i literally LOL'd at that free kick

6/16/2014 2:36:45 PM

4-0 Germany thumps Portugal
Germany's defense did not look great the first half, a lot of space was given to Portugal, but they just could not finish. Germany seemed open to the counter a lot.

6/16/2014 2:44:16 PM

Quote :

"Few things make me happier than a desparate Ronaldo Portugal being completely irrelevant at the World Cup."

My hatred for Portugal soccer is up there with my hatred for UNC. They play the lousiest, whiniest game of any country in the world and they absolutely deserve to be humiliated at this World Cup. Today has actually been a really crappy day for me, and their loss is the only thing giving my solace right now (sad, but true).

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 3:28 PM. Reason : ]

6/16/2014 3:27:55 PM

Iran - Nigeria

6/16/2014 3:33:38 PM

^^

Quote :

" They play the lousiest, whiniest game of any country in the world"

Up until Saturday I would have said the same thing about Italy but they played with good sportsmanship their whole game and didn't have any outright dives or instances of getting in the ref/other player's. Aside from Portugal today and a little from Brazil I'd say most countries have been really good about diving and conduct.

6/16/2014 3:38:07 PM

I get what you are saying and I agree, but "good" is relative when you still have games with 10-15+ instances per game of extended rolling-around-on-the-field-fake-injury nonsense. Quite frankly, it's a big reason why Americans don't get into the game and I wish they would do something about it.



[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 3:54 PM. Reason : d]

6/16/2014 3:54:09 PM

Quote :

"Quite frankly, it's a big reason why Americans don't get into the game and I wish they would do something about it."

I think the American misconception is that "soccer is boring", not that the athletes oversell their injuries.

6/16/2014 4:06:19 PM

well, sure the "soccer is boring" is a big factor. but most people complain that most soccer payers are "sissies" and "fakers" because of the flopping. read any comments on the world cup stories on cnn or foxnews.

6/16/2014 4:09:34 PM

^^Yes, that is a reason as well. But most of this year's games have been entertaining as hell even for casual fans. When I sit down with some of my friends to watch (not soccer fans), they are incredulous at the ridiculous diving. I can't even defend it. It's absurd the amount of diving that happens every game.

Think about how the sports media in America makes a bigass deal about the ONE lance stephenson flop on the eastern conference finals. He got fined by the NBA for it. And yet, worse flops happen every few minutes in every single soccer game.

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:11 PM. Reason : d]

6/16/2014 4:10:46 PM

Most people don't care for flopping in any sport.

Problem is, in soccer, most Americans assume that any time a player hits the ground, he's faking an injury, which is not the case. Sure, some teams flop, but next time your non-soccer friends cry about flopping, kick him with the boot of your heel in the shins while running at him full speed and see how goddamn tough he is.

Or better yet, just trip up his ankles him next time he's running and see if he doesn't fall down. Most Americans don't understand "flopping" because they don't understand physics. People running full speed through a thicket of legs stabbing at your feet will make anyone fall down.

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:25 PM. Reason : ]

6/16/2014 4:22:45 PM

^^ I get that but I also think it's because non-fans come in with preconceived ideas of soccer and what constitutes a flop.

Flailing your arms when take it to the basket like you've been fouled happens like 100 times a game because that's all it takes to get a foul. Soccer is a more physical sport so to get a foul, it has to go way beyond what would be an "easy" flop in basketball to get the referee's attention. I also don't think the outrage over basketball flopping is as strong as you say. How often does a guy fall over while being fouled on a 3 point shot? It's just as blatant as a normal soccer dive and the commentators usually just admonish the guy fouling and make no comment on the flop.

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:26 PM. Reason : ^^ ]

6/16/2014 4:24:42 PM

^^that is true. often times you don't even see the foul until you watch the replay, then you're like "ouch, that would have hurt". but still, plenty of flopping.

Quote :

"Iran - Nigeria "

and ties? you bet!

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:25 PM. Reason : ]

6/16/2014 4:25:42 PM

Mark Jackson and Shane Battier both made a career out of falling down at the first sign of contact underneath the rim. Floppers?

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:31 PM. Reason : ]

6/16/2014 4:29:48 PM

Quote :

"Most Americans don't understand "flopping" because they don't understand physics. People running full speed through a thicket of legs stabbing at your feet will make anyone fall down."

You are talking about at best 5% of the hysterical rolling around being genuine. I know when you get kicked, cleated, thrown down, etc. it hurts. I played soccer through high school and club until I was 18 which is probably a more physical game than top level international and club matches and the number of game stoppages that happened for injuries that weren't serious (ie, player is NOT able to get up and play a minute later) was near zero.

Not sure why anyone here is defending the bullshit. The flopping is so bad that FIFA actually made a rule about diving--problem is that it rarely gets enforced except in the most egregious cases.

It'd be easy enough to fix--post match fines for bad flops and give the referee authority to send players off the field until the next dead ball even if their rolling around doesn't end up in a game stoppage.

Quote :

"How often does a guy fall over while being fouled on a 3 point shot? It's just as blatant as a normal soccer dive and the commentators usually just admonish the guy fouling and make no comment on the flop. "

In my mind, there is a huge difference between selling a foul and rolling around on the ground needlessly for 5 minutes, fake head contact and diving everytime you enter the box. Hell the Germany/Portugal game was a perfect example. Muller threw himself back as if someone poked his eye out which resulted in Pepe getting pissed and (stupidly) headbutting him.

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:37 PM. Reason : d]

6/16/2014 4:32:48 PM

I'm only defending it in the context of being worse than American sports. I think every sport has their own version of flopping and basketball is just as bad at the playacting as soccer.

I do agree with you that they could easily do something about it after the fact.

Muller "flopped" and the referee didn't fall for it. It's not the sport's laws or the referee's fault that Pepe is a dumbass.

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:38 PM. Reason : .]

6/16/2014 4:35:28 PM

lol....nothing says physical like a bunch of scrawny-assed, pimply-faced 17 years olds running around at half speed with unlimited substitutions for Athens Drive high school.

C'mon, son. Look, I'm with you on the retro-active penalties for flopping. I think that should happen. But believe it or not, a lot of guys get cleated, and I seriously can't think of that many cases in this tournament so far of blatant flopping or players taking a dive.

Quote :

"In my mind, there is a huge difference between selling a foul and rolling around on the ground needlessly for 5 minutes"

How so? In both cases, the player is trying to sell the ref on making a call that benefits his team. If you dislike one, you should dislike the other. I mean, seriously. How many times do you see an NBA player tap his elbow after a shot while complaining to the ref after a jump shot? Players lobby for calls in all sports, and some are more shameless about it than others, but it happens all the time.

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:48 PM. Reason : ]

6/16/2014 4:39:56 PM

Quote :

"nothing says physical like a bunch of scrawny-assed, pimply-faced 17 years olds running around at half speed with unlimited substitutions for Athens Drive high school."

LOL. I like the imagery, but it's fairly common knowledge that American high school and college (especially) soccer is way more physical than most top level club and international soccer mostly because of the lack of skill and elite ahtleticism and then unlimited subs.

I actually don't dislike selling fouls. It's a bigass field and one referee. You gotta do what you gotta do. Fall, get the call and then get the fuck up and play or fall, don't get the call and get your ass up and play again. The complete faking with no contact (like Muller with his eye or Fred did when he got the PK) is a bit annoying, but it's hard to regulate that and I can live with it every now and then.

I hate the constant game stoppages so that we can watch some prima donna roll around for five minutes grabbing the wrong body part, get the medics out there and spray some shit from a magic aerosol can on their leg and Praise God! It's a damn miracle cure. They are ready to play again. Shit happens multiple times every single game.

6/16/2014 4:50:24 PM

I played high school soccer as well.

I've also played pick-up games in South America. High school soccer in the US is not as physical as you're claiming. I have no idea why you're doubling down on that argument.

6/16/2014 4:52:47 PM

That was the first draw of the cup right?

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:53 PM. Reason : Iran - Nigeria]

6/16/2014 4:53:32 PM

I feel like there should be a USA vs Ghana thread for this just like we do for NCSU games, complete with the dancing L and the shutting of the bed.

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 4:55 PM. Reason : and maybe a little "We are going to die" gif action]

6/16/2014 4:55:22 PM

What I'm getting from the flopping argument is this: we should be having a lot more stoppage time

6/16/2014 4:59:08 PM

I don't typically give a green shit about soccer but am pumped as fuck for this.

USA IS GHANA FUCK SHIT UP

6/16/2014 5:24:41 PM

^^^first draw, and first match with less than 3 goals (counted or wrongly disallowed)

GO GO USA

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 5:25 PM. Reason : 4]

6/16/2014 5:24:50 PM

In the Germany-Portugal match I did enjoy watching a seriously injured Mueller become magically healed by a headbutt.

6/16/2014 5:28:49 PM

by the end of the World Cup, I'm going to get sick of that animated Brazil intro

6/16/2014 5:31:24 PM

I am so pumped for this game. man I hope it isn't a letdown

6/16/2014 5:37:49 PM

I'd like to see Dempsey do something...anything...worthwhile this game

6/16/2014 5:45:29 PM

Nerves.

6/16/2014 5:48:05 PM

I BELIEVE

6/16/2014 5:48:48 PM

1990: 0-3
1994: 1-1-1
1998: 0-3
2002: 1-1-1
2006: 0-2-1
2010: 1-0-2

...so our pattern is we alternate 0 wins and 1 win in group stage


Why did ESPN setup a big screen in front of a derelict steel mill in Bethlehem, PA?

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 5:49 PM. Reason : .]

6/16/2014 5:48:49 PM

LLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

6/16/2014 5:52:33 PM

Those warmup jackets are so fresh

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 5:57 PM. Reason : bradley is about to start skull fucking these chumps]

6/16/2014 5:56:34 PM

COME ON

6/16/2014 5:58:17 PM

Quote :

"bradley is about to start skull fucking these chumps"

may draw a yellow card

6/16/2014 6:00:24 PM

MOTHERFUCKING DEUCE

6/16/2014 6:01:08 PM

Quote :

"I'd like to see Dempsey do something...anything...worthwhile this game"

WELP

6/16/2014 6:01:46 PM

Did someone say Dempsey?

6/16/2014 6:02:10 PM

Where can I stream if I don't have cable TV?

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 6:07 PM. Reason : ]

6/16/2014 6:07:17 PM

I FINALLY JUST CALMED DOWN

6/16/2014 6:07:18 PM

Damn that got me pumped, and I don't even care about this sport. I'm sure you soccer fans lost your shit.

6/16/2014 6:07:26 PM

Nighthawk, get a stream at http://myp2p.pe you should have several options

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 6:11 PM. Reason : .]

6/16/2014 6:10:59 PM

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 6:15 PM. Reason : .]

6/16/2014 6:15:20 PM

Watching on my laptop instead of ipad. Espn3 works without a login, but the iPad app doesn't. WTH?

6/16/2014 6:18:22 PM

NO NO NO NO NO

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK

6/16/2014 6:21:18 PM

To you, Aron

6/16/2014 6:21:30 PM

This is it aimorris

Wondo time

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 6:23 PM. Reason : Well do the damn thing AJ]

6/16/2014 6:21:59 PM

Wondolowski, it's your time to be our Polish Hero.

6/16/2014 6:22:06 PM

Oh no, Jozy done

[Edited on June 16, 2014 at 6:22 PM. Reason : Hard luck guys]

6/16/2014 6:22:12 PM

Fuck

6/16/2014 6:22:25 PM

That was nc state shit because we were winning and there was no contact. The one guy we cant replace.

6/16/2014 6:30:47 PM