The [Horribly Unpopular] Soccer Thread

[HoppyDaze]

No, he got in a rundown between 2nd and 3rd. Totally pretended obstruction by the short stop, even fell down. Hollywood all the way. He was given the base, and ended up winning the game for the white sox. 2008.

Did I mention I hate that guy? He's a major cheater.

He did the other thing too, but it was in the world series so it was that much more retarded.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Not every person who doesn't like soccer is a troll or a jerk. I know that blows your mind but it's the truth. There's a lot I do appreciate about the game,

Firstly, I am not so stupid as to think that people that don't like soccer are trolls or jerks.

As to your other point. Please tell me what you like about soccer....Make a post as long as you like, I will read it all.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

No. No even close to comparable. NBA is, but that's all. It's over half of every contact play in soccer. I can't think of a single MLB flop ever

I gave you an example of a baseball player acting up a storm. There are plenty of other examples of players putting on a show to get ahead (Jeter leaning on away pitches to try to force a call, players jumping out of the way of balls that aren't close to them to try to get a call, catchers making dramatic frames to try to get a clal so on so forth)

I also recall a few times a player acted like he was hit on the foot when he wasn't to get on base. There are also plenty of other examples of course of players putting on a show to get on. Sure it's not as common, but it happens, more than once a year.

Hockey it happens all the time. Football it happens though less often. And there are other ways to cheat to get ahead that aren't flopping. Flopping is just how that happens most often insoccer

 

[HoppyDaze]

Firstly, I am not so stupid as to think that people that don't like soccer are trolls or jerks.

As to your other point. Please tell me what you like about soccer....Make a post as long as you like, I will read it all.

the green grass mostly

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I know I seem obsessed with the trolling, but honestly, I just want a good clean thread about footy, just as the OP intended......Can we get back to it now, please?

 

[HoppyDaze]

I'm impressed by the athletes. Some of the skill it takes to do what they do with the ball. I like the strategy during set pieces. Anything that gets so many people together can't be a bad thing. I think it is great culturally speaking...gives people something to root for/hope for in an otherwise sh!tty world (at times). And the scarves are lovely

Cheer up gnome. Quit being a victim. Allow people to give you some crap from time to time.

 

[Memorex88]

I know I seem obsessed with the trolling, but honestly, I just want a good clean thread about footy, just as the OP intended......Can we get back to it now, please?

I agree. It's a great WC so far. I totally loved the Netherlands/Spain and England/Italy games.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Hoppy, this is soccer we are talking about. It is NOT one of those hokey American sports that the rest of the world ignores. Soccer is the sports religion of the world. What part of this do you not understand? Soccer is bigger than everything else to a large section of the population of the world. Yes, it has it's problems, yes, it is often played by *********.

Of course American sports are valid, and important to Americans, but why knock anything that is foreign to you just because it is foreign?

Get a grip man. It's just a game. However, it is a game more important to the world than you can ever imagine. Just get over that fact, and leave the rest of us to enjoy it.

 

[aygov]

CAN WE PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY AND UNHOLY, GET BACK TO DISCUSSING THE BEAUTIFUL GAME?

Yes it has it flaws. If you can't get past those flaws then that's OK. There are plenty of other sports out there you may or may not be interested in!

Picks for tomorrow?

I see zee Germans beating Portugal without much fuss (queue a dutchie-esque 1-5 drubbing for Germany:cross

USA v. Ghana is very much up in the air for me. I could go all homer and pick the USA since we're stronger than the last WC, but so is Ghana. I think it'll be a good match with hopefully the USA coming out on top and getting the Ghana monkey off our back. There's a USA watch party going on at Grant Park in Chicago (I could probably hit the screen with a rock from the front of my work) that I'm going to. If it all goes pear shaped at least I'll have people to commiserate with!

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Oh jebus.... I so hate censorship, even when it is for the best intentions.

To those who saw my deleted posts.........oh what the hell.....There is no point........Soccer sucks, trolls win.

Without passion, there is no soccer.

 

[boydster]

Tomorrow, America wins all of the games. Especially the one with Germany.

Just catching up on the Argentina/BIH game. I wonder how different it would have ended if it student start out with a Bosnia own-goal. Argentina played well, no doubt, but didn't dominate as much as I expected

Where did all the colorful posts go? I felt like I was in Oz for a little while, but now I'm back in Kansas. Anywho, I hope that guy Richard made it out of the crossfire OK.

 

[Memorex88]

My picks for tomorrow

Portugal
Nigeria
USA

 

[BadDeacon]

Germany

Nigeria

USA

 

[Reno_eNVy]

First, WHOA WHOA WHOA. I love this thread. Let's not let anything happen to it in the most important phase of its existence. I love being able to talk soccer/football with other like-minded folks who aren't insane (i.e. pretty much opposite BigSoccer. But BS does have its place.)

As for picks:

Germany (3 - 1) Portugal
Iran (0 - 1) Nigeria
Ghana (1-2) USA

Also, Ronaldo is claiming he's 100% but that's along with saying he's in pain everyday and leaving training early on Thursday.

 

[Homercidal]

Yeah. I don't get all of the love for the sport. At least at the professional level. I watched some this weekend at the bars we stopped at and the amount of tripping and diving was horrendous. I can appreciate the athleticism and the game itself, but I can't stay interested in it with all of that junk going on, and it's pretty boring in general.

Frankly, the reason I think it's so popular all over the world is because the equipment needed to play is only a ball. It's pretty easy for any kid in any country to get a game going or to work on their skills or just dribble the ball between a few friends.

 

[Johnsondog65]

Germany (3 - 1) Portugal
Iran (0 - 1) Nigeria
Ghana (1-2) USA

Nailed it!

 

[passedpawn]

Yeah. I don't get all of the love for the sport. At least at the professional level. I watched some this weekend at the bars we stopped at and the amount of tripping and diving was horrendous. I can appreciate the athleticism and the game itself, but I can't stay interested in it with all of that junk going on, and it's pretty boring in general.

Frankly, the reason I think it's so popular all over the world is because the equipment needed to play is only a ball. It's pretty easy for any kid in any country to get a game going or to work on their skills or just dribble the ball between a few friends.

It's like any other sport, Homer, once you get to know the players it is completely different. I'm a casual fan, but my kids are fanatics. They are very familiar with all the players on all the clubs and enjoy the hell out of it.

Messy matches (i.e., Ivory Coast / Japan) aren't nearly as much fun to watch as the games like Netherlands / Spain where great passing and attacking offenses illustrate the beauty and excitement.

I think what you say about the lack of equipment is true, but also there is no need for superhuman size (i.e., basketball & football) to excel at it.

Today is going to be a great soccer day. I'm worried I won't get much work done after noon!

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Ugh, I hate the sportsmanship (or lack thereof) of some international players. This was in an interview with Australia's Tim Cahill:

''They only way they could stop him in the end was to hold on to his shirt.''

That type of underhand tactic was a huge source of frustration to Cahill, who found little consolation in scoring a goal in a third straight World Cup and extending his record all-time goal tally for the Socceroos to 33.

The New York Red Bulls star told reporters about one exchange he had with Chile's left back, Eugenio Mena, during the match.

''There was an incident where the left back elbowed me and kicked out at me when I was trying to run past him for a cross, and I've got the yellow card,'' Cahill said. ''I called him a cheat and he said, `Yeah, I'm a cheat, so

what?'''

No class

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Yeah. I don't get all of the love for the sport. At least at the professional level. I watched some this weekend at the bars we stopped at and the amount of tripping and diving was horrendous. I can appreciate the athleticism and the game itself, but I can't stay interested in it with all of that junk going on, and it's pretty boring in general.

Frankly, the reason I think it's so popular all over the world is because the equipment needed to play is only a ball. It's pretty easy for any kid in any country to get a game going or to work on their skills or just dribble the ball between a few friends.

I've said it before, but this isn't as much a problem in MLS. There are a lot of American players, and typically the American play is go in strong and stand your ground. No diving, no bulls**t.

 

[aygov]

And zee Germans strike first!

 

[botigol]

And 2-0Germany...it doesn't look like Portugal is going to be able to do much today.

 

[Memorex88]

Germany is impressive but there's still a lot of game left

 

[botigol]

Very true, but other than a couple of counters Portugal hasn't looked very good. And now down to 10.

 

[Memorex88]

Pepe... what an idiot!!!

 

[botigol]

How many times has CRo even touched the ball so far?

 

[aygov]

Well, Pepe being Pepe!

Germany look scary though...

 

[botigol]

The reverse angle of the headbutt with the ref in the background watching really highlighted the stupidity of the moment.

 

[Memorex88]

How many times has CRo even touched the ball so far?

He doesn't have the legs anymore. Not even the last WC was he impressive as apposed to 8 years ago.

Well, Pepe being Pepe!

Germany look scary though...

true and true!

 

[aygov]

And game over.. good night Portugal!

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Well I called the right amount of goals at least