Who says the USA doesn’t like soccer? This week on Only A Game, Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl talks about late-game heroics from the Americans, the collapse of the defending champs, and more from the World Cup. Plus, we speak with Wimbledon’s official poet, Bill chats with David Remnick, editor of a new collection of sportswriting from the New Yorker, and Only A Game’s Ron Schachter looks at “tornado and hurricane,” two children looking to become tennis’s next superstars. Join us.

The Goethe Institut in Boston is usually a place for philosophical discussions of Marx, Nietzche and the Institut’s namesake. But when Germany plays its World Cup matches, the Institut transforms into a lively place for fans to enjoy a beer, a Bavarian pretzel and cheer on Deutschland. Curt Nickish has the story on Only A Game this week. Meanwhile, check out these photos from Germany’s rout of Australia. All photos courtesy of the Goethe Institut-Boston.

Only A Game Senior Producer Gary Waleik offers his weekly thoughts on the music we use for the show.

French soccer fans upset by their teams embarrasing performance in the World Cup could take some solace in the fact that Italy, the team that beat their squad in the 2006 Final, also will be going home before the elimination stage. Bill warns supporters of Les Bleus not to overreact to the team’s poor performance.

The Only Game In Town features sports stories from the New Yorker magazine written by authors who are extremely talented whether they’re writing about sports or not. Bill takes a look at one piece describing the strange story of boxer Stanley Ketchel through the eyes of his trainer.

This week we’ve got a heapin’ helpin’ of halibut. Read about a massive catch off the coast of Alaska. Plus, the story of a bullfighter who decided it was time for a new profession. Check out Bill’s latest post.

This week only Only A Game, Tiger Woods tries once again to get back on track at the U.S. Open. Plus, international diplomats look to settle their differences on the soccer field, the latest on the real World Cup, and some classic cars on display.

Some of the most beautiful old cars around recently raced against each other at the Hunnewell Hill Climb in Wellesley, MA. Only A Game’s Bill Littlefield reported on the race, and while he was there he was able to grab a few pictures.

It will be a few more weeks before we know the winner of the World Cup in South Africa, but that didn’t stop a few members of certain foreign Consulates in Massachusetts from battling for national bragging rights on the soccer field. Listen to Karen Given’s story this week on Only A Game, and check out Jack Flagler’s photos from the event.

Only A Game Senior Producer Gary Waleik offers his weekly thoughts on the music we use for the show, complete with great tunes and bad puns.