World Cup Soccer

[luigi]

Mmmm CPF friend near Frankfurt, how easy will it be to stage a fake kidnapping? Poor Luigi just disappeared in Frankfurt in the middle of the World cup.... Must resist must resist.

Basically we breathe soccer newspapers have made a soap opera from the selection process of our players. Our coach is always a suspect. We said we have 37 million coaches and that is quite true, you can't find someone here that doesn't have an opinion about which player should have gone and which ones should have stayed, how we should play etc etc.

I need a portable TV to watch the matches wherever I go, is there any portable mini-TV that will catch any air TV signal? It's a pity you can't get ESPN from "air" anywhere you go.

 

[Topper]

Nighthawk,

Fantastic thread start! I'm sure you started your thread with "does anyone care" knowing that most Americans don't, and the rest of the world does.

I personally don't. Soccer is the world's most popular game for one simple reason, and that is because it is so simple. dbedit does not need any enlightenment. He already completely understands the game. I am purposely calling soccer a game because it does not deserve to be called a sport. A sport to me signifies elevated athletic skill involved. Don't get me wrong. I've seen clips on ESPN on Renaldinho. Yes, he's an athlete. But take any good coordinated athlete and put them on a soccer field with the best in the world, and they will not look like a fool. Put them on a football field, baseball field, or basketball court with the best in the world (NFL, MLB, NBA), and they'll look like idiots.

I was going to say something about post-game Capri Sun and orange slices, but I'll leave that out. (Or did I?)

Just my 2 cents- not worth much, but trying to stir things up a bit.

k-2

Ha my 15 year old son would differ if I would allow it. I would dare say your super star football/baseball/basketball player might pass out keeping up with real deal Soccer players. If you really want to "best" a Soccer team then look to your track and feild guys. I speak as a Dad of a Soccer player that has had the option of many other sports including martial arts football baseball basketball and a Soccer player is tough to beat. I know you do not agree and that is OK, im tellin you the Soccer boys have got "Mojo" lacking in most sports.
Topper

 

[PEU]

Nighthawk,

Fantastic thread start! I'm sure you started your thread with "does anyone care" knowing that most Americans don't, and the rest of the world does.

I personally don't. Soccer is the world's most popular game for one simple reason, and that is because it is so simple. dbedit does not need any enlightenment. He already completely understands the game. I am purposely calling soccer a game because it does not deserve to be called a sport. A sport to me signifies elevated athletic skill involved. Don't get me wrong. I've seen clips on ESPN on Renaldinho. Yes, he's an athlete. But take any good coordinated athlete and put them on a soccer field with the best in the world, and they will not look like a fool. Put them on a football field, baseball field, or basketball court with the best in the world (NFL, MLB, NBA), and they'll look like idiots.

I was going to say something about post-game Capri Sun and orange slices, but I'll leave that out. (Or did I?)

Just my 2 cents- not worth much, but trying to stir things up a bit.

k-2

Whats wrong with a sport that is simple?

by your logic the world fastest athtlete plays a simple game... whats simpler than running from point A to point B ?

And calling any pro futbol player an idiot because they can't compete with a pro player in other sport, is not smart to say the less...

Take for example Michael Jordan, best basketball player ever IMHO, when he tried baseball he looked like... well, like you said about futbol players...

If you think is a simple sport, maybe you don't trully understand it, but instead of insulting the game, why don't you learn a little about it?


Pablo

 

[Topper]

It took me years to understand "off sides" still unsure as to some fouls.
My little Redneck son tried to explain some fouls as it in fact at time pertains to "advantage"
Did you get fouled? sometimes a yes but no kinda thing.
If it is not a really BIG foul and it does not cause the ball to be an "advantage" for the team that might have fouled it may not be called, WHY beats me, Eric knows it is his game of choice "simple?"? not really
not even close.
Topper

 

[tygger]

my attempt to explain a little about soccer:

Soccer is a poor man's game. No special equipment required.

Soccer is a game of finesse, endurance, refined skill, and beauty. Its not a game of brute force (although the ugly matches sometimes turn out that way)

Soccer is much more difficult to play than football or basketball because it takes much more practice to master control of a spherical ball with your feet and body than with your hands. And you must be in amazing physical shape to run an average of over 5 miles a game, 45 minutes continuous.

Soccer is highly unpredictable and continuous for almost 90 minutes straight. No time outs.

The thrill of soccer is in the game, the constant back and forth, attack and defend, a continuous setting up and executing of plays within plays. Goal scoring is icing on the cake, the cake being the game itself.

soccer is a ideally a thinking man's game. to be a great player you must "know" the game, which means being able to constantly "read" the field. and you should always know what you're going to do with the ball before you get it.


and you'll never meet as many foreigners playing a sport as you will in a random pick up soccer game in just about any city.

 

[Topper]

Very nicely put tygger, very nice indeed.
Topper

 

[raggie33]

i prefare american football .matter as fact i love american football.its so fun to watch

 

[luigi]

I'm amazed at how people that don't know some game or sport can be completely blinded about what the game really is.

I challenge you to pick 11 top athletes that never played soccer from baseball, atheltism, basketball, football whatever you want and put them against 11 street kids from Argentina on a soccer field. The result can be so embarrasing that you would want to change a few things about how you see the game.

Soccer is not as complex in terms of skills and strategy as football being both a football and soccer fan I think it's realistic to say that but on the other hand soccer is not as simple as you may think it is.

There is a lot of hidden strategy in soccer for example if they use a left footed forward on the right side of the field you would like him to be matched with a right footed defender so when he aims towards the center of the field the defender can cut him with his best angle.
There are tactial fouls, prepared plays from corners and free kicks, players intentionally in offside position to distract a defender, etc etc

When I played soccer in high school I remember one of my training excercises was to kick corners and put the ball in a specific 2m x 2m square in the oenalty area, after about a hundread kicks I got that under control and we called "zone 1" , same for other 5 different zones. Then the coach would design movements in the area so our players can get free of their defenders one of the players from outside the area would signal a zone and I had to kick the ball into that zone which was were our player was supossed to be free for a heading. Sometimes simple sports are not as simple as you think

What really distinguishes soccer from other sports is that no matter how hard you train and no matter how big or strong you are you can't do anything against talent, against gifted players.

Luigi

Nighthawk,

Fantastic thread start! I'm sure you started your thread with "does anyone care" knowing that most Americans don't, and the rest of the world does.

I personally don't. Soccer is the world's most popular game for one simple reason, and that is because it is so simple. dbedit does not need any enlightenment. He already completely understands the game. I am purposely calling soccer a game because it does not deserve to be called a sport. A sport to me signifies elevated athletic skill involved. Don't get me wrong. I've seen clips on ESPN on Renaldinho. Yes, he's an athlete. But take any good coordinated athlete and put them on a soccer field with the best in the world, and they will not look like a fool. Put them on a football field, baseball field, or basketball court with the best in the world (NFL, MLB, NBA), and they'll look like idiots.

I was going to say something about post-game Capri Sun and orange slices, but I'll leave that out. (Or did I?)

Just my 2 cents- not worth much, but trying to stir things up a bit.

k-2

 

[schrenz]

@tygger: !!!!:twothumbs

 

[Topper]

Topper

 

[Topper]

Miguel my friend, please sit down before reading this. I was asking my son Eric
as to pertaining a Costa Rica vs Germany game. Normally a Redneck kinda response would include a snort or snicker perhaps a belly laugh or two far louder than it needs to be followed by something about "better pack your lunch boy" but he is only 15 new at that Redneck thing so his response was
"Well dad at least if you and him are pals then he probably is not a gambler so at least he will not lose money on it"
Eric tells me Germany has one of (if not the most) aggressive teams as in real physical (some might use a different term) but he also took about 20 minutes trying to make me understand that depending on how rough the Ref will let you play can in fact change the outlook on a game. So Miguel, hope for a less aggressive Ref and you got a chance. I find it amusing my kid keeps up with this sport and tries to instruct me.
Eric thinks Brazil has a very easy line up to start and expects them to do well
he also seems to think the USA team is unlikely to win the line up and if they do? Ha they will face Brazil he don't see the USA team getting that far but considers the Brazilian team a brick wall.
I still am amazed my son is so hopped up about this. As for me? I like the Jamaican Bobsled team but I don't think they are playing.
Topper

 

[Size15's]

Only in American can they fail not only to understand the significance of the world's most popular sport and the world's largest sporting event but also to call it by a different name! :green:

The World Cup brings nations to a stand-still.
If the final were to be between England and Germany it would be the most important event in recent history - not just for the two nations competing!

Al

 

[Topper]

Al, my buddie my pal
Quit labeling ALL Americans!! Did you miss my post where I stated My son has played for TEN years and he is just 15? Did you miss that part where we is in Arkansas? (considered to be a backwoods backword state)
Jeez Al we ain't all bad. My Redneck son thinks England has some good strikers
but he also thinks Germany has a great defense.
anybody want to send me a small Brazilian flag :lolsign:
Topper :lolsign:

 

[Size15's]

Its so easy to tar all Americans with the same brush though! :nana:
You're right though - you Americans aren't all bad! :wave:

 

[raggie33]

we all like diff sports so whatdont get so weird cause i may not like what ya like

 

[Size15's]

That's right. I'm not a big fan of football but the World Cup is different. Whole nations bending their collective, united wills against each other. Eleven play eleven but many millions win and lose and the consequences last for decades...

 

[PEU]

Only in American can they fail not only to understand the significance of the world's most popular sport and the world's largest sporting event but also to call it by a different name! :green:

The World Cup brings nations to a stand-still.
If the final were to be between England and Germany it would be the most important event in recent history - not just for the two nations competing!

Al

Different countries see different finals

My dream final is Argentina - Brasil and defeating them like we did in Italia 90 World Cup last rounds. Italia90... bad mouth taste... we lost the championship in the last 5 minutes...


Pablo

 

[barnabe]

The World Cup Soccer is one of the most important event here in Europe, and for the rest of the world except North America. maybe it is more important than the Olympics Games where there are too many different sports.

Even people who usually don't follow soccer will watch their team playing.

The most impressive team is Brazil, with a very strong player in every lines (Brazil team is not only a very offensive team, but defensive players are also very impressive), and on top of all Ronaldihno who is certainly the most incredible player at this moment.
To me every other team are outsiders; I'll put the germans first because they play at home. Argentina, England, Czech, France, Italy, Mexico have also good teams.
Africans team are very physical but too impredictable.

 

[schrenz]

Different countries see different finals

My dream final is Argentina - Brasil and defeating them like we did in Italia 90 World Cup last rounds. Italia90... bad mouth taste... we lost the championship in the last 5 minutes...


Pablo

ahhhh, Italia 90
But I agree with Al, my dream-final is Germany-England
For the Americans: Both Nations still discuss about the final 1966!!!
Greets Jens

 

[PEU]

ahhhh, Italia 90
But I agree with Al, my dream-final is Germany-England
For the Americans: Both Nations still discuss about the final 1966!!!
Greets Jens

Jens, at least we can make fun on the english together remembering this picture:



(click on image for its history)

And in the same game (we won 2-1) happened the The Goal of the Century / Maradona's goal on Google Video

:wave:


Pablo