Win-Win-Win for World Cup Finals

This is shaping up to be an epic World Cup Final, and if I'm allowed to wear two hats for a second, the "This is what I selfishly want" hat and the WMBC hat, dare I say it, I can't see me being unhappy with how this'll all pan out.

WMBC hats, hmm...

Yep, it's looking like a win-win-win for sports fans. Think about it:

1) Spain has never reached a World Cup Final. Up against Germany, they are desperate to get in. Not only because this could be their best chance to win it all for a very long time, but also because membership in the elite club that is appearances in World Cup Finals is not only rare (just 11 teams out of 75 total participants have made it to the Finals), but it also is beneficial (of those 11 teams, 7 have won the World Cup). Making it to the Finals could be the jumpstart Spain needs. Either way, the anticipation Spain must be feeling to come so close to something they've never had before will not only make for great sports, but will also set the stage for a possible WMBC post.

Verdict: WMBC Hat

2) What's worse than never being in a final? Losing back to back finals... 32 years ago. Up until they qualified for the finals, the Netherlands thought of their current streak as a drought. Now, it feels like a perfectly ripened shot at redemption. However, in the near future, they may be the topic of a WMBC "Closing the door" post, and they don't want to call themselves that (although that would make for good reading). But Netherlands making it to the Finals would be exciting for more reasons than just to see if the fates are smiling or laughing at them. The Netherlands have been playing excitingly energetic soccer. They are the kings of headers, and up 2-1 yesterday, they didn't let up or stop competing "play conservatively" (the one thing I groaned about after the U.S. loss to Ghana). All that adds up to one hell of a World Cup Finalist.

Verdict: Both Hats

3) Germany, although being thought of as one of the traditional powerhouses of FIFA, hasn't been the most fortunate team in history. While they are currently tied with Brazil for most World Cup Finals appearances (7 each, even though they only met in 2002), their World Cup Finals win % is much lower than that of Brazil (Brazil: 71%, Germany: 43%). Their last World Cup Championship came in 1990, 20 years ago. True, they made it in 2002 when the lost to Brazil, but 20 years is a long time for a "powerhouse" to wait around for a championship, and Germany has done it twice! (Championships in 1954, 1974. 16 years between their 1974 and 1990 championships) Also, they too haven't let up during their journey to the Finals, scoring 8 goals in their past 2 games. That is crazy! Anyone who tells me that isn't fun to watch needs a bigger handkerchief.

Verdict: Selfish Hat

So, there you have it. There are still three fun games to watch, and what makes them more exciting is that the sobbing has finally stopped there isn't one team I'm really pulling for. I have just one request for this year's World Cup Final: 10+ total goals.

Oh, and no one losing on a coin flip.