World Cup 2010

[Cerebral_DownTime]

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.

Sweet Sassy Molassy? What are you, Foghorn Leghorn?

Something tells me those North Koreans soccer players are going to be doing some involuntary hard labor when they get home.

[Cease]

They showed the 7-0 whooping live on TV in North Korea, controlled morale FAIL.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/21/AR2010062102320.html

"The Portuguese won the game and now have four points," a commentator said when the match concluded. "We are ending our live broadcast now."

The broadcast was believed to the first full live coverage of a North Korean game played abroad.

[peeker643]

They showed the 7-0 whooping live on TV in North Korea, controlled morale FAIL.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/21/AR2010062102320.html

"The Portuguese won the game and now have four points," a commentator said when the match concluded. "We are ending our live broadcast now."

The broadcast was believed to the first full live coverage of a North Korean game played abroad.

Nothing a green screen and some slick editing shouldn't have been able to fix. The players will be exiled in shame but the technical staff will be shot dead and left on the South Korea border. They will then be the reason for the next round of North Korean missile launches.

The national sport will become fusbol instead of futbol (because it's easier to replace the one letter than to spell out 'Badminton' on the tickets) and there will be no acknowledgement that North Korea ever sent a team to South Africa. It was all western propoganda.

See? Everything happens for a reason.

[aoxo1]

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.

Sweet Sassy Molassy? What are you, Foghorn Leghorn?

Something tells me those North Koreans soccer players are going to be doing some involuntary hard labor when they get home.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/692293/3121896

[Cerebral_DownTime]

I don't watch Saturday Night Live.

It's Foghorn Leghorn to me.

[swerb]

Argentina ... rode em hard at 7-1 and 8-1 in the weeks leading in ... looking real good so far.

Matched up with Mexico in the first round of the final 16. Sunday at 2:30, can't wait for that one. Rematch of their first round knockout stage in '06, won by Argentina 2-1 in extra time.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Plus Mexico and Argentina can't stand each other so it'll probably be a physical game.

[Cease]

Big Algeria game just started as I look to take a long, early lunch.

Bradley sits Onyewu for Bornstein on the back line to counter Algeria's speed. I love Gooch, he's been a major contributor to the USMNT over the years. BUT, He is coming off injury and is a step slow. Big risk for Bradley. Let's hope Bornstein doesn't get burned.

[StewieG]

Another controversy with another terrible disallowed goal. Called Dempsey offsides on a goal when he clearly wasn't offsides.

[peeker643]

WOW!!!!

Landon Donovan in stoppage time for a 1-0 win to advance the US after England had won to force the US into a win or go home situation. After they were effed in the ear earlier when Dempsey's goal was wrongly disallowed.

Again.

[StewieG]

Holy shit...that was fucking awesome!

[Cease]

That was quite a finish! F'ing awesome. Go You Yanks.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

So we advance and England does not? Cuz they tied Sloveniakiastanawitz.

[peeker643]

So we advance and England does not? Cuz they tied Sloveniakiastanawitz.

England won. If Donovan doesn't score they go home. Now Slovenia is out.

[motherscratcher]

So we advance and England does not? Cuz they tied Sloveniakiastanawitz.

England won so they advance too.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Ok. Thanks tittyfuckers!

We need some monster trucks to jump over the stadium while blaring "Sweet Home Alabama", this 'Murrica, bitch! Go back to Algeria with your stuff that i'm too ignorant to learn about.... USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA!

[Cease]

We win group C. England also advances as runner up. Meaning we get Group D Runner up and ENG gets group D winner in the knock-out round.

[motherscratcher]

I've got to say, I don't watch a lot of soccer. Don't follow it at all. Like everyone else I played a hell of a lot of it as a kid, up until I could play "real" sports in school.

But that match, especially the last 20 minutes or so, was tense as hell. I couldn't sit down. And that goal was about as exciting a thing as I've ever witnessed in sports. I think I like soccer.

[Spin]

Stick it up your ass, Euros and you anti-American FIFA officials.

We can play YOUR game too!!!

We played hockey with the best last winter, we're going to be playing futbol with the best in the near future. Hell, maybe this year!!!

USA!!!! USA!!!! USA!!!! USA!!!!!

[StewieG]

I've got to say, I don't watch a lot of soccer. Don't follow it at all. Like everyone else I played a hell of a lot of it as a kid, up until I could play "real" sports in school.

But that match, especially the last 20 minutes or so, was tense as hell. I couldn't sit down. And that goal was about as exciting a thing as I've ever witnessed in sports. I think I like soccer.

This is exactly where I am too. That was incredible. We find out who we play this afternoon, correct?

[Cease]

Yeah, I think Group D plays it's two matches at 2PM.

[Lokais]

If we had lost that match, the future of soccer in the US was probably going to be pretty grim. I'd say that win does a lot for the sport here.

[skatingtripods]

I've got to say, I don't watch a lot of soccer. Don't follow it at all.

But that match, especially the last 20 minutes or so, was tense as hell. I couldn't sit down. And that goal was about as exciting a thing as I've ever witnessed in sports. I think I like soccer.

This, minus the last line.

Still not a fan of it, and had this been a regular season league game, the two teams would have probably just played for a tie.

But, with something on the line, with the US playing with such urgency, it was definitely exciting. I only watched the last 8 minutes or so, but that was really all I needed to see.

Good for them. Sport is about the only thing that can rally a country except for a huge national tragedy and I much prefer a World Cup win to the latter. The US Hockey team was beloved this year by people from all walks of life who have no interest in hockey and it was tremendous for the sport. Hopefully the same happens with the soccer team.

[Cease]

Live bracket of 16 team single elimination stage...
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/bracket?cc=3888&ver=global

US will know it's opponent today- Germany, Serbia, or Ghana. Winner of US/? match (Saturday) goes on to play winner of Uruguay/South Korea.

Runner up England's path with a win in round two leads to Argentina/Mexico winner.

Avoiding Argentina is a good thing for the US, considering they are an obvious powerhouse. I would say Ghana is our preferred match-up as Germany and Serbia are beasts with more experience and elite players.

Throw that out though, because it's knock-out from here on out. The pressure can galvanize a team as well as crack it.

[swerb]

What an exciting game. US looked good ... could easily won that 3-0.

Draw sets up very well. Would prolly be favored vs Serbia or Ghana, be close dogs to the Germans. Avoid Argentina. Uruguay has looked tough ... but there is a legitimate chance we can get to the Final Four against likely the Dutch or the Brazilians.

Don't like to deal in wouldas and couldas, but you look at that goal we had taken away, the ones off the bar today ... those count or go in, and people are talking about the US in a different light. They've looked good. We have goal scorers and one of the worlds better goalies.

Went down to the Lakewood Lizard for an early 2 hour lunch. Place was packed. And went ape shit when Donovan found the back of the net.

Fun stuff.

[aoxo1]

Had to take the train this morning and missed the match. Goddamnit.

[swerb]

It's Ghana. 2 PM Saturday.

[Cease]

Ghana beat USA 2-1 in group play during 2006 WC. Time for some payback.

I think USA is favored vs. Ghana, or I would at least call this a "winnable game" as is next round vs. Uruguay/South Korea. Then on to gnarly likely Brazil/Netherlands match.

Two winnable games. Opportunity knocks.

Oh, Mavis Winkle's on Rockside was apeshit today as well. What a release.

[Spin]

I got out of class and there was about 15 minutes left so I watched the game with a bunch of soccer fans on campus, the mood was pretty grim. Until Donovan scored, then we lit the Student Union up!!!! People were coming out of some engineering convention upstairs to see what the hell was going on. LOL

Good times.

[dazindiansfanuk]

Ghana, like a lot of African teams, can be very hit and miss.

Bags of talent, but they just don't put it all together on a consistant basis. On their night though, they can beat anyone.

US are favourites in my mind though, but they need to perform or the Ghanaians can pick them off.

[Spin]

They're the last remaining African team, so they will have the home pitch advantage. Big time...

[British_Pharaoh]

Upset for Italia

[Cerebral_DownTime]

[British_Pharaoh]

This World Cup is turning into WWII
The French surrendered early, The Americans arrived late
and we're left to fight the Gerries

[skatingtripods]

This World Cup is turning into WWII
The French surrendered early, The Americans arrived late
and we're left to fight the Gerries

So at the end, America wins and Britain kisses our ass for eternity?

[Squints]

CDT- What's the insignia in the middle of the German flag???

[Cerebral_DownTime]

CDT- What's the insignia in the middle of the German flag???

It's the Bundesschild, the coat of arms for Germany. Technically it's a state only flag and used in a time of war, German citizens aren't supposed to have it. I grabbed one in Munich off the front of some Goverment building by our hotel (I was drunk) during Oktoberfest a few years back and I got it hanging in my den over my couch. I also took a regular German flag off a flag pole (Drunk again) and gave that to my brother.

[British_Pharaoh]

This World Cup is turning into WWII
The French surrendered early, The Americans arrived late
and we're left to fight the Gerries

So at the end, America wins and Britain kisses our ass for eternity?

Well since Russia isn't in the World Cup I guess it will have to be distorted that way

[swerb]

Very good game this AM b/w Uruguay and So Korea.

Uruguay has a very good team. Some very strong scorers in Suarez (2 goals today) and Forlan. A stout, tough, technically sound defense that allowed the Koreans next to nothing inside the penalty box. Those South Koreans though ... kept just blasting away from deep, and that header they scored on was excellent. End of the day though, Uruguay the better squad and is gonna be a real tough out should be beat Ghana today.

This whole last African team left thing scaring me with Ghana. Americans very slight -150 favorites heading into this thing.

USA, USA, USA

[Cerebral_DownTime]

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Landon Donovan strikes again!

[swerb]

A couple big time defensive lapses spell doom for the US. And in extra time, we just exerted too much energy in the 2H. Add that to the emotional life Ghana got with the early goal in extra time, and it was all over but the weeping. Very disappointing loss to a less talented team.

[Spin]

They missed some prime opportunities again. Really not in step with each other.

We go in and tie the country with the top league in the world, then lose to a third world country the size of Minnesota.

It was fun while it lasted. I don't care who wins now.

[Cease]

Just watched after a long day in the sun...

Tough loss. USA just came out of the gate slow and gave away the first half. The boys shaped up from there , and it was a good grind, but you can't expect to win playing from behind for 60 mins.

In this tourney, the US could have been helped up front. Jozy played some strong games, I thought Jozy would be more of an animal, he just wasn't. Donovan, Dempsey, Bradley (and Edu) all put balls in the net playing as "up" mid-fielders. We needed goals from our two strikers. The look Findley got in the first half has to be buried.

Bob Bradley pulled out all of the stops and did get burned a bit starting Clark today. Overall, he managed well, IMO.

Good run by a gritty team. Up USA.

[peeker643]

I don't know enough about the sport to speak very intelligently about it but does the US have anyone in the pipeline who's feared with the ball on their foot? I mean, Donovan is a creator and has a burst and a knack for making plays but it seems to me the US is short on game changing players. A guy who is feared. I know guys like Messi/Ronaldo/Gerrard are few and far between, but can a program like the US ever reach top three or four in the world without that superstar type player? Is that guy out there somewhere or in the pipe line?

[aoxo1]

Like Peek, I don't really know much about soccer. My impression of the US team is that while there are some world class players, there are not enough. Just watching the team, it seems like we have guys out there that just can't handle the ball or make the crisp/accurate passes the other teams do.

That and we don't have anyone who can finish. I mean, Ghana had what, 3 good opportunities for goals and converted 2 of them? It seemed like we had half a dozen and couldn't put any home. That seemed to be the common theme throughout the tournament for our team, although maybe I don't know what the heck I'm watching.

[Cease]

Germany curb-stomps England. ARG/MEX next, and I'm jonesing for some Messi brilliance. Messi is a must watch for me. Entertaining soccer in the entire round of 16 so far. I like the pace of the tournament, teams dropping out one after another. There is no mercy once the tourney hits second gear and goes from group play to knock out. Multiple nation's hopes dashed daily. Pretty neat.

[Spin]

After sleeping on this whole thing for a night, what did we really accomplish?

We lucked into a point against a beatable England on their own goal.

We needed last second heroics to beat a team from a country of New Mexico's population. (Not counting illegals).

And we needed an extra time goal to beat a third world country with the population of California.

We make Stage 2, and don't show up against another third world country with the population of Texas.

OK, I get our best athletes are drawn (pressured?) into football and basketball when they get too old for youth leagues. I get that we had a couple bad calls in the four games. What's new?

It would be different if we were simply beat because we didn't have the skills they do. But that's bullcrap. We have much better training and nutrition technology and facilities than the last 3 teams we played. We have players who play in First Division leagues around the world. Aston Villa. AC Milan. Rangers. Borussia Mönchengladbach. West Ham United.

They had no heart. Unless they were about to get throttled by "World Powers" like Slovenia. Many times they advanced deep and looked like they didn't even know each other. Bob Bradley has to go.

And that's NOT the best we've ever done, we made the quarterfinals in 2002 with Bruce Arena coaching. We were ranked 4th in the world. But the US needed a "fresh approach". How did that work out for ya?

I'm disappointed. Almost embarrassed.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

SUCK IT ENGLAND!

[swerb]

Regarding the Americans, to my amateur eye, it looks like their defenders are below average (for this stage), half a step slow, and a little too old. Bocanegra, DeMerit, and Cherundoulo are all older than 30. These guys killed us in this game, and in the first halves of the other games. Young mans sport. Seeing that with England this year too.

Deapite the fact they lack a full blown superstar, I think the Americans have close to as much talent as anyone at goalie and the other positions. They got some legit young talent up front. Altidore is 20, Edu is 24, Findley is 24. Donovan, Herculez, Dempsey ... all 27, and may be able to still play at a high level in '14.

After watching all these games the past three weeks, outside of Spain, Brazil, Argentina ... I am not convinced that there are any other countries considerably more talented than the US, and thats the most disappointing thing for me about yesterdays loss. Joe Fan will think the US still sucks at soccer, and is not there yet. I think we're right there. A couple defensive lapses by defenders > 30 and a lack of experience at this stage that some of the other countries have I think led to them not being able to dictate tempo in these games from the get go.

We're right there.

Becoming a much bigger fan of this sport. I really enjoy it. And I'm really looking forward to the rest of the games and starting to follow soccer more after the World Cup ends.

[British_Pharaoh]

SUCK IT ENGLAND!

Karma revisited us for 1966 where the goal was given to us when it wasn't over the line in the final


The ball was clearly 3 feet over the line and it cost us a 2-2 Half time score and a completely different game. Tactics and strategy change and the outcome 'could' have been different

but probably wouldn't have

would have been nice to beat the old enemy and then beat the other enemy (Argentina) in the QF