The World Cup!

[Smack]

God dammit I really fucking hate it!

For the next month it'll take over the TV. The news will be infested with the scrawny overpaid pansies falling about and if England go out all I'll fucking hear is how they were 'robbed' or whatever... and if they bloody win I'll keep hearing about it until the next one!

Americans: be thankful your countries couldn't care less about soccer.

[Sami]

Last time, Scooby Doo (film) was bigger than the World Cup in America.

[SamGriffin]

Not everybody can afford GOMAD and a 5000calorie diet, and I can see how these people need a sport played on an international stage that they can relate with. As a compromise I propose that the World Cup of Soccer be contested by women only.

[Patrick]

I've had a pretty good time following the games with friends and I'm not much of a fan... I barely know the rules. The thing that confuses me is what's allowed and not allowed.

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itazmPooFj4) got a guy kicked out of the game (and they have to play a man down the whole time!). On the other hand, no one seems to get kicked out for sliding, spikes first (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kClN5CyC5g), into a dude's chest. I'm sure there's something about the angle of the contact, etc., but I have nfi how those two calls are consistent.

[LondonTiger]

I've had a pretty good time following the games with friends and I'm not much of a fan... I barely know the rules. The thing that confuses me is what's allowed and not allowed.

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itazmPooFj4) got a guy kicked out of the game (and they have to play a man down the whole time!). On the other hand, no one seems to get kicked out for sliding, spikes first (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kClN5CyC5g), into a dude's chest. I'm sure there's something about the angle of the contact, etc., but I have nfi how those two calls are consistent.

different refs i suppose.

i think it's about time refs used video replay and confer with assistant refs or linesmen before dishing out cards.

you can gety carded for protesting too much to the ref even.

this has to change.

[Dastardly]

Referee has to make a split second decision based on what they saw, I admit that cahill one was a very bad call.

There was obviously not menacing intent with that, he just accidentally slid into him. Red Card is harsh.

[simonsky]

fuck you smack! i thought this was about how awesome kicking balls are and that mascot called "zakumi".

[Marotta]

Oh, is that soccer thingy going on?

[Dragar]

Tired at work today, got up at 2:30 am to watch Australia get pummeled by germany…

[Alex Willess]

I do not know why some of you are hating on soccer. It is awesome because it is cheap and pretty much anybody can play. That statement aside, I took it as a PE class this last semester and it is the only way I will have fun running. On top of that, size is still an advantage big time in soccer, I would just get in the way and let people slam into me and fall on the ground. I am not a great ball handler, but I can play a pretty mean defense.

I also played soccer with starving orphans in Africa, they were barefoot and still beat the military team all but one time I played.

[Squatson]

Did you guys know that the new ball has less panels and no stitching, which greatly reduces the magnus effect?

[Alex Willess]

No I did not. I kept hearing them say stuff about the ball, but I guess what you are saying is that it is harder to kick a curve ball into the goal.

[Squatson]

True. The imperfections on the ball allow air pressure to build up around the ball which stabalizes the flight.

[burnsco]

www.soccersucks.net

[simonsky]

i admit, i hate soccer but 70sbig has its place in it....if you're the goalie.

i had it for PE last semester and even by just standing there looking how my skinny classmates struggle to kick the ball towards me. i just effortlessly place one hand on the ball's way and it will stop. my best moment was when i threw a ball i caught from my goal post to another goal and it went in. definitely uses some strength. oh and its not on a regulation court just in a basketball court.

[51M0n]

As a compromise I propose that the World Cup of Soccer be contested by women only.

I agree. An added bonus is that Australia's women's soccer team actually doesn't suck, unlike the men.

[Dastardly]

Top quality sports journalism from the NYpost:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs302.snc3/28705_439690707138_574062138_6102831_7074592_n.jpg

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

i admit, i hate soccer but 70sbig has its place in it....if you're the goalie.

That seems to be contradicted by evidence. None of the top goalkeepers have a 70s big frame. Most of them are quite tall and lissome (Edwin Van Der Saar being a prime, albeit extreme, example). Agility and rapidity of movement are most important for the role than outright strength.
Some of the best keepers of the past where hardly imposing (one name springs to mind: Dino Zoff), and I would say pretty few of them were 70s Big.

IPB

[Smack]

Top quality sports journalism from the NYtimes:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs302.snc3/28705_439690707138_574062138_6102831_7074592_n.jpg

Seen that yesterday. Only one word can adequately describe it: retarded. Is their geographical knowledge so poor that they do not know the different between Britain and England? And is their mathematical knowledge so poor that they do not know that their 1 goal is not more than England's 1 goal, thus making it a draw?

[Bif]

Disclaimer: I played soccer in high school in the 70s.

These things I still don't get:

1. Stoppage time. Why not just stop the fucking clock? Even when there is extra time, does anyone know how much? A whistle blows, the players stop and look around, then figure out the game is over.

2. Having a goalie in a game where a team that gets 10 shots on goal is a lot.

Nobody asked me, but what I would do is shrink the net by half in width and height, and then get rid of the goalie. You can keep the 11 players, but nobody touches the ball with their hands. That's the only change; have at it. If you could get scoring frequency similar to ice hockey or American football, then I could watch it on TV.

Somebody ping me when a goal is scored.

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

2. Having a goalie in a game where a team that gets 10 shots on goal is a lot.


You mean, like having one specialised kicker (sometimes two) for a game where you dont' normally kick the ball ?

:-)

IPB

[ColoWayno]

You mean, like having one specialised kicker (sometimes two) for a game where you dont' normally kick the ball ?

:-)

IPB
Ahh... I can't wait for football (American Style). The best game on Earth.

[Bif]

You mean, like having one specialised kicker (sometimes two) for a game where you dont' normally kick the ball ?

:-)

IPB

Ha! But at least the specialized kicker is involved in SCORING plays! Seriously, soccer is a good game. I know how much SKILL the players possess; I played the game. The lack of scoring, however, makes it uninteresting to ME as a TV sport.

I'm not sure how TV covers it across the world, but in the US many times you get these high, wide camera shots to incorporate many of the players in the action. With the lack of markings on the field, and the ball constantly going back and forth around midfield, it looks like a bunch of guys running around on the Serengeti Plain.

:)

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Ha! But at least the specialized kicker is involved in SCORING plays! Seriously, soccer is a good game. I know how much SKILL the players possess; I played the game. The lack of scoring, however, makes it uninteresting to ME as a TV sport.

That's perfectly fine for me. and to be honest, not all football matches are worth viewing (France-Uruguay springs to mind).

IPB

[OITW]

Seen that yesterday. Only one word can adequately describe it: retarded. Is their geographical knowledge so poor that they do not know the different between Britain and England? And is their mathematical knowledge so poor that they do not know that their 1 goal is not more than England's 1 goal, thus making it a draw?

Britain, England--Limeys is limeys. From the hangdog faces of my neighbors, they sure look like they lost. I don't know about this magnus/coriolis whatever effect, but the ball spun right into the ENGLISH goal out of their lissome goalie's hands when a yank kicked it. I'm going to hang the stars and bars out my windows and on my car and see if any limey knows the difference. And I thought you didn't give shit about this stuff.

[rdp]

And is their mathematical knowledge so poor that they do not know that their 1 goal is not more than England's 1 goal, thus making it a draw?
England was widely expected to win, likely by a fair margin. For the US, not losing was a major victory.

Anyone who missed this might have noticed the word "greatest tie" in big letters on the same page and figured out what the Post was trying to say.

Very clever headline writing.

[ColoWayno]

I thought the headline was hilarious. I would have printed it.
And if all you had seen was how fans from both sides reacted it's what you would have thought as well.

Also, that was a Post article not a NY Times article. Feel free to hate the NY Times though, I do.

[Rorschach]

Going shopping during an England match is great.

[rdp]

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itazmPooFj4) got a guy kicked out of the game (and they have to play a man down the whole time!). On the other hand, no one seems to get kicked out for sliding, spikes first (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kClN5CyC5g), into a dude's chest. I'm sure there's something about the angle of the contact, etc., but I have nfi how those two calls are consistent.
The distinction is supposed to be whether he's playing the ball or trying to hit someone. If you're playing the ball and someone happens to be in the way, you're allowed to clobber him. If you're trying to clobber him, you get penalized.

The guy who got kicked out should not have been kicked out. That was the worst ref call of the world cup so far. Even German papers thought the call was too harsh.

Officiating has been very good so far, IMO.

[strengthstarter]

I like watching soccer. I didn't watch the game everyone is talking about, but I actually think it is entertaining to watch. Certainly more entertaining than most baseball games. And since when is being 70's big the only legitimate form of athleticism?

The only thing that bugs me about soccer is the drama associated with fouls and all the playacting that goes on. (Has anyone noticed this starting to happen a little bit in basketball?) If they could get rid of this crap, I'd be much more inclined to watch.

So the scores are low. They are low in hockey too. I find watching the volley back and forth and battle for control of the ball interesting, and it makes the culmination of everything happening to actually score a goal that much more exciting.

[MazdaMatt]

I think part of the television issue is that in order to see what's going on in the game you have to zoom out so far that you can't see what people are doing. They look like they're lazing around... but if you follow close on a player these guys are fast as shit and they're getting worked out there. They ARE world class athletes. You just don't normally see that from the far zoom - which is necessary to watch the tactics unfold.

No love or hate from me, I just don't watch it.

[Alex Willess]

Soccer is a hell of a lot more entertaining than golf.

The reason other countries don't play much American Football is because they would get destroyed by the US every time.

[TomF]

...The reason other countries don't play much American Football is because they would get destroyed by the US every time.... and, they're busy playing soccer.

IMO, the reason why the vast masses in most of the world don't play American football is because you have to be middle-class to buy the equipment. Most people in the world aren't. Same reason explains why even in Canada, tens of thousands more kids play organized soccer these days than organized hockey. You face ripping stupid amounts of money to spend on equipment, skates etc. even before buying ice time. Hockey's fast becoming a sport for fairly rich families, right up there with downhill skiing.

Now, most football programs are run by schools, you might say, and the schools spring for the pads, helmets, jerseys etc. Not if you live in Latin America or Africa they don't ... many schools there don't even spring for textbooks and desks.

But pretty much anywhere in the world kids can either get a ball, or make one by tying together a bunch of rags. Soccer's vastly democratic, which is why it's the "world's game."

[LimieJosh]

Now, most football programs are run by schools, you might say, and the schools spring for the pads, helmets, jerseys etc. Not if you live in Latin America or Africa they don't ... many schools there don't even spring for textbooks and desks.

Sounds like Florida

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

Rugby has the same minimal equipment as soccer, why isn't that the worlds game?

[Sami]

I can't wait for England to get to the final. I'm going to rent a fast sports car and go driving through London.

[MazdaMatt]

Rugby has the same minimal equipment as soccer, why isn't that the worlds game?

Too many pussies in the world. They're busy playing soccer.

Now I've never played rugby or followed it in any way, but on the rare chance I get to see that silly fucking sport on television i'll sit down with some popcorn. You've got guys running full speed into each other skull-first, arms and feet snapping off and hitting guys on the sidelines and NOBODY has any teeth. Fucking hardcore.

[bowdirk]

T You've got guys running full speed into each other skull-first, arms and feet snapping off and hitting guys on the sidelines and NOBODY has any teeth. Fucking hardcore.

Thats Rugby?

I thought i was watching the special olympics...

-bowdirk

[hatmanii]

Don't be hating on Rugby.

-Hat

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

I played 10 years as a starter and was a top 3 scorer in my league and I still have all my teeth. Most guys I played with had all their teeth as well.

[foosion]

There's a theory US adults hate soccer because the US sucks at it.

What's odd is that it seems to be one of the most popular sport with younger people.

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

I don't like to play it due to the lack of contact and strength. See Rugby

[MazdaMatt]

Hat, I wasn't hating, that was love.
Jamie, the teeth thing was as much a joke as the body parts littering the sidelines.

It was just a comment on how hardcore that game seems to be - though I've heard that specifically Aussi rugby is crazy like that. I have seen some absolutely rediculous hits. I suppose caused by no equipment to slow you down or keep your bones in tact and an open field that lets you and your opponent get plenty of speed.

[TomF]

Rugby has the same minimal equipment as soccer, why isn't that the worlds game?I think because some soccer-like games have been played in many cultures 'round the world for centuries and more. A round ball's a pretty common thing, and making one that you kick is as obvious as picking up a heavy weight and putting it over your head.

There's evidence of a soccer-like game in China 3000 years ago, in Japan, in Persia, in Aztec South America, in Rome, etc. It's been played in one form or another in the UK for centuries. But it's a bit more offbeat to create a rugby or American-style football ball ...

[pwn]

http://livingelpaso.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/haters.jpg
The world cup is great.

[LimieJosh]

I don't like to play it due to the lack of contact and strength. See Rugby

Thats rubbish. Strength can be a huge attribute, you just have to have the speed and coordination to apply it.


I think because some soccer-like games have been played in many cultures 'round the world for centuries and more. A round ball's a pretty common thing, and making one that you kick is as obvious as picking up a heavy weight and putting it over your head.

There's evidence of a soccer-like game in China 3000 years ago, in Japan, in Persia, in Aztec South America, in Rome, etc. It's been played in one form or another in the UK for centuries. But it's a bit more offbeat to create a rugby or American-style football ball ...

Both those games were actually codified before "real football", and all evolved from the same sort of rugby/football like mob game. However, the way the games developed, at it's most basic level, association football is just far more intuitive than its cousins, which lends itself far more to spontaneous recreational play. It just easier to make sense of how to play,and that's obviously going to impact its popularity in terms of the number of people who play it

[OITW]

There's a theory US adults hate soccer because the US sucks at it.

Suck? We just KICKED ENGLAND'S BAHOOKIE!
Didn't you see the paper a few pages back?

[TomF]

Suck? We just KICKED ENGLAND'S BAHOOKIE!
Didn't you see the paper a few pages back?A 1-1 draw. An ass-kicking, by any standard. [/sarcasm]

[Sami]

I think soccer is getting more popular in the US because all the little soccer kids are grown up. When I was a kid, some of the parks had about 10 soccer fields and every weekend they were PACKED with games. Those kids are now the pros. It's growing. All the Soccer Moms are now Soccer Grandmas.

That's another thing, even in the US where soccer was not that mainstream, we still had WAY more facilities for aspiring kids. Even though it's way more popular here, and more people 'play' it, there's just NOTHING like the sort of opportunities for kids in the UK like there are in the US.

[Joel Chapman]

Because I didn't grow up playing or watching soccer, I can't appreciate the strategy and nuances of the game. I see fast, athletic guys kicking and heading a ball. Then I see a nasty collision with no yellow card, then what looks like a harmless bump get a yellow card.

If I watch baseball (I grew up with it) I can appreciate the strategy, etc. When I watch football, I know precisely what is a "good" or "bad" hit.

PS Wrestling was the first sport.

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

Mazda,

I got you. No worries.

WHen I was playing rugby, I tried to get people to play ALL the time. Such a pain in the ass. Everyone said they were coming out and maybe 1% did. Rugby is fairly easy to pick up. If you are athletic, you can go out after a week or two of practice and have fun, hit people and carry the ball a bit. You will continue to get better, but it's not super hard to just be able to play.

THats what I dont' get about football and rugby. They are much more approachable than hockey, basketball and soccer since the manipulation of the ball is much easier. Quarterback is hard, but other than that, it's catch run. Yeah, a rugby pass takes some work, but not as much as a soccer pass, let alone 1-1 foot work needed in soccer.

[Sami]

Why Soccer is Gay:

http://sportzfun.com/photos/albums/soccer/flying_footballer.jpg

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo137/DawgPound2008/Funny/Funny_Soccer_Images.jpg

http://www.lolcaption.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/soccer-self-wedgie-wtf.jpg

http://www.hilaryshepherd.com/rantsnraves/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/soccer-pee.jpg

[Sami]

http://upnextinsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/funny-sports-pictures-tetris-soccer.jpg

http://www.wayodd.com/funny-pictures2/funny-pictures-girly-soccer-players-pXt.jpg

http://www.footiewallpapers.com/pic_upload/funny-soccer-wallpaper-505.jpg

http://fhq.forumer.com/members/daxlo-albums-sportx-picture13-funny-soccer-2.jpg

[Sami]

http://images.paraorkut.com/img/funnypics/images/f/friendly_soccer_players-12473.jpg

http://www.guidetoself.com/guidetoself/Drogba_Dive.jpg

http://www.maniacworld.com/poor-acting-on-soccer-flop.jpg

http://cdn.epltalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/soccer-players-kissing.jpg

[Sami]

http://images.despair.com/products/demotivators/whining.jpg

http://www.motifake.com/image/demotivational-poster/1004/whining-soccer-pussy-whining-mongo-demotivational-poster-1270566341.jpg

http://houston.theoffside.com/files/2009/06/soccer-flop.jpg

[Squatson]

Every player in the World Cup has graduated from the Vlade Divac school of flopping.

[JayvH]

http://jetztimg.sueddeutsche.de/upl/images/user/ti/tiller/272168.jpg

Anyway, DEUTSCHLAND, DEUTSCHLAND!

I love this sport. It has nothing to do with barbells but we're good in it.

I just can't get any relationsship to things like basketball where almost every attack results in some points. Where is the excitement that you have with a relative rare event of a goal in soccer?

[Sami]

Vinnie Jones and Zidane are cool. Even for a Brit and Frenchman.

[Dragar]

I'm generally up for some soccer hating, but then you have to bring American football into the comparison?? Men in tights with shoulder pads where the game is stopped far more than it is on???

Aussie rules lads, best football code by a long, long way. Strength and violence, speed, skill, fitness, continuous play and no body armour

[rdp]

I'm generally up for some soccer hating, but then you have to bring American football into the comparison?? Men in tights with shoulder pads where the game is stopped far more than it is on???
The WSJ says that the ball is typically in play in American football for 11 minutes out of a 3 hour broadcast

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406.html

[Squatson]

11 minutes is still more "action" than I've ever seen in a soccer game. At least you know that those 11 minutes are going to be intense and entertaining.

[Rorschach]

Rugby has the same minimal equipment as soccer, why isn't that the worlds game?

Not quite. You can play around with a rugby ball, but to play a proper game you need the H thingy (it's late, my brain's not working well...).
It's also more complicated to play, you can practice football with just a tin-can.
That's part of the reason why world class teams often come from poor backgrounds (eg. Brazil). Football's a way out of the slums, and you can play it very cheaply.

There's also the culture too. Rugby started in public schools, and is still generally more popular in "posher" circles.
I'm reminded of an old saying: "Rugby is a game for barbarians played by gentlemen. Football is a game for gentlemen played by barbarians."

[Patrick]

I'm not directing this to anyone in particular in this thread, but here's my view: I love volleyball and I wish more people would play it and watch it with me.

With that said, I'm a fan of enjoying life. I think (American) football is a little slow but I'll watch the Super Bowl and enjoy the hell out of it. Same with post-season basketball, baseball, and even major car races. Hell... I've even watched HORSES run around just cause some friends wanted to get together with a couple beers and cheer for some strangely-named animals to run fast.

The World Cup is a massive spectacle and it's either something that can be enjoyed or a good reason for people who are never so happy as when they're complain to piss and moan. I know which camp I'd rather spend my day at the bar with. I don't have a horse in this race, but my country's playing and it's a reason to cheer and have some silly fun. My question is why the people who proclaim they don't care about soccer take every chance to complain about it. Go the extra mile if you don't care... don't whine.

[TrackJunkie]

In terms of sports, there's not much I like watching more than a good Keirin on the track. Six riders lead out by a motorcycle to 25mph(which is nothing to a track rider) on brakeless fixed gear bicycles, and a three lap all out sprint for the finish line? It's exciting as hell.
Japan bets on keirins like they're horse races!
Good competition with a great crash in this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MedBqoFPv-o
Match sprints are cool too. Check out the athleticism in this 40mph recovery. Slo-mo at 40 seconds in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-z0Kh0pvNM&feature=related

edit: and my post is even on topic since this is still the world cup!

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

Rorschac,

You are thinking of the posts, which are similar to field goals in football. You don't REALLY need them any more than you need a goal for soccer. sticks or something tro mark the ends. Yes, drop kicks for points become more difficult, but so it practicing ball control with a tin can. We used to pass half gallons of ice cream and 2 liter soda bottles around like rugby ball in the grocery store.

Either way, soccer lacks the contact of football and rugby (which are all related) and galic and aussie rules (which are related to each other). Then there is that crazy scotish game with sticks. Fuck that.

[simonsky]

I'm not directing this to anyone in particular in this thread, but here's my view: I love volleyball and I wish more people would play it and watch it with me.

With that said, I'm a fan of enjoying life. I think (American) football is a little slow but I'll watch the Super Bowl and enjoy the hell out of it. Same with post-season basketball, baseball, and even major car races. Hell... I've even watched HORSES run around just cause some friends wanted to get together with a couple beers and cheer for some strangely-named animals to run fast.

The World Cup is a massive spectacle and it's either something that can be enjoyed or a good reason for people who are never so happy as when they're complain to piss and moan. I know which camp I'd rather spend my day at the bar with. I don't have a horse in this race, but my country's playing and it's a reason to cheer and have some silly fun. My question is why the people who proclaim they don't care about soccer take every chance to complain about it. Go the extra mile if you don't care... don't whine.

i'm just biased to basketball because (the more aerobic) football gets shown more in the sports channel of our cable.

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

I'm not directing this to anyone in particular in this thread, but here's my view: I love volleyball and I wish more people would play it and watch it with me.


Hear, hear !
The thing that drives me crazy is that when you say you play volleyball, most people think about the beach version, and start winking at you.

IPB

[Sami]

Hear, hear !
The thing that drives me crazy is that when you say you play volleyball, most people think about the beach version, and start winking at you.

IPB

Look at this freak!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoKhEiAHfYs

[OITW]

The WSJ says that the ball is typically in play in American football for 11 minutes out of a 3 hour broadcast

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406.html

TV ruins football, baseball and basketball. When I was a boy, a Red Sox game took an hour and a half in the evening. Now MLB games have three-hour time blocks on TV. High school football games take two hours, but a NFL game is three hours. An NBA basketball game is four 12-minute periods stretched out over three hours. It's all about ad revenue, making time for commercials.

[ColoWayno]

Look at this freak!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoKhEiAHfYs

Life is not fair.

[rdp]

TV ruins football, baseball and basketball. When I was a boy, a Red Sox game took an hour and a half in the evening. Now MLB games have three-hour time blocks on TV. High school football games take two hours, but a NFL game is three hours. An NBA basketball game is four 12-minute periods stretched out over three hours. It's all about ad revenue, making time for commercials.
Compare soccer, which is two essentially uninterrupted 45 minutes blocks (and a few minutes of stoppage time) with a 15 minute break in between.

Not great for commercials. Not great for the attention deficit, short attention span crowd either.

[Dastardly]

SAMI - I am dissapoint!

Whats with all those random "soccer" meme's when the world cup specific ones (regarding the england game) are so great?

http://memegenerator.net/Beckham/ImageMacro/1318228/Beckham-Son-i-am-dissappoint-.jpg


http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l3yiaviYAW1qc88hko1_500.jpg


http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/6734/wonder.gif


http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l3yoa4P6xN1qzpwi0o1_500.jpg

[sergeant_81]

Ok, I tried. I made a valiant attempt to lay aside my prejudices and watch a soccer game. I attempted to forget all of the posters of half-naked, emaciated soccer stars that graced the dorm rooms of every female in American colleges. I reconciled myself with the fact that I saw the ball get taken away from a player because he stopped for a moment to adjust his hair when I watched a high school game a few years back. I tried to forget the media blitz behind Beckham and whatever Spice Girl he's fucking this week. I even admitted that American football and baseball have their shortcomings and shenanigans.

But Geezus H. Fucking Keeeerist on a pogo stick, I couldn't deal with the horns. That has got to be the most annoying goddamned sound on earth. I let that maddening bullshit play on the TV for about five minutes before I decided Celtics replays would be better.

I'm sorry, guys. I tried.

[Sami]

Yeah, I think the horn thing is new.

http://i.imgur.com/kTKdx.jpg

[TomF]

The horns are pissing off everybody except the South Africans. And some of them are pissed too.

[sergeant_81]

Sorry if I'm late to the bitching party about the horns. I'd heard about them on the radio a couple of times but really didn't know what anyone was talking about.

I have been educated.

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

OTIW,

High school football games are also 4 12 minute quarters, NFL is 15. Speaking of TV, you would have a hard time creating a sport thats better for TV than American football.

[bowdirk]

One of the great things about soccer is you can just turn the sound off and watch, there is nothing to explain...

And someone upthread totally nailed why it will never be a big sport in the USA, the TV stations won't televise it.

In the US, it is all about the ad revenue from commercials, and soccer is to non-stop for them to generate the $ they want to televise it.

Thank god for my DVR, I can actually watch an american football game in less than an hour by just fast forwarding through the 2 + hours of filler they have in each 3 hour game now.

-bowdirk

[Sami]

In Soccer, all the uniforms are ads. The sponsor's ad/logo is drastically larger than the teams'. I don't even know who most of the league teams are from looking at the jerseys. I think they've got like a little small patch on the shoulder and the rest is from some Korean Typewriter company or something. And the entire field is surrounded by rolling ads.

[Rorschach]

Indeed, there's huge money made off advertising in football (soccer).

And do you mean you haven't memorised the kit colours yet, Sami? :D

[OITW]

High school football games are also 4 12 minute quarters, NFL is 15. Speaking of TV, you would have a hard time creating a sport thats better for TV than American football.

High school hoops are usually 20 minute halves vice quarters, not sure of your point. Armed Forces Network does one thing right with NFL games. They replay them later in the week with all the stopped clock time edited out. The game takes an hour and a half, not three. Perfect.

So whose arse does Team USA kick next?

[Sami]

Indeed, there's huge money made off advertising in football (soccer).

And do you mean you haven't memorised the kit colours yet, Sami? :D

The first one, and one of the few, that I remembered was the Newcastle United shirt.

When I first saw them I thought, "Why do they have so many referees?"

http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/nechronical/jan2009/7/5/DA09670C-DD78-35A6-FA167CEC8FFE28AC.jpg

vs

http://sportschick.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/600px-american_football_referees.jpg

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

OTIW

You said

"High school football games take two hours, but a NFL game is three hours"

I highschool game is a total of 48 minutes (4 12 minute quarters) vs 60 minutes (4 15 minute quarters). I think there are also rule differences for clock stoppages and replays as well.

At the same rate of elapsed time to play time, an NFL game would 2.5 hours, not including time increases due to rule diffrences.

[Rorschach]

LOL, Northern Rock. :D

[OITW]

I think there are also rule differences for clock stoppages and replays as well.

At the same rate of elapsed time to play time, an NFL game would 2.5 hours, not including time increases due to rule diffrences.

That's just it. I don't know the rules for football, but for NBA basketball there are long commercial "time outs" inserted after the first dead ball after 3 minutes, and again after 9 minutes in each quarter. May be more now, that was in the 1980s. In the NFL, the 45 second clock isn't always running just so that TV can cut away to commercials. They stretch the turnover time after punts/field goals/points after/kickoffs obviously. Not to mention incomplete passes, watch how often they get cut away into a commercial. But baseball is the worst because they can stretch the gap each time the teams change the field.

Still, I can handle a three-hour football game, but a three-hour baseball game is just too much.

[Rorschach]

Good example of why I love the BBC. No adverts. :D

[Sami]

Good example of why I love the BBC. No adverts. :D

Or ITV that has ads during the goal! ;)

[bowdirk]

Still, I can handle a three-hour football game, but a three-hour baseball game is just too much.

Baseball: 1st guys throws a ball
2nd guy catches it
3rd guy scratches his nuts
2nd guy throws the ball
1st guy catches it
3rd guy hit his shoe with a bat
then he scratches his nuts
1st guy throws again
2nd guy catches it
repeat for 3 hours...

stupidest game ever...

[Albert1]

It you don't like a sport, any sport for that matter, it's fine, but to waste your time hating a sport is plain foolish.
I think a lot of people (older people) in the US don't understand the game, didn't grow up with it, don't get it and will never get it and that's ok.
However, younger generations, plus inmigrants who grew up with it and appreciate it for what it is are changing and will change the perception of the sport.
Advertisement for TV will not be such a big issue, since network TV is on its way out and cable does not depend as much on advertisement revenue.
The US soccer time has improved over time and anyone who knows anything about soccer knows that its a decent team with growing potential.
Soccer is truly a poor man's sport, which does not really on much equipment and on size and strenght, though they play a role. This is why some of the greatest and most skilled players in the world did not have to be huge to play it.
This is why a poor kid from a slum in some third world country can aspire to get a break and succeed playing it.
If I can succeed at anything regardless of my size, wealth and geographical location that means I'm no puzzie.

[Patrick]

Agreed at above about it being a waste of time hating a sport.

On the topic of rules, I still don't know them... there's free kicks, corner kicks, throw-ins, etc. I gather you get a free kick if you're fouled and it's at the site of the foul? And the rest of it depends on where the ball goes out and who hit it last... side versus goal line and defense vs. offense. I am still not sure. But it's not hard for anyone who has any intuition to tell who is controlling a match. The game tends to "flow" a certain way and the team that's in control, even if not scoring, is apparent.

[rdp]

If you're curious about the rules, you could browse:
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2010_11_e.pdf

Here's wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_the_Game_%28association_football%29

[Rorschach]

http://www.vuvuzela-time.co.uk/www.startingstrength.com/resources/forum/

[lanky]

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01652/Vuvuzela_1652021c.jpg

[pwn]

Ban football from vuvuzela concerts (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=134628129887183&ref=mf)

[Sami]

http://www.ihasaids.com/upload/data/1276610097.gif

[Smack]

Haha, England are shite!

[METAL VIPER]

I just got done eating lunch at a dirty Mexican taqueria and they had that shit on...I don't see the draw at all. Most boring activity ever

[Sami]

It was nice watching Mexico beat the shit out of France though.

[Dastardly]

It was nice watching Mexico beat the shit out of France though.

Indeed, the "supposed" good teams are really not holding themselves together very well.

France lost to Mexico!

England just poor.

Germany losing to serbia?

Spain losing to Switzerland.

This has certainly been an exciting and surprising world cup so far. England should really be ashamed of themselves, such an easy group they are in.
Im supporting North Korea, and they played so well! But how is it fair that they had to match Brazil? While england gets easy games like USA & Algeria.

I dont know who to support with N.Korea VS. Ivory Coast. I really want some African teams to do well, (proper shame SA is out), but I totally want N.Korea to get to the next stage.

Examples of the total unpredictability:

SA & Mexico Draw.

France & Uruguay Draw.

Then...

Uruguay decimate SA, 3-0

Mexico do the same to France: 2-0

How the hell did that happen?


It will be interesting to see what happens in Group D:

Germany thrash Aus 4-0 (The typical standard we expect from germany)

Ghana beats Serbia 1-0

Serbia beats Germany 1-0 (shocker!)

Next

Ghana must match Australia
If ghana is better than serbia, and serbia is better than germany, and germany has beaten australia 4-0 already, we should surely expect Ghana to win massively, like 8-0. But will that happen?

After that,

Ghana VS Germany.
&
Australia VS Serbia.

Ghana should supposedly beat Germany, and Serbia should be able to beat Australia by a massive margin too. But how will this all unfold?

[Rorschach]

Football isn't rock-paper-scissors. :P

[foosion]

Germany losing to serbia?
Playing with only 10 men due to bad refereeing could have had something to do with that.

[ColoWayno]

Did the officials just steal a win from Team USA?

[Sami]

It's always weird to me when the English people support some random fucking team. N. Korea? wtf?

I see it all the time, at my old college they were supporting Italy, Portugal, Brazil... anyone but England. Actually, I guess I shouldn't even say "English people" because it always seems to be non-whites that do this. They're still born in England and have lived here their entire lives, but they still support other random teams, not even their own countries, just anyone except England.

And even the proper white-English people boo their own team, in front of the players? http://news.myjoyonline.com/worldcup/201006/47922.asp

I suppose only if they're winning do they get proper full support.

[rdp]

It's always weird to me when the English people support some random fucking team. N. Korea? wtf?

I see it all the time, at my old college they were supporting Italy, Portugal, Brazil... anyone but England. Actually, I guess I shouldn't even say "English people" because it always seems to be non-whites that do this. They're still born in England and have lived here their entire lives, but they still support other random teams, not even their own countries, just anyone except England.

And even the proper white-English people boo their own team, in front of the players? http://news.myjoyonline.com/worldcup/201006/47922.asp

I suppose only if they're winning do they get proper full support.
Do you really want to post such overtly racist stuff? Non-whites can be as properly English as whites. They can be English, not just "English people" with seemingly disparaging quote marks.

[tallison]

proper white-English people

Americans' analysis of our own history of racism seldom spends much time asking where those attitudes came from. Having spent a few years in Europe, now, I think we (that is, Amercians) are about 100 years ahead of much of the rest of the world, enlightenment-wise with respect to the "all men [sic] are created equal" part of our philosophy.

Basically, imagine us 100 years ago - then imagine no civil rights movement, no attempts to come to terms with legal slavery, the injustices of western expansion and voter disenfranchisement - and you've pretty much got the attitudes of the average European today (actually, I hope it's not average, but it's awfully damn common). It's always a bit shocking to hear it expressed so casually.

[Sami]

Do you really want to post such overtly racist stuff? Non-whites can be as properly English as whites. They can be English, not just "English people" with seemingly disparaging quote marks.

lol, so instead of commenting on my own personal observations (which if you haven't noticed then you're blind), you thought you'd try to pull the 'race-card'. You're barking up the wrong tree there, my Mrs is a 'non-white' English girl.

I'm not racist, and I'm not saying that all 'non-whites' support foreign countries. But almost all of the people that I have seen that support foreign countries, are non-whites. It's a fucking observation. The people are still completely British/English citizens and have lived here their entire lives and completely adopted the culture etc. They just support seemingly random football teams from random other countries.

And if you listen to the way non-white people in England speak, they refer to all the white people as English people. They don't say white people (Afro-Caribbeans might, I don't know). If you ask Dastardly/LondonTiger/Babu, they'll tell you the same. That's why I put 'English' people in quotes. Because they never really refer to themselves as English, at least not the majority, and never privately.

If Mexico gets kicked out, but USA progresses, would American-born Mexicans not support the USA? I don't know tbh, maybe not.

But my main point is the lack of support that England get, even from their own fans, as seen by Rooney in the link.

[Sami]

I suppose "proper white-English" people sounds bad, it's really not supposed to. I'm not inferring that non-whites are not proper English at all, in any way shape of form. I was just trying to specify. I sounded like a bit of a prick, but that was just a poor choice of words.

[tallison]

I'm not racist...

OK, Sami, I'm kind of glad you responded (to rdp, at least). I still find a lot of what you're saying -- do you really think you can id "white English people" and "non-white English people" so easily and generalize about their beliefs and behavior so universally? -- but I'll grant you that how we talk about race in our separate social settings is subtle and what might sound like rabid racism coming from a Brit to an American ear might very easily not be.

I mentioned that Europeans don't share some of the Americans' experiences with race -- but of course you have the ultimate example of the evil brew that is nationalism and race-based thinking in what took place 70 years ago. It's unclear to me that the lessons of that experience have been fully absorbed, however. Hard times still seem to cause fractures along the same lines of "us v them" that they always have. One hears attitudes expressed by your average Joe, here (in Europe), that would be considered monstrous and monstrously stupid in most company in the U.S.

This brings us to an interesting issue with the World Cup. By making the competition one between nations, does it give a needed vent for or simply inflame sentiments of nationalism?

Until hosting the World Cup last time, for example, Germany had avoided overt expressions of nationalism since WWII. Now, the flags fly and the crowds chant and the emotions rise. Is this a good thing? If I felt like Europe had really come to terms with the kind of idiotic race- and ethnicity-based beliefs that gave us the Holocaust, I'd be all for a little sporting fun -- team sports are all about heightened emotion and expression of allegiance and fealty. But I don't see Europe having sorted this out and your talk of different ethnicities (mainly based on skin color) *in the same country* being differently loyal to the national team just sounds so 19th century and scary given what we've seen flowed from that...

But, hey, seriously? Who gives a shit, in the end, who wins these games? They're games. They're fun to watch and pull for your favorite team while they're being played, but there really needs to be a larger unity that exists outside their bounds -- not a sorting out of an entire society based on who's cheering and who's jeering Rooney and the rest. I've always understood very strong emotions *for* ones own team -- I've never understood, and find a bit troubling, the antagonism toward the other team's fans. The game is decided on the field. Using the game as an excuse for antagonism outside its bounds is just that -- using the game as an excuse for something else.

[Rorschach]

TBH, you're all making gross over-generalisations. There are racists on both sides of the pond. You can't claim black people are less patriotic or that Europeans are more racist than Americans based on meeting a few people.

With regarders to the World Cup, we have, on paper at least, a very strong team. When they don't play as a team, and struggle with what should be quite comfortable wins, are they expecting cheers?
I personally have very little time for professional footballers. They'e paid obscene amounts to kick a ball around a field. If they do that poorly, they should grow a pair and expect to be criticised.
If I were paid £100,000 a week as some players are, I'd have a thicker skin to a little boo'ing after an awful game.
Is it counter-productive to boo players off the pitch? Probably. I'm not going to lose sleep over how these poor guys are treated though. ;)

I'm of the opinion that flag-waving and blind support of a sports team isn't patriotism. Calling someone unpatriotic for being critical of a sports team is just silly.
And, if we're commenting on personal experience, I know a higher proportion of white English people than black English people who don't give a fuck about football and our national team. Making generalisations about a group of people based on little knowledge is the definition of prejudism. ;)

[ColoWayno]

Sami.... Sami, next time make sure your observations are more politically correct. After all, if it's not 100% PC, did you really observe it? ;)

[rdp]

ColoWayno, there's a difference between posting that non-whites never support the team and saying that only whites are proper English. Only one of these seems to be an actual observation.

Perhaps the word proper and the use of quote marks around English have a different meaning to Sami than they do to me.

[ColoWayno]

Blogging is a difficult way to communicate. You guys have worked it out so good for you.

[Sami]

ColoWayno, there's a difference between posting that non-whites never support the team and saying that only whites are proper English. Only one of these seems to be an actual observation.

Perhaps the word proper and the use of quote marks around English have a different meaning to Sami than they do to me.

I never said, nor intended, that non-whites never support the home team. I said that the only people I've seen hate the English team straight away, are non-white English. I'm sure there are some white English people that never support the English team either, Rorschach knows them, I don't. I mean the everyone here knows the English team suck, but they don't usually start rooting for some completely random opponent (as far as I've seen). But SOME do, and those FEW people that I've seen do that, are not white. That's not a racist thing to say, is it?

And, I don't know if you live in Britain or not, but the word 'proper' is used a lot more casually and generally than it is in the US. Like I said, most of the other races here refer to white people as 'English people' (I know because my all of my in-laws are Indian, my friends are Indian/Pakistani and that's just how they, and we, talk). Perhaps it sounds more racists than it is, so I suppose I'll have to be more careful next time. But in person, and with my in-laws and my Indian/Pakistani (they're called Asians here) all speak openly about. I suppose I got too casual for a forum where no one knows me personally. So yes, the meaning is slightly different, because I don't mean it in a negative way at all. I mean, I wouldn't say a black guy in America isn't a 'proper American' because no one speaks in those terms over there. They do here.

And really, I mean this in a much more general sense than racism and patriotism. In Houston, most people still supported the Oilers even though they SUCKED. But they're your damn team, and it was just more fun to support your local team. Not to the detriment of other people though, that's madness.

I just don't take sport/patriotism seriously enough to get so worked up and emotional about it for silly stuff like this, so the Holocaust isn't the first thing that pops into my mind. But I can see how it can be taken the wrong way.

[gzt]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/10357018.stm Stores in Scotland remove "Anyone But England" brand.

[Sami]

TBH, you're all making gross over-generalisations. There are racists on both sides of the pond. You can't claim black people are less patriotic or that Europeans are more racist than Americans based on meeting a few people.

OF COURSE we're over-generalising, most people do over-generalise when they don't think other people think they're racist.

With regarders to the World Cup, we have, on paper at least, a very strong team. When they don't play as a team, and struggle with what should be quite comfortable wins, are they expecting cheers?
I personally have very little time for professional footballers. They'e paid obscene amounts to kick a ball around a field. If they do that poorly, they should grow a pair and expect to be criticised.
If I were paid £100,000 a week as some players are, I'd have a thicker skin to a little boo'ing after an awful game.
Is it counter-productive to boo players off the pitch? Probably.

Neither am I. I just haven't really seen a home team booed diss'd by their own fans and local people like I've seen over here. I have a very simplistic look at sports, because I don't really care. When in Houston, I supported the Houston team, because it was more fun for me to be in that atmosphere. If it wasn't Houston, then whatever Texan team was playing. I didn't really give a fuck, and I didn't 'hate' the other team over it. It was just more fun for me as a fan to watch and participate.

I'm not going to lose sleep over how these poor guys are treated though. ;)

Agreed.

I'm of the opinion that flag-waving and blind support of a sports team isn't patriotism. Calling someone unpatriotic for being critical of a sports team is just silly.
And, if we're commenting on personal experience, I know a higher proportion of white English people than black English people who don't give a fuck about football and our national team. Making generalisations about a group of people based on little knowledge is the definition of prejudism. ;)

And like I said, I didn't really mean it as 'patriotism', but when I brought up races, then I guess I made it about patriotism. Lots of people don't give a fuck about football/sports. But if you do, most people at least support their local guys. The ones that I'm used to seeing that support some other random team is because maybe they were from there originally or have family or whatever.



http://ihasahotdog.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/funny-dog-pictures-interacial-dogs-porch.jpg

[ColoWayno]

Sami, here's a gift to you from Walter E. Williams for what it's worth.
http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/wew/gift.html

[Rorschach]

What a strange page.

[ColoWayno]

It's ok Rorsch, he's a humorist as well as an economist, but I'm sure not everyone appreciates his humor or economic theory.

[Sami]

All I know is that I'm not arguing about me being a racist anymore, because that shit is ri-goddamn-diculous.

[Andre]

I'm South African.
The FIFA World Cup is here.
I've watched as many games as possible.
The conclusion is clear: Soccer is for pussies. Real men play rugby.
Between the poor referees and player drama there's not much to watch.

A soccer player will fall down in agony over a missed tackle. A rugby player with blood streaming down his face must be told to leave the field.

Take note, the Southern Hemisphere is cleaning up in rugby. We'll even forgive the Aussies that one point loss today.

And those little plastic trumpets? We call them vuvuzelas. They really annoy the living shit out of everybody. I should know, I bought one and managed to irritate everybody I know, and a few I don't.

[Smack]

I'm South African.
The FIFA World Cup is here.
I've watched as many games as possible.
The conclusion is clear: Soccer is for pussies. Real men play rugby.
Between the poor referees and player drama there's not much to watch.

A soccer player will fall down in agony over a missed tackle. A rugby player with blood streaming down his face must be told to leave the field.

Take note, the Southern Hemisphere is cleaning up in rugby. We'll even forgive the Aussies that one point loss today.

And those little plastic trumpets? We call them vuvuzelas. They really annoy the living shit out of everybody. I should know, I bought one and managed to irritate everybody I know, and a few I don't.

Nah, we're about to do a number on the Pumas again tonight! :D

Anyway, as a South African, what would you say is more popular: wendyball (soccer) or rugby union?

[SeanL]

I'm South African.
The FIFA World Cup is here.
I've watched as many games as possible.
The conclusion is clear: Soccer is for pussies. Real men play rugby.
Between the poor referees and player drama there's not much to watch.

A soccer player will fall down in agony over a missed tackle. A rugby player with blood streaming down his face must be told to leave the field.

Take note, the Southern Hemisphere is cleaning up in rugby. We'll even forgive the Aussies that one point loss today.

And those little plastic trumpets? We call them vuvuzelas. They really annoy the living shit out of everybody. I should know, I bought one and managed to irritate everybody I know, and a few I don't.

Precisely!

One of the reasons soccer is not popular in the US is the fact that every player on the field will, at some point, flop on the field as though he's been hit with a battle axe. The ref will walk over, flash a card, and then the previously half-dead individual will hop up and sprint to a new position. Gay. Bad sportsmanship. And very, very unmanly.

In rugby you can often have an actual fistfight that the ref will "ignore" if you'll shake hands afterwards. Then at the post match social you're best friends drinking serious beer. Get blood binned, slap some duct tape over the offending wound and get back in the scrum. I personally have suffered a level 3 shoulder seperation and spent the last 20 minutes playing fullback rather than leave my side down a man. Guess that's why rugby has a Man of the Match award and a Soccer Girl "award".

[scoppi]

I'm South African.
The FIFA World Cup is here.
I've watched as many games as possible.
The conclusion is clear: Soccer is for pussies. Real men play rugby.
Between the poor referees and player drama there's not much to watch.

A soccer player will fall down in agony over a missed tackle. A rugby player with blood streaming down his face must be told to leave the field.

Take note, the Southern Hemisphere is cleaning up in rugby. We'll even forgive the Aussies that one point loss today.

And those little plastic trumpets? We call them vuvuzelas. They really annoy the living shit out of everybody. I should know, I bought one and managed to irritate everybody I know, and a few I don't.


andre, all i gotta say is, screw the bulls and fuck the boks.

but seriously, youre gonna destroy the all blacks this year :(

[Squatson]

I just watched Invictus this week, movie about South Africa and the 96 Rugby World Cup.

Looked up the guy who was fucking shit up in the film...Jonah Lomu....and he is more badass in real life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsXTa7UCGlk&feature=related

I have absolutely no idea what is going on in a Rugby match, and I would still watch it over soccer any day.

[Andre]

andre, all i gotta say is, screw the bulls and fuck the boks.

but seriously, youre gonna destroy the all blacks this year :(

We had better destroy them, otherwise I'll be eating many of my words.
Lacklustre against the Italians today, but I suppose the intensity is less if you know you're gonna win.(Boks 29 Italy 10)

[Magnetotail]

American Football >> Rugby

[Rorschach]

@Squatson totally. Lomu was and is a badass; something of a hero when I was a little kiddy playing rugby. ;)

[Smack]

Nah, we're about to do a number on the Pumas again tonight! :D

Yup, just as I said, we fuckin bet the Pumas again.

[Sami]

http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2010/6/19/f12896d9-07b2-4dcc-9782-d075f3ccc534.jpg

[ILiftAlone]

How can people look up to soccer players? I seriously have no idea how these pussies can be considered people who anyone would want to aspire to.

[Rorschach]

@Sami, that's Chabal, another goddamn beast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy5vc90ATws&feature=related

Speaking of the French, big drama in the World Cup camp. One of their members got sent back to France for arguing with the coach (weird, he's apparently one of the calmer players around), and the rest of the team were so upset with this they refused to turn up to training this morning.

Well, the French do like to go on strike. :D

[Patrick]

Well, the French do like to go on strike. :D

I actually lol'ed. Well-crafted.

[Kincain]

But how will this all unfold?

The Dutch will take the cup home! :D (I hate ... dislike football, but like the world cup, weird huh?)

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

All this chest-beating talk about "my sport is harder than yours" is amusing.

IPB

[Sami]

@Sami, that's Chabal, another goddamn beast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy5vc90ATws&feature=related

Yeah, I know. I made that pic. :D

[simonsky]

i just remembered why i hate soccer so much. kicking to ball like crazy takes 99% of the time and 1% is devoted to shooting at the goal.

that is why i like basketball so much , action never stops, lot of balls going through holes, and there is a shot clock!

i admit that if soccer games reach 100 goals it is very watchable for me, but it is not, thats why its booring. just like baseball. sorry americans.

american football on the other hand even though scoring is precious like soccer but not as much has "downs". you actually accomplish something the longer you have possessions rather than kicking the ball endlessly and it going out of bounds at 99% of possessions.

i am drunk. soccer sucks.

[ColoWayno]

i am drunk. soccer sucks.

Damn you. I haven't had a drink in 90 days.

[ILiftAlone]

Damn you. I haven't had a drink in 90 days.

Any particular reason?

[sergeant_81]

I think Colo's in a country where alcohol is illegal and it's somewhat hard to obtain any. Have to deal with the underground markets to get a hold of it.

[Rorschach]

Or time for some home brew (http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/000373.php)?

[Andre]

Soccer practice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ukFUEI5qz8&feature=player_embedded

[Sami]

Nice find.

This one is probably the funniest thing I've seen, and it's all real! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ioyt2zzm530&feature=related

[manisstrong]

While diving exists in soccer, it's still an awesome sport and amazing to play and watch.

To those that say that all soccer players are pussies and just fall on the ground and cry, read starting strength where it compares different sports in terms of injury rates. Soccer topped the list.

[Smack]

read starting strength where it compares different sports in terms of injury rates. Soccer topped the list.

So?

[strengthstarter]

To those that say that all soccer players are pussies and just fall on the ground and cry, read starting strength where it compares different sports in terms of injury rates. Soccer topped the list.

That doesn't change the fact that they routinely fake injury to draw a penalty.

[Sami]

They fucking NEED to introduce video playback. That will stop that shit in a hurry. It's fucking disgusting.

NOT A DIVE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF4iWIE77Ts

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

FOr it to be a head butt, doesn't your head have to hit their head?

[Sami]

No.

[Rorschach]

It's a butt from a head, you can headbutt a wall. :)

[Chewie_jrc]

...action never stops, lot of balls going through holes...


Thats what she said :)

[MazdaMatt]

Thats what she said :)

she should get that looked at by a doctor.

[simonsky]

what in the fucking lyle macdonald joeaveragestrength laden world does off-side mean?

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

what in the fucking lyle macdonald joeaveragestrength laden world does off-side mean?

Ah ! that's the litmus test for football cognoscenti.
The rule is simple: you are on-side if the ball, or at least two opposition players, are closer than you to the goal line. On-side players can take part in the game. Off-side players cannot, and if they do, it's a foul.

The reason for this rule is simple: it stops players from simply hanging about the goal, doing nothing but waiting for the ball to come to them. I think someting similar exists in basket, where a player cannot simply stand indefinitely under the net, waiting for the ball.

The implementation of the rule adds a few details, like the ability of the off-side palyer to influence the game, and the position of the defenders, which has a bearing on whether the player is indeed off-side or not.

But the gist is clear: you just can't stand in front of the goal, doing nothing and waiting for the ball.


IPB

[rdp]

The rule is simple: you are on-side if the ball, or at least two opposition players, are closer than you to the goal line. On-side players can take part in the game. Off-side players cannot, and if they do, it's a foul.
I'd add that off-side is measured when the ball is kicked by your team-mate, rather than when you get the ball. Also, to be off-side you have to be actively involved in the play.

[Sami]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offside_(association_football)

It has pictures.

[Tim]

Offside rule for girls:

You're in a shoe shop, second in the queue for the till. Behind
the shop assistant on the till is a pair of shoes which you have seen and
which you must have.

The female shopper in front of you has seen them also and is
eyeing them with desire.
Both of you have forgotten your purses.
It would be totally rude to push in front of the first woman if
you had no money to pay for the shoes.

The shop assistant remains at the till waiting.
Your friend is trying on another pair of shoes at the back of
the shop and sees your dilemma.

She prepares to throw her purse to you.
If she does so, you can catch the purse, then walk round the
other shopper and buy the shoes.

At a pinch she could throw the purse ahead of the other shopper
and, *whilst it is in flight* you could nip around the other shopper, catch
the purse and buy the shoes.

Always remembering that until the purse had *actually been
thrown* it would be plain wrong to be forward of the other shopper.

[simonsky]

thanks IPB. i knew more about something i dont care about. what a happy day.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offside_(association_football (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offside_%28association_football))

It has pictures.

why do you think i asked it here? i dont want to search for it, it is not worthy of my searchiness. instead, it should search me.

[SeanL]

thanks IPB. i knew more about something i dont care about. what a happy day.



why do you think i asked it here? i dont want to search for it, it is not worthy of my searchiness. instead, it should search me.

That. Was. Awesome!

[fuscia]

I comforted by my suspicion that our team (USA, USA, USA) would rather watch 'real' football than the game they play.

[rdp]

I'm increasingly annoyed at the US commentators who say that the controversy and resulting passion over some ref calls against the US team is sparking interest in the game. This is ridiculous. AFAICT, it's causing lot of people to regard soccer as an unfair game, rather than one they'll watch now that they know it exists. I don't know anyone who didn't care about soccer before who cares about it now, beyond some reflexive patriotism.

[JayvH]

Don't know if this was posted here already.

Soccer vs. Football (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sD_8prYOxo)

[Sami]

Don't know if this was posted here already.

Soccer vs. Football (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sD_8prYOxo)

Yeah, but then I just watch these and I feel better again. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuZz-eAcXYo)

And besides, we have basketball for all that constant running around, if we want. And they indeed use a ball and basket.

[SeanL]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVGtB9j7QCg

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

Rugby wins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVGtB9j7QCg

[Sami]

USA loses.

[Rorschach]

I'm on a course today, during the England vs Germany match. I don't particularly care, but dear god the rage from some of my colleagues. :D

[Sami]

'Twas pretty comical. I was in ASDA at the time and could here the shouting. lol

[JayvH]

Ze englishman is out of the cup!:D

[Rorschach]

I'm so glad i went to the gym instead of watching that match. :P

[ILiftAlone]

I'm so glad i went to the gym instead of watching that match. :P


Im just glad ze germanz won.

[Dastardly]

England deserved to lose, because they have been a poor team from the beginning of this. I was out in public cheering for them, but in the end, exactly what was expected happened!

Hope Ghana go far, and also expect to watch some exciting football from Argentina & such.

[Patrick]

Not a great weekend for anglophile soccer fans. Ghana and Germany outplayed the opposition.

[rdp]

Not a great day for fans of decent officiating. Very clear bad calls denying England a goal and awarding Argentina its first goal. It wasn't even close in either case.

At least England had been playing badly, but the blown call really discombobulated the Mexicans.

There's really no excuse for this.

[Smack]

Glad to see England knocked out, even more so when they were humiliated in the process! Every time the English football team lose, I get a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

[Rorschach]

Did someone just correctly use "discombobulate" in a weight-lifting forum? o_O

[George Noble]

It wasn't the call that screwed the Mehicans' psyche, it was playing it on the big screen (massive cock-up). They hadn't noticed it was offside until then.

England were hilariously bad. In the Portugal-Brazil game the importance of wingers doing defensive jobs was highlighted. Gerrard can't even stay on the left let alone defend that side. Second goal: Gerrard AWOL, Cole comes across, Terry and Upson don't communicate and both go to cover Cole, Johnson comes across to cover the centre backs and loses his man. Piss poor but wouldn't have happened if Gerrard did the job Sunday League left mids do. I doubt anyone on this forum cares, but Gerrard seems to be above invective so I thought I would vent.

I'm sad about Mexico. We used to play a game at school where we would grab someone, take them over a line that was the "Mexico border", shout "everything's legal in Mexico" and then beat them up. I've had a soft spot for Mexico ever since. I'm not sad about England. They're cunts, like Sepp Blatter.

[misspelledgeoff]

Quoted for posterity...


I...screw...massive cock


It wasn't the call that screwed the Mehicans' psyche, it was playing it on the big screen (massive cock-up). They hadn't noticed it was offside until then.

England were hilariously bad. In the Portugal-Brazil game the importance of wingers doing defensive jobs was highlighted. Gerrard can't even stay on the left let alone defend that side. Second goal: Gerrard AWOL, Cole comes across, Terry and Upson don't communicate and both go to cover Cole, Johnson comes across to cover the centre backs and loses his man. Piss poor but wouldn't have happened if Gerrard did the job Sunday League left mids do. I doubt anyone on this forum cares, but Gerrard seems to be above invective so I thought I would vent.

I'm sad about Mexico. We used to play a game at school where we would grab someone, take them over a line that was the "Mexico border", shout "everything's legal in Mexico" and then beat them up. I've had a soft spot for Mexico ever since. I'm not sad about England. They're cunts, like Sepp Blatter.

[George Noble]

I walked RIGHT into that one.

[rdp]

It wasn't the call that screwed the Mehicans' psyche, it was playing it on the big screen (massive cock-up). They hadn't noticed it was offside until then.
It could have been going down a goal that screwed them up.

I'd be really surprised that players at this level wouldn't notice that Tevez was way offsides. Players in other games have noticed much less egregious errors. Don't they have access to the TV feed?

I blame the officials and FIFA, not those who played it on the big screen.

[Smiler Grogan]

FIFA needs to get over themselves and come into the 21st century. Yes, it's wonderful and idyllic to have the human element of the game, but this is a modern society where EVERYONE but the players and officials is scrutinizing the replay. It's not a knock against the ability of the officials, it's an enhancement to the game that simply did not exist in previous times. It doesn't make the officals wrong, it makes them more right. When done correctly, instant replay improves professional sports. Football is too big worldwide and there's too much money and too many livelihoods at stake to not get the calls right. The sideline officials can't cheat up the field far enough to be able to see things like whether or not the ball was fully over the line, especially when the spin kicks it right back into play. The official was perfectly positioned and moved immediatley when he saw that it was a shot and not a pass, there are just certain things that can't be seen by a few people on a big pitch. Limit the number of appeals, limit the plays that are reviewable, and get the ridiculously allowed/disallowed goals and laughable red cards fixed.
I think American professional sports have handled it pretty well.

[George Noble]

Two extra officials would mean goal line technology isn't even needed. Look at tennis. 9 times out of 10 those guys get it right even if it's millimetres of difference. Most matches go without an overrule and many go without even a successful challenge, even though there are many more mistakes that could be made. Most courts don't even have Hawk Eye (even at pro level) but the games work because there are enough officials to watch every line and they are extremely good at their jobs.

[Patrick]

Two extra officials would mean goal line technology isn't even needed. Look at tennis. 9 times out of 10 those guys get it right even if it's millimetres of difference. Most matches go without an overrule and many go without even a successful challenge, even though there are many more mistakes that could be made. Most courts don't even have Hawk Eye (even at pro level) but the games work because there are enough officials to watch every line and they are extremely good at their jobs.

I think this is an excellent point, but it wouldn't have changed the result of the two non-goals the US had to deal with. It's already been mentioned, but there's so much at stake with each goal that it's almost criminal not to employ some video replay, even if it's strictly limited to score-changing situations.

[Rorschach]

http://img.thedailywtf.com/images/mark/errord/070210/image001.jpg

That certainly is controversial...

[Chewie_jrc]

http://img.thedailywtf.com/images/mark/errord/070210/image001.jpg

That certainly is controversial...

Did I miss something there?

[TrackJunkie]

What contintent is south africa on again?

[Kincain]

Brazil sucks! HAHAHAHA, sorry I'm just very happy

[Miro]

That game GER vs ARG was insane. I never thought Germany would dominate Argentinia to such a degree. It's like you see two giants starting a brawl and think it's gonna be a tough fight and then one just starts to beat the other to a bloody pulp.

Just like that.

[simonsky]

That game GER vs ARG was insane. I never thought Germany would dominate Argentinia to such a degree. It's like you see two giants starting a brawl and think it's gonna be a tough fight and then one just starts to beat the other to a bloody pulp.

Just like that.

just like lesnar v carwin! fuckin A! way to go Brock!