wtf was that

6/18/2014 6:42:48 PM

Song making a run for stupidest play of the finals

6/18/2014 6:45:08 PM

Cameroon is done

6/18/2014 6:48:35 PM

Good momentum for Song heading into United transfer.

6/18/2014 6:49:36 PM

Quote :

"isn't Spain ranked #1? "

According to FIFA, they were, but ESPN did its own rankings before the tournament and ranked Brazil #1. ESPN's SPI turned out to be more accurate than FIFA.

http://www.espnfc.com/story/1865575

Quote :

" Rank Team Off Rating Def Rating Rating 1 Brazil 3.17 0.53 90.9 2 Germany 3.28 0.69 90.1 3 Argentina 2.82 0.45 89.9 4 Colombia 2.39 0.42 87.6 5 France 2.54 0.58 86.9 6 Netherlands 2.80 0.75 86.9 7 Chile 2.72 0.70 86.8 8 Spain 2.61 0.64 86.8"

6/18/2014 6:51:08 PM

Haha

Quote :

" "@CFC_Clive: At least Tim Cahill's suspension should make the Australia - Spain game a contest.""

6/18/2014 7:05:21 PM

In a tournament full of exciting and compelling games....Mexico-Croatia is going to be fucking bananas. This is easily the best World Cup I've ever watched.

But seriously, if you're Chile or Netherlands, do you even play that game? I'd say take the goalies out and let them go 1v1 for 90 minutes with empty nets so they can rack up scores on their stat sheet.

[Edited on June 18, 2014 at 8:01 PM. Reason : .]

6/18/2014 7:56:19 PM

yeah, winner likely avoids Brazil so I'd say it's pretty importante

6/18/2014 8:17:17 PM

yep

6/18/2014 8:18:53 PM

i hope we're not supposed to pull for Mexico from some concacaf standpoint, because I hope Croatia destroys them.

6/18/2014 8:27:09 PM

I found it possible to cheer for Ochoa while still hoping the Mexicans didn't score.

6/18/2014 10:08:42 PM

^
Hmmm, nah.

6/18/2014 10:18:20 PM

Quote :

"This is easily the best World Cup I've ever watched."

This!

6/18/2014 10:20:14 PM

Definitely pulling for Croatia. That game is going to be awesome.

6/19/2014 7:10:15 AM

Quote :

"yeah, winner likely avoids Brazil so I'd say it's pretty importante"

brazil's not that scary, though. can easily see either team beating them.

6/19/2014 7:52:00 AM

yeah true. But you definitely don't want to play the hosts that early in a knockout. Also, Brazil can only get better, right?

6/19/2014 7:56:51 AM

I don't think Brazil has played any better than their "C" game to this point. Way too much firepower on the wing and in the midfield.

Who else is looking forward to Suarez ripping England a new one today?

6/19/2014 8:04:32 AM

I keep reading about resurgent England in the British media. What am I missing? Sterling was great and exciting. I love watching him play. But all I saw aside from that was Pirlo wrecking face and Gerrard spraying lateral passes with no direction.

6/19/2014 8:06:09 AM

eh they looked 5x better than any game in 2010 and Rooney should have tied the game in the second. I think they'll win today

^^ yes I would like that]

[Edited on June 19, 2014 at 8:14 AM. Reason : lol 2006]

6/19/2014 8:12:32 AM

http://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2014/06/19/time-for-soccer-players-to-stop-playing-dead

not to beat a dead horse from a few pages ago, but an interesting article with some actual statistics on diving.

6/19/2014 8:52:46 AM

McManaman was all over Spain yesterday for hitting the deck whenever somebody touched them.

6/19/2014 9:06:02 AM

Quote :

"His findings show that on average, six incidents of cheating happen in a match. Three quarters of them are professional fouls where defenders deliberately commit offences to prevent goal-scoring opportunities, while the rest are deceptions or dives (just under two per match)."

1) I don't consider professional fouls "cheating." I don't get why those are important. Is fouling in the last minute of a basketball game to get the ball back "cheating?"

2) Considering the number of challenges and times two players come together over 90 minutes, two dives per match is nothing. And certainly not enough to be the reason to not like the sport, which is what our discussion was mostly about.

6/19/2014 9:07:08 AM

Yeah something definitely needs to be done to stop all the diving as I think it would increase popularity of the game around the world even more. So many people dislike it due to the fact thats all they see is some guy rolling around like he just got shot and the replay shows he didnt even get touched.

Maybe if they want to avoid fines it could be as simple as if a guy is down for an extended period of time as determined by the ref he is sent off for say five minutes unless substituted for. That way he can be properly checked out by the medical professionals since he is obviously about to die.

Also I find the number of two dives per match to be ridiculously low even taken as an average. Most games you see two dives within every 10 minutes or so on average at least thats how it seems to me. I guess maybe they mean blatant beyond obvious dives where someone wasnt even touched? I consider a dive anytime you fall down and lay there acting like you are dying when in reality you barely got tripped get your ass up and keep playing.

[Edited on June 19, 2014 at 9:13 AM. Reason : .]

6/19/2014 9:11:00 AM

I was just responding to the study.

The only thing I can think of to limit the rolling around and play acting is a rule that if they have to bring the stretcher out, you have to stay out of play for a minute.

6/19/2014 9:19:44 AM

Quote :

"1) I don't consider professional fouls "cheating." I don't get why those are important. Is fouling in the last minute of a basketball game to get the ball back "cheating?" 2) Considering the number of challenges and times two players come together over 90 minutes, two dives per match is nothing. And certainly not enough to be the reason to not like the sport, which is what our discussion was mostly about."

I agree with you on both those points, but the article pointed out that there would be two fineable dives a game! That's a lot compared to other sports.

The reason to dislike soccer is that rarely do dives in other sports, like basketball, result in excessive time wasting. Not only that, but even legitimate fouls are oversold dozens of times a game resulting in time wasting. I personally love watching soccer, but can't stand to see the bad acting. I hate it in basketball too, but I don't think it's as prevalent and the NBA is taking steps to alleviate it. I also think it affects the mood more in soccer simply because soccer is generally a more free-flowing game and so when you have to watch some player go into hystrionics for 2 minutes while nothing is happening on the pitch, it's jarring. It's pretty clear that most in this thread feel the same way given how much hate there is for Portugal, Brazil, Italy, etc. which are the worst offenders.

Anyways, I don't want to derail the thread again. This has been a great world cup. Can't wait for today's games.



[Edited on June 19, 2014 at 9:22 AM. Reason : d]

6/19/2014 9:20:06 AM

I don't mind the conversation before games. It's not like I want to work.

Aside from blatant diving, I don't know how you stop the play acting and drama with a rule change or fine. It's annoying but to me, it seems like something we have to deal with until players/coaches deal with it internally. I'm just nervous about throwing in new rules as a reaction to stuff we don't like because we have no idea how it could end up changing the game.

6/19/2014 9:29:54 AM

professional fouls are no different than clear path fouls in basketball and theyre generally penalized with a card. that's fine

diving really hasnt been that bad in a while. even the worst offender, robben, has dialed it back

6/19/2014 9:29:56 AM

I don't care about the diving I actually think more than previous I've seen refs just roll their eyes and wave the players to get up and play(granted I don't watch a ton of soccer but just seems to be better than in past WC/televised matches). It's the rolling around on the ground after. You got the call, good job, now stand up and play or if really hurt go off.

6/19/2014 9:54:40 AM

Quote :

"Yeah something definitely needs to be done to stop all the diving as I think it would increase popularity of the game around the world even more."

You do realize that 3.5 billion people worldwide watch the world cup right?

6/19/2014 10:22:41 AM

In my limited amount of soccer-watching experience, I feel like the refs at this World Cup have done a fairly consistent job of ignoring players trying to overzealously sell injuries or fouls. Sure they miss a couple, that's the human component, but in no way has it taken away from my experience at all.

People don't watch soccer because they think it's boring, not because players dive or fake injuries.

[Edited on June 19, 2014 at 10:49 AM. Reason : .]

6/19/2014 10:49:15 AM

Quote :

"United States forward Jozy Altidore will miss Sunday's Group G World Cup match vs. Portugal due to a strained left hamstring, the U.S. federation confirmed on Thursday. "He will not be available for Sunday's game, but we are hopeful he will be available in the tournament," U.S. Soccer spokesman Michael Kammarman said of the 24-year-old."

http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/story/1893459/us-forward-jozy-altidore-out-vs-portugal-with-ailing-hamstring

6/19/2014 11:02:50 AM

Quote :

"Jozy Altidore being out is much bigger than Pepe or Coentrão for Portugal if you ask me. - Taylor Twellman"

We're taking the Jozy love-in a bit too far. Obviously I'd like him healthy but we were questioning whether he should even be starting not even two weeks ago.

6/19/2014 11:05:35 AM

damn, Altidore is only 24 years old? Feels like hes been around forever

6/19/2014 11:32:37 AM

^^ He also missed an easy opportunity in the 1st half that would have put us up 2-0. Not the greatest finisher.

6/19/2014 11:48:27 AM

3 lions on the shirt!
Jules Rimet still gleaming!
30 years of hurt!
Never stopped me dreaming!

Come on England!


3-1 today. I believe!

Until we lose 3-1 and go home that is. But my optimism makes supporting England worthwhile. I think. So god damn nervous.

6/19/2014 12:16:07 PM

^Right there with you. Time to give Uruguay some vindaloo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grbTOPk9tWo





[Edited on June 19, 2014 at 1:05 PM. Reason : vindaloo]

6/19/2014 12:47:24 PM

Suarez gonna bite the hand that feeds him tonight.

[Edited on June 19, 2014 at 1:19 PM. Reason : I hate how shit the 6pm games are!]

6/19/2014 1:18:51 PM

this Costa de Marfil game just got spicy

6/19/2014 1:21:08 PM

what a bullet of a header that was...

6/19/2014 1:24:58 PM

Now that Pique sucks that should give Rodriguez Shakira rights, no?

[Edited on June 19, 2014 at 1:26 PM. Reason : Pique is a douche]

6/19/2014 1:26:08 PM

BOOM.

6/19/2014 1:30:56 PM

holy shit Gervinho

6/19/2014 1:34:35 PM

Love these games going end to end.

[Edited on June 19, 2014 at 1:41 PM. Reason : .]

6/19/2014 1:40:33 PM

Damn. This WC is so exciting. 2010 was a fucking bore...

6/19/2014 1:43:31 PM

Sucks for Ivory Coast's Serey Die. His father passed away 2 hours before kickoff, and he made the mistake for the 2nd COL goal.

6/19/2014 2:10:37 PM

Woy would be an absolute idiot to put Rooney out on the left again.

6/19/2014 2:14:13 PM

Invade Wales. Ramsey on for Gerrard. Bale on for Welbeck. Problems solved.

6/19/2014 2:23:50 PM

If Eng don't win the WC by 2030, they better compete as GBR. It works for the Olympics dont it?

6/19/2014 2:29:02 PM

Don't know enough about the Scotland and Northern Ireland teams but from what I've heard, their players aren't that great. Wales on the other hand, I could def get on board with them!

6/19/2014 2:35:13 PM

6/19/2014 2:41:41 PM