Meanwhile, a numb Indian team, who had played so flawlessly en route to the final, could only look on at ecstatic celebrations and regret their remarkably tepid performance.
It's not hard to see why both struck a chord: a tepid global economy, high unemployment, stagnant living standards and trickle up to those at the top have created an environment of sullen unease.
Sure, this has been a tepid recovery in the US and a non-existent recovery in Europe, but the outcome would almost certainly have been a lot worse had central banks not augmented ultra-low interest rates with their money creation programmes.
But at least with his music acts he could point to their unit-shifting popularity; Pudsey has turned out to be one big dogbowl of tepid water.
Fifa's sponsors, typically tepid in their criticism to date despite a long history of scandal, also sought to ramp up the pressure in the face of the public outcry.
Applause, when it came, was sparse and tepid.
Netanyahu's comments reinforced his hardening message of recent days and confirmed his final abandonment of his at best tepid commitment to a two-state solution designed to see the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
There is little to be had: silence from the Arabs, tepid backing from the EU and nothing from the Americans, amid signs that they, like Mr Sharon, have written him off.
Despite industry backing for several subscription-based online music services, such as Rhapsody, pressplay and MusicNet, response has been tepid.
Moreover, the political aftermath of the hurricane may dampen lawmakers' already tepid enthusiasm for budget-cutting.
When Conservative ministers offered tepid support, Mr Hester buckled and gave up the bonus.In a BBC interview on February 8th, Mr Hester mounted a valiant defence of high pay in his bank and elsewhere.
