Oosthuizen and Zack Rasego, who works as his caddie, often discuss strategy in Afrikaans on the green, and both spoke openly about their happiness at the win on Madiba’s birthday.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hq-XbEcsYSuvFRwpATxkT7DSCn8gD9H1VGB00

http://tinyurl.com/2aabk97

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128603933

and here in Massachusetts, the Soccer Grannies were a sensation!

http://tinyurl.com/25ct44d

“Vakhegula Vakhegula,” or Grannies Grannies, is a  soccer league for women 49 – 84 years old, based in Limpopo, South Africa. 

Thanks to HerbaLife, the U.S. Adult Soccer Association, the Massachusetts Adult Soccer Association, Lexpressa and many generous individuals and organizations, the Grannies are here in Massachusetts for the Veterans Cup 2010 in Lawrence, July 13 – 18 2010. 

For video of their arrival at Logan Airport: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-472342?ref=feeds%2Flatest

For info about the 2010 Veterans Cup: http://www.veteranscup.us

The Vakhegula Vakhegula Game Schedule in Lawrence, MA:

Thursday, July 15th  – 10:00 am   vs. the Bay State Breakers                                                                               Six-O Massachusetts

Friday, July 16th       - 8:00 am      vs. San Diego Celtics 60 -                                                                             California South 

Saturday, July 17th    – 11:00 am vs. HKP550 – Hawaii 

In the South African papers, The Independent and The Sunday Times:

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=4&art_id=nw20100712191408525C480294

Overseas fans fall in love with South Africa’s warm welcome:

http://www.timeslive.co.za/entertainment/article545097.ece/Overseas-fans-praise-friendly-SA

The UK’s Guardian calls South Africa’s Rainbow Nation ‘the real winner:’

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/11/editorial-south-africa-world-cup

and another Guardian piece sums up the key elements of South African success, reminding readers how many proved-wrong news outlets predicted failure:  “Organisers have spoken at length about the “nation building” potential of the World Cup, and this was proved to be far more than empty rhetoric as South Africans came together in a national sense of near-hysteria.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jul/12/south-africa-world-cup-2010

Next, the Olympics! 

http://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/other/article546168.ece/SA-Olympic-bid-in-the-pipeline

http://www.elpais.com/global/

http://tinyurl.com/2bl24yp

http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/2010-world-cup/

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/08/arts/design/08photos.html?_r=1

And elsewhere in the news, Paul the Psychic Octopus garners worldwide attention for his undefeated streak of World Cup predictions. 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128378592

The New York Times “Goal” blog covered today’s historic semifinal play by play, ending with  Spain’s first time in the Finals!

http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/world-cup-live-germany-vs-spain-2/?ref=sports

The New York Times‘ great World Cup coverage includes a story today about the feature film, “More Than Just A Game,” that South Africa Partners and WGBH will premiere in Boston this Thursday, July 8, at 6:30 pm, with a panel discussion and reception afterward.

From the New York Times live-blogger Jeff Klein on today’s Uruguay – Netherlands match, who cites his friend Christopher Clarey “inside the stadium on a cool night when an orange sweater is a good idea as well as an orange wig:

‘I think I’ll miss the walks to the stadium more than the games themselves. It’s a trek here in Cape Town: close to three miles the way I’ve been doing it from the foot of Table Mountain. It is more a fan crawl than a fan walk with all the bodies thrown together. But it’s been a gradual awakening and evolution: from looking over my shoulder a little edgily in the early days here in South Africa to thoroughly enjoying the flow and the fete in the final days. The Capetonians, even those without tickets, were out watching from their balconies and their doorsteps tonight – cameras at the ready – as they chronicled the orange river going past (I didn’t see a Uruguay fan until I arrived at the stadium but then with only three and a half million people, there aren’t that many Uruguay fans to be had).

‘This is my first night game with the Dutch after a couple of day games so their signature color helps light the way to the stadium instead of making you shy away because of the glare of the bright Durban sunshine. A lot of broken dreams for Dutch soccer fans over the years but tonight’s bunch seems upbeat, as well they should be. The Uruguayans are missing three key players. The Dutch are missing, in my opinion, just one: holding midfielder Nigel De Jong (who does a lot of holding .and bruising). Outside defender Gregory van der Wiel, who is also suspended for this match, has been a weak link in the games I’ve seen.

‘But the Uruguayans are getting used to defying logic, as anyone who watched the end of their quarterfinal with Ghana can understand. “In 1986, it was the hand of Maradona, and now it’s the hand of Suarez,” said Damian D’Alessandro, a 39-year-old from Montevideo who was inside the stadium with a Uruguayan flag over his backpack.

‘D’Alessandro has been here following the Uruguayan team with his 10-year-old son. “My son is in the clouds, but he only had to wait 10 years for this,” he said. “I had to wait 40.” ‘ “