2018 World Cup Wrap Up

The 2018 World Cup will be one that we remember for a long time, or at least until the 2022 Cup kicks off in Qatar. The 2018 Cup was a great tournament though, it had a little bit of everything from break through individual performances to tournament favorites falling early (looking at you Germany, Spain, and Argentina) to incredible goals and everything else in between. I asked James to come back and help me break it down into a few categories: best match, best hair, best goal celebration, best moment, best flop, best goal, and best player.

Before we get to our choices have you checked out the Offended Podcast yet? These guys cover everything in pop culture and sports so make sure to check out their podcast, find them on iHeart Radio, iTunes, and their social media pages.

Best Match:

     Kyle: This was one of the best World Cups we have had recently and there were a lot of good matches that gave us some great moments but one match sticks out to me the most, Spain vs Portugal.  This match really set the whole tournament in motion as it was one of the first games to be played. This match had everything except for a winner at the end, it ended in a 3-3 tie and there were plenty of great moments. Spain was winning 3-2 in the 88th minute and Portugal won a free kick right outside the box and Ronaldo stepped into take it. After everything else that happened it was destiny for Ronaldo to score and that's exactly what he did to tie the game and finish with a hat trick. The drama of this game, the matchup of these countries, and the stars playing in this game really set the tone for the 2018 World Cup.

     James: Like the previous World Cup, the matches were intense and had some spectacular finishes. The best match for me was Belgium vs Japan. Japan, having no business being in the knockout stage and playing dishonorably, played an excellent game against one of the World Cup favorites in Belgium. Japan was up 2-0 in the second half and Belgium stormed all the way, back scoring in stoppage time to win 3-2. It was a tremendous game that ended in dramatic fashion.

Best Hair:

     Kyle: Soccer might be best sport for hair, athletes from so many countries with some of the best hair styles you will see. I have two guys that stood out for me, both from Croatia Luka Modric and Domagoj Vida. Luka has a classic soccer look with the thin headband holding his long stringy ass hair out of his face and Vida has something I have never seen before. I'm not sure I can put Vida's hairstyle into words so I will post a picture of this bad ass dude. No chance I am messing with him.

     James: The best hair belongs to "The Lion" Radamel Falcao of Columbia. It's slick, it's wavy, it has the perfect shave right into a great beard and it's lethal. He knows how to put the ball in the net which makes his hair look even better.






Best Goal Celebration:

     Kyle: I have two choices for this one as well, Antoine Griezmann of France and Michy Batshuayi from Belgium. When Griezemann scored in the World Cup final against Croatia he proved that Fortnite is a world wide phenomenon. In the game you have emotes you can choose from to use in the game and Antoine pulled out the "Take the L" emote and it was flawless. He had the dance down perfectly. Batshuayi was not as lucky as Griezmann, after Belgium scored against England he grabbed the ball out of the net. Celebrating a goal he did not even score, he blasted the ball but unlucky for him the goalpost was right in his way and the ball ricocheted off the post and right back into his face. It was absolutely hilarious and he knew it, after the game he posted the picture with the caption "The second just before I knew I f***cked up #InternetUndefeated" Way to take it like a champ.

     James: I am a sucker for the classics when it comes to celebrations and at this point what could be more classic then a Ronaldo celebration.






Best Moment:

     Kyle: The World Cup always has great moments and this one is no exception which makes this a really difficult choice. I am going with Neymar's flop as the best moment......just kidding that will come later. My best moment is the goal Toni Kroos scored against Sweden to keep Germany's hopes alive. Tied with about 15 seconds left in extra time and playing a man down, Germany won a free kick to the left of the goal just outside the box. Kroos stepped up and played a short pass to Marco Reus who passed it back to him. The rest was magic, Kroos hit a bending shot into the opposite corner of the net to give Germany the W. It was an incredible goal, James and a few other friends were at my house and we went nuts when it went in.

     James: The best moment was watching Russia be defeated and leave the pitch losers. They likely would not have qualified if they were not the hosts and they played in the easiest group. They were extremely undeserving of the spot the landed in.

Best Flop:

     Kyle: Is there any question who is winning this one? Do I blame him? Of course not, it gave us this incredible video.

     James: There is only one correct choice here and that is Antoine Griezmann's flop in the final against Croatia. The match had been dominated by Croatia and France was attacking for the first time. Griezmann falls to the ground without being touched and because he is French, he got the call and that turned the tied of the game. They scored on the ensuing free kick and the game changed after that.





Best Goal:

     Kyle: The World Cup gives us some of the best goals you will ever see in soccer and this tournament can earn a player a big payday (just ask James Rodriguez). I will never forget the goal Maxi Rodriguez scored for Argentina during the 2006 World Cup, if you have not seen it do yourself a favor and watch it now. The goal I will remember from this World Cup is the one that Benjamin Pavard score for France against Argentina, it was the definition of a golazo. As the ball bounces out to him just outside the box he hits an incredible strike, watch the video below. That second angle is just amazing, I could watch that till the day I die and never get sick of it.

     James: There are so many good choices for this topic; Ronaldo's free kick against Spain, Pavard's volley against Argentina and Luka Modric's rip from 20 years out against Argentina. Really any goal against Argentina. For me though, the best goal of the tournament came from Toni Kroos of Germany. The difficulty of the shot was important for my decision and this goal had the smallest of angles. It was the last play of the game, Germany was down to 10 men, and that goal was necessary to keep their hopes alive. Ultimately, it wasn't enough for Germany to advance but it won them the three points they needed at the time.

Best Player:

     Kyle: Obviously both Kylian Mbappe and Luka Modric were incredible during this tournament with Luka winning the Golden Boot recognizing him as the best player. I really enjoyed what I saw out of Kevin DeBruyne from Belgium. He is already one of the best player's in the world and I don't think he gets the recognition he deserves. When he was pressing up the field and attacking, Belgium looked unstoppable. I wish we could have seen him in more attacking situations but Belgium needed him on defense at times. He can do anything on the pitch and is an incredible player, he may not put up huge stat lines but without him Belgium would not be the team they are.

     James: This is easy, Luka Modric. He was the engine that propelled Croatia to the final. He uses both feet effectively, manipulates the pitch, and wears the captains band. He was excellent and put on some of the best midfield performances since Zidane in 2006. It's to bad he won't be around for the World Cup in 2022 in Qatar.

The Hidden and Not So Hidden Awesome Stuff to do in St. Louis

It has been a little while since I wrote the last piece, between March Madness and my laptop going out I hope you will cut me some slack. However since I have been absent from writing I have been doing some pretty awesome stuff, the Anything But Credible guys had me back on for a new episode you can check out and make sure to check out their new website to! I have also had the chance to do some pretty cool stuff around STL that gave me the idea for this topic. With the weather about to change this is the time where STL comes alive with a ton of awesome stuff to do, from street festivals to concerts to Cardinals games I am going to give a look at some of the cool attractions the city has to offer.

The Not So Hidden Attractions:

1. City Museum: Located at 750 N. 16th Street in downtown St. Louis, the City Museum is one of the coolest places you can go. It is basically a giant playground made from recycled materials that is perfect for kids and adults. If you live in STL and have never been you are not a true St. Louisian, if you are from out of town this needs to be on your list of places to visit. The City Museum offers an indoor and outdoor area to climb around and explore, going in the summer is optimal so you can enjoy both. I have been to a number of times and I guarantee I have not experienced the whole place, I have witnessed 50 year old men climbing around on their hands and knees with their kids following right behind. From the 10 story slide to the enchanted caves it is a place you have to visit, it is impossible to explain in words just how awesome this place is. https://www.citymuseum.org/

2. Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village: "Welcome to baseball heaven!" are some of the first words you will hear when you enter the ballpark and it is no surprise. The stadium is beautifully built and is relatively new so taking in a game is one of the best things to do during the season. There is always something going on at the ballpark as well with tons of cool giveaways and theme nights on the schedule. Get some tickets, sit back with a cold frosty one, and enjoy one of the best sports around. https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/ballpark

After the game walk right across the street and keep the party going at Ballpark Village. Built on the grounds of Busch Stadium II you can enjoy multiple bars or take in a concert during the winter. BPV is always hopping and you are guaranteed to have a good time, during the day you can check out the Cardinals Museum which gives you an in-depth look at the history of the Cardinals organization.
http://www.stlballparkvillage.com/

3. Six Flags: A quick 30 minute drive from the city, you can be riding roller coasters and enjoying the lazy river at Hurricane Harbor all located insider Six Flags. My family and I go to Six Flags at least once a year, we don't even go to Hurricane Harbor and we are there all day riding all the rides. They have numerous roller coasters, water rides to cool you off from the hot STL summer, games, and attractions to take in. Six Flags is always adding new rides to, so if you haven't been recently it's time to go back! https://www.sixflags.com/stlouis

4. St. Louis Arch: If you have never visited St. Louis, then you have to head down to the Arch grounds to check out this historic landmark. Built in the 1960's the Arch is something you have to see to believe and with the newly renovated grounds it is a beautiful place to go for the afternoon. You can buy a ticket and take a tram to the top of the Arch, the view will blow you away. You can see for miles and miles through windows located at the top and get some really cool pictures. After your tram ride you can enjoy the interactive exhibits which show you how the Arch was constructed and a little background on the landmark itself. This is a must see if you have never done it before. https://www.gatewayarch.com/

5. Forest Park: Art Museum, Zoo, Science Center, Golf Course, History Museum, numerous lakes, The Muny; Forest Park has it all. Check out one of the largest urban parks in the country which is  500 acres larger then Central Park in New York! Play some golf and walk over to the Zoo and see one of the best attractions in the whole country. With new exhibits at the Art and History museums you are guaranteed to see something cool every time you go. Want to catch a musical? Check out what the Muny is putting on and go enjoy yourself. Or want to go to a music festival? Come to STL in September and go to Loufest, a 2 day music festival that featured Weezer, Snoop Dogg, and Cage the Elephant last year. It was awesome last year and we can't wait to see who will be there this year.
https://www.forestparkforever.org/

6. Ted Drewes: After your adventures in STL, stop by Ted Drewes and enjoy the best frozen custard you will ever have that's a promise. Around since the 1930s they serve thousands, maybe millions of customers every year with their frozen custard. When friends come from out of town it is a staple of every visit and they always ask if we can go back, with a number of menu items, flavors, and toppings you will never run out of options. http://teddrewes.com/






The Hidden Attractions: 

1. St. Louis Curling Club: My wife and I went to the Creve Couer Ice Rink a few weekends ago for a "learn to curl" session. It was the most fun 2 hours we have had in a while, you get paired up with an experienced curler and they teach you the game. From scoring to strategy to how to throw the stone you get the full experience and even get to play a game against some other people in the training session. It was so much fun I have registered for a league and can't wait to start playing. If you are looking for a fun way to spend a few hours I highly recommend taking a "learn to curl" session.
http://www.stlouiscurlingclub.org/

2. The Axe House: Located in Valley Park this is a hole in the wall type place you can go to throw (you guessed it) AXES! The weekend before curling we went to the axe house and had an absolute blast. You get a quick tutorial from an experience axe thrower and then you are on your own throwing axes at targets. There are a bunch of games you can play or you can just throw the axes to work on your form. Not only do they have numerous types of axes you can throw they also have ninja stars and knives in case you want to try something new. The Axe House also has leagues you can join and they are pretty intense from what we saw. This was another awesome way to spend a few hours and get some frustration out if you need to. https://theaxehousestl.com/

3. Route 66 Park: Get out and enjoy the best mother nature has to offer! A beautiful 400+ acre state park with multiple bike and walking trails you can really get lost in nature out here. Want to bring your horse out for a ride? Go ahead there a trails for horseback riding as well. Fish for bass, catfish, panfish, and trout in the Missouri River while you are at the park. Keep an eye out for wildlife as well, you might spot some deer, various bird species and other wildlife in the park. https://mostateparks.com/park/route-66-state-park

4.World Bird Sanctuary and Lone Elk Park: Did you know you can see Elk and Bison in St. Louis? Head out to Lone Elk Park and drive through to see these magnificent creatures and walk the trails located in the park to get some exercise as well. It is a really neat place to visit if you have never seen some of these animals before and it is right in our backyard! After you enjoy Lone Elk head over to the World Bird Sanctuary and see some of the birds they have. They are responsible for taking in injured or sick birds, nursing them back to health, and releasing them back to the wild. However, these are not your normal everyday birds, they have owls, eagles, hawks, and falcons just to name a few species. They have classes and other materials to teach you about the birds and why they are so important to the world. http://www.worldbirdsanctuary.org/    https://www.stlouisco.com/parksandrecreation/parkpages/loneelk

5. Ambush and St. Louis FC: Have you ever been to a professional soccer game? If not St. Louis has two styles to offer: indoor soccer and outdoor. The Ambush are the professional indoor soccer team of St. Louis and their games are an absolute blast. I highly recommend checking them out if you have never been before. Constant entertainment and non-stop action are a few words that come to mind when I think about Ambush soccer. St. Louis FC is in the United Soccer League, which could be described as the Division II league to the MLS. These games are located at Worldwide Technology Soccer Park and have a great atmosphere with the St. Louligans getting the crowd fired up for the games. If you have never been to a professional soccer game I recommend check out St. Louis FC to take in a game. http://www.stlambush.com/                  https://www.saintlouisfc.com/

There are a few great places I hope you will check out whether you live in STL or are just planning to visit. I could write an extremely long post on all the attractions STL has to offer but I don't think everyone would read it for that long. Check out these places and let me know some of your favorite places to visit!