in the first round. It happens. The 

World Wide Leader makes mistakes ALL THE TIME.

Also, we got a pleasant surprise with the appearance of long-

time favorite REBECCA LOWE, a mainstay in the soccer 

studio for NBC, working the tournament for Fox. On loan or is 

this permanent?

Off the field … well, non-surprise was FIFA’s ongoing lack of 

responsibility regarding its fans. The American travel industry, 

expecting a financial windfall, has been faced by declining 

returns … blamed, for the most part, on price-gouging although 

some rights groups would have you believe a “climate of fear” 

has kept international tourists away.

The Hotel Association of New York City has cut its forecast for 

revenue tied to the World Cup by 60 percent to about $60 

million, according to the group’s CEO. Some hotels in the Big 

Apple reportedly have cut rates. The New York Hilton 

Midtown, the city’s biggest, slashed its price per night in half, 

to $415, from what it was asking in December.

FIFA predicted 1.2 million fans would come to New York for 

the matches … but the Hotel Association is expecting less than 

half of that.

As usual, FIFA has declined comment.

'SORRY, BUT it’s beyond belief to think LOU DiBELLA

 would threaten to kill anyone over a small, somewhat 

insignificant piece of land … which the primary owner of the 

Flying Squirrels has been accused of by JASON GUILLOT on 

behalf of Thalhimer Realty Group in their ongoing silliness that 

has now led to a lawsuit brought by DiBella seeking “millions 

of dollars.”

I’ve never met DiBella, better known as a successful world-

wide pro boxing promoter … but I picture this loud-talking

Yankee used to getting his way, who doesn’t suffer fools [in 

other words, people who disagree with him) lightly … and 

doesn’t mind telling them.

SO, THE CAROLINA HURRICANES claimed the Stanley 

Cup, second time overall and first in eight years. What took 

them so long? … and did it with former Ranger K’ANDRE 

MILLER, a regular on the No. 2 defensive pairing … Yeah, 

that Miller, big but hardly tough … who was never popular in 

the Big Apple, not without reason. 

FROM NEW YORK’s lower East Side (many, MANY moons 

ago), I’d like to compare your champion New York Knicks with 

our Knickerbockers … who first played in the Basketball 

Association of America before it became the NBA … when 

three steps really were one too many and two officials were

 enough … before the athletes got bigger, not better, and the 

basket 10 feet up from the floor perfect … before the game 

celebrated dunks and the three-point field goal that changed it, 

certainly not for the better … when they REALLY played 

defense and excessive contact WAS called.

Of course, there was little-to-no television in those days of long 

ago. The players weren’t instant millionaires … and actually 

appreciated their profession as more than a way to make a lot of 

money (which they didn’t). TV changed that. BOO TV, it says 

here.

Until next time ...