Open Thread - FIFA 2010

 

Comments

[b]

Who will win?

Probably my countries team, Germany. But Brazil might be playing better. Still, they have the Fifa 2014 the their home country. So Germany will win this one, and Brazil gets the next slot 4 years from now.

[pj]

Best game so far - Ghana vs. Serbia - attacking free flowing soccer.

The refereeing, unlike many past cups, has been exceptional so far.

Neither the USA or England looked like teams that will go very far.

In the group stage, I'm waiting for Portugal, Brazil and Cote d' Ivoire to play each other. If Drogba can play, each of those games promise something special.

[Cloned Poster]

Germany as ever look so boringly impressive, my take is the clown that is Diego Maradona, he did it before.

Argentina

[eakens]

for those with an imagination

http://www.goal2018.org/

[R Whitman]

FIFA
Two days ago the US team scored a "moral" victory by tying 1-1 a much superior English team in the opening round of the World Cup. This was due to the excellent play of the US goalie and the poor play of his English counterpart.

Watching the games on ESPN/ABC is about the dullest experience imaginable. For a true soccer(futbol) experience tune in to your local Univision channel. Especially tune in an hour before the US plays this Friday against Slovenia to a program called Republica Deportiva:Edicion Mundial (Sports Republic: World Edition). You will see an unabashed display of American Flags, American Patriotism, Nationallism and rooting for the home team (US) even though everything is in Spanish. In addition there will be some very good looking girls in abbreviated costumes that jump start this dirty old mans heart. While watching the game in Spanish, you may be lucky enough to hear the announcer call a Goooooooool. An experience not to be missed, it sounds like he is having an orgasm on air.

Good luck to the US team against Slovenia.

[matt]

For my money, it had to have been the Nigeria/Argentina matchup at Ellis Park! I ultimately think Holland will get it done this time - As long as they bench Van Persie...

[graywolf]

Right up there with curling for watchability.

[Jackie]

When I was in high school, I had to take my little brother to soccer practice. I really haven't cared for the game or him since.

The Germans were good yesterday.

[Grimgrin]

Italy looked rather weak against Paraguay this morning. The two teams really looked evenly matched until the second half. For the 31st seed to hold the returning champions to a tie is pretty impressive.

It seems like so far in the tournament we've seen a few favorites under-performing. Serbia, England and Italy were all favorites going into their group matches, and all failed to win, with Serbia loosing outright.

[pj]

Thanks eakens for the video link!

[Greg]

I support the Dutch but they won't win - they are soccer's beautiful losers. No European team has ever won a World Cup played outside of Europe and you can bet that two out of Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina and France will probably be in the final. Go with the obvious choice - Brazil.

[optimax]

There's nothing more exciting than watching two teams play to a 0-0 draw.

[JM]

graywolf: "Right up there with curling for watchability."

You might appreciate watching rugby - a sport that along with soccer I really wish had been popular in the US when I was growing up.

[pj]

Optimax -

I have watched 0 - 0 games that were quite exciting. The recent Serbia - Ghana was 0 - 0 until about 10 minutes were left when Ghana scored, but even if they had not scored, I would have called that a great game to watch. It was full of attacking flowing soccer.

[Abu Sinan]

The horns are bothering us. So much so that we muted the German game.

I wish they'd have banned the horns but the FIFA president refused. Songs I dont mind, chants I dont mind, but the horns are awful!

Who in their right mind would rather hear these horns instead of "A Soldier's Song" or some other national song sung by fans?

[optimax]

pj,

The last soccer match I watched was the U.S.-China final in the 1999 Women's World Cup, and I only watched because so many Portland U, women were on the team. The best part was the American player ripping off her shirt after winning.

I have nothing against soccer, just not interested. If I recieved more than 2 stations on my tv, still on broadcast analog, I'd watch the Open at Pebble Beach and most people think golf is boring. Many years ago I was watching the Masters on tv with my grandmother. After a couple of hours she said, "That man is having a terrible time getting out of that sandtrap."

"Those are different players, Grandma."

She had music in her laugh.

[Jackie]

Abu Sinan,
I have to agree with you on the horns. They sounded like angry insects.

[zanzibar]

For those betting/hoping that a European team will win this World Cup - a bit of trivia.

No European team has won a World Cup hosted outside Europe.

Maybe 2010 changes it or maybe it does not!

I seldom watch sports on TV although I do like hockey games and an occasional day at the ballpark but more for the hot dogs and beer. But I have become a fan of the World Cup since I had the good fortune to witness many of the matches in 1994 and be part of their carnival atmosphere.

[William R. Cumming]

Who determines the members of each group?

How many European teams are in the World Cup? Is this a factor of skill and competence or payroll?

[The beaver]

WRC

This will help:

http://www.worldcup2010southafrica.com/world-cup-2010-qualifying-groups/

[The beaver]

My hat to the North Koreans- they gave as good as they got and,at one point in that first half , I thought that they would cause an upset.

Just have to watch them against Portugal- if the ref is quick with his yellow cards, we may get a good surprise :-)

[R Whitman]

Argentina played a tremendous game against Korea this morning. Argentina may be the team to win it all, besides, their players all look like soap opera stars.

[R Whitman]

The USA lives to play another day with a 2-2 tie with Slovenia in one of the worst officiated games so far.

The Spanish language Univision announcer actually did have an on-air orgasm calling the USA's second goal.

[Gautam Das]

The USA team is now my favourite underdog team, and delightful to watch - the Slovenia-USA match was rightfully theirs, as has been commented on the GoM oil spill thread. Great fighting spirit.

So far, the Slovenia-USA match has been the best match to watch.

More Americans should support them - a pity one can't see those PYT (pretty young thing) cheerleaders with the 'abbreviated' outfits on ESPN here.

Rooting for the USA team,

Gautam Das
India

[gobrasil]

Note a great piece on Huffington Post on why Brazil will win the world cup. Under sports section. Don't know anything about axis of evil, as anonymous laments on June 14 (um, sport and Iran nukes are two slightly different things), but anyway it's quality stuff.