2009 World Cup

Judit Polgar tied her R 3 match with Boris Gelfand so tomorrow they go to play-offs. Good luck JP! Meanwhile, young phenom Wesley So knocked out America's last hope by drawing with GM Gata Kamsky (winner of the 2007 World Cup) today in game 2, thus moving on to R 4 with a score of 1.5/0.5 against Kamsky. WOW! So is 16; Carlsen is 18; Ray Robson, a very promising young American player, is 14. Robson will be playing in the 2010 Corus "C" Group - a great invitation and opportunity for Robson to once again shine on the international stage. What he needs is sustained financial sponsorship so he can afford coaches and not have to worry about money for travelling to overseas tournaments. I just don't get that an American company cannot see what a marketing opportunity he represents! He's a teenager, nice looking (the teenyboppers would like him, I think), he's not geeky, and he's a chess prodigy. What's not to like marketing wise? There are a lot of products he could represent - Pepsi, Coke, how about Gatorade switching up and doing a series of commercials on the "sports of the intellect?" How about this for a commercial - screen shot of hundreds of screaming girls (like in the old days with the Beatles), panning out and the crowd expands to thousands! They all chanting something - the mike moves in - they're chanting go Ray go, go Ray go! A police motorcade pulls up before a huge stadium, also packed with screaming fans! A limo pulls out to mid-field. A hush falls upon the massive crowd. And then, the door opens and out steps Ray Robson! The crowd goes wild as Ray coolly walks to the playing platform, climbs the stairs, and takes his place. Sitting there waiting impatient, legs crossed and jiggling in his seat, is none other than [here insert current pop star icon]. Ray sits down, adjusts his cuffs and stares calmly across the chess board. "Your move" he says. Hey, maybe I missed my calling :)