**Official World Cup 2014 Thread**
I've got to avoid this thread because you guys are mentioning results. I'm still 3 or 4 days behind, watching on DVR later. The US Open golf takes priority, men and this week the women.
Soccer for me is like every sport except golf. I still follow it but I'm not as aware of the personnel as when I was younger. In golf I know the tendencies of every player.
I had the pleasure of being in Europe twice during the World Cup -- 1974 and 1990. Those experiences allowed me to appreciate the passion, that the rest of the world was captivated. I'll never forget being in a campground at night with a huge crowd gathered to watch West Germany play East Germany in a group match in 1974. That was obviously a very tense and awkward match, and a stunner when East Germany prevailed late, 1-0. The crowd dispersed in total silence. Then my family and I drove through Paris on the afternoon of the final between West Germany and Holland. The streets were virtually empty.
In 1990 I was in London when England lost an emotional semifinal match against Germany, on penalties. There was scattered rioting that night, including a Mercedes Benz dealership attacked.
To demonstrate how little coverage the World Cup received decades ago, the 1978 final between Argentina and Holland was not shown on live TV in Miami. I had friends who watched on paid closed circuit at the Miami Jai-Alai fronton. Four years later the early matches were finally on local TV, but only on Channel 23, the Spanish network. ABC picked up the high profile games only, including the final, when Paulo Rossi cemented his legend for Italy.
I'm hardly a soccer expert but I continue to believe the sport would be best served if one player were removed from each side, and liberal substitution policies instated. Obviously the purists will scream. But every time I've seen a 10 on 10 game it's been markedly more open and entertaining, so much less congested. IMO, the players have outgrown the size of the pitch and there's simply too much defense when the top men's teams are involved. Spain's games were a snooze four years ago. You know nothing would get past them. They'd control the ball and bore their way to a victory. That's why I always find myself rooting for Brazil and Germany to advance deep. Those countries utilize styles that produce goals, for and against. Spain and to lesser degree Italy almost guarantee that it will be a low scoring congested game.
Eleven players on the field still works well for the women since they don't cover or clog as much territory. The men would be best served dropping a man. Actually I think 9 on 9 would be ideal but I'm willing to compromise one player higher. For American purposes the added scoring and scoring chances would help expand the popularity of the game. Once a player is out, let him return. There's no reason this sport has to cling to every rule from its past. The NBA has made concessions like the 3 second rule on defense, and obviously the NFL has taken steps to open up the game, once that sport similarly found larger players taking up a greater percentage of the field that the original rules ever envisioned.
This World Cup has featured plenty of goals and comebacks so far. But under the 11 on 11 format there's still far too much potential for stretches of games like the 2010 World Cup, with barely one goal averaged per game in the early going.
Regardless, for anyone who claims that soccer has yet to make inroads in this country, they are nuts. The sports pages now include year round articles, and written by local writers not merely wire stories. That would have been unimaginable a decade or more ago. And the weekend sports updates on NBC and elsewhere often feature premier league scores and highlights. I remember in Miami that all we'd see other than the World Cup was the Sunday night one hour show called Soccer Made in Germany, with Toby Charles covering the Bundesliga Game of the Week.
Soccer for me is like every sport except golf. I still follow it but I'm not as aware of the personnel as when I was younger. In golf I know the tendencies of every player.
I had the pleasure of being in Europe twice during the World Cup -- 1974 and 1990. Those experiences allowed me to appreciate the passion, that the rest of the world was captivated. I'll never forget being in a campground at night with a huge crowd gathered to watch West Germany play East Germany in a group match in 1974. That was obviously a very tense and awkward match, and a stunner when East Germany prevailed late, 1-0. The crowd dispersed in total silence. Then my family and I drove through Paris on the afternoon of the final between West Germany and Holland. The streets were virtually empty.
In 1990 I was in London when England lost an emotional semifinal match against Germany, on penalties. There was scattered rioting that night, including a Mercedes Benz dealership attacked.
To demonstrate how little coverage the World Cup received decades ago, the 1978 final between Argentina and Holland was not shown on live TV in Miami. I had friends who watched on paid closed circuit at the Miami Jai-Alai fronton. Four years later the early matches were finally on local TV, but only on Channel 23, the Spanish network. ABC picked up the high profile games only, including the final, when Paulo Rossi cemented his legend for Italy.
I'm hardly a soccer expert but I continue to believe the sport would be best served if one player were removed from each side, and liberal substitution policies instated. Obviously the purists will scream. But every time I've seen a 10 on 10 game it's been markedly more open and entertaining, so much less congested. IMO, the players have outgrown the size of the pitch and there's simply too much defense when the top men's teams are involved. Spain's games were a snooze four years ago. You know nothing would get past them. They'd control the ball and bore their way to a victory. That's why I always find myself rooting for Brazil and Germany to advance deep. Those countries utilize styles that produce goals, for and against. Spain and to lesser degree Italy almost guarantee that it will be a low scoring congested game.
Eleven players on the field still works well for the women since they don't cover or clog as much territory. The men would be best served dropping a man. Actually I think 9 on 9 would be ideal but I'm willing to compromise one player higher. For American purposes the added scoring and scoring chances would help expand the popularity of the game. Once a player is out, let him return. There's no reason this sport has to cling to every rule from its past. The NBA has made concessions like the 3 second rule on defense, and obviously the NFL has taken steps to open up the game, once that sport similarly found larger players taking up a greater percentage of the field that the original rules ever envisioned.
This World Cup has featured plenty of goals and comebacks so far. But under the 11 on 11 format there's still far too much potential for stretches of games like the 2010 World Cup, with barely one goal averaged per game in the early going.
Regardless, for anyone who claims that soccer has yet to make inroads in this country, they are nuts. The sports pages now include year round articles, and written by local writers not merely wire stories. That would have been unimaginable a decade or more ago. And the weekend sports updates on NBC and elsewhere often feature premier league scores and highlights. I remember in Miami that all we'd see other than the World Cup was the Sunday night one hour show called Soccer Made in Germany, with Toby Charles covering the Bundesliga Game of the Week.
So today is the day where we could see the world champs get eliminated from the World Cup. I'd expect them to crank it up a notch, but Chile is not a pushover team.
forget spain
As NI never qualify for the big tournaments I always support Holland. Even more so than ever with LVG becoming our manager the day they are done with the world cup.
and the blue away kit is amazing, gunna need to try get one cheap after the world cup ends
As NI never qualify for the big tournaments I always support Holland. Even more so than ever with LVG becoming our manager the day they are done with the world cup.
and the blue away kit is amazing, gunna need to try get one cheap after the world cup ends
I take it as a NI supporter you're also an ABE (Anyone but England) supporter?
That blue kit is definitely stunning though. Almost enough to make me cheer for Arjen Robben. Almost.
I take it as a NI supporter you're also an ABE (Anyone but England) supporter?
That blue kit is definitely stunning though. Almost enough to make me cheer for Arjen Robben. Almost.
ehh yes and know, I like the players (Gerrard aside for obvious reasons) and would genuinely like to see them do well - but the media is so bloody insufferable around major tournaments. They always hype up everything and they love a witchhunt - this year its Rooney but its always someone. It sickens me so much and if they actually won it would be just unbearable. But id be happy for the players
gorgeous goal.... Robben may be 30 but he is at his absolute peak
---------- Post added at 11:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 AM ----------
jebus.... even better from Cahill.
What a world cup lol
even at 34 tim Cahill must absolutely dominate the MLS
---------- Post added at 11:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 AM ----------
jebus.... even better from Cahill.
What a world cup lol
even at 34 tim Cahill must absolutely dominate the MLS
Robben healthy is legit as they come in futbol. That left foot tho.
That goal from Cahill was insane. The Socceroo's have come out to fight today.
That goal from Cahill was insane. The Socceroo's have come out to fight today.
Crappy call in the Dutch-Aus game. Socceroo's up 2-1 after the PK . . . but they have definitely played well today.
I think they woke up a sleeping giant
phins_4_ever
E12 FH Tailgate Gang
It was a correct call. The only time a ref may let an incidental touch go if the touch deflects the ball only or is being stopped and no scoring opportunity is taken away. The ball was clearly stopped on a pass to the middle taking away a clear scoring opportunity.
This game is exciting though.
smh @ the Aussie goalie. Poor effort.