As the first weekend of World Cup action draws to a close, the tournament has proven itself to be thoroughly captivating.  While the South African, USA and Ghana teams may have created the most unforeseen results with the ball at their feet, there have been some tremendously positive surprises apart from the players and teams.  Chief among them are-

A simply fabulous job by ESPN and ABC.  Four years ago there was visible anger among the US soccer community at the way ESPN and ABC produced their World Cup coverage – poor announcers, lousy in-studio talent and a purely amateurish approach to covering the world’s greatest sporting event.  This year’s coverage is a sea-change.  The in-studio talent has been made up of some of the most famous and insightful commentators on the soccer scene.  Among the best have been Ruud Gullit, Jurgen Klinsman, the eminently likable Steve McManaman and the surprisingly insightful Roberto Martinez.  Combined with Alexi Lalas and Bob Ley, they have been outstanding.  Furthermore, the play-by-play teams have been terrifically engaging, and in the US-England game the Martin Tyler and John Harkes partnership went surprisingly well.   The camera angles and graphic analysis has been great, and the entire production has walked that fine line of explaining the game to novices and giving great insights to aficionados.  Any fans expecting more from ABC/ESPN are just looking for reasons to take offense.

The referees have been spot-on.  Soccer is the toughest sport to referee in real time and the easiest to referee in slow motion.  In real time, the pitch is gigantic, the action is end-to-end, and the difference between fair and foul is made up of inches and fractions of a second.  Nevertheless, the referees have gotten everything exactly right so far.  From the disallowed Mexican goal for offside despite the defender on the goal line to the Serbian handball to the two red cards that have been handed out so far, everything has been on the money.  In the US-England game in particular, the Brazilian referee who had a reputation for sending players off waived just enough yellow to not interfere in the flow of the game but to make sure nothing got out of hand.  At some point in this tournament, the law of averages dictates that there will be a horrible, impactful mistake by a referee, but so far there can be no complaints.

FIFA and the South African organizers have done a special job.  When the World Cup was awarded to South Africa, many people raised an alarm.  They thought this was a politically correct decision and that South Africa had neither the stadia nor the resources to put on a tournament of this magnitude.  Now that the games are here, the entire affair has been virtually flawless.  The stadia are beautiful and Johannesburg’s Soccer City is simply a marvel.  The pitches have been perfect (how can you have perfect pitches in South Africa in winter and yet Wembley still looks like a motocross track?), and the fans have been as joyous and positive as you could ever hope.  Even the World Cup concert was great.  The entire scene looks glorious, and credit has to go where it is deserved – the excellent South African organizing committee and the team at FIFA who advised, guided, and effectively cajoled them towards success. 

I am sure that there will be events worthy of complaint at some point during this World Cup.  However, so far the entire operation has been as smooth and enjoyable as one could ever hope.

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We have a FLO TV Personal Television to give away to a lucky winner, courtesy of FLO TV and World Cup Buzz.

The FLO TV Personal Television is a personal hand-held TV that features tons of programming including ESPN's mobile coverage of the 2010 World Cup, which includes a 24-hour-a-day channel dedicated to the tournament from June 11 to July 11.

This could be a great option for soccer fans who want to experience World Cup games on a device that features a high-quality picture. Some companies may block users from accessing bandwidth hog websites such as ESPN 3 or Univision, so FLO TV could be a good alternative. Plus, it's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand so whether you're in the office or on the road, you can take the World Cup with you.

The FLO TV service combines content, an intuitive user interface and a multicast network to deliver a true quality TV viewing experience for consumers. FLO TV offers full–length simulcast and time–shifted programming from entertainment brands, including ABC, ABC Entertainment, ABC Family, ABC News, ABC Sports, ESPN, ESPNEWS and ESPN 2.

FLO TV has signed Landon Donovan as a spokesperson for their World Cup offering.

Before entering, be sure to check the coverage area map to ensure you can get the best FLO TV experience.

The FLO TV Personal Television retails for $199 and features a 3.5 inch touchscreen display.

Here's how you can enter the contest with a chance for you to win a FLO TV Personal Television:

• Visit the FLO TV website,
• Then look through the Personal TV Program Guide and browse through the channels available (other than ESPN Mobile TV),
• Send an e-mail to thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com with the subject line "FLO TV" and list three channels available on FLO TV (other than ESPN Mobile TV) and
• Be sure to include your name, mailing address and phone number (for Fedex/UPS shipment).

The deadline to get your entry in (one entry per person) is midnight ET on Saturday, May 29. Please don't post the answer in the comments section below unless you want to be disqualified.

Contest is only open to US residents. Winner will be announced on EPL Talk's Facebook page on Sunday, May 30.

Best of luck!

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With the World Cup fast approaching, we thought it would be a good idea to introduce you to the amazing talent that ESPN has assembled to broadcast the matches. The level of football experience, both on the pitch and in the booth and studio, is very impressive.

ESPN Presenters

Chris Fowler

Chris Fowler is one of the most recognizable faces at ESPN, anchors College Game Day, and will serve as a host for the studio coverage where he will anchor all of the studio coverage as well as SportsCenter’s World Cup segments.

His international experience includes Grand Slam Tennis, for which he is the primary host for ESPN.

Bob Ley

Bob Ley has worked at ESPN since the third day the channel was on the air. He has hosted numerous sporting events, anchored SportsCenter, and is the studio host for the award-winning Outside the Lines.

For the World Cup, Ley will serve as a studio host in South Africa, hosting pre-game, halftime, and post-game studio segments as well as SportsCenter’s World Cup segments.

Mike Tirico

Mike Tirico has worked for ESPN for twenty years, hosting SportsCenter, studio shows, a radio show, golf broadcasts, and for World Cup 2010 will host studio shows in South Africa.

He is the lead commentator for ESPN’s Monday Night Football, for which he garnered a Sports Emmy nomination in 2007.

ESPN Pundits/Analysts

Steve McManaman

Steve McManaman will be a studio analyst during ESPN’s coverage of the 2010 World Cup. McManaman played for Liverpool and Real Madrid, winning the Champions League twice, and played for England at two European Championships and the 1998 World Cup in France.

He began his television career in 2005 with the Champions League Final, working for ITV, ESPN, and Setanta in the last five years.

Ruud Gullit

Ruud Gullit will join Steve McManama in the studio providing analysis and insight from his long and storied career in professional football. A two time World Player of the Year, Ruud Gullit played for three different Dutch clubs, leading all three to titles before moving to AC Milan and leading that club to three scudettos.

He also was a played manager at Chelsea, leading the English club to the 1997 FA Cup, their first major trophy in many years. Most well known for coining the term ‘Sexy Football’, Gullit managed at four different clubs, including the Los Angeles Galaxy in MLS.

Shaun Bartlett

Shaun Bartlett will bring the flavor of South Africa to the studio as he is the South African team’s all-time second leading scorer. He started his playing career with the Cape Town Spurs, and his career included stops with FC Zurich, Colorado Rapids, and New York Metrostars.

He played on the 1996 South African team which won the African Cup of Nations a mere five years after the Apartheid-inspired ban was lifted. Bartlett currently works for SuperSport as a studio analyst for international matches, Barclays Premier League, and Champions League matches.

Alexi Lala

Alexi Lalas will serve as a studio analyst, the same role he performs for ESPN as part of their coverage of the Barclay’s Premier League, MLS and the US Men’s National Team. Lalas, who was a fierce defender for the Men’s National Team, retired from playing in 2004.

He played in MLS and for Padova in Italy’s Serie A. He served as general manager for the original version of the San Jose Earthquakes, the New York/New Jersey Metrostars and the Los Angeles Galaxy. He also served as a studio analyst during the 2006 World cup.

Roberto Martinez

Roberto Martinez, the current manager of Wigan Athletic of the Barclay’s Premier League will serve as a studio analyst.

Martinez has 18 years of experience playing and managing at the professional level.

Jurgen Klinsmann

Jurgen Klinsmann. The German soccer legend is a 1990 FIFA World Cup winner with Germany, will serve as a studio analyst for ESPN’s unprecedented coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

He will appear on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3.com and ABC from South Africa during the month-long tournament.

Klinsmann is recognized as one of the world’s top strikers during his 16 seasons of top-tier professional soccer in Germany, Italy, France and England.

He played in three FIFA World Cups (1990, 1994 and 1998) and was the first player to score at least three goals in three World Cup tournaments and remains Germany’s second all-time World Cup goal scorer with 11.

ESPN Commentators

Derek Rae

Derek Rae joined ESPN in 1994 and is best known as the play-by-play commentator for the Champions League. A native of Aberdeen, Scotland, Derek Rae has commentated on international soccer for more than twenty years.

He calls matches for La Liga, has hosted ESPNSoccernet Press Pass, and commentated for Euro 2008. Rae got his professional start in 1986 working for the BBC.

He left the BBC in 1991 and moved to America where he served as a press officer for the World Cup 1994 Organizing Committee.

Adrian Healey

Adrian Healey will serve as a match play-by-play commentator. He also commentated for ESPN during World Cup 2006 and Euro 2008.

He currently serves as a commentator for ESPN International’s coverage of several European leagues, including the Champions League.

He started work in radio, began his commentating for the New England Revolution of MLS, and also was a television play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Martin Tyler

Martin Tyler will lead the play-by-play commentating for ESPN. One of the most recognizable voices in World Football, Tyler has commentated the last eight World Cups for either ITV or SBS Australia.

If you are a gamer, you will recognize his voice from the EA Sports FIFA video games.

He has extensive experience calling club matches, starting in 1974, and has called every major European competition at some point in his illustrious career.

Ian Darke

Ian Darke will also provide play-by-play commentary for ESPN. Also a very recognizable voice in world football, Darke has covered club football since 1982, including European competitions.

He currently commentates for TWI and also hosts their weekly magazine show.

ESPN Co-Commentators

Efan Ekoku

Efan Ekoku will be a match analyst. The English-born Ekoku played club football for many clubs, most notably Norwich City, scoring their first European goal in 1993 and was the first to score more than three goals in one match in the Premier League.

He was a member of the 1994 Nigerian World Cup squad.

His television experience includes commentary for BBC broadcasts of Premier League matches.

John Harkes

John Harkes is the lead soccer analyst for ESPN’s coverage of MLS. A former USMNT captain, Harkes first commentated on matches for the 2006 World Cup.

His 13 year career included stints at Sheffield Wednesday, DC United, New England Revolution and the Columbus Crew.

He was a five time MLS All-Star the captain of two MLS championship winning sides.

Robbie Mustoe

Robbie Mustoe, the head soccer coach at Boston College, will be a game analyst.

He played for Middlesbrough for 12 years, ending his career at Charlton Athletic and Sheffield Wednesday.

He is currently a studio analyst for ESPN’s coverage of Barclay’s Premier League matches and does analysis for ESPN International’s coverage of Champions League matches.

Ally McCoist

Ally McCoist is a Scottish former professional football player who played as a striker. He is currently assistant manager at Scottish Premier League club Rangers, where he spent fifteen of his twenty-two years as a player.

ESPN Reporters

Jeremy Schaap

Jeremy Schaap will serve as a reporter for the World Cup, focusing primarily on the US Men’s National team for ESPN.

A six-time Sports Emmy Award winner, Schaap appears frequently on Outside the Lines, SportsCenter, and E:60.

He has covered virtually every major sport in America, worked for NBC as a writer for Olympic studio coverage, and has written extensively for such sports magazines as Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine.

John Sutcliffe

John Sutcliffe will serve as a reporter covering the Mexican national team for ESPN.

Sutcliffe regularly serves as a commentator for ESPN International covering all four of the Golf’s Majors: the Masters, US Open, British Open and PGA Championship.

He has also worked for Atlanta-based TNT on golf and NBA coverage.

Sal Masekela

Sal Masekela is a snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding enthusiast who works the X Games for ESPN.

He will serve as a reporter at the World Cup, covering cultural and human interest stories.

Maskela is the son of South African jazz musician Hugh Masekela.

Julie Foudy

Julie Foudy, the former US Women’s National Team Captain, joined ESPN in 2005 as a studio analyst for women’s soccer and the 2006 World Cup.

Foudy also provides features for a wide variety of ESPN’s studio programs including SportsCenter, Monday Night Countdown, and Outside the Lines.

Allen Hopkins

Allen Hopkins will be a reporter in South Africa, a role he covered in both 2006 and 2002.

He is the network’s lead sideline reporter for MLS and US Men’s National Team telecasts. Hopkins has called over 2000 soccer games from all of the major European leagues, plus the Brazilian Championship.

He previously worked for Fox Sports.

Rob Stone

Rob Stone has covered soccer for ESPN since 1997 serving as host for Worldwide Soccer and the SEC Network studio show.

He has served as a sideline reporter for college football and MLS and US Soccer telecasts.

He was both a play-by-play announcer and sideline reporter at the 2006 World Cup. He worked for ESPN’s coverage of both France ’98 and Korea/Japan ’02, providing reports or hosting World Cup 2Night.

He has worked a variety of sports including the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest from Coney Island.

These commentators and analysts will provide World-Class commentary for ESPN and American fans of The Beautiful Game will be very fortunate to get exposure to such high quality commentary and analysis.

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ESPN debuted its newest TV commercial this morning to promote its coverage of the 2010 World Cup. This time, ESPN gives a nod to the "quarterback" of soccer, the number 10. Pele, Maradona, Messi and other soccer gods.

The video is set to the "Out Of Control" song by U2.

What do you think of the video and how does it compare to the ones you've seen thus far? While I enjoy it, it doesn't give me the goosebumps the same way that the earlier ones did.

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Over the past few months ESPN has been rolling out documentaries from prolific filmmakers as part of their "30 for 30" series. On June 22 ESPN will air The Two Escobars, a documentary surrounding  Andres Escobar's infamous own goal against the United States in the 1994 World Cup and his subsequent murder upon his return home. It has long been speculated that drug baron Pablo Escobar, who famously loved the Columbian national team, orchestrated the killing and constant death received from fans back home created so much pressure that they crumbled.  Check out the trailer embedded after the jump.

"Here was a country with a national identity so integrally connected to the success of its soccer team that one mistake on a playing field dashed the pride of an entire nation and cost a man his life," said directors Jeff and Michael Zimbalist. "Looking into the incident, we learned that the dramatic rise and fall of Colombian soccer was inextricably tied to the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar’s Medellín Drug Cartel, considered by many the ‘ruling party’ of Colombia at the time. Sport in Colombia was not only mirroring the personality and politics of society, but also an inseparable part of that society – the playing field an extension of the streets and offices where influential decisions are made."

On a personal note, I think this looks fantastic. The World Cup brings passion and celebration like no other event in the world. Most of the time it's a beautiful explosion of national pride and excitement, with countrymen putting aside their differences to rally behind a group of 23 men. But with unbridled emotion comes a very dark side. Andres Escobar made a simple mistake on a pitch in Pasadena and put the ball into the wrong goal, the end result of which was a group of men surrounding his car and opening fire. On top of that it's just a well cut-together trailer and looks like a solid film.

The film uses archival footage along with an extensive interview of Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez, Pablo Escobar's right-hand man. The Two Escobars premiered at the Tribecca Film Festival in NYC. The film makes its broadcast debut on ESPN Deportes June 21 at 2 am and on ESPN June 22 at 9 EST.

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The ESPN World Cup Companion is due out in bookstores this week. I was able to get my hands on a copy before it was released, so I thought I'd share a quick mini-review of it to give you a glimpse of what's inside the book as well as to show you some of the photography and featured sections. Enjoy.

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ESPN has released two soccer videos to promote its coverage of the 2010 World Cup. Both videos (pictured above) are available on YouTube and will presumably be shown on the ESPN network between now and June to promote the TV network's coverage of the 2010 World Cup, held in South Africa.

Both commercials feature music by U2. One commercial has Martin Tyler recalling some of the most dramatic World Cup moments since his first World Cup in 1978.

The other 2010 World Cup advert features a highlight reel showing some of the biggest names in the sport.

Thanks to Alexander Green for tipping us off about the videos.

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As the USA stumbled upon a second place finish in the Confederations Cup, ESPN surely reaped the benefits. Although the team were lucky to be in the final, every "soccer" fan in the United States of America was jumping up in down as the US took a two goal lead, only to suffer a heartbreak in the second half. The result still seemed to be a turning point for football in America. Next came the pre-season friendlies throughout the country where, once again, ESPN cashed in.

Unlike ESPN's effort to help develop the MLS, the network has done a fantastic job with the national team. However, just when an actual important match comes up, ESPN decides not to show the USA's most crucial World Cup Qualifier on TV. As displayed on usssocer.com the games versus EL Salvador, Costa Rica, and Trinidad and Tobago are on ESPN Classic, first, fifth, and sixth respectively. The crucial match at  second place Honduras on October 10th, which could cement the United States' place in the World Cup, will not be shown on TV. By now I am pretty sure that ESPN does not care about the well being of the sports shown on its networks, only about maximizing its profits. I am sure that if ESPN showed the Mexico game on ESPN HD or ESPN2 HD that a mind boggling number of people would have tuned in, resulting in ESPN collecting profits once again. Apparently ESPN does not want the popularity of soccer in America to increase, so the network has decided not to show the big matches on TV. I just hope next time the TV rights come around, ESPN will not be allowed to bid at all.

By the way, you might have read the three World Cup Qualifiers that ESPN does show are on ESPN Classic. Yes, that does mean that there will be no HD programming available!

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