I'm learning a lot about soccer (all in fun)

[ouch]

Apparently, the game is played inside a large beehive. :thumbup1:

Live and learn.

MOD EDIT:

We are 8 pages in and there are still some who are missing the point of this thread. It was meant in jest as a place to have a little fun at the expense of Soccer without crapping in the lawn of legitimate Soccer threads like that on the World Cup. This thread was intended as a place for non-soccer fans to have fun without riling up actual soccer fans.

Guys, this isn't about "Ugly American Stereotypes" or any other nations "Ugly Stereotypes" it really was just meant as a place for non-soccer fans to have a laugh.

If you are a dedicated fan or hooligan (I think thats what they call themselves) please take your seriousness to one of the actual Soccer threads.

[Kevan]

The vuvuzela is a South African phenomenon. Watching isn't this annoying in other countries.

[rdeakle]

The vuvuzela is a South African phenomenon. Watching isn't this annoying in other countries.

+1 to that. It caught on in Austria, and they banned them.

[Angus Young]

It's almost as if they're playing in a foreign country or something.:001_rolle

[Silk]

The commentator on tonight's match was saying something about how there was a general feeling that nobody in the US cares about soccer, but a recent study revealed that there are 90 million folks in the US actively involved in the sport. Go figure… I'm not sure how accurate this statistic is, because it would mean that about 1 in every 8 people in the US is involved in soccer? Then again, I suppose it is possible, given how prominent soccer is in the Spanish-speaking world.

As for the vuvuzelas: they're a cultural phenomenon that you'll just never understand unless you visit South Africa. Once someone gets swept up in the "carnival" atmosphere, their opinion towards these things usually changes. And they're probably going to end up being banned in many parts of the world, because they've proven to be VERY popular with the foreign fans. Don't be surprised if they start cropping up in NFL matches:lol:

[ouch]

Uh-oh. England jumped out to an insurmountable 1-0 lead. :w00t:

[ouch]

America tied it up 1-1 with less than an hour to go.

Based on my knowledge of the sport, that should guarantee a tie game. :thumbup1:

[ouch]

Told ya! :thumbup:

[wimbouman]

Uh-oh. England jumped out to an insurmountable 1-0 lead. :w00t:

1-1
:tongue_sm

[DizzyArnaz]

I learned today that Korea has cute ladies that are into the sport :thumbup:

[Silk]

Meh, 10–15 years ago (and earlier) there used to be a lot more goals scored in soccer matches, but the defensive players' role has become so strong that goals are much more scarce these days. This is actually better, though, because it requires far greater skill for a team to beat their opponents' defensive line-up these days, and hard-won goals are far more satisfying to watch. It's kind of like a heavyweight title fight, where you know that one punch can end it—sitting through twelve rounds waiting for it to happen certainly isn't boring (assuming you happen to enjoy the sport at hand).

[Kevan]

America tied it up 1-1 with less than an hour to go.

Based on my knowledge of the sport, that should guarantee a tie game. :thumbup1:

Youtube the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul. Google any of the three games this year that Chelsea scored 7 goals. Or when Tottenham thumped Wigan 9-1. Or England's famous 5-0 win over Germany in 2001. Or both of Turkey's incredible 2nd half comebacks and last-gasp wins at Euro 2008.

These are just off the top of my head. That should add a new dimension to your "knowledge" of the sport.

[Kevan]

I learned today that Korea has cute ladies that are into the sport :thumbup:
Wait until the Germany, Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Italy, and Australia games. :laugh:

[DizzyArnaz]

Wait until the Germany, Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Italy, and Australia games. :laugh:

I think I'm going to like this World Cup thing :w00t:

[Kevan]

I think I'm going to like this World Cup thing :w00t:
Google "World Cup babes" and see some of the 2006 eye-candy. :tongue_sm

[professorchaos]

World Cup? When is it?

[bythbook]

England/USA = 1/1 tie.

Makes a 12 inning pitchers duel sparkle in comparison.

[Seraphim]

Is this the proper thread for soccer bashing?

[Seraphim]

The vuvuzelas are the least annoying part of a 90 minute tie game.

[bythbook]

Is this the proper thread for soccer bashing?

...seems so.


The vuvuzelas are the least annoying part of a 90 minute tie game.

[Don]

Is this the proper thread for soccer bashing?

Any thread involving soccer is.

Everywhere I went this evening the US/England game was the No. 127 topic.

[SRock]

Jay you crack me up. :thumbup1:

[Silverstar]

WORLD CUP BABES 2006 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVIsl3OEczE)

[andrew98]

^

Maybe that's why it's the world's most popular sport. England's Matt Crouch was once asked by a reporter what he would have been if he weren't a footballer. He thought for a second then replied, "A virgin." He's the tall, gangly player with a goofy, big toothed smile.

I'm a 31 year old American, and I played football (soccer... the rest of the world calls American football, well, American football) until I was about 22. I took a break until last year. That 1 in 8 people are actively involved with football in the US statistic sounds believable, especially for my generation, and it probably has little to do with immigrants.

-Andy

[bythbook]

4 points - IN ONE GAME!


the world of football is stood on its... head.


Jeesh.

[Unknownsoldier]

^

Maybe that's why it's the world's most popular sport. England's Matt Crouch was once asked by a reporter what he would have been if he weren't a footballer. He thought for a second then replied, "A virgin." He's the tall, gangly player with a goofy, big toothed smile.

I'm a 31 year old American, and I played football (soccer... the rest of the world calls American football, well, American football) until I was about 22. I took a break until last year. That 1 in 8 people are actively involved with football in the US statistic sounds believable, especially for my generation, and it probably has little to do with immigrants.

-Andy

At last, it''s football not soccer.....!!!!! :D Pity the US failed to score in that game last night..... :blushing:

Tom

[Rughi]

4 points - IN ONE GAME!
the world of football is stood on its... head. Jeesh.

That's 28 in Football points.
It's like dog years, you've gotta multiply by 7 :001_tongu

Roger

[bythbook]

That's 28 in Football points.
It's like dog years, you've gotta multiply by 7 :001_tongu

Roger


aaahhh... now it's coming clear to me....

What a game!!!!!

[bradyarz]

i never understood all the hoopla surrounding the vuvuzulas; i don't see how it's a cultural phenomenon. i've seen them in the football games in the us. we call them plastic horn thingys.

[Seraphim]

i never understood all the hoopla surrounding the vuvuzulas; i don't see how it's a cultural phenomenon. i've seen them in the football games in the us. we call them plastic horn thingys.

When the US hosts the World Cup again we shall introduce the soccer world to Flatulas (also known as whoopie cushions) The sound of 50,000 soccer fans sitting down at once will finally let the world know what the US thinks of the sport!

:wink2:

[The Knize]

4 points in rest of the world football is way more than 28 points in American football!

I like soccer and look forward to watching a lot of world cup matches. But we were heavily involved in my younger son's playing high school and travel soccer including Div. 1, which is not too shabby for the Washington, DC area, so I kind of know what is goiing on on a soccer field, which helps the enjoyment of it.

But there is no doubt that soccer has its issues as a sport. Ridiculously low scoring. Way, way too many games that end in a tie. And ridiculous ways of resolving ties that have little to do with the rest of the game. Silly penalty system that is way to harsh and way too lenient at the same time. Did everyone else catch the replay of a Brit corner kick where an American defender had a Brit's shirt pulled half-way across the screen? Happens all the time, but a PK seems like a pretty drastic penalty for that very commn infraction. Way too many games decided by penalties.

I do not know whether they have changed the rules somehow, but the US-UK game was at least relatively free of the playacting injuries. I suppose those are soceer time-outs! And the only three substitutions rule. Think if soccer were more like hockey with fresh players streaming in and out all the time, what a faster game it would be. Soccer players have to constantly reserve their strength so it is naturally far slower than it needs to be. Can you imagine warming the beanch for a soccer club. You would never get to play!

I have come to think if lacross as being the best sport when it comes to balancing scoring and defense. A lacross team can almost always come back no matter how far they are down. Hockey and soccer just take so many shots in order to actually score a goal, that it is tough to come back no matter how good one is.

Also, to me, a tied soccer game being played is good soccer. In soccer a team that is 1 point ahead changes the way it plays to make scoring by the other team much harder and scoring by the team that is ahead much less likely. Boring!

All of that said, I like a good soccer game. There is a lot going on most of the time and it is a game that punishes a failure to maintain focus pretty severely. I really just wish that more soccer games ended decisively!

I had mixed feelings about the US-UK game. I am glad the US was able to tie and I do not feel too bad about the UK team in general (I feel really badly for the UK keeper). If a team cannot score more than one goal againist the US, there is no use blaming the keeper for one flub! But I was really hoping that the UK might go all the way. Why is it that the UK team cannot seem to play well in the world cup? Those are good soccer players playing for the UK and it is a soccer culture!

Soccer is a game where men kick a ball around for 90 minutes and at the end the Germans win seems to continue to be true!

[Seraphim]

All of that said, I like a good soccer game. There is a lot going on most of the time and it is a game that punishes a failure to maintain focus pretty severely. I really just wish that more soccer games ended decisively!


We all would like a good soccer game.


Too bad it's an oxymoron!

[Confuzius]

http://www.thelagalaxyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/handegg.jpg

[Walter Sobchak]

http://www.thelagalaxyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/handegg.jpg

:thumbup::lol:

[Seraphim]

http://www.thelagalaxyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/handegg.jpg

No, no, no, no........not so quick, my friend!


In the image on the left, you indeed show a ball, and a foot.


However, the image on the right, the hand is not holding an egg (you silly soccer fans have lost touch with reality due to World Cup fever!), he is holding a FOOTBALL!

Football is called football, not because it is played with your foot and a ball, it is called football because it is played with a FOOTBALL! Just the way God intended it!

Can I get an amen?

[bythbook]

No, no, no, no........not so quick, my friend!


In the image on the left, you indeed show a ball, and a foot.


However, the image on the right, the hand is not holding an egg (you silly soccer fans have lost touch with reality due to World Cup fever!), he is holding a FOOTBALL!

Football is called football, not because it is played with your foot and a ball, it is called football because it is played with a FOOTBALL! Just the way God intended it!

Can I get an amen?


how about: Ramen!

[bradyarz]

Can I get an amen?

AMEN!




and hallelujah!

[Seraphim]

And let me go on to say that, yes indeed the Superbowl champs are the World Champs!



Nobody else ever seems to show up, however:lol:

[Mr. Imperial]

I can verify the 1 in 8 Americans fact, because that's the exact ratio of people who get on my nerves.

[Seraphim]

I can verify the 1 in 8 Americans fact, because that's the exact ratio of people who get on my nerves.

I just gave this thread 5 stars!

[Silk]

Hokay, first off: they got 4 GOALS. This led to them winning the match, which meant that they earned 3 POINTS. Geddit? Goals. Points. <sigh>

I also knew that the "hand egg" internet meme would crop up eventually; now what a lot of well-meaning folks don't know is that our American friends, in referring to their beloved grid-iron as "football", are in fact complying with the English naming convention: American Football, as most of us in the formerly colonies are aware, bears more than a passing resemblance to the sport called Rugby Football (by coincidence, South Africa is also home to the world's strongest Rugby team—you Aussies and Kiwis can protest all you like, facts are facts). Furthermore, the name "Soccer" was not invented by the Yanks to distinguish it from their version of Football; the term originated in England as a shortened version of the sport's official name, "Association Football".

If you Aussies and Kiwis are thinking of arguing with me about South African Rugby being the best, I'd like to point out that I'm a born and bred Pretorian. Al wat jy sien is die Blou Masjien—your argument is invalid.

[Silk]

I can verify the 1 in 8 Americans fact, because that's the exact ratio of people who get on my nerves.
:lol:

[castlecraver]

I'm a red blooded American and I enjoy soccer. I don't call it football unless I'm in European company, and I'm annoyed by all the Americans who seem to think most of the world is wrong for enjoying it. There are a lot of sports out there, and it's understandable if you don't appreciate all of them. Yet somehow soccer is the one that seems to catch all sorts of flak from all the Americans who don't like it. I've never understood it, but far be it from me to evangelize.

You don't see many jabs from Europeans complaining about the Superbowl being a combined 5 minutes of action punctuated by hours of commercials... But probably that's because so few of them care about it. Wonder what it is that makes American soccer haters care so much?

[Obsessed]

Wonder what it is that makes American soccer haters care so much?

A nagging fear that they're wrong and the rest of the world is right? :w00t:

[The Knize]

I assume that most folks are largely kidding around. And even if they are not, it does not bother me. Soccer is fairly easy to mock. See my early post below, for some of the reasons why. And the soccer mocking can be pretty funny. But soccer is literally a world class sport.

But so is, say, baseball, easy to mock although baseball has an international presence. I do not think that baseball needs to worry about being mocked. Neither does soccer as the most popular sport on the planet.

I'm not sure that American football is easy to mock or not. Probably not, for some reason. Although, overall, certainly as a non-professional/non-college sport, rugby is probably the better game.

I do sort of regret that I have had to spend so much time around soccer to really get to the point of feeling like I know what is going on in a game so that it is enjoyable to me, at least much of the time, if it is a good match, and there are good matches!

[toucanlamp]

I've tried pretty hard to appreciate soccer, but just can't do it I'm afraid.

It's just the back and forth nature of it.

And the whole, what seems to be deeply engrained element of the game, acting like someone just shot you in the knee cap and told you your wife died at the same time after any contact with another player, is kind of pathetic to watch sometimes.

But ultimately I think enjoyment of any sport has 10x more to do with culture than it does anything inherent to the game. The vast majority of the time people are fans of the games they grew up playing.

Sometimes I guess it's fun to watch those world's most extreme videos shows where everyone is firing flares onto the field and the entire stadium of 80 000 people is erupted in riot.

I find that interesting, how a pretty tame and non-physical game like soccer produces the most insanity and violence among fans while you go to a extremely physical NHL game and the majority of the crowd is often families, lots of kids etc.

I guess soccer is really intertwined with politics, religion, nationalism and so forth while that kind of thing doesn't really exist in North American sporting events.

It's the most popular sport in the world but that's almost certainly because what's needed to play it is a ball and an open area. A sport like hockey is very expensive and so it's also very elite and not that accessible to kids who aren't from well to do families.

[The Knize]

<And the whole, what seems to be deeply engrained element of the game, acting like someone just shot you in the knee cap and told you your wife died at the same time after any contact with another player, is kind of pathetic to watch sometimes..

Big 10-4 on that. And I do not see it happening at high quality youth soccer games in the US for obvious reasons. Can you imagine a US high school player rolling around in supposed agony on the ground being carried off on a stretcher or whatever and then coming right back on to play obviously uninjured? He would be red-carded and perhaps thrown out of the league. I agree. Utter nonsense and it makes soccer players seem like the biggest bunch of wimps and cry babies to ever play a sport. I am not sure what goes through an average European's mind when he sees this, but disgust is what goes through my mind. That crap is never going to be a big seller in the States!

Cultural aspects are always there, but I think it is mostly a game. A game with a lot to it. But I doubt that any one would be able to pick up on alot of it without reading up on it or being around a lot of coaching and such. And the announcers I see for the world cup tell one nothing and seem to know nothing. A goal like Gerrard's against the US, for instance, developed long before the strike. One might think that would something interesting to talk about by the announcers, but they did not provide any elucidation. Even the way he kicked the ball for the goal was not mentioned, but that was a skillful kick, by a truly great player, something else the watcher would never know from US TV.

[honed]

I love soccer!

I'm enjoying this WC tremendously.
I understand some of the critisism, the "wimping" and so on.

But man, the thrill!

Seriously, I think you have to "get it" to enjoy it.
I can honestly say that baseball for someone who's not familiar with it, really is duuuuuuuull.
So is american football.
8 seconds of play. 2 minutes of huddling. 3 seconds of play. commercial. another play this time for a whole 20 seconds :w00t:. And so on.
Each to their own. YMMV :lol:

[andrew98]

At last, it''s football not soccer.....!!!!! :D Pity the US failed to score in that game last night..... :blushing:

Tom

When in Rome. I call it soccer when I'm in the US and football when I'm in the UK. It's just easier that way.


I also knew that the "hand egg" internet meme would crop up eventually; now what a lot of well-meaning folks don't know is that our American friends, in referring to their beloved grid-iron as "football", are in fact complying with the English naming convention: American Football, as most of us in the formerly colonies are aware, bears more than a passing resemblance to the sport called Rugby Football (by coincidence, South Africa is also home to the world's strongest Rugby team—you Aussies and Kiwis can protest all you like, facts are facts). Furthermore, the name "Soccer" was not invented by the Yanks to distinguish it from their version of Football; the term originated in England as a shortened version of the sport's official name, "Association Football".

Good to know. "Carry or Throw Ball with Occasional Kicking" would be a more accurate name for the American game.

-Andy

[SRock]

http://www.thelagalaxyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/handegg.jpg

I have to admit that was kind of funny.


I can verify the 1 in 8 Americans fact, because that's the exact ratio of people who get on my nerves.

This however, literally made me LOL


I assume that most folks are largely kidding around.

Its all in fun. The fact that when I was in school the guys that played soccer (and baseball) were the ones who couldn't make either the Football or Wrestling teams is why I chuckle at it.

Just kidding all you soccer hooligans.


I've tried pretty hard to appreciate soccer, but just can't do it I'm afraid.

I'm with you. I get a kick out of watching my kids, nieces and nephews play but I can't stand to watch the World Cup or any of the pro schtuff.

[bythbook]

...

You don't see many jabs from Europeans complaining about the Superbowl being a combined 5 minutes of action punctuated by hours of commercials...

...


that's it!

Soccer needs more commercials!


Really.

[SRock]

that's it!

Soccer needs more commercials!


Really.

:lol::lol::lol:

[andrew98]

Its all in fun. The fact that when I was in school the guys that played soccer (and baseball) were the ones who couldn't make either the Football or Wrestling teams is why I chuckle at it.

Just kidding all you soccer hooligans.

None of the football players at my high school could make the soccer team, and none of the soccer team wanted to play football, except one guy who was a kicker (and went on to kick in college). Both teams were regularly state champs.

-Andy

[Mr. Imperial]

All joking aside, while I don't enjoy soccer, I have a healthy respect for people who can run 8 miles during any sort of game.

Living in Australia ruined me, though, because of Australian football - the best possible combination of soccer and rugby. In soccer, the field's just absurdly large and empty. The Aussies solved that problem by putting 1200 men on the field. In soccer, nobody would care about touching the ball because it's round and hard to hold. The Aussies solved that problem by keeping it light and kickable (and BOUNCEABLE. Seriously.), but making it a bit more oblong. In soccer, players are in great athletic shape, but most of them are pansies. The Aussies solved that problem by allowing real tackling, not just kicking someone with metal spikes.

I really enjoy my American sports, but whenever I see soccer I just think, "The rest of the world hasn't caught up to the AFL."

[Confuzius]

Anyone have a video of Poulsen's bicycle kick save from the last 10 minutes of Netherlands v. Denmark?
It was great, but overshadowed by his OG earlier in the game, all my searching leads only to the own goal and not the incredible overhead bicycle kick save.

[The Knize]

Anyone have a video of Poulsen's bicycle kick save from the last 10 minutes of Netherlands v. Denmark?
It was great, but overshadowed by his OG earlier in the game, all my searching leads only to the own goal and not the incredible overhead bicycle kick save.

see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJA2YmB5gHE right about at 9:13

I agree. Incredible bicycle kick save.

Anyone that plays a Back in soccer is going to get an own eventually. He did not head the ball in directly, but headed it into the back of a teammate from which it bounced into the goal. Still not a great play, but a bit more forgivable, I suppose. Gets pretty complicated in front of one's goal.

Looked like the Danish goale was doing a heck of a job in that game to keep it close at all.

As with Green's fumbled ball that gave the US a score in the US UK game, no player should ever be considered the sole cause of a lose or tie. The UK had it in its power to score more than one goal Denmark could have scored one another goal, too.

I love the way Holland plays. They are really due a WC!

[40boy]

I'm not a soccer fan. I just never had any interest.
I never played it as a kid. it became popular around here afterwards.

I tried to watch it over the weekend. The World Cup. Best of The Best. What better time to take an interest?
I wanted to give it a chance. I like sports where a premium is placed on strategy and defense. I'd rather watch a 1-0 MLB game than a slugfest.

The stupid buzzing noise was driving me batty. I had to mute the TV.

Without the announcers, I had no idea what the hell was going on. Cards. Flopping. Alot of running. The game doesn't end when the time is up? :blink:

I switched to golf :lol:

[Ruck]

I'm not a soccer fan. I just never had any interest.
I never played it as a kid. it became popular around here afterwards.

I tried to watch it over the weekend. The World Cup. Best of The Best. What better time to take an interest?
I wanted to give it a chance. I like sports where a premium is placed on strategy and defense. I'd rather watch a 1-0 MLB game than a slugfest.

The stupid buzzing noise was driving me batty. It had to mute the TV.

Without the announcers, I had no idea what the hell was going on. Cards. Flopping. Alot of running. The game doesn't end when the time is up? :blink:

I switched to golf :lol:

Right now the teams are all technically 'world class', but honestly there are teams present who are only so as a formality to flesh out the tournament. Hold off on judgment until the quarterfinals where you're getting into the 'meat & potatoes' teams. At the current group stage of play the great teams will prioritize staying healthy and aren't going to play with the beauty and power of of a make-or-break game.

Come back and give it another try once the group stages are over. Then it gets good! I think you may see it differently.

[Confuzius]

How to silence vuvuzela horns from world cup broadcasts with an equalizer (http://lifehacker.com/5564085/how-to-silence-vuvuzela-horns-with-an-eq-filter)
Includes specific instructions for newish Samsung TV's, I'm gonna give it a shot when I get home.

[Amer]

Its all in fun. The fact that when I was in school the guys that played soccer (and baseball) were the ones who couldn't make either the Football or Wrestling teams is why I chuckle at it.

I snicker at this just because of a story about my brother. He was born in the 70's and grew up here in St. Louis when indoor soccer was quite popular and actually had a larger attendance and TV audience than the Blues. His freshman year of high school, after playing soccer all his life, he and his friend were cut first day at soccer tryouts. The coach politely suggested they try out for the dismal football team, which they automatically made varsity after outrunning all the poor gents after preparing for the soccer tryouts.

11 years down the line, I attend the same high school. The soccer team was still a strong competitor but not a champion in recent years, yet the football team won state for the first time ever.

[DizzyArnaz]

Disclaimer: Hockey fan here.

I do not enjoy soccer as much as other team sports. However, as mentioned above, I have a lot of respect for the guys that play it. Running miles upon miles in a single game is admirable in my opinion.

Also, the strategies at work in soccer are transferrable to other sports that I am more interested by (hockey, lacrosse, basketball). In this way, I am interested in soccer.

The issue people have with embellishing fouls in soccer is one I sympathize with though. I think it's gutless and unsportsmanlike. In fact, in hockey you get hit with a 2 minute penalty for 'Unsportsmanlike Conduct' for stuff that is all but encouraged in soccer.

At least it's more interesting than baseball. Do I have to turn in my American citizenship for not liking baseball?

[Escosse73]

Well considering that all you Americans who don't enjoy football ( soccer) , at least you have your country in the World Cup . My homeland Scotland and my adopted country - Canada didn't even qualify ! Grrrr

Did enjoy watching the US give England a run for their money !!!


Cheers,

Scott

[Kevan]

The issue people have with embellishing fouls in soccer is one I sympathize with though. I think it's gutless and unsportsmanlike. In fact, in hockey you get hit with a 2 minute penalty for 'Unsportsmanlike Conduct' for stuff that is all but encouraged in soccer.


The refs are showing zero tolerance so far in this World Cup for diving. Several players have already been booked for it. And even I, as a diehard fan, have a distaste for it, but it's certainly a cultural thing. It's popular among Italians, Spanish, Portuguese and Mexicans more than anyone else. Refs in these countries typically give soft calls, so people are constantly on the ground in their league matches. That's why I love watching the UEFA Champions League, where a Norwegian ref, for example, has absolutely no sympathy for a Spanish player rolling on the ground or falling after hardly being touched.

[DizzyArnaz]

I haven't been watching the World Cup as religiously as some (only caught 3 or so games since it started), so I'd have no idea if diving is looked upon badly by the officials. I wasn't aware that certain countries' players are more prone to this. Thanks for the info. UEFA is the one conference in FIFA that I would love to have access to game coverage, they seem to consistently have the best of the best.

[castlecraver]

At least it's more interesting than baseball. Do I have to turn in my American citizenship for not liking baseball?

Heck no! Sometimes I wonder if the same people who complain about the low scores in footy have ever seen a baseball game. Give me a 1-0 soccer game over a 1-0 baseball game any day.

And I enjoy both, because they go so well with beer. :thumbup:

[SRock]

None of the football players at my high school could make the soccer team, and none of the soccer team wanted to play football, except one guy who was a kicker (and went on to kick in college). Both teams were regularly state champs.

-Andy

I knew about a half dozen football players who also played soccer and most of them took up soccer after the coach was looking for players with a little more mass. I only knew two football players who played baseball though and both were only on the team because they could crush the ball.

[spinyeel]

American "Football" is pathetic.:thumbdown You have to hire burned out,over the hill,retired Aussie Rules players to kick the stupid shaped object for you.:lol::lol: And you pay them for it. You lot haven't got a clue,have you?:tongue_sm

[Amer]

I think we should all stop the ripping on soccer and football and baseball and start going at the sport everyone hates: basketball.

The last 2 minutes of a basketball game is the most dismal viewing in the history of sports. Any time a team can gain an advantage out of fouling the other team is just wrong. And honestly, I think watching a basketball game is a lot more boring that watching soccer or baseball.

[DizzyArnaz]

And I enjoy both, because they go so well with beer. :thumbup:

Most things go well with beer :001_smile

[apologeticus]

http://img.skitch.com/20100617-dmndswu3jcnhyjg1gdmj1t3ift.jpg

[pauls51]

American "Football" is pathetic.:thumbdown You have to hire burned out,over the hill,retired Aussie Rules players to kick the stupid shaped object for you.:lol::lol: And you pay them for it. You lot haven't got a clue,have you?:tongue_sm

:lol::lol:

Go Sav Rocca!!! you gotta be kidding me :tongue_sm !!! :lol:

*runs and hides*

[rm71]

I think we should all stop the ripping on soccer and football and baseball and start going at the sport everyone hates: basketball.

The last 2 minutes of a basketball game is the most dismal viewing in the history of sports. Any time a team can gain an advantage out of fouling the other team is just wrong. And honestly, I think watching a basketball game is a lot more boring that watching soccer or baseball.

I think basketball is an OK game. The NBA does seem pretty exciting from what I see on TV here.

[DizzyArnaz]

I think basketball is an OK game. The NBA does seem pretty exciting from what I see on TV here.

The NBA playoffs are exciting. I feel that watching the first three and a half quarters of a regular season game are extremely boring and the players don't really kick it into gear til the 4th.

College basketball is always exciting. Those kids always play to their limit.

[Don]

....... the first three and a half quarters of a regular season game are extremely boring and the players don't really kick it into gear til the 4th.


On this we think alike.

[SRock]

American "Football" is pathetic.:thumbdown You have to hire burned out,over the hill,retired Aussie Rules players to kick the stupid shaped object for you.:lol::lol: And you pay them for it. You lot haven't got a clue,have you?:tongue_sm

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[The Knize]

The refs are showing zero tolerance so far in this World Cup for diving. Several players have already been booked for it. And even I, as a diehard fan, have a distaste for it, but it's certainly a cultural thing. It's popular among Italians, Spanish, Portuguese and Mexicans more than anyone else. Refs in these countries typically give soft calls, so people are constantly on the ground in their league matches. That's why I love watching the UEFA Champions League, where a Norwegian ref, for example, has absolutely no sympathy for a Spanish player rolling on the ground or falling after hardly being touched.

Great post! I had noticed that the fake injury stuff seemed less prevalent in the games I have watched. A huge improvement.

I do think that college b-ball has remained incredibly reliable good sport to watch over the years, even though the pros looting the college teans every year seemed poised to really hurt it but I do not think it has.

Regular season pro b-ball seems pretty tedious. The playoffs seem good though. The athleticism of professional basketball players is stunning and amazing to watch, particularly in person.

Professional golf is actually pretty amazing to watch in person. The sense of super human skill is some much more there than on TV. There was a time I liked tennis, now tennis seems the epitome of boring, repetitive activity. There is only so much that goes on on a tennis court. It seems super human, too, though.

I do not know what to say about baseball. It has its charms, but it is played at a pace much slower than most sports. It is really a different experience altogether. Incredible skill involved in pitching and in hitting a baseball.

Soceer can also seem pretty random and the best team does not seem to win frequently enough. No way Spain should have lost. Brazil 2-1 over North Korea? I mean really, what the heck is that about?

If the initial matches are any inidication, Germany is going to roll.

[Seraphim]

OK, people let's FOCUS!:mad3:


This is not a general sports discussion thread! I don't want to hear about Aussie football, rugby, basketball, Football, curling, synchronized swiimming, nor rythmic gymnastics....

It is about the gut wrenching hatred that soccer inspires in a sane person watching it!

The kick below the belt frustration of watching World Cup atheletes compete for 90 minutes (plus a nebulous amount of "extra time"....) and still come out in a 0-0 tie.:blink:

Right.

So, continue...

[bradyarz]

OK, people let's FOCUS!:mad3:


This is not a general sports discussion thread! I don't want to hear about Aussie football, rugby, basketball, Football, curling, synchronized swiimming, nor rythmic gymnastics....

It is about the gut wrenching hatred that soccer inspires in a sane person watching it!

The kick below the belt frustration of watching World Cup atheletes compete for 90 minutes (plus a nebulous amount of "extra time"....) and still come out in a 0-0 tie.:blink:

Right.

So, continue...

...but...but... rhythmic gymnastics are my favorite!!!:crying:
i mean, look at this skill:

http://www.olympics.org.uk/beijing2008/images/sports/Rythmic_Gymnastics_300x400.JPG

[Go West Young Man]

Can anyone tell me why 'injury time' is kept such a secret? That alone is enough to keep me from watching soccer - the game goes on until the ref decides he's tired of it?

[Seraphim]

Can anyone tell me why 'injury time' is kept such a secret? That alone is enough to keep me from watching soccer - the game goes on until the ref decides he's tired of it?

Because they don't want to encourage flopping as a way to prolong the game. So a player can never be sure whether his flop was worth 30 seconds of extra time, or 2 minutes.....

Or some such thing.

Personally I think extra time is put there to punish the viewer; "still not sick of this game? Here...have some more....." :thumbdown

[Go West Young Man]

I'd like to see baseball umps add a couple extra outs to the bottom of the ninth inning every now and then, shake things up a bit.

[Seraphim]

I'd like to see baseball umps add a couple extra outs to the bottom of the ninth inning every now and then, shake things up a bit.

Something along these lines? (closest I could find:tongue_sm)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-S-eeInJVk

[Kevan]

Soceer can also seem pretty random and the best team does not seem to win frequently enough. No way Spain should have lost. Brazil 2-1 over North Korea? I mean really, what the heck is that about?

If the initial matches are any inidication, Germany is going to roll.
In a tournament like this, where there's a 3-game first round before the knockout phase, you're bound to see even good teams take it easy in their first games. Brazil is capable of going into gears that very few teams can match, but they're not going to do it unless they have to. It's important to peak at the right time in the World Cup.

We saw this 4 years ago in the last WC. Spain and Holland burned through the first round, scoring a boatload of goals and winning all 3 games. Then they both got eliminated shortly after.

That doesn't always hold true though, especially for the Germans. But the Germans are always the same. They always find a way to stick around. :laugh:

[DougK]

My wife finds my obsession with the World Cup amusing. I watched it obsessively when we were dating in 2006 and yet she still married me, although it's admittedly easier for her to tolerate because we don't currently have cable TV.

One sport I'd love to see more of is handball (usually called team handball here in the US and relegated to phys ed classes). Now that is an amazing sport to watch.

[bradyarz]

So first we have overage time, which the refs tell no one, then we have this article (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/worldcup2010/2010/06/18/2010-06-18_us_stages_furious_rally_to_earn_22_draw.html), where more referee voodoo is not explained. If you disallow a goal, at least say why!

[Seraphim]

http://www.thelagalaxyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/handegg.jpg

Let me bring up a certain fact that invalidates this point:
http://www.shahbazfc.com/images/soccer-rules-the-throw-in.jpg

handball?

[Lord Byron]

Having grown up mostly in Europe but also a little bit in America,I must admit that while I love playing football(soccer),I find it to be amazingly dull most of the time to watch on television.
I also played a lot of rugby growing up,a team sport that I love and that I would really love to see Americans get into.For me the most watchable American sports are probably Basketball and Ice Hockey.I find Baseball even worse than cricket,and American Football to me is just a long commercial break with a bit of sport thrown in.
I still think of the more popular International games Rugby has the most potential to appeal to Americans.

[Fairchild86]

American "Football" is pathetic.:thumbdown You have to hire burned out,over the hill,retired Aussie Rules players to kick the stupid shaped object for you.:lol::lol: And you pay them for it. You lot haven't got a clue,have you?:tongue_sm

Obviously you have never been to an American football game...

[Uncle Erik]

I've never been a huge soccer fan (despite playing it in my youth), but have been catching World Cup matches at bars lately. It's watchable, more than it's seemed to me before. Maybe it's because I'm maturing and slowing down a little. Or maybe it is just the beer. But I'm enjoying it. Not standing up and raving like I do with US football, but I kinda like it. I'll have to take in a Galaxy game or two.

Baseball boring? I think you folks misunderstand the game. It's a 19th century pastime where you are not supposed to be focused on the game 100&#37; of the time. Baseball leaves you time to socialize, eat hot dogs and drink beer between plays. Could there be anything better than a warm summer evening at the ballpark with friends, food and drink? I think not. You get to socialize, eat and have a few drinks without missing the action. No, it's not intense like basketball, but that's the charm of baseball.

I suppose cricket is similar, but I find it incomprehensible.

[rm71]

I've never been a huge soccer fan (despite playing it in my youth), but have been catching World Cup matches at bars lately. It's watchable, more than it's seemed to me before. Maybe it's because I'm maturing and slowing down a little. Or maybe it is just the beer. But I'm enjoying it. Not standing up and raving like I do with US football, but I kinda like it. I'll have to take in a Galaxy game or two.

Baseball boring? I think you folks misunderstand the game. It's a 19th century pastime where you are not supposed to be focused on the game 100% of the time. Baseball leaves you time to socialize, eat hot dogs and drink beer between plays. Could there be anything better than a warm summer evening at the ballpark with friends, food and drink? I think not. You get to socialize, eat and have a few drinks without missing the action. No, it's not intense like basketball, but that's the charm of baseball.

I suppose cricket is similar, but I find it incomprehensible.

I suppose it is similar to cricket, except a test match can go on for 5 days and still have a draw:huh:

[SRock]

Let me bring up a certain fact that invalidates this point:
http://www.shahbazfc.com/images/soccer-rules-the-throw-in.jpg

handball?

:lol::lol::lol:

[StillShaving]

http://i.imgur.com/lKxA3.gif

[Seraphim]

You don't like the game, fine. I have no problem with that. Why participate in this thread?

Rm71, this is a soccer bashing thread, not a serious soccer discussion thread.:tongue_sm

I come here to vent!:lol:

There are official World Cup threads in the Clubhouse forum, where I refrain from speaking my mind, but my understanding is that this thread is for lighthearted lampooning of soccer by ignoramouses such as myself.

[rm71]

Rm71, this is a soccer bashing thread, not a serious soccer discussion thread.:tongue_sm

I come here to vent!:lol:

There are official World Cup threads in the Clubhouse forum, where I refrain from speaking my mind, but my understanding is that this thread is for lighthearted lampooning of soccer by ignoramouses such as myself.

Didn't see to start that way...and is "bashing" in the spirit of this forum?

[bradyarz]

Didn't see to start that way...and is "bashing" in the spirit of this forum?

yes!:a6::a19::a7::a3::a13:

[SRock]

Rm71, this is a soccer bashing thread, not a serious soccer discussion thread.:tongue_sm

I come here to vent!:lol:

There are official World Cup threads in the Clubhouse forum, where I refrain from speaking my mind, but my understanding is that this thread is for lighthearted lampooning of soccer by ignoramouses such as myself.

Exactly, the OP started it just for fun.

[The Knize]

Rm71, this is a soccer bashing thread, not a serious soccer discussion thread.:tongue_sm

I come here to vent!:lol:

There are official World Cup threads in the Clubhouse forum, where I refrain from speaking my mind, but my understanding is that this thread is for lighthearted lampooning of soccer by ignoramouses such as myself.

Agreed--pretty much--and I am someone that takes soccer sort of seriously. Except so long as it is recognized that "lighthearted lampooning of [other sports] by ignoramouses such as myself" in this thread by way of comparison and response is fair play!

[bradyarz]

Agreed--pretty much--and I am someone that takes soccer sort of seriously. Except so long as it is recognized that "lighthearted lampooning of [other sports] by ignoramouses such as myself" in this thread by way of comparison and response is fair play!

tell yourself whatever you want. soccer is just weird. :tongue_sm:lol:

[DolimiteB]

OK, people let's FOCUS!:mad3:


This is not a general sports discussion thread! I don't want to hear about Aussie football, rugby, basketball, Football, curling, synchronized swiimming, nor rythmic gymnastics....

It is about the gut wrenching hatred that soccer inspires in a sane person watching it!

The kick below the belt frustration of watching World Cup atheletes compete for 90 minutes (plus a nebulous amount of "extra time"....) and still come out in a 0-0 tie.:blink:

Right.

So, continue...

Yes!!! I started the "Why World Cup/Soccer isn't popular in
the US?" thread and it got shut down. My intent was to lure
people in with a seemingly innocent title and then bash them
for liking soccer. Glad to see someone has been proactive
about creating a thread that is open about it. Now, let's get to
the facts of the situation:

1) Soccer's core value is unethical: pretending to be hurt.
When is the last time that you, as a father, tried to impart
to your son the life lesson of pretending to be hurt and hoping
that someone else would solve the problem for you? It is an
un-American value.There are no Yellow Cards in the office for
phantom misconduct. As Fresno St. football coach Pat Hill says,
"Shut up and hit somebody!" Excellent life advice.

1a) Another un-American value: quitting on your team
and country. France sent a player home and then
refused to practice. Really? You won't see Bill Belicheck
sending Tom Brady home and then the rest of the Patriots
mumbling to Bill, "That was mean, Coach. We don't like
that you're strict. Ergo, we are not practicing today."
Sure, Allen Iverson didn't practice and made a big deal out
of it, but the rest of the Sixers went out and did
what Larry Brown told them to do.

1b) Much like Communism, better performance is rarely rewarded.
Usually it's a tie no matter how well you performed.

1c) The Ref doesn't have to say what the call was or, for that matter,
even justify it. Apparently soccer took a page out of Kim Jong Il's playbook.

2) I don't want to hear any more about them "running a lot".
According to USA Soccer, the "players" run about 8 miles over
2 hours (4 mph = 15 minutes per mile) while the ref runs closer
to 12 miles during that same time span. Perhaps the refs blow
calls so much because they are tired as a result
of having to do 50&#37; more work than the "athletes."
There is already a sportfor people that like to run a lot: Cross-Country.

3) The winner is not a "true" World Champion as some say.
To qualify you have to be among the best in your region.
Hence, North Korea makes it in over Canada, Russia, Scotland,
or another country because North Korea's region has less depth.
Those countries would have put up a better fight against Brazil (7-0).

4) I tried to create my own bracket. To advance you had to have
fewer flops than the other team, but after 15 minutes of watching
I feltlike a worse person and stopped. I would be very interested
to see whetherthere's a correlation between the teams that
flop the least and not advancing to the Quarterfinals.

5) Thank you to Don, Seraphim, Go West Young Man, and anybody
else that has stayed strong and reinforced my view on soccer.
If I omitted you (and you knowwho you are), I sincerely apologize.
Give yourselves a pat on the back or some Penhaligon's shave cream. You deserve it.

[rm71]

Yes!!! I started the "Why World Cup/Soccer isn't popular in
the US?" thread and it got shut down. My intent was to lure
people in with a seemingly innocent title and then bash them
for liking soccer. Glad to see someone has been proactive
about creating a thread that is open about it. Now, let's get to
the facts of the situation:

1) Soccer's core value is unethical: pretending to be hurt.
When is the last time that you, as a father, tried to impart
to your son the life lesson of pretending to be hurt and hoping
that someone else would solve the problem for you? It is an
un-American value.There are no Yellow Cards in the office for
phantom misconduct. As Fresno St. football coach Pat Hill says,
"Shut up and hit somebody!" Excellent life advice.

1a) Another un-American value: quitting on your team
and country. France sent a player home and then
refused to practice. Really? You won't see Bill Belicheck
sending Tom Brady home and then the rest of the Patriots
mumbling to Bill, "That was mean, Coach. We don't like
that you're strict. Ergo, we are not practicing today."
Sure, Allen Iverson didn't practice and made a big deal out
of it, but the rest of the Sixers went out and did
what Larry Brown told them to do.

1b) Much like Communism, better performance is rarely rewarded.
Usually it's a tie no matter how well you performed.

1c) The Ref doesn't have to say what the call was or, for that matter,
even justify it. Apparently soccer took a page out of Kim Jong Il's playbook.

2) I don't want to hear any more about them "running a lot".
According to USA Soccer, the "players" run about 8 miles over
2 hours (4 mph = 15 minutes per mile) while the ref runs closer
to 12 miles during that same time span. Perhaps the refs blow
calls so much because they are tired as a result
of having to do 50% more work than the "athletes."
There is already a sportfor people that like to run a lot: Cross-Country.

3) The winner is not a "true" World Champion as some say.
To qualify you have to be among the best in your region.
Hence, North Korea makes it in over Canada, Russia, Scotland,
or another country because North Korea's region has less depth.
Those countries would have put up a better fight against Brazil (7-0).

4) I tried to create my own bracket. To advance you had to have
fewer flops than the other team, but after 15 minutes of watching
I feltlike a worse person and stopped. I would be very interested
to see whetherthere's a correlation between the teams that
flop the least and not advancing to the Quarterfinals.

5) Thank you to Don, Seraphim, Go West Young Man, and anybody
else that has stayed strong and reinforced my view on soccer.
If I omitted you (and you knowwho you are), I sincerely apologize.
Give yourselves a pat on the back or some Penhaligon's shave cream. You deserve it.

:blink::huh:

[Seraphim]

Yes!!! I started the "Why World Cup/Soccer isn't popular in
the US?" thread and it got shut down. My intent was to lure
people in with a seemingly innocent title and then bash them
for liking soccer. Glad to see someone has been proactive
about creating a thread that is open about it. Now, let's get to
the facts of the situation:

1) Soccer's core value is unethical: pretending to be hurt.
When is the last time that you, as a father, tried to impart
to your son the life lesson of pretending to be hurt and hoping
that someone else would solve the problem for you? It is an
un-American value.There are no Yellow Cards in the office for
phantom misconduct. As Fresno St. football coach Pat Hill says,
"Shut up and hit somebody!" Excellent life advice.

1a) Another un-American value: quitting on your team
and country. France sent a player home and then
refused to practice. Really? You won't see Bill Belicheck
sending Tom Brady home and then the rest of the Patriots
mumbling to Bill, "That was mean, Coach. We don't like
that you're strict. Ergo, we are not practicing today."
Sure, Allen Iverson didn't practice and made a big deal out
of it, but the rest of the Sixers went out and did
what Larry Brown told them to do.

1b) Much like Communism, better performance is rarely rewarded.
Usually it's a tie no matter how well you performed.

1c) The Ref doesn't have to say what the call was or, for that matter,
even justify it. Apparently soccer took a page out of Kim Jong Il's playbook.

2) I don't want to hear any more about them "running a lot".
According to USA Soccer, the "players" run about 8 miles over
2 hours (4 mph = 15 minutes per mile) while the ref runs closer
to 12 miles during that same time span. Perhaps the refs blow
calls so much because they are tired as a result
of having to do 50&#37; more work than the "athletes."
There is already a sportfor people that like to run a lot: Cross-Country.

3) The winner is not a "true" World Champion as some say.
To qualify you have to be among the best in your region.
Hence, North Korea makes it in over Canada, Russia, Scotland,
or another country because North Korea's region has less depth.
Those countries would have put up a better fight against Brazil (7-0).

4) I tried to create my own bracket. To advance you had to have
fewer flops than the other team, but after 15 minutes of watching
I feltlike a worse person and stopped. I would be very interested
to see whetherthere's a correlation between the teams that
flop the least and not advancing to the Quarterfinals.

5) Thank you to Don, Seraphim, Go West Young Man, and anybody
else that has stayed strong and reinforced my view on soccer.
If I omitted you (and you knowwho you are), I sincerely apologize.
Give yourselves a pat on the back or some Penhaligon's shave cream. You deserve it.

Beautiful prose!:thumbup1:


And let's be clear here; we're not out to bash the people who like soccer, we're here to bash soccer itself. Soccer fans are simply the innocent victims in this worldwide plague, and we're here to help!

It may not have to be a 12 step program, but something similar:

We start with soccer.

We then encourage the term "football" when refering to soccer, as is common in many places in the world.

We then introduce them to some core value related sports, depending upon the region, such as rugby football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, etc. where the only people who end up on the ground are the ones who have been deliberatly put there by means of a good solid hit (with no ensuing yellow card).

From there we administer a full dose of Sunday afternoon Football! Big screen plasma TVs, tailgating, chips & beer, tossing around the ol' pigskin in the backyard prior to the game, quarterbacks, recievers, linemen, linebackers, NFL cheerleaders. The necessity for players to wear protective pads and helmets due to the danger to life and limb inherent in the sport.

Once the patient finds him/herself staying up until 12a.m. watching MNF we can be assured of a full recovery!:thumbup:

[SalvadorMontenegro]

http://i.imgur.com/lKxA3.gif

Ahahahahahahaha. I love soccer, but I can't stop watching this! I nearly spit out my coffee!

[The Knize]

The sniper video is hilarious!

[Go West Young Man]

Yo, don't drag me into this, I said I appreciate soccer even if I don't love it.

[DolimiteB]

Yo, don't drag me into this, I said I appreciate soccer even if I don't love it.

YEELLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOWWWWW Card for you, Go West Young Man (stern glare from Referee is implied). One more of those and you can go to the sideline and don the cute little penny that the rest of the people who aren't in the game are sporting.

And yes, Seraphim, you're correct. I will try not to confuse Soccer Appreciationists with the sport itself.

[DolimiteB]

I'd like to see baseball umps add a couple extra outs to the bottom of the ninth inning every now and then, shake things up a bit.

I think it would be better if they just had extra innings in each game
regardless of whether it's tied. This would really force Managers to
use their Closers wisely because you never know when Rivera or
Papelbon will have to go out for another inning and throw some heaters.

[Kevan]

Yes!!! I started the "Why World Cup/Soccer isn't popular in
the US?" thread and it got shut down. My intent was to lure
people in with a seemingly innocent title and then bash them
for liking soccer.
Wow. Gentlemanly indeed.


2) I don't want to hear any more about them "running a lot".
According to USA Soccer, the "players" run about 8 miles over
2 hours (4 mph = 15 minutes per mile) while the ref runs closer
to 12 miles during that same time span. Perhaps the refs blow
calls so much because they are tired as a result
of having to do 50&#37; more work than the "athletes."
There is already a sportfor people that like to run a lot: Cross-Country.

Sure, athletes who do cross-country run a lot, but that doesn't refute our point about soccer players, either.

Your argument that soccer at its core is un-American is frankly ridiculous. I'm sure it's also very American for basketball players to gesture at fans and jump into the crowd. Or for baseball players to take steroids and take a bribe to lose a World Series.


3) The winner is not a "true" World Champion as some say.
To qualify you have to be among the best in your region.
Hence, North Korea makes it in over Canada, Russia, Scotland,
or another country because North Korea's region has less depth.
Those countries would have put up a better fight against Brazil (7-0).
Teams that qualify for the world Cup from "weaker" regions often have a play-off against teams in other regions; for example, teams from the Oceana region ultimately have to qualify by playing teams in the Asia bracket (they've also had to play teams from the South American bracket in the past; now, the teams that fail to qualify from North America play the South American teams for a spot in the WC). Point is, if you're going to bash, educate yourself.

I agree with some of your other points about the refereeing and player conduct. But not every nation has diving players, and frankly, what sport is perfect?

[The Knize]

Don't "take the bait," Kevan! :001_smile

No one should be taking the soccer bashing seriously! Most sports are pretty big targets!

[Seraphim]

I agree with some of your other points about the refereeing and player conduct. But not every nation has diving players, and frankly, what sport is perfect?


http://static.nfl.com/static/site/img/global/alt/large-logo.png

Next question?

:tongue_sm

[Kevan]

http://static.nfl.com/static/site/img/global/alt/large-logo.png

Next question?

:tongue_sm
You want to open that can of worms? :laugh:

[Seraphim]

You want to open that can of worms? :laugh:



Kevan, my friend, I fear that you may be beguiled by the siren call of the vuvuzelas!

Lash yourself fast to the mast, and heed not their cry! Many a man has allowed himself to give way to their song, and has persihed upon the rocks of European soccer despair!

http://www.sirensongweb.com/images-2006/im-painting-1.jpg

[mretzloff]

http://static.nfl.com/static/site/img/global/alt/large-logo.png

Next question?

:tongue_sm

So perfect that only one country in the world plays and cares about it :lol:

[Seraphim]

So perfect that only one country in the world plays and cares about it :lol:

Perfection doesn't come easy.....

[The Knize]

So, s-ck it, all you haters! :biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1::thumbup::thumbup:: And welcome to fandom for real football each and every one of you! :thumbup1::thumbup1:

All in fun, of course, and you know I "love" you all--sort of. At least I do when the US wins! And I love me some NFL way more than even WC soccer, frankly! (And the MLS is tedious. As, frankly, is the Premiership. Not college football over college soccer or WC soccer though!)

I do forgive almost anyone for saying almost anything--and after all anyone on this board can really do is say things!--if they are funny, and there has been some gut bustingly funny stuff posted in this thread!

(And there ain't nothing about the officiating in the US-Algeria game that would change anyone's mind about soccer!)

[Confuzius]

http://static.nfl.com/static/site/img/global/alt/large-logo.png

Next question?

:tongue_sm

15 seconds of play, 10 minutes of waiting and commercials! Perfect!

[taffy]

The appeal of footie is quite simple, its watched and played in every country of the world, what other sport has that appeal, you dont need money behind you to get into footie, just skills, no sponser or university place, you can play it anywhere, on any surface, boys/girls, old or young, its the only universal sport, every country has its own sport, but no other sport is so world wide.

[Seraphim]

The appeal of footie is quite simple, its watched and played in every country of the world, what other sport has that appeal, you dont need money behind you to get into footie, just skills, no sponser or university place, you can play it anywhere, on any surface, boys/girls, old or young, its the only universal sport, every country has its own sport, but no other sport is so world wide.

Bad breath is also pretty prevalent worldwide.

I'm not a fan of it either!


:tongue_sm

[DolimiteB]

Wow. Gentlemanly indeed.


Sure, athletes who do cross-country run a lot, but that doesn't refute our point about soccer players, either.

Your argument that soccer at its core is un-American is frankly ridiculous. I'm sure it's also very American for basketball players to gesture at fans and jump into the crowd. Or for baseball players to take steroids and take a bribe to lose a World Series.


Teams that qualify for the world Cup from "weaker" regions often have a play-off against teams in other regions; for example, teams from the Oceana region ultimately have to qualify by playing teams in the Asia bracket (they've also had to play teams from the South American bracket in the past; now, the teams that fail to qualify from North America play the South American teams for a spot in the WC). Point is, if you're going to bash, educate yourself.

I agree with some of your other points about the refereeing and player conduct. But not every nation has diving players, and frankly, what sport is perfect?

You guys don't make any points about soccer players. Before this,
you were saying that Brazil is pacing itself in Group play because it's a long tournament. They've had four years to rest. They play a few qualifiers
in the 2-3 years leading up to this. Why the pacing? It's one month every
four years.


Frankly, it's ridiculuous to to call something "ridiculous" without offering at least one counter point. Presumably you offered zero counter points because soccer has conditioned its fans to love the number "0". A cursory statistical analysis of all games played (not including today) yields the following:
36 Games played means that there have been 72 opportunities for teams to tally a goal. 25 times the number 0 has appeared.

So, 25/72 demonstrates that 34.72% of the time either one or both goal nets have not been necessary because neither team could figure out how to get the ball past the guy who's not wearing the same jersey as the rest of his team.
In 14 of 36 games both teams have scored. Regretfully, 8 of those games have resulted in ties. Hence, of the 36 games that have been jogged, only 6 times (16.67%) have both teams scored and the game not ended in a tie.

Now, to basketball players punching fans and others taking steroids. Those are absolutely American values. After the French-Indian War concluded, England tried to levy additional taxes on the Colonists because the UK provided protection. Any objective person would conclude that England was well within its rights. NOT US. We started dumping Tea off boats and shooting Red Coats. That's called INITIATIVE.
Harass a basketball player and there are consequences. He'll punch you. INITIATIVE.
Steroids? Who can blame those guys for wanting a competitive edge. If you're not cheating you're not trying. INITIATIVE.
After the Malian ref didn't say what the call was for, Landon Donovan claims that he "politely asked the ref" to explain the call. Look, Landon, this is the biggest event of your life. You just got screwed. What are you being polite about? Maybe if you weren't polite he wouldn't have screwed you in the first place. After all, when the consequence of screwing a team is a "polite"
inquiry, why not screw them? NOT INITIATIVE.


1. Often doesn't equal Always. Under no circumstances should a team be allowed in without playing legit teams from better regions. Often doesn't cut it.
2. Point is, if you're going to defend soccer, educate yourself.


No sport is perfect, it's just that soccer has so many gaping holes in it that it barely qualifies as a sport.

And yes, in the spirit of Stephen Colbert, we're having fun mocking the sport and incorporating an element of ethnocentric satire into it.
We are having fun. :tongue_sm

[Seraphim]

Now, to basketball players punching fans and others taking steroids. Those are absolutely American values. After the French-Indian War concluded, England tried to levy additional taxes on the Colonists because the UK provided protection. Any objective person would conclude that England was well within its rights. NOT US. We started dumping Tea off boats and shooting Red Coats. That's called INITIATIVE.
Harass a basketball player and there are consequences. He'll punch you. INITIATIVE.

:a14:

As a Bostonian, I feel all weepy at this sentiment!:lol:

[bythbook]

Hey! this just in...

USA jobbed out of early goal, wins anyway in double secret overtime!!!!

England wins also; inexplicably, both teams advance!


More 0 - 0 games ahead!!!!!


The English-speaking world sighs in relief.

[ouch]

Sorry I missed it. All I could find was some game featuring some country called Estados Unidos, so I turned it off.

As best as I can tell, soccer most resembles the game of buzkashi, only without the horses and substituting a ball for a dead goat. :thumbup1:

I'm learnin'.

[Greybeard]

Sorry I missed it. All I could find was some game featuring some country called Estados Unidos, so I turned it off.

As best as I can tell, soccer most resembles the game of buzkashi, only without the horses and substituting a ball for a dead goat. :thumbup1:

I'm learnin'.

Aboriginal South Americans used to use their enemies' heads for a ball. The French are thinking of resurrecting the custom.:w00t:

[galopede]

As a point of interest, the England game today got what is probably a world record for the number of people watching a sport together in one place.

They showed it on a huge screen on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury festival and there were over 100,000 watching according to the news reports!

Gareth

[Rughi]

15 seconds of play, 10 minutes of waiting and commercials! Perfect!

That's so you can alternate between beer breaks and bathroom breaks.:blush:


I was once told that at British football matches much of the crowd gets standing room and that, since the game has continuous action and you'd never get your spot back if you left the stands, the guys resort to relieving their pre-match lagers by rolling up a newspaper with which to aim towards the ground. I'm told standing room is full of guys with damp ankles. True? I don't know...Gross? You bet!

Roger

[jbedwell]

As a point of interest, the England game today got what is probably a world record for the number of people watching a sport together in one place.

They showed it on a huge screen on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury festival and there were over 100,000 watching according to the news reports!

Gareth

Hello all,

Gareth, you might be right in your "world record" assumption, but you might also find it interesting to learn that we here in the states have 6 (count 'em...6) college stadiums that seat over 100,000 and sell-out every home game during a season in which...you guessed it...American Football is being played. Thought you'd like to know.

:thumbup:

[bradyarz]

Hello all,

Gareth, you might be right in your "world record" assumption, but you might also find it interesting to learn that we here in the states have 6 (count 'em...6) college stadiums that seat over 100,000 and sell-out every home game during a season in which...you guessed it...American Football is being played. Thought you'd like to know.

:thumbup:

Daaaaaa, da-daaaa, da-daaaaaaaaa
da da
Daaaaaa, da-daaaa, da-daaaaaaaaa
da da
Daaaaaa, da-daaaa, da-daaaaaaaaa, da-daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

da da daaaaaa da daaa da P!
da da daaaaaa da daaa da S!
da da daaaaaa da daaa da U!
da da da da
LETS!
GO!
PSU!

[jbedwell]

Daaaaaa, da-daaaa, da-daaaaaaaaa
da da
Daaaaaa, da-daaaa, da-daaaaaaaaa
da da
Daaaaaa, da-daaaa, da-daaaaaaaaa, da-daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

da da daaaaaa da daaa da P!
da da daaaaaa da daaa da S!
da da daaaaaa da daaa da U!
da da da da
LETS!
GO!
PSU!

BOOMER SOONER!!!

I sure wish we were one of those over 100,000, but we're stuck at a measley 85,000 or so. Maybe one day, they'll bowl in our upper stands. Have fun whippin' Nebraska in a couple of years. I don't know where we'll end up in a few years, but I honestly can't see the Big XII(-2) lasting in the long term.

Boomer Sooner
Boomer Sooner
Boomer Sooner
Boomer Sooner

Boomer Sooner
Boomer Sooner
Boomer Sooner
OK - U

I was Sooner born and Sooner bred
And when I die, I'll be Sooner Dead
Rah Oklahoma
Rah Oklahoma
Rah Oklahomaaaaaa
OK - U

[bradyarz]

...

i just noticed where you're from... some of my in-laws are from sapulpa!:w00t:














i'm sorry :lol:

[jbedwell]

i just noticed where you're from... some of my in-laws are from sapulpa!:w00t:














i'm sorry :lol:

It's not that bad. :blushing: I'm originally from Durant, OK. So, being in Sapulpa isn't bad with its proximity to Tulsa, which is big enough for me.

[galopede]

Hello all,

Gareth, you might be right in your "world record" assumption, but you might also find it interesting to learn that we here in the states have 6 (count 'em...6) college stadiums that seat over 100,000 and sell-out every home game during a season in which...you guessed it...American Football is being played. Thought you'd like to know.

:thumbup:

Not according to Wikipedia, that font of all dodgy knowledge! They say the biggest NFL stadium is FedExField in Landover, Maryland where the Washington Redskins play. They say it seats 91,704. Must be out of date!

Well, at least the Glastonbury crowd is the biggest ever sat on the grass in a field in the middle of nowhere watching the game on a tv screen!

List_of_current_National_Football_League_stadiums (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_National_Football_League_stadiums)

[Seraphim]

Not according to Wikipedia, that font of all dodgy knowledge! They say the biggest NFL stadium is FedExField in Landover, Maryland where the Washington Redskins play. They say it seats 91,704. Must be out of date!

Well, at least the Glastonbury crowd is the biggest ever sat on the grass in a field in the middle of nowhere watching the game on a tv screen!

List_of_current_National_Football_League_stadiums (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_National_Football_League_stadiums)

I Wikipediaed you!:tongue_sm

Check here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_football_stadiums_by_capacity)

College stadiums have an even greater capacity!

[Seraphim]

And a list of world soccer group napping facilities (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_association_football_stadia_by_capacity)

[Go West Young Man]

Not according to Wikipedia, that font of all dodgy knowledge! They say the biggest NFL stadium is FedExField in Landover, Maryland where the Washington Redskins play. They say it seats 91,704. Must be out of date!

Well, at least the Glastonbury crowd is the biggest ever sat on the grass in a field in the middle of nowhere watching the game on a tv screen!

List_of_current_National_Football_League_stadiums (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_National_Football_League_stadiums)


College football is inexplicably much larger than pro football in many places here.
Did you ever see the movie Friday Night Lights? Take that level of mania directed towards a small town high school football team, and extrapolate up to a state-wide level:blink:

[bradyarz]

Not according to Wikipedia, that font of all dodgy knowledge! They say the biggest NFL stadium is FedExField in Landover, Maryland where the Washington Redskins play. They say it seats 91,704. Must be out of date!

Well, at least the Glastonbury crowd is the biggest ever sat on the grass in a field in the middle of nowhere watching the game on a tv screen!

List_of_current_National_Football_League_stadiums (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_National_Football_League_stadiums)

yes, nfl stadiums are much smaller than their college counterparts.

when people play the game for money, their drive inexplicably goes down and less people want to watch them.

[jbedwell]

College football is inexplicably much larger than pro football in many places here.
Did you ever see the movie Friday Night Lights? Take that level of mania directed towards a small town high school football team, and extrapolate up to a state-wide level:blink:

I'm more a college football fan than an NFL fan. One reason is the loyalty factor. When you watch a kid play for your favorite college football team, they are a member of that school's family for life...generally speaking. In the NFL, it's 99% about the money and that's a less attractive quality. However, we do see it in college too...USC. Lol!! I can't bash USC too much being a fan of the Sooners who have their fair share of cheating history...not all too distant either. Another reason for me is purely monetary. To compare the cost of going to see OU play vs. going to see an NFL game...not even close. I think this may be a serious factor in the size of college stadiums. There are just more people that can afford to go to college games, so they can make the stadiums big. That's just a couple of my thoughts.

[Seraphim]

yes, nfl stadiums are much smaller than their college counterparts.

when people play the game for money, their drive inexplicably goes down and less people want to watch them.

I think the real reason is that in the NFL, the teams make most of their money via TV contracts, not stadium attendance.

With college ball, they don't have the same TV revenue stream, nor do the fans have TV access to the game, so they have to go in person.

[ouch]

Finally something to cheer about- Italy loses to a country that has been in existence for 17 years. All of my Italian friends are dying.

[Seraphim]

Brazil wins and advances to the next round!!!!:thumbup:




wait a second.....


Portugal wins and advances to the next round!!!!!:w00t:



hold on now....


Nobody scores, nobody wins, it's a 0-0 tie, and both teams move on to the next round!!!!!


:blink:


Oh yes, the subtle nuances of soccer that I'm just too ignorant to appreciate....

:thumbdown

[DolimiteB]

Brazil wins and advances to the next round!!!!:thumbup:




wait a second.....


Portugal wins and advances to the next round!!!!!:w00t:



hold on now....


Nobody scores, nobody wins, it's a 0-0 tie, and both teams move on to the next round!!!!!


:blink:


Oh yes, the subtle nuances of soccer that I'm just too ignorant to appreciate....

:thumbdown

Seraphim, obviously you are the quintessential Ugly American. Can you not appreciate the fact that had neither of these teams left their hotel rooms they would have arrived at the same conclusion? What you witnessed was pure, unadulterated beauty. Dare I go so far as to call it majestic? The glorified cross-country meet that you watched required neither a ball nor the goal nets, yet you still have the audacity to somehow suggest that a game wherein nothing transpired didn't leave you awed at their fitness levels? Since soccer is enamored of the number zero, I will use that to gently intimate to you all the beauty that was Brazil vs. Italy:

Goals Scored: 0
Goal Nets Required: 0
Soccer Balls Required: 0
Manly Men on Field: 0

I suggest you take a trip to your local modern art gallery to get a base level understanding of how to appreciate all the subtelties associated with the finer things in life. Start there and then follow it up with a foreign film and glass of Bordeaux. At that point, you'll have a sufficient grounding in the art of appreciating boring stuff and be able to offer a sensible comment in response to the uncouth remarks of US Coach Bob Bradley who is deriding soccer players for being shameful playacters.

“I hate to see players act like they’ve been hit and get away with it,” Bradley said Thursday in advance of the Americans’ game against Ghana on Saturday. “I would be ashamed if I was the one doing it.”

http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/news/bradley-punish-the-floppers--fbintl_dw-flopping062510.html

:tongue_sm

[SRock]

Finally something to cheer about- Italy loses to a country that has been in existence for 17 years. All of my Italian friends are dying.

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[ouch]

I must admit that when the US beat Algeristanialand, I was pleased to see the reaction of the fans outside a midtown bar. I was watcing the Spanish language station, but I didn't need to understand a word to appreciate the enthusiam of the fans. Here was an example of immigrants to this country cheering for their adopted homeland, in contrast to one of my favorite pet peeves- millionaire ahtletes who make their home and earn their fortune in the states, only to represent another country in international events, such as the Olympics.

[StillShaving]

Hopefully this is one goal scoring opportunity that will not be missed. Weeeee (http://designfolio.co.nz/_blog/Design_Folio_NZ/post/The_Weee_Soccer_Urinal/)!
http://designfolio.co.nz/Images/blogitems/SoccerWeee.jpg

[SRock]

I must admit that when the US beat Algeristanialand, I was pleased to see the reaction of the fans outside a midtown bar. I was watcing the Spanish language station, but I didn't need to understand a word to appreciate the enthusiam of the fans. Here was an example of immigrants to this country cheering for their adopted homeland, in contrast to one of my favorite pet peeves- millionaire ahtletes who make their home and earn their fortune in the states, only to represent another country in international events, such as the Olympics.

+1


Hopefully this is one goal scoring opportunity that will not be missed. Weeeee (http://designfolio.co.nz/_blog/Design_Folio_NZ/post/The_Weee_Soccer_Urinal/)!
http://designfolio.co.nz/Images/blogitems/SoccerWeee.jpg

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Don]

120+ minutes and three scores, boring as usual. Players not hurt flopping as if they were. Tomorrow, America once again forgets all about soccer. Yawn.

[Go West Young Man]

It's almost like you guys are feeling threatened by soccer or something. I can't figure out if it's ignorance, xenophobia, or what, but it's getting really tired. You don't have to like soccer, but the other 95&#37; of the world does, so why be a jackass about it and play up every Ugly American stereotype?

[Seraphim]

It's almost like you guys are feeling threatened by soccer or something. I can't figure out if it's ignorance, xenophobia, or what, but it's getting really tired. You don't have to like soccer, but the other 95% of the world does, so why be a jackass about it and play up every Ugly American stereotype?

We are simply here to vent. Instead of raining on the real world cup thread, we choose to spew our venomous bile here amongst like minded bretheren.

Personally, why I dislike soccer:

The flopping truly, TRULY is an embarrasment to the sport. World class atheletes consistantly, repeatedly flailing to the ground at the merest whisper of contact. That in itself is enough to turn me off to the sport right there. It is not isolated incedents, it is epidemic. The rest of the world may eat that stuff up, if I want to watch somehing along those lines, I'll tune in pro wrestling...

Add to that the 1-1, 0-0 tie games and I draw the line.

If nobody speaks up, it will be foisted upon us much as Dancing With the Stars, Dr. Phil, and Oprah have been. Those are all widely popular shows, which makes them not one iota better than the rubbish they truly are. Confronted with the choice of watching world cup soccer or Dancing With the Stars, I'd have to think long and hard, and would most likely choose taking my chances diving out the window...

[richmondesi]

It's almost like you guys are feeling threatened by soccer or something. I can't figure out if it's ignorance, xenophobia, or what, but it's getting really tired. You don't have to like soccer, but the other 95% of the world does, so why be a jackass about it and play up every Ugly American stereotype?

I was kinda wondering the same thing. I'm not the biggest soccer fan, but I can certainly appreciate the tremendous athleticism and grace in the game. :thumbup1:

I have to tell you, watching the way Clint Dempsey played (he's from a town an hour's drive from my hometown) was very cool. I just wish huge international tournaments were played more regularly (with such publicity). I could get into that game.

[DolimiteB]

It's almost like you guys are feeling threatened by soccer or something. I can't figure out if it's ignorance, xenophobia, or what, but it's getting really tired. You don't have to like soccer, but the other 95% of the world does, so why be a jackass about it and play up every Ugly American stereotype?

No one feels threatened by soccer and we're not suffering from xenophobia, ethnocentrism, or any other myriad number of character flaws that would otherwise explain our disdain for soccer.

There's a fundamental difference between soccer fans and US sports fans. Soccer fans can never figure out why the sport doesn't take off in the US and we've supplied ample reasons for why it doesn't: flopping, low scores, tied scores, lack of manliness, etc. Yet soccer fans persist and tell us to "give the beautiful game a chance." Every four years ESPN (or whatever network carries it) tries to dupe the American public into liking an unethical sport. And every four years we show fleeting interest that evaporates the day after the little Cuppy thing is handed out. Contrast this with American sports: we make no effort whatsoever to tell anyone that they should care about and/or appreciate our sports (baseball, basketball, football, etc.). We don't care what they think. People end up paying attention to our sports because of the marketing that surrounds them (i.e. I want to be like Mike).

While I generally root for the US in every international competition ranging from Spelling B to Dominos to Bobsled, I am genuinely happy that the US is out of World Flop. Why? I don't want the children to grow up thinking that falling down and pretending to be hurt will get them anywhere in life. It sets a bad example.

Here in Afghanistan, I am generally pretty lenient with my platoon as to what they can do in their down time. However, one thing I made very clear to them before we even deployed was that under no circumstances were they to ever engage in soccer viewing unless they were pointing out the flaws in the sport to a service member from a Soccer Loving Coalition Partner country (i.e. England, Georgia, France, etc.). I explained that it makes a man soft and they universally agreed.

A special shout out to the man, Mr. Don. Don is a modern day Marcus Aurelius meshed with a little bit of Frederick the Great and General George Patton. Every day since this monstrosity kicked off, Don has been in there launching playful salvos at the Soccer Loving Crowd. He's taken a lot of heat for it, but he's very much a man of principle. If Don were a President he would most likely be Abraham Lincoln: not always popular during his time, but committed to doing the right thing. Good job, Don.

Now, let the countdown to NFL Training Camp begin. Who's got a good Fantasy League?:thumbup1:

[Seraphim]

Don is running for president?


Heck, I'll vote for him!







Twice!:lol:

[Don]

Don is running for president?


Heck, I'll vote for him!







Twice!:lol:


Vote early, and vote often! :lol:

[DolimiteB]

don is running for president?


Heck, i'll vote for him!







Twice!:lol:

+ a lot.

[SRock]

We are 8 pages in and there are still some who are missing the point of this thread. It was meant in jest as a place to have a little fun at the expense of Soccer without crapping in the lawn of legitimate Soccer threads like that on the World Cup. This thread was intended as a place for non-soccer fans to have fun without riling up actual soccer fans.

Guys, this isn't about "Ugly American Stereotypes" or any other nations "Ugly Stereotypes" it really was just meant as a place for non-soccer fans to have a laugh.

If you are a dedicated fan or hooligan (I think thats what they call themselves) please take your seriousness to one of the actual Soccer threads.

[rm71]

It's almost like you guys are feeling threatened by soccer or something. I can't figure out if it's ignorance, xenophobia, or what, but it's getting really tired. You don't have to like soccer, but the other 95% of the world does, so why be a jackass about it and play up every Ugly American stereotype?

Make this man President!!

[SRock]

At member request I've moved this thread to the Clown House. Afterall it isn't serious enough for The Clubhouse and is being taken too seriously for even The Barbershop. Have fun, but please be gentle.

[Seraphim]

I think perhaps the true soccer fans may have only been pretending to be offended at the content...

Next thing you know, the thread recieves a yellow card and is sent to the clown house!


Oh the irony!

[StillShaving]

http://i.imgur.com/4YsSX.png

[StillShaving]

http://i.imgur.com/n3UYX.jpg

[Pumpkin]

Now that England are out (indifferent Englishman living in Scotland posting this), can normal television schedule be resumed please? :001_smile

[Don]

I'm really not sure where this 95&#37; of the world cares about soccer comes from. It is hardly a big sport in Canada or China or India. And how big is it really in Russia? So the 95% figure is a soccer promoters tale, that is all. And even in England I dare say half the population doesn't concern itself with soccer.

And after today's match, I dare say only 1% in England care about soccer. :lol:

[bradyarz]

Hopefully this is one goal scoring opportunity that will not be missed. Weeeee (http://designfolio.co.nz/_blog/Design_Folio_NZ/post/The_Weee_Soccer_Urinal/)!
http://designfolio.co.nz/Images/blogitems/SoccerWeee.jpg

i might have to install a urinal in my house just to get one of those...

[sol92258]

http://1.media.bustedtees.com/bustedtees/mf/2/7/bustedtees.34dc1302392be40da2f488679b1439c5.jpg

[auk1124]

Is the British guy that married the weird looking Spice Girl playing for the US or for England? He supposedly moved over here to play soccer for some reason.

[ouch]

Is the British guy that married the weird looking Spice Girl playing for the US or for England? He supposedly moved over here to play soccer for some reason.

I think it was about two hundred million reasons.

[pauls51]

I think it was about two hundred million reasons.

Close!!!. I think its was closer to 250million reasons :lol::lol::lol:

[galopede]

I've heard that the England team have got a new coach after yesterday's disastrous game. Apparently it's picking them up from Heathrow airport later today...

[mretzloff]

For what it is worth, if any of you would like to at least see some good soccer, watch the Portugal vs. Spain game and the Argentina vs. Germany game.

[mretzloff]

I'm really not sure where this 95% of the world cares about soccer comes from. It is hardly a big sport in Canada or China or India.

That is because China is amusing itself with the second most popular sport in the world: ping pong :biggrin:

[DFrancis]

put it on ice and allow fighting and it will take off in Canada.

[DolimiteB]

For what it is worth, if any of you would like to at least see some good soccer, watch the Portugal vs. Spain game and the Argentina vs. Germany game.

Why do we have to wait until the second round for them to start conducting themselves like professional athletes and give us a good game? Do they play harder now that ties aren't acceptable?

[Seraphim]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ipRP-Juax4&feature=related

[Duckster]

111246

[Seraphim]

Shameful, truly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9jjEqRfqoM&NR=1

[azmark]

It's almost like you guys are feeling threatened by soccer or something. I can't figure out if it's ignorance, xenophobia, or what, but it's getting really tired. You don't have to like soccer, but the other 95% of the world does, so why be a jackass about it and play up every Ugly American stereotype?

I enjoy watching soccer very much but I enjoy banter with witty and humorous gentlemen even more. And most of the folks acting a like a true jackass are probably lazy and stick to golf and softball:tongue_sm.

[StillShaving]

http://i.imgur.com/Yd4xq.png

[ouch]

Shameful, truly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9jjEqRfqoM&NR=1

:lol:

[richmondesi]

Ok... that was hilarious :lol:

[SRock]

I think it was about two hundred million reasons.

Or closer to...


Close!!!. I think its was closer to 250million reasons :lol::lol::lol:

...this! :lol:


That is because China is amusing itself with the second most popular sport in the world: ping pong :biggrin:

"I just loved playing Ping-Pong with my Flex-O-Lite Ping-Pong paddle," which everybody knows isn't true, but Mama said it was just a little white lie, so it wasn't hurting nobody.


put it on ice and allow fighting and it will take off in Canada.

:lol:


Why do we have to wait until the second round for them to start conducting themselves like professional athletes and give us a good game? Do they play harder now that ties aren't acceptable?

:lol:


111246

:lol::lol:


Shameful, truly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9jjEqRfqoM&NR=1

Wow, just wow! :lol:


Ok... that was hilarious :lol:

:yesnod:

[Sullybob]

Shameful, truly...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9jjEqRfqoM&NR=1

:blink:

So all the articles about the terrible reffing are accurate?

[sol92258]

http://upnextinsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/ae66aa85-f8ed-4b36-83dd-746714894066.jpg





http://graphjam.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/funny-graphs-type-of-soccer-injuries.png






and I'm just going to link this one....:lol: (http://upnextinsports.com/2010/06/28/funny-sports-pictures-thats-not-what-coach-meant/)

[Confuzius]

Might have been done already...

http://www.vuvuzela-time.co.uk/badgerandblade.com

[DolimiteB]

http://upnextinsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/ae66aa85-f8ed-4b36-83dd-746714894066.jpg





http://graphjam.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/funny-graphs-type-of-soccer-injuries.png






and I'm just going to link this one....:lol: (http://upnextinsports.com/2010/06/28/funny-sports-pictures-thats-not-what-coach-meant/)

+1. Well done, friend. Well done, indeed.

[mretzloff]

and I'm just going to link this one....:lol: (http://upnextinsports.com/2010/06/28/funny-sports-pictures-thats-not-what-coach-meant/)

Was that really necessary?

[sol92258]

interesting (http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/news/its-football-to-you-soccer-to-me--fbintl_ro-soccervsfootball070110.html)

[DFrancis]

Man, this thing is still going on? It's almost as long as the NHL playoffs.

[SRock]

Man, this thing is still going on? It's almost as long as the NHL playoffs.

And almost as boring. :lol:

[DolimiteB]

And almost as boring. :lol:

Even a casual fan can enjoy the Stanely Cup playoffs. The same cannot be said of World Flop.:angry:

In the NHL, there is so much manliness on the ice that women have been known to get pregnant just from attending a game watching grizzled, unshaven men collide with other gladiators at speeds in excess of 30 mph, spit out a few teeth, bleed a bit, and then keep on going. It's a well known fact that people not prepared to witness an NHL playoff game may feel overwhlemed by the manliness seen on the ice. You have massive, manly, muscled men playing with pulled groins, fractured ankles, swollen eyes, concussions, and whipping pucks off of each other at 90 mph all in pursuit of the manly Stanley Cup. :thumbup:

Little girls playing with Barbies demonstrate more intestinal fortitude than your average World Flopper. :thumbdown

[mretzloff]

Even a casual fan can enjoy the Stanely Cup playoffs. The same cannot be said of World Flop.:angry:

In the NHL, there is so much manliness on the ice that women have been known to get pregnant just from attending a game watching grizzled, unshaven men collide with other gladiators at speeds in excess of 30 mph, spit out a few teeth, bleed a bit, and then keep on going. It's a well known fact that people not prepared to witness an NHL playoff game may feel overwhlemed by the manliness seen on the ice. You have massive, manly, muscled men playing with pulled groins, fractured ankles, swollen eyes, concussions, and whipping pucks off of each other at 90 mph all in pursuit of the manly Stanley Cup. :thumbup:

Little girls playing with Barbies demonstrate more intestinal fortitude than your average World Flopper. :thumbdown

For a movie, concert, or in this case a sporting event to be considered a flop, that would have to mean few people watch it. Most likely, more people watched any given World Cup game than the entire NHL playoffs combined.

[galopede]

Feel sorry for us footie/sport hating Brits as we've had to suffer wall to wall sport over the last week or so with World Cup AND Wimbledon tennis on all the major channels!

I can't decide between the two as to which is the more boring!

At least all the St George Cross Englang flags suddenly disappeared from all the cars and hanging out of house windows!

Gareth

[SRock]

For a movie, concert, or in this case a sporting event to be considered a flop, that would have to mean few people watch it. Most likely, more people watched any given World Cup game than the entire NHL playoffs combined.

He didn't mean flop like no one is watching. He was referring to the sissy way so many in SOCCER flop on the ground act like they were tripped or otherwise fake injury to try and get ahead.


Feel sorry for us footie/sport hating Brits as we've had to suffer wall to wall sport over the last week or so with World Cup AND Wimbledon tennis on all the major channels!

I can't decide between the two as to which is the more boring!

At least all the St George Cross Englang flags suddenly disappeared from all the cars and hanging out of house windows!

Gareth

That sounds terrible! About the only thing they could do to make it worse would be to show Golf and Chess on the remaining channels. :lol:

[galopede]

That sounds terrible! About the only thing they could do to make it worse would be to show Golf and Chess on the remaining channels. :lol:

Ahh, the joys of golf on tv. Watching a couple of people having a walk!

At least chess can be fairly fast moving!

Gareth

[DolimiteB]

For a movie, concert, or in this case a sporting event to be considered a flop, that would have to mean few people watch it. Most likely, more people watched any given World Cup game than the entire NHL playoffs combined.

We call it World Flop because Flop is synonomous with taking a Dive (falling down on purpose), which is the go to move in soccer because they are not real men. As indicated above, most Soccer "injuries" require extensive acting classes, not real medical attention.

And I'm sure that a lot of people watch an average World Flop game. They only come around once every four years and they like the "sport" of play acting.

[DolimiteB]

He didn't mean flop like no one is watching. He was referring to the sissy way so many in SOCCER flop on the ground act like they were tripped or otherwise fake injury to try and get ahead.



That sounds terrible! About the only thing they could do to make it worse would be to show Golf and Chess on the remaining channels. :lol:

+1. Thank you, Mr. Moderator.

[Seraphim]

Man, this thing is still going on? It's almost as long as the NHL playoffs.

Soccer is like a bad rash. It flares up, is aggravating, and lasts much longer than is comfortable.

[SRock]

Ahh, the joys of golf on tv. Watching a couple of people having a walk!

At least chess can be fairly fast moving!

Gareth

I love playing chess but never really enjoyed watching it.


+1. Thank you, Mr. Moderator.

Anytime! :lol:


Soccer is like a bad rash. It flares up, is aggravating, and lasts much longer than is comfortable.

Best description ever!

[Go West Young Man]

As twitter has been telling me all week -


Twilight's like soccer. They run around for 2 hours, nobody scores, and its billion fans insist you just don't understand.

[SRock]

As twitter has been telling me all week -


Twilight's like soccer. They run around for 2 hours, nobody scores, and its billion fans insist you just don't understand.

That's the best thing I've read all day. Possible all week! :thumbup1:

[Kenno]

Its all in fun. The fact that when I was in school the guys that played soccer (and baseball) were the ones who couldn't make either the Football or Wrestling teams is why I chuckle at it.

Just kidding all you soccer hooligans.



Well the fact was when I was at school in Australia the guys who played Gridiron/NFL where the guys who couldn't make it in the Rugby League team becuase the Rugby guys "don't" use pads or helmets. Plus most of the guys play 80min non stop, especially in the older days with no steroids. A lot of em even play on with broken jaws, noses, shoulders and arms.

I just wonder if the soccer guys wore all those pads and helmets maybe, just maybe they wouldn't have to pretend so often? Just kidding all you soft NFL fans.,,,,,,yeah right. hooah.

Btw why would a good soccer player want to try wrestling?

[Kenno]

http://i.imgur.com/n3UYX.jpg

stillshaving, those posts of yours are awesome.:lol:

[DolimiteB]

Dear Baby Jesus,

Please make the soccer stop. If your Dad had intended for us to play soccer he would not have given us arms and opposable thumbs.

With All Due Respect,

Ricky Bobby:tongue_sm

[SRock]

Btw why would a good soccer player want to try wrestling?

Because in my schools it was always the Football Players and the Wrestlers that got the girls. The Soccer and Baseball players were like Chihuahua's at our ankles begging for scraps.

[bradyarz]

...Btw why would a good soccer player want to try wrestling?

looks like that was a soccer player trying his hand at wrestling. the other guy took him down with a double-- he flopped and got caught in a deep half nelson. :001_rolle

[richmondesi]

Because in my schools it was always the Football Players and the Wrestlers that got the girls. The Soccer and Baseball players were like Chihuahua's at our ankles begging for scraps.

You must of gone to a school where the baseball sucked, cause in my school, we had first dibs... Of course, I was also a football player, and based on where you are from, the suck-ish baseball goes without saying :001_rolle

[Seraphim]

You must of gone to a school where the baseball sucked, cause in my school, we had first dibs... Of course, I was also a football player, and based on where you are from, the suck-ish baseball goes without saying :001_rolle

Baseball, football players getting the girls, you guys can argue over that all you want, but it seems that you are in agreement that the soccer guys were way down the list....:laugh:

[Seraphim]

Reason #8,432 to find soccer revolting:

The name of Germany's team is Die MannShaft.

:001_huh:

:ohmy:

:blink:

[bradyarz]

Reason #8,432 to find soccer revolting:

The name of Germany's team is Die MannShaft.

:001_huh:

:ohmy:

:blink:

men's team or women's team?:lol:

[Seraphim]

For those of you without cable hookup, I will be bringing you the play by play here at B&B World Cup Headquarters....


Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

.........


And here we are, 70 minutes into this global slugfest! Two of the world's best soccer clubs duking it out, giving it all they have......the score still remains 0-0....

The players are beginning to look a little worn down...

The vuvuzelas are really out in force this fine South African night

Spain has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

OH! A shot on net!

No...the ball sails wide right.

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

[Go West Young Man]

I was with you until you started picking on the Stanley Cup finals.:cursing::spockflam:a32:

[Seraphim]

A goal has been scored!

Yes, that's right...someone has actually managed to put a soccer ball into a soccer goal!

The world has waited three long and arduous weeks for someone to break us out of the living hell that is World Cup 0-0 soccer games, and there you have it. Spain is now on top 1-0! the vuvuzelas have awakened from their drunken stupor, and the sangria is flowing like water in the stands.

Some German fans got confused and flopped to the ground immediately after the goal was scored, hoping to draw a penalty of some sort, but after realizing it would have no impact on the game,they again took to their seats to watch the remaining 17minutes, plus the ever popular mystery minutes....

[richmondesi]

Baseball, football players getting the girls, you guys can argue over that all you want, but it seems that you are in agreement that the soccer guys were way down the list....:laugh:

We didn't have a soccer team. The closest thing was the field off the main drag where people that I didn't know used to gather from time to time to play...:001_rolle

[DolimiteB]

For those of you without cable hookup, I will be bringing you the play by play here at B&B World Cup Headquarters....


Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

.........


And here we are, 70 minutes into this global slugfest! Two of the world's best soccer clubs duking it out, giving it all they have......the score still remains 0-0....

The players are beginning to look a little worn down...

The vuvuzelas are really out in force this fine South African night

Spain has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

OH! A shot on net!

No...the ball sails wide right.

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Excellent synopsis. I can only presume you left out all the flopping because you would have developed carpal tunnel syndrome if you had to include it. You have to give it to soccer though, 1-0 is the equivalent of a modern remake of that Michael Jackson "Thriller" video. :biggrin1:

[DolimiteB]

We didn't have a soccer team. The closest thing was the field off the main drag where people that I didn't know used to gather from time to time to play...:001_rolle

Ok, let's not lose focus here. The point is soccer guys didn't get girls and guys that played real sports did. 'Nuf said. :thumbup:

[DavyRay]

Ahh, the joys of golf on tv. Watching a couple of people having a walk!

At least chess can be fairly fast moving!

Gareth

I nearly choked, I was laughing so hard.
Good one!

[Kenno]

For those of you without cable hookup, I will be bringing you the play by play here at B&B World Cup Headquarters....


Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

.........


And here we are, 70 minutes into this global slugfest! Two of the world's best soccer clubs duking it out, giving it all they have......the score still remains 0-0....

The players are beginning to look a little worn down...

The vuvuzelas are really out in force this fine South African night

Spain has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they boot the daylights out of it up the field, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

OH! A shot on net!

No...the ball sails wide right.

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Spain has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Germany...

Germany has the ball, they dribble up the field, a nice pass, but OH, it's taken away by Spain...

Here's a play by play in an NFL game,

Quarerback stares at someones big fat backside in tights who passes him the ball so he can pass it 1 yard. Stop wait 5min till we decide what we do next. When we finally do play we move another 2 yards, oops lost the ball other team gets it and now we change players and wait 5 mins till they decide what their gonna do.

This goes on for 4 hours and we see around 10mins of actual sport or play. This is the kind of sport I watch every Friday night when me missus spends 3 hours getting ready to go out and then spends 20mins to eat dinner.

[SRock]

You must of gone to a school where the baseball sucked, cause in my school, we had first dibs... Of course, I was also a football player, and based on where you are from, the suck-ish baseball goes without saying :001_rolle

Yeah, baseball wasn't really that important. It was actually what the lanky guys on the football team (WR for example) did as a second sport.


Baseball, football players getting the girls, you guys can argue over that all you want, but it seems that you are in agreement that the soccer guys were way down the list....:laugh:

:yesnod:


Reason #8,432 to find soccer revolting:

The name of Germany's team is Die MannShaft.

:001_huh:

:ohmy:

:blink:

:lol: Although I do believe you've lost something in the translation.


men's team or women's team?:lol:

Now this was funny.


I was with you until you started picking on the Stanley Cup finals.:cursing::spockflam:a32:

:lol::lol:


We didn't have a soccer team. The closest thing was the field off the main drag where people that I didn't know used to gather from time to time to play...:001_rolle

:lol::lol::lol:


Ok, let's not lose focus here. The point is soccer guys didn't get girls and guys that played real sports did. 'Nuf said. :thumbup:

:lol::lol:

[SRock]

Thanks for all the shenanigans gents. I think this one has run its course.

Thread closed.