The World Cup Thread

[Gzus]

FIFA is a pitiful excuse for a sports organization. They can't admit they're wrong, they refuse to even consider any form of replay/review that will let them right w/e wrongs, and yet they claim to promote fair play. Kinda sounds like the MLB of the soccer world..... It's ridiculous that the goal was waived off and that the ref acted like a spoiled child and didn't explain why. FIFA should at least acknowledge the reason why the goal was waived off but instead they act like it all never happened. On their website, the highlight of the game doesn't even mention the waived goal and they don't allow for any kind of public forum. All they choose to acknowledge is the end score of 2-2 and that the US miraculously came back from down 2-0 to come out with a draw, but they don't even mention that the US should have miraculously won 3-2. FIFA is a joke for not being proper stewards of their own sport, and regardless what they do with the ref (reports have him possibly barred from any further WC involvement) they cannot undo, or they choose not to undo, the damage already done. This obvious HUGE mistake by an incompetent referee, supposedly vetted by FIFA, can possibly cost the US their hopes of advancing and many people their dreams. It's a once every 4 year HUGE event and yet they pitter patter around the big issues that undermine their game. Honestly what stops a ref from saying, "Well I feel like England isn't gonna get a goal today, and that guy says he'll pay me half a mil to just waive off any English goal w/o explaination". If you can't hold your refs accountable to their decisions and can't retroactively, within reason, adjust the damage done then you shouldn't claim to promote fair play. And this is why IMO there is only one football and that's the NFL, not some lame *** soccer. At least in America the refs tell us what they called, instead of running off like some *****.

 

[daschoo]

FIFA is a pitiful excuse for a sports organization. They can't admit they're wrong, they refuse to even consider any form of replay/review that will let them right w/e wrongs, and yet they claim to promote fair play. Kinda sounds like the MLB of the soccer world..... It's ridiculous that the goal was waived off and that the ref acted like a spoiled child and didn't explain why. FIFA should at least acknowledge the reason why the goal was waived off but instead they act like it all never happened. On their website, the highlight of the game doesn't even mention the waived goal and they don't allow for any kind of public forum. All they choose to acknowledge is the end score of 2-2 and that the US miraculously came back from down 2-0 to come out with a draw, but they don't even mention that the US should have miraculously won 3-2. FIFA is a joke for not being proper stewards of their own sport, and regardless what they do with the ref (reports have him possibly barred from any further WC involvement) they cannot undo, or they choose not to undo, the damage already done. This obvious HUGE mistake by an incompetent referee, supposedly vetted by FIFA, can possibly cost the US their hopes of advancing and many people their dreams. It's a once every 4 year HUGE event and yet they pitter patter around the big issues that undermine their game. Honestly what stops a ref from saying, "Well I feel like England isn't gonna get a goal today, and that guy says he'll pay me half a mil to just waive off any English goal w/o explaination". If you can't hold your refs accountable to their decisions and can't retroactively, within reason, adjust the damage done then you shouldn't claim to promote fair play. And this is why IMO there is only one football and that's the NFL, not some lame *** soccer. At least in America the refs tell us what they called, instead of running off like some *****.

if you do bring in instant replays where do you draw the line? yes it was a poor decision but there were players jostling in the box and the defence do tend to get the benefit of the doubt in those situations plus the whistle went long before the ball arrived at edu. fair enough you start at instant replays for the "big decisions" like penalties and goals to make sure you get them right. then all of a sudden a team has a corner incorrectly given and score from that, do you now check corners as well? what about free kicks? offsides? before you know it you find that the flow of the game has been completely destroyed and its a game filled with stoppages which no-one wants to see happening.
yes refereeing mistakes are annoying but i'd much rather that than a game which is ruined by video evidence and the disruption that would cause - and thats coming from someone who is adamant that poor refereeing decisions cost my club any chance of challenging for the league title this season.
plus theres video evidence in the nfl, the referees explain their decisions and people still ***** and moan about the standard and/or impartiality of the officials there so no system is perfect.
edit: the bit about them choosing not to correct it. do you expect them to decide to award you the goal and thus the game? that would be the most farcical decision in the history of any sport that i can recall

 

[daschoo]

The Washington Commanders of international soccer

far be it from me to stick up for the english but in fairness the sun is not a fair reflection on your average englishman. its a rupert murdoch owned xenophobic borderline racist tabloid that every major tournament builds them up as sure fire winners and then tears them apart when they fail to meet that goal. the majority of english people have much more realistic hopes than displayed in that rag.
feel dirty after defending them so i'll just say never looking like troubling algeria

 

[Ren]

far be it from me to stick up for the english but in fairness the sun is not a fair reflection on your average englishman. its a rupert murdoch owned xenophobic borderline racist tabloid that every major tournament builds them up as sure fire winners and then tears them apart when they fail to meet that goal. the majority of english people have much more realistic hopes than displayed in that rag.
feel dirty after defending them so i'll just say never looking like troubling algeria

How bad have things gotten when they start getting pity from a Scot

I have a lot of English friends and realistic hopes ain't exactly the words i'd use to describe their talk leading up to the world cup (as usual).
I'm quite enjoying this so i'm just gonna go ahead and ignore the rest of your post

 

[jterrell]

I don't feel one bit sorry for the US or England.

Both teams have dug their own holes and only good play will get them out now.

The US got a bad call but played like crud for 30 minutes. It was painful to watch. A wonderful last 55 minutes saved them but they will not win a r16 game playing that poorly at the start. It's insane.

England is just playing poorly period. Rooney looks out of place at forward where he has made next to no runs over 2 games. I'd flip Rooney and Garrard.

Both teams control their own destiny.

 

[Gzus]

if you do bring in instant replays where do you draw the line? yes it was a poor decision but there were players jostling in the box and the defence do tend to get the benefit of the doubt in those situations plus the whistle went long before the ball arrived at edu. fair enough you start at instant replays for the "big decisions" like penalties and goals to make sure you get them right. then all of a sudden a team has a corner incorrectly given and score from that, do you now check corners as well? what about free kicks? offsides? before you know it you find that the flow of the game has been completely destroyed and its a game filled with stoppages which no-one wants to see happening.
yes refereeing mistakes are annoying but i'd much rather that than a game which is ruined by video evidence and the disruption that would cause - and thats coming from someone who is adamant that poor refereeing decisions cost my club any chance of challenging for the league title this season.
plus theres video evidence in the nfl, the referees explain their decisions and people still ***** and moan about the standard and/or impartiality of the officials there so no system is perfect.
edit: the bit about them choosing not to correct it. do you expect them to decide to award you the goal and thus the game? that would be the most farcical decision in the history of any sport that i can recall

I agree it's a slippery slope introducing video replay, but it's 2010 so you should implement it in some form or fashion. Especially when it comes to assigning a player a yellow card for a handball even though the guy hit it with his head. In this case I don't think video replay would have done anything. I think that the referee should still be required to provide an explanation to why he disallowed that goal, if not to the public at least to the players that have now been affected.... These guys have been training for 4 years to play in the World Cup and to have them not win the game w/o an explanation as to why their winning goal was disallowed amounts to fraud IMO.

 

[Arch Stanton]

I don't feel one bit sorry for the US or England.

Both teams have dug their own holes and only good play will get them out now.

The US got a bad call but played like crud for 30 minutes. It was painful to watch. A wonderful last 55 minutes saved them but they will not win a r16 game playing that poorly at the start. It's insane.

England is just playing poorly period. Rooney looks out of place at forward where he has made next to no runs over 2 games. I'd flip Rooney and Garrard.

Both teams control their own destiny.

Rooney has played up front most of last season for Man U. I'd say he has an injury. Perhaps that's why he keeps rubbing it.

Gerrard has tried playing in a more forward role before without much success.

This team is just not that good. We don't have that many world class players. Average goalkeepers, slow centre backs, forwards that don't score goals isn't a recipe for success.

We've left behind a few players that may have been better, but wouldn't make the difference.

Just gotta hope Rooney shakes his slump, Terry magically gains a couple of yards of pace and Calamity James doesn't emulate Green.

We suck. :

 

[CATCH17]

Fabiano with a sick goal.

I love watching Brazil.

 

[CATCH17]

Fabiano again! Handball too.

 

[daschoo]

wonder how long till we get people saying the kaka incident is why they hate soccer. absolutely shocking, hope fifa throw the book at the ivorian. and the ref really screwed kaka over by giving him a second yellow rather than straight red because you cant appeal a yellow card whereas if he'd been given a straight red it would almost certainly have been overturned on appeal.

 

[CATCH17]

wonder how long till we get people saying the kaka incident is why they hate soccer. absolutely shocking, hope fifa throw the book at the ivorian. and the ref really screwed kaka over by giving him a second yellow rather than straight red because you cant appeal a yellow card whereas if he'd been given a straight red it would almost certainly have been overturned on appeal.

haha it was interesting as heck. How can you not like some controversy?

Obviously KaKa got screwed over on that one.


My biggest problem with Soccer Refs, like any sport, is they are making calls they aren't see'ing.

If you don't see something then don't call it.

 

[daschoo]

haha it was interesting as heck. How can you not like some controversy?

Obviously KaKa got screwed over on that one.


My biggest problem with Soccer Refs, like any sport, is they are making calls they aren't see'ing.

If you don't see something then don't call it.

theoretically the assistant refs and even 4th official can draw the referees attention to an incident if he misses it. this particular time i have no idea what happened because there was no conversation between the referee and any of his assistants and the ref had been quite happy to allow play to continue before the players started chasing kaka.

 

[UKCowboysFan]

Watching France implode is the highlight of the World Cup so far.

Maybe the old saying "cheats never prosper" is true after all.

 

[MC KAos]

the funny thing about it is that the ivory coast hurt THEMSELVES with that stunt!! they need brazil to beat portugal to have a chance to advance, and because of some idiot flopping it cost them the best player on a team they need to desperately win next week!!!

btw how about the americas dominating the world cup so far!!! everyone is undefeated except for honduras, who lost to chile!! pretty awesome, we might see 7 of the 8 teams from the americas go on to the next round! i wouldnt really wanna play any of them if im germany or england or whomever!

 

[casmith07]

Watching France implode is the highlight of the World Cup so far.

Maybe the old saying "cheats never prosper" is true after all.

Should have started Thierry.

 

[Cythim]

I was more disgusted by the Italy game. Watching the Italians go to the turf whenever someone was within two feet of them was just pathetic. I hope they find a way not to advance.

 

[joseephuss]

I am worried about the players from North Korea. Losing 7-0 to Portugal can't please the Lil' Kim.

 

[Ren]

I am worried about the players from North Korea. Losing 7-0 to Portugal can't please the Lil' Kim.

I'm sure North Korea gets the edited version where they won 2-0 :laugh1:

 

[Cythim]

I am worried about the players from North Korea. Losing 7-0 to Portugal can't please the Lil' Kim.

You should be worried about Portugal, they just moved up to the top of the list of countries to be nuked

 

[kmp77]

I'm sure North Korea gets the edited version where they won 2-0 :laugh1:

Yup, they won 2-0 but they pulled out of the tournament because someone disrespected Kim Jong and they realized everyone outside of NK is beneath them.