Whether you like it or not, the World Cup has certainly helped soccer’s case for a spot in the American sports landscape. Sure there was diving. Sure there were Europeans everywhere. And sure, there were vuvuzelas. Despite all the reasons to hate soccer, Americans, for the most part, still cared about the World Cup. What else were we going to watch for the last month? Baseball?

Initial ratings for Sunday’s World Cup final in which Spain defeated the Netherlands 1-0 in overtime appeared to be flat compared with the 2006 tournament, ESPN officials said Monday, though other figures indicate that more people may have been tuned in.

Sunday’s pre-game activities and match on ABC and ESPN scored an 8.6 rating among the nation’s top 56 “metered” markets, exactly the same rating that the final in which Italy defeated France on July 9, 2006, according to ESPN spokesman Bill Hofheimer. The ratings figure is the percentage of households watching the match.

The match itself, which ran from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. EDT, posted a 9.9 rating, Hofheimer said, but comparable figures for the 2006 match were not available. “Fast national” ratings, an indication of the entire country’s viewership, are expected to be available later Monday. –WSJ

Soccer’s ultimate prize was not the ratings bonanza ESPN was hoping for, most likely due to early morning and afternoon start times. However, viewership was up from the 2006 World Cup. How did such a thing happen, you ask? I’d put my money on the combined efforts of Larissa Riquelme and TeamBJ. As a red-blooded American sports fan, you’re bound to get my interest perked with promises of Latin American boobs and Scandinavian fellatio. Read the rest of this entry »

You undoubtedly remember the legendary cellphone girl Larissa Riquelme who famously promised to run through the streets of Paraguay if her beloved team took home the World Cup. Unfortunately for us Paraguay lost, our hearts sank, and we all expected Riquelme to fade into obscurity like so many big breasted women before her. Until she decided that she’s going to run through the streets naked anyway! Why’s she doing it? According to her, “It will be a present to all of the players, and for all the people in Paraguay to enjoy.”

All I’m saying is the people of Paraguay better have some high resolution cameras and some great sight lines because I’m pretty sure the rest of the world would like to ‘enjoy’ as well.

Though they were eliminated from the World Cup by Spain on Saturday, Paraguay may be the biggest winners of the tournament.

The South American team still has something to look forward to at home. Lingerie model Larissa Riquelme will still run through the streets of Asuncion naked.

“They tried as hard as possible and gave it their all on the field,” said the busty model. No date has been set for Riquelme’s risque run. -NY Daily News

And my present to all of you loyal With Leather readers who are trying as hard as possible to read our haphazard keystrokes during a long day of work, is a gallery of Larissa Riquelme pictures. I promise to give it my all on this google search. Someone needs to give her plastic surgeon a high five. Read the rest of this entry »