Author Topic: Soccer! (Read 8040 times)

geronl · « **on:** April 25, 2016, 01:39:11 am »

I don't watch it, I don't play it, I don't care to start because it bores me silly.

But I can watch this video all day...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSigKq7bBTk

bolobaby · « **Reply #1 on:** April 25, 2016, 02:03:19 am »

Funny. I had to take youtube off Restricted Mode to watch it. Pretty tame compared to, say,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIp9njftoyg, which comes up fine in restricted mode. (Do not watch, though - contains Rhianna, which may require eye-bleaching afterwards.)

geronl · « **Reply #2 on:** April 25, 2016, 02:07:41 am »

Quote from: bolobaby on April 25, 2016, 02:03:19 am

Funny. I had to take youtube off Restricted Mode to watch it. Pretty tame compared to, say,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIp9njftoyg, which comes up fine in restricted mode. (Do not watch, though - contains Rhianna, which may require eye-bleaching afterwards.)

This is such an offensive video, I don't understand why it would be blocked.... unless the few clips of balls being kicked bothered someone.

geronl · « **Reply #3 on:** April 26, 2016, 03:38:55 pm »

@TomSea

TomSea · « **Reply #4 on:** April 27, 2016, 05:13:41 am »

I keep up with it; I don't watch too much unless it is the World or Euro Cup; those are good or if our USA team is playing.

Our USA soccer team has a new logo, the old one is on the left, the new one is on the right:

I could do without the change, maybe they did it because the stars make it look like we've won something, all of those teams that have won the World Cup have a star for it.

Italy, 4 stars, they won in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006, 10 years ago.

Brazil has won 5 World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 here in the US, 2002) I think, , Germany? is it 4 or 5 now and so on, Uruguay 2, England and France 1 apiece. Oh, and Argentina has won 2.

It does not mean all that much to me if a team has won it numerous times, we saw Germany blow out the historically successful Brazilian team and Netherlands has had many good teams.

Too much diving, gamesmanship and other things in the World Cup for it to be an end-of for me.

Some of that in the Champions League too.

But the spectacle is enjoyable.

geronl · « **Reply #5 on:** April 27, 2016, 05:20:09 am »

@TomSea I guess it does make sense to remove the stars.

TomSea · « **Reply #6 on:** April 27, 2016, 02:08:11 pm »

I can't believe I forgot to say Spain won a World Cup too, just in 2010. I remembered that late last night but oh well.

My teams lose a lot, I guess when one pulls for underdogs, that will happen.

Really, a bit of a personal hero of mine was Spain's late manager Luis Aragones, he got into trouble a bit on the political correctness front but this is not why I liked him, in the 2006 World Cup, Spain probably did get a bad deal against an opponent probably embellishing an injury and lost the game over that, they may have already been behind a goal but that cinched the win. So, it was watching Spain, until 2010, perennial also-rans getting another bad deal. A nice old man who got Spain on the winning track.

Their logo above, most but not all of the SPANISH teams have some sort of crown involved in their coat of arms.

Like this.

geronl · « **Reply #7 on:** April 27, 2016, 05:03:22 pm »

You can't get much more underdog than South Korea. lol

TomSea · « **Reply #8 on:** April 28, 2016, 12:44:50 am »

Quote from: geronl on April 27, 2016, 05:03:22 pm

You can't get much more underdog than South Korea. lol

True, they, South Korea, were big underdogs in '02.

Spain hasn't really been an underdog but before 2010, they were underachievers certainly.

geronl · « **Reply #9 on:** April 28, 2016, 01:04:41 am »

every time I come to this thread, it is an excuse to watch the video again

TomSea · « **Reply #10 on:** April 28, 2016, 01:54:27 am »

I'll have to get out my soccer goalkeeper gloves and shinpads and shoes too, I have played in very casual games with all kinds including Asians who I got an invite from, goalkeeping is not much fun but I'd do it to help the kids really so one of them doesn't have to be in goal and miss the main action. So, they meet on Wednesday and Friday nights. I'll have to see, then, sometimes being a goalkeeper, one just stands around. And, I might get into the action too. Since, I really did not grow up playing soccer, it's hard for me to be forceful and get into the playing field. Some fellows I won't do their goalkeeping which at times, is kind of grunt work, work no one wants to do but if they treat me okay, I will. I'll have to practice some kicking as well.

That's the emblem of South Korea, a pretty good one.

I think Japan and S. Korea did okay in 2010; in 2014, I don't think South Korea got out of the group stage. Japan played some good ball but I don't think they fared much better.

TomSea · « **Reply #11 on:** April 28, 2016, 01:59:43 am »

During two winters, we played games in the gymnasium of a middle-school every Friday night. That was lots of fun really.

geronl · « **Reply #12 on:** April 28, 2016, 02:04:51 am »

That sounds cool and its much better for kids to be active than play XBox all the time

TomSea · « **Reply #13 on:** April 30, 2016, 05:56:05 am »

Small club, poised to win English Premiere League,

Leicester (pronounced Lester) City, the Blue Foxes.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36028733

They are bound to win it.

geronl · « **Reply #14 on:** May 01, 2016, 10:43:06 pm »

Quote from: TomSea on April 30, 2016, 05:56:05 am

Small club, poised to win English Premiere League,

I just read a fantasy book with a bad guy called Leicester or however it was spelled

TomSea · « **Reply #15 on:** May 02, 2016, 11:46:38 pm »

Well, they won it, Tottenham Spurs drew Chelsea so they won the league, they are the Kings of the English Premier League!

A few years ago, I peaked into a forum of their fans and this was when they were in the next league down.

Their webpage at Soccerway.com ; soccerway let's one glance at all the leagues in the world, lower level leagues anywhere, S. Korea, everywhere basically and all international ball too. (There is a woman's soccerway as well: http://us.women.soccerway.com/ )

http://us.soccerway.com/teams/england/leicester-city-fc/682/

2 games or as they usually say, Matches remain but they, Leicester, have won the league.

Full current standings, the last few teams, Newcastle, Norwich and Sunderland all fight for one place to stay up and not be relegated. http://us.soccerway.com/national/england/premier-league/20152016/regular-round/r31553/

But good for Leicester, a bit of a cinderella story.

TomSea · « **Reply #16 on:** May 02, 2016, 11:50:43 pm »

Our USA standings, in the West, not out of the ordinary too much, in the East, everything is shuffled around,

Montreal and Philadelphia, top the East, both of those teams are fairly new.

http://us.soccerway.com/national/united-states/mls/2016/regular-season/r34037/

geronl · « **Reply #17 on:** May 03, 2016, 08:26:34 pm »

All of the different leagues and such are confusing.

TomSea · « **Reply #18 on:** June 03, 2016, 04:20:29 pm »

USA Men's team, I am finding it on at 8:30 CST.

http://www.ussoccer.com/schedule-tickets

It will be on Fox Sports 1, Univision, etc.

http://us.soccerway.com/teams/united-states/united-states-of-america/2281/

Copa of America Tournament.

http://us.soccerway.com/international/south-america/copa-america/2016-usa/group-stage/r33966/

We, the USA, have been having some poor results lately though we won our last two "friendly" games, vs. Ecuador 1-0, vs. Bolivia 4-0. So we will see. Maybe we are primed.

geronl · « **Reply #19 on:** June 03, 2016, 05:27:58 pm »

Going to watch the video again!

TomSea · « **Reply #20 on:** June 04, 2016, 01:48:26 am »

Colombia scores at the 8th minute mark, this could be a long night; we really could be outclassed.

Colombia is currently 3rd in the world, behind Argentina (1) and Belgium (2).

http://us.soccerway.com/teams/rankings/fifa/?ICID=TN_03_05_01

Belgium was a power some years ago, then waned but they have a nice crop of players but as to whom makes up the team, personally, I'd like to see Germans be Germans, Belgians be Belgians and French be French. One thing we know, Spain doesn't run into this problem too much.

Hate to say it, Colombia is a juggernaut and could really be off to the horses against us.

Then, that means we, the USA, would need to do well in our next two games vs. Costa Rica and then Paraguay. It is possible.

Colombia could be the best team there and win the whole thing.

The last World Cup was good except for the breaks that were given to Brazil which kind of ripped off Colombia.

TomSea · « **Reply #21 on:** June 04, 2016, 02:35:39 am »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5PT65I2ny8

Song for Ireland 1990, they had a good World Cup.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edit On: We will play Costa Rica On Tuesday. Believe it or not, they are a big rival of ours in our International division of CONCAFAC, Confederation of Central American and American countries (something like that). This is no give me of a game. Costa Rica has now made the last 2 or 3 World Cups. They play well. Amazingly, we could end up going out in the first round.

Costa Rica and Paraguay play at 16:00 International time today.

http://us.soccerway.com/matches/2016/06/04/south-america/copa-america/costa-rica/paraguay/2178754/?ICID=HP_MS_03_02

The Ticos look strong.

----------------

Every team is good but I believe our group would be among the toughest, there is no Jamaica or Haiti or Peru.

Both of our remaining opponents has been not only to World Cups recently but consecutive World Cups though I don't think Paraguay was in the last World Cup.

Paraguay and Costa Rica drew, 0-0.

Most likely, Colombia will beat both of these as they beat us. So, we may well have 3 teams, us, Paraguay and Costa Rica all fighting for that 2nd spot to advance. Our chances of advancing I would think would be very low, like maybe 15 or 20%.

TomSea · « **Reply #22 on:** June 08, 2016, 02:05:25 am »

USA, big time versus Costa Rica, 4-0; helps our USA team immeasurably.

And is Colombia that good? Though, I think we have a decent effort against them, despite the 2-0 loss.

Box Score: http://us.soccerway.com/matches/2016/06/08/south-america/copa-america/united-states-of-america/costa-rica/2178755/?ICID=HP_MS_01_01

Now, a great chance to advance.

TomSea · « **Reply #23 on:** June 10, 2016, 06:25:35 pm »

Irish Mirror has quite a number of photos of hooliganism in France at the start of that Euro. I'd leave well enough alone, the police have other worries.

http://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/marseilles-fresh-clashes-between-england-8159355

geronl · « **Reply #24 on:** June 10, 2016, 07:14:49 pm »

In America soccer puts crowds to sleep, it doesn't make them riot unless they are forced to watch the game.