EXTRA: Isis sees future.

Well, it seems I am 1 for 1 on my quarterfinals predictions. This was the first time I have seen the p-k's this Cup, because I had to coach during the end of the last Ukraine game. And this was a fun thing, too. My father has been watching the World Cup largely on Univision. (For some reason he gets ESPN2 on his cable package, but not ESPN--whatEVer.) I told him he would probably learn a lot of Spanish soccer vocabulary, but he poo-pooed that, reminding me that he is not the greatest at language acquisition. But now, when he calls me to recap games I've missed or debrief after exciting finishes, he throws around words like "tiempo extra" and "octavofinal." English lacks a term for the round of eight--I like the Spanish, even if I misspelled it, and it is more graceful than the alternative I came up with, "hemi-demi-semi-finals."

Anyway, my dad called when the Germany v. Argentina game went to p-k's (or "final penales," in Spanish, pardon again my spelling), and suggested we stay on the phone during the kicks. This was great, because with the exception of the Mexico v. Argentina game, which the PP and I watched with a Hungarian guy at the bar connected to the local Thai restaurant, I've mostly watched the games alone. This is difficult, because often they are very exciting. By the end of Italy's last match, for instance, I was perched on the top of the ottoman in front of my chair, waiting to see if Totti would knock in the game-winning penalty kick.

Plus, my dad was watching on Univision as usual, so I muted my TV, he turned his volume up all the way, and through the phone I could hear "GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL!" after each successful kick.

And my father has given in to his heritage and is rooting for Germany now, after having been fairly neutral through much of the tournament, saying such restrained things as "I just love to watch the games" in response to my question of who he wanted to see win. But as Lehmann rejected an Argentinian p-k, instead of the "GOAL!" I could hear my father saying, "NEIN! NEIN! NEIN!" And let me tell you, when Lehmann kept out a second kick, insuring a German victory, the sound from the phone was deafening.

So I figure I had better enjoy the remaining WC games, since it is going to be a strange Tour. I've just got time to hit the bathroom and grab a snack before the start of the next game.