World Cup 2006

[darkstar]

From my understanding, most of the allegations were for the club owners specifically assigning refs to ref certain matches. That sounds like to me that the decisions were made in the office...not on the field. I dont think that most of the italian players, if not all of them were aware that this was going on. They want to keep those things hushed up, if a player was informed of it then left to a different squad whats to say he would keep his mouth shut?? I dont blame the players, I blame the political bullshit thats been following soccer for years...

 

JOGA BONITA!

 

 

True, however the Italian goalie, Buffon (spelling?) has been implicated due to some possible illegal gambling on matches so.....who knows?

[WITHIK]

I can't believe you guys think that PK's are luck. They involve mental strength and skill.

*Seconded*

 

And how can Bobo call it boring. It is one of the most exciting parts of a game.

[G_willy]

We need to bring back the old MLS shootouts, 15 seconds from half field... now those were FUN to watch.

 

breakaways are a hell of a lot cooler than free kicks one on one against the goalie

[Guest Laminated Kat]

I liked it better when there was sudden death.

[WITHIK]

Whatever.

 

That is a great rebutal. It would make an 2nd grade girl proud.

 

 

I was just saying it would have been a better game if it was decided before PKs and it sucks that Zidane last game he leaves on a red card basically costing his team the cup.

 

I wish England would have done better they had probably the best skilled team out on the pitch but due to injures and pathetic coaching they were unable to play as well as they should have. I have to say Rooney is a great player.

 

I am proud of the Germans for not only finishing 3rd but doing a great job of hosting the WC. Overall it was a great WC just wished the last game would have been decided before PKs.

[WITHIK]

We need to bring back the old MLS shootouts, 15 seconds from half field... now those were FUN to watch.

 

breakaways are a hell of a lot cooler than free kicks one on one against the goalie

 

Word

I liked it better when there was sudden death.

 

Golden Goal!!!!!!!!!

[Spawn's dad]

I can't believe you guys think that PK's are luck. They involve mental strength and skill.

 

hmmm. having played ball for 17 years as a kid/young adult. coaching and continuing to play throughout my adulthood I think you can attribute whatever skills you'd like to PKs the simple fact is that its an silly way to end a match.

[Guest Laminated Kat]

hmmm. having played ball for 17 years as a kid/young adult. coaching and continuing to play throughout my adulthood I think you can attribute whatever skills you'd like to PKs the simple fact is that its an silly way to end a match.

Having played for quite some time as well I could not agree more. I wasnt disputing that fact. It is the worst way to end a match, and to lose.

 

Word

Golden Goal!!!!!!!!!

Those were the days!

[Spawn's dad]

cool

[G_willy]

I liked it better when there was sudden death.

 

 

I dont think the current way of playing it is too far off from that... ultimately if no one scores in sudden death it goes to PKs

 

9/10 times when someone scores in overtime its the deciding result of the game. If that 1/10 time occurs where a team counters and ties it again, then I believe its worthy for them to take it into PKs

 

I know that by playing the overtimes kind of "ruins the moment". You dont get to celebrate off the field and get yourself hoisted up by the team yada yada yada...

 

I am more of a fan of teams that can produce results when the chips aren't in their favor, any time a team comes back from a deficit is worthy of at least having an opprotunity for the win.

 

I see where your coming from, I just dont believe theres a HUGE difference between the two. I ultimatly think either of those deciding a win is far better than Pks but at the same time, both teams are in the same situation... both teams have to take 5 Pks its not that its unfair to one team over the other, it just sucks to see a hard faught battle end over something like that...

[bobbob1313]

We need to bring back the old MLS shootouts, 15 seconds from half field... now those were FUN to watch.

 

breakaways are a hell of a lot cooler than free kicks one on one against the goalie

 

I would love to see something like that. That takes much more skill.

[cryptique]

Italy got robbed earlier in the game by an off-sides call (VERY questionable).

Watch the replay. Absolutely nothing questionable about it. It was a much more clear-cut instance than many that are called. The replay doesn't lie.

 

We need to bring back the old MLS shootouts, 15 seconds from half field... now those were FUN to watch.

 

breakaways are a hell of a lot cooler than free kicks one on one against the goalie

The old NASL shootout was better -- rather than midfield, there was a 35-yard line, and I think the shooter only had five seconds to get a shot off.

 

I liked that 35-yard line for its other function, too: you could only be offside beyond that line, rather than the midline. It opened up the game.

[bjorn_skurj]

I will never support the MLS New York team until it does what it has to to start calling themselves the Cosmos. (Which is apparently pay somebody $2 million for rights to the name.)

[tongue-tied lightning]

 

did that pic work ?

[bjorn_skurj]

 

did that pic work ?

No. Are you aware of this thing they call "photobucket?"

[G_willy]

I will never support the MLS New York team until it does what it has to to start calling themselves the Cosmos. (Which is apparently pay somebody $2 million for rights to the name.)

 

 

... I like practically everyone here stand firm against corporate sponsorship. But, the ONLY way the MLS will EVER be able to compete with leagues like the EPL is to offer competitive wages. Considering its close to impossible to get sponsorships to pick up the MLS due to corporate american television (unlike stations like BBC which are owned by the government) the lack of commercial breaks offered in a game makes it hard for MLS teams to get the appropraite fundage for their teams. With the forming of the New York Redbulls, we have heard talks of trying to get Ronaldo to sign a 60 mill contract...which he denied but none the less. I think anyone who pulls the corporate sponsorship card on the MLS just does not understand. It is hard to keep America's talent inside the MLS when they are offered 10x the salaries over in Europe. I actually commend New York for going that route if anything to try and gain some excitement to the game.

 

classic example: Freddy Adu is by no means the best player in the MLS, hell he doesn't even start. But if the MLS hadn't made him the highest paid athlete in the MLS his talent would've gone over to the EPL or some other country to play. Its very sad but if renaming a team the "Redbulls" just to get some decent talent to help the MLS grow in America, I am personally all for it.

Edited July 10, 2006 by G_willy

[bjorn_skurj]

And this on shootouts from N.Y. Daily News' Filip Bondy:

 

"Italy won itself a tiebreaker, finally, captured its fourth World Cup title on kicks, 5-3, after a 1-1 tie. The Italians had earned this one, for sure. They knocked in all their penalties, without a hint of the usual psychic meltdown. They certainly were the best team in the tournament, and probably the better side on this night. It's funny how these tiebreakers seem so arbitrary, yet always go to the more formidable side."

[bjorn_skurj]

You are an idiot... I like practically everyone here stand firm against corporate sponsorship. But, the ONLY way the MLS will EVER be able to compete with leagues like the EPL is to offer competitive wages. Considering its close to impossible to get sponsorships to pick up the MLS due to corporate american television (unlike stations like BBC which are owned by the government) the lack of commercial breaks offered in a game makes it hard for MLS teams to get the appropraite fundage for their teams. With the forming of the New York Redbulls, we have heard talks of trying to get Ronaldo to sign a 60 mill contract...which he denied but none the less. I think anyone who pulls the corporate sponsorship card on the MLS just does not understand. It is hard to keep America's talent inside the MLS when they are offered 10x the salaries over in Europe. I actually commend New York for going that route if anything to try and gain some excitement to the game.

 

classic example: Freddy Adu is by no means the best player in the MLS, hell he doesn't even start. But if the MLS hadn't made him the highest paid athlete in the MLS his talent would've gone over to the EPL or some other country to play. Its very sad but if renaming a team the "Redbulls" just to get some decent talent to help the MLS grow in America, I am personally all for it.

Hey man, fuck you. You don't know me; you have no grounds to call me an idiot. Since soccer in this country is number four or five on the list, they may well need to do things not typically done in American professional sports to get by. I think, though, if the New York team would rename itself the Cosmos, they would see a lot more support among fans who were kids in the '70s and loved the team when they had Pele, Chinaglia and Beckenbauer. Whether that support would mean more revenue that whatever Red Bull Inc. is paying them, I cannot say. But again, fuck you.

[G_willy]

OK, sorry... I might have acted a bit drastic by calling you an idiot, I just hate how everyone bashes the fact that they renamed themselves to the Redbulls. I was out of line. It would be great if they did switch the name to the cosmos in honor of those greats who did retire their careers there. But the fact is, most of the fanbase does not even know that their existed the cosmos back in the 70s. Unless you played soccer back then, you didnt even know that the NASL existed...

 

I am just tired of seeing good talent in the US leaving because they can't pay the players more than the lowest paid football player... I am much more of a soccer fan than I am worrying about the naming of the teams. I just want to see good soccer in the US so one day the MLS final could potentially be a big deal for America.

 

once again, I retract my statement calling you an idiot, but they offered Redbull the rights to their name so they could generate a large salary, and for people who care much more about the corporate sponsors involved rather than the talent, aren't fans. You referring more to your days when it was the Cosmos I can understand.

[bjorn_skurj]

OK, sorry for the FUs.

[Albert Tatlock]

A lip-reader has reportedly revealed the words which provoked Zinedine Zidane's now infamous World Cup final headbutt. Marianne Frere claims Italian defender Marco Materazzi insulted the French captain with a stream of racial and personal abuse. She told The Sun that Zidane was called a "son of a terrorist whore" before he lashed out and was sent off.

Reports in France have suggested it was the reference to the Algerian-born star's mother which made him blow his top. His mother Malika had been taken to hospital seriously ill only hours before Sunday's final.

Well, possibly more understanding of exactly why the red mist descended what with the illness. Still best to have waited until after the final whistle (maybe France having won even better), then laid him out properly. Revenge is a dish best served cold and all that ...

 

 

"I've got the passion but no idea of tactics - I'd be like a black Kevin Keegan."

Ian Wright stakes his claim for the England managers job.

[wheelco]

in the world serious we should play Home Run Derby for the championship if it's still tied after 10 innings

 

am I right, am I right?!?

 

Why decide a championship game by not playing the game?

[cryptique]

in the world serious we should play Home Run Derby for the championship if it's still tied after 10 innings

 

am I right, am I right?!?

 

Why decide a championship game by not playing the game?

Are we still going on about this?

 

To sum up:

• PK shootouts suck. Nobody, even the most fanatical soccer fan, likes them.
  
• Some other way should be found to resolve important matches.
  
• We can't agree on what that way should be.
  

Did I miss anything?

 

Oh, yeah:

• Jeter is overrated.
  

[WITHIK]

Did I miss anything?

 

You forgot Bacon is goooooooood...

[wheelco]

You forgot Bacon is goooooooood...

that is true

 

Jay Farrar is a mammal, also true