Off Day Open Thread: Another World Cup Game Edition

Today is June 26th, 2014. The Royals will not play a baseball game today, but that is not to say that baseball won't be played by the Royals. I'm sure some of the Royals' players will play catch. Some may watch video or take batting practice. Some may hit the treadmill. Some might binge-watch something on Netflix. After losing 2 of 3 to the Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and Dodgers, the Royals will take today to do whatever. It all seems utterly banal, doesn't it? Off days don't inspire. At 40-38, the Royals team is neither inspiring nor utterly disappointing; after all, they have technically won more games than they have lost. Then again, we're in what seems year 2014 of Dayton Moore's tenure. Shouldn't the team be inspiring? Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez are. We've got them.

In the 3rd game of World Cup Pool Play, the United States of America take on the Germans of Germany today. This is your open thread for the game. Discuss things like penalties, hand balls, tackles, and biting people's ears off. Wait, what sport is this? Football or boxing? Anyway, the winning team, if there is one, will advance. If there is a draw, both teams will advance. If the US loses, there are some things involving tiebreakers and whatever happens with the other game, but I won't go into details.

I think it's odd that, if they were so inclined, Germany and the US could stand around for 90 minutes, not even touch the ball, and both teams would advance. They could run around for 90 minutes playing paddy-cake or reading Charles Dickens, and they would both advance. They could play dodgeball, and they could both advance. I'm a fan of soccer, and I heartily enjoy Sporting KC. It's just weird that a tie results in good outcomes for both teams.

After today's off day, the Royals host the Mike Trouts of Mike Trout land. Mike Trout has more WARs than anybody ever and is the best player ever in any sport on any planet, if we're to believe what we're told. Maybe the Royals are fishing on their off day.

Questions:

1) If you were obscenely rich and interested in horses, and you owned a horse in the Kentucky Derby, what would your silly horse's silly name be?

2) I'm a fan of using spices in cooking, which is odd because I used to hate spicy things. What is your favorite spice?

3) How many Earths can fit into the Great Red Spot on Jupiter?

BONUS Poll: