2010 FIFA WORLD CUP - South Africa OFFICIAL THREAD

[torontosubway 11]

this is the official 2010 FIFA World Cup theam song.

just made a new one for the end of the WC, hope you enjoy it

[sixers33 3]

Out of all those countries you missed Australia >_>

[Joe 90 358]

And New Zealand. You know we were bluffing in that 2-0 loss to Mexico last week

[TekindusT 3,809]

I was missing a FIFA World Cup thread in ST... Well, I guess that the teams in the poll are the favourite ones; I don't know if it's possible to make a poll with 32 options...

[sixers33 3]

Originally posted by: TekindusT

I was missing a FIFA World Cup thread in ST... Well, I guess that the teams in the poll are the favourite ones; I don't know if it's possible to make a poll with 32 options...quote>

So you choose the best nations then

[torontosubway 11]

Originally posted by: sixers33

Out of all those countries you missed Australia >_>quote>

Australia's now on the poll

[torontosubway 11]

Originally posted by: Joe 90

And New Zealand. You know we were bluffing in that 2-0 loss to Mexico last week quote>

New Zealand's now on the poll

[torontosubway 11]

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[Barbarossa 51]

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  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[SimCity4IE 203]

Obviously North Korea will win...  

[Duke87 1,070]

What does a giant soccer player say?

FIFA FO FUM!

[TekindusT 3,809]

I think this thread has been revived way too late, but still with room for discussion...

[Joe 90 358]

Originally posted by: Joe 90

And New Zealand. You know we were bluffing in that 2-0 loss to Mexico last weekquote>

Don't say I didn't warn you We have a date with the Dutch ahead!

[Easy Bakes 253]

group C will be decided tomorrow

Slovenia  v  England

and United States vs Algeria

since there was only one game won in the group so far, its almost anyones group to take.

A US win and  England/Slovinia  Tie would be nice

[City2TheMax 3]

USA just won against Algeria in additional time, and they're moving on!

But I believe Germany will win, cause they're my fav team

[Barbarossa 51]

.

  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[torontosubway 11]

Ozil goal for Germany vs. Ghana

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: Barbarossa

most Americans don't even appreciate soccer.quote>

What's to appreciate? It's a bunch of guys running around kicking a ball trying, usually failing, to get it into the opposite goal. The game is very simple and lacks any real depth. That's part of why it's so popular - because it's easy to understand just watching, no one needs to explain it to you.

The big reason soccer is so popular, though, is because it can very easily be played with materials anyone can scrounge up, even in the third world. Just roll something up into a ball and kick it around, you're playing soccer! It's not like (to use one of your examples) baseball where you need to be able to go out and buy at least a bat and a ball, and thus people in impoverished nations don't have access to the game.

There is another dynamic at work with the FIFA world cup, though, and that's national pride in international competition. Everyone in Argentina roots for the Argentinan team, everyone in Germany roots for the German team, etc. They all unite and want to see their country win!

The thing is, this concept is rather odd to your average American, for whom the world effectively ends at our borders. We have our own sports leagues (mostly) contained within our own country. We operate rivalries and pride on a regional level. If you're from Georgia, you unite with other Georgians in rooting for the Braves. If you're from Massachusetts, you unite with other people from Massachusetts in rooting for the Red Sox. And so on.

At the same time, few people take the World Baseball Classic seriously. We have our World Series, our Super Bowl, our NCAA championships... we have no interest in any world championship that's actually worldwide because our country is large enough we have no need for it. As such, even if soccer were to take hold in America (which I sincerely doubt it ever will), it would be with MLS, not FIFA.

[A Nonny Moose 8,263]

Duke87:  Now that, my friend, is an example of parochialism at the national level.

I don't follow sports very much, except at playoff times.  I have other interests that occupy my time, and am not a great athlete, and never have been one.  The only team sport I ever participated in is curling.  Heaving rocks at each other is one sport I can fully understand, so there must be some Scot in my English woodpile.  One could hope it was Wallace but with my luck it was Roderick Dhu.

Canada has a rather vigorous soccer group, but we aren't world class, and probably never will be.  I don't think really westernized countries, at least in North America, have any urge to play this game.  You do make a good point that it is easy for the underprivileged to get a game going with almost no equipment.  We tend to want something a little more sophisicated.

[torontosubway 11]

Originally posted by: Duke87

Originally posted by: Barbarossa

most Americans don't even appreciate soccer.quote>

What's to appreciate? It's a bunch of guys running around kicking a ball trying, usually failing, to get it into the opposite goal. The game is very simple and lacks any real depth. That's part of why it's so popular - because it's easy to understand just watching, no one needs to explain it to you.

The big reason soccer is so popular, though, is because it can very easily be played with materials anyone can scrounge up, even in the third world. Just roll something up into a ball and kick it around, you're playing soccer! It's not like (to use one of your examples) baseball where you need to be able to go out and buy at least a bat and a ball, and thus people in impoverished nations don't have access to the game.

There is another dynamic at work with the FIFA world cup, though, and that's national pride in international competition. Everyone in Argentina roots for the Argentinan team, everyone in Germany roots for the German team, etc. They all unite and want to see their country win!

The thing is, this concept is rather odd to your average American, for whom the world effectively ends at our borders. We have our own sports leagues (mostly) contained within our own country. We operate rivalries and pride on a regional level. If you're from Georgia, you unite with other Georgians in rooting for the Braves. If you're from Massachusetts, you unite with other people from Massachusetts in rooting for the Red Sox. And so on.

At the same time, few people take the World Baseball Classic seriously. We have our World Series, our Super Bowl, our NCAA championships... we have no interest in any world championship that's actually worldwide because our country is large enough we have no need for it. As such, even if soccer were to take hold in America (which I sincerely doubt it ever will), it would be with MLS, not FIFA.

quote>

Soccer, is not a bunch of guys running around kicking a ball, it requires tactics, skills, and stamina to play this sport. If you ever watch soccer, I doubt you will see 22 man running for the ball. And it's not as simple as you think. Could you tell me what other sports that is not simple and does not have lack of real depth?

Maybe, you are right that soccer can be played with materials that anyone can scrounge up, is that a bad thing? Does it matter because it's first or third world? Rollin up something and kick it around is not call playing soccer, it is call kicking something around. As your example, baseball, you could roll up something, and use a tree branch to play, which people in impoverished nations don't have access to the game could play too.

Are you saying that playing soccer is not for first world countries and is meant for third world countries and ghetto places?

I believe that soccer will take hold of America, since the game is getting more and more popular.

Im not too sure if you know that MLS is part of FIFA, because FIFA is the main organization that controls all soccer organizations around the world.

[A Nonny Moose 8,263]

The defending world champion, Azzuri, has been eliminated.  Considering that football originated with a bunch of medieval Italians kicking a pig bladder around in front of the Duomo in Firenze (Florence), it is a shame that they made such a poor showing.

So now, the fat is in the fire.  We'll see who emerges as the new champ.

BTW, the original name of this sport is calice pronounce Kal-ee-cheh for those of you who don't know Italian.

[JanYpe 17]

Originally posted by: A Nonny Moose

The defending world champion, Azzuri, has been eliminated.  Considering that football originated with a bunch of medieval Italians kicking a pig bladder around in front of the Duomo in Firenze (Florence), it is a shame that they made such a poor showing.

quote>

But on the bright side, for those rooting for the underdogs at least, the defending world champion lost at the hands of first time World Cup participants Slovakia.

[TekindusT 3,809]

FIFA World Cup topic: Today Spain's playing their access to the Round of 16, they have to win against Chile. Spain, after having won the European Cup, were amongst the favourite teams to win the World Cup, but their dissapointing first match against Switzerland was something that killed the hype the whole nation was inmersed.

I'm interested on hearing opinions from outside Spain, because here all you think is "we're going to beat them", "we're world champs de facto" and this kind of crap (can I say this word here?)

Side Topic: I agree and disagree with Duke in some things. OK, you can play soccer with a ball made with a simple paper and drawing a couple of goals on the floor with a chalk. You can practise this sport nearly everywhere flat enough and kids begin playing it just after having learned to walk. Rules are easy and learnt in a natural way; but I wouldn't dare to say it lacks any real depth. Is like saying football is a guy throwing a pigskin, a big fat lie.

we have no interest in any world championship that's actually worldwide because our country is large enough we have no need for itquote>

I also think that America needs to look a little bit beyond its borders and the best way to do this is that the US national team makes something big on the World Cup; I think they deserve it. There's nothing wrong on letting more sports in rather than football, baseball and basketball; even more when the latin community importance is growing in the US.

[Barbarossa 51]

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  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: torontosubway

Soccer, is not a bunch of guys running around kicking a ball, it requires tactics, skills, and stamina to play this sport. If you ever watch soccer, I doubt you will see 22 man running for the ball.quote>

I've watched soccer before. It's... rather monotonous.

That said, it isn't all that horrible a sport to be playing. I never complianed when we played it in gym class. It just isn't fun to watch.

Maybe, you are right that soccer can be played with materials that anyone can scrounge up, is that a bad thing? Does it matter because it's first or third world? Rollin up something and kick it around is not call playing soccer, it is call kicking something around. As your example, baseball, you could roll up something, and use a tree branch to play, which people in impoverished nations don't have access to the game could play too.

Are you saying that playing soccer is not for first world countries and is meant for third world countries and ghetto places?quote>

You're reaading waaaay to much into my previous post.

When I say that soccer is easily playable with easly scroungable materials, I state that merely as a matter of tact. I mean no implication as to it being a good thing or a bad thing, nor am I saying that somehow makes it unfit for more developed nations (which would be silly - the sport is very popular in Europe, after all).

Im not too sure if you know that MLS is part of FIFA, because FIFA is the main organization that controls all soccer organizations around the world.quote>

I did not know that. That's.... odd. None of the "big four" answer to an international authority.

Originally posted by: JanYpe

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/556/24ec718fefc690e98015cc2.jpgquote>

Heh. It's amusing how emotional people get over this stuff. Wasn't one of the Italian players crying?

Originally posted by: Barbarossa

Soccer players play for 45 minutes straight, running nearly the whole time, get a breather, and then do it again for 45 mins or until the game is finished.quote>

You know, you inadvertently bring up another good point here. There is a logistical problem with soccer's continuous nature: it makes it difficult to fit in commerical breaks. Thus, it isn't exactly a money-maker for TV networks, and so they don't like carrying it. This, perhaps, is another key reason why soccer has failed to catch on in America.

[A Nonny Moose 8,263]

Originally posted by: Duke87

You know, you inadvertently bring up another good point here. There is a logistical problem with soccer's continuous nature: it makes it difficult to fit in commerical breaks. Thus, it isn't exactly a money-maker for TV networks, and so they don't like carrying it. This, perhaps, is another key reason why soccer has failed to catch on in America.

quote>

An interesting point.  The only network carrying the world cup in Canada is CBC, the national public broadcaster, which does have commercials.  The trick is to tape the game while the commercial is on, and, if anything good happens, to run the tape, or a part of it, before resuming the live coverage.  A little good video direction and editing can easily allow commercial breaks, but not the five minute ones the U.S. networks want.

Lately, I have become more and more annoyed by the length of commercial breaks.  And there are too many of them.  An hour show consists of 40 minutes or less of the show, and the rest is commercials.  How many times do you think I want to see the dancing cerial in one hour?  For Pete's sake, lay off!

[torontosubway 11]

Duke87:

Probably Im reading way too much into your post. Plus, Im srry i was going way too far, (i was havin a bad day yesterday).

I understand that's your opinion.

 

Thks for sharing your opinion and I'll respect it. 

 

[torontosubway 11]

Originally posted by: A Nonny Moose

The defending world champion, Azzuri, has been eliminated.  Considering that football originated with a bunch of medieval Italians kicking a pig bladder around in front of the Duomo in Firenze (Florence), it is a shame that they made such a poor showing.

So now, the fat is in the fire.  We'll see who emerges as the new champ.

BTW, the original name of this sport is calice pronounce Kal-ee-cheh for those of you who don't know Italian.

quote>

It's not just the Azzuri's, it's also the 2006 World Cup runners-up France, they are out too.

[Slashback 136]

YouTube has added a vuvuzela future to many of the videos, simply click on the football icon, and you will hear a vuvuzela sound

BTW, Argentina wins the world cup.

EDIT: Just found out, that it only works on their website, but try watching the Thunderstruck video there, and you can cleearly see the icon.

[A Nonny Moose 8,263]

Originally posted by: torontosubway

It's not just the Azzuri's, it's also the 2006 World Cup runners-up France, they are out too.

quote>

Yes, but the French Blues had absolutely no class at all, and should have been excluded on attitude alone.  The headlines in the Italian daily papers indicate that Azzuri should probably seek political asylum somewhere in North America.  They are in grave danger if they go home.