USA World Cup

[MtnGoat]

First off I can't believe there isn't a thread on the USA in the World Cup.

Today's game against Germany was great. I'm very happy that THE USA Males Soccer Team is advancing.

[MtnGoat]

So does US play Belgium?

[tonyz]

Good summary of scores and schedule here.

USA ! USA !! USA !!!

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/index.html

[kemba415]

Awesome game, they came out really slow and sluggish but came around after the first 10 minutes. Still a little inconsistent later in the game too but overall awesome job against maybe the best team in the tournament.

Assuming Belgium wins/draws against Korea then we will face them first in the round of 16.

[Sdiver]

Originally Posted by MtnGoat

First off I can't believe there isn't a thread on the USA in the World Cup.

Sorry, I just can't get behind a sport where the players do more acting in one game, than an entire season of shows on Broadway.

[DIYPatriot]

Originally Posted by Sdiver

Sorry, I just can't get behind a sport where the players do more acting in one game, than an entire season of shows on Broadway.

These real fouls are completely gruesome. But you gotta love these sissies. They just make me sick and it happens in rec leagues, too. My wife and I play in a co-ed league and it drives us crazy how many times ppl fake an injury or a foul. If I'm gonna get carded, I want to earn that shit!

It's quite likely we'll play against Belgium. Hopefully, we'll do better this time around. That friendly last month was brutal. They simply controlled us. However, they've experienced a few injuries on their back line and that could present some opportunistic play for us. We'll see.

[PSM]

Sandy began a job as an elementary school counsellor and she was eager to help. One day during recess she noticed a girl standing by herself on one side of a playing field while the rest of the kids enjoyed a game of soccer at the other. Sandy approached and asked if she was all right. The girl said she was. A little while later, however, Sandy noticed the girl was in the same spot, still by herself. Approaching again, Sandy offered, "Would you like me to be your friend?" The girl hesitated, then said, "Okay," looking at the woman suspiciously. Feeling she was making progress, Sandy then asked, "Why are you standing here all alone?" "Because," the little girl said with great exasperation, "I'm the goalie!"



Pat

[DIYPatriot]

Originally Posted by PSM

Feeling she was making progress, Sandy then asked, "Why are you standing here all alone?" "Because," the little girl said with great exasperation, "I'm the goalie!"

That's really funny. I coach in a 5U (5 yrs and under) league. You would not believe the hilarity that occurs. We do not play with goalies because we're trying our best to get them to spread out, pass and dribble. Ultimately, they look like a school of fish chasing the bait. It's like herding cats. Last season, one of my players stood in the corner and cried while everyone else was on the other end of the field running after the ball. I asked her what was wrong and she pointed at the ground and couldn't mutter a word - only tears. Apparently, the kids ran right over her collection of clovers and wild flowers. Another kid always tried to shoot the ball into our own goal. When I asked him why he said, "Because it's closer and the other team doesn't try to stop me!" - you gotta love kids. I think I have more fun out there than they do.

[Divemaster]

Originally Posted by Sdiver

Sorry, I just can't get behind a sport where the players do more acting in one game, than an entire season of shows on Broadway.

I was in Laos with my ODA during the 1996 FIFA World Cup. We gained a lot of very useful intel by watching the matches with locals and the expats living there via buying their beers and the art of conversation. I've been a fan of international sport ever since, and an even greater fan of watching it in other countries.

You might find the 2015 Rugby World Cup more to your liking. If you need a team to follow, may I suggest the New Zealand All Blacks

[Flagg]

Originally Posted by Divemaster

I was in Laos with my ODA during the 1996 FIFA World Cup. We gained a lot of very useful intel by watching the matches with locals and the expats living there via buying their beers and the art of conversation. I've been a fan of international sport ever since, and an even greater fan of watching it in other countries.

You might find the 2015 Rugby World Cup more to your liking. If you need a team to follow, may I suggest the New Zealand All Blacks

I concur.

A good mate I worked with in Afghanistan represented NZ in under 20's.

He made a lot of gains as a result of pick up soccer games.

[Divemaster]

Originally Posted by Flagg

I concur.

A good mate I worked with in Afghanistan represented NZ in under 20's.

He made a lot of gains as a result of pick up soccer games.

A Kiwi army officer on leave (secondment, I think they called it), to the UN Humanitarian Demining Program turned us on to the All Blacks during that trip. On our weekends off he used to roust us early in the morning to watch the matches (and drink beer at 0700). Good times in a commie country.

[DIYPatriot]

Tim Howard was an absolute beast today, but that just wasn't enough. Sixteen saves? That's crazy. I believe that is the most in a single world cup match since they began keeping stats in the 1950's. We had our chances to take control but it just never manifested. At least the beer was cold down on Beale Street. Gonna lace up my blue suede shoes and eat my weight in Memphis BBQ. It was good to read Vincent Kompany's tweet a few moments ago. What a class act from Belgium's team captain. Gotta admire good sportsmanship in an era of prima donnas.

Regarding your rugby comments, above, I lived in Sydney for a while and grew to flat admire the sport. I followed the Souths primarily because the team I worked with were huge John Sattler fans. I played intramurals and we have a small club There's also a women's league that has been gaining momentum over the past few years in our area. My wife has been eyeing playing, but we enjoy our co-ed soccer too much to fully commit. She's 10 years younger than I and is an absolute athletic machine. Sometimes that has its benefits, but I don't particularly enjoy losing to her. It's bad enough that she outranks me by a wide margin.

The one thing I admired most about rugby, aside from how much fun I had playing, was the camaraderie among the teams after each match. Some of the best parties/bbq's I've ever attended were directly after we had roughed each other up and were covered in mud, grit and blood. We may not have won many games, but we were undefeated in our parties!

Good times.

[Divemaster]

Originally Posted by DIYPatriot

Tim Howard was an absolute beast today, but that just wasn't enough. Sixteen saves? That's crazy. I believe that is the most in a single world cup match since they began keeping stats in the 1950's. We had our chances to take control but it just never manifested. At least the beer was cold down on Beale Street. Gonna lace up my blue suede shoes and eat my weight in Memphis BBQ. It was good to read Vincent Kompany's tweet a few moments ago. What a class act from Belgium's team captain. Gotta admire good sportsmanship in an era of prima donnas.

Regarding your rugby comments, above, I lived in Sydney for a while and grew to flat admire the sport. I followed the Souths primarily because the team I worked with were huge John Sattler fans. I played intramurals and we have a small club There's also a women's league that has been gaining momentum over the past few years in our area. My wife has been eyeing playing, but we enjoy our co-ed soccer too much to fully commit. She's 10 years younger than I and is an absolute athletic machine. Sometimes that has its benefits, but I don't particularly enjoy losing to her. It's bad enough that she outranks me by a wide margin.

The one thing I admired most about rugby, aside from how much fun I had playing, was the camaraderie among the teams after each match. Some of the best parties/bbq's I've ever attended were directly after we had roughed each other up and were covered in mud, grit and blood. We may not have won many games, but we were undefeated in our parties!

Good times.

I do like the Souths, but also the Rabbitohs. I don't follow any team closely like my Seahawks and I prefer the international matches. But I'll either stay up late and watch live on DirecTV or DVR matches for later. A Brit SAS liaison spent a couple of months explaining the finer points of rugby to me during a season a couple of years ago. He was married with a couple of young children and explained that in the stands as spectators rugby is much more family friendly than is soccer. Rougher sport on the field, tamer in the seats.

I also learned cricket by watching in Dhaka with locals who spoke English and had the patience to explain it to this uncultured Neanderthal. As I said earlier, I think Americans gain a better appreciation of international sport while living/working abroad.

There is a whole other world of sports out there, and speaking that international language can really help an 18 (or anyone) in cross cultural communication in lands where you don't speak the local language. During an international tournament, try showing up to a local bar wearing that country's national jersey. It works.

[DIYPatriot]

Originally Posted by Divemaster

As I said earlier, I think Americans gain a better appreciation of international sport while living/working abroad.

There is a whole other world of sports out there, and speaking that international language can really help an 18 (or anyone) in cross cultural communication in lands where you don't speak the local language. During an international tournament, try showing up to a local bar wearing that country's national jersey. It works.

So true. So completely true. Sports can definitely serve as more than something we do or watch. It works as an ice-breaker or an unspoken language, too. Back in '06 I worked in Monterrey, Mexico and the surrounding area for a few months. That was at the beginning of the American public's knowledge of the cartels. At that point, not much had been injected into the media regarding how bloody things were about to get (or had been getting up to that point). Anyway, I had been working all day and saw a group of kids kicking a badly worn ball around in the street. I stopped an errant pass and kicked it back to them. An hour later we were still playing and their families, who occupied the buildings adjacent to us, introduced themselves.

Each time I played soccer with them they would invite me in for dinner or bring some home cooking over to us. They also acted as tour guides and translators. My family sent me a few new balls and some shoes, jerseys and other items that kids over here take for granted. When I showed up with a huge box full of goodies those kids' faces lit up like the 4th of July! It made my stay down there a heck of a lot safer and more productive. Plus, it was a lot more fun, too. Glad I deviated from the norms of only playing basketball, football and baseball when I was growing up.