SOCCER NATION!

[AngraRULES]

Interesting point - I would not have thought about it that way. I think that the new fans that are paying attention (of which most will probably not pay attention for 4 more years) are just not used to it, like you said.

But at least there are some new fans, for the time being. A friend in the office who couldn't have cared less about soccer 3 weeks ago was bummed when he brought back his lunch today and the afternoon games hadn't started yet (we have a TV in a common area).

And Milton, you were right about Honduras. Yeah, they were missing a player or 2 for injury, but so are lots of teams. They didn't fare well at all, though at least they salvaged a point today. I still dare any team to try to play a WC qualifier in Central America!!

I love the fact that there are new fans now. As a matter of fact, there are so many people who I've encountered in the past few weeks who have said "I've never cared for it, never really paid much attention but now I'm totally hooked and addicted to it."

I told my boss a few months ago that I would need lots of days off for the WC. His decision? Well, considering that my room in our office is the video editing room and we use a a 52" 1080p TV as one of our monitors was to add a cable box into that. (We literally have a mini movie theater in the office). Yet, the Brazil games I just couldn't not be home.

And, regarding Honduras, it's all good. We have some teams that are considered shitty in South America and yet they are a bitch to beat during the qualifying (especially in the Andean mountains...it sucks to play at high altitude). Bolivia is pure shit, yet every now and then they friggin' beat us with a stick.

By the way, any chance any of you *may* wanna take a trip up here and catch Brazil x USA after the WC? Game will be played at Giants Stadium I believe. I'm so there.

 

[Saladbar]

Baseball doesn't have instant replay and it's America's past time.

 

[rms]

an argument against non electronic referees

Chilean player got the red card

 

[Saladbar]

an argument against non electronic referees

Chilean player got the red card

This wasn't a dive, look closely at the beginning of this gif you can see the knee of the Chilean player hit the ankle of the Spanish player. Granted it looks more like and accident that didn't merit the second yellow card but it wasn't a dive.

 

[GoRillaBoy76]

3 things that the US needs to work on:

1. Closing down better in the defense

2. Find some strikers, there are 300,000,000 people in the US surely we can find 2 that can play forward

3. learn that there are halves in soccer and that it is ok to play in the first half


Never stop fighting, never give up (even if your body does)

GO US!

 

[AngraRULES]

an argument against non electronic referees

Chilean player got the red card

Shit happens. I wanted to ask you just out of pure curiosity, considering how popular soccer became in Korea since 2002. How were the reactions post elimination?

 

[AngraRULES]

3 things that the US needs to work on:

1. Closing down better in the defense

2. Find some strikers, there are 300,000,000 people in the US surely we can find 2 that can play forward

3. learn that there are halves in soccer and that it is ok to play in the first half


Never stop fighting, never give up (even if your body does)

GO US!

Let me add another three rules the USA need to follow after today's match

4. The first 15 and the last 15 minutes are the most important in the game. They are the periods where it is the hardest to keep your focus on. The US really needs to focus better and stop allowing goals in the first few minutes. Unacceptable.

5. Finalizing a play. Player have show they can make the plays, but when it's time to "convert it", they can.

6. Re-read and re-apply 1-5 IMMEDIATELY.

 

[GoRillaBoy76]

Let me add another three rules the USA need to follow after today's match

4. The first 15 and the last 15 minutes are the most important in the game. They are the periods where it is the hardest to keep your focus on. The US really needs to focus better and stop allowing goals in the first few minutes. Unacceptable.

5. Finalizing a play. Player have show they can make the plays, but when it's time to "convert it", they can.

6. Re-read and re-apply 1-5 IMMEDIATELY.

Rules 2 and 5 seem to go hand in hand. how defense even though it can be very weak at times is improving over the years and we have young players that should continue to improve.

our midfield is very strong, one of the strongest I have seen in this World Cup, but we have no threat up top. If I was giving them a grade it would go like this:

keeper - B+
defense - C+
Midfield - A+
forwards - F

However, IMO we have the first generation of world class US talent(most nations are on about the 6th generation of world class talent) so we just need to continue to have young guys go over seas to develop their skills, we need to improve the level of skill here in the states (MLS), we need to play more challenging world class teams in friendlies and farther the understanding of the sport here in home.
I would have loved to them go deeper into the Cup but we just are not there yet. but if we can keep that never say die spirit and the team play that we have shown and add some talent to it we will see the US continue to gain respect

 

[AngraRULES]

Out of curiosity, how many of you guys actually follow the MLS, go to games, etc.? I'll admit that I don't, but I think I'm gonna start watching games on a regular basis. I just watch them when they're on really, for some reason the MLS never really grabbed me. Maybe it will now?

 

[Saladbar]

Out of curiosity, how many of you guys actually follow the MLS, go to games, etc.? I'll admit that I don't, but I think I'm gonna start watching games on a regular basis. I just watch them when they're on really, for some reason the MLS never really grabbed me. Maybe it will now?

Funny I was thinking the same thing.

 

[GoRillaBoy76]

I just watch it casually, I am waiting until they get i team in the southeast and then I am going to become a die hard fan of that team and try to make a game a year.

 

[AMBR]

This wasn't a dive, look closely at the beginning of this gif you can see the knee of the Chilean player hit the ankle of the Spanish player. Granted it looks more like and accident that didn't merit the second yellow card but it wasn't a dive.

Totally don't see that, but whatever.

As to following the MLS, I don't go to games, 'cause I gave up going to all sporting events when we started BEC radio (it was kind of the point for me; stop spending money on sports and support music) but I do follow the standings and keep up with events on the internet.

 

[rms]

Shit happens. I wanted to ask you just out of pure curiosity, considering how popular soccer became in Korea since 2002. How were the reactions post elimination?

It's all of a time of the month thing here, Koreans are incredibly big bandwagoners

 

[Pellaz]

Baseball doesn't have instant replay and it's America's past time.

They've added replay, but only for decisions regarding home-runs.

 

[No-Mercy]

Baseball doesn't have instant replay and it's America's past time.

but the only calls that are ever really "blown" are an out call every once in a while.
i mean there are no fouls or penalties cos its not a contact sport...so the only call that is really ever a big deal is between safe or out, and they very rarely get it wrong.

that and we do have instant replay for homeruns lol.

that aside...im sad the US is out. i thought we had the making for a final 4 run at least.
@Angrarules...there has been a ton of new support- huge rise. im seeing it first hand...weve had viewing parties around philadelphia on east coast every game that has drawn thousands which is unheard of for soccer in america.
but i have to say...one thing that will keep alot of fans from truly connecting to it is how dishonorable it is played and accepted. im sorry, but after Ghana scored 2nd goal, ive never seen such a pathetic performance. no athlete who acts like that has any business winning anything in my opinion.

oh well, at least they made it incredibly dramatic and fun for us while it lasted!

 

[AngraRULES]

@Angrarules...there has been a ton of new support- huge rise. im seeing it first hand...weve had viewing parties around philadelphia on east coast every game that has drawn thousands which is unheard of for soccer in america.
but i have to say...one thing that will keep alot of fans from truly connecting to it is how dishonorable it is played and accepted. im sorry, but after Ghana scored 2nd goal, ive never seen such a pathetic performance. no athlete who acts like that has any business winning anything in my opinion.

oh well, at least they made it incredibly dramatic and fun for us while it lasted!

Well, here's what Americans need to learn when it comes to soccer: A little bit of malice is part of the game. Just ask anyone anywhere in the world. It's not dishonorable... in soccer, it's just part of the game.

 

[GoRillaBoy76]

I know what you are saying Angra, cuase here on the high school level there is no 3 sub limit so if we have the lead close to the end of the game, I just started subbing every one in and out just to eat up the clock. and in football I have asked a player to stay down when I didnt have anymore timeouts. It is all just part of the strategy of sports, but this is on the professional level and there was nothing sporting about the manner in which they were wasting time, the ref easily could have started showing some cards, and with as many players as they had with one card already that really could have changed the game. but it is up to the ref to decide to do that or not, so all I can say is the fans where justified to be chanting bull shit.

So just give us some time to bitch, you would do the same if it happened to Brazil. However the are still many matches left to enjoy and so far my bracket has been shot to shit, but as long as Brazil and Argentina meet in the final then I will have atleast got that right.

 

[AngraRULES]

I know what you are saying Angra, cuase here on the high school level there is no 3 sub limit so if we have the lead close to the end of the game, I just started subbing every one in and out just to eat up the clock. and in football I have asked a player to stay down when I didnt have anymore timeouts. It is all just part of the strategy of sports, but this is on the professional level and there was nothing sporting about the manner in which they were wasting time, the ref easily could have started showing some cards, and with as many players as they had with one card already that really could have changed the game. but it is up to the ref to decide to do that or not, so all I can say is the fans where justified to be chanting bull shit.

So just give us some time to bitch, you would do the same if it happened to Brazil. However the are still many matches left to enjoy and so far my bracket has been shot to shit, but as long as Brazil and Argentina meet in the final then I will have atleast got that right.

I hear you. I didn't mean to make that sound offensive, and I'm sorry if it came across that way. I will tell you one thing though, I didn't catch the final few minutes of the USA x Ghana game. I will go ahead and rewatch that (all WC games are in my DVR, lol). I am all for killing the time if you have possession or if you're ahead in the score, but I also think the ref should intervene if it's being done deliberately dirty (which by now, that seems to be the case).

I would bitch, of course, if it happened to Brazil. France did that to us in 06 and it sucked. In South America, it seems to me that teams like Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia are *masters* in doing this. I mean they will waste 20 minutes if they can just by faking injuries, one after the other... It sucks, but I have come to accept it as part of it.

Now... Moving onto today's matches: I think Germany and Argentina will advance, although I'll be strongly rooting for Mexico.

And as I type this, Klose just scored for Germany. 1-0.

 

[AngraRULES]

Hey Tailwakker,

Is your Playstation ready for the English World Cup title?

 

[Taliwakker]

Until last night i was totally against goal line technology

Is your Playstation ready for the English World Cup title?

Yeah....got my ass handed to me by the French in the semifinals


Obviously if the second goal was allowed its a completely different second half....England have momentum and don't have to push up and leave themselves exposed at the back for those deadly german counters. The first goal was an embarresment...(who plays long ball game Franz?) but all game they made the most of a very slow English backline. Hopefully England take a good look at the squad for Euro 2012 and don't use the disallowed goal as an excuse for this WC performance.

Going for Spain or Netherlands now due to Liverpool connections....can't cheer for the Argies no matter how much i like Mascherano though.