France will win the World Cup

Although it is clear that the United States doesn't need World Cup soccer to stimulate and satisfy its sports fans, it is equally clear that World Cup soccer doesn't need the United States. Most every other country on earth truly cares about its team and who wins Sunday's championship game, so when it comes to soccer, we're the oddballs.

It seems that a majority of the people in America that follow soccer aren't from the U.S. at all. Right here in Carson City I've talked to people born in Honduras, Scotland, Nigeria, France, Germany, Spain, Brazil and Mexico, and most of them are paying attention even though some of their teams didn't even qualify.

In World Cup stadiums you'll see that fans are willing to travel all over the globe to follow their teams. They are dressed up and full of emotion. And it's great to hear them sing, not like the awful Tomahawk Chop that Atlanta Brave and Florida State Seminole fans do.

Maybe one day soccer will catch on like that in the United States too, but it really doesn't matter. Many countries more than make up for our indifference to the world's most popular sport.

Predictions: My pre-tournament upset pick of Germany didn't quite make it, but the host Germans exceeded most expectations by reaching the semi-finals. If two more minutes had elapsed without a score in their game against Italy, the Germans would have owned the advantage, having never lost a World Cup game in the penalty kick phase, and the Italians never having won one.

Finals - Border countries France and Italy meet Sunday at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin to determine the winner of this year's World Cup.

Three-time champion Italy has overcome a domestic match-fixing scandal that involves four clubs and 13 players on the current World Cup roster. The Italians are unbeaten in 24 straight national games, they are the better actors, and the only goal they have given up in the entire tournament was one they knocked into their own net against the United States.

With an average age of over 29, the 1998 champion French are attempting to become the oldest team since Brazil in 1962 to win it all. They will need a solid effort from goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, whose play is sometimes too downright scary for French fans to take.

Winner - Recent history favors the French, and they will be inspired by this being the final game for superstar Zinedine Zidane. France wins in an upset.

Third-place game: Being at home, Germany has much more to play for than Portugal, so the Germans are the pick on Saturday.

TENNIS

Tennis' third major, the Wimbledon Championships wrap up this weekend at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club just outside of London.

On the men's side today, three-time defending champion Roger Federer and his nemesis Rafael Nadal should advance easily. Federer possesses a record 46-match winning streak on grass, but he is 0-4 this year against Nadal, so that would be a dream final.

On the women's side, Justine Henin-Hardenne is motivated to complete her career grand slam against No. 1 ranked Amelie Mauresmo.

Champions: Federer and Henin-Hardenne.

MLB ALL-STAR GAME

The American League has been superior this current season, during recent World Series and All-Star Games. The AL has won 8 of the last 9 All-Star Games, with the other one being the dreaded 7-7 tie of 2002. The last four All-Star Games each have produced 12 or more runs.

Prediction - American League and Over.

ULTIMATE FIGHTING

A sport knows it has hit the big time when odds are available for it in local sports books. Such is the case with the Ultimate Fighting Championships tomorrow in Las Vegas. Andrei Arlovski takes on Tim Sylvia, while Tito Ortiz goes up against Ken Shamrock. Arlovski and Ortiz are heavy favorites. No prediction.