WORLD CUP

[albrecht]

No thread so I figured I'd make one. So far a weird WC to me starting with the protest and questions in Brasil would be able to finalize everything so far though everything seems to be working. Saw lights go off for a bit during initial match and obviously ABC/ESPN is keeping the cameras away from any protests or the poverty. Watching the Dutch demolish Spain was a treat and a surprise (Hup! Holland! Hup!)

[Zoo]

I have been watching every game and loved when Spain lost badly. Just watch Germany destroy Portugal 4-0 with Muller getting a hat-trick. Getting ready to head out and watch the USA vs Ghana which we have lost to for the last 12 years but this year will be different. USA USA USA USA!!1
   

[Mind Flayer Monk]

I just watch Germany. And 4 goals today, we are advancing.

[albrecht]

USA! USA! Even that scary looking witch-doctor they showed in the stands after Ghana's tying goal couldn't stop us!! USA! USA!

[Zoo]

USA! USA! Even that scary looking witch-doctor they showed in the stands after Ghana's tying goal couldn't stop us!! USA! USA!

What a great game the fasts score of the world cup so far, then Ghana tied it in the second half and then BAM we score again USA USA USA USA USA!!!

Got Brazil and Mexico looks like Algeria going to take Belgium by 1. Then Russia and South Korea.   

[albrecht]

I just watch Germany. And 4 goals today, we are advancing.

Die Mannschaft looked very impressive. They are going to hard to beat if they continue that performance.

[ziznak]

#worldcupmyballs

[Yorkshire pud]

Private Eye is a fortnightly satirical paper in the UK. Never let it be said we can't take the piss out of ourselves!

[albrecht]

Private Eye is a fortnightly satirical paper in the UK. Never let it be said we can't take the piss out of ourselves!

Nice, though I imagine the other papers were more bitter in their headlines and commentary. I still got a copy of the paper when England won the Ashes and the players went on a drinking binge that was epic. Including being drunk meeting Blair and drunken interviews in the victory parade. Some of the photos were just hilarious and the celebration in Trafalgar Square so was much fun. I had a bag full of John Smith's with me and had a good time myself celebrating (even though I can barely understand the game.)
freddie flintoff interview - ashes parade 2005

[Mind Flayer Monk]

Private Eye is a fortnightly satirical paper in the UK. Never let it be said we can't take the piss out of ourselves!

They should all be hopping on just their right feet.
"That's right boys, leave the left foot at home for international play!"

[pate]

Hank Hill's Opinion on Soccer

& this one too:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-1Kn8YdVGZhs/mr_t_snickers_football_advert/

[Yorkshire pud]

Nice, though I imagine the other papers were more bitter in their headlines and commentary. I still got a copy of the paper when England won the Ashes and the players went on a drinking binge that was epic. Including being drunk meeting Blair and drunken interviews in the victory parade. Some of the photos were just hilarious and the celebration in Trafalgar Square so was much fun. I had a bag full of John Smith's with me and had a good time myself celebrating (even though I can barely understand the game.)
freddie flintoff interview - ashes parade 2005

Lol. Freddie Flintoff! I'd forgotten about that interview. Pissed as a fart. I bet the producer in the OB van was shitting himself he'd say something he shouldn't.

[Yorkshire pud]

They should all be hopping on just their right feet.
"That's right boys, leave the left foot at home for international play!"

Bear in mind that the majority of their club team mates are from other countries so will be playing against them in the world cup. It's why England and Scotland don't get far because the clubs and their supporters don't care about their national teams. FA cup a few years ago had (I think) 17 nationalities represented. There were only 22 players on the field!

[PB the Deplorable]

That goalie for Mexico against Brazil today was brilliant.  A new national hero is minted.

Of course if he scores an own-goal a little later in the tournament, they'll have him killed.

[maureen]

El Gato  (The Cat) Ochoa is certainly a hero here in Mexico!!!  It really was a marvellous match with Brazil!!

With family ties around the world, there are 7 teams I root for out of the 32. Now, I have a shot of tequila for the team playing and a shot for every goal.  Netherlands against Spain was a really drunken day!!  I'll be an alcoholic by the time the Cup is won!!!

[albrecht]

El Gato  (The Cat) Ochoa is certainly a hero here in Mexico!!!  It really was a marvellous match with Brazil!!

With family ties around the world, there are 7 teams I root for out of the 32. Now, I have a shot of tequila for the team playing and a shot for every goal.  Netherlands against Spain was a really drunken day!!  I'll be an alcoholic by the time the Cup is won!!!

I haven't seen a keeper perform so well in quite some time. He was amazing! It is a weird WC. Holland struggling against the Soccer-Roos after dominating the Spanish?

[albrecht]

Bear in mind that the majority of their club team mates are from other countries so will be playing against them in the world cup. It's why England and Scotland don't get far because the clubs and their supporters don't care about their national teams. FA cup a few years ago had (I think) 17 nationalities represented. There were only 22 players on the field!

wasn't there some talk in UEFA about having a percentage of national players on squads at some point? Not sure if anything happened about that.

What is worse, to me, this that even the FA Cup has lost prestige in recent times. To me it is the greatest competition in the world being so open and giving a small town a chance to get on a huge stage.

[Yorkshire pud]

wasn't there some talk in UEFA about having a percentage of national players on squads at some point? Not sure if anything happened about that.

Yes, I think so,and the Premier league are resisting it strongly; the thing is in the English FA we have the Premier League, then Championship League, League one, then league two..then the league below that is Conference, usually non pro.  Premier is the old Div one..C/ship, two, league one is the old 3, and league 2 the old 4.

A single TV company pretty much bank rolls the Premier league to the tune of millions and millions of pounds. Hence the vast amounts of money the players get. The fans pay through the nose to see the prima donnas fall over the white line, managers (oops 'coaches') get fired if they don't get the team into the European Championship league which is worth even more money.

Germany (Bundesleague) as far as I know is the only league that has a stipulation on the maximum number of foreign players that can play in any club. As a consequence they have a massively strong (and have done for years) national side that has had a big youth development project for many years. 

With all this money slushing around in the top flight (and it's the only motivation) the other leagues pretty much are left with the dregs, and the Championship league is seen as the hardest league to play in and get promoted out of (into the Premier league).

What is worse, to me, this that even the FA Cup has lost prestige in recent times. To me it is the greatest competition in the world being so open and giving a small town a chance to get on a huge stage.

What happens sometimes is when the FA draw is pulled out, and a lower league is drawn to a Premier league club, their is an assumption the lower league club will be murdered..But it often doesn't happen because of several reasons. The PL club doesn't see the FA cup as important enough to compete in and fields a weakened team and secondly, the lower league team has nothing to lose and is in their faces and kick them to ribbons. None of this 'beautiful game' stuff, they just go for it and often overwhelm the opposition who roll around on the park pretending they've been shot after a tackle...       

[TheMan WhoFell ToEarth]

#worldcupmyballs

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[albrecht]

Yes, I think so,and the Premier league are resisting it strongly; the thing is in the English FA we have the Premier League, then Championship League, League one, then league two..then the league below that is Conference, usually non pro.  Premier is the old Div one..C/ship, two, league one is the old 3, and league 2 the old 4.

A single TV company pretty much bank rolls the Premier league to the tune of millions and millions of pounds. Hence the vast amounts of money the players get. The fans pay through the nose to see the prima donnas fall over the white line, managers (oops 'coaches') get fired if they don't get the team into the European Championship league which is worth even more money.

Germany (Bundesleague) as far as I know is the only league that has a stipulation on the maximum number of foreign players that can play in any club. As a consequence they have a massively strong (and have done for years) national side that has had a big youth development project for many years. 

With all this money slushing around in the top flight (and it's the only motivation) the other leagues pretty much are left with the dregs, and the Championship league is seen as the hardest league to play in and get promoted out of (into the Premier league).

What happens sometimes is when the FA draw is pulled out, and a lower league is drawn to a Premier league club, their is an assumption the lower league club will be murdered..But it often doesn't happen because of several reasons. The PL club doesn't see the FA cup as important enough to compete in and fields a weakened team and secondly, the lower league team has nothing to lose and is in their faces and kick them to ribbons. None of this 'beautiful game' stuff, they just go for it and often overwhelm the opposition who roll around on the park pretending they've been shot after a tackle...     

Yeah, you know over here the television deals won't even use term "English Premiere League" or "EPL" it is all "Barclays Premier League."

The only place that Europe and the UK is more "capitalist" than the USA is in sports. Relegation, adverts on jerseys, buying/selling players, grabbing children at a very young age into sport development camps, sponsorship of stadium, flamboyant zillionaire owners (often foreign), etc.

I know that the big teams don't care about FA Cup but I still like it and love to see the mega-million teams being forced to play in some stadium that seats a few thousand, maybe, in some small town. And the chance for players, often with real jobs, get a chance to be on tv and maybe kick a millionaire in the shins!

[Yorkshire pud]

Yeah, you know over here the television deals won't even use term "English Premiere League" or "EPL" it is all "Barclays Premier League."

The only place that Europe and the UK is more "capitalist" than the USA is in sports. Relegation, adverts on jerseys, buying/selling players, grabbing children at a very young age into sport development camps, sponsorship of stadium, flamboyant zillionaire owners (often foreign), etc.

I know that the big teams don't care about FA Cup but I still like it and love to see the mega-million teams being forced to play in some stadium that seats a few thousand, maybe, in some small town. And the chance for players, often with real jobs, get a chance to be on tv and maybe kick a millionaire in the shins!

Yes; You said it better than I did!


Crucial for Spain tonight...they're out if they lose. Engalnd have to win against Uruguay tmw night.

[Yorkshire pud]

Don't tell Jaz that Holland beat Oz 3-2...

But this Cahill volley was good...Not as good as Lee Frecklington's at the Rotherham Utd V Leyton Orient division one playoff final (That was about 40 yards)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27912762

The fixtures:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/2014/schedule/group-stage

[coaster]

I don't follow the sport but I noticed a few of these games ended 0-0. How exciting..I am such an ignorant American.

[jazmunda]

I don't follow the sport but I noticed a few of these games ended 0-0. How exciting..I am such an ignorant American.

It's my one gripe about soccer. You can watch an entire game without their being a score. That's why I like watching just the highlights.

[jazmunda]

Don't tell Jaz that Holland beat Oz 3-2...

But this Cahill volley was good...Not as good as Lee Frecklington's at the Rotherham Utd V Leyton Orient division one playoff final (That was about 40 yards)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27912762

I was watching. We were never going to advance beyond the first round as we were drawn in a group with all highly regarded teams. That and we're no good.

[coaster]

It's my one gripe about soccer. You can watch an entire game without their being a score. That's why I like watching just the highlights.

Probably my favorite highlight ever of a soccer game-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_6b6Bk6bM8

[PB the Deplorable]

Probably my favorite highlight ever of a soccer game...

This is one of my favorites, it's what ought to happen to every trash talker in sports.

It's also the first thing I ever watched on YouTube

Zidane headbutt

[Yorkshire pud]

This is one of my favorites, it's what ought to happen to every trash talker in sports.

It's also the first thing I ever watched on YouTube

Zidane headbutt

Zidane is Algerian by descent. The Italian said his mother was an Arab whore. He was lucky to get a butt to the chest, and not have his head punched off his shoulders. Zidane was handy.

[Yorkshire pud]

Spain out!! The cup holders. I don't think that was predicted after their first two matches.

[albrecht]

Spain out!! The cup holders. I don't think that was predicted after their first two matches.

No wonder Juan Carlos resigned his crown. Nobody predicted this shame except maybe him. Wow.