World Cup

[dw51688]

Who's your bet? My best bet... is... (you'll see)

and just to say i am kinda annoyed in terms of the NBA, so I'm switching to soccer. I wanted the Celtics (myself living in Boston) to win Eastern, then the Kings (cause I really hate shaq) to win Western, but lookie lookie, I'm so lucky to have both of them lose.

I hate Jason Kidd, but I reallllllly hate Shaq. But I really hate Kidd but I really hate Shaq, but i really hate Kidd... Then again I really hate Shaq. but i really hate Kidd... Then again I really hate Shaq. This could go on forever because I really hate Kidd, but I really hate Shaq. Never mind. DIE KIDD! but DIE SHAQ! but then again I really hate both of them. (sigh)

 

[theorgg]

I heard Kai is gonna win.

 

[Apollo]

I love the World Cup. I've been trying to stay up to watch some of the games, but I can usually only watch about half of the 2:25 ones before I have to go to bed. But I'll be up to watch the entire U.S. game sunday.

Moving on, I hate this NBA series. I don't really like the Nets, and I hate Shaq, Kobe, and the type of game the Lakers play. I totally wish the other two teams had won too.

But since they didn't, we have to focus on the World Cup! My fellow stupid Americans just can't appreciate the art of soccer that these guys are playing. Even the scoreless tie between France and Uruguay was beautiful to watch. Ahhhh... soccer...

 

[Purple_jester]

Augh. Soccer. Scoreless ties and games won by 1-0 are the exact reason why I dislike the game. Players running around an oversized field, with contact being illegal, and scoring once or twice in 90 minutes...

Where's the blood? Where's the points? Back and forth they go with the ball, and it never gets anywhere. I guess that's why they scream GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL whenever someone scores. It's a phenomenon that the ball actually got where it was supposed to go. At least in golf (which I also dislike), you know the ball gets into the cup eventually.

Disgusting.

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I still think Brazil will win.

 

[Apollo]

Haha. Everybody else I know feels that way.

Have you ever played the game? I think you have to have played it to appreciate it.

And I think England will win. Not that they're that good, but that nobody else has really impressed me yet either. And David Beckham is cool.

 

[Lotus Mox]

You know what sucks? In Germany you have to get Pay TV to watch all the games, only one game is shown in Free-TV per day.

I hope our team wins. They aren't really all that good, but maybe they get lucky .
At least they've had the highest win of the cup so far: 8:0 vs. Saudi-Arabia

 

[Mikeymike]

Where's the blood?

That is supplied by the fans, whether it be a staduim riot where guard-rails collapse and scores are trampled to death, or when over-zealous Columbian fans assassinate the goalkeeper.

 

[Apollo]

Or when psycho Russians riot in the streets and kill Japanese street musicians after Japan beat Russia in the Cup!

(That actually just happened--pretty pathetic)

Oh, and Michael Owen, of England, is also really cool. And I don't want Germany to win, they've got enough Cups already.

 

[Lotus Mox]

Originally posted by Apollo
Oh, and Michael Owen, of England, is also really cool. And I don't want Germany to win, they've got enough Cups already.

Micheal Owen, he's pretty good, and yeah he's cool enough to fake a foul which got England a penalty shot, poor Argentinians

And Germany has to win, so it can keep the cup forever.
But they can only do that when they play in top form, which they don't have right now IMO. And even then they'd have a hard time defeating teams like Brazil.

Now wouldn't it be a bit strange if they'd have to make a new cup? The current one is such a widely recognized symbol.

 

[Gizmo]

Im a huge football fan, and actually nearly made it as a professional player. Did you know the current world cup trophy is in fact the second trophy? The first, the 'Jules Rimet' trophy was awarded permanently to Brazil when they won it for the third time and the current trophy replaced it (largely I think because the Jules Rimet trophy was a horrid piece of 1930s art-deco tack).
Its thus not inconceivable that a new trophy would at some point be made.

As for who will win.

England can beat anyone in the world 1-0, or 2-1. But those results come at the end of superhuman efforts against the best teams, and we will have to play too many such games to win the cup. I think the law of averages is that we`ll falter at some point.

Brazil are doing well, but are in a weak group against opponents who are sitting back and waiting to lose. I dont think the current Brazil side would be favourites against a top team.

Argentina were most people`s pre-tournament favourites but the defeat to England has changed that - beware that one result doesnt kill this team, though - they are still very strong. However the England result does show just how lopsided the ability is in the Argentinian team is - they have more world class forwards than they can put on the pitch at any one time, and no good defenders.

France... where the hell are they? Im not sure who it is playing in the blue and white at the moment, but it sure isnt France. No Zidane, no Henry, no Pires, and apparently no clue.

And my favourites, Italy, despite their loss to Croatia. The loss was ill-deserved as they had a good goal ruled out, and Croatia were always a dangerous team. Italy have the best goalkeeper in the world, the best defenders in the world, and in Vieri one the very best strikers in the world. Just as importantly Italy have also been drawn in the easiest side of the world cup draw - of the five teams mentioned here as contenders, four of them are one side of the draw and so it would be a shock if they dont make it to the final, at least.

 

[Gizmo]

"or when over-zealous Columbian fans assassinate the goalkeeper."

It was the right back who scored an own goal, knocking Columbia out, in fact.

Theres more blood in soccer than in American football, or baseball, probably even more than in Ice Hockey. Its cos they dont run around in Kevlar body suits and huge helmets. What sports do you watch, PJ, live cock fighting?

But I think it`s true... playing football is pretty much a pre-requisite for understanding whats going on completely. You can watch it, yes, but if you play as well then you can see the patterns develop in the play and it becomes fascinating in the extreme. It`s like the difference between slapping cards down in casual play when you first started playing Magic, and a seasoned tournament player watching somebody play, who takes account of what is actually going on in the game.

 

[Spiderman]

I just think it's amusing in a pathetic sort of way that soccer is the one sport that everyone, or most countries, plays (except for the Olympics, but I consider that a "conglamorate" of sports) yet the US is almost a non-factor in it. Meanwhile, we (the US) has "world championships" for baseball, basketball, and football where it's largely just the US. Go figure.

I don't watch soccer either, but it just seems a bit weird from an outside viewpoint

 

[Apollo]

yet the US is almost a non-factor in it.

Well, actually, in women's soccer the U.S. has been pretty dominant. But in men's, yeah, I see your point.

Gizmo: You almost made it as a professional? Cool. Anyway, I don't know much of anything about Poland; how do you think the U.S. stacks up against them?

 

[Spiderman]

Women's soccer in the World Cup or in the Olympics? I got the impression it's the latter, but like I said, I don't really follow it...

 

[Gizmo]

Poland qualifyed unbeaten from a weak European group but have been absolutely battered in the world cup. The US by contrast are a team which nobody expects anything much of (I mean, they`re American) and yet has been impressive.

Poland are out, so they have nothing to play for really, whereas the US has everything to gain, so technically they should be trying harder. I havent seen enough of the US to be sure, but from the performances the Poles have put on vs Korea and Portugal I`d say the US has a great chance.

My head says US to win it comfortably, but my gut says that the Poles are going to go out with a flourish.

 

[Apollo]

Spidey: The U.S. women won both the last World Cup and the last Olympics. In the World Cup, they beat China on penalty kicks in the final. Ironically, neither of those countries have a chance on the men's side.

Gizmo: Thanks. Hopefully, South Korea will beat Portugal and make it all redundant, but I can't see that happening, so we'll just have to go out and take care of the Poles.

 

[Purple_jester]

France just BOMBED out of the tournament. And I do mean BOMBED, as in they self-destructed. Pathetic. It would have been great if they had a worthy foe beat them off their lofty perch, but they crashed in perfect swan dive fashion instead.

So sad.

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Brazil's still in there, though.

 

[Gizmo]

And the Argies have gone too now!

This is too sweet...

 

[Apollo]

Yeah, Gizmo, maybe England won't need so many of those outstanding performances as long as the favorites keep choking in the early rounds. Heck, if South Korea were to beat or tie Portugal, you could get them out of there too. The competition is dwindling...

 

[Gizmo]

Eng-Ur-Land! Eng-Ur-Land! Eng-Ur-Land! Eng-Ur-Land!