True Confessions of a Three Time Champion

The following is a guest post by three time BISERGS Champion, Sharleen Samuelson.  Please respond by using the comments section below.  BISERGS 2014 welcomes guest posts from all BISERGS participants.

As the current record holder for BISERGS wins (1998, 2002, 2006), I have a true confession to make. The only World Cup I really ever watched was in 1994. I had just graduated high school, all my friends had flown away, and I was laid up recovering from a nasty tonsillectomy. I watched every game and all the commentary in between spooning ice cream down my sore throat. I shouted "GOOOAAAAL!" from my heart even though I could barely whisper. I also may or may not have developed a slight crush on Roberto Baggio (named as having one of the "30 most breathtaking mullets in sports history") and was truly heartbroken at his missed penalty that cost Italy the win. 

Sharleen's heartthrob after penalty kick failure.

In fact, it may be that Baggio's missed penalty was the beginning of the end of my short lived passion for soccer. My only strategy in those first three BISERGS Championships was to choose Italy and wait for them to be vindicated. When they finally won in 2006, it also brought my reign to an end.

Will Mexico's Power Stripe lead
them to World cup Success?

This year, however, I've decided on a new strategy (although I'm not saying whether or not Italy will still be my first pick). After reading Slate.com's "The Horrifying True Story of the Ugliest Jerseys in U.S. Soccer History", I was inspired to take a look at this year's team jerseys. Check out this storyif you want to see them for yourself. I admit that I might not be completely impartial, but I like Mexico's "power stripe", here's hoping that it is more than metaphorical. I also like Cameroon's African print, and the Netherland's choices are classy as usual (especially the away print). 

If you were choosing your team solely on their team jersey, what would be your favorite? What other non-strategic criteria could you use to choose your teams?

Originally Posted May 20, 2014 on http://grssam.wix.com/bisergs2014