World Cup 2010

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Even as the most casual (or even uninterested) soccer fan, I don't think ESPN is forcing anything down my throat. It's a once in 4 years, of course it's going to be the lead most nights on ESPN (btw who still watches ESPN anyways?).

As Cease said, it's better than "LeBron eating in Chicago, so is he leaning towards the Bulls" type story. Or more damn Starsberg hype.

[Cease]

Brazil vs. North Korea- talk about contrasting cultures.

NK's coach claims to get "invisible communication" from Kim Jong Il during games on strategy. WTF?

I can't wait to see if Brazil has The Beautiful Game this WC. Also, there will also be a "horn filter" on this match broadcast. Interesting...

[Cerebral_DownTime]

I don't think that filter is working. Once again my living room is filled with the sound of bees.

[Cease]

Your firearms are useless against them!

And yeah, I hear them, too.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

I for one, welcome our new insect overlords.

[British_Pharaoh]

only 2 teams have scored more than 1 goal

this is dire

I thought Brazil would liven things up a bit but Korea have parked the bus in front of goal tonight

[Cerebral_DownTime]

'lil Kim's Jedi Mind Trick must be working. The commies have done well to keep Brazil off the board.

[Cease]

The North Korean fans in the stands are really Chinese actors. Did I just hear that? Wow.

[jordan kramer]

really disappointed in my slovak brothers today. snatching a draw from the jaws of victory this morning.. after i woke up at 7 to watch them no less! if they woulda held on they woulda been in great position to get outta the group, now its not looking as good. their only shot is to beat paraguay

[Cerebral_DownTime]

How huge is this upset in the making? The Swiss beating the Spanish?

[rebelwithoutaclue]

How huge is this upset in the making? The Swiss beating the Spanish?

The Swiss are no North Korea or New Zealand but it would still be an upset of epic proportions. It would rival the England-US game if the US had actually won instead of played to a draw.

[rebelwithoutaclue]

only 2 teams have scored more than 1 goal

this is dire

I thought Brazil would liven things up a bit but Korea have parked the bus in front of goal tonight

Seems that the first game or two is always played more cautiously than the others, probably because teams still think they have hope to make it out of group. Things should pick up soon, especially when fighting for a spot in the 3rd game.

[Cease]

Two stunners (err surprises) in the last 24 hrs.- Mexico over France 2-0, now the Serbs take down mighty Germany 1-0.

The futbol is starting to heat up- looking forward to today US tilt. US could really, really, really make it easier on themselves with a win today.

[Spin]

It's going to be hard coming back against Handanovic.

And another Slovenian win pretty much puts them in the Round of 16, with only one slot left for US or England.

[peeker643]

Wow. Tremendous goal there. And rather a big goal too.

[bookelly]

This ref is turrible.

[aoxo1]

"It's (ref) not the reason the US didn't get 3 points."

Yes, yes it is. Should have overcome the ref, especially considering the blown opportunities right before the 2nd Slovenian goal, but still. That was just pathetic.

[peeker643]

"It's (ref) not the reason the US didn't get 3 points."

Yes, yes it is. Should have overcome the ref, especially considering the blown opportunities right before the 2nd Slovenian goal, but still. That was just pathetic.

The next time that disallowed goal is explained will be the first. WTF was the call?

[Erie Warrior]

I got fucked too. I had the US -1/2.

[aoxo1]

"It's (ref) not the reason the US didn't get 3 points."

Yes, yes it is. Should have overcome the ref, especially considering the blown opportunities right before the 2nd Slovenian goal, but still. That was just pathetic.

The next time that disallowed goal is explained will be the first. WTF was the call?

And don't forget that terrible hand ball call earlier on Findley.

[Cease]

Robbed and jobbed. i believe the call was offsides, although our forwards were being violated by their back line.

Never blame the refs... but holy balls that ref had a bad game.

US showed me something coming back. Landy-cake's goal was brute. Bradley's goal was great execution. If England wins, we're on the ropes.

[peeker643]

"It's (ref) not the reason the US didn't get 3 points."

Yes, yes it is. Should have overcome the ref, especially considering the blown opportunities right before the 2nd Slovenian goal, but still. That was just pathetic.

The next time that disallowed goal is explained will be the first. WTF was the call?

And don't forget that terrible hand ball call earlier on Findley.

I believe Findley was carded for that hand ball which puts him out Wednesday.

[aoxo1]

Yep, he's out Wednesday.

[dazindiansfanuk]

If England wins, we're on the ropes.

Regardless of whether or not England win, the US have their fate in their own hands.

If England win today then Slovakia and England will both have 4 points and the US 2.

If Slovakia and England draw, then the US just need to win by more than 1 goal against Algeria to qualify (will give all three 5 points and guarantee the US have a better goal difference than Slovakia).

If either England or Slovakia win in their matchup then any US win will leapfrog them into the top 2.

[motherscratcher]

If England wins, we're on the ropes.

Regardless of whether or not England win, the US have their fate in their own hands.

If England win today then Slovakia and England will both have 4 points and the US 2.

If Slovakia and England draw, then the US just need to win by more than 1 goal against Algeria to qualify (will give all three 5 points and guarantee the US have a better goal difference than Slovakia).

If either England or Slovakia win in their matchup then any US win will leapfrog them into the top 2.

Is the tie breaker total goals? or goal differential?

[Cease]

If England wins, we're on the ropes.

Regardless of whether or not England win, the US have their fate in their own hands.

If England win today then Slovakia and England will both have 4 points and the US 2.

If Slovakia and England draw, then the US just need to win by more than 1 goal against Algeria to qualify (will give all three 5 points and guarantee the US have a better goal difference than Slovakia).

If either England or Slovakia win in their matchup then any US win will leapfrog them into the top 2.

Thanks for doing the math on that. An English win today followed by an English draw with Slovenia on Wednesday would give both of them 5 points, which we could equal with a win over Algeria.

[Cease]

[dazindiansfanuk]

If England wins, we're on the ropes.

Regardless of whether or not England win, the US have their fate in their own hands.

If England win today then Slovakia and England will both have 4 points and the US 2.

If Slovakia and England draw, then the US just need to win by more than 1 goal against Algeria to qualify (will give all three 5 points and guarantee the US have a better goal difference than Slovakia).

If either England or Slovakia win in their matchup then any US win will leapfrog them into the top 2.

Is the tie breaker total goals? or goal differential?

Goal difference

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Ok.. So lets fuckin beat Algeria. I mean they're freakin Algeria.

[dazindiansfanuk]

BTW..... I meant Slovenia, not Slovakia...... meh, what's the difference?!

[Cease]

BTW..... I meant Slovenia, not Slovakia...... meh, what's the difference?!

Great question...


http://www.slovensko.com/slovakia/slo.htm

The World Cup, provoking questions that expand our knowledge, one game at a time.

[StewieG]

Well, with England tying Algeria, we control our own destiny completely.

Win, and we're through to the next round. Tie, and we need whichever pussy country we played today to win.

[dazindiansfanuk]

Sparkling performance by England.

As a Welshman, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[StewieG]

Anyone seen BP? Should we send out a search party?

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Anyone seen BP? Should we send out a search party?

He's in Amsterdam I think.

[peeker643]

Anyone seen BP? Should we send out a search party?

Think we can do that via Skype?

I mean, I like BP well enough, but the phone call would be pricey for whomever makes it. And describing him would be tough; "Ummm....spends a lot of time at the computer, Cleveland fan....uh huh....yes...Cleveland, Ohio mam..,Oh, I do know he uses goofy avatars and sigs but, uhh,...no...no idea what he looks like."

[Spin]

Group C standings:

Team Pts
SVN 4
USA 2
ENG 2
ALG 1

[RIBrownsFan]

Typical FIFA sanctioned corruption on that disallowed goal. The clown was standing there waiting to call something. And of course our morally bankrupt federation will just play along with the kabuki dance.

Can't wait to see the ridiculous calls over the next few days as England, Spain, Germany, and possibly Portugal are all at risk of going out in the first round.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

We was robbed.

FIFA doesn't want us to advance.

They probably got advice from that awful little David Stern.

[Cease]

I just watched the last 20 mins on ESPN Classic. I am now totally blaming the refs. Phantom offensive foul call in the box? After coming back from down 2??? F'ing A.

OK- Beat Algeria, I mean, they're Algeria.

[Cease]

Oh, Rooney's going to get crushed for this... I think he's already apologized, not that I think he has to.

"Nice to hear home fans boo 'ya. That's what loyal support is"

[Spin]

Anyone hear what happened at the "performance review" today?

[StewieG]

More controversy involving the refs:

New Zealand vs Italy...New Zealand scores early, but it looked very much to me, without having seen a good replay, that the New Zealand player was offsides.

Whoops, just saw a good replay. He was offsides.

Interestingly enough, though it doesn't really matter, the dumbass from Mali that reffed our last game is the 4th official in this match.

EDIT: Just saw another replay, and the Italian defender looked like he touched it, making the player onsides, and the controversy nonexistent.

[Cease]

The director quits, the team refuses to train, player excused after confronting coach. It's anarchy in the French camp.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5307299/ce/us/france-team-director-jean-louis-valentin-resigns-says-team-refused-practice&cc=5901?ver=us

[StewieG]

The Italians are a bunch of pussies. This is the first time I've ever watched them. I was indifferent about them, but now I hope they go down in flames faster than the French.

[Spin]

Italia isn't even a smoking hulk of what they were 4 years ago.

[peeker643]

The director quits, the team refuses to train, player excused after confronting coach. It's anarchy in the French camp.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5307299/ce/us/france-team-director-jean-louis-valentin-resigns-says-team-refused-practice&cc=5901?ver=us

I can't imagine it was very emotional or that it got physical. I just imagine 20 guys in berets sitting around with cigarettes in their mouth and a dismissive wave to whomever tells them to take the field. Maybe all of that with a "Fek ewe."

[motherscratcher]

Portugal beat North Korea 7-0. Sweet Sassy Molassy! Kim Jong Il hired actors to go as fans but I didn't know he did that for the actual team too.

If I was on that team I wouldn't want to be on that plane back to Korea in a week. They have one more game and I'd be digging tunnels to make my escape at halftime, Sylvester Stallone style.

[peeker643]

Interesting:

■The TV audience for England against United States, on both ABC and Univision combined, was an astounding 17.0 million, according to Sports Media Watch.
■The 17.0 million USA v England viewing number is bigger than the first four games of the NBA Finals (14.1 mil, 15.7 mil, 16.0 mil and 16.4 mil). That’s quite an accomplishment considering that the first four games of the NBA Finals have hit a six-year high in overnight ratings, with the exception of Game 1 — which tied a six-year high. Game 5 of the NBA finals netted a viewing audience of 18.2 million.

The above World Cup viewing figures are even more impressive when you consider the time of the day the games are shown. While the NBA Finals are shown during primetime, the England against United States match was shown during a Saturday mid-afternoon time slot. Plus, the England against USA match on ABC alone drew more viewers than every game of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. And that was after the June 9 broadcast of the Stanley Cup Final on NBC was the most-watched NHL game in the United States in 36 years with 8.28 million viewers.

As readers of EPL Talk have noted, the impressive TV ratings for the World Cup do not factor in the hundreds of thousands of soccer fans who watched the England against United States match in sports bars, pubs, baseball stadiums and other public venues across the States on Saturday.

http://bit.ly/aB7PFq

[Cease]

Yeah, but America hates and doesn't watch soccer.

Among Cleve/Ak-Canton cable households, the US/England game pulled a 5.1 HH rating. Or, 5.1% of the DMA's cable TV's tuned in to that game. Tribe is pulling less than 3.0's these days by comparison. "Other" WC games are doing about a 1.0.

These numbers don't include bars, multiple peeps viewing one TV, or DVR views- just TV sets turned on to WEWS during game. The stats are estimates and proprietary- so they can't be linked. Nielsen would have to kill me.