OT: World Cup 2010

[headquarters]

hehe

Yes I haven't been around in months, too much to do lately and that's not going to slow down. RPGs and Twilight are back on their shelves for a while. However when I saw you asking HQ, I couldn't resist

I don't felt it to be that hard. Nobody was really excited anyway while fans and kids (almost all) supported South Africa during the last game. It's a biggest issue for our politicians.

The only thing is that the French team was a perfect image of what France is at the moment (hope it doesn't last). At least they achieved something collectively: failure.

Sorry to all our american friends, however, as during their match against Ghana I was supporting Ghana. The image I will remember is that of both coaches hugging each other. I was supporting Ghana but, for the first time in decades I had watch a nice game. Players taking risks and playing to the end. Nice game from both US and Ghana, sincerely.

Too bad Ghana is out now.

Bye everyone, back to work!

Just a little friendly stab Mo.
Glad to hear that you take it all with ease.

France will rise again on the soccer field and become a side to have pride in again .

I agree on the Ghana match .It was a shame that Uruguay managed to steal advancement from them the way they did .Glad the Dutch knocked them out .

See you later -and as you said -back to work

[Raellus]

I agree on the Ghana match .It was a shame that Uruguay managed to steal advancement from them the way they did .Glad the Dutch knocked them out .

Uruguay didn't "steal" the match from Ghana. Suarez did what every other player in the World Cup would have done under the same circumstances- protect his goal in a crucial game-deciding situation by any means necessary. He was punished for it and the Ghaneans received a clear-cut chance to win (the penalty). They botched it and Uruguay finished them in the shoot out. To demonize a player and a team for the actions of one player is not fair. The Ghaneans had two more opportunties to win after the red card. They controlled their own destiny and they couldn't pull it off.

Suarez is taking a lot of heat for his actions but, like I said before, any player in his right mind would have done the same thing. He saved his team from elimination. He was just doing his job. If he hadn't, he would have been a villain to his teammates, coach, fans, and countrymen. I guess, in some ways, it all comes down to perspective.

As for the Dutch, they were my darkhorse pick to win the whole tournament and I wouldn't mind seeing them do it. They, however, dive and play act a lot. Most of the Dutch players are guilty of doing it too. In the case of the Dutch, I think it's fair to characterize the whole team as blatant floppers. They go down easily at even the hint of a foul, presumably to con the ref into giving their opponents cards. A lot of players on a lot of teams do this and it is shameful. But to see a whole team doing it on a regular basis... that's embarrassing. It could come back to haunt them in the final.

[Muti]

Yes,you are right -a lot of these comments were not really nice .I apologize for mine if they were regarded as anti-italian in any way .They were more an expression of frustration over general trends in the game that I find are negative .

( I was sure you were from Finland or Northern Sweden )

Italy has amazing players,a strong history and many triumphs to boast about.
Slamming Italy is not alright .Critizising their team is - as long as it is not groundless.
It is a fact that "filming" is universal and not only Italian.

Some fans may not understand some aspects of Italian football culture though .

Full respect to Italy and Italians alike.

Thank you! Don't worry about your comment, only Targan said that Italians are cheating bastards But as I said before, I don't care.

[Raellus]

If I had to pick a winner today, I might go out on a limb and pick Holland as my darkhorse. They have tons of firepower. Three of their midfielders were starters in the recent Champions League final and their fowards are no slouches when it comes to scoring goals. If their defense was better, they'd be my front runner. Otherwise, Spain is the safe bet.

Not bad for a Yank, eh

Not sure yet who to pick to win it. Either way, there will be a first time Cup winner and that's pretty cool.

[Targan]

Thank you! Don't worry about your comment, only Targan said that Italians are cheating bastards But as I said before, I don't care.

Oops I did say that, didn't I Well to clarify, not ALL Italians are cheaters, just certain members of their national football team.

[headquarters]

heated footie argument

Uruguay didn't "steal" the match from Ghana. Suarez did what every other player in the World Cup would have done under the same circumstances- protect his goal in a crucial game-deciding situation by any means necessary. He was punished for it and the Ghaneans received a clear-cut chance to win (the penalty). They botched it and Uruguay finished them in the shoot out. To demonize a player and a team for the actions of one player is not fair. The Ghaneans had two more opportunties to win after the red card. They controlled their own destiny and they couldn't pull it off.

Suarez is taking a lot of heat for his actions but, like I said before, any player in his right mind would have done the same thing. He saved his team from elimination. He was just doing his job. If he hadn't, he would have been a villain to his teammates, coach, fans, and countrymen. I guess, in some ways, it all comes down to perspective.

As for the Dutch, they were my darkhorse pick to win the whole tournament and I wouldn't mind seeing them do it. They, however, dive and play act a lot. Most of the Dutch players are guilty of doing it too. In the case of the Dutch, I think it's fair to characterize the whole team as blatant floppers. They go down easily at even the hint of a foul, presumably to con the ref into giving their opponents cards. A lot of players on a lot of teams do this and it is shameful. But to see a whole team doing it on a regular basis... that's embarrassing. It could come back to haunt them in the final.

lets go! had this been in a bar beermugs would be shattering around our ears and fisticuffs andoutbreaks like "BOLLOCKS!!" would have rung out .

nah- just kidding . But I do feel you are dead wrong mate !

you have some feeling for the Repoblica Oriental del Uruguay- and I like that.I was cheering for them as well right up to the last few seconds of the match when they shamed themselves by showing a disregard for the sport .I might disapprove and articulate my feeling of displeasure towards the Uruguyan side ,but to say that I demonize them or the player in question is a bit harsh .To demonize them in a discussion like this I would have to say they were the inventors of all things bad in football - "the acting like hit by a foul tackle" " the mortally wounded didnt get a penalty so up and about 5 seconds later act",the "involuntary-voluntary hands","the shirt pull", " the hand of God","The take out the oppositions most valuable player tackle to the lower knee and then feign innocense tackle","the elbow to the chest when the ref isnt looking elbow" and so on and so on ..Uruguay didnt invent or capitalize on these in any conspicious manner-indeed they fought valiantly and skillfully -to an extent - even against the mighty Dutch I grudgingly must admit .

(To call the Dutch "actors " seems unfair bythe way .)

But Uruguay did commit what in my opinion is a shameful foul.

Firstly - breaking the rules is cheating - we call it a foul ,and not an option you can speculate in on a cost-efficiency basis like happened in said match .

This is what I -and many with me - regard as the true spirit of the game .


If you cheat you get penalized -true - but thats a consequence from the cheating or foul and not a cost you deliberately factor in to your advantage .

To see you write that any player in his right mind would have used his hands in a similar manner given the situation is to broad a statement and one I feel cannot be valid.
Any player in his right mind would act out of ambition to win and sportsmanship spirit and try to stop the ball using any other part of his body than his hands !

Thats the point of the game and a rule that shouldnt be broken even though ambition has gotten the better of sportsmanship !

Stopping a clear cut goal with your hands is a foul- but its not only a common foul - its the the stereotype foul that one and all agree is cheating .

And cheating is -in fact - still considered to be BAD -even if the game seems to move more and more into grey areas regarding this.Sadly.

The only one more clear cut a blatant disregard for the spirit of the game is the defenders dirty tackle from behind of the player with the ball who is alone with the keeper.

Now, I am sure that the oriental republic of uruguay will rise again on the field and achieve honourable triumph.I will maybe go back to cheering for them agains as I was always a sucker for the underdog -Denmark,Uruguay,USA,NZ,South Africa,Japan ,Australia etc

Parting words ( in this half ) :

all in my semi humble opinion and in the spirit of a friendly game!

[boogiedowndonovan]

ok, I'm not saying I condone what this Holland soccer fan is offering, but...

if anyone is interested a Dutch porn star is offering her 'services' to her Twitter fans if Holland wins the World Cup.

Apparently she is being joined by a few more porn stars who are also fans of Holland. Would this be a proper use of the Aussie term "rooting"

the link has pics, haven't checked them, so I can't say if it is work safe or not.

link

just throwing it out for y'all.

[Targan]

Would this be a proper use of the Aussie term "rooting"

Yes. Yes it would. And bless her cotton socks.

[headquarters]

hoping for the Dutch now

Yes. Yes it would. And bless her cotton socks.

Fair reason to support them I guess.

[TiggerCCW UK]

Found my team

[Mohoender]

Oops I did say that, didn't I Well to clarify, not ALL Italians are cheaters, just certain members of their national football team.

I really like Italians. You are always welcome in Italy. Just use two words in Italian and they will do their best to help you out. Best when you are french, we are almost talking the same language, it's only a question of pronounciation. They also have the best women (I'm sure, my wife is of Italian descent) and worse mother and step mother (my step mother is also italian and a pain). They come only second to Jewish mothers.

By the way, Italians are not cheaters, they are simply natural survivalist. It simply happens that they survive best in urban environments and shopping malls.

[pmulcahy11b]

There's a Canadian comedian who does a joke about how Italian-Americans are not really Italians, they just have the attitude...

[kato13]

I see that Portugal trounced the North Koreans 7-0. Looks like there may be some new inmates at the re-education camps...

Not Quite but close,

North Korean Soccer Team Punished for World Cup Failure