Anyone watching the World Cup?
- Thread starter ThrowBones92
- Start date
Soccer was created for third world countries who couldn't afford to buy bats balls gloves for their kids. Never been a fan never will but I wouldn't interrupt someone watching it either
I'm not a soccer fan either, but WTF are you talking about? Don't mistake that third-world countries play and succeed at the sport with it being "created for" third-world countries. It's popular in almost all countries.
You bet I'm watching the world cup - even without USMNT - there is so much amazing talent out there. The 5 am start times can be tough but I've watched about 90% of the games. Missed the last few days as I've been on the west side visiting family and going to a Sounders game.
I have to admit that at this point I don't really care who wins it - I just love seeing great soccer. I love it so much that I'll sit in a Mexican restaurant at 8 am to cheer for Germany (it's amazing to watch folks drink at 8 am. I was not one of them.) Glad to see that Messi and Argentina finally got their act together.
Love the sport.
I have to admit that at this point I don't really care who wins it - I just love seeing great soccer. I love it so much that I'll sit in a Mexican restaurant at 8 am to cheer for Germany (it's amazing to watch folks drink at 8 am. I was not one of them.) Glad to see that Messi and Argentina finally got their act together.
Love the sport.
Well, my opinion after watching most of the group stage is that instant replay seems very much a mixed bag to me. 22 players now surround the referee after every little touch and bump demanding replay. It is becoming more of a spectacle than the game itself. The process can take 2-5 minutes now.
For the most part, I think they've gotten some calls correct that would have been missed. On the other hand, they have also made some odd decisions on questionable ones. Including awarding a penalty that was missed during live play even though if you rolled the tape back 10 more seconds, you would see that the ball was clearly outside the field of play and should have been a goal kick to begin with
Just get on with it and go back to the way it was. On the other hand, if they had this in '86, Maradona would have been a footnote in another handball with attendant card bit of trivia.
For the most part, I think they've gotten some calls correct that would have been missed. On the other hand, they have also made some odd decisions on questionable ones. Including awarding a penalty that was missed during live play even though if you rolled the tape back 10 more seconds, you would see that the ball was clearly outside the field of play and should have been a goal kick to begin with
Just get on with it and go back to the way it was. On the other hand, if they had this in '86, Maradona would have been a footnote in another handball with attendant card bit of trivia.
My son played soccer when he was younger, the coach didn't show up to the first game and the parents came to me to ask if I'd coach them, so I did. Two seasons, very enjoyable time but I was so out of my element. I was literally reading everything I could get my hands on in the evening, on Google, trying to learn the game and how to coach them. My greatest memory had to do with my son and the start of the second half of one of our games........He had wanted a video game soo bad, and he had been bugging me about it for weeks. I told him if he scored a goal in the second half I'd buy it for him. Opening kick, midfield, he drilled it, bam, right into the goal. So after the game we went to Walmart and my son got a new game.
You really should have led with this (and titled your thread differently).
Really good tournament so far. Pretty shocking exit from Germany - it’s hard to pick a favorite to win, now. I think the bracket sets up nicely for the LOSER of Belgium/England tomorrow, assuming Brazil wins today, so look out for some possible shenanigans in that game.
Stupidest thing I've read. I guess the Germans, French and Brits are poor and are dependent on soccer.
Loved to see Sweden take down Mexico tres a cero. Wished Germany had made it thru.
Not really. I know quite a few Europeans that don't give a flip. Say it's boring. One buddy in Madrid loves basketball.
LOL, you could be right. I actually did start with that, and then decided that I wanted the post to be about the tournament rather than about potential flamers and trolls, so I moved it to the bottom.
I wanted it to be a polite request rather than instigate anything.Well, my opinion after watching most of the group stage is that instant replay seems very much a mixed bag to me. 22 players now surround the referee after every little touch and bump demanding replay. It is becoming more of a spectacle than the game itself. The process can take 2-5 minutes now.
For the most part, I think they've gotten some calls correct that would have been missed. On the other hand, they have also made some odd decisions on questionable ones. Including awarding a penalty that was missed during live play even though if you rolled the tape back 10 more seconds, you would see that the ball was clearly outside the field of play and should have been a goal kick to begin with
Just get on with it and go back to the way it was. On the other hand, if they had this in '86, Maradona would have been a footnote in another handball with attendant card bit of trivia.
Soccer replay review is in its infancy. It will get better with each iteration, but I agree its a little confusing when I watch and don't know why or why not on some of the plays that I understand are reviewable.
Like every other sport that has incorporated replay, it's an imperfect process that gets better and easier to work with as time goes.
Regarding the penalty that was granted that you referenced: Could it be that the out of bounds part of the play wasn't reviewable? I"m most familiar with college basketball replay rules, and there are many parts of plays that are not reviewable, so when we go to the monitor, we are looking at specific pieces of the plays that are allowed by review rules. We aren't yet able to go to the monitor to "re-referee" the play. I know in the NBA they are able to do that, but they also have a command center that is talking them through the play and sometimes flat out making the decision for the referee on the court. That has been a more recent development in the NBA replay review rule. The VAR, in its infancy, may be limited to a small number of reviewable play types and decisions?
It will definitely take many iterations improve the system. I think soccer’s tricky to review because an incident that seems trifling might lead to a goal a couple minutes down the line and it’s tough to draw the line for what should and shouldn’t be reviewed. Mexico’s second goal against Korea, for example, came from a counter attack started by what looked like a pretty common foul at midfield. Under the current VAR rules that’s not reviewable, but it certainly doesn’t feel just. Imagine if that counter had resulted in a tackle in the box that was awarded a penalty on review! Two similar challenges, 20 seconds apart, resulting in nothing for one team and a penalty for the other?
Good for them. Telling my perspective, and the vibe I got. Was just in Munich for Bayern Munich and Real Madrid and Munich was buzzing as was the game. Crazy atmosphere, and it is way different then the MLS games that just try to hard. Don't have the raw emotion of the games over there in my opinion.
To be fair, you’re comparing the atmosphere for a huge, consequential cup game between two of the best teams in world against a ho-hum league game between mediocre domestic teams. Kinda like comparing 2001 Nebraska v Oklahoma to any game involving Iowa.
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Yeah, the free flowing nature of the sport presents a challenge with review. It's perfect for football where there is a hard stop after every play. Basketball is a challenge at times as well due to the types of plays that are reviewable and those that are not. I think the other thing abut soccer that makes review so important to get right and consistent is that 1 score many times will make the difference in the game. You've got a shot clock every 24-30 seconds in hoops and 75-100 points scored in each game. A single basket in the first half is never game deciding.
Have been to other matches as well. Pretty fun time. It might just be because I'm really not into soccer and it was a new experience so it was fun as hell, but those atmospheres were electric as well. and definitely better compared to MLS games. Just stating my personal experience of being over there and how soccer can hook you once you experience were it is more relevant.
Fair enough. It’s definitely a sport best watched in person. I find the tv tends to zoom in on the immediate area of the ball a bit more than I’d like.
This is maybe the most ***-backwards and dumbest thing I’ve read. I can’t even
Oh, I'm sure you've read dumber. This is the Husker Board. Odds are you find something dumber everyday.
Just when I thought you couldn’t get any dumber, you go and do something like this.....
I'm guessing you weren't in the supporter's section at the MLS game - that's where you get the best atmosphere. In the western division that would be (I hate to admit) Timber's Army (TA) and Emerald City Supporters (ECS). Even when the team is having a bad year the supporters always give their support the full 90.
Was just in Mexico for a conference, so I know the World Cup is a pretty big deal. Soccer is not a third world sport, but it is a sport where developing countries can compete on a level with the industrialized countries. Not my cup of tea, as I grew up when soccer was only played in PE classes and none of my kids played.
The US has had a pretty good sample size of kids playing soccer for over thirty years, yet cannot field a mens team that is consistently competitive on a world stage. I am assuming that is because guys with a level of athleticism and drive needed to excel on the world stage in soccer are snagged by football and to a lesser extent basketball.
I've seen this insinuated before but I always wonder how realistic a 6'4'' guy in soccer is? Or even taller for that matter.
Well Dwight Howard or Mo Bamba in goal is a start, but I was thinking having someone like Iverson or Westbrook or Chris Paul out there would be tough to stop
I think football probably has more athletes in the game that would be excellent soccer players, given the height thing. The NFL is flush with DBs and WRs. The biggest difference I see is that most other countries don't have football the way we play it. There are plenty with strong national basketball development programs. Very little football being played though.
I've sat in the supporters section in Portland. Personal opinion is the try to hard and it doesn't feel genuine as it does overseas. But like I said, that is just my observation.
Well the NBA players would be good a flopping and bitching to the officials.
Maybe. There are very few exceptionally tall soccer players (and most anybody over 6 feet is a center back or goalie). It’s not because there aren’t tall people outside the US.
There are plenty of top level soccer players that are 6'2" - 6'4" range. I would say that is standard at least in european top level. Mainly defenders are that size, but also certain kinds of strikers and a few midfielders. The difference is you can also just be a little guy 5 foot nothing and still be the best player on the pitch.
We are babes in the wood when it comes to our level of development. While it has developed here over the years to become very popular, that ends around middle school. Kids start playing other sports or select what they want to play in HS.
Our HS and College soccer programs destroy any semblance of our ability to develop players that can move on to the next level. Lack of professional teams and the development programs surrounding them limit the ability to identify players early enough. It isn't ingrained in our culture to where parents can teach their kids, so we have to play select level which limits participation to those that can afford it.
We have good players that can compete at a high level, we are just naive when it comes to big matches and we have serious structural issues in the organization of soccer at the national level. It isn't like we were losing clint demsey and landon donovan to other sports.
I think the bigger problem is that our best athletes do not play soccer. You can develop players all you want, but the best athletes will play football and basketball.