International Friendlies: USA vs. Brazil

The Good Ol' United States of America, a giant in basketball, American Football, baseball, and ice hockey. But for some reason, our enormous country fails to excel in football, the beautiful game. This much was obvious when the Men's US National Team was humiliated in a 4-1 defeat to Brazil. From the start, I had little faith in our own team, and had suspected that Brazil would be victorious, which led to true. Brazil was the dominant country in this friendly, but the US put up a valiant effort.

The Brazilians came in to the first half fast and strong, with Neymar happily taking a penalty kick conceded by Oguchi Oneywu in the 11th minute, and putting it past Howard. After the a short celebratory dance, the match continued a heated pace, with excited shouts exploding from the stands when Thiago Silva gracefully directed the ball into the goal from a corner fed in by Neymar. I smiled to myself as my favored side had scored a brace. This happiness was short-lived when Hercules Gomez slipped one past Rafael Cabral, the Brazilian goalkeeper, whose name no longer remains a mystery to me. I wasn't sure how I felt when Gomez had scored, forI had conflicting feelings for the duration of this match. You see, I should support my home country of America, yet I also respect the Brazilians dynamic style of play, and enjoy watching the great football they bring to their matches. The first half ended 2-1, in favor of Brazil, and the match would continue going well for Brazil in the second.

The second half started with a bang as Marcelo stretches his legs out to poke the ball into the net past Tim Howard in the 52nd minute. It was a brilliant play from my favorite Brazilian on the pitch, and I grinned at my mom and said, "What did you think of that? I thought it spectacular." Ironically, friendly soon became increasingly hectic. as the US pounded at the Brazilian defense, with Rafael saving shot after shot, and blocking two shots that were fired within quick succession of each other. The match hit a frantic pace as the talented youngster Alexandre Pato stepped onto the FedEx field, trying his luck at at goal, but cruelly denied by the woodwork. This would be a lucky break that would not last for our tired American players, for Pato would correct his mistake minutes late, as he rifles one in low and hard across face of the net, flying by the hands of Howard, and into the bottom left corner. In the 87th minute, it seemed like hope was lost at 1-4, but we Yankees put up a fight until the end. But all-in-all this was an international friendly, so with parting handshakes and embraces from both sides, the two countries were able to end the match peacefully.

I was not sure whether to feel happy or sad about the result of this match. After all, my home country lost because, much to my displeasure, our defense was in shambles, an as a defender, I can only grimace or face-palm myself when something someone makes a trivial mistake. I was also feeling rather satisfied that the team I favored had emerged victorious, and I was able to witness some amazing displays of footwork from the Brazilians Hulk and Neymar, as well as some excellent plays that I can only dream of my own town team pulling off. But despite my conflicting feelings I did manage to enjoy the match as a whole. For me, there is almost no more a satisfying feeling than being a witness of a fine football match.

Word Count: 612

UEFA Champions League Finals

Bayern Munich and Chelsea FC, both are great clubs in their own rights, but only one would lift the trophy after a hard-fought football match to conclude the UEFA Champions League. It was a final that many were not expecting. In fact, I had believed that the final would be a Clásico. But it was not meant to be between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Chelsea has been to the UEFA Champions League Finals before, but crashed and burned in penalties against Manchester United, while Bayern Munich has claimed the Champions League four times in the past.

Although many would say that Chelsea were at a disadvantage, I still favored them over Bayern Munich. Roberto di Matteo had decided to instruct the All-Blues to play a defensive Italian style, which held Bayern down for much of the game, until Thomas Muller would sneak the ball past Petr Cech in the 83rd minute. I was rather shocked that the likes of Torres and Essien failed to make the starting lineup. On the opposite end, Bayern played the regular lineup, with footballers such as Robben, Ribery, Gomez, and Muller As the players took to the pitch, the sound of the UEFA Champions League thronged throughout the Allianz Arena, and the finals kicked off shortly after.

The match was rather one-sided in favor of the home team, Bayern, but Chelsea was fighting with tooth-and-nail, pushing back the German aggressors into their own end during the last ten minutes of the first half. Although Bayern had a chance to capitalize on a free-kick, the fact that Robben mishit the ball is no excuse for Bastian Schweinsteiger deliberately block a pass with his hands. At least the referee was fair enough to give a card to the offender. The 22nd minute made me jumpy when Robben fired a shot at the top left corner, just barely saved by Cech, and missing the back of the net by a few centimeters. I was slightly disappointed and yet thrilled that the high-caliber club Bayern Munich was missing so many opportunities, with sixteen shots in the first half, only two were on target. My hopes for Chelsea had not been dashed yet, and maybe, just maybe, they would pull through.

 The second half started with Chelsea coming at Bayern with all-guns-a-blazing, and Chelsea is rapidly closing the possession gap, but Bayern continues pound away at the defense, shot after shot, until Schweinsteiger lifts in a cross to Muller, who spikes a header into the ground, and it bounces into the back of the goal, going right under Cech's left arm. immediately after, the dangerous Spanish man Fernando Torres steps onto the field for Solomon Kalou as soon as the ball is returned to center field. It all seems lost for my favorite English side, until Chelsea's one and only corner is taken by Juan Mata, who rifles an in-swinger directly to Didier Drogba, who slams the ball home with his noggin. Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer cannot believe it, his disbelief painted all over his face as his digs the ball out of the back of the net.

The game proceeds to extra-time, which was rather trying for the Chelsea side, as the wicked Bavarians were awarded a penalty to Robben after Drogba, a hero turned villain, foolishly fouled Ribery in the box. Robben takes a crack down low and to the right, BUT PETR CECH SAVES IT! Chelsea supporters go wild with glee, and Cech blasts the ball up-field. the ET ends up going to penalties, and everyone knows the dangers of facing a German side in penalties. Lahm will take the first penalty, and scores puts it past the Czech giant. Juan Mata will have a go at it.... And Neuer makes an easy save as the ball goes straight down the middle. Gomez, the next for Munich, follows Lahm's example and buries it in the right corner. David Luiz, and Neuer can't make the stop as Chelsea get their first in penalties. Surprisingly, Neuer takes one and scores. 3-1 Bayern. Then its Captain Lampard, who calmly finishes. And then Olic, and... OH! CECH SLAPS IT AWAY! There's a chance for Chelsea to equalize. Ashley Cole for Chelsea, hammered it to the right and in. The score is 3-3, and Schweinsteiger is up... He hesitates, staring down Cech, he shoots, and looks to be in, BUT IT DEFLECTS OFF THE POST! Chelsea could very well win this! The decisive penalty is all Drogba's... he coolly steps up... AND IT"S IN! IT"S IN! CHELSEA HAS WON THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOR THE FIRST TIME! I was absolutely ecstatic at the result, my bet was right on after all. That was a good match and a good night for me, I slept soundly knowing that Chelsea had overcome the Bayern Munich, a fitting end for an epic match.

Word Count: 807

Why Did The Hill People Revert?

Why did John's people, the Hill people revert to a primitive way of life?

The Hill people reverted to a primitive way of life because any modern advances, amenities, and technology were scourged from a nuclear-bombed America that suffered a severe nuclear fallout. The Hill people cannot make technological advances involving metals because they have retained radioactive properties. The Hill people are ignorant and do not have knowledge to create elaborate machines because all information about technology was lost to the nuclear bombings, therefore, they cannot reconstruct. In addition, resources that would be needed to return society to its former glory are scarce, and those that are available are radioactive. The Hill peoples' belief system prevented them from rediscovering remains of civilization, harnessing resources lying in the city, and finding the truth about what happened to their ancestors. Should they have discarded their superstitions, the Hill people would have made astonishing findings that would allow them to come out of their primitive shells, and step into an accelerated reconstruction of society, using what they would have found in New York City. Not only would discarding their belief system allow the Hill people to explore NYC freely, but it would also allow productivity of metal salvaging skyrocket, giving the tribe more metal to be used during reconstruction. Due to the destruction of America by nuclear bombs and fallout, the Hill people retrogressed into a society similar to that of a Native-American tribe.

The Interlopers

What is the theme of "The Interlopers"?

The main theme in the short story "The Interlopers" is greed, which almost literally consume the main characters. Greed plays an important part in the story as both Georg and Ulrich fight over the rights to the forest, neither of them willing to share it with the other. Ulrich is considered greedy due to the fact that he wants to keep all of the game and the forest to himself. Georg may be called greedy because he claims the forest and all the game that it contains as his own property. Greed also is a significant theme because it is the indirect cause of Ulrich and Georg's deaths. Out of greed, spite, and hatred, the two men set out in the forest to kill one another, yet they are too greedy for the others life to notice a large tree crashing down on them. If it had not been for their greed, they would not have been trapped under the tree and eaten by wolves. The greed in this scenario eats away at the characters to their death.

Mr. Bemis and a post-apocalyptic Earth

What should people fear the most in a post-apocalyptic world?

In a post-apocalyptic situation, people should fear lack of food, water, shelter, medical attention, bandits, and zombies. In the case of Henry Bemis, he is lucky enough to be supplied with enough food to last him a lifetime. Although this may not be true, as in the case of a bomb explosion, food and nourishment are likely to be obliterated. The survivors of a bomb detonation powerful to destroy everything on Earth were actually happen, it is extremely unlikely that one would be able to find anything to sustain life. Henry also finds that he can smoke all the cigarettes that he wants, but when he would eventually suffer from lung cancer, there would be no doctors (probably) to help him. Because there would be a lack of people with medical knowledge, even a scratch could prove fatal if unattended. Furthermore, any apocalypse survivors with health issues would not last long due to the fact that they cannot get treatment for their ailments. In the case that the world does go -kaboom!- and there are survivors they should be afraid that they do not have the means to feed or hydrate themselves, and they may die without medial assistance or a group of bandits aren't being too nice.

UEFA Europa League Finals

The Europa League Cup, is there a more prestigious trophy? Yes, there is, but that will be for another time. The UEFA Europa League Trophy was awarded this year to Club Atlético de Madrid in a dazzling 3-0 victory over Athletic Club de Bilbao. The match was indeed a sight to behold, Radamel Falcao finding net twice, and his teammate Diego Ribas da Cunha following up with a finesse shot in the bottom right corner of the goal.

The game started off strong for the Atlético side, with Falcao scoring beautifully against Iraizoz, beating two defenders. The possession game was rather one-sided, with Atlético dominating most of the first half, secured by another strike by Falcao. Young Radamel's second goal was by his own means, with a pull back that fooled everyone, and with no challengers, he easily buried it into the net. Athletic put up a fight, having a couple chances crushed by the mighty Thibaut Courtois.

The second half followed suit just as the first one, but the possession between the two teams was horrendous. The ball flew box-to-box, no one team having a definite control over the other. The breakthrough for for a dull second half was during the 85th minute, when a marvelous run by Diego ended with the ball past Iraizoz. The red-and-whites would cruise through the remainder of the game to win the cup for the second time in three years, a performing like the professionals that they are. It is rather a shame for Bilbao, their Cinderella story coming to a close, they did after all beat the likes of Manchester United, which was no easy feat mind you. They were able to prevail until the final match, where they hung their heads in shameful sorrow, tears streaming from their eyes because they failed to win the cup. In the end, kudos to Atlético on their win, and I tip my hat to Marcelo Bielsa for training such a talented Bilbao side.

Word Count: 329

Bryson's Junk Food Irony

Explain the irony of Bryson's  junk food experience

The irony of Bryson's junk food experience is that he was eager to try all the junk foods that he could carry, but after he bought and consumed the food, he found that he became very sick of it. "I longed for artificial bacon bits, melted cheese in a shade of yellow unknown to nature, and creamy chocolate fillings, sometimes all in the same product." His enthusiastic attitude towards unhealthy snack foods is the main cause he would come to despise junk food at the end of his experience. The interesting part to this story is that his wife actually lets him buy the junk food, but for the purpose of teaching him a lesson that consuming too much junk foods is a bad idea. "I spent weeks working my way through the symphony of junk food, and it was all awful. Every bit of it." What was once enthusiasm had turned into bitter resentment for junk food, and having to eat it all taught the lesson that unhealthy foods should only be eaten in moderation. After learning from his mistakes, Bryson makes an attempt to eat healthy foods again in order to rid his mouth of any distasteful traces of junk food. It is ironic to read that Bryson had once passionately loved junk foods, but after eating every last toxic morsel, he came to despise them.

Corry's Punishment Open Response

Is Corry's punishment cruel and unusual?

Yes, Corry's punishment is horribly cruel because his sentence leaves him with no one to interact with. Not a single soul is allowed to visit him, save for the resupplying crew, but even so, one can suffer greatly from loneliness. If I put myself in Corry's shoes, I know I would literally die from not being able to pass time with a companion, not to mention the absence of close acquaintances and loved ones would be horribly mind-punishing. Even those who normally lead solitary lives may grieve at the fact that they will see no other forms of life on a sandy rock, floating in the middle of space, and knowing that they will be stuck there forever is even worse! Corry's punishment is so torturous that he even contemplates suicide as a way out of his miserable existence. I do not blame Corry for thinking like this, as it would be excruciatingly painful on the heart to know that everything you once knew and loved has been taken away from you until you die, and no person should ever go through that experience. I cannot even contemplate why anybody would ever decide to force another human to live in solitary confinement as Corry had to, a sentence exceedingly worse than the crime, and a sentence as such is an injustice. Of course Corry's punishment is cruel, due to the fact that one can go insane and even die without anyone to interact with.

Example Conclusion

Technology is ruining young minds. Several occasions that have led me to believe this are (1) I see students constantly trying to sneek peeks at their phones instead of listening to the teacher during class, (2) children are spending less time outside and spending more time inside and watching television, (3) many teenagers victimize others via cyberbullying, (4) and many young adults are plagiarizing, taking credit for work that is not theirs, and constantly relying on the internet for answers.

El Clásico

Real Madrid CF versus FC Barcelona, an age-old rivalry with historical roots dating back to 1902. El Clásico is the greatest fixture on the Spanish footballing calendar, with hundreds of millions of footballing fans watching the every move of these footballing giants.


The history of this rivalry begins with Spanish nationalism threatening Catalonian nationalism, and continues even through the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera. Through the years these two clubs antagonize each other that feeds the monster appetite of their rivalry. One such example of a clash between the titans is when they battled it out over the transfer of Alfredo Di Stéfano. This controversial transfer caused uproar in the streets of Barcelona.


Sadly, statistics show that Real Madrid have been more successful over the years in Clásicos, in 218 official showdowns, Madrid has come away with 87 wins, Barcelona with 85, and 46 draws between the two. Los Merengues and the Blaugrana have met each other in numerous competitions, many of the exciting Clásicos take place in the finals of the Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League, and the Supercopa España.


In recent years, to my delight, the Blaugrana have proven themselves worthy adversaries for Real, defeating Los Blancos time and time again under the management of Josep Guardiola, with every Spanish League Clásico from 2008-2010 resulting in wins for Barcelona, however, Barça was defated by Real Madrid on Saturday, April 21, 2012, in a 1-2 upset at the Camp Nou in Barcelona.


Tensions between the countrymen of various nationalities run high when brothers from the same nations must battle each other on the pitch, Vicente del Bosque, the coach of Spain's national team points out that the rivalry can tear teammates apart, causing the chemistry of national teams to go awry.



These two footballing clubs are rivals until the end. Barcelona can offer more than just a good football match, they are "more than a club". If you decide to join me in support of FC Barcleona, prepare to feel the venomous stings of criticism that madridistas will throw at you. But fear not, you are free to sit back in neutrality, and enjoy every war that these clubs wage on each other, that is, El Clásico.

Word Count: 369

A Dozen The Greatest Footballers Today

There are masses of brilliant, talented footballers in our world today, but only a handful will make this list. These dozen footballers are held to the highest standards. Each footballer holds a different position on the pitch, and will be chosen to fulfill a 4-4-2 formation. I will be counting down to my most preferred footballers, feel free to leave some input.

12. Nemanja Vidic, Left Centre Back-I chose Nemanja Vidic as my twelfth favorite footballer and one of my centre backs for his sheer defensive assets. He has an amazing sense of awareness, captains the mighty Manchester United, and has won countless honors from the Serbian Football Association.  He is one of my favorite defenders because he is a brick wall that prevents the opponent from getting to the keeper.

Nemanja Vidic

11. Fábio Alexandre Silva Coentrão, Left Back-Fábio Coentrão is a fantastically versatile footballer that can manage left wingback, left midfielder, and center midfielder. Coentrão currently plays for Real Madrid and the Portuguese national team. What I admire in Coentrão the most is his speed and his ability to play almost anywhere on the pitch, where he can convert defense into attack rapidly. Coentrão also participated in the 2010 World Cup, and partook in the match in which Portugal thrashed North Korea 7-0.

Fabio Coentrao

10. Arjen Robben, Right Midfielder- Arjen Robben made tenth on my list for his phenomenal speed, and masterful use of cuts to avoid opposing defenders. Robben played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals against Spain, where Netherlands were defeated 1-0. Robben was named Man of the Match in a 2-1 victory over Slovakia in the same World Cup. Arjen Robben has played for Chelsea and Real Madrid, two very prestigious club teams, and currently plays for Bayern Munich. It was his performance during the World Cup that left a lasting impression of his talents.

Arjen Robben

9. Sergio Ramos García, Right Back-One of the more adventurous defenders, Ramos is a well-rounded defender who can play any defensive position. Ramos has played for Sevilla FC, but was traded to Real Madrid in 2005 for 27 million Euros. Ramos is fast, dynamic, willing to take risks and a great defender. Ramos was a starting defender in every match during the 2010 World Cup. Sergio Ramos was alsofeatured in the 2008 film Goal II: Living the Dream.

 Sergio Ramos

8. Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, Substitute Right Centre Midfielder-Commonly known as Kaká, this Brazilian superstar is the second most expensive player in the world, and currently plays for Real Madrid. Kaká has many skills, including a mastery over passing, dominance in dribbling and know how to place the ball into the net as he pleases. Kaká is one of the more decorated footballers and won the Ballon d’Or in 2007.

Kaka

7. Iker Casillas Fernández, Goalkeeper- Casillas is my favorite goalkeeper because of his remarkable saves. Casillas grew up in the Real Madrid youth system and has onlyplayed for Real. Iker has the most appearances of Spain’s national team than any other Spanish footballer. Iker Casillas is the captain for Spain’s national team and held up the World Cup after Spain’s 1-0 victory over Netherlands. Casillas is also nicknamed “The Saint” for his two saves during penalties against the Republic of Ireland at the 2002 World Cup.

 Iker Casillas

6. Andrés Iniesta Luján, Right Centre Midfielder-Andrés Iniesta is an excellent passer and the only scorer in the FIFA 2010 World Cup Finals for Spain against Netherlands in a 1-0 win. I was thrilled when Iniesta scored because I had been rooting for Spain since the beginning of the tournament. Iniesta plays for FC Barcelona, regarded as the best club team in the world. Iniesta is known for his fast, pinpoint-accurate passes that always find their target, expert dribbling, vast vision and movements, and his ability to play anywhere in the midfield. Iniesta is a key component to Barcelona's performance.

Andres Iniesta

5. Xavier Hernandez i Creus, Left Centre Midfielder- Also from Spain and playing for Barcelona, Xavier, nicknamed Xavi,  is instrumental to both the Spanish National team and FC Barcelona. He is unrivaled in passing and could be called the best midfielder alive. He had a 90% pass completion rate in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, more than any other footballer. What I like about Xavi is his ability to keep his composure under fire, and make ridiculously accurate passes to set up goal-scoring opportunities.

Xavier Hernandez

4. Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, Left Midfielder- FIFA World Footballer of the Year in 2008, is  known as of the greatest footballers today. Currently the captain of the Portugal national team he has lead his country to many victories, including a 7-0 win against North Korea in the 2010 World Cup. Ronaldo is the most expensive footballer in the world, being sold to Madrid from Manchester United for £80 million.

Cristiano Ronaldo

3. Lionel Andrés Messi, Left Striker- Messi could be the greatest footballer to ever play the beautiful game. He has set countless records, and won an enormous amount of honors, winning the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2009, and winning the Ballon d’ Or in 2009. He is the only player in the world to have scored five goals in one UEFA Champions League Match, and currently plays for Barcelona. Messi captains the Argentina national team, and won the FIFA U-20 World Cup. My favorite parts about Messi are that he almost always find the net in each match, and the fact that he can swerve past any defender with ease.

Lionel Messi

2. Gerard Piqué i Bernabeu, Right Centre Back-My favorite defender, Pique is a 6’4’ wall of muscle and defensive skill. He is a versatile defender who can also set up offensive plays. Pique plays for FC Barcelona, but also played for Manchester United from 2004-2008. Pique was a starting defender for Spain during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and suffered an injury during the first match. During his time with Barcelona he has won 13 titles. Pique is my own defensive role model, and because he is my favorite defender and role model, he is second on this list.

Gerard Pique

1. David Villa Sánchez, Right Striker-My own favorite footballer, his five goals during the 2010 FIFA World Cup made him an instant favorite. I was even more thrilled when he moved from Valencia CF to Barcelona following the World Cup. David Villa is currently the lead goal scorer of all time for Spain’s national team, netting 51 goals in 82 appearances. Off the pitch, he has worked with Spanish singer Ana Torroja on a single track called “Insurrection”. David Villa has a net-seeking shot; a radar built into his head, and can run like the Dickens. He’s also not a bad singer. Villa is a goal scoring machine that makes any defender wary. There is no other footballer I look up to more than David Villa.

David Villa

Word Count: 1,136

What Is An Essay?

An essay is a piece of writing that gives one's thoughts and opinions about a subject. Essays require an introductory and concluding paragraph. An essay must also have a thesis and at least one body paragraph. Essays MUST have concrete details and commentary, with two parts of commentary  for every part of concrete details. Each body paragraph must have a topic and concluding sentence. Essays are often written with a first draft, and then refined into a final draft.