Live Blog: Syracuse vs. UConn and World Cup Qualifier

6:53 - A few things before we officially get going, ESPN is making way too much out of this Speedo guy craze. The Rev. Patrick King has likely gotten more text messages in the past week than he will for the rest of his life. I've seen the thing at least three times since Sunday when it debuted on "Outside the Lines," and I've had enough. They're crowning the Cameron Crazies, for this I think UNC will win its fourth straight at Duke.

Editor's Note: I'm going to and I'm allowed to change my opinion on who I think will win any of the games I'm watching at any given moment.

7:00-No. 22 Syracuse is about to tip it off with No. 1 UConn, and there it went. UConn gets the tip which means they'll win. I like the Huskies in this one.

7:01-No one has been crowned in this one yet, although the announcer did have a lot to say about the National Championship banners in Storrs. Rafftery just said his first "Senditinbigfella!" This is aptly portrayed as one word, and it should soon be appearing in dictionaries in college libraries all over America.

7:03-As much as I like the Big East, they're already talking about Duke-UNC coming up next and I'm getting antsy. I already wish this game was over.

7:04-I wonder what that straw-drawing contest was like when the anchors had to figure out who would go to UConn and who would join Dicky V in Durham. You gotta figure Rafftery is like a Vitale with their color commentary, so they automatically split.

7:06-At the 16-minute mark, it's 8-6 UConn after a three-pointer by Robinson, make that a long two. Commercial break, onto the World Cup qualifier.

7:07-On the deuce it's the Mexican national anthem, and now the Star-Spangled Banner. I'm gonna stand.

7:09-Those singing along with it are a second or two off. I hate that, but it feels good to see Bruce Arenas not the coach. Back to bball, it's still 8-6 and there's a double dribble call. Nice to see college refs keeping it real. Remember that game a few weeks ago when LeBron James took like 83 steps, got called for a walk and he referred to it as his crab-dribble? What a joke that was. I love LeBron James, but that was just pathetic.

7:11-10-8 Syracuse. I hope this game stays good.

7:12-Soccer's underway. It's 0-0.

7:13-Mexico hasn't beaten the US on American soil in its last 10 attempts. I like those odds. I have a friend who hates facts like that. He insists it doesn't mean anything and says it just gives people like me something to write about. He's right, but that's just what we do.

7:15-Big save for US. Tim Howard looks good in goal and as I'm being told by the voices, this is an aggressive game from the gun.

7:16-In light of ESPN calling this week "Rivalry Week," we need to realize that this goes beyond college basketball. First of all, the Hofstra-Old Dominion game on ESPNU last night was included in "Rivalry Week," or at least I'd like to think so as a Hofstra student. Somehow we managed to beat the Monarchs, even though they used the most effectively annoying strategy in the book, intentionally fouling inside 15 seconds despite being down eight points. Bravo. Anyways, what could we call the rivalry of USA and Mexico? The Rio Grande River Shootout, The Nacho-Burger Showdown, The World Bowl: 1st vs. 3rd... OK, that's enough.

7:21-I read something a while back about how European soccer fans are nuts, which didn't surprise me. It said how they all get very drunk during games, and since their is so much tension with very little scoring it leads to very anxious fans that are on edge, which leads to anger and violence. I found this fascinating.

7:22-The announcer just stole my idea to include this game in ESPN's "Rivalry Week." They're now talking about Bob Bradley, who is two things: USA's coach and NOT Bruce Arenas. This pleases me and assuages my angst at the announcers taking my "Rivalry Week" idea. I hope I don't have to put 'ESPN's' in front of every Rivalry Week I type.

7:24-Oh, I got one for the title of the rivalry: Budweiser-Corona Clash. Since that led to more ideas, I just can't go without saying the Yuengling-Dos Equis Duel.

7:25-Syracuse is up 21-16. Rafftery is talking about Belgium waffles. Now the other guy is talking about the Big East Tournament held annually at Madison Square Garden. I've been there on three different occasions which is why I like the Big East so much. I'd like to make it back there this year, but I doubt I'll be able to afford it.

7:27-AJ Price for three cuts the deficit to two. In the Big East only St. John's has made fewer 3's than UConn this season. An alarming statistic.

7:29-It's still 0-0 17 minutes in. I just thought of how funny it would be if the basketball game was tied at 0 right now and the soccer game had a score of 21-19 17 minutes into play. McDonald's once said, "Hey, it could happen." In light of McDonald's and their catchy advertising slogans, let's rattle off a few: "Have you had your break today?" "Did somebody say McDonalds?" "Hey, it could happen," was more of a McWorld thing, which was geared towards kids, and then there's the current "I'm lovin' it." I wonder what their policy is for changing ad slogans. Hmm...

7:32-It's tied at 21 and a white guy wearing Orange just got called for traveling.

7:33-Hasheem Thabeet just helped up a Syracuse player after they collided and crashed to the ground. I love the sportsmanship.

7:35-Rafftery is referring to the game as ratty. Kudos to him for avoiding the feminine term catty. 5:04 to go in the first, tied 24 apiece. Ratty is closely related to Rafftery.

7:37-Thabeet scored one off the glass, and Rafftery said, "Alittlekiss!" also one word. As the replay ran into the commercial break, he then said, "Alittlekissjumphook." Rafftery is one of a million reasons why college basketball is a million times better than the NBA, not to mention soccer.

7:38-I hate myself for having just typed that, but I like what I like. That said, soccer is one of the greatest sports in the world. It's certainly the most popular. Guess what the second most popular is? I've been told judo. Anyways, soccer really is great, it's just not the best to watch on TV. I'd be willing to assume that it's much like hockey, which is a lot better to watch in person than via TV. OK, I've explained myself for my poor comment.

7:40-In the aforementioned comparison of college basketball and the NBA based on broadcasters, remember when ESPN got real silly and put their NBA announcers at a college game while Dick Vitale did an NBA game? It was the Heat @ Nuggets, and I gotta say that while I may be a sucker for things like that I thought it was a great idea.

7:43-Sanchez with a beauty of a save for Mexico just over 30 minutes into action. That was titillating. 26-25 UConn inside two minutes. I am currently conducting this blog in constant fear that I'm going to miss something huge in either game.

7:45-28-27 UConn with 28 seconds left in the first half. This means something, I like UConn in this one. They just scored quickly and easily, and now UConn has a chance at another bucket, but no, they suck. I think Syracuse is going to win. I said I was gonna change my mind about who would win. For the record I want Syracuse to win and I think they're going to do so, the UConn predictions earlier were sarcasm.

7:48-Duke grad Jay Bilas must be being disciplined or something because he's in the studio and not in Durham. This is a role reversal for Bilas, who was portrayed as a disciplinarian over Digger Phelps and that Hubert guy for dancing to other school's chants while doing serious work in their Bat Cave-esque college basketball control room. If that room actually exists, I have to find it.

7:50-As if it's not written about enough, the acting in soccer is comical to say the least. These guys make some of the ugliest faces as they grab whatever may have been so much as flicked and fall dramatically to the ground. Sometimes, I actually feel bad for them for a second or two.

7:52-Approaching the 40th minute and Tim Howard with another big save. Uh oh, someone may actually be hurt. It's Pearce for America. Poor guy, I think he's really hurt.

7:54-A buddy just called... USA SCORES! Michael Bradley with the goal at the 43rd minute of play! Excellent. Sorry, I was saying that a buddy just called to ask who else... and the replay informs me that it was a scramble and Bradley grabbed the rebound off Landon Donovan's header that missed and high-kicked it in. Right before the half. As the announcer just mentioned, an excellent time to score.

7:57-OK, so a buddy just called me asking who was on the UNC team with Joe Forte. I'm attempting to figure it out. I gave him Jason Capel, who I just found out was only one of nine players in UNC history to start for UNC in all four years of his eligibility. He mentioned Brendan Haywood, and because he was so excited and anxious, I couldn't understand the other names he said. Let's do some research as it's now halftime of the World Cup qualifier. 1-nil in the Sombrero-Trucker Hat Match-Up.