Really OT : World Cup 2014

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

Fair enough chicken boy

Rest of the world is a bit keen on it though, and the first negative post was by (I'm assuming) a fan of American football and baseball (sports which I like, but not like I love football)

Anyone suggesting its a snooze fest just doesn't understand it, especially the world cup

Different strokes for different folks and all that. [8D]

[SenToku]

Interesting fact; They did run a survey asking; "Who will win World Cup?" in all the countries that participate. Winner; Brazil. Only in two countries did most ppl think someone else was likely to win; In Argentina where they placed they bet on Argentina (which has some merit) and in USA, where they though USA will win.

Is this complete ignorance of The Game? Or is it just normal American optimism?

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: SenToku

Interesting fact; They did run a survey asking; "Who will win World Cup?" in all the countries that participate. Winner; Brazil. Only in two countries did most ppl think someone else was likely to win; In Argentina where they placed they bet on Argentina (which has some merit) and in USA, where they though USA will win.

Is this complete ignorance of The Game? Or is it just normal American optimism?

One from column "A" and one from column "B". [;)]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: SenToku

Interesting fact; They did run a survey asking; "Who will win World Cup?" in all the countries that participate. Winner; Brazil. Only in two countries did most ppl think someone else was likely to win; In Argentina where they placed they bet on Argentina (which has some merit) and in USA, where they though USA will win.

Is this complete ignorance of The Game? Or is it just normal American optimism?

warspite1

Don't forget SenToku, most of those Americans that answered hadn't got a clue what the sport was that is played at the World Cup [:D]

[Cribtop]

My comments:

1) Many Americans (and Texans) are becoming soccer fans. Witness full stadiums in MLS (esp Seattle, Portland, Kansas City & Ohio) and full stadiums for the USMNT.

2) Many Amis are also now followers of the Premier League via cable. Come on you Gunners!

3) USA will not win, very lucky to get out. Sad as this is probably the best team we've brought to a Cup, just a horrible group.

4) The "penalty" in Brazil - Croatia was an absolute travesty. Should've been yellow for diving. The game needs to figure out a penalty for diving sufficient to discourage the practice. Players do it because on balance it works.

5) Netherlands just put down one hell of a marker today. Will be interesting to see how/if Spain responds.

6) Watch out for Uruguay, Belgium (I know, everyone's dark horse, etc), and maybe Colombia. Colombia so much more of a good dark horse if Falcao was fit, however. I still think England has a shot at getting out. Suarez allegedly can't play in the first match, that could make all the difference for that group.

7) To me, Germany, Brazil and, after today, the Dutch, are the favorites.

[panzer cat]

[:(]

[geofflambert]

The reason we can't win is because we just can't get the concept of diving. Jacques Cousteau; diving. Ingmar Bergman; flopping. In American Football the only reason you get dragged off the field is you count as a player against the total of eleven. We need to start training Russian wolfhounds to drag the players off by their jerseys, or the nape of the neck. American football players dive in order to spear an opponent. They don't flop for any reason. What they do is rip their own helmet off (which earns a penalty) and start beating the other guy's helmet. Hockey, of course, is superior, as you rip off the other guy's helmet before performing dental surgery.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: panzer cat

Soccer in the U.S is played by boys who's mom's do not allow them to play football, baseball or hockey. I'll pull for team USA, as the score scrolls across the screen during a Nat's game.

warspite1

I'm feeling that you haven't quite bought into the whole Football thing then? [;)]

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: panzer cat

Soccer in the U.S is played by boys who's mom's do not allow them to play football, baseball or hockey. I'll pull for team USA, as the score scrolls across the screen during a Nat's game.

Huh. Not where I come from. Maybe you haven't heard about the concept of seasonal sports?

The US is a big place, so maybe don't speak for places you don't know so much about. The fact that you don't list basketball as one of your mom-approved sports during the NBA finals is also a bit odd.

[ny59giants]

As a transplant to SE America from the north (Vermont and Upstate New York) for over 20 years, I can attest to the fact that American football is the number one sport. Friday nights in the fall see massive number of people at high school games. Then, there is Saturday football with some colleges/universities having larger stadiums that some professional football teams. Soccer will never get into the top three here (American football, baseball, and basketball). Its popularity has grown due to cable TV, but until the USA can actually win a World Cup I don't see it becoming a national sport.

[Cribtop]

I have to laugh at an earlier comment I made. I was driving home from a short vacation to the coast yesterday and missed the games. I asked the clerk at a gas station about the Spain - Netherlands score and he said 5 - 1. I assumed he meant 5-1 Spain, then came home to discover it was 5-1 for the Dutch! [8|] You can change my comment about Spain putting down a big marker to "Spain laid a big egg." [:D]

[traskott]

Don't understimate the power of the spanish team!!!

[Cribtop]

Oh, they're not dead yet, and if they have to lose now is the time, but a shocking result and you have to discuss the Netherlands now in any top 5 type discussion.

[traskott]

Even without referee "support", Brazil should win Dutch everytime, and there is still a lot of teams to be tested...

[bradfordkay]

Re: "flopping" or "diving". I believe that it should be a red card penalty and should be enforced more often - say whenever it happens and the player does not need to be replaced due to injury.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

Re: "flopping" or "diving". I believe that it should be a red card penalty and should be enforced more often - say whenever it happens and the player does not need to be replaced due to injury.

Really hard to enforce that. But if it's suspected there was a flop, maybe that player has to stay out for some minutes, like a penalty box in hockey. Have a referee review if they're down for longer than ten seconds, since there is plenty of time while he rolls and grimaces in false agony. Same for a tackle that receives a yellow card.

This would actually speed up the game because no one would actually want it to go to review if they flopped, obviously. If they really were brought down then you'd get a better idea of what card the offender should get. Might take away rough tackles as well.

[Chickenboy]

When hit by a high velocity rifle round in a soccer match, it's easy to understand why so many soccer players fall in agony. Witness this compilation for example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf_puN-S5OM&feature=kp

[:D]

[Chickenboy]

Or this one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4ZY9sJe0rY

[X(]

[bradfordkay]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

Re: "flopping" or "diving". I believe that it should be a red card penalty and should be enforced more often - say whenever it happens and the player does not need to be replaced due to injury.

Really hard to enforce that. But if it's suspected there was a flop, maybe that player has to stay out for some minutes, like a penalty box in hockey. Have a referee review if they're down for longer than ten seconds, since there is plenty of time while he rolls and grimaces in false agony. Same for a tackle that receives a yellow card.

This would actually speed up the game because no one would actually want it to go to review if they flopped, obviously. If they really were brought down then you'd get a better idea of what card the offender should get. Might take away rough tackles as well.

We are on a similar page here. My thought is that if the player is down for more than fifteen seconds then he is coming out of the game - for either an injury or a red card for flopping. This will speed up the game significantly. I know that getting kicked in the shins hurts - it certainly happened to me often enough in HS soccer. But that sort of pain does not prevent you from getting back up within a few seconds. The rolling around on the ground "in agony" is acting - trying to get another player carded. My theory is that if the player on the ground isn't injured seriously enough to come out of the game then he should be thrown out for his fakery.

[tocaff]

Just wait until you see Argentina play. They are known for playing dirty (fouling) and diving when a breeze hits them. Italy usually isn't far behind.

It's really tough to throw the judgement onto the official when he might not have the angle or been screened to see if a player dove or not. It's really rare for a player to be carded for diving.

The officiating so far at World Cup has left something to be desired.