World Cup the debacle in Europe

[Guest Sanjar]

Is anyone interested? Colossi of Europe collapse. The fans and the media of the unhappy countries are in fury and despair. The account of the Times is not so dramatic. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/sports/soccer/21iht-WCFRANCE.html?ref=sports

My favorite team of th World Cup is always the team with the most good looking players. This year I have not decided yet.

[+ ArVaGuy]

I'm stunned at how bad the major Europeans are playing. Couple that with some horrible officiating it’s been a very interesting World Cup for me. The French squad goes on strike, the Italians defeat themselves, and England seems to be taking its cue from the French with all the dissention about Capello. It's been one hell of a soap opera but Maradona at least provides comic relief.

 

I can’t decide on the hottest looking team either. But Brazil, Italy, and USA have fielded some real hot guys this year.

[+ deej]

Blame the vuvuzelas.

 

There are a bunch of guys around my age here. Does anyone but me remember those things becoming popular (and quickly banned) on college campuses in the 1960's? Football teams complained they couldn't hear the plays being called, and after all the years now I can see why!

[doitb4ugo]

Me Too

 

Blame the vuvuzelas.

 

There are a bunch of guys around my age here. Does anyone but me remember those things becoming popular (and quickly banned) on college campuses in the 1960's? Football teams complained they couldn't hear the plays being called, and after all the years now I can see why!

 

Hey Deej,

 

I remember them as well in the late 60's...I remember them being sold/gifted at small local town carnivals etc....they were very noisy...Seems to me I remember blowing one at a high school football game when wearing my "Melton cloth" benchwarmer coat which was De Rigueur during those days.

[fedssocr1]

Italy? Hot? Really? Number 3 is pretty cute but otherwise they are all pretty ugly to me. Especially their diving, cheating tactics.

 

For me it's the Dutch. And maybe Chile. There are a few cute Mexicans too. One of my friends loves the ultra-tight Puma shirts the African teams are wearing that show off their incredible physiques.

[seattlebottom]

All I can say is : Viva Chile

[+ ArVaGuy]

The French are Revolting...Again

 

Ahhh, the French just being themselves. Now not only has the team revolted but now the sponors have as well.

 

http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Sponsors-desert-France-as-Sarkozy-and-Zidane-cha?urn=sow,250080

[+ kontor1]

Hmmm...

 

To me C.Ronaldo is extremely good looking, however I am not that big fan of the Portugal national team. I do not really like the German "nationalelf" but after their first game against Australia I thought they have a very reasonable chance to win the World Cup. (However after the second game I no longer share this idea). I am usually an England fan but they have been incredibly bad... there are simply no words for that... Anybody with any favorite teams or players? I can see how you guys pick a favorite player (by looks) but how do you pick favorite team(s)?

[fedssocr1]

I pick favorite teams mainly by the way they play. Do they play hard, but generally fair? Do they share the ball and run a lot off the ball? So in the club world it's a team like Barcelona. In the WC it's teams like Spain, Chile, South Korea to an extent, Argentina, The Germans who played in their first match, but not quite so much the second. The USA of course...gotta represent.

[+ kontor1]

I pick favorite teams mainly by the way they play. Do they play hard, but generally fair? Do they share the ball and run a lot off the ball? So in the club world it's a team like Barcelona. In the WC it's teams like Spain, Chile, South Korea to an extent, Argentina, The Germans who played in their first match, but not quite so much the second. The USA of course...gotta represent.

 

I see... It makes sense. I am usually an England fan because since my age of 5, I have been a Manchester United fan (at that time they only finished around 12th-14th places). But I have to admit Latin-American teams are doing incredibly well so far. I hope tomorrow England will beat Slovenia and the USA beats Algeria so both England and the USA can proceed from their groups.

GO USA!

[+ ArVaGuy]

I see... It makes sense. I am usually an England fan because since my age of 5, I have been a Manchester United fan (at that time they only finished around 12th-14th places). But I have to admit Latin-American teams are doing incredibly well so far. I hope tomorrow England will beat Slovenia and the USA beats Algeria so both England and the USA can proceed from their groups.

GO USA!

 

I don't think England is going to beat Slovenia. They have almost as many issues as the French squad (who got sent home via coach charter instead of FC) from my perspective. Rooney has been too much of a primadonna even for WC players. If memory serves, he's not even scored an international goal since September.

 

The USA is going to have to face an Algerian squad that I think may play a bit tougher than expected. There could be similar stunts like IVC tried against Brazil in the last 20 minutes of their match. Expect lots of elbows and plenty of feigned injury from Algeria. At least "Sleepy Eyes" won't be refereeing that match or any other for that matter.

 

My two favorites are the USA obviously - "gotta represent" as was said earlier and Italy as I'm of Italian decent. However, it appears to me that Argentina may go all the way to the final match. They've played well though out. Now is this because they've assembled the better players or are those players just afraid of Diego Maradona?

[+ kontor1]

I don't think England is going to beat Slovenia. They have almost as many issues as the French squad (who got sent home via coach charter instead of FC) from my perspective. Rooney has been too much of a primadonna even for WC players. If memory serves, he's not even scored an international goal since September.

 

The USA is going to have to face an Algerian squad that I think may play a bit tougher than expected. There could be similar stunts like IVC tried against Brazil in the last 20 minutes of their match. Expect lots of elbows and plenty of feigned injury from Algeria. At least "Sleepy Eyes" won't be refereeing that match or any other for that matter.

 

My two favorites are the USA obviously - "gotta represent" as was said earlier and Italy as I'm of Italian decent. However, it appears to me that Argentina may go all the way to the final match. They've played well though out. Now is this because they've assembled the better players or are those players just afraid of Diego Maradona?

 

USA is my favorite as well I am glad to see that they were qualified for the World Cup and doing pretty well so far! It is also understandable why you cheer for Italy I know that Englad has many issues currently but I am hoping that they will overcome with all their problems and will beat Slovenia however it will not be an easy match. I think this World Cup can be a big chance for the Latin-American national teams. They have been doing surprisingly well!

[Luv2play]

I don't follow soccer at all but was amused yesterday when I heard some French Minister (female) castigate the French team publically. Really, politicians like that are such swine. If they tried to kick the ball around they would get their asses kicked pretty swiftly!

[+ ArVaGuy]

I don't follow soccer at all but was amused yesterday when I heard some French Minister (female) castigate the French team publically. Really, politicians like that are such swine. If they tried to kick the ball around they would get their asses kicked pretty swiftly!

 

That was the Sports Minister (they have such?) and she did so at the orders of President Sarkozy. The performance of the French WC squad has affected the outcome of several national elections. The French take their dominance in soccer very seriously and it's a matter of national pride. (So French, eh?)

Further, they packed the team up immediately after the match on to a charter coach class jet instead of the A380 First Class which the team arrived on.

[Guest]

All these scores of 1-1, 0-0, 2-2, 1-2 etc. And it seems that most of the few scores that happen are due to penalties. I can't be the only guy who thinks that soccer scoring needs to change to make the game more appealing. I suppose the simplest solution would be to make the goal area bigger. As it is, the game seems rather silly, because the current way of scoring doesn't seem to produce a clear winner.

[+ kontor1]

I would argue with that...

 

All these scores of 1-1, 0-0, 2-2, 1-2 etc. And it seems that most of the few scores that happen are due to penalties. I can't be the only guy who thinks that soccer scoring needs to change to make the game more appealing. I suppose the simplest solution would be to make the goal area bigger. As it is, the game seems rather silly, because the current way of scoring doesn't seem to produce a clear winner.

 

Even in this World cup you could have seen matches with high scoring...

 

Portugal - North Korea 7-0

Brazil - Cote d'Ivoire 3-1

Germany - Australia 4-0

Argentina - South Korea 4-1

South Africa - Uruguay 0-3

 

And they have not even finished the group games... So I can not agree with you on that one... Theoretically you are right, usually there are not many goals like in "baskettball, football or other popular sports" but if a team is very good then they can score lots of goals in a game... it is possible and does not happen too rarely as you can see!

[+ ArVaGuy]

I see no need for FIFA to change the scoring simply to accommodate North American preferences. To me US football is absolutely just as boring as Americans find soccer. A one hour game that takes over 2 hours because the ball is not in play and moving most of the time. And why call it football when the ball is handled, passed, and carried?

Whereas in soccer, the match is 90 minutes with only a few minutes of extra time added for when the ball is not continuously in play. Further a WC player during a standard match will run between 5 to 8 miles up and down the field. In American football a player will at most cover no more than 200 yards during one game.

Change the points system in US football and you have similar scores. Why six points for scoring a touchdown? A game ending in 18 to 12 is really 3 to 2. Also, we have this need to have a clear winner thus playing overtime till somebody wins. However, in soccer a draw usually is seen as a win or loss for one team or the other. For example Italy should have beaten the hell out of New Zealand but were held to a draw. That should have never happen to such unevenly matched teams. The number five ranked world standing (and past WC champs) held to a draw by the 78th ranked team? Mama Mia!!

If there is one change in the rules out of this series it will likely be the use of instant replay. Though FIFA opposes such because it would slow the game down to review calls. However, after the US had a goal stolen by an incompetent referee and Brazil had a major player disqualified unjustly, I can see where this might be necessary.

Still I hope that they don't institute relpays in FIFA scantioned games. Part of the great fun of real football is the rivalries that get created by such calls. Grudge matches that last for decades with fans long rememberinig the slights. That doesn’t happen in US football to the same extent.

[Luv2play]

That was the Sports Minister (they have such?) and she did so at the orders of President Sarkozy. The performance of the French WC squad has affected the outcome of several national elections. The French take their dominance in soccer very seriously and it's a matter of national pride. (So French, eh?)

Further, they packed the team up immediately after the match on to a charter coach class jet instead of the A380 First Class which the team arrived on.

 

I'm glad the French aren't a world power anymore. Maybe this is the fate of former powers. Off with their heads!

[+ ArVaGuy]

I'm glad the French aren't a world power anymore. Maybe this is the fate of former powers. Off with their heads!

 

France was a world power? Who knew?

[Guest DuchessIvanaKizznhugg]

Grudge matches that last for decades with fans long rememberinig the slights.

 

Sounds like the MC, no?

[Guest Sanjar]

Sounds like the MC, no?[/color][/size][/font]

 

Probably more harsh and certainly with much longer history. Germany has long and bitter and probably permanent memory of the 4-3 loss against Italy in 1970 final and 2-1 loss against Italy in 2006 semifinal. I Can not forget that in 2006 I fell in love with Sandro Del Piero for ever.

[+ kontor1]

I don't think England is going to beat Slovenia. They have almost as many issues as the French squad (who got sent home via coach charter instead of FC) from my perspective. Rooney has been too much of a primadonna even for WC players.

 

See ... what did just happen?! :)

I hope tomorrow England will beat Slovenia and the USA beats Algeria so both England and the USA can proceed from their groups.

GO USA!

[+ ArVaGuy]

See ... what did just happen?! :)

I hope tomorrow England will beat Slovenia and the USA beats Algeria so both England and the USA can proceed from their groups.

GO USA!

 

I'm very glad to see that USA made it to the next round. While I could not watch the match at work, I followed it on line. Though interestingly enough, about 200 people packed Union Jack's pub near my office to watch both matches simultaneously. This info was given to me by two of my co-workers who cut out in time to catch the last half of both matches.

 

That England advances is good but still I would have like to seen Slovenia move onward. It appears that England may have dealt with their "issues" and moved on to actually performing. But the next round will tell the tale on that issue.

 

USA USA USA

[Guest]

Even in this World cup you could have seen matches with high scoring...

 

Portugal - North Korea 7-0

Brazil - Cote d'Ivoire 3-1

Germany - Australia 4-0

Argentina - South Korea 4-1

South Africa - Uruguay 0-3

 

And they have not even finished the group games... So I can not agree with you on that one... Theoretically you are right, usually there are not many goals like in "baskettball, football or other popular sports" but if a team is very good then they can score lots of goals in a game... it is possible and does not happen too rarely as you can see!

 

Well, it seems that today every single game was decided by no more than one point, including the one-point difference that are advancing the U.S. and England (of course, England is not exactly a country recognized by the U.N., but I guess the British need four chances to get ahead??). Well, the English taxed our tea, then polluted our gulf. Shall we meet them in the World Cup??

2010 FIFA World Cup™: Latest Matches - Add to iGoogle

Ghana 0 : 1 Germany - Highlights

Australia 2 : 1 Serbia - Highlights

United States 1 : 0 Algeria - Highlights

Slovenia 0 : 1 England - Highlights

 

I still maintain that these types of game scores show that the rules/scoring should be updated.

[MsGuy]

FIFA has 205 member associations, over 200,000 clubs with about 240 million players, not to mention several billion fans worldwide. I figure they must know what they're doing.

 

The business of soccer:

http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/BERA/issue3/soccer.html