this will probably be Totti's last chance at redemption, dude has been an utter failure on the international level, which was capped off by his embarrassing display in euro 2004.
I don't know why folks sleep on soccer until world cup rolls around. To be honest, the european championship actually has a higher level of competition from the get go when compared to the world cup. I find that more exciting.
I ride or die with England from birth till death, but it really doesn't look good w/ ronney oot. Plus Sven done messed up the team w/ all his antics this year, and the English FA still can't get its act together w/ the botched Scolari hiring.
Of course they do. Football is the biggest sport in the world. Only in the US & Canada is it not popular. In the rest of the world it's friggin' HUGE.
yes, i'm well aware of that, i was just kidding about the lack of attention the world cup gets here... like i said, i played growing up, and got a scholarship to college to play soccer... i would be willing to bet that i have played soccer at a higher level than most everyone (especially americans) on this board... soccer is a great sport, and i have made many good friends and memories playing it... that said, it is incredibly boring to me to watch it on TV... i understand the rules, strategy, and effort of the game, it just doesn't make for interesting television in my opinion... just like i think it would be awesome to drive 200 mile per hour, but watching a race on TV is boring
edit: greatest goals and greatest saves videos are awesome
I ride or die with England from birth till death, but it really doesn't look good w/ ronney oot. Plus Sven done messed up the team w/ all his antics this year, and FA still can't get its act together w/ the botched Scolari hiring.
Same. England from birth till death. Tho I can't tell one of my uncles that. HA!
I really can't deal with another melt down. If they let fuckin' Becks take any penalties I'll be on the first flight out there to slap someone around.
I'm hoping to see Gerrard step up big time. Anyone see his goal on the weekend? Thing of beauty. It really was!
Thanks a lot, i just remembered id be staying w/ a friend who probably has cable so i can always watch at home.
cheers for the info thou.
Fuck Nevada Smiths unless you really miss England that much... all bars are forced to charge admission to be able to show games, so you end up having to pay $20 before you've even had a drink. For 2004 I managed to find a bar in Greenpoint that charges $20 but then gives you 4 drink tickets. Very civilized.
Also a good bet to check out games in Canada is on TLN. Great source for games. Tho, most will be in Italian and once in a blue moon Spanish & English.
Aser, I have no clue... Oh well!
Damn, all this ROONAE/Ferguson/Eriksson chat is pretty damn interesting. Gives me some great drama right up until June 9th!!
I can see it now. Somebody is gonna get a punch in the eye!!!
Are any of you England fans familiar with the Ewing Theory? Sportswriter Bill Simmons came up with it, It goes like this. If the following two conditions are in place:
1. A star athlete receives an inordinate amount of media attention and fan interest, and yet his teams never win anything substantial with him (other than maybe some early-round playoff series).
2. That same athlete leaves his team (either by injury, trade, graduation, free agency or retirement) -- and both the media and fans immediately write off the team for the following season/tournament.
Then the team in question quite often goes on to surpass all expectations and do very well in the tournament or whatever in question. The most obvious examples of this include the '99 NY Knicks (hence the name), the '99 St. Louis Rams, and the 2001 NE Patriots.
With the injury to Rooney, this is an excellent opportunity to see if the theory holds up.
it all depends on gerrad's ability to fill in as the gap right behind the strikers. Also Beckham on knowing his role and staying on the outside delivering crosses, instead of thinking he's Ronaldinho and trying to attack through the middle.
I'm thinking of throwing some england parties w00t. Toronto folks are welcome....
it all depends on gerrad's ability to fill in as the gap right behind the strikers.
In that sentence, replace "Gerrard" with "Gazza" and you've got pre-tournament analysis of England Euro96 squad. It's a relitively new chestnut that gets trotted out every time these days. It never should be about individual stars.
What all England squads have lacked, with the exception of one or two players, is the ability to know how to play the game of football, meaning soccer. Plain an simple. Once a manager-imposed tactic or formation breaks down, they run around like donkeys with their heads cut off. The worst German team can still defend a lead better than the best England team. This is why they sneak into finals and shit.
Also another thing England fans should do is say that their team is OK and they'd be happy if they made it past the quarters. This is what Italians do, and they usually make it further. For England, anything less than World Champion is a failure, which is basically setting yourself up for heartbreak.
It's a weird mentality that is totally detached from reality and history. Tim Henman at Wimbledon is another good example.
word when it comes around England goes crazy, we can win this we will get to the final that..
i find it hard to be properly pro england as my old man is a scot and my mother is canadian.. but still i will be sporting an england top when i goto the states in june!
Not too bothered about Rooney being out. It's ridiculous (hyena style) to be pinning the hopes of a team on someone so young. This is the time for the senior players to step up their game and an opportunity for another young forward to show they can rep on an international level.
Players to watch? Brasil's Ronaldinho (Duh!) and Lionel Messi (Argentina). Brasil to win, Germany to make the last 4, England to go out on penalties in the last 8.
Thing about the US side, they got through to the last 8 last time on merit; genuinely a solid side. They deserve more props from their home crowd.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
Not too bothered about Rooney being out. It's ridiculous (hyena style) to be pinning the hopes of a team on someone so young. This is the time for the senior players to step up their game and an opportunity for another young forward to show they can rep on an international level.
Players to watch? Brasil's Ronaldinho (Duh!) and Lionel Messi (Argentina). Brasil to win, Germany to make the last 4, England to go out on penalties in the last 8.
Thing about the US side, they got through to the last 8 last time on merit; genuinely a solid side. They deserve more props from their home crowd.
Agree about the US national side. While they're never going to give Brazil any sleepless nights, they've improved steadily over the last few tournaments. Some of their defensive tactics can be a little bizarre at times, but I have a lot of respect for the way in which they try to play good football. One or two squad regulars have been quietly holding it down in the Premiership for a minute (expect Eddie Lewis to be there with Dirty Leeds next season).
Messi is another young gun (along with Rooney) who may miss the World Cup, although he has a better chance of recovering from his injury in time than Rooney. It's a cliche, but you do want to see those kind of players taking part in tournaments like this, and it's a shame when they miss out for whatever reason. As a diehard Liverpool fan, I have a slight problem admitting this, but I think it's one of the great injustices of the modern game that Ryan Giggs will now never have the opportunity to show what he can do in the finals of a major international tournament.
I think England has as strong a squad as they've had in recent memory, but I agree with Big Spliff that the absence of any kind of Plan B when the wheels fall off is an enduring problem with Sven's tactics. Interesting to note, though, that Scolari has gone on record as saying that Sven is the only coach against whom he's had to change tactics in order to counter what the opposing team was doing.
HAHAHA... Fuck if that shit happens, again... SOMEBODY GONNA GET HURT!!! REALLY BAD!!!
I agree on the Rooney talk. But the guy really does give every damn regular geezer across the commonwealth, the belief that regular joes like them could be great. I give it to the guy, I get excited whenever I see him inside with the ball. The guy does have some talent. Certainly not amazing god given gift of talent. But he makes up for it in heart and shear determination.
So, the US will be the only team that doesn't have their colours on their bus.
I'm interested. Does anyone see a lower ranked team going to the quaters? Like Korea did last time?
well apart from my brazillian fiance who will be waiting for england to fail..
Why does ure fiance want england to fail? The brazillians always beat us when we play em....but not this year cos england are winnin it, even without shrek!
The Ewing theory proved true for Everton when they sold Rooney to Man U - that season they were mid-table. They sold the 17 year old and finished in the top four and qualified for European club competition for the first time in... well, ages. With the burden of expectation marginally diminished, England could make the last four, assuming Sven can come up with a plan B that doesn't involve thumping the ball upfield for Crouch to knock it down to Owen. That said, it will be interesting to see how other nations deal with this:
Not many nine-foot eighteen-inch tall centre forwards will be playing at the World Cup. As to England having unrealistic expectations... that's part and parcel of being a football fan. Life is full of great opportunities, and seeing your team, against all the odds, better opponents, inclement weather, mis-managment, injuries, corruption scandals, food-poisoning, false-arrest, and the wrath of God, come within touching distance of glory, only to be knocked out on penalties - it's all in preparation for the other big let-down that we experience when our own private fulltime whistle is blown. I think the West Ham football chant sums up this philosophy best:
I'm forever blowing bubbles Pretty bubbles in the air They fly so high They nearly reach the sky And like my dreams They fade and die
Fortune's always hiding I've looked everywhere I'm forever blowing bubbles Pretty bubbles in the air
Yes, England are a nearly team. But all the hot air that gets blown into the bubble before each tournament by the press, the fans, the Prime Minister and half the population of asia thanks to David Beckham, makes for a really big, pretty bubble. And I'd rather watch that one than see a Brazilian lear jet cruise past on it's way to another trophy.
I would order PPV to see Crouch in a limbo contest.
hah
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,913 Posts
Fucking FA Cup is on in 10 mins and it's on fucking pay per view??? WTF................
GO REDS!!!
I need to find a stream somewhere.
Oh, man. Trust me, that game was worth paying for. Insane levels of drama, the mighty Stevie Gerrard blasting in a screamer to equalise at 3-3 just as injury time's announced, players literally running themselves into the ground, and a superstar performance in the penalty shoot-out by Pepe Reina. One of the greatest FA Cup Finals of all time.
Fucking FA Cup is on in 10 mins and it's on fucking pay per view??? WTF................
GO REDS!!!
I need to find a stream somewhere.
Oh, man. Trust me, that game was worth paying for. Insane levels of drama, the mighty Stevie Gerrard blasting in a screamer to equalise at 3-3 just as injury time's announced, players literally running themselves into the ground, and a superstar performance in the penalty shoot-out by Pepe Reina. One of the greatest FA Cup Finals of all time.
Fuck... And I missed it! I gotta find it somewhere. Cause, all I'm hearing is that it's the best FA Cup game ever. Just like when they won the damn championship league last time. I've always been and always will be a Liverpool fan.
And if Gerrard can play like that in the World Cup, I'll be a happy camper.
Comments
I don't know why folks sleep on soccer until world cup rolls around. To be honest, the european championship actually has a higher level of competition from the get go when compared to the world cup. I find that more exciting.
I ride or die with England from birth till death, but it really doesn't look good w/ ronney oot. Plus Sven done messed up the team w/ all his antics this year, and the English FA still can't get its act together w/ the botched Scolari hiring.
yes, i'm well aware of that, i was just kidding about the lack of attention the world cup gets here... like i said, i played growing up, and got a scholarship to college to play soccer... i would be willing to bet that i have played soccer at a higher level than most everyone (especially americans) on this board... soccer is a great sport, and i have made many good friends and memories playing it... that said, it is incredibly boring to me to watch it on TV... i understand the rules, strategy, and effort of the game, it just doesn't make for interesting television in my opinion... just like i think it would be awesome to drive 200 mile per hour, but watching a race on TV is boring
edit: greatest goals and greatest saves videos are awesome
Same. England from birth till death. Tho I can't tell one of my uncles that. HA!
I really can't deal with another melt down. If they let fuckin' Becks take any penalties I'll be on the first flight out there to slap someone around.
I'm hoping to see Gerrard step up big time. Anyone see his goal on the weekend? Thing of beauty. It really was!
Surely hundreds of million people worldwide can't all be wrong, can they America?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSb-RBNWgRs&search=aston%20villa%20liverpool
Fuck Nevada Smiths unless you really miss England that much... all bars are forced to charge admission to be able to show games, so you end up having to pay $20 before you've even had a drink. For 2004 I managed to find a bar in Greenpoint that charges $20 but then gives you 4 drink tickets. Very civilized.
well apart from my brazillian fiance who will be waiting for england to fail..
any english norcal strutters like the game..?
Even if you don't have cable, you can catch it at a bar w/o having to pay a cover charge. Unlike Euro 2004, which was on PPV for folks in the States.
b*lly - why did tsn can graham leggat? Now we have to put up w/ stone face Vic Rauter.
That's it... the Euros don't get the same coverage so it costs unless you buy the whole lot, which will totally fuck up 2 weeks of your summer!
For the world cup, spanish language TV is always a good bet once you get tired of the ESPN commentators talking complete nonsense.
Aser, I have no clue... Oh well!
Damn, all this ROONAE/Ferguson/Eriksson chat is pretty damn interesting. Gives me some great drama right up until June 9th!!
I can see it now. Somebody is gonna get a punch in the eye!!!
http://www.4thegame.com/features/feature/189319/what_the_papers_say.html
don`t want any of the thailand snides..
you can get official joints for ??20 in the UK, im sure you can find it that cheap online.. https://www.streetwisesports.com/Catalogue/Product.html?Product=1338
www.kitbag.com is a reputable place to get authentic jerseys and stuff, shippinmg isn't a total ripoff either.
1. A star athlete receives an inordinate amount of media attention and fan interest, and yet his teams never win anything substantial with him (other than maybe some early-round playoff series).
2. That same athlete leaves his team (either by injury, trade, graduation, free agency or retirement) -- and both the media and fans immediately write off the team for the following season/tournament.
Then the team in question quite often goes on to surpass all expectations and do very well in the tournament or whatever in question. The most obvious examples of this include the '99 NY Knicks (hence the name), the '99 St. Louis Rams, and the 2001 NE Patriots.
With the injury to Rooney, this is an excellent opportunity to see if the theory holds up.
I'm thinking of throwing some england parties w00t. Toronto folks are welcome....
In that sentence, replace "Gerrard" with "Gazza" and you've got pre-tournament analysis of England Euro96 squad. It's a relitively new chestnut that gets trotted out every time these days. It never should be about individual stars.
What all England squads have lacked, with the exception of one or two players, is the ability to know how to play the game of football, meaning soccer. Plain an simple. Once a manager-imposed tactic or formation breaks down, they run around like donkeys with their heads cut off. The worst German team can still defend a lead better than the best England team. This is why they sneak into finals and shit.
Also another thing England fans should do is say that their team is OK and they'd be happy if they made it past the quarters. This is what Italians do, and they usually make it further. For England, anything less than World Champion is a failure, which is basically setting yourself up for heartbreak.
It's a weird mentality that is totally detached from reality and history. Tim Henman at Wimbledon is another good example.
i find it hard to be properly pro england as my old man is a scot and my mother is canadian.. but still i will be sporting an england top when i goto the states in june!
Yes, Im a little lost too. What is this? Some sort of boat race?
Players to watch? Brasil's Ronaldinho (Duh!) and Lionel Messi (Argentina). Brasil to win, Germany to make the last 4, England to go out on penalties in the last 8.
Thing about the US side, they got through to the last 8 last time on merit; genuinely a solid side. They deserve more props from their home crowd.
Agree about the US national side. While they're never going to give Brazil any sleepless nights, they've improved steadily over the last few tournaments. Some of their defensive tactics can be a little bizarre at times, but I have a lot of respect for the way in which they try to play good football. One or two squad regulars have been quietly holding it down in the Premiership for a minute (expect Eddie Lewis to be there with Dirty Leeds next season).
Messi is another young gun (along with Rooney) who may miss the World Cup, although he has a better chance of recovering from his injury in time than Rooney. It's a cliche, but you do want to see those kind of players taking part in tournaments like this, and it's a shame when they miss out for whatever reason. As a diehard Liverpool fan, I have a slight problem admitting this, but I think it's one of the great injustices of the modern game that Ryan Giggs will now never have the opportunity to show what he can do in the finals of a major international tournament.
I think England has as strong a squad as they've had in recent memory, but I agree with Big Spliff that the absence of any kind of Plan B when the wheels fall off is an enduring problem with Sven's tactics. Interesting to note, though, that Scolari has gone on record as saying that Sven is the only coach against whom he's had to change tactics in order to counter what the opposing team was doing.
HAHAHA... Fuck if that shit happens, again... SOMEBODY GONNA GET HURT!!! REALLY BAD!!!
I agree on the Rooney talk. But the guy really does give every damn regular geezer across the commonwealth, the belief that regular joes like them could be great. I give it to the guy, I get excited whenever I see him inside with the ball. The guy does have some talent. Certainly not amazing god given gift of talent. But he makes up for it in heart and shear determination.
So, the US will be the only team that doesn't have their colours on their bus.
I'm interested. Does anyone see a lower ranked team going to the quaters? Like Korea did last time?
Why does ure fiance want england to fail? The brazillians always beat us when we play em....but not this year cos england are winnin it, even without shrek!
My reply: "Nothing with Brazil colours or flag" HA!
A month away... I need to find a good spot in Toronto to watch matches.
Not many nine-foot eighteen-inch tall centre forwards will be playing at the World Cup. As to England having unrealistic expectations... that's part and parcel of being a football fan. Life is full of great opportunities, and seeing your team, against all the odds, better opponents, inclement weather, mis-managment, injuries, corruption scandals, food-poisoning, false-arrest, and the wrath of God, come within touching distance of glory, only to be knocked out on penalties - it's all in preparation for the other big let-down that we experience when our own private fulltime whistle is blown. I think the West Ham football chant sums up this philosophy best:
I'm forever blowing bubbles
Pretty bubbles in the air
They fly so high
They nearly reach the sky
And like my dreams
They fade and die
Fortune's always hiding
I've looked everywhere
I'm forever blowing bubbles
Pretty bubbles in the air
Yes, England are a nearly team. But all the hot air that gets blown into the bubble before each tournament by the press, the fans, the Prime Minister and half the population of asia thanks to David Beckham, makes for a really big, pretty bubble. And I'd rather watch that one than see a Brazilian lear jet cruise past on it's way to another trophy.
GO REDS!!!
I need to find a stream somewhere.
hah
Oh, man. Trust me, that game was worth paying for. Insane levels of drama, the mighty Stevie Gerrard blasting in a screamer to equalise at 3-3 just as injury time's announced, players literally running themselves into the ground, and a superstar performance in the penalty shoot-out by Pepe Reina. One of the greatest FA Cup Finals of all time.
Fuck... And I missed it! I gotta find it somewhere. Cause, all I'm hearing is that it's the best FA Cup game ever. Just like when they won the damn championship league last time. I've always been and always will be a Liverpool fan.
And if Gerrard can play like that in the World Cup, I'll be a happy camper.