The greatest sporting event in the world starts in 10 days. I normally am a big fan of the USA, but I don't think they are as strong as they were in the last two. However, I don't think Italy will qualify from their group either, Italian soccer is currently in the grip of a corruption scandal. Who would have thought it in a country where Silvio Berlusconi was president and is the owner of one of their top teams? England are FARGED. Our strikers consist of an injured guy, someone who has started one game this year, a 6ft 7in beanpole freak who doesn't score goals and a 17-year-old who hasn't played in the Premier League before and who the England manager has NEVER SEEN PLAY! And we are supposed to be SECOND FAVORITES! Holland to beat Brazil in the final.
I can't wait for all the games to start. I've gotta start getting to know the U.S television schedule. If it is one of my "cable packages" I'll settle for reading about it in the paper.
CF Contest Interest?
(http://www.mapsofworld.com/2006-fifa-world-cup/maps/logo.jpg)
The new Germany....now with more "happy"
I will watch USA, but don't have the attention span to watch other games. I'm also rooting for the small African countries to do well, mostly because I don't like any European countries outside of Amsterdam.
Quote from: MDS on May 30, 2006, 11:49:42 AMI don't like any European countries outside of Amsterdam.
It is good to see you smashing the stereotype of the insular American.
in case anybody else wasn't sure...
insular:
1. Of, relating to, or constituting an island.
2. Living or located on an island.
1. Suggestive of the isolated life of an island: "He is an exceedingly insular man, so deeply private as to seem inaccessible to the scrutiny of a novelist" (Leonard Michaels).
2. Circumscribed and detached in outlook and experience; narrow or provincial.
i only like amsterdam because its a country full of horny, pot-smoking degenerates and that deserves respect consdering their government embraces that. otherwise, what is there to like about greasy italians, slimy frenchmen, anything british, spain? come on. europe sucks.
Quote from: MDS on May 30, 2006, 12:07:03 PM
otherwise, what is there to like about greasy italians,
pizza and spaghetti
Quoteslimy frenchmen
the Statue of Liberty
Quoteanything british
Lock, Stock, and 2 Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Layer Cake
MDS, are you shaving your head and getting a tattoo that says White Power today?
Ya know, there's a reason everyone in the KKK wears a dunce cap.......
Quote from: SunnyCakes on May 30, 2006, 12:00:58 PM
in case anybody else wasn't sure...
Henchman is insinuating that MDS lives on an island? shtein, that is
cold.
Quote from: MDS on May 30, 2006, 12:07:03 PM
i only like amsterdam because its a country full of horny, pot-smoking degenerates and that deserves respect consdering their government embraces that. otherwise, what is there to like about greasy italians, slimy frenchmen, anything british, spain? come on. europe sucks.
Hey, Temple student, Amsterdam is a city, not a country...
Quote from: Geowhizzer on May 30, 2006, 12:36:27 PM
Quote from: MDS on May 30, 2006, 12:07:03 PM
i only like amsterdam because its a country full of horny, pot-smoking degenerates and that deserves respect consdering their government embraces that. otherwise, what is there to like about greasy italians, slimy frenchmen, anything british, spain? come on. europe sucks.
Hey, Temple student, Amsterdam is a city, not a country...
:-D
Quote from: reese125 on May 30, 2006, 12:10:45 PM
MDS, are you shaving your head and getting a tattoo that says White Power today?
Considering he's Jewish, that would be both ironic and extremely hilarious.
Either way, I'd laugh.
No, I just dont like anyone.
I'll be watching, and rooting for three teams (regardless of brackets or chances): U.S., Mexico, and Serbia and Montenegro.
I wouldn't mind seeing Spain or Sweden do well.
I'm specifically rooting against France, Iran, Italy, and Saudi Arabia.
If I had to pick a team I wish will win the whole thing, Serbia and Montenegro.
I'm cheering for Ireland as usual.
The U.S. has no chance being in the so-called bracket of death, so why bother?
need i remind anybody that this is friggen soccer we're talking about? who cares anyway?
Quote from: SunnyCakes on May 30, 2006, 02:19:12 PM
need i remind anybody that this is friggen soccer we're talking about? who cares anyway?
World Cup = perfect excuse to go to Irish Pub @ 8:00 AM on a weekday.
ok, you got me there
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on May 30, 2006, 02:03:30 PM
I'm cheering for Ireland as usual.
Ireland? Uhm..I'm no World Cup expert, but I'm pretty sure they didn't make the cut.
Quote from: SunnyCakes on May 30, 2006, 02:19:12 PM
need i remind anybody that this is friggen soccer we're talking about? who cares anyway?
I care. :-*
i really, honestly tried to get into soccer, and i can't. but since i tried, i feel that gives me carte blanche to mock it.
Meh. I'll still cheer for Ireland even though they're not in the tournament.
And by "cheer" I mean drink gallons of Guinness while I'm watching it.
That's what the Irish mean by "cheer" too.
Get Ronaldinho
Here's two different videos of the same exquisite play...respect!
Maradona's "Goal of the Century." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWPS43zc3VY&search=Goal%20of%20the%20Century) no audio, one camera
Maradona's "Goal of the Century." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4aTq-RK2Gs&search=Goal%20of%20the%20Century/) audio, but clip switches camera in the middle of the play
That's about how often goals are scored in soccer... ;)
Goal of the century? you mean to tell me thats the best goal scored in 100 years? yeah...I knew there was a reason I dont watch soccer
The soccer world is happy to count you outside of their ranks, I'm sure.
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on May 30, 2006, 02:32:14 PM
Meh. I'll still cheer for Ireland even though they're not in the tournament.
And by "cheer" I mean drink gallons of Guinness while I'm watching it.
Root for the Aussies instead. They too like to get excessively drunk.
The World Cup farging rules. Any sport that incites riots before, during and after its most meaningless games gets the thumbs up from me. Plus waking up to drink at 4am in 2002 convinced me that the World Cup is the greatest thing ever.
Someone asked me the other day who I'm rooting for. I almost punched them in the kidney. The US may suck at teh soccer, but I'll be screaming for them just the same. farging unamerican bitches.
Getting up at 4 a.m. to go drinking, drunk by 6 a.m. singing along with a crowd of fools louder than you can think, and then rolling out into the rush hour crush of suits, was absofarginglutely one of the best bar experiences I've ever had.
Working with a bunch of frogs made World Cup '02 simply delicious. One of the Brits in the office actually found and hung a Senagalese flag on a french brand manager's office door, immediately after the match. When the prig came in to work, we had the security guys--who didn't give a damn about soccer, in true Uhmerikan spirit--holding up score cards. Then he got upstairs to his office. Ha!
farging frog.
Quote from: SunnyCakes on May 30, 2006, 02:26:20 PM
i really, honestly tried to get into soccer, and i can't. but since i tried, i feel that gives me carte blanche to mock it.
You had carte blanche to knock it before you tried it. One doesn't have to take a fleshpop in the ass to think maybe he's not into anal sex.
But I wonder..been to a bar full of fans during world cup? I'll be surprised if you say yes.
And I don't mean a bar in Hagerstown or some other farmer's shteinhole.
I was in a bar in Orlando during the World Cup. Surreal would be the word I would use.
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on May 30, 2006, 07:59:19 PM
I was in a bar in Orlando during the World Cup. Surreal would be the word I would use.
Mickey can kick some serious tail when he's drunk.
(http://www.efcer.org/images/missions/countries/flags/large/mexico-lf.gif)
Si Se Puede!
This is one of the most excited I have ever been for a World Cup, I am not sure why but I just am. I am hoping that I will be able to get drunk for some of the games, provided it doesn't conflict with my schedule.
I didn't even know the World Cup was this year. I had no idea until today when I heard Gargano and Martorano talking soccer.
Oh, the horror.
I'll watch the US games though.
Quote from: rjs246 on May 30, 2006, 06:52:14 PM
The World Cup farging rules. Any sport that incites riots before, during and after its most meaningless games gets the thumbs up from me. Plus waking up to drink at 4am in 2002 convinced me that the World Cup is the greatest thing ever.
My sig is the truth.
Quote from: henchmanUK on May 30, 2006, 11:34:10 AMa 6ft 7in beanpole freak who doesn't score goals
Apart from the goal he scored against Hungary last night. :-[
Quote from: Diomedes on May 30, 2006, 07:49:33 PM
You had carte blanche to knock it before you tried it. One doesn't have to take a fleshpop in the ass to think maybe he's not into anal sex.
now somebody tells me.
Is anyone else going to be watching? I'm not a huge soccer fan, but for some reason I really get into it when it rolls around.
Here's a 'secret' video of the Italian team practicing the basics.
secret video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccDyp2aRRCg&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdeadspin%2Ecom%2F)
I will be watching.
i follow it but could never sit down and actually watch a game
i think it's more of a national pride thing than anything, but i think the games are pretty fun to watch. i can't sit down and watch an MLS game, but these guys on the international teams are sick.
Quote from: rjs246 on June 06, 2006, 02:38:14 PM
I will be watching.
you complain about baseball being boring?
merged
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 02:48:11 PM
you complain about baseball being boring?
baseball is 10x more boring than soccer. granted, the scores are not high, but it's constant up and down the field action. soccer player gets more exercise in the first 3 minutes than most baseball players for an entire 3 hour game.
more exercise yes, more exciting? hell no. and if you call kicking the ball back and forth over the middle 3rd of the field "up and down field action" then, yeah, it has that.
it can be argued that there isnt a sport on earth with less action than soccer
and action does not necessarily mean goals...but soccer barely ever even has scoring chances
soccer breaks down like this....
70% fiddling with the ball in the middle third of the field
5% kicking the ball out of bounds
5% throwing it back in
10% kicking it back to the goalie so he can kick the ball to the middle of the field so everyone can fiddle with it some more
5% corner kicks
4% scoring chances
1% goals
im guessing matty likes it because he can get lambasted at summers during games
ha, you know of that place?
i've actually never been but heard it's a good time during the world cup.
and my argument is yes, there is one sport less exciting than soccer.
baseball.
if i wanted to watch a fat dude swing a wooden bat i'd go to the batting cage with a mirror.
IGY, please change your percentages to:
20% kicking out of bounds
20% throw back in
50% fiddling in the middle
Thank you
Soccer is cute
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 06, 2006, 03:07:06 PM
im guessing matty likes it because he can get lambasted at summers during games
i think you got blasted and wasted mixed up.
unless you meant to say i like to get yelled at or scolded. which i guess is also kind of true.
ha, you know of that place?
i've actually never been but heard it's a good time during the world cup.
yeah its super popular
it was #3 in gq magazines top ten best soccer bars in the country
i think the fervor over the world cup is cool and i respect the event....but damn is soccer as a sport unwatchable
Soccer is constant action.
Baseball is fat men adjusting themselves and occasionally jogging.
that joint is about 7 or 8 blocks from my house and i've never been there.
i think it's a 'soccer type' crowd all year long.
Every country in the world (outside of the US) obsesses over soccer. There are about 3 countries outside of the US that give one shtein about baseball.
Soccer is superior in absolutely every way.
why should we care about any country outside of the US for sports. Superior for them, but not us
Soccer is better than baseball and basketball combined.
Quote from: reese125 on June 06, 2006, 03:41:29 PM
why should we care about any country outside of the US for sports. Superior for them, but not us
OK. That's the kind of thinking that doesn't really make any sense to me, but if that's the way you justify liking the most boring sport on earth, knock yourself out.
Quote from: rjs246 on June 06, 2006, 03:33:33 PM
Soccer is superior in absolutely every way.
that's awesomely wrong.
you used the same reasoning to justify soccer
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FUTBOL?!?!
Quote from: Bunkley78 on June 06, 2006, 03:43:58 PM
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FUTBOL?!?!
Inject your jugular with Drano now.
Soccer is constant action
so is a marathon
i love internet pissing matches about what sports are better.
Soccer's not my cup of tea. I'll take baseball over soccer and basketball every day of the week.
my mom>soccer
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 06, 2006, 03:46:49 PM
Soccer is constant action
so is a marathon
That's horseshtein. Soccer has skill associated with it beyond being able to run. But you knew that and I'm not getting into another conversation about why baseball sucks with a bunch of ignorant (and isolationist) dimwits who think that because baseball is American it is somehow more interesting than an actual sport that requires actual athletic ability.
simple...stupid...but i laughed a little.
any bomb dropped on igy is worth at minimum a chuckle and usually more
laugh it up!
A 'your mom' joke counts as a dropped bomb? Christ you're all a bunch of simps.
Im not justifing anything or saying that I think baseball is an action packed sport either. They are both boring with hardly any action at all besides an occassional homerun, double play or diving catch, . For soccer you have what....dive tackles for yellow/red flag, a spin kick for a goal every 1,000 kicks, and a naked guy streaking across the field for attention?
to not like baseball is to not understand baseball
its the emerald chessboard
phils just drafted d'arby myers
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 06, 2006, 03:56:25 PM
to not like baseball is to not understand baseball
Wrong again. I spent the majority of my childhood obsessed with the sport. Playing it, watching it. Obsessed. Then I discovered contact sports and realized that you can have strategy in a game that actually requires athletic ability. Bye bye baseball.
so you have no athletic ability then?
Quote from: reese125 on June 06, 2006, 04:04:51 PM
so you have no athletic ability then?
1 + 2 = October
right
i can understand not liking baseball, i'm not trying to convert anyone. but to say soccer has more action and is more exciting...say wha?
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:08:12 PM
i can understand not liking baseball, i'm not trying to convert anyone. but to say soccer has more action and is more exciting...say wha?
How can it NOT have more action than baseball? Baseball has more dead time than any other sport.
like i said soccer = watching the boston marathon if the runners were kicking a ball to each other
lock and delete thread
Quote from: FFatPatt on June 06, 2006, 04:09:20 PM
How can it NOT have more action than baseball? Baseball has more dead time than any other sport.
Winner winner chicken dinner.
Quote from: FFatPatt on June 06, 2006, 04:09:20 PM
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:08:12 PM
i can understand not liking baseball, i'm not trying to convert anyone. but to say soccer has more action and is more exciting...say wha?
How can it NOT have more action than baseball? Baseball has more dead time than any other sport.
not more than football, is that boring too?
tough comparison sunny...you have 35 seconds--then you get crushed--action
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:13:14 PM
Quote from: FFatPatt on June 06, 2006, 04:09:20 PM
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:08:12 PM
i can understand not liking baseball, i'm not trying to convert anyone. but to say soccer has more action and is more exciting...say wha?
How can it NOT have more action than baseball? Baseball has more dead time than any other sport.
not more than football, is that boring too?
Yes, more than football. Every pitch that isn't swung on is dead time. Every pop-foul is dead time. Every routine play of any sort is dead time. Even a QB sneak for a 1 foot gain in football is more exciting than most grand slams.
Quote from: FFatPatt on June 06, 2006, 04:14:52 PM
Yes, more than football. Every pitch that isn't swung on is dead time. Every pop-foul is dead time. Every routine play of any sort is dead time. Even a QB sneak for a 1 foot gain in football is more exciting than most grand slams.
that's just wrong, and you're being wrong to be the contrarian, so it's cool. but to say a pitch not swung on is down time is just stupid.
there's more excitement in a pitchout during the 5th inning of a game in april than there is during one half of one of these world cup games.
ooooooohhhhhh, they almost got it across midfield, yay!
Even a QB sneak for a 1 foot gain in football is more exciting than most grand slams
wow
just admit youre a hater and move on
i dont like soccer but i wouldnt say an intentional walk in baseball is more exciting than a soccer goal
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:13:14 PM
not more than football, is that boring too?
the reason football players get a 45 second beak during plays is because they're actually doing something during that play. you know, like running and hitting people and stuff.
a baseball player could go through an entire 3 hour game without having to run once. say a right fielder who doesn't get a single ball and strikes out 3 times.
anyway, i'll give a litle more leeway to the baseball-occer argument, but comparing it to football is ridonkulous.
regardless, even fancy boy soccer players are more exciting than baseball players.
Every goal in international play is more exciting than every non-walkoff homerun I've ever seen. Truth.
World Cup
Philadelphia Eagles
MotoGP
Boxing
NBA
the rest
Quote from: Diomedes on June 06, 2006, 04:21:13 PM
World Cup
Philadelphia Eagles
Now that, I just can't agree with.
Eagles
NFL
Stanley Cup
Penn State Football
World Cup
College LaCrosse
Top 25 College Football
Quote from: phattymatty on June 06, 2006, 04:19:10 PM
anyway, i'll give a litle more leeway to the baseball-occer argument, but comparing it to football is ridonkulous.
i know it is, but i was exaggerating to make a point
soccer is fundamentally a terribly boring sport. the World Cup makes it a lil more exciting because of the stakes, but it's still deathly boring.
Don't get me wrong, I luv me sum Eagles. But it's just the NFL. It's not the best in the world. And it happens every year, rather than every four. Stakes is higher in WC.
College LaCrosse
that explains everything...if you had just said that at first we could have saved everyone a lot of time
soccer and lacrosse guys are one in the same
lololol @ college lacrosse over college football...baseball and all basketball
Baseball is blah and the players are wimps. I always think of Scott Rolan getting hit by a base runner and missing the rest of the playoffs for the Cardinals. That same year I saw a hockey player get 10 stiches above his eye and return to finish the 3rd period of a regular season game. Plus baseball is the only sport where the athletes can get away with having a beer gut... which is admirable actually. I like to go to baseball games but I can't watch it on TV.
Soccer is brutal and tough to play but hard to watch too. Especially when the games are all 1 to nothing, or zero zero ties. meh to both sports.
I just can't understand how someone can be bored by watching soccer. I believe you all that you can't stay awake through it, but I just don't get it.
You got to have lots of points to enjoy it? You have to have blood to be entertained? I don't get it.
soccer is not tough and brutal...people act like that because the players play the whole game. but guys stand around more than baseball players do half the time
College lacrosse is about as exciting as sports gets. If you want action and skill there is no better sport. I know you love your urban roots, IGY and lacrosse is an easy target since it has traditionally been a prep sport, but you are obviously not a sports fan if you can't appreciate lacrosse as a sport.
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:27:37 PM
soccer is not tough and brutal...people act like that because the players play the whole game. but guys stand around more than baseball players do half the time
You're ignorant, plain and simple.
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:27:37 PM
soccer is not tough and brutal...people act like that because the players play the whole game. but guys stand around more than baseball players do half the time
Now you're just running out of stuff to say and telling lies.
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:27:37 PM
but guys stand around more than baseball players do half the time
not Abreu!! because he's lazy!!
everybody has their own sports, there's nothing wrong with that, but everyone feels the need to trash baseball which forces me to respond. for people who love soccer, good for you. why the need to bash baseball?
Quote from: Diomedes on June 06, 2006, 04:28:22 PM
You're ignorant, plain and simple.
i know you're trying to get a rise out of me, but i know it's only because i've hit a nerve. i forgive you.
what's a lie? the ball gets kicked to a midfielder, he heads it down, either passes it off or sends it back down the field, then MAYBE he runs up a couple feet. really brutal.
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:29:51 PM
i know you're trying to get a rise out of me, but i know it's only because i've hit a nerve. i forgive you.
Wrong on both counts. You don't rise much, and you missed the nerves. You just said something very dumb, that's all.
Baseball is alright, but athletic it's not. Compared to posting on :CF yeah, it's athletic. Compared to soccer, it's equivalent to posting on :CF.
Fact, jack.
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:29:14 PM
why the need to bash baseball?
Because everyone defends its lack of action/athletes by saying that it's a 'thinking man's sport'. Truth is that every team sport requires intricate strategy to be successful, not every sport includes standing around and getting fat. Only baseball.
soccer is not tough and brutal...people act like that because the players play the whole game. but guys stand around more than baseball players do half the time
soccer is almost the opposite of tough and brutal (not that baseball is)...plus ive never seen players fake more injuries or go down for extended periods of time with borderline injuries than in soccer
if youve ever met a soccer player youd know that they are anything but tough
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:30:44 PM
what's a lie? the ball gets kicked to a midfielder, he heads it down, either passes it off or sends it back down the field, then MAYBE he runs up a couple feet. really brutal.
Brutal for some positions on the futbol field. Like playing half back and having to play up to support the offense and run back to support the d. I played half back one year and basically ran up and down the field all game. We sucked though...
I'm not saying soccer is a bad sport or anything. Just that it doesn't really translate on TV that well.
QuoteBecause everyone defends its lack of action/athletes by saying that it's a 'thinking man's sport'.
well i've never said that, and you keep referring me to "fat" players. name someone in the Phillies starting 8 that is fat. baseball players are atheletes, like it or not. just because they play a game that is fundamentally differenet from just about any other sport doesn't have to make it bad, just different. kinda like indians (feathers, not dots)
The phillies almost won the World Series with lots of fat players. And since they slimmed down they haven't even sniffed the playoffs.
Beat that impenetrable logic.
i can't...
and if you excuse me, i have a Bud Dwyer special waiting for me
Quote from: ElSunno on June 06, 2006, 04:27:37 PM
soccer is not tough and brutal...people act like that because the players play the whole game. but guys stand around more than baseball players do half the time
i'm in no way saying they are tough guys, in fact i think they're pansies who flop on the ground too much, but they definitely are not standing around most of the time. they're running non-stop, they have to.
Quote from: rjs246 on June 06, 2006, 04:36:48 PM
The phillies almost won the World Series with lots of fat players. And since they slimmed down they haven't even sniffed the playoffs.
Beat that impenetrable logic.
unless you're counting kruk as lots....thats not true.
I can play baseball/softball. I get winded playing soccer.
It's that simple.
I know you love your urban roots, IGY and lacrosse is an easy target since it has traditionally been a prep sport, but you are obviously not a sports fan if you can't appreciate lacrosse as a sport
it has nothing to do with being a prep sport...baseball is hardly 'urban'
i was merely pointing out that the people who like soccer are the same people who will swear by lacrosse...and that explains your viewpoint...at first i didnt understand where you were coming from that made it crystal clear
Quote from: rjs246 on June 06, 2006, 04:36:48 PM
The phillies almost won the World Series with lots of fat players. And since they slimmed down they haven\'t even sniffed the playoffs.
Beat that impenetrable logic.
But the acknowledged leader of that team carried a doctors bag on road trips.
just because soccer requires better conditioning it doesn't make it more exciting
just because soccer requires better conditioning it doesn't make it more exciting
for real
go watch a triathalon if thats your cup o tea
its all about watchability....and soccer has none except for once every four years and then it has a minimal amount
I love how everyone is comparing athletic ability to conditioning. Please consider the real meaning behind athletic ability and this argument becomes null and void
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 06, 2006, 04:44:33 PM
i was merely pointing out that the people who like soccer are the same people who will swear by lacrosse...and that explains your viewpoint...at first i didnt understand where you were coming from that made it crystal clear
Makes sense to me. Carry on.
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 06, 2006, 04:48:10 PM
just because soccer requires better conditioning it doesn't make it more exciting
for real
go watch a triathalon if thats your cup o tea
its all about watchability....and soccer has none except for once every four years and then it has a minimal amount
I agree. I think baseball suffers from the same thing. Michael Jordon couldn't play baseball but no one would question that he was athletic so it's not an easy sport. Just doesn't translate on TV as well. I do like going to a baseball game so maybe soccer is more fun at the game too.
i can 100% understand someone not liking baseball
i cannot 1% understand how someone could like soccer better
Quote from: rjs246 on June 06, 2006, 04:32:21 PM
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:29:14 PM
why the need to bash baseball?
Because everyone defends its lack of action/athletes by saying that it's a 'thinking man's sport'. Truth is that every team sport requires intricate strategy to be successful, not every sport includes standing around and getting fat. Only baseball.
I would argue that baseball requires the least strategy of the any of the sports mentioned in this thread (perhaps excluding today's NBA). In every situation in baseball there is a "correct" strategy to pursue. Much like reading a book on how to play blackjack, baseball strategies can be learned though rote memory. Football schemes must be changed every offseason as is the case in almost every other full motion sport.
yeah i think i may have started this. sorry.
to conclude, i'm not a soccer fan but i think the world cup is exciting.
soccer players, even though they are much better athletes, are still pansies.
i'm not a big baseball fan either and i think it's never exciting.
i hate you all.
Quote from: NGM on June 06, 2006, 04:59:22 PM
Quote from: rjs246 on June 06, 2006, 04:32:21 PM
Quote from: SunnyCakes on June 06, 2006, 04:29:14 PM
why the need to bash baseball?
Because everyone defends its lack of action/athletes by saying that it's a 'thinking man's sport'. Truth is that every team sport requires intricate strategy to be successful, not every sport includes standing around and getting fat. Only baseball.
I would argue that baseball requires the least strategy of the any of the sports mentioned in this thread (perhaps excluding today's NBA). In every situation in baseball there is a "correct" strategy to pursue. Much like reading a book on how to play blackjack, baseball strategies can be learned though rote memory. Football schemes must be changed every offseason as is the case in almost every other full motion sport.
There's all sorts of strategies:
1. Pitcher/Catcher vs. Hitter- The pitcher/catcher has to decide what pitch (and which sequence) to throw to best get out each batter. The batter tries to figure out What each particular pitch is going to be. The pitcher catcher has to be aware of any men on base, and what they're trying to do.
2. Fielders- Where to position each fielder. Some position shifts are subtle (outfield to pull, outfield straight away, outfield to opposite field), but some are extreme (anyone see the fielding positions used against David Ortiz the other day?)
3. Runners- Stolen bases (unfortunately currently out of favor), bunts, hit-and-runs.
4. Manger decisions- Pitching changes, pinch hitters, fielding changes (Danny Ozark lost an NLCS game against the Dodgers by letting Greg Luzinski stay in the field, and the Bull misplayed a fly ball; John McNamara basically lost the World Series by keeping Bill Buckner in a game situation he hadn't been all season in 1986.
I wasn't trying to say that there are not many strategies Geo. The manager either decides to use it or not based on stats (which they rarely compile) or a "hunch."
Personally I love baseball but this notion of it as a thinking mans sport or whatever seems absurd. Bill Belichick is an innovater and a thinker, Tony La Russa, IMO, is not.
I'll never claim that football or hockey do not have strategies. I do think that baseball has some more, but that's always up for debate.
Needless to say, I must love football, or I wouldn't be on this site do darn much. :D
Quote from: Geowhizzer on June 06, 2006, 06:03:38 PMNeedless to say, I must love football, or I wouldn't be on this site do darn much.
This site is for talking about football?
from NYT:
QuoteJune 6, 2006
U.S. Soccer Team Holds Meet and Greet
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 5:34 p.m. ET
NORDERSTEDT, Germany (AP) -- Kasey Keller walked to the edge of the field and signed autographs as people swarmed around.
American soccer players got to meet the German people Tuesday, with the Deutsche volk coming out to Edmund Plambeck Stadion in suburban Hamburg for an open haus -- the only scheduled U.S. public practice at the World Cup.
Shedding their jackets and scarves as the sun finally broke out following a gloomy, gray holiday weekend, fans applauded searing shots and sprawling saves. Their energy filtered down to the U.S. team.
''The fever is definitely starting to hit,'' captain Claudio Reyna said.
A mix of Germans, U.S. tourists, American students and diplomats were in the crowd of about 1,000 at the home of Eintracht Norderstedt, a regional team in a city of about 70,000, the fifth-largest in the Schleswig-Holstein federal state. The temperature was in the mid-60s, and the attendance was modest -- 45,000 tickets were distributed for Brazil's training sessions in Weggis, Switzerland -- but fans appeared to have a good time.
''It's 30-minute train ride, and then we walked around for two hours trying to find the place,'' said Christina McCreary of Tulsa, Okla.
She is studying in Lueneberg and was able to snag tickets on the Internet for the U.S. opener Monday against the Czech Republic in Gelsenkirchen. She couldn't attend any of the qualifiers or warmup matches back home.
''It's hard from Tulsa to make it to any of the games,'' he said.
A Chicago Fire youth team sat in the stands, youngsters who are playing clubs from Turkey, Russia and Germany and wanted to watch their national team train.
''You learn a lot, see how they do things,'' said Rob Henehan, a 17-year-old from Oaklawn, Ill.
Not too far away was a group of 6-to-14-year-old German boys in blue shirts with American flags and the letters ''USA,'' a group that will play for the United States in the UeNa Cup youth tournament that features German squads representing each of the 32 World Cup nations. One boy had an American flag painted of his left cheek, and several waved the Stars & Stripes.
Marion Seifert, a German fan from Geesthacht, stood by the field.
''I like the American soccer team because my son, he lives in Florida and he told me please, these are such great players,''
About 17,000 total tickets were sold for the American games by the U.S. Soccer Federation, a figure that doesn't include sponsor tickets or those bought directly from German organizers on the Internet. The USSF estimates more Americans will travel to this tournament than all previous World Cups combined, excluding the 1994 games in the United States.
But, as American players often have learned at their home games, tickets bought in the United States don't always translate into supporters of the red, white and blue.
''We probably have three-to-five thousand Czechs coming from America for the first game, 7,000 Italians coming from America for the second game and 5,000 Ghanians coming from New York for the third game,'' said Keller, the American goalkeeper.
Each team is required to hold at least one open practice. U.S. coach Bruce Arena, a secretive type, chose to hold his the morning after a closed-door scrimmage against Angola -- when U.S. players wore shirts without numbers to make identification more difficult.
Because of the timing, training wasn't very strenuous. The American team anticipated its three first-round opponents would be sending scouts to spy on the workout, trying to glean intelligence about the U.S. lineup and tactics.
''We do less as far as what we'd work on because you don't know who's here,'' Reyna said. ''It was a very -- I don't know -- generic practice.''
The practice venue was picked because the U.S. team is training nearby at the fields of Hamburger Sport-Verein, the big Bundesliga club.
''Just to thank the community because we are a little bit of a nuisance as we come through with our procession of sirens and everything else every day,'' Arena said. ''We rattle them a little bit, so the least we could do is say, `Thank you for all your support and your hospitality.'''
Duane Butcher, the U.S. consul general in Hamburg and a native of Arlington, Va., is counting on the American team to advance out of its group.
''I only have tickets for the knockout round,'' he said.
Notes:@ Reyna said his strained right hamstring has healed and he's set for the opener. ... Players still aren't sure of the starting 11. ''There's positions up for grabs, that's fair to say,'' Reyna said. ''I think that's a good thing, because a lot of guys look well, a lot of guys have pushed for starting positions and have had a good training camp, good games and look sharp.''
If only our official foreign policy had a fraction of the diplomacy, humility, respect, class and wisdom Arena shows here.
i was just reading that the best american player is from the northeast???
Of course. That's where the best soccer in the U.S. is played.
northeast philly dummy
in fact its in this months philly mag
billy convey
why he matters: because convey a middle class white ethnic kid from a big northern city is a demographic throwback to earlier generations of american soccer which is now incresingly dominated by talent from the countrys sun belt exurbs
Quote from: Diomedes on May 30, 2006, 01:51:01 PM
If I had to pick a team I wish will win the whole thing, Serbia and Montenegro.
Didn't Montenegro just declare independence from Serbia a few days ago? That's got to lead to some interesting team dynamics.
Yes. But the split was hardly contentious. The two states are not at odds. The team will play through WC '06 as Serbia and Montenegro, and the athletes are not suffering internal strife because of it. They're in the World Cup..they want to represent to the world.
i just decided im rooting for african nations first and then the teams with the most brown people...hopefully those teams will do well so to stick to all the racist pig eurotrash soccer fans
is the world cup viewable on the internet anywhere like March Madness was?
half hour til the first game.
i decided that once the US is done I will be rooting for brazil, just because they have a guy named Kaka.
http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5655244?GT1=8297
a good article of World Cup vs American sports
Might answer some critics questions--but the watchful eye still takes a beating from my couch
Quote from: phattymatty on June 09, 2006, 11:28:12 AM
i decided that once the US is done I will be rooting for brazil...
Stop thinking what I'm thinking. Ass.
go kaka
Wow, what a start!
seriously, i walked away for a few minutes and missed 3 goals.
go costa rica. its a national holiday there today, everyone has the day off because of a soccer game.
All three goals have been f'ing exciting too. Costa Rica is completely overmatched and is somehow only down by one goal. They've scored on their only shot.
Costa Rica's hanging in there. i can't believe i'm actually listening to this on XM.
Viva la Deutschland!
soccer? come on. id rather watch the nhl.
soccer is right there with bowling for me
Even bowling is more interesting than baseball.
At least they take steroids in baseball.
baseball fans dont throw bananas at the black players either
oh and im going to a baseball game tonight by MYSELF
holla
World Cup action! (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3136669234217028712&q=ouch)
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 09, 2006, 02:17:41 PM
baseball fans dont throw bananas at the black players either
oh and im going to a baseball game tonight by MYSELF
holla
No, they throw batteries at white outfielders who wouldn't sign with their squad.
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 09, 2006, 02:17:41 PM
baseball fans dont throw bananas at the black players either
i think they're trying to be helpful. potassium helps with cramps.
Quote from: rjs246 on June 09, 2006, 02:27:33 PM
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 09, 2006, 02:17:41 PM
baseball fans dont throw bananas at the black players either
oh and im going to a baseball game tonight by MYSELF
holla
No, they throw batteries at white outfielders who wouldn't sign with their squad.
you could have brought up how baseball didnt allow black players to play, how it took like 25 years for teams like the red sox and phillies to put a black player on the team, etc. but you go for the philly fan crunch. nice.
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 09, 2006, 08:42:34 AM
i just decided im rooting for african nations first and then the teams with the most brown people...
The brown-folk beat up on Poland today. Are you dancing in the street? I'll bet you are. You big galoot.
I will be heading to Lucky Baldwin's in Pasadena tomorrow at 4:45am....to beat the crowd for the 6am game England vs. Paraguay.
Alcohol will be served after 6am promptly.
Henchman and bobby, what is a good English breakfast to start off the morning with?
I can't farging wait.
Sunday is going to be the farging bomb. Iran...say 'buenas noches'.
You do care.
I don't know you, but I know that you are gay.
i have a question
are the original groups of four in the world cup completely random or does fifa try to seed them
When they made the draw back in December, there were 4 groups of 8 balls--the first group only were the seeded teams. It still mystifies me how the USA in beating Mexico to win their group, and beat them in the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup to advance to the quarters, did not get seeded but Mexico did.
Quote from: hbionic on June 09, 2006, 05:55:57 PM
I will be heading to Lucky Baldwin's in Pasadena tomorrow at 4:45am....to beat the crowd for the 6am game England vs. Paraguay.
Alcohol will be served after 6am promptly.
Henchman and bobby, what is a good English breakfast to start off the morning with?
I can't farging wait.
Sunday is going to be the farging bomb. Iran...say 'buenas noches'.
You do care.
Hope you enjoyed the game--England weren't impressive at all in the 2nd half and Ericksson's tactics still are questionable.
Trinidad and Tobago tied Sweden at 0-0 and it's being considered a huge upset....
Quote from: BigEd76 on June 10, 2006, 02:48:10 PM
Trinidad and Tobago tied Sweden at 0-0 and it's being considered a huge upset....
Must have been an exciting game.
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 10, 2006, 10:07:14 AMare the original groups of four in the world cup completely random or does fifa try to seed them
not random (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Cup)
QuoteFinal tournament
The current finals tournament features 32 national teams competing over a month in the host nation(s). There are two stages, a group stage and a knockout stage.
In the first stage (the group stage), teams are drawn into eight groups of four. Eight teams are seeded at the draw (based on both current FIFA World Rankings and recent World Cups), and assigned a group. The other teams are drawn at random. Since 1998, constraints have applied to the draw to ensure that no group contains more than two European teams or more than one team from any other confederation.
Not sure if anyone has mention it here already, but Google has an excellent spread for the World Cup action if you can't watch for some reason (work). If you look towards the bottom of Google's main page, there is a link to add scores and updates.
Quote from: BigEd76 on June 10, 2006, 02:48:10 PM
Trinidad and Tobago tied Sweden at 0-0 and it's being considered a huge upset....
It is considering Sweden long has been one of Europe's better teams and that Trinidad and Tobago is one of the minnows. However, if the US even draws with the Czechs--that will be an upset.
However, if the US even draws with the Czechs
isnt "even draw" being repetitive
I think he meant "manages" to tie, IGY.
:-D
Funny still, though.
Also - the USA is currently ranked #5 in the world by FIFA yet they weren't seeded in this tournament? Strange.
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on June 12, 2006, 10:11:37 AM
I think he meant "manages" to tie, IGY.
:-D
Funny still, though.
Also - the USA is currently ranked #5 in the world by FIFA yet they weren't seeded in this tournament? Strange.
Damn Europeans and their anti-American bias... ;)
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on June 12, 2006, 10:11:37 AM
Also - the USA is currently ranked #5 in the world by FIFA yet they weren't seeded in this tournament? Strange.
They also won their qualifying region, but Mexico got seeded and they did not. Highly repsected is not how one would refer to the US soccer program.
They've hardly earned high respect. One quarterfinal appearance does not mad respect earn.
Quote from: Diomedes on June 12, 2006, 11:32:21 AM
They've hardly earned high respect. One quarterfinal appearance does not mad respect earn.
Fair enough. But they have been consistantly equal to Mexico and won their region. What more do they have to do to get seeded?
ouch. rough start.
Quote from: rjs246 on June 12, 2006, 11:48:30 AM
Quote from: Diomedes on June 12, 2006, 11:32:21 AM
They've hardly earned high respect. One quarterfinal appearance does not mad respect earn.
Fair enough. But they have been consistantly equal to Mexico and won their region. What more do they have to do to get seeded?
There's nothing they can do. We're apparently the only country on the face of the Earth whose populace laughs at the sport yet still builds a program strong enough to compete at the highest level.
That's gotta piss off traditional football powers to no end.
Plus there's the whole "soccer" thing. Mention that word to drunken Englishmen and they don't react well to it at all.
:-D
i actually root against the us as a deep run by them might mean soccer actually be comes popular in this country...and that would be a very bad thing
Personally, I dig watching the English Premier League because that's a real sport in a real league with history, tradition and the best athletes in their sport competing together. The stuff they pass off here in America is a joke in comparison.
As I see it, soccer will never be anything but a marginal sport in this country, IGY.
They've had pro leagues on and off for 30+ years and it's still a sport that rank & file sports fans couldn't care less about.
As I see it, soccer will never be anything but a marginal sport in this country, IGY.
i agree...but quick exits in the world cup make they even more likely
dagger
If this didn't spark ever-lasting interest in soccer in this country, then nothing ever will:
(http://www.sfgate.com/traveler/postcards/chastain.jpg)
she looks like a man...if anything thats turning people away
US starting to injure the czechs...if you cant win take the other man out...its the american way
Yeah, seriously... how is that pic hot, rome?
i have big boobs than she does
by the way, we should have a football world cup just so we can win.
Quote from: MDS on June 12, 2006, 12:54:25 PM
we should have a football world cup just so we can win.
We added pro players to the Olympics in basketball, and we still can't win nearly every time. That should be money in the bank every 4 years. You don't think football would turn out being the same way?
I never said she was hot, fellas.
I meant that if an attentionwhoring stunt like that wouldn't bring in the lemmings, then nothing will.
Your mom's an attention-whoring stunt!
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 12, 2006, 12:13:36 PM
i actually root against the us as a deep run by them might mean soccer actually be comes popular in this country...and that would be a very bad thing
You're a joke. You've already repeatedly proven yourself to not be a sports fan, but rather a philly-sports-only fan. As such your opinions on anything outside of that miniscule world are best kept to yourself.
Quote from: FFatPatt on June 12, 2006, 01:02:22 PM
Your mom's an attention-whoring stunt!
Next time I visit her grave, I'll mention that to her.
She'll laugh, I'll laugh, oh what a party it will be.
:-D
You're a joke. You've already repeatedly proven yourself to not be a sports fan, but rather a philly-sports-only fan.
wah
soccer sucks and the us is going out with the quickness...youll get over it tho...as the every four year 15 minutes soccer gets because of the world cup will go away 100 seconds after it ends and then we can all live happy again
Quote from: FFatPatt on June 12, 2006, 12:58:11 PM
Quote from: MDS on June 12, 2006, 12:54:25 PM
we should have a football world cup just so we can win.
We added pro players to the Olympics in basketball, and we still can't win nearly every time. That should be money in the bank every 4 years. You don't think football would turn out being the same way?
considering were the only country that really plays that game, id say yea. in basketball, we only lost last year and the rest of the world has caught up and fields actual teams as opposed to lower-tier allstars grouped together for 2 weeks.
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 12, 2006, 01:07:54 PM
soccer sucks and the us is going out with the quickness...
Wrong. Sports like soccer and lacrosse are gaining in popularity. Sports like baseball are struggling to maintain. Welcome to the new world.
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on June 12, 2006, 01:00:05 PM...an attentionwhoring stunt...
You are a fool.
Reyna just made an ugly tackle, drawing a yellow card. U.S. would needs a miracle on the order of virgin birth to come out of this without getting shut out.
Sports like soccer and lacrosse are gaining in popularity. Sports like baseball are struggling to maintain. Welcome to the new world.
ha
I have to disagree with my terminally angry friend about baseball. MLB had its highest attendance ever in 2005.
Television ratings are pathetic to be sure but then again they are for nearly every other sport as well.
Discount baseball all you like but it's still the second most popular sport in the America behind the NFL.
Quote from: Diomedes on June 12, 2006, 01:19:09 PM
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on June 12, 2006, 01:00:05 PM...an attentionwhoring stunt...
You are a fool.
Why? Because I can recognize something like that for what it was?
Yeah, it was clearly a spontaneous act on her part. Sheer joy at the enormity of the moment.
Please.
:-D
how did the US even get into the world cup
Blowjobs. Lots of blowjobs.
they got in for the same reason you let that retarded kid play dodgeball in gym class. just so you could wing the ball right into his DS melon and then laugh at his retarded ass afterwards.
soccer would be so much better if there were no offsides...cherry picking would rule...it is truly amazing how boring it is to watch and the utter lack of things happening for 90% of the game
USA loses 3-0. ouch
i just got back from watching the game at the bar and man did the us look like of bunch of pansies. which isn't hard considering they're soccer players, but they got dominated.
and yes, no offsides would rule. although if that were the case we would have lost 10-0 today instead of 3-0.
(http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/writers/jonah_freedman/06/12/us.openingloss/t1_onyewu.jpg)
Would you LOOK at this attentionwhoring stunt??
Post as many pictures of soccer queers as you like, Dio.
That doesn't make her shameless display any less ridiculous.
You're saying the 2006 U.S. team are queers? 'Cause that's a couple of them right there, after laying down on the field and opening their legs for Czech Republic today.
Togo winning at halftime. This makes Korea look even worse than the US if they lose.
Again, Togo is winning a World Cup match.
kaka scores!!
Togo ownz.
i found a reason to watch the world cup
(http://www.operaprima.art.br/images/World%20Cup%20Fans.jpg)
Wouldn't they be two reasons?
I wish every girl in the states got that excited singing the National Anthem
At least one of those two bastiches gets to play with her. What a life.
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 13, 2006, 09:21:39 PM
i found a reason to watch the world cup
(http://www.operaprima.art.br/images/World%20Cup%20Fans.jpg)
Hot latina chick? Hot latina chick with big ass titties?
Sign me up.
good gawd brazilian chics are hot.
spain ass raping ukraine right now. 4 - 0
tunsinia vs saudi arabia on now. go tunsinia!
pretty good match from the little i watched. tunsinia got screwed in the beginning. could of scored. oh well. 2-2 tie.
Poland vs Germany coming up. Fights have broken out in Germany over this match. Should be a crazy crowd, hopefully a riot. The Polish complex is in full form! Damn the Germans for our small penis's and there good soccer skills. Germany ist going to farg themz up ja!
daaaaamn. germany scores in 91st minute. game over bitch. 1 - 0
Germany scored at the very end. Neuville or whatever. That dude's crazy. Germany wins.
i'm 12/17 in my world cup pool.
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 13, 2006, 09:21:39 PM
i found a reason to watch the world cup
(http://www.operaprima.art.br/images/World%20Cup%20Fans.jpg)
I really have nothing to add here. But I thought quoting this picture was a good idea nonetheless.
More soccer fan stuff:
(http://www.teddwebb.com/tickle_me/misc/soccer_brazilian_fan.jpg)
And a smokin' speciman:
(http://www.astsports.com.au/files/soccer/Japan_fan.jpg)
PS. Check out the name of the picture in the url compared to what she's wearing :-D
^^^^^ That broad is hott as hell. ^^^^^
(http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/ap/20060613/capt.f4007632a3f64436865b2d35f2a63819.mexico_ninel_conde_mocv101.jpg?x=265&y=345&sig=_bA2hGkRgj7Rm0l8ybXchA--)
Viva Mexico!
:yay :yay :yay :yay :yay
as far as foreign chicks, i was all about asians, but i tell you what, the latin chicks are bar none the hottest in the world. of course american chicks are the hottest.
oh yea England taking on two countries combined. trinidad and tobago. i heart the English squad. :yay
Quote from: mussa on June 15, 2006, 11:44:51 AM
as far as foreign chicks, i was all about asians, but i tell you what, the latin chicks are bar none the hottest in the world. of course american chicks are the hottest.
oh yea England taking on two countries combined. trinidad and tobago. i heart the English squad. :yay
Um, Mussa... ah, never mind. It's not worth it. :-D
what? they got to go and confuse the simple minded don't they. excuse me mr. geography.
btw. i never really watched much soccer. they try to fake so much shtein. its really bad. they need to take some lessons fom the NBA.
For those precious few that care: Trinidad and Tobago (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidad_and_tobago)
Just call it Trinidad. Trinidad cigars are good.
Quote from: mussa on June 15, 2006, 11:44:51 AM
as far as foreign chicks, i was all about asians, but i tell you what, the latin chicks are bar none the hottest in the world. of course american chicks are the hottest.
oh yea England taking on two countries combined. trinidad and tobago. i heart the English squad.
Latin chicks are the hottest, but American chicks are the hottest. England taking on two countries. Nothing in this post made a lick of sense.
Quote from: mussa on June 15, 2006, 11:44:51 AM
as far as foreign chicks, i was all about asians, but i tell you what, the latin chicks are bar none the hottest in the world. of course american chicks are the hottest.
oh yea England taking on two countries combined. trinidad and tobago. i heart the English squad. :yay
Watanabe (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0913822/)?
great match between England the the solo country of Trinidad/Tobago. ;)
England scores 2 in last half. Game over. 2-0
good piece in the paper today on trinidad and tobago
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/14/AR2006061402218_pf.html
Quote from: mussa on June 15, 2006, 01:38:16 PM
great match between England the the solo country of Trinidad/Tobago. ;)
that wasn't a great match. englnad looked almost as bad as the US. almost. if they weren't playing a country the size of rhode island they would have been smoked.
someone told me that argentina just scored the most beautiful goal in soccer history
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 16, 2006, 09:34:11 AM
someone told me that argentina just scored the most beautiful goal in soccer history
It was farging amazing. They are sick.
where can i see this goal?
we got in trouble for puting soccer on all the tvs. something about being unprofessional. those cockfaces.
hail shep messing
(http://www.deadspin.com/assets/2006/06/bigshep.jpg)
dope article from the post today.....while i wouldnt want to watch any games i think it would be mad cool to go over and revel in the world cup atmosphere....
Enjoying a Game With a Few Fans
Friday, June 16, 2006; E04
When I got back from Leipzig on Wednesday night, I went to the Fan Fest at the Potsdamer Platz in downtown Berlin to join the masses for the Germany-Poland game on the big screens. It was a mob scene, the scale of which I have never before seen.
Some were estimating upward of 800,000 people jamming into the area, and by 9 p.m., when I got there, the security lines alone were huge. The walk from the train station was surreal. It was a police state, with all streets and entrances to the highway closed, hordes of people walking to the Fan Fest all headed down one big street, and everything else desolate.
I turned off the main way for a while and it was like one of those early scenes in "28 Days Later," when there's just trash in these huge abandoned downtown London streets, and lots of police vehicles. When I reached the park, I immediately realized there was no way I would ever find my friends, so I looked for a bar. All the pubs I found were packed and you couldn't see the game, so I ended up watching with some street vendors, and a group of Mexicans and Scots on a tiny television set up next to a sausage stand.
We had a good time, and that was quite a second half. We all agreed that Germany would end up winning it late, but we banked on Miroslav Klose with his head from three yards out off a corner kick or set piece. We weren't dead on, but not far off, either.
My friends watching in the Fan Fest said everyone went nuts when the 22-year-old David Odonkor came into the game; I guess he's becoming quite popular. The kid has amazing pace and served some great balls, as well. What a setup on the goal, too. Germany with a late winner -- some things never change. But with Germany and even Italy pushing the attack, could world football be taking a more pleasant turn?
-- Jason La Canfora
so what's the death talley among fans?
no amercians yet and thats all that matters
uncle sams army wont let it happen
Uncle Sam touches me when my parents aren't around
From Blockbuster? How the farg you do that--they got rhesus monkeys working as managers over there!
Quote from: phattymatty on June 16, 2006, 10:18:04 AM
hail shep messing
(http://www.deadspin.com/assets/2006/06/bigshep.jpg)
Talk about 1970's porn star look.
Saw him play for the Cosmos when Hawaii had a team in the NASL back in 1976. He was actually a very cool guy. A bunch of us were sitting behind his goal in the second half and when they had the game well in hand he was talking to us and actually came over after the game to say hi. Ah, the good old days when pro athletes weren't a bunch iceholes.
(http://home.att.net/~nasl/logos/Team_Hawaii.gif)
Iran giving Portugal all they can handle in the 1st half.
Portugal poured it on in the second half.
The penalty kick goal was farging bullcrap. The dude from Portugal barely got touched but since it happened inside the box, they called a penalty kick.
Retarded. ::)
Ghana is beating the Czech's 1-0 with 73:00 gone.
It should be about 3-0 right now.
:o
Ghana wins. A US win (1-1 34 min mark) would put all teams even at 3 pts.
Quote from: MDS on June 17, 2006, 03:33:57 PM
Ghana wins. A US win (1-1 34 min mark) would put all teams even at 3 pts.
And Italy is down a man (one of their idiots got a red card for an elbow that drew blood). Another Italian has a yellow.
I'm sure he will make some spaghetti and meatballs and interact with his friends in organized crime. Damn guidos.
Mastroiani (sp?) of the US just got a red card. Announcers are calling it a make-up call.
Quote from: Geowhizzer on June 17, 2006, 03:45:18 PM
Mastroiani (sp?) of the US just got a red card. Announcers are calling it a make-up call.
The US is getting ass raped by calls today.
Yep. Pope got a red card for a late tackle. US now down a man.
US goal called back on an offside call.
Are these refs from Italy or something? Clean up one Aisle 4, the Euro-trash is out.
Wow. What a horseshtein game. Lucky to get away with a tie. Very unlucky to not have been playing the entire second half with a man advantage. Shady reffing from an apparently notoriously shady ref.
That was a crazy game.
1. That ref should be shown the red card after that strange performance. I don't mean just the red cards; there were questionable offsides calls and mysterious non-calls throughout the game as well.
2. The US team should be proud of hanging on to draw the heavily favored Italian team with 9 men for a half. It's really an embarrassment for Italian soccer.
3. Hopefully Italy will respond to the embarrassment by pummeling the Czechs and springing the US into Round 2 (vs. Brazil? :-\ ) with a win over Ghana.
Quote from: QB Eagles on June 17, 2006, 05:03:56 PM
3. Hopefully Italy will respond to the embarrassment by pummeling the Czechs and springing the US into Round 2 (vs. Brazil? :-\ ) with a win over Ghana.
Man, isn't that the truth. One of Ghana's main goal scoring threats has to sit out the game on Thursday so that helps. And Italy should be the better of the teams in their final game so the US certainly still has hope.
Italy 4
Check 3
Ghana 3
US 1
Italy wins, US Wins, US advances. A Check/Italy tie and it comes down to goal differntial.
Soccer may be more European/Latin American than American, but apparently sucking refs are worldwide.
Offsides sucks. It's hard enough to score goals. Let 'em run wherever they want...
Quote from: MDS on June 17, 2006, 05:14:07 PM
A Check/Italy tie and it comes down to goal differntial.
If the Czechs and Italy tie (not affecting the goal differential of either of those teams), we'd have to give Ghana a thrashing of 4-0 or better to make it in that way. Seeing as how our offense hasn't yet scored a goal this World Cup, that seems extremely unlikely. Our second-best way in is for the Czechs to beat Italy badly, ruining Italy's point differential advantage over us.
All of this is assuming, of course, that the US even beats Ghana. And that is definitely not a safe assumption. Ghana looked pretty damned good today.
I agree. From Ghana's perspective, they have their easiest match ahead and a win puts them in Round 2. The game could be a bloodbath.
GO USA!
(http://files1.turbosquid.com/Preview/Content_on_5_26_2004_15_19_18/Preview%20USA%20Soccer%20ball.jpgb6ea1edd-6219-433b-bf1c-e820a2ae6ea1Large.jpg)
Quote from: rjs246 on June 17, 2006, 06:21:55 PM
All of this is assuming, of course, that the US even beats Ghana. And that is definitely not a safe assumption. Ghana looked pretty damned good today.
They took the Czechs to school today. I wouldn't be as worried if the Republik was clearly superior and just got unlucky but Ghana was the better team in every aspect.
the US has a chance to get into the next round, even though they haven't scored a goal yet. sweet.
Obviously the US needs a striker thats 6'5 or taller.....someone like the Hulkster.
Hulkster would be an awesome soccer player. no doubt in my mind.
What are you gonna do when the Hulkster heads in a cross on you?
Get in the fetal postion and cry a lot, obviously.
americans blaming someone else....no way
wah boo hoo the refs stink
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 18, 2006, 12:10:08 AM
americans blaming someone else....no way
wah boo hoo the refs stink
I didn't say they favored one side or the other. They did, however, suck like a Hoover.
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 18, 2006, 12:10:08 AM
americans blaming someone else....no way
wah boo hoo the refs stink
You obviously didn't watch the game, it was definately a horribly called game for both sides. A game shouldn't be influenced by the refs this one was. I don't know who would have won, but all three of the red cards should not have been called. Other than the refs the US did a helluva job scoring a tie against a perennial powerhouse.
i actually did watch the game
soccer is so boring a team can play a man down for a whole match and still not lose
im convinced a team could actually play two or three men down and still manage a scoreless tie if they wanted
the whole sport is just a complete waste
i hope the americans lose 7-0 to ghana
af-fri-ca
af-fri-ca
Fascinating, AND unpatriotic to boot. What's not to like?
Quote from: Drunkmasterflex on June 18, 2006, 12:15:51 AM
all three of the red cards should not have been called.
That's a tough argument to make. The Italian red card was for a vicious elbow that may lead not just to a red card, but to a 6 game ban. I've read it described in a few European publications as the low point of the tournament so far. That was the kind of elbow that could have gotten someone kicked out of a
hockey game.
The American red cards were iffy. Personally I think the first one should have been a yellow. The second USA red card was actually a second yellow card on Pope; I think that was pretty harsh for the tackle. Should have been a warning. I think all of the red cards are technically defensible, but if games were reffed that tight consistently, there would be 10 red cards every match.
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 18, 2006, 12:20:08 AM
i actually did watch the game
soccer is so boring a team can play a man down for a whole match and still not lose
im convinced a team could actually play two or three men down and still manage a scoreless tie if they wanted
the whole sport is just a complete waste
i hope the americans lose 7-0 to ghana
af-fri-ca
af-fri-ca
A team could play with 2 or 3 men down and actually play a scoreless tie? Yeah, okay. Tell that to Serbia-Montenegro, who went to 10 men after a red card and watche dthe Argentians blitz them for 3 goals after they went to 10.
Quote from: QB Eagles on June 18, 2006, 01:35:46 AM
Quote from: Drunkmasterflex on June 18, 2006, 12:15:51 AM
all three of the red cards should not have been called.
That's a tough argument to make. The Italian red card was for a vicious elbow that may lead not just to a red card, but to a 6 game ban. I've read it described in a few European publications as the low point of the tournament so far. That was the kind of elbow that could have gotten someone kicked out of a hockey game.
The American red cards were iffy. Personally I think the first one should have been a yellow. The second USA red card was actually a second yellow card on Pope; I think that was pretty harsh for the tackle. Should have been a warning. I think all of the red cards are technically defensible, but if games were reffed that tight consistently, there would be 10 red cards every match.
Agreed about the Italian red card--that was well deserved. You just can't elbow a guy in the face and not play the ball.
Mastroeni's red card might have been deserved if he went in studs up, as they say over here. However, I've seen worse fouls being yellow carded.
As for Pope's sending off, that was not deserved at all. I stayed up to watch the highlights, since I missed the first 30 minutes while on the way home from work, and his first yellow, the Italian player actually pulled him over. His second yellow, he clearly won the ball, and the Italian player dived over his leg, milking it for all it was worth.
Perhaps you noticed after that every Italian player who was challenged dived to try either to draw a free kick or an American yellow card, but the ref "mysteriously swallowed his whistle" after that.
I originally thought that Beasley's goal should have been allowed, but on the highlights, it clearly showed a shaded area between him and McBride, where McBride was ahead of him and in front of the last defender, which is, unfortunately, offsides.
For the uninitiated, the Italians, French, and Germans, but particularly the Italians are well known for their diving antics. It happens whenever a British team plays an Italian team in any of the Champions' league ames or UEFA Cup games--regularly.
Still, I myself am proud of the team, and my colleagues have nothing to say to me on Monday morning about how bad the American team is--especially when England has been less than spectacular.
The American flag is still flying at Chez Ramsey, and will fly until they get eliminated from the competition.
Jorge Larrionda is a fricken disgrace as a referee.
QuoteIt's official: FIFA lays an egg with choice of referee
BY BERNIE MIKLASZ
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
ST. LOUIS - As a certifiable World Cup wacko, I have mixed feelings about Saturday's compelling and dramatic 1-1 draw between the United States and Italy.
It was an event that had everything most American sports fans can relate to, including blood and bad officiating. The sides provided superb soccer, grand theater and inspirational effort.
And we had our emotions roiled in a variety of ways.
Purists who applaud beautiful plays had to enjoy Italy's first goal, initiated on a set piece. Those who respect hard-nosed competitors were saluting Brian McBride after the former St. Louis U. forward returned moments after having his head split open on a vicious elbow thrown by Italy's Daniele De Rossi.
Those who appreciate the sport's subtlety and strategy had to appreciate the effective tactical changes made by U.S. coach Bruce Arena. Pulling out of a misguided defensive approach that left his team tentative and timid in a demoralizing 3-0 opening loss to the Czech Republic, Arena turned his men to a forward position, turned them loose and instilled an attacking mentality.
Americans with strong patriotic foundations or those who care deeply about the growth of U.S. soccer had to be proud of the way their highly charged team performed under difficult circumstances. If you pull for underdogs, this was your squad.
The desperate U.S. largely outplayed the Azzurri, an eternal soccer power, despite playing a man short for most of the second half.
So why do I have the mixed feelings? Probably for the same reasons you do.
The Yanks were victimized by hideous officiating. Jorge Larrionda, 38 and a clerk from Uruguay, did everything in his power to ruin a spectacular match. The Italians were on the receiving end of some terrible rulings as well, but the United States got the worst of it.
Larrionda was right to eject De Rossi for his intentional assault on McBride. The red card left Italy a man short, and later the Italian coach agreed with the call. But instead of maintaining the strength of his convictions, Larrionda obviously felt the need to even things up and give the Italians a break. And he waited for the opportunity to do so.
Larrionda got his chance in the 45th minute when he red-carded U.S. defender Pablo Mastroeni for a late tackle on Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo. The tackle, at most, warranted a yellow card.
In the 47th minute, Larrionda was at it again, this time showing the red card to U.S. defender Eddie Pope. The red card was automatic because Pope had received his second yellow card of the day, after fouling Alberto Gilardino. But Larrionda could have kept that yellow card in his pocket; it was a borderline infraction.
Referees are aware of game situations, so Larrionda had to know he'd be leaving the United States with nine men on the field against Italy's 10 the rest of the way. Pope was at fault, too. As a veteran he had to realize the match was being regulated by an out-of-control ref. And that calls for more restraint. But how can any player be expected to adjust to gross incompetence?
Larrionda issued seven cards overall Saturday. Before play began this month, the Guardian (UK) did a story on officials and quoted Larrionda as saying, "Let's hope red and yellow don't become the colors of this World Cup."
He apparently said this without irony. :-D
The overriding question is this: How could FIFA entrust Larrionda with such an important assignment?
Larrionda disallowed a Brazil goal vs. Uruguay in 2004, and replays showed he blew the call, because the ball had crossed the goal line by a half yard.
More disturbing was Larrionda's six-month suspension for "irregularities" in 2002. He was scratched from working the 2002 World Cup. According to multiple news reports at the time, Larrionda's suspension came after the Uruguay soccer authorities conducted a three-month investigation into allegations of corruption.
Twenty-one men were picked to referee the 2006 World Cup. Would FIFA have us believe Larrionda is one of the 21 best in the world?
The Italy vs. U.S. match should have been an unconditionally great day for soccer.
Instead, Larrionda left us seeing red.
Sad, indeed. Still, it was very a enjoyable match despite the idiotic officiating.
IMHO all cards yesterday were defensible and legit.
DiRossi: Should be gone for the rest of the tournament. In fact, he should not have been playing anyway, because of a tackle Mastroeni style he made against Ghana (on purpose, unlike, I think, Mastroeni). As we tend to say over here, this card was deep purple if not black.
Mastroeni: Completely legit. He was late, completely mistimed and this was the type of tackle that could end the career of a player (in fact, a similar tackle did end the career of a lower level player in a national competition over here). I do not think he did this intentionally, I think this was more stupidity (red haze) combined with over eagerness rather then an attempt to take out the opponent. This is the exact type of tackle (flying, two legs and late) FIFA, UEFA and national leagues want to clamp down upon. The biggest problem though with this is consistency in enforcement of these rules (within games and between refs).
Pope: His second yellow was defendable. Pope was a bit late, did get the player (though not enough to warrant the whole charade). This was more stupidity by Pope, as it was completely unnecesary to even make this tackle (position on field and players around him). Again, like Mastroeni, I think he got carried away in his effort. In fact, this second yellow could in a sense be a sum of previous fouls (see van Bommel's yellow vs Cote d'Ivoire). I have no opinion on the first one, as I have not seen it.
General comments about officiating:
IMHO the biggest problem during a tournament like this IS FIFA. They are so anal about enforcing all the rules that they ignore the flow of the game. Also, for some reason they are unwilling to initiate some needed improvements (like goalline camera's). Fifa needs to get its priorities straight. Unfortunately with the likes of Blatter (FIFA president), IMHO a corrupt fraud, it will be while before that will happen.
So I am afraid that the ref for the Holland vs Ivory Coast game will be gone (as that guy went with the flow of the game, rather then stickler for the rules). By far the best crew I have seen yet.
And as far as the article goes (though raising a legit question about why the ref is at the WC), they scapegoat him now so they can ignore the fauls and stupidity by the American players for committing them in the first place.
^^^^^^
a true american
Dutch... here are the rules governing the handing out of red cards in FIFA matches:
Quote1. Serious foul play. This includes a tackle that endangers the safety of an opponent.
2. Violent conduct
3. Spitting at anyone
4. A deliberate hand ball to deny an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by any player other than a goalkeeper in his own penalty area
5. Committing an offence that denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (informally known as a professional foul)
6. Using offensive, insulting or abusive language or gestures
7. Receiving a second caution (yellow card) in one game
DiRossi certainly deserved a red card via #2. In fact, he should be banned from participating for the rest of the tournament for his assault. And that's exactly what it was... an assault, plain and simple.
Mastroeni did not intentionally endanger the safety of his opponent. His mistackle warranted a yellow card only.
Pope shouldn't have been yellow-carded in the first incident nor should he have been in the second.
In short, the referee blew it. When officials begin influencing what goes on on the field instead of moderating play, they become a liability. Larrionda was suspended by FIFA for "irregularities." Why was he even officiating in the biggest tournament in the sport? He shouldn't have been.
Also - as far as I know, there were two teams out there committing fouls, not just the U.S. It was a rough game, yet somehow, the American side ended up on the short end of the stick. Why is that exactly? Can you provide a legitimate reason why a guy like Larrionda was placed in a position where he could influence the outcome of a match like that?
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on June 18, 2006, 07:33:03 PM
Dutch... here are the rules governing the handing out of red cards in FIFA matches:
Quote 1. Serious foul play. This includes a tackle that endangers the safety of an opponent.
2. Violent conduct
3. Spitting at anyone
4. A deliberate hand ball to deny an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by any player other than a goalkeeper in his own penalty area
5. Committing an offence that denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (informally known as a professional foul)
6. Using offensive, insulting or abusive language or gestures
7. Receiving a second caution (yellow card) in one game
DiRossi certainly deserved a red card via #2. In fact, he should be banned from participating for the rest of the tournament for his assault. And that's exactly what it was... an assault, plain and simple.
Mastroeni did not intentionally endanger the safety of his opponent. His mistackle warranted a yellow card only.
Pope shouldn't have been yellow-carded in the first incident nor should he have been in the second.
In short, the referee blew it. When officials begin influencing what goes on on the field instead of moderating play, they become a liability. Larrionda was suspended by FIFA for "irregularities." Why was he even officiating in the biggest tournament in the sport? He shouldn't have been.
Also - as far as I know, there were two teams out there committing fouls, not just the U.S. It was a rough game, yet somehow, the American side ended up on the short end of the stick. Why is that exactly? Can you provide a legitimate reason why a guy like Larrionda was placed in a position where he could influence the outcome of a match like that?
DiRossi's red was covered by section 2.
Mastroeni's red was covered by section 1 (serious foul play). The whole rule does not say anything about a need to endanger the opponent or not, as it is irrelevant. It is a red card regardless of intention or honest though stupid mistake. As said before, this type of tackle has been targeted for a while now. If anything blame the referees who do NOT enforce the rules rather then the ones who do.
As far as Pope goes, in fact one could even argue the referee was lenient there with the first card. Once he had decided that Pope committed a foul, it could (should?) have been red, as Pope in his eyes took out a player who was going straight at the keeper.
NOTE I am not saying the ref would have been justified if he had done that.
As far as Pope's second yellow goes, that foul on its own was a borderline yellow. I did not see the game, so I reserve judgment, but I see it as a distinct possibility that he had it coming... if he had a chain of similar fouls. Sometimes a yellow is the added sum of a bunch of fouls (again I refer to van Bommel vs Ivory Coast, where the ref actually indicated that to him).
I agree with you that he should not have been at the tournament in the first place. But those are the inexplicable (and IMHO corrupt) ways of FIFA and UEFA. And why the US ended up with less men then Italy? Predominantly Italian players did not get caught. They know the tricks of the trade better, and do it more subtly (that was why IMHO the crew in the Ivory Coast vs Holland game was the best so far, they saw through almost all of the tricks).
I agree with you Dutch, FIFA are idiots and their use of goalline cameras will get more scrutiny after the French game yesterday. I'm certainly no lover of Les Bleus, but they did get ripped off on Viera's goal--that ball was a good foot and a half over the line before the keeper knocked it out.
As for yesterday's other games, even though Brazil won, they still were not impressive. Ronaldo missing a sitter looked like Sean Landeta when he whiffed on a punt in a playoff game in 1985. The Aussies were impressive, but missed too many chances.
Croatia and Japan didn't do anything for me in the searing heat.
The Netherlands have become my 2nd favorite team behind the USA--mostly because of Van Nistlerooy, who plays for my favorite club team, Man United.--England has not impressed me at all, and all their talk about how they have a real chance of winning the cup is just that--talk. Not until they get a world class coach who changes his tactics will they have any kind of sustained success.
I have given up hope that FIFA and UEFA will get things fixed in the near future. Power and money corrupts, and these two have been corrupted big time. And if, in Europe, UEFA does not screw things up, it is the EU with their idiotic labor/free market craze. Frankly it has ruined soccer/football for me. Big time. The only time it is fun is when a surprise team shows up PSV, Ajax types in Champions League or South Korea and US four years ago).
As far as this World Cup goes, IMHO it is dissapointing. Big time.... Through the second round I have seen only two consistent and impressive teams (Argentina and Ivory Coast), one of them gone for the second round. IMHO it is shocking to see that the Dutch so far have been one of the more impressive teams, while they played good soccer for only 15 and 30 minutes repectively in each game. I mean, what do you have so far?
Germany looked decent/good... but against incredibly poor opposition, and they even could have lost one of them util they got the man advantage.
England: Incredibly average. In fact, the only team in that group which has shown up so far is Trinidad and Tobago.
Argentina: By far the most impressive team so far, even considering S&M rolled over.
Holland: Played good for 30 minutes against Ivory Coast. Defense needs to get their act together. Very lucky that the Argentina game has become pointless. Van Bommel needs to be tossed from the team (he has shown exactly why he was kept out of the team during qualifying). One of the very few teams where the stretch of good play has increased rather then decreased.
Ivory Coast: Second best team in the group, decidedly unlucky. And very dangerous for the future (in particular if the can get a goalkeeper)
Portugal: Horrible.
Italy: looked impressive vs Ghana, though with weaknesses. Looked very average at best against a US team that was/is no more then average (skillwise and technically), and has to rely on effort to get anywhere.
Ghana: has looked the best in the group so far. Big time. The only one who, over two games, deserves to go through.
Chech Republic: Looked impressive against the US, horrible againt Ghana.
USA: Horrible against Ghana, the game against Italy reminded me of the US team four years ago. In a way I would like to see Ghana and the US advance (mostly because I absolutely despise Italy (close second to Germany)), and the US tend(ed to be a team that at least shows effort.
Brazil: Looked average. Frustrating to see and wonder why in 1994 or 1998 the Dutch team could not run into that version of Brazil. Decidedly average.
France: utter horror. In fact the on ly teams in that group that seemingly deserve to go through (based on effort) are Togo and South Korea.
Spain: looked very impressive against the Ukraine, but received huge help from the ref. They blew countless offsides calls against the Ukraine. I wonder what would have happened when the refs had not blown one of those, and the Ukraine would have scored first.
England needs to become a team. And the press neeeds to back of. All well before they have a legit shot. Hiddink himself (in)directly admitted that (potential) harassment by the press (of him and his family) is a serious point against taking the England-manager job...
Hiddink or Scolari? I know Scolari said it was the intrusion of the British media that made him decide not to take the job, but I think it was money. After all, you have a WC winner with Brazil, and you're going to pay him £2.5M (3.662M Euros) when you're paying Ericksson TWICE that and he hasn't won anything? Now the guy who is taking over from him after this WC has done an okay job at club level, but he hasn't won anything. He got Middlesborough to the finals of the UEFA cup this year, but they got embarrassed.
However, one of the papers had a good article today, saying that Ericksson is now taking chances that he hasn't taken before--bringing Owen off early in matches; Aaron Lennon down the right side and sliding Beckham over, because he realizes he has to change his strategy and his allegiance to players who have thus far failed to perform for him.
freaks
Here's to hoping the U.S. pulls a rabbit out of their asses, and wallops Ghana...
Quote from: bobbyinlondon on June 19, 2006, 11:16:35 AM
Hiddink or Scolari? I know Scolari said it was the intrusion of the British media that made him decide not to take the job, but I think it was money. After all, you have a WC winner with Brazil, and you're going to pay him £2.5M (3.662M Euros) when you're paying Ericksson TWICE that and he hasn't won anything? Now the guy who is taking over from him after this WC has done an okay job at club level, but he hasn't won anything. He got Middlesborough to the finals of the UEFA cup this year, but they got embarrassed.
Hiddink, yesterday said in an interview for Dutch TV that the FA approached him for replacing Ericksson. He said he did not take it, partially because he already was talking with the Russians, and had nearly reached an agreement by the time the FA came to him. He subsequently said that the way the British press goes after the manager and his family was a definite thing though against taking the job of England manager.
Quote
However, one of the papers had a good article today, saying that Ericksson is now taking chances that he hasn't taken before--bringing Owen off early in matches; Aaron Lennon down the right side and sliding Beckham over, because he realizes he has to change his strategy and his allegiance to players who have thus far failed to perform for him.
Of course the press is taking the credit. I think the times the press criticized itself in my lifetime I can count on my own fingers... and tooted its own horn is the exact opposite. Indeed Ericksson is taking chances (he has to). However, it is the press that pretty much forces a squad upon him that could well be unworkable. The only thing the press sees, the tabloids in particular, is names and they have not a clue about how a team works. And Erickson was/is unable to stand up[ to that. IMHO the British midfield is nearly unworkable with all the starplayers there who have to play in a position/role where they can not function properly. And the British press has no respect for anybody.
The Dutch press tried the same here, frocing the likes of van Bommel and Davids upon van Basten (Seedorf as their favorite whipping boy was omitted from the push) as during the qualifying stages. However, they have been unable to go all out against him, because of his reputation (this kind of behaviour would be unacceptable for most Dutch) and his continued success so far.
Stepped into Joe's Crab Shack in myrtle for a quick drink yesterday. There were 3 Koreans at the bar going nuts watching their World Cup match. It was cool when they scored the tying goal, though... I don't think I've ever seen that much excitement over a sporting event from a group of Asians in person before.
BTW, Asian people like to eat rice and ride their bicycles. </rjs>
Quote from: Diomedes on June 19, 2006, 12:12:06 PM
Here's to hoping the U.S. pulls a rabbit out of their asses, and wallops Ghana...
Actually scoring a goal would be a nice start for the U.S.
They totally scored one last game, man.
kind of.
Quote from: FFatPatt on June 19, 2006, 01:12:33 PM
They totally scored one last game, man.
Too much cheese sauce at Joe's Crab Shack must have dulled your senses.
They totally willed the guy to score on his own net. That's teamwork. U! S! A!
damn spain came back from 0-1 to win 3-1 in 2nd half.
Video of Crouch (http://youtube.com/watch?v=H2WxxwYBvrk&search=crouch%20hair%20goal) pulling hair so as to help himself to a header goal vs. Trinidad and Tobago.
If you have to pull hair, well...that's just sad.
Quote from: Diomedes on June 19, 2006, 09:01:11 PM
Video of Crouch (http://youtube.com/watch?v=H2WxxwYBvrk&search=crouch%20hair%20goal) pulling hair so as to help himself to a header goal vs. Trinidad and Tobago.
If you have to pull hair, well...that's just sad.
When you're in the heat of battle, backing up toward the goal to try to head a ball in, sometimes you don't know where your hands land. I've seen players actually drag down the opposition trying to get a goal. However, I'm not overly impressed with Crouch--he played for a team that was relegated two years ago and Liverpool signed him. Over here, they count your international goals and appearances even if they're in friendlies(exhibition matches). I think it would be far more meaningful to count them during competitive matches instead.
Quote from: bobbyinlondon on June 20, 2006, 09:22:43 AMWhen you're in the heat of battle...
Of course. No call, no foul..especially on something relatively minor like this.
Still..that's a man pulling hair. Ha!
its not a man its a soccer player
that ronaldino guy sure has a big head. with the size of his teeth, he should be nicknamed mr. ed
so what time does ghana merk the us
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 22, 2006, 10:01:56 AM
so what time does ghana merk the us
uh...about 15 minutes ago
oooops...hit me off with some play by play dog
kick
run
run
kick
stand
kick
kick
slide
stand
header
header
header
run
run
run
whistle
stand
throw in
header
kick
kick
kick
run
run
shot
punt
run
run
header
slide
yellow card
kick
run
run
run
kick
you forgot
flop
fake injured
act like a bitch
US loses 2-1
i don't care what sport it is, the u.s. shouldn't be losing to ghana in anything.
ghana is my squad now
they gonna shock the world against brazil
i actually watched the second half at the deli in my building
What a passive, heartless team. No offense, no passion. Awful.
can we lock this thread now for the next four years?
I'm half drunk, depressed. The Brooklyn Lager at the pub was good. The U.S. team both sucked and got robbed. That penalty kick was utter crap. Don't you have to have the farging ball to get a penalty kick? At worst..that was a foul. Fu ck!
yeah they sucked ass. donovan is a litle pansy. even more than most of them. they actually had a couple great chances towards the end and totally blew them all. what a bunch of losers.
Go Holland. Or maybe Spain. Or Brazil. Or something. I think I'll stick with Holland.
go kaka.
Quote from: phattymatty on June 22, 2006, 12:02:36 PM
i don't care what sport it is, the u.s. shouldn't be losing to ghana in anything.
what about a starving contest?
The U.S. would lose to every single country in the world in one of those.
I Samoa a country?
English mother farger, do you speak it?
Quote from: SunMoTzu on June 22, 2006, 12:23:35 PM
Quote from: phattymatty on June 22, 2006, 12:02:36 PM
i don't care what sport it is, the u.s. shouldn't be losing to ghana in anything.
what about a starving contest?
you win.
Quote from: FFatPatt on June 22, 2006, 12:25:23 PM
The U.S. would lose to every single country in the world in one of those.
France?
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on June 22, 2006, 01:58:24 PM
Quote from: FFatPatt on June 22, 2006, 12:25:23 PM
The U.S. would lose to every single country in the world in one of those.
France?
Sorry, they're not even as gluttonous as we are.
a glass of wine a day is good for you.
not 14 PBRs a day. which is always what i thought it was.
Quote from: FFatPatt on June 22, 2006, 03:02:59 PM
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on June 22, 2006, 01:58:24 PM
Quote from: FFatPatt on June 22, 2006, 12:25:23 PM
The U.S. would lose to every single country in the world in one of those.
France?
Sorry, they're not even as gluttonous as we are.
"The ultimate aim of every true American should be to die fat, drunk, in debt with a gun in your mouth."
- Ron Bennington
Quote from: moats23 on June 20, 2006, 02:30:49 PM
that ronaldino guy sure has a big head. with the size of his teeth, he should be nicknamed mr. ed
Shannon Sharpe?
Sure glad I didn't get up at 3 AM HST to watch this shtein.
Anyone see Henry Kissinger on Charlie Rose last night? He is quite the soccer aficionado. Had some very good insight as to why soccer has not caught on in US. He was very instrumental in bringing the World Cup to the US in 94.
Quote from: ice grillin you on June 22, 2006, 10:17:27 AM
you forgot
flop
fake injured
act like a bitch
lol. so true. i can't even watch soccer anymore. last week alone was the most soccer i ever watched. i can't stand the fake shtein. sissy's.
Speaking of phantom injuries..maybe if Kearse played soccer, U.S. would be better.
Could you imagine the 260lb Phreak heading one in for a goal?!? He would be winded in minutes though. Too much weight. Cool to think about either way. :-D :yay
With that wingspan of his, he'd make a helluva goalie...
Manute Bol = greatest goalie ever.
:-D
I would be a better goalie, like Feva said.
By the way, I wonder if they hand out orange slices at halftime in the WC?
no oranges, just miniature Oscar trophies for "Best Theatrical Performance in a Half"
(http://msn.foxsports.com/id/5698892_7_2.jpg)
Delicious.
Yummy indeed. But those two are faking. The first igy world cup chick was the real deal..she fargs a lot.
OK... so the World Cup ain't all bad.
Quote100 English fans arrested in Stuttgart
Associated Press
STUTTGART, Germany - Police said Saturday morning they had arrested about 100 English soccer fans after disturbances in a main square, a day ahead of England's second-round World Cup match against Ecuador.
Police were called to the scene after fans, some of whom appeared heavily intoxicated, began throwing bottles and glasses at passers-by from the terrace of a pub, Stuttgart's police said.
A few were immediately taken into custody, and the rest after officers were pelted as well.
"English fans were shown by this action that aggressive drinking, violence and mobbing will be prevented," police chief Michael Kuehner said in a statement.
"They are all still in detention," spokesman Stefan Keilbach told The Associated Press. He declined to comment further.
English officers assisting their German counterparts in heading off potential fan violence helped in calming the situation, police said. There were no injuries reported.
England plays Ecuador for a place in the World Cup quarterfinals on Sunday.
About 50,000 England fans are expected to travel to Stuttgart for the match and will be greeted with a heavy police presence - about 1,800 officers on patrol along with British police.
Stephen Thomas, an assistant chief constable from Manchester and part of the British contingent, said Friday he was optimistic that there would be no major fan violence.
"You will not see any English hooligans here in Stuttgart - what you will see is English drunks," he said. "I apologize now for that, but it is very good for the economy."
:-D
Previous England games in Cologne, Nuremberg and Frankfurt were relatively calm - giving organizers a pleasant surprise in view of England's past reputation for hooliganism.
Thomas said that of 3,842 people arrested during the first two weeks of the tournament, only 135 were English.
"Many of those were drunk, and many were desperately trying to get to the stadium," he said.
Wait, drunks are good for the economy?
I am soooo going to Germany for vacation. :yay :yay :yay :yay :yay
Igy where do you find such good world cup softcore porn?
Reese, shut the farg up and die
Quote from: mussa on June 24, 2006, 08:49:51 AM
Igy where do you find such good world cup softcore porn?
That photo was on the front page of Yahoo three days ago.
i dont know if i got it on yahoo but i get them all off legitimate sites...just surfin the net brah
mussa, get back to the video game thread will ya--your boring me
Germany beat Sweden 2-0
Argentina beat Mexico 2-1 (OT)
E1 Italy vs F2 Australia
G1 Switzerland vs H2 Ukraine
B1 England vs A2 Ecuador
D1 Portugal vs C2 Netherlands
F1 Brazil vs E2 Ghana
H1 Spain vs G2 France
Argentina's winning goal was one of the more amazing things I've seen.
England-Ecuador was boring as hell, but England wins on a Beckham free kick in the second half.
4 red cards and 16 cards overall tie World Cup records. The Russian ref is going to be attacked for days...
oh yeah...1-0 Portugal over the Netherlands
That was one farged up game... also intensely amusing. Maybe it's the Philadelphian in me, but I love exceedingly poor sportsmanship in games where I don't have allegiance toward either side.
Headbutting, pushing, picking up the ball, and some of the worst fake falls and injuries of the Cup. The ref lost all control of the game.
Quote from: BigEd76 on June 25, 2006, 05:00:19 PM
4 red cards and 16 cards overall tie World Cup records. The Russian ref is going to be attacked for days...
oh yeah...1-0 Portugal over the Netherlands
Strictly speaking 22 yellow cards (8 of them converted into 4 reds). As the Dutch announcer said at one point: "There are 3 Portuguese without a card, who knows who they are..."
The ref lost control as the Portuguese tried to ruin the game from the 1st minute of the second half onwards, and the Dutch fell for it and went along nicely...
(http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/8435/20060626pus4002wp.jpg)
My god i love this girl
(http://xotcho.free.fr/photos/0501/miss_world_cupfull.jpg)
(http://msn.foxsports.com/id/5691908_7_1.jpg)
this girl got 'do me in butt' eyes
(http://bi.gazeta.pl/im/9/3416/z3416029X.jpg)
(http://www.strangesports.com/images/content/106682.jpg)
(http://www.strangesports.com/images/content/7993.jpg)
I wish Spain wouldn't have knocked in that own goal. I really want the French to lose.
Excellent. Absolutely excellent. :yay
farging French.
Germany beat Sweden 2-0
Argentina beat Mexico 2-1 (OT)
Italy beat Australia 1-0
Ukraine beat Switzerland 0-0 (shootout)
England beat Ecuador 1-0
Portugal beat Netherlands 1-0
Brazil beat Ghana 3-0
France beat Spain 3-1
=====================================
Germany vs Argentina
Italy vs Ukraine
England vs Portugal
Brazil vs France
Those should be some outstanding games.
Quote from: Drunkmasterflex on June 27, 2006, 05:31:56 PM
Those should be some outstanding games.
As long as France loses.
Germany vs Argentina on deck. Players just took to the pitch.
Quote from: Diomedes on June 30, 2006, 10:56:19 AM
Germany vs Argentina on deck. Players just took to the pitch.
Maybe the best matchup of he World Cup so far.
I'm supporting Argentina now that everyone I liked is out.
I have a lot of German heritage, so farg Argentina.
A lot of germans went to Argentina after WWII so there ya go
A lot of Nazis, you mean.
So you're saying they aren't Germans?
Exactly. The Nazis were from Texas.
Gooooo GERMANY!
Dio hates you now Nazi lover
Dio hates you too, Nazi hater.
Ha. All my nazi's live in Texas, that's why I hang my hat in Tennesseeeee...
(Kills self.)
Back to football: This one's gone to extra time. Nazis: 1 Nazi lovers: 1
Stupid Germany moves on. Winning on PKs.
I was rooting for Germany all along, obviously.
The team I root against always winds up winning. If this keeps up, France will win the World Cup. :boom
France, Italy and Germany all still alive. farging wonderful. I'm going to be forced to root for the English if this keeps up.
Damn Europeans.
(http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/rids/20060605/i/r569871982.jpg?x=302&y=345&sig=2N3p.bMiWU2aRvXjh8qW4Q--)
Go Germany.
Down goes England on penalty kicks.
the fan death count is up to 50 (http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2006/06/world_cup_death_4.html)
France is beating Brazil 1-0. :boom :boom :boom
farging frogs. >:(
I'm rooting for the winner of the Germany/Italy game.
Good to Brazil winning. Sure they are fun to watch and the women from that country are insanly hot, but its always good to see the powehouse team go down. But by no way do I want to see France win. Or those guidos from Italy. Or those nazi's from Germany. So...go Portugal?
Yep. Go Portugal!!
Quote from: QB Eagles on July 01, 2006, 12:47:19 AM
(http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/rids/20060605/i/r569871982.jpg?x=302&y=345&sig=2N3p.bMiWU2aRvXjh8qW4Q--)
Post of the year.
France was great against Brazil. Their team, unlike their country, isn't a bunch of pansies either. You don't see them fake injuries or complain half as much as Portugal or Italy, and Zidane/Henry/Ribery is a fun group to watch. That's who I'll be pulling for.
farging diving, shtein eating, whining, pissing, moaning, screaming, leg clutching Italians win.
Now I'm forced to root for France so I don't have to watch the farging diving, shtein eating, whining, pissing, moaning, screaming, leg clutching Portugese play Italy in the final.
I missed the Italian goal because I heard about the current crisis in North Korea. This is not good, I am sure I will hear about it tommorow.
They actually scored twice in the 119th and 121st minutes.
go Italy
Quote from: rjs246 on July 04, 2006, 05:49:36 PM
They actually scored twice in the 119th and 121st minutes.
Yeah well from where I am sitting the World Cup is much less important today.
Quote from: rjs246 on July 04, 2006, 05:49:36 PM
They actually scored twice in the 119th and 121st minutes.
That was a very exciting stretch of soccer action. Especially in HD.
I like the French team, because they're nothing like the country they represent.
Viva la France!
Quote from: FFatPatt on July 04, 2006, 09:33:06 PM
Quote from: rjs246 on July 04, 2006, 05:49:36 PM
They actually scored twice in the 119th and 121st minutes.
That was a very exciting stretch of soccer action. Especially in HD.
I like the French team, because they're nothing like the country they represent.
Viva la France!
Indeed. Couldn't echo that sentiment more.
Go France.
:paranoid
Considering that Serie A is in meltdown and it seems like half of the people associated with the Italian national team are under investigation for illegal betting, match fixing, and other forms of corruption, I'd get a good laugh out of them winning the World Cup.
Go Italy! :-D
An Italy-Portugal final would be fantastic. Italy could whine, cheat and dive and Portugal could play dirty and collect red cards like roses at a funeral. And then Italy could lose.
That would be alright with me. The only Italian I support anywhere is Valentino Rossi, but he's more God than Italian.
that italian goal was sick.
Which one..the first one, yeah?
Dio likes motorcycle racing?
Cool.
yeah, sorry. i didn't pay much attention to the second one because that was easy and the game was over for all intents and purposes
The second goal was pretty slick as well but yeah, it wasn't impressive like the first one was. Lehman is no joke...and he had effectively NO chance of stopping that blast.
France up 1 to nil on a Zidane penalty kick. Henry was fouled.
Spirited match, some good football.
Fargin' France wins. God damnit.
Quote from: rjs246 on July 04, 2006, 05:43:08 PM
Now I'm forced to root for France so I don't have to watch the farging diving, shtein eating, whining, pissing, moaning, screaming, leg clutching Portugese play Italy in the final.
And France is up 1-0 in the final after one of their players took a dive in the box. Sweet PK by Zidane though.
Beautiful header off an Italian corner kick and suddenly it's 1-1!
Extra time! Italy historically sucks at penalty kicks so they'll be looking to end this here as they did against Germany.
Zidane is playing injured in his last game for the French national team.
Both teams look tired as hell, but France has 2 subs still available.
Italy carried the play in the first half. They still look good on a lot of restarts and corners, but for the most part, France has carried the play since the half.
Still 1-1 after the first OT. Italy looks like they have absolutely nothing left in the tank, and you have to wonder how much longer they'll be able to hang with the likes of Henry and Zidane.
Buffon made an incredible save on a fierce Zidane header just a minute ago. For me, Buffon is the Man of the Match so far. If Italy can hang on for another 15, they'll need him in top form for penalty kicks.
De Rossi gets elbowed hard in the face. That's karma, bitch.
Zidane headbutts a man viciously in the chest! What cruel behavior in his final match -- he ought to be thrown out of the game but no ref has the guts to do so.
Zidane is finally booted out! This is huge, both Henry and Zidane are now out of the match!
We go to penalty kicks! Italy has a poor record at these but Buffon is clearly the superior keeper...
Amazing that in front of 1 billion people and in his final international match, Zidane has shown himself to be a poor sportsman (by executing a vicious foul that has no place in sports) and a poor teammate (by putting his team down 1 player in overtime at the World Cup Final). The legacy of one of the game's all-time greats has really been tainted.
YESSSSSSSSSS!!
Italy wins on penalties: 5-3!
Barthez sucks!
(http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/languagecentre/images/Italian/italian_flag.jpg)
farg Italy. A bunch of diving, flopping, dude-hugging, dude huggers.
Also, Zidane is a bitch. I love a good headbutt as much (or more) than the next guy, but how farging stupid can you be? OT of the final? Idiot.
OT in the final of his last World Cup game ever, not to mention he is France's best PK.
Couldn't have been a better outcome for France-haters. The Zidane red card tarnishes his whole career. It's like if Michael Jordan punched someone in the face during overtime of Game 7 of the NBA Finals, in the final game of his career. And then his team goes on to lose after he is kicked out.
Quote from: QB Eagles on July 09, 2006, 05:23:20 PM
It's like if Michael Jordan punched someone in the face during overtime of Game 7 of the NBA Finals, in the final game of his career. And then his team goes on to loser after he is kicked out.
Which I REALLY wish had happened. I hate that guy.
For those who didn't see it:
(http://img290.imageshack.us/img290/8141/zidane9ql.gif)
Zidane and Gus Frerotte must be related.
(http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/europe/european-union/italy/images/italy-flag.jpg)
:flipoff
OK...back to not caring about soccer for another 4 years...
I saw the pk's. the guy who missed will be dead soon.
even on the head butt the guy took a dive
jesus soccer players are bitches...close lock delete thread
good riddance to the atrocity that is this sport
I'm gonna have a good time at work tomorrow. I work for a French company. I figure when my boss asks me to do something, I'll say "or what? You'll head butt me??"
That will go over well.
The hottest girl I've ever seen loves me and she loves soccer too.
Please do me a favor.
F'ing kill me a lot.
:-\
I would just like to point out the hilarious irony that the U.S. team got defeated by both the Ukraine and Ghana. Yet, they somehow managed to force the eventual-champion Italians to score on their own net and play to a tie.
So, the U.S. team is just as good as the World Cup champs! Sort of! 1!
im more interested in how you know (or remember) who the us played in the world cup
Quote from: FFatPatt on July 10, 2006, 08:43:07 AM
I would just like to point out the hilarious irony that the U.S. team got defeated by both the Ukraine and Ghana. Yet, they somehow managed to force the eventual-champion Italians to score on their own net and play to a tie.
So, the U.S. team is just as good as the World Cup champs! Sort of! 1!
Ha. They lost to the Czech Republic, not the Ukraine.
IGY feels better.
I think it's supremely fun that the cheating, flopping, mincing little Italians--under investigation for fixing football matches back home--beat the supposedly high-minded French nancies because their hero and spiritual god Zidane played dirty.
It's the best of all possible worlds...the game goes to penalty kicks--the equivalent of both teams losing--and at the end of it all, everyone has egg on their face. FIFA, Italy, France. All of 'em.
Ha!
regis just held this up...good ish
(http://www.nydailynews.com/ips_rich_content/158-BACK_LARGE.jpg)
you love regis.
and i'm glad the world cup is over too. i was into it while the US had a chance but it became painfully boring after that. that match yesterday was one of the hardest things i've ever sat through. and i only watched the whole thing because i was at a soccer "party".
(http://www.deadspin.com/sports/upload/2006/07/mortalkombatzidane.gif)
look at doods feet just fly off the groud like a scud missle just hit his chest...hes the guy that shoulda been kicked out
Quote from: rjs246 on July 10, 2006, 09:09:48 AM
Ha. They lost to the Czech Republic, not the Ukraine.
What's the difference?
the ukraine is weak.
(http://www.spiritofsport.co.uk/images_versions/317.jpg)
Interesting theories from the NY Times:
Quote
"Why did Zinedine Zidane blow up the way he did before a television audience of hundreds of millions, with the world championship on the line? Nearly a day after Zidane's battering-ram head butt to the sternum of Marco Materazzi, we still don't know why. Speculation is flying, but it's all purely speculation. The French newspaper Nouvel Observateur does a nice roundup of theories, all unproven, including "whispers" that Materazzi said something to Zidane about the steroid scandal that surfaced at Juventus in the days when Zidane was playing there (The Independent), that there are "suggestions" floating around that Materazzi called Zidane a "terrorist" (The Guardian), that whatever Materazzi said to Zidane must have been "something grave, surely about his mother" (Bernard Tapie on TF1), that "one imagines that there was some provocation" and that Zidane "was in a state of nerves" (Minster of Sports Jean-Fancois Lamour on LCI).
All of those are just guesses. But the Brazilian TV network Globo — which earlier in the tournament had a team of lip-readers figure out what Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was saying on the sidelines and then offered a superbly dubbed video of Scolari (unfortunately now blocked to everyone looking in on the Globo Web site from outside Brazil) — has put its lip-readers to work on what Materazzi was saying to Zidane. The lip-readers' conclusion, according to Nouvel Observateur: Materazzi called Zidane's sister a "prostitute," twice, just before Zidane turned around and rammed his head into him. On the Sunday-night Globo show "Fantastico," the lip-readers said that Materazzi uttered those words just after he and Zidane were tied up together, with Materazzi's arm wrapped around Zidane from behind and perhaps giving what looked like a quick pinch to Zidane's nipple. In addition to twice calling Zidane's sister a prostitute, Materazzi, according to the lip-readers, also called Zidane an unspecified coarse word."
Have I mentioned how much I love headbutting?
A guy playing professional sports for that long isn't used to opposing players calling his sister a prostitute? Must be some truth to the allegation if he got so angry about it he had to headbutt a guy.
The Times (UK) has a pretty good article on the possible motivations for Zidane's attack. (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,28783-2263995,00.html) Looks like the insult was probably either racist, sexual, about Zidane's family, or all of the above. Whatever it was, I can't imagine how it would be any worse than the barbs yelled out at opposing players on a routine basis in stadiums around the world. Zidane needs thicker skin.
The Italians had also been harrassing him for the entire game. They were tackling him and he wasn't getting calls. They were tugging/pulling on him whenever he made a run. The goalie denied him of a fairly amazing header just before he got booted. And on top of that it sounds like they were verbally harrassing him. It sounds like the combination of everything made him snap. We've seen fights in every major sport here due to frayed nerves and frustration. Same thing in my mind. Only it included an awesome headbutt.
You don't normally see blow ups in World Series/Super Bowl/ Finals, though. Except maybe the crotch chop in basketball :paranoid.
It sounds like the combination of everything made him snap
he didnt snap or lose it...he was conversing with dook for about 20 seconds beore hand...wasnt heated or anything...then he even walked away....and when he came back he wasnt running or anything...he was walking composed calm even orderly towards the guy...calculating exactly what he was going to do then he did it...
that said i still think the other guy should have gotten the red card for flopping like a little bitch
Dr. Z on soccer (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/dr_z/07/10/zidane/index.html)
pretty good actually
Apparently this World Cup thing went so well a coordinator tried to kill himself. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060711/ap_on_sp_so_ne/soc_wcup_official_shot_1)
This Zidane thing sound like somthing that could have happened in my middle school. (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,28783-2263995,00.html)
some Zidane YTMND
http://zidanedeathstar.ytmnd.com/
http://neszidane.ytmnd.com/
http://materazzipole.ytmnd.com/
http://zidanegetsowned.ytmnd.com/
http://zidaneownsfidelcastro.ytmnd.com/
http://zidanewantscandy.ytmnd.com/
http://francefighter.ytmnd.com/
http://zidanesavesmaterazzi.ytmnd.com/
Zidane Flash game (http://www.helsdingen.com/zidane.swf)
(http://www.babalublog.com/archives/headbutt.gif)
that's farging hilarious
Real Soccer Training (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K45CBFbV2xM&search=soccer%20training)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/13/zidane_headbutt_outrage/
(http://regmedia.co.uk/2006/07/13/image003.gif)
That's funny.
i did
some more....
(http://regmedia.co.uk/2006/07/14/zidane_explosion.gif)
(http://regmedia.co.uk/2006/07/14/zidane_japan.gif)
and maybe the best...
(http://regmedia.co.uk/2006/07/14/zidane_jackal.gif)
ok is it just me, or did the italian guy look like he tried to get a kick in on the way down. watch his left leg, it whips up alittle fast. i mean he definetly did alittle acting on that headbutt.
btw that fire headbutt is sweet
Of course he did some acting. That's almost always the case when a player's ass hits the pitch. And a headbutt to the chest might hurt like hell, but I doubt it would knock me down if I were trying to stay standing.
I would have flopped too, most times it's the only way to get the refs to notice a foul.
Bruce Arena will no longer coach the U.S. team. Not a shock to anyone.
(http://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/mtv3/urheilu/futis/valmentajat/347126.jpg)
Hire this man.
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on July 14, 2006, 08:50:39 PM
(http://img.mtv3.fi/mn_kuvat/mtv3/urheilu/futis/valmentajat/347126.jpg)
Hire this man.
farging A.
The Ultimate Zidane HeatButt Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUjFRKWk6gQ&feature=TopRated&page=1&t=t&f=b
Quote from: MURP on July 16, 2006, 08:38:08 AM
The Ultimate Zidane HeatButt Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUjFRKWk6gQ&feature=TopRated&page=1&t=t&f=b
Ha! Nice.
Quote from: MURP on July 16, 2006, 08:38:08 AM
The Ultimate Zidane HeatButt Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUjFRKWk6gQ&feature=TopRated&page=1&t=t&f=b
Heh. Hats off to whoever made that Nintendo World Cup one (although the actual game looked more like Soccer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soccer_%28video_game%29) to me).
Quote from: MURP on July 16, 2006, 08:38:08 AM
The Ultimate Zidane HeatButt Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUjFRKWk6gQ&feature=TopRated&page=1&t=t&f=b
haha :yay
zidane you fail at futbol lol
I doubt your sincerity?
i resisted watching that all day. but i'm glad i relented.