World Cup Fever?

[hooskins]

Originally Posted by JWsleep

All righty, then! The US pulls off a big 1-1 draw, DESPITE absolutely atrocious refereeing today. THey did it with 9 men to Italy's 10 for most of the second half. Great saves from Keller kept them going. And I for one have NEVER seen a goal disallowed like that! WTF? But they got the cruicial point, and now they have to beat Ghana, and get some help from Italy. Hope is alive!

let this thread die, there is another one

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by hooskins

let this thread die, there is another one

No need to let this thread die. This one can be about the entire World Cup, the other about the US team specifically

[EEich]

I've been lucky enough not to have missed more that about 2 hours of the entire WC. Spain and Argentina are looking really good to me.

BTW... love the new sig TAFKAS. I was big into the Domino Championship from this past weekend.

[JWsleep]

My bad! Didn't see the other thread... I do have world cup fever though .

[BDBohnzie]

Beasley was clearly offsides...there have been other goals disallowed just like that in the tourney...

[JWsleep]

Originally Posted by BDBohnzie

Beasley was clearly offsides...there have been other goals disallowed just like that in the tourney...

No, it was MCBRIDE who was offsides--though he didn't touch the ball on the play, they said he obstructed the keeper's vision. Maybe. But I have never seen that play called before. The linesman made the call from the side, which is a very tough angle to see what the goalie was seeing. It seemed dubious to me, but in keeping with one of the worst refed games I've ever witnessed.

But, on the topic of THIS thread--France may be out of it again. I can't help but smile at that. Also, Argentina looks great, though no doubt Brazil will peak at the right time. Wonder if England can get it together--they haven't lost but they do not look sharp. Maybe Rooney will help.

As for the REDICULOUS amount of cards--this really hurts the weaker teams in the tourney. Argentina, Italy, Brazil--they can handle losing a player becuase of their depth. But Togo, Ghana, The US, etc. are much more affected by the loss. What ever happened to warning players first? It's taking good players out of the game, which isn't good for the sport, IMO.

[BDBohnzie]

yeah, i left the site, and came back to correct it...i was watching the game and Yahoo matchcast, and originally they had the call Beasley offsides...

well, I'm a French supporter (as I have family there), so I can't be any more displeased by their lack of enthusiasm. And with Zidane out for their match against Togo, Les Bleus will have to step it up a notch. a Nil-Nil draw between Suiss and Korea, and a 3 nil win over Togo, and the French squeek in.

Argentina did look good, and they could easily coast to the Final, as they'll beat Mexico (2D), and the winner of Ecuador/Germany (1A)/Sweden (2B) match. Then see maybe Italy (1E, beating the Aussies 2F) or Korea (1G, should beat Tunisia/Saudi/Ukraine 2H), 2 teams they should steamroll.

I don't see England doing much in the knockout round, especially if Germany finishes 2nd in their group, and England/Germany is in front of a hostile Munich crowd. The Dutch would probably come out of that bracket to see Brazil for a chance in the final against Argentina.

I dont see anyone beating Brazil either, and a Brazil/Argentina final would be just incredible.

[JWsleep]

Ukriane bounced back with a big 4-0 win today. They'll take Tunisia, and can certainly beat Korea, IMO.

The best round one game is still to come: Argentina-Holland. We'll see if the Argentines can run ragged over the Orange.

Tough break about Zidane, BDB. But why can't that team score? Jeeze, Henry socres like every five minutes in the Primiership. I don't think France sent its best team (Barthez?). But they still might slip by, I guess.

Wonder how Spain will self-destruct this time?

[Manusky91]

I think this just about sums up soccer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TTMD...psons%20soccer

[JWsleep]

Originally Posted by Manusky91

I think this just about sums up soccer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TTMD...psons%20soccer

I love that Simpsons... but I don'tknow what to tell you if you don't like soccer. I guess the other 3 billion of us will have to get along without you.

[hooskins]

Originally Posted by Manusky91

I think this just about sums up soccer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TTMD...psons%20soccer

we have a hater amongst the ranks...

[Manusky91]

I'm not a hater, just watching the USA vs Italy game end in 1-1 tie made me think of that Simpsons episode. That game also demonstrated why soccer will never fully catch on here. If a guy has to get taken off the field in a stretcher (after taking a dive without anyone hitting him), I don't want to see him jump up and go back in a minute later.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by Manusky91

I'm not a hater, just watching the USA vs Italy game end in 1-1 tie made me think of that Simpsons episode. That game also demonstrated why soccer will never fully catch on here. If a guy has to get taken off the field in a stretcher (after taking a dive without anyone hitting him), I don't want to see him jump up and go back in a minute later.

That, and the 0-0 scoreless ties. If soccer is ever to catch on in tha USA, besides removing REAL football, they need to do something to make it less dull. Maybe the field is way too big or the goal is too small, it takes them forever to get into scoring range and then they can't score. The games are mostly watching people kick the ball way down the field only to have the other team return the kick down the to the other end of the field. It's an extremely boring game to watch. Hockey has similarly-low scores but the game is a LOT more exciting and fan-friendly.

I've always said, it's a great game for kids to play, but to make it a spectator sport...

Besides, if the rest of the world had REAL football, they'd forget about soccer too. Even when we play exhibition games in foreign countries with the Arizona Cardinals and Detriot Lions, they go nuts over it. (with preseason games and our WORST teams)

[skin4Life28]

any sport in the world besides football would be second rate to soccer. sure if they had football people are going to go and see it, but it would not trigger the amount of passion that soccer does for them. also it doesn't really help that we only have the MLS league. sure it has come a long way, but in comparison to the english premier and italian leagues there not even close. if you ask anyone who you'd rather watch dc united or manchester united...man u would win big time. its just there soccer is so much more interesting. one more thing, when a european team comes to the us to play we go nuts over it too. man u playing 3 times in the us this year by the way.

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by Buster

That, and the 0-0 scoreless ties. If soccer is ever to catch on in tha USA, besides removing REAL football, they need to do something to make it less dull. Maybe the field is way too big or the goal is too small, it takes them forever to get into scoring range and then they can't score. The games are mostly watching people kick the ball way down the field only to have the other team return the kick down the to the other end of the field. It's an extremely boring game to watch. Hockey has similarly-low scores but the game is a LOT more exciting and fan-friendly.

I've always said, it's a great game for kids to play, but to make it a spectator sport...

Besides, if the rest of the world had REAL football, they'd forget about soccer too. Even when we play exhibition games in foreign countries with the Arizona Cardinals and Detriot Lions, they go nuts over it. (with preseason games and our WORST teams)

I thought it was cards and 49ers (no TDs, only field GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!s)




Here's an idea on how to improve soccer (stolen from Sports Night):

>instead of making the goal bigger, why not make it much smaller and just remove the goalie entirely?
>>Oh, that sounds like a great idea.
> Yeah, I know. It's called basketball.