General World Cup and in-game discussion

[Monique]

This is confusing, Germany should be in white!

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Woohoo! USA narrowly advances! Phew I need a break :)

 

[Monique]

The US team didn't look too motivated during the game, we switched to Portugal-Ghana because it was a lot more entertaining to watch. Great you have another round to watch

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Ann Coulter writes what could be one of the worst columns of all time. Even for her, this is a new low in journalism.
http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2014-06-25.html

I've held off on writing about soccer for a decade -- or about the length of the average soccer game -- so as not to offend anyone. But enough is enough. Any growing interest in soccer can only be a sign of the nation's moral decay.

 

[cristo]

Ann Coulter writes what could be one of the worst columns of all time. Even for her, this is a new low in journalism.
http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2014-06-25.html

Wow, does that even count as journalism? What a fool!

 

[Monique]

Since when is writing a column on a website journalism?

 

[Matterwave]

I feel like that's a professional troll talking...

 

[Borg]

Triumph part II.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGMC6xib6bo

 

[D H]

From the PF Futbol League thread,

1-0 in all remaining matches, assuming the team names are sorted alphabetically.

The pre-game banter between announcers on July 13, should this come to pass. I'll call them "Mike" and "Bob".Mike: And here we are at the FIFA World Cup Final. After a flourish of goals in the group stages, the knockout stage matches turned toward defense. Every knockout game ended 1-0, in regulation time. We have quite an interesting matchup for this game. Powerhouse Argentina is playing against Algeria, a team that has never before made it out of the group stage. Argentina had no problems on its side, defeating Switzerland, then Belgium, and finally Costa Rica to advance to the final game. Algeria struggled in every match, but they managed to defeat the highly rated German, French, and Brazilian squads. So here we are, powerhouse against newcomer. Who do you think will win, Bob?

Bob: Algeria, one to nil. It's weird, but every game in the knockout stages was won by the team that comes first alphabetically. I don't see any reason to buck this trend.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Brazil Chile game is good!

 

[DennisN]

Brazil Chile game is good!

Very exciting! It's definitely no easy match for Brazil.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Overtime! I hope this doesn't go to penalties!

 

[micromass]

Overtime! I hope this doesn't go to penalties!

I hope it does go to penalties! I love those!

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Chile looks completely gassed, they are hoping for Pks now

 

[DennisN]

Quite nervous game now...

 

[DennisN]

Soooooooo clooooooose!

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Wow, Chile with a screamer right into the post

 

[DennisN]

And now penalties... the ultimate test of nerves...

 

[Intrastellar]

That should've been in!

 

[DennisN]

Now, which team is most nervous? I think it is Brazil, but who knows?

 

[Intrastellar]

Nice game

 

[DennisN]

Wow, that was a dramatic penalty round...

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Incredible drama. I feel bad for Chile. This has been the best world cup I've seen.

 

[PhysicsGente]

woo! Brazil is through!

 

[DennisN]

Makes me remember Roberto Baggio's disastrous penalty against Brazil in the final 1994. Poor Baggio...

 

[D H]

Being the fifth man to shoot when your team shoots second and your team is a goal down -- I would not want to be there.

 

[Matterwave]

Being the fifth man to shoot when your team shoots second and your team is a goal down -- I would not want to be there.

And then have your ball bounce off the goal and out...ouch...super ouch...

 

[D H]

Well, let's hope the Colombia-Uruguay game isn't so bitingly suspenseful.

 

[D H]

That was a beautiful goal by Colombia.

 

[DennisN]

Another beautiful goal by Colombia! :!)

 

[Borek]

So far alphabetic key works.

 

[DennisN]

So far alphabetic key works.

It was a very confident Colombia today IMO. The match Brazil-Colombia ought to be a good one. Let's hope...

 

[AlephZero]

Ann Coulter writes what could be one of the worst columns of all time. Even for her, this is a new low in journalism.
http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2014-06-25.html

"Not understanding soccer" seems to be the latest thing in the USA:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-echochambers-28065500

Actually, I don't understand it either. One of the engineers I work with seems to think it is the highest achievement the human race has yet produced. He can't understand my view that it would save a lot of time to take the penalty kicks first, and only play the game if that produced a tie

 

[DennisN]

Netherlands - Mexico 0-0 so far.

Robben seems to have very slippery shoes. He should have them changed during half time, so he can avoid slipping so much during the rest of the match. He seems to slip in particular when he's close to the opponent's goal...

 

[Adjoint]

So far alphabetic key works.

So Mexico today?

 

[DennisN]

Robben seems to have very slippery shoes.

Btw, I've heard that the Dutch are very good at ice skating. Is Robben at the wrong arena, perhaps?

 

[DennisN]

Netherlands - Mexico: 0 - 1! Nice goal!

 

[DennisN]

Robben seems to be a versatile sportsman. I bet he'd be particularly good at platform diving...
EDIT: I've got to say I actually have both hoped AND voted for Netherlands, but I don't approve of players taking easy dives, I don't think it's fair play.

 

[DennisN]

1-1! Very nice goal by Netherlands!

 

[DennisN]

Penalty...

 

[D H]

Diving works.

 

[D H]

Unfortunately.

 

[Adjoint]

Really sad for Mexico.

 

[cristo]

Diving works.

I think it was a pen - he shouldn't be making that challenge there, and wasn't near the ball. And even if not, the one in the first half definitely was!

 

[DennisN]

http://allcityswimdive.org/nakoma/dive2013/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/ph-ppc-ph-ho-cf-hs-dive-3.jpg-20120731.jpeg

 

[D H]

The basic problem is that referees don't seem to think a foul has occurred if players don't go down, hard. So they go down, hard.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Looked like a robben dive. Wanted mex to win

 

[Fredrik]

Netherlands - Mexico 0-0 so far.

Robben seems to have very slippery shoes. He should have them changed during half time, so he can avoid slipping so much during the rest of the match. He seems to slip in particular when he's close to the opponent's goal...

I bet you didn't have any idea how awesome this comment would look after the match.

I'm absolutely disgusted by Robben's behavior. He shouldn't be allowed to continue playing in this tournament. Neither should Brazil's Fred of course, because of what he did in the opening game.

I think it was a pen - he shouldn't be making that challenge there, and wasn't near the ball. And even if not, the one in the first half definitely was!

I disagree about the penalty that decided the game. I didn't see the situation in the first half.

 

[fluidistic]

I don't understand why the world cup is not boycotted by most countries. Many decisions are unfair (for example Holland should have gotten a penalty kick in the first period against Mexico. Or there should have been a corner kick by Switzerland vs France in the first period instead of a goal kick) and they have all the technology available to make it fair but they choose not to.
So many cameras and yet no referee to double check all decisions made by the referees in game.
We are in 2014... what a disappointment. This tournament is more like poker than chess.

 

[Orodruin]

I bet you didn't have any idea how awesome this comment would look after the match.

I'm absolutely disgusted by Robben's behavior. He shouldn't be allowed to continue playing in this tournament. Neither should Brazil's Fred of course, because of what he did in the opening game.


I disagree about the penalty that decided the game. I didn't see the situation in the first half.

There are people diving in all teams. The problem is the refs falling for it.

Suspending Fred for the rest of the tournament probably would increase Brazil's chances. Apart from getting them that penalty, he only scored against Cameroon when the game was already over.