Has anybody on this site taken mickey out of Ghana’s soccer team??
Let me think… Did they beat USA team? 
Go Ghana, Go Ghana …
Mind you, Poland got ass kicked by Ecuador!!! 
LoL
Enough with this soccer in the US bull. I live in the middle of the great state of Texas, an area where football is god…and you know what? Everybody is talking about the World Cup. Does that mean we’ll throw our pads away? No, but most of us have the ability to enjoy watching a fun sport. My one complaint to the soccer defenders in this post is the poster many pages back who made the comment that soccer is great because anyone can win (and compared in to the NFL). The freakin Steelers were the sixth seed (out of 6) in the AFC. If you look at the knockout rounds as they stand this is equivalant to Ghana or the Aussies winning the whole thing, is anyone betting on that? (I know that there are other factors but even posters only seem to be giving 4-6 teams a realistic chance out of 32 that is not parity on the level of the NFL).
Now to the important stuff…its a World Cup babes slide show…
I have now decided that I like the world cup. I still hate soccer, but this morning Australia was playing a game that was aired at 5am Australia time. I got to the gym not even remembering that the game was on and I had to whole free-weights area to myself as everyone was at home watching the game. One of my best workout ever and I owe it all to soccer.
[quote]OARSMAN wrote:
Here’s my take - is this debacle Arena’s fault or the fact that our so called best players are either too old or simply not good enough ?
I think this more a reflection of the scarcity of talent that ends up making through to the elite level in football in the US - the four major sports end up draining most of the talent, IMHO.
[/quote]
I think your point is a good one. A much higher percentage of the best athletes in Europe and South America play soccer when compared to here in the United States. I can tell you that we are currently doing a better job of identifying talent at the youth level, but it’s going to take a few years before we see that impact on our senior National team.
The point I was making was that I’ve never seen one of Arena’s teams look so consistantly unprepared to play. I’ve seen him coach at UVA, DC United, and the National team. I’ve always thought that he’s done a good to great job, but as often happens in many sports the players eventually stop responding to their coach. He has the longest tenure of any WC coach this year and it just might be time to move along.
[quote]Shakey D wrote:
OARSMAN wrote:
dcb wrote:
Overall a very poor WC for the United States. First of all, Landon Primadonovan IS overated. He tucked his tail between his legs and went home from Germany a few years ago without sticking it out and becoming a better player. He and the rest of the team are paying for that now.
It might be time to say goodbye to Arena. He’s done a good job in the past, but I think he’s taken the team as far as he can. I want us to look into getting Klinsmann after this WC is over. He already lives here so he’d reduce his commute by 6,000 miles.
Here’s my take - is this debacle Arena’s fault or the fact that our so called best players are either too old or simply not good enough ?
I think this more a reflection of the scarcity of talent that ends up making through to the elite level in football in the US - the four major sports end up draining most of the talent, IMHO.
At least you guys have more than one sport you’re good at. Up here we have hockey.
[/quote]
Shame on you, how did you forget curling!!
Julius Ceaser / HH:
Just leave it alone now, eh?
I couldn’t give two fucks what sexuality you have decided to attribute to my sport but the constant ignorance, jingoistic chest-beating, xenophobia and borderline racism in your posts are starting to grate somewhat.
This is why bitter old people and technology shouldn’t mix.
You know what I realized, I was just talking to some of my friends, people my age, early to mid 20s, and ALL OF THEM, have been watching the world cup to some extent, rooting for various teams they enjoy.How many of these soccer haters are that young? Damn old people.
[quote]Ren wrote:
You know what I realized, I was just talking to some of my friends, people my age, early to mid 20s, and ALL OF THEM, have been watching the world cup to some extent, rooting for various teams they enjoy.How many of these soccer haters are that young? Damn old people.[/quote]
That’s a really interesting point and now that you mention it, that’s what I am seeing too. I wonder if those people who just rail against soccer and the World Cup feel threatened or something by soccer’s growing popularity. I mean, let’s face facts… if this was something NO ONE cared about, would ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 pay for the rights to broadcast every single game of it?
Re: Julius_Caesar
Please stop responding to this idiot.
Don’t feed the trolls!
Let’s not (further) fill this otherwise very interesting and informative thread with his inane bullshit.
Stick to the soccer girls and game and team discussion.
Like any child, he’ll lose interest and go away if you ignore him long enough.
Hey i know its kinda late but that just me…i loved the spirit of the soca warriors…yeh im a trini to the bone…the guys did well to hold of the sweeds and would have done the same againisnt the brits had it hot been for the “hand of Crouch”
still very proud of the boys from the smallest nation to ever make it to the world stage.
kmf
[quote]Vyskol wrote:
Re: Julius_Caesar
Please stop responding to this idiot.
Don’t feed the trolls!
Let’s not (further) fill this otherwise very interesting and informative thread with his inane bullshit.
Stick to the soccer girls and game and team discussion.
Like any child, he’ll lose interest and go away if you ignore him long enough.
[/quote]
Done.
Again a bit late but say what…coach Leo Beehacker…i dear say the best damn coach this nation has ever had…he took a team that was noting more that a couple of guys playing a sunday match and gave them the skill, tactics and most of all the HEART to play world class football…
we still have some ways to go but we have him and FIFA vice JACK WARNER to thank for making it this far…soca warrior all the way.
I have found her and she is awesome. Meet miss supermick to be! Well, sort of.
[quote]Vyskol wrote:
Re: Julius_Caesar
Please stop responding to this idiot.
Don’t feed the trolls!
Let’s not (further) fill this otherwise very interesting and informative thread with his inane bullshit.
Stick to the soccer girls and game and team discussion.
Like any child, he’ll lose interest and go away if you ignore him long enough.
[/quote]
Agreed.
Holland vs Portugal, on saturday, who do you guys think is gona bag this one? I am really hoping for Holland to win this, I cant stand to see Portugal win, too many portuguese people I know who think they are the shit. Looks like both teams will be all set to go, I think Portugal has 1 injury. Whats your take guys?
[quote]Shakey D wrote:
At least you guys have more than one sport you’re good at. Up here we have hockey.
[/quote]
Actually the Canadians crank out a shitload of world-class oarsmen. Granted, Rowing is rather obscure and probably the last of the truly amateur sports (in the Olympic sense), but it’s something.
Ack, two debatable calls against Tunisia, and Ukraine is through. Interestingly enough, I only tuned in to that game to see the handball deflection on the free kick, and the Ukrainian penalty kick that secured their victory.
Oh well, what I’m really interested in is for France to make it.
[quote]mike08042 wrote:
Holland vs Portugal, on saturday, who do you guys think is gona bag this one? I am really hoping for Holland to win this, I cant stand to see Portugal win, too many portuguese people I know who think they are the shit. Looks like both teams will be all set to go, I think Portugal has 1 injury. Whats your take guys? [/quote]
Should be a great match. Wouldn’t be surprised if it ended in a penalty shootout. While Holland has the better squad on paper - we have yet to see the Oranje really crank it up. On the other hand, Portugal has beaten Holland in their last two meetings - so it promises to be a good one.
Lots of good second round matches.
Argentina v. Mexico promises to be a good one. That is of course, if Mexican manager LaVolpe gets his head out of his ass and put Marquez back in central defense. Apparently, Marquez now thinks he’s the next Pep Guardiola.
And depending on which Ecuador team shows up - the Ecuadorians could give the English a run for their money.
Brazil v. Ghana might be decent - except that Essien for Ghana has to sit out - which hampers the Ghanian attack. However they have the players to match the Brazilian’s pace, so we’ll see.
And of course the possibility of a Spain v. France matchup looms large on the horizon pending the results of tonight’s matches.
[quote]OARSMAN wrote:
mike08042 wrote:
Holland vs Portugal, on saturday, who do you guys think is gona bag this one? I am really hoping for Holland to win this, I cant stand to see Portugal win, too many portuguese people I know who think they are the shit. Looks like both teams will be all set to go, I think Portugal has 1 injury. Whats your take guys?
Should be a great match. Wouldn’t be surprised if it ended in a penalty shootout. While Holland has the better squad on paper - we have yet to see the Oranje really crank it up. On the other hand, Portugal has beaten Holland in their last two meetings - so it promises to be a good one.
Lots of good second round matches.
[/quote]
I agree.
Seeing that the Netherlands are now kinda more paying attention to their defense (due to lack of creative midfielders, Cocu + van Bommel are more the destructive kind of players, only Snijder is contributing his skills to the attacks) they actually might pass this round. Not quite sure if I will like it though.
Still rooting for Argentina.
Seriously, but I have this gut feeling Italy, although not that impressive thus far, will somehow make it to the final. As in years past, it seems like everytime they face controversy or are simply dismissed as potenial winners manage to sneak their way in the final or semi-finals. Best examples are 1982 (winners) and 1994 finalists. Although, they could have easily have made it to the finals in 1990, but lost out on penalty kicks to Argentina in the semi. Anyone on this thread feel Italy have a legitimate chance of winning the W/C?