Recent prediction failures do not deter me

Between the morning World Cup game that I predicted incorrectly and the afternoon World Cup game that I predicted incorrectly there was time for a bicycle ride. Today that time slot was a good choice as this afternoon has turned a little too hot for comfort. I have activated the central air.

GRider and I rode down into an unpleasantly strong wind to the roundabout.She doesn't look like someone on her fourth ride of the year, I don't think.

This is the current yard view at the Monarch butterfly way station that I sometimes visit.The growing season is in full swing. Here is as close as we are going to get to an official Fourth of July corn measurement. The corn is a bit past knee high, creating an almost where's Waldo effect.I was wrong in my predictions for both Cup games today. Even so the results were such that I still think that my analysis was OK. What I couldn't, and didn't, predict were the strange twists of fortune.

In the first game Brazil and Netherlands each scored one good goal. The Dutch also got a tiny bit fortunate and scored a second. But it was a great game that could have gone either way. This time it went to the Dutch. Holland 2, Brazil 1.

Ghana created for themselves a coulda, woulda, shoulda World Cup moment that will live in the hearts of Ghanaians for as long as football is played in that land. The heartbreaking miss of a last play of the game penalty is what stood between Ghana's victory and eventual defeat. Ghana could, would, and should have won with conversion of that kick. Instead Uruguay goes through, ironically enough, on penalty kicks after extra time.

I am going to join Santini out on a limb and predict that the Tour de France will be won by a young doper. I am going to go slightly further out on that limb and name a name.

Andy Schleck.

Contador's team is stronger than I expected them to be due to the helpful return of doper Vinokourov. Still, it is not as strong a team as Alberto rode for in his two Tour de France victories. Contador has been much the best in his Tour starts for Bruyneel. Even without Lance's team Contador probably can be expected to rise above most of the shortcomings that Team Astana might have. But as Armstrong demonstrated many times, a three week bicycle stage race is a team sport. I think Schleck's team is enough better than Contador's team to produce a victory.

Lance is too old.