163 replies to this topic

[TAP]

^^^ I've been seeing those ads (they have one for each country I think) on the train. The England one is pretty clearly about carrying the burden on winning in 1966 but the US one is kind of weird. I can't watch MLS, there is some talent - Donovan is a really good player for example, and proved it in the premier league this year - but it's so naive and uncynical that it's unwatchable for me. You should just choose a premier league team and follow that on Fox Soccer. I've been a Liverpool fan for 35 years even though I've been there once for 3 hours in my whole life - just don't choose Man U or Chelsea, but Arsenal is fine. I worked out today how to watch the WC on my iphone - trying to decide if i should watch any of it on ESPN 3 during summer classes I'm teaching in computer labs

[TAP]

Nigeria vs Argentina could be really good tomorrow - depends whether Messi can really show he can play for Maradona. My inner Falkander wants the Argies to screw up but I really like a lot of their players (Messi, Tevez, Mascherano, Maxi Rodriguez) so as long as they aren't playing us....

[TAP]

WAGS

[TAP]

http://www.guardian....d-usa-world-cup

[freedom78]

Nigeria vs Argentina could be really good tomorrow - depends whether Messi can really show he can play for Maradona. My inner Falkander wants the Argies to screw up but I really like a lot of their players (Messi, Tevez, Mascherano, Maxi Rodriguez) so as long as they aren't playing us....

I ALWAYS expect Argentina to go all the way, and they ALWAYS disappoint. I think it's just because I want someone in this hemisphere to be better than Brazil...but they aren't. Shit, they finished behind Chile and Paraguay in their regional qualification. Maybe now that I think they'll fall flat, they'll actually succeed.

Any time an African team plays, it can be fun to watch. You never know what you'll see. They could get drubbed 8-0 or provide some of the most exhilarating scores of the tourney.

Biggest goal differential for an opening round match? My guess would be Brazil vs. N. Korea. I'm predicting a Korean upset of 12-1. Famine makes you dangerous.

[TAP]

Speaking of Brazil, I love the Nike ads featuring Ronaldinho who didn't even make it into the Brazil squad.



I heard something today about North Korea trying to pas off a striker as a goalie.....?

[freedom78]

Pretty cool ad. I'm totally pulling for Uruguay and S. Africa. France doesn't deserve to be there and Mexico are perennial losers of a second round match.

[freedom78]

Greece looked poor this morning...almost like they needed the rest of Europe to bail them out!

[TAP]

Greece looked poor this morning...almost like they needed the rest of Europe to bail them out!

ha. Most entertaining match so far though, SK came to win.

BTW the Brazilian referee for England vs USA was suspended in the Brazil league this year for likely corruption, and is also card happy.

[freedom78]

Greece looked poor this morning...almost like they needed the rest of Europe to bail them out!

ha. Most entertaining match so far though, SK came to win.

BTW the Brazilian referee for England vs USA was suspended in the Brazil league this year for likely corruption, and is also card happy.

I don't like card happy. They throw a card and then, ten minutes later, you'll get a make-up call (See: Italy vs. USA, 2006).

Anyway, Argentina is much much better than Nigeria, except perhaps at goalie. If it weren't for that Nigerian goalie, I think this would be about 4-0 at half. He's giving his team a chance, but their shots have been sloppy, usually after one too many touches.

[freedom78]

Because I believe in respecting and saluting one's adversaries, I'll say "Cheers!" to the English and acknowledge their greatest invention...the Imperial Pint! It allows men, straight faced and in complete honesty, to answer their wives thusly: WIFE: "How many have you had?!?!?!?!?" MAN: "Three." Of course, that "three" would, if it were 12 oz bottles, be more like "five". So, with the imperial pint beer conversion system, five is three, ten is six, twenty is twelve, and so on. This is an extremely useful system and should be implemented worldwide!

[TAP]

Good luck, but Alexei Lalas is on crack

[TAP]

England are awful so far besides the goal.

[freedom78]

US looked sluggish and sloppy the first 15', and remained sloppy on defense for most of the half.

England are awful so far besides the goal.

Care to amend this post?

Good luck, but Alexei Lalas is on crack

Yeah, but I hardly expect unbiased, quality journalism from former athletes. Truth is, we've all seen teams win games they shouldn't and lose games they shouldn't. Another 45' will tell the story.

Where's Crouch? I can't imagine not using that guy, given how difficult his height makes things.

[TAP]

England are awful so far besides the goal.

Care to amend this post?

Not really. It was a soft goal, but England didn't deserve to be winning. Might See Crouch in the second half, Rooney likes playing with Heskey but he's hardly seen the ball.