FIFA World Cup 2010.

[fieryjen]

Are you going to argue with a cephalopod?

Germany to win? Anyone want to debate the beast?

I love that for its complete fucking randomness.

 

[past_perfect]

Shame about the USA going out so early, but I have to admit I believe it is better for the tournament that an African team marches on - and Ghana did play well for most of the game.

Octopus or not - I believe England will overcome their trauma and win on penalties. Being a German though, I wouldn't mind being wrong.

 

[jomar]

England doesn't get the goal. Rubbish!

 

[oggbashan]

England lost 1-4.

Og

PS. See my post #165 above.

 

[Verdad]

England doesn't get the goal. Rubbish!

Too bad about that, but it wouldn't have changed anything. Great job, Germany. And a great match to watch. Some beautiful football.

Now I can't wait to have a better look at Argentina. I thought they'd take out Germany in the next round, but I'm not so sure now.

 

[plusquamperfekt]

Well, the game might have looked different, if the second goal was given. On the other hand, the German team did play exceptionally well in some scenes - so it wasn't just luck this time. Considering how young that team is, even if they go out in the next round, they definitely have a bright future ahead of them.

 

[jomar]

Too bad about that, but it wouldn't have changed anything. Great job, Germany. And a great match to watch. Some beautiful football.

Now I can't wait to have a better look at Argentina. I thought they'd take out Germany in the next round, but I'm not so sure now.

Yes, it would have been a shame to lose by one and have that non-goal in play. Losing by three is a bit much, though.

Germany did look strong, didn't they.

 

[fieryjen]

Wooo!


...yeah, that's all I got to say.

 

[CharleyH]

If the USA's World Cup achievements mean that soccer becomes a more popular (and profitable) game in the US, then in four years time the US's team could progress further. At the outset, even qualifying to get to South Africa was a massive acheivement, and few pundits expected them to do as well as they have done.

Congratulations.

Og

Congrats as well.
Actually, it's interesting you say this - not in and of itself, but hear me out. In North America childhood sports are very competitive. There are house leagues and city teams and provincial/state teams for every sport from the time we are at least 10 years old. Soccer (football) is one of the most signed-up-for sports for young persons in that part of the world (but can't recall the stats, sorry) and yet, aside from Mexico, Canada and the USA have a hard time getting into the world cup. On the one hand, I can see why many a good footy players might go on to hockey or American football or baseball... that's what it's all about in NA, but I think it's changing. Now, what I wanted to say, or ask, is about European Football. My Portuguese husband says that players are mostly grown by professional clubs from very young, and that in Portugal there is no such thing as widespread house or region leagues associated with school sports and available to all who want to take a part in it. I am curious if this is similar across Europe?

 

[Weird Harold]

Yes, it would have been a shame to lose by one and have that non-goal in play. Losing by three is a bit much, though.

Germany did look strong, didn't they.

I have to wonder if Argentina's first goal was a make-up call for Englands' non-goal. It does make FIFA's overall officiating stats average out, but overall averages don't help England or Mexico.

Argentina's second goal was the result of Mexico losing their composure over that first goal. Mexico is going to need to overdose on composure during half-time and play over their heads to salvage this game.

 

[CharleyH]

Unless there are some really big flubs, the only good game left in this round is Spain vs. Portugal.

 

[jomar]

I have to wonder if Argentina's first goal was a make-up call for Englands' non-goal. It does make FIFA's overall officiating stats average out, but overall averages don't help England or Mexico.

Argentina's second goal was the result of Mexico losing their composure over that first goal. Mexico is going to need to overdose on composure during half-time and play over their heads to salvage this game.

I had to run to the store and missed it!

 

[Weird Harold]

I had to run to the store and missed it!

Not to worry, it's going to be on every highlight reel and talking head's recap of the game.

(The player who scored the goal was clearly offside by at least two yards and the linesman let it go.)

 

[Weird Harold]

Final score Arg 3 Mex 1

Argentina was clearly the better team even before Mexico lost their composure.

Argentina-Germany is going to be a pick 'em I think. The way the World Cup has been going for any continent other than South America, I'd have to give Argentina the edge on intangibles.

 

[Verdad]

These ref errors are getting really annoying. This one was even more irritating than the one against England because one can't help feeling it affected the outcome more.

A pretty third goal for Argentina, though.

 

[Handley_Page]

England did not play as a team.
[ hangs head in shame ]

 

[oggbashan]

Congrats as well.
Actually, it's interesting you say this - not in and of itself, but hear me out. In North America childhood sports are very competitive. There are house leagues and city teams and provincial/state teams for every sport from the time we are at least 10 years old. Soccer (football) is one of the most signed-up-for sports for young persons in that part of the world (but can't recall the stats, sorry) and yet, aside from Mexico, Canada and the USA have a hard time getting into the world cup. On the one hand, I can see why many a good footy players might go on to hockey or American football or baseball... that's what it's all about in NA, but I think it's changing. Now, what I wanted to say, or ask, is about European Football. My Portuguese husband says that players are mostly grown by professional clubs from very young, and that in Portugal there is no such thing as widespread house or region leagues associated with school sports and available to all who want to take a part in it. I am curious if this is similar across Europe?

There used to be regional competitions for all school sports in the UK and to some extent they still exist for athletics and field sports but rarely for team sports such as football. The previous (Labour) government's educational policies tended to demonise competitive sport as making children feel unequal. There are still district and county competitions in Kent.

The previous government didn't seem to realise that children as young as five KNOW that they are unequal - one may be taller than another, run faster, skip better - it's part of human diversity. We can't all win at everything. We can try. We can be encouraged, we can be trained, but ultimately success at sport requires outstanding ability. If children aren't encouraged to compete, or are actively DISCOURAGED from competing, then they won't reach their potential.

Out of school sports have been hampered by excessive regulation for adults working with children for fear of pedophiles. Every adult has to have an expensive police check for every different form of contact with children, so for example if a scoutmaster also coaches a junior football team, he would need checking twice.

Our adult football teams go a long way towards encouraging participation in football at an early age. One of our friend's five-year-old sons has an hour of football training at our local football club's ground during the week, and another hour followed by a twenty-minute "match" on Saturdays. That costs our friend twenty pence (say 30 cents) a week. The first full team he could join is the under-7s who play in a competitive league.

Competitive sport at our schools in Kent have suffered less than in many authorities because Kent is a Conservative-run administration and has resisted what they see as unnecessary socialist dogma. However it isn't as strong as it was when I was at school, and even then the competitiveness was very weak by comparison with my school in Australia.

When in Australia, admittedly at a school with a sports scholarship entry preference, it wasn't allowed for any of our teams to lose in any sport. Unfortunately they, in an Australian Rules state, started a Rugby team. We had difficulty finding enough players who even knew what Rugby was, so we tended to lose against schools that played Rugby and NOT Australian Rules.

Our only success was against a visiting US High School's American Football team. They watched us play a match of Rugby and lose - again, but their coach decided that Rugby was too dangerous for his team. I don't know why. We only had six players injured out of fifteen. We had no substitutes so, apart from the forward with two broken legs who was removed by ambulance, the injured players continued to the end of the match before getting proper treatment.

They offered to play us at American Football. We had some trouble with the rules but we didn't have any of the helmets, armour, padding. The only protection a few of us wore for Rugby was a box for the genitals. The rest just wore shorts and shirt. We were so much faster than their team, much more physical, and the game was stopped when we were winning - again because their coach feared that his team would be injured. After all, it was supposed to be a tour to promote friendship and goodwill...

When they watched our first Australian Rules team play a neighbouring school their coach was horrified. The level of violence would never have been allowed even in a professional match in the US. We thought it normal. Australians are competitive.

Og

 

[past_perfect]

Finally ...

... photo evidence that the ball wasn't behind the line after all:

England's alleged second goal

 

[Songcatcher]

... photo evidence that the ball wasn't behind the line after all:

England's alleged second goal

The fact is, people who saw the '66 goal talk/ed through their lives about that goal.

People who saw 2010 non-goal will argue about this goal through their lives.


Pros and cons.

That's how I feel.

 

[sdsioux]

Shame about the USA going out so early, but I have to admit I believe it is better for the tournament that an African team marches on - and Ghana did play well for most of the game.

Octopus or not - I believe England will overcome their trauma and win on penalties. Being a German though, I wouldn't mind being wrong.

Soccer isn't much of a sport in the USA anyway. Take away the Hispanic community and there isn't a lot of interest. What I would love to see is Germany put together an American style football team with only their people and come to the US and play the New Orleans Saints or Minnesota Vikings. They would have about as much chance of winning as the US winning the World Cup.

 

[Weird Harold]

Netherlands advance with a 2-1 victory over Slovakia. Slovakia's goal came on a last second -- literally the last second of injury time -- pity goal. OOps, that should be penalty goal

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Soccer isn't much of a sport in the USA anyway. Take away the Hispanic community and there isn't a lot of interest. What I would love to see is Germany put together an American style football team with only their people and come to the US and play the New Orleans Saints or Minnesota Vikings. They would have about as much chance of winning as the US winning the World Cup.

Have to disagree with you there, sdsioux. It is the most popular sport for school kids; highest participation rates of any sport. I coached for 15 years in Canada, and we always enjoyed top-quality competition in tournaments from Vermont to New Jersey and from Massachusets through Ohio at all levels, from house league to triple-A.

 

[Weird Harold]

The cannon fodder for the winner of Portugal-Spain later today will be Paraguay; Japan lost that opportunity for embarassment by missing the fourth penalty kick in the tie-breaker.

 

[CharleyH]

There used to be regional competitions for all school sports in the UK and to some extent they still exist for athletics and field sports but rarely for team sports such as football. The previous (Labour) government's educational policies tended to demonise competitive sport as making children feel unequal. There are still district and county competitions in Kent.

The previous government didn't seem to realise that children as young as five KNOW that they are unequal - one may be taller than another, run faster, skip better - it's part of human diversity. We can't all win at everything. We can try. We can be encouraged, we can be trained, but ultimately success at sport requires outstanding ability. If children aren't encouraged to compete, or are actively DISCOURAGED from competing, then they won't reach their potential.

Out of school sports have been hampered by excessive regulation for adults working with children for fear of pedophiles. Every adult has to have an expensive police check for every different form of contact with children, so for example if a scoutmaster also coaches a junior football team, he would need checking twice.

Our adult football teams go a long way towards encouraging participation in football at an early age. One of our friend's five-year-old sons has an hour of football training at our local football club's ground during the week, and another hour followed by a twenty-minute "match" on Saturdays. That costs our friend twenty pence (say 30 cents) a week. The first full team he could join is the under-7s who play in a competitive league.

Competitive sport at our schools in Kent have suffered less than in many authorities because Kent is a Conservative-run administration and has resisted what they see as unnecessary socialist dogma. However it isn't as strong as it was when I was at school, and even then the competitiveness was very weak by comparison with my school in Australia.

When in Australia, admittedly at a school with a sports scholarship entry preference, it wasn't allowed for any of our teams to lose in any sport. Unfortunately they, in an Australian Rules state, started a Rugby team. We had difficulty finding enough players who even knew what Rugby was, so we tended to lose against schools that played Rugby and NOT Australian Rules.

Our only success was against a visiting US High School's American Football team. They watched us play a match of Rugby and lose - again, but their coach decided that Rugby was too dangerous for his team. I don't know why. We only had six players injured out of fifteen. We had no substitutes so, apart from the forward with two broken legs who was removed by ambulance, the injured players continued to the end of the match before getting proper treatment.

They offered to play us at American Football. We had some trouble with the rules but we didn't have any of the helmets, armour, padding. The only protection a few of us wore for Rugby was a box for the genitals. The rest just wore shorts and shirt. We were so much faster than their team, much more physical, and the game was stopped when we were winning - again because their coach feared that his team would be injured. After all, it was supposed to be a tour to promote friendship and goodwill...

When they watched our first Australian Rules team play a neighbouring school their coach was horrified. The level of violence would never have been allowed even in a professional match in the US. We thought it normal. Australians are competitive.

Og

Very enlightening. It's fascinating to hear about other countries and how they nurture National teams. Thanks so much for your insight, Og. I think my question arose due to some media coverage that I've heard here (mostly on BBC World and Sky News) about the age of the players on National teams like England and Italy. When Lauren told me that there was no such thing as city house leagues or regional competitions as extra-curricular activities, I was surprised. Sport (any competitive sport) is a great lesson for children on multiple levels: sport encourages children to do their best, to see things through from start to finish, sport builds character in children even (when they make the team and when they don't), competitive sport is a very good lesson in how to deal with a range of emotions ... winning and losing. I, I think like you, encourage competitive sport, especially amongst young people!

This being said?
Aww, Japan ... you looked good out there, and held it like I knew you could. Paraguay wasn't a better team, they just got lucky on the shootout!

 

[CharleyH]

Soccer isn't much of a sport in the USA anyway. Take away the Hispanic community and there isn't a lot of interest. What I would love to see is Germany put together an American style football team with only their people and come to the US and play the New Orleans Saints or Minnesota Vikings. They would have about as much chance of winning as the US winning the World Cup.

America is made up of more than Hispanics, my friend. Og was talking about Rugby in another post. You should really read it. American Football is the scared man's Rugby!