208 replies to this topic

[Infield Infidel]

[ypioca]

We get to host two straight World Cups? Sweet!





So, anyone starting a pool? Did I just volunteer? I'll do it if I have to... I'm just not really in the mood, plus I'll be offline in mid-July.

[Nick Kaufman]

Just found out. What is up with the fucking match times? South Africa is 6 hours ahead of us and we would have to watch matches at 7:30 and 10:00 in the morning? Wtf?

[Spacemans Bong]

Just found out. What is up with the fucking match times? South Africa is 6 hours ahead of us and we would have to watch matches at 7:30 and 10:00 in the morning? Wtf?

The only real difference between the match times from the last World Cup are the addition of 1.30 PM kickoffs. Of which there's five of those. Everything else is pretty similar to last time.

Edited by Spacemans Bong, 23 May 2010 - 02:07 AM.

[ossie schreckengost]

this is a thought without thought.

i just wanted to post in the world cup forum. post champions league.

i´m so hot for this tournament, they´d have to invent a new language to express my emotion. or else. and drunk i am. world-cup drunk!

we - germany- will either win that shit, or we´ll crush out of the tournament in the achtelfinale (last 16s?) vs. argentina. i don´t know. all i know is that this is the 10th world cup of my life. and each and every time this is an emotion, a set of emotions, 4 weeks of emotions, unlike most of anything you´ll ever feel in your life.


even watching a supposedly boring 1st round game, on a a snap of a finger you can turn you into a bundle of raw crying burning screaming flesh. oliver neuville´s goal vs poland, for example. a goal i predicted even before he was in the game. he had it in him, that goal, the whole fucking season when he did play for my borussia. that goal wanted to come to live. the way michelangelos slaves did want to come to live, shedding the rocks, throwing away the shackles of sheer mortality.
...and then odonkar ran, and put the ball into the box, and he was there, oliver neuville. all his live he had been there, but this was his moment in time.

i honestly don´t know if in all my time in football i ever cried so hard, screamed so hard, was happy so hard, the way i was/did in that one fleeting and basically inconsequential moment back in fucking dortmund 2006...




and it is bursting with those moments, that tournament. it will be.

Edited by ossie schreckengost, 23 May 2010 - 03:18 AM.

[MarkInLondon]

The only real difference between the match times from the last World Cup are the addition of 1.30 PM kickoffs. Of which there's five of those. Everything else is pretty similar to last time.

'Three game days' are the absolute dogs bollocks.

[ypioca]

this is a thought without thought.

i just wanted to post in the world cup forum. post champions league.

i´m so hot for this tournament, they´d have to invent a new language to express my emotion. or else. and drunk i am. world-cup drunk!

we - germany- will either win that shit, or we´ll crush out of the tournament in the achtelfinale (last 16s?) vs. argentina. i don´t know. all i know is that this is the 10th world cup of my life. and each and every time this is an emotion, a set of emotions, 4 weeks of emotions, unlike most of anything you´ll ever feel in your life.


even watching a supposedly boring 1st round game, on a a snap of a finger you can turn you into a bundle of raw crying burning screaming flesh. oliver neuville´s goal vs poland, for example. a goal i predicted even before he was in the game. he had it in him, that goal, the whole fucking season when he did play for my borussia. that goal wanted to come to live. the way michelangelos slaves did want to come to live, shedding the rocks, throwing away the shackles of sheer mortality.
...and then odonkar ran, and put the ball into the box, and he was there, oliver neuville. all his live he had been there, but this was his moment in time.

i honestly don´t know if in all my time in football i ever cried so hard, screamed so hard, was happy so hard, the way i was/did in that one fleeting and basically inconsequential moment back in fucking dortmund 2006...




and it is bursting with those moments, that tournament. it will be.

I've been a huge Neuville fan since his absurdly awesome goal in the UCL Semis against Man U, propelling my beloved Leverkusen to the finals, only to get a crushing 2nd place in every tournament (Cup and League).

Goal is at 2:54.


And that goal may have been the best thing out of that cup, for me (since Brazil shit the bed at the quarterfinals). The pure joy in that man's face after both those goals should inspire any player in RSA next month. That man was pure heart.

[SoxFanInPdx]

Taking a look at my bracket for work, am I crazy for thinking Serbia may make it to the Semi's? Defensively, I am not sure if there is anyone better in the tournament.

[RedSoxandBlueStripes]

Looking at the talent they have, am I mad in thinking Argentina would be strong favourites to win it all if they had even halfway competent coaching?

[MarkInLondon]

Looking at the talent they have, am I mad in thinking Argentina would be strong favourites to win it all if they had even halfway competent coaching?

Not at all. This could well be the time when Lionel Messi becomes one of the geatest five footballers ever.

[cjdmadcow]

'Three game days' are the absolute dogs bollocks.

I booked the first two weeks of the WC as holiday time a very long time ago, for this very reason. The daily plan was due to be;

07.30am - Wake up / breakfast
08.30am - Go for a cycle or a walk
10.30am - Shower
12.00pm - Leave flat for local pub
12.10pm - 5.00pm - Claim seat in said pub, have lunch and watch the two afternoon games
5.15pm - Return home to cook dinner for around the time of the evening kick-off (7.30pm)
Midnight - bedtime

Slight change of plan now as I'm going to Italy for 6 nights on the 14th June, but I'll see most of the games and the first one on arrival happens to be Italy v Paraguay, so that should be fun.

The above schedule then kicks into place on Monday 21st June. A maximum of 51 games on TV before I go back to work.

I love the World Cup.

[SydneySox]

even watching a supposedly boring 1st round game...

Out of interest - is that what you guys think your first game will be? I'm interested to hear your opinion of the group.

edit: And not 5 minutes later, I read this article in the paper...

http://www.smh.com.a...00523-w40e.html

Australia may be fretting over the make-up of Germany's World Cup squad, but the feeling is hardly mutual. While news of Michael Ballack's injury commanded back-page treatment in Australia last week, Germans are spending little time analysing the fitness concerns hovering over Mark Schwarzer and Harry Kewell.

''I certainly don't know anything about the team or their players. In fact, I don't think any Germans know anything about them,'' said Paul Breitner, who played against the Socceroos in the 1974 World Cup for eventual champions West Germany. ''The only people who might know are the coaching staff, and that's because it's their job to find out. But the rest of Germany wouldn't have any idea about the Australians.''

Edited by SydneySox, 23 May 2010 - 07:07 PM.

[Zomp]

Looking at the talent they have, am I mad in thinking Argentina would be strong favourites to win it all if they had even halfway competent coaching?

I'm curious to see who Diego plays on the two wings, as well as up front for Argentina. Basically, at his disposal for those 4 positions he will have Messi, Di Maria, Jonas Gutierrez, Maxi Rodriguez, Tevez, Aguero, Milito, and Higuain. Jesus.

If it were me I'd have Di Maria on the left, Messi on the right with Tevez playing off Milito.

[Spacemans Bong]

It's Argentina, Brazil or Spain as favorites I think.

I think it's actually a pretty open World Cup, a lot of the big teams have coaches I don't really trust. Maradona, Dunga, and Domenech are all borderline nuts. Dunga might have a plan but not taking Ronaldinho for Julio Baptista is nuts, and building a team around Kaka is risky considering Kaka is totally out of form right now. Germany have a huge lack of experience in their squad. Probably the best thing you can say about England's chances is even though their squad isn't as good as some of the other teams, they probably have the best manager in the competition right now. Only Lippi is really in his league, but Lippi has got terrible nostalgia and picked a really old team. Del Bosque is probably one level below him, but having a real manager is a big plus for Spain right now.

[ypioca]

It's Argentina, Brazil or Spain as favorites I think.

I think it's actually a pretty open World Cup, a lot of the big teams have coaches I don't really trust. Maradona, Dunga, and Domenech are all borderline nuts. Dunga might have a plan but not taking Ronaldinho for Julio Baptista is nuts, and building a team around Kaka is risky considering Kaka is totally out of form right now. Germany have a huge lack of experience in their squad. Probably the best thing you can say about England's chances is even though their squad isn't as good as some of the other teams, they probably have the best manager in the competition right now. Only Lippi is really in his league, but Lippi has got terrible nostalgia and picked a really old team. Del Bosque is probably one level below him, but having a real manager is a big plus for Spain right now.

Brazil's midfield situation is troubling... and I agree Ronaldinho should have been called up, although I wouldn't have removed J. Baptista, but Kléberson. He has more than earned his right to return to the squad. I sincerely hope someone (Kléberson, Elano, Ramires, anyone but Kaká, really) gets injured and he gets the call-up.

However, Kaká is unquestionably the only player in this squad who can lead. Dunga has made an effort to build the team pretty much from scratch, after 2006's failure, and Kaká is one of the few players he has kept all the way (the others being Lúcio, Juan, and Robinho). He may not be at the top of his game right now, but that's what these next weeks are for - Ronaldo in 2002 comes to mind. Just murdered the competition, after barely playing in the 2001-02 season.

edit: Another thing: Dunga and Diego are not in the same level of insanity. Dunga is weird and questionable at times, but has had great success so far. Maradona came close to not even qualifying for the WC, with some of the most talented players in national history at his disposal. He's in over his head IMO.

Edited by ypioca, 23 May 2010 - 10:14 PM.

[Spacemans Bong]

I agree you can't quite put them in the same category, but Dunga seems pretty stubborn and while he has a vision, I'm not sure he is flexible enough to change if something goes wrong. I think the big difference between Ronaldo and Kaka is that Ronaldo was really badly hurt before the 2002 world Cup. Kaka has had some niggles, but looked really out of sorts when he played this year. He got benched. I think it's certainly possible he has a stinker of a World Cup and if so Brazil is pretty screwed because I don't think Dunga's given himself a plan B.

[ypioca]

I agree you can't quite put them in the same category, but Dunga seems pretty stubborn and while he has a vision, I'm not sure he is flexible enough to change if something goes wrong. I think the big difference between Ronaldo and Kaka is that Ronaldo was really badly hurt before the 2002 world Cup. Kaka has had some niggles, but looked really out of sorts when he played this year. He got benched. I think it's certainly possible he has a stinker of a World Cup and if so Brazil is pretty screwed because I don't think Dunga's given himself a plan B.

That is right. If Kaká sucks, there's no one really capable of effectively filling his role. Robinho is agile and can run, but he can't be the setup man for L. Fabiano. I have no confidence in Elano carrying the team to win it all. Same with Júlio Baptista.

The amount of defensive midfielders he called up is baffling. There's no need at all for Kléberson in this squad. Ronaldinho or Santos FC's Ganso would have been great options for plan B (they're both in the 30-man). Fenerbahçe's Alex also comes to mind. As it stands, Dunga's stuck with Kaká.

[ypioca]

North Korea striker Jong Tae-Se is reallllly confident

“After having beat the odds to win a ticket, we also want to produce results that will stun the world,” he told the Japanese press, according to the AFP news agency. “Our aim is to advance from the group round and I will aim to score a goal in every match.

“I know Brazil have an array of brawny defenders, but I want to penetrate them with the physical strength which I have built up in Japan as well as my crafty moves in front of goal.”

Not sure I'm 100% comfortable with a North Korean saying he wants to stun the world.

[Spacemans Bong]

Someone put this up at Something Awful. Supposed to be a flow chart on who Americans decide to support during the World Cup.

[Phil Plantier]

NYT today.

Likewise, South Africans, proud of the region’s rich musical heritage, were furious about what they saw as a shortage of homegrown talent for FIFA’s opening musical extravaganza and Shakira’s selection for the FIFA anthem, hardly mollified that she was being accompanied by a South African band, Freshlyground.

“It’s like waking up in the morning and finding people in your backyard saying, ‘This is what we’re doing,’ without talking to the owner of the house,” said Oupa Lebogo, general secretary of the Creative Workers Union of South Africa.

Guardian today.

The government says its biggest worry is that the minibus taxi industry – which until now has held a virtual monopoly on public transport in cities – will make good on its threat to disrupt the World Cup. The industry feels threatened by the introduction of buses that are to be used to ferry fans before being redeployed as the main form of transport in and out of townships.

The so-called bus rapid transport system represents the main "legacy project'' of the World Cup for millions of South Africans. But in March members of the powerful and often violent taxi industry smashed up one of Johannesburg's new buses. Last month they marched in Pretoria, complaining of having been "left out'' of the World Cup and threatening to disrupt the event

It's amazing to me how many stakeholders are involved in something like this, and how many more feel cheated out of a stake. I'm pretty sure that FIFA didn't expect minibus drivers and musicians to be real distractions.

[rustynation]

I *think* I am still covering German football for a website, and I found out this morning that I have been walking around with a broken wrist for six weeks. Now I am in a cast, but I can still type, and I will attempt to get some of the USMNT to sign the cast tomorrow.

[idontlikecricketiloveit]

I'm curious to see who Diego plays on the two wings, as well as up front for Argentina. Basically, at his disposal for those 4 positions he will have Messi, Di Maria, Jonas Gutierrez, Maxi Rodriguez, Tevez, Aguero, Milito, and Higuain. Jesus.

If it were me I'd have Di Maria on the left, Messi on the right with Tevez playing off Milito.

Maradona's apparently a big fan of Gutierrez. I think he'll have Veron and Mascherano in central midfield, Di Maria on the left wing, Gutierrez on the right (who'll also be defensive cover for Veron). Up front a right-sided Messi next to Higuain.

[SumnerH]

Someone put this up at Something Awful. Supposed to be a flow chart on who Americans decide to support during the World Cup.

Not showing up for me, so re-hosted:

[goyangfc]

3 Fun facts for Korea Rep.:

1. First World Cup in Africa (obviously)

2. Korea Rep.'s first World Cup in the winter

3. Korea Rep.'s first World Cup in which their group has only one European nation

Edited by goyangfc, 25 May 2010 - 09:16 AM.

[Jamoked]

This commercial is great, and apparently Nike is still holding out hope for Ronaldinho.

[goyangfc]

Korea Rep.'s SBS (Seoul Broadcasting System) (HD) will be broadcasting 25 of the 64 matches in 3D (All 64 matches in HD, 56 matches over FTA, 6 matches which are on at the same time over cable (SBS Sports (HD)), 46 matches on radio). Though the 3D content will be done by Sony (sigh), how cool is that?

[mascho]

Unless you're a huge fan of Argentina, this might be reason to hope they don't win.

Maradona: "I'll run naked through the center of Buenos Aires if Argentina wins the World Cup."

[wee 162]

edit: Another thing: Dunga and Diego are not in the same level of insanity. Dunga is weird and questionable at times, but has had great success so far. Maradona came close to not even qualifying for the WC, with some of the most talented players in national history at his disposal. He's in over his head IMO.

In fairness to Maradona, Argentina were absolutely struggling to qualify before he took over. It was possibly the only circumstances where he would have even been offered the job.

Does that mean he's great? No. But with the players he has available, and with a fired up Maradona screaming at his players about how they're the best in the world and are going to win the World Cup, it's a distinct possibility they go out and win it. They've got, with no question in my mind, the best and most varied attacking players in the tournament. Even just being decent defensively will give them a huge chance of winning it.

[Rasputin]

I don't know shit about soccer but I love all day festivals of beating each other at things so what do I look for?

[Nick Kaufman]

Taking a look at my bracket for work, am I crazy for thinking Serbia may make it to the Semi's? Defensively, I am not sure if there is anyone better in the tournament.

You re either crazy or you re going to make mucho dinero. Yugoslavia is always good on paper, but they just fall apart in the finals.

[wee 162]

I may be having a particularly spectacular flashback, but I think I heard something over the weekend that said that due to the continued minituarisation of cameras of good enough quality that there is going to be toy helicopters being deployed to film some of the games from above?

Which would be about the first innovation in football broadcasting for a long time which actually added something to it rather than just being a gimmick.

[Seven Costanza]

Best crowd sign @ Rentschler Field- From the Sam's Army section: "Rossi is a Traitor"

[AgentOrange]

Best crowd sign @ Rentschler Field- From the Sam's Army section: "Rossi is a Traitor"

Because all of the USMNT members were born in the US, right?

[Seven Costanza]

Really?

Italy is really a nation of immigrants, yessir.

EDIT: And as far as I know, Feilhaber is the only naturalized citizen on the USMNT World Cup roster.

Edited by Seven Costanza, 28 May 2010 - 11:14 PM.

[AgentOrange]

Really?

Yes, really. Virtually every country has had players not born in that country play for their national team. Getting all butthurt about it is bush-league.

[MarkInLondon]

Unless you're a huge fan of Argentina, this might be reason to hope they don't win.

Maradona: "I'll run naked through the center of Buenos Aires if Argentina wins the World Cup."

That picture looks like he's just bought a dodgy DVD player out of the back of a van from a shifty geezer named Jacko in the backstreets of Rotherhithe.

[Spacemans Bong]

He looks like a shifty geezer named Jacko from the backstreets of Rotherhithe or maybe Peckham.

He's much thinner than that now, though.

[Dan Murfman]

Dumb question because it will never happen but what if all 6 games in a group ended let's say 1-1. How would they determine what 2 teams advance?

[Joe D Reid]

Yes, really. Virtually every country has had players not born in that country play for their national team. Getting all butthurt about it is bush-league.

Yes, though: (1) we're a country of immigrants, and I think we tend to get butthurt about it when people go the other way (it screws up our worldview); and (2) we're a nation of immigrants so, given the fairly loose FIFA eligibility requirements, a huge percentage of our player pool could have abandoned ship and played for another country. I mean, I don't know when Landon Donovan's family came over, but I'd be bummed if he'd decided to go play for Ireland, you know? It's not irrational to want to prevent that as a USA fan, and if some good old fashioned shaming is what's required to do so, then so be it.

[rguilmar]

Dumb question because it will never happen but what if all 6 games in a group ended let's say 1-1. How would they determine what 2 teams advance?

I believe they would do a draw of some sort by the World Cup Organizing Committee. It's the last resort for tie-breaking in the group stage under normal circumstances. I'm not 100% positive though.

[Billy R Ford]

EDIT: And as far as I know, Feilhaber is the only naturalized citizen on the USMNT World Cup roster.

Stuart Holden was born in Scotland, but he's the only other on the WC roster.

[BrazilianSoxFan]

Yes, really. Virtually every country has had players not born in that country play for their national team. Getting all butthurt about it is bush-league.

Well, we have lots of brazilians who played for other national teams and, as a rule, we don't give a damn. But only because most of these players wouldn't have a chance in hell of playing for our national team.

Can't remember of it happening, but if a player had a chance of being the best brazilian in his position and chose to play for another country, I can see a shitstorm happening.

Edited by BrazilianSoxFan, 29 May 2010 - 01:50 PM.

[Fiskian Pole Shot]

Diego Maradona is a great believer in anal hygiene.

And then there is Argentina manager Diego Maradona, who only added to his prima donna legend last week when the South African Sunday Times reported that builders were remodeling both bathrooms in the two-bedroom suite he will call home during the tournament so that they could accommodate a pair of state-of-the-art bidets.

The bidets, which cost roughly $450, each feature a warm-air blow-dryer and front and rear bidet wands. To accommodate the new fixtures, both bathrooms had to be remodeled at a cost of more than $2,000 each. And this comes after workers created the two-bedroom suite by knocking down a wall and combining two existing bedrooms.

http://soccernet.esp...o...5901&ver=us

[SeoulSoxFan]

Korea Rep.'s SBS (Seoul Broadcasting System) (HD) will be broadcasting 25 of the 64 matches in 3D (All 64 matches in HD, 56 matches over FTA, 6 matches which are on at the same time over cable (SBS Sports (HD)), 46 matches on radio). Though the 3D content will be done by Sony (sigh), how cool is that?

It truly sucks that there won't be decent Korean broadcasts in NYC. We get crappy 3rd rate standard-def signal that's more suited for a 14" b&w GoldStar set.

Better news? With a strong showing against Japan (2-0) with a striking Jisung goal, are considered to be the best squad ever, with the two Parks (Jisung Park and Chuyoung Park of AS Monaco), and Bolton's Chungyong Lee (winner of Wanderers' Player of the Year, Players' Player of the Year, and best newcomer awards.)

The energy and industriousness will always be there for the squad, but for the first time ever the Reds have skill in infront and in the midfield. If this squad wins against Greece (a must), keeps it down to a 2-goals-or-less loss against Argentina, then it'll come to a do-or-die match against Nigeria on the 22nd.

I still say Argentina and Nigeria move on comfortably, but facing a younger, more internationally seasoned Korean squad won't be a cakeover for either favorites.

Edited by SeoulSoxFan, 01 June 2010 - 02:02 AM.

[Jeff Van GULLY]

My friend has been selected by Nielsen Media Research to diary how he watches the World Cup. They are sending him a video camera and paying him to do daily video entries for a month and also record himself and friends watching the matches. I'm guessing by how drunk we are all gonna be that this 'research' won't be worth much.

The way he was contacted for this? He bought the MLS package and answered a questionnaire.

[EastCoasterOutWest]

My friend has been selected by Nielsen Media Research to diary how he watches the World Cup. They are sending him a video camera and paying him to do daily video entries for a month and also record himself and friends watching the matches. I'm guessing by how drunk we are all gonna be that this 'research' won't be worth much.

The way he was contacted for this? He bought the MLS package and answered a questionnaire.

You are, of course, suggesting that he watch some games pants-free, right?

[Jeff Van GULLY]

You are, of course, suggesting that he watch some games pants-free, right?

I'm positive we will all equally embarrass ourselves with this venture, with or without pants.

[LogansDad]

North Korea, not content with possibly re-igniting the war with South Korea, try to pull the wool over FIFA's eyes.

Of note: it didn't work.

[Phil Plantier]

Is anyone else tempted to collect Panini stickers?

[Infield Infidel]

Vuvuzelas are really really loud, and everywhere. But awesome to hear anyway.