The French Surrender Again
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
Betty
> This time in the World Cup.
And USA defeated Slovenia 2-2 last week.
Brad Anders
+1
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
Dumbass -
I thought we defeated England 1-1.
thanks,
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
Brad Anders
Undefeated Team USA wins Group C!
Brad Anders
RicodJour
> On Jun 23, 9:01 am, "Kurgan. presented by Gringioni."
> > > On Jun 23, 3:25 am, Betty <n...@mailinator.com> wrote:
>
> > > > > This time in the World Cup.
>
> > > > And USA defeated Slovenia 2-2 last week.
>
> > > +1
>
>
>
On a nice goal that one of their _own_ guys scored! Didn't see that
coming...
It was totally classic to have the goal come in stoppage time, after
England had already won and were expecting to see the US eliminated as
a sort of revenge for the 1-1 drubbing we gave them. Very sweet.
R
Fred Flintstein
OK, first the US side lands in one of the weakest groups.
Then to advance they have to beat one of the lowest ranked
sides (Algeria=FIFA #30).
Thanks to the Aussies they face Ghana (FIFA #32) rather
than the much stronger Serbian (FIFA #15) squad. It looks
highly likely that the Ghanaians will be the lowest ranked
side in the Knockout round except for South Korea.
If the US survives that they will face either Uruguay (FIFA
#16) or the Koreans (FIFA #47!!). So it is possible that they
could advance to the 4 finalists facing only one more highly
ranked side, 8th ranked England whom they defeated 1-1.
No one has an easier path to the finals, that's for sure.
Fred Flintstein
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
wrote:
Dumbass -
We completed the heavy lifting in the first game by beating England
1-1.
Bring on the Dutch! They need to have a chance to avenge Hampsten's
win on the Gavia.
A. Dumas
> Bring on the Dutch! They need to have a chance to avenge Hampsten's
> win on the Gavia.
Hello.
RicodJour
wrote:
>
> OK, first the US side lands in one of the weakest groups.
> Then to advance they have to beat one of the lowest ranked
> sides (Algeria=FIFA #30).
>
> Thanks to the Aussies they face Ghana (FIFA #32) rather
> than the much stronger Serbian (FIFA #15) squad. It looks
> highly likely that the Ghanaians will be the lowest ranked
> side in the Knockout round except for South Korea.
>
> If the US survives that they will face either Uruguay (FIFA
> #16) or the Koreans (FIFA #47!!). So it is possible that they
> could advance to the 4 finalists facing only one more highly
> ranked side, 8th ranked England whom they defeated 1-1.
>
> No one has an easier path to the finals, that's for sure.
Having referees disallow valid goals in close games is an easy path?
R
Fred Flintstein
Easier than playing Brazil or Argentina straight up.
Fred Flintstein
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
Dumbass -
If the Dutch make it that far, we'll see them in the semifinals where
the ghost of Hampsten will ensure our success. Again.
thanks,
Ugly. presented by American.
Henry
and Italy
NoDannyNo
wrote:
So much for that cakewalk...
Fred Flintstein
What pissed me off was that the TV people aren't smart enough
to filter out the horns from the crowd noise. They play the
same note, it shouldn't be that hard.
Fred Flintstein
NoDannyNo
Vuvuzelas are the reason God invented the Mute button.
Fred on a stick
> What pissed me off was that the TV people aren't smart enough
> to filter out the horns from the crowd noise. They play the
> same note, it shouldn't be that hard.
I'm thinking of carrying a vuvuzela to the Champs Elysee.
H. Fred Kveck
Can we develop an airhorn version of a vuvuzela? Think how loud and annoying
that'd be.
Fred on a stick
> Can we develop an airhorn version of a vuvuzela? Think how loud and annoying
> that'd be.
Ah. Sort of Kunich-in-a-can.
Fredmaster of Brainerd
wrote:
Luftmenschen,
They don't care to.
The US isn't embarrassing at the moment, but in
relative terms, we still suck at soccer. Don't let a
group round highlighted by a well fought tie with
Slovenia (population 2 million) distract you from this.
US soccer, in terms of its role in the global game, is
kind of like cycle racing in Portugal.
Fredmaster Ben
A. Dumas
I am surprised I didn't hear any at Wimbledon. So far. On the other
hand, Sharapova/V.Williams is a match of foghorns anyway. Ooo! Aaa!
A. Dumas
> US soccer, in terms of its role in the global game, is
> kind of like cycle racing in Portugal.
But without the history.
Fred Gringioni
"Fredmaster of Brainerd" <bjwe...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7b0028ed-2740-4f02...@t10g2000yqg.googlegroups.com...
::The US isn't embarrassing at the moment, but in
::relative terms, we still suck at soccer. Don't let a
::group round highlighted by a well fought tie with
::Slovenia (population 2 million) distract you from this.
::US soccer, in terms of its role in the global game, is
::kind of like cycle racing in Portugal.
Dumbass -
I wouldn't say that the team sucked, but it wasn't good either. The forwards
weren't able to finish.
We're gonna be competitive in the World Cups of the future. US players are
getting more and more spots in the European elite professional leagues. It's
going to follow the same path that we have in bike racing. We aren't the
best cycling nation, but we're competitive and we're 100 times better than
20 years ago.
There's 300 million people in this rich nation. If we can't be competitive
with other nations in a major sport over the long run, something would have
to be very wrong.
Betty
> I wouldn't say that the team sucked, but it wasn't good either. The forwards
> weren't able to finish.
>
> best cycling nation, but we're competitive and we're 100 times better than
> 20 years ago.
Although Ghana and 2-1 seems to be your voodoo at the moment:
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/4853408.stm>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/africa/10426866.stm>
Perhaps some judicious nuking before the next world cup would be in order.
> There's 300 million people in this rich nation. If we can't be competitive
> with other nations in a major sport over the long run, something would have
> to be very wrong.
Or you wouldn't be getting the right stimulants for recovery.
Henry
that's not fair, nice or correct.
The USA women are the powerhouse of world football
Henry
wrote:
> "Fredmaster of Brainerd" <bjwei...@gmail.com> wrote in messagenews:7b0028ed-2740-4f02...@t10g2000yqg.googlegroups.com...
I think India, China (and Russia) all have more population, money (?)
and football players. OK, maybe not India :)
Fred Gringioni
"Henry" <snogfest_...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:528165eb-4243-4e7f...@n19g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> I think India, China (and Russia) all have more population, money (?)
> and football players. OK, maybe not India :)
Dumbass -
A nation has to be industrialized for a generation or more for the wealth
(wealth enables time to be spent on leisure activities like sport) to take
effect.
None of the countries you mention are fully industrialized, not even China.
Note the ascendancy of Japan and South Korea.
Henry
wrote:
> "Henry" <snogfest_hosebe...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
I was sure (and wrong) that after the 2008 Olympics that China would
foucs on football. Big stadii, a premium league, coke snorting
footballers and the WAG's. Mind you, getting caught doping in China
could be a lot more serious than Western countries!
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
Dumbass -
China will put $$$$ into it, but getting to the top in
football(soccer) is a lot harder than a lot of those little Olympic
sports. It's the number one sport for quite a number of fully
industrialized nations whom have a rich tradition in that sport.
It'll take China a generation, just like it's taking the US a
generation. It might even be harder for China since they're going to
be an extremely urbanized nation. Soccer fields will be expensive
infrastructure.
Scott
I thought that the beauty of the game was that all you need is a few
kids, a ball, and an empty lot.
Henry
>
> - Show quoted text -
I was too cynical I guess, just believed that China would throw a big
bag of cash at it. Stadii are an investment in keeping the locals happy
A. Dumas
> Mind you, getting caught doping in China
> could be a lot more serious than Western countries!
Ha ha. Cheating is part of their culture. Actually, as a coaching friend
said who spent some years in China, it not considered cheating if you
can get away with it, then it is just making good use of the opportunities.
Betty
>> Mind you, getting caught doping in China
>> could be a lot more serious than Western countries!
A. Dumas wrote:
> Ha ha. Cheating is part of their culture. Actually, as a coaching friend
> said who spent some years in China, it not considered cheating if you
> can get away with it, then it is just making good use of the opportunities.
Turtle blood and 5000m world records in the nineties.
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
Dumbass -
In a nation as densely packed as China, there' aren't gonna be too
many empty lots. They'll be better at sports with smaller footprints.
Amit Ghosh
>
> I think India, China (and Russia) all have more population, money (?)
> and football players. OK, maybe not India :)
dumbass,
india has had domestic pro soccer for a long time. my dad growing up
always had season tickets to his local team.
generally though there isn't a lot of emphasis on elite sports
compared to the west but this is changing as the attitudes become more
western.
Amit Ghosh
> Dumbass -
>
> In a nation as densely packed as China, there' aren't gonna be too
> many empty lots. They'll be better at sports with smaller footprints.
>
dumbass,
is that why they invented table tennis ?
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
Dumbass -
Did they invent it?
Regardless, it's a good example.
Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.
>
> I was too cynical I guess, just believed that China would throw a big
> bag of cash at it. Stadii are an investment in keeping the locals happy
Dumbass -
In a nation as land starved as China, getting soccer fields next to
every school is gonna be much more challenging than in other nations.
They shortchange the school infrastructure. See what happened to the
schools in the earthquake. The kids are about the only ones who died.
Betty
> india has had domestic pro soccer for a long time. my dad growing up
> always had season tickets to his local team.
>
> generally though there isn't a lot of emphasis on elite sports
> compared to the west but this is changing as the attitudes become more
> western.
Apart from cricket where there's lots of emphasis.
Betty
> In a nation as densely packed as China, there' aren't gonna be too
> many empty lots. They'll be better at sports with smaller footprints.
Someone should introduce them to curling.
Fredmaster of Brainerd
<kgringi...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 28, 7:26 pm, Henry <snogfest_hosebe...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > On Jun 29, 10:48 am, "Fred Gringioni" <soulinthemach...@gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > > "Henry" <snogfest_hosebe...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
Dumbass,
Here are some interesting opinions on the subject:
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/where-are-chinas-soccer-stars/
They touch on the issue you mention, that soccer
is already a popular sport in wealthy industrialized
nations. Although there are small non-wealthy nations
that are more competitive than China, but that goes
to your other point about tradition. One of the
interesting opinions is that there is a difference between
sports in which athletes benefit from early selection
and full time training (gymnastics, or probably diving)
and ones in which ability matures later, like soccer.
In the latter case you need a large pool of players,
and they don't necessarily benefit from being isolated
early at olympic training centers. This decentralized
pathway may not work as well in China, and it also
suggests why it's hard to rise to the top of the sport
just by throwing money at it - something that I think
the US's slow improvement at soccer also demonstrates.
When I was about 12 or so I played on a club soccer
team (I was terrible BTW) and we used to take a van
out to the burbs to play middle school teams, I think
because there weren't other clubs of kids that age
for us to play in the city, a city of about 400K people.
That's one reason that US soccer sucked, and still
kinda sucks. No pipeline.
Fredkeeper Ben
Henry
>
> They touch on the issue you mention, that soccer
> is already a popular sport in wealthy industrialized
> nations. Although there are small non-wealthy nations
> that are more competitive than China, but that goes
> to your other point about tradition. One of the
> interesting opinions is that there is a difference between
> sports in which athletes benefit from early selection
> and full time training (gymnastics, or probably diving)
> and ones in which ability matures later, like soccer.
> In the latter case you need a large pool of players,
> and they don't necessarily benefit from being isolated
> early at olympic training centers. This decentralized
> pathway may not work as well in China, and it also
> suggests why it's hard to rise to the top of the sport
> just by throwing money at it - something that I think
> the US's slow improvement at soccer also demonstrates.
>
> When I was about 12 or so I played on a club soccer
> team (I was terrible BTW) and we used to take a van
> out to the burbs to play middle school teams, I think
> because there weren't other clubs of kids that age
> for us to play in the city, a city of about 400K people.
> That's one reason that US soccer sucked, and still
> kinda sucks. No pipeline.
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
it's "football"
even I have managed to call it that.
You're right about the rest. We are a rugby obsessed country, so our
best young (football) talent goes overseas.
We got to the world cup, got 3 draws, but needed a win to advance.
Fred Gringioni
:: When I was about 12 or so I played on a club soccer
:: team (I was terrible BTW) and we used to take a van
:: out to the burbs to play middle school teams, I think
:: because there weren't other clubs of kids that age
:: for us to play in the city, a city of about 400K people.
:: That's one reason that US soccer sucked, and still
:: kinda sucks. No pipeline.
Dumbass -
There's definitely a pipeline now - they're just not yet old enough to make
an impact at the World Cup level.