week in review

The Week the World Cup Kicked Off

Now that this blog has finished its group previews and its tournament preview and its USA-England preview — and now that everyone’s all signed up for The Sports Section’s World Cup pool — FIFA’s been given the go-ahead to start the tournament. It began this afternoon with host South Africa earning a tie against Mexico. It will end on July 11 with the Americans as champions, at least according to half the Americans who took part in a recent survey. But what happened this week that didn’t involve vuvuzelas?

The Mets kept on winning at home, and on the one day they did lose, Jon Niese also pitched a one-hitter.

The Yankees kept on winning, too, before Baltimore finally beat them in a game A-Rod left with an injury.

Phil Mushnick responded to Michael Kay, then Michael Kay responded to Phil Mushnick.

The Mets and Yankees drafted some players, and the Royals and Brewers drafted some local kids.

Kobe Bryant’s clutchness was debated.

And Patrick Kane won Chicago the Stanley Cup, while Nate Robinson helped tie up the NBA Finals.

That’s it for us. We’ll see you Monday.

The Week the World Cup Kicked Off