World Cup SA 2010

[bjorn_skurj]

I wanted the U.S. to win, but you would have to be a serious asshole to root that hard against Ghana. A small fraction of Americans have any feelings at all about the World Cup, but for a small African nation, it's gigantic. Ghana played a great game, and the U.S. team was not really that hot this time around.

[Winston Legthigh]

My picks:

 

Spain over Paraguay - Biggest mismatch in the quarterfinals.

Uruguay over Ghana - This one could go either way. Not too impressed with either team

Brazil over Netherlands - Should be a good match. Brazil is looking unbeatable though

Argentina over Germany - I think this should be the best match of the quarters, and I think Argentina might be the underdog here. Messi is the best player on the field though, so I'm tipping the scales in their favor.

 

Argentina over Spain - I'm picking Argentina to go all the way - riding Messi's back the whole time.

Brazil over Uruguay - no contest

 

Argentina over Brazil - big upset. Maradona snorts coke on the field, like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIygalhVZ00

 

I love how he rolled up his shorts so they look like diapers.

[IATTBYB]

Hup Holland Hup!

[bjorn_skurj]

GHANA GHANA GHANA GHANA GHANA!!!!!!!!!!

[Griddles]

Absolute heart break. Missing that penalty with the last kick of the game! I scared my dog from screaming.

I wont lie, I thought Brazil would win the whole thing.

I think it will be Spain Germany in the other semi.

Germany and the Dutch to the Final.

 

No matter who makes it through from now on some great history and rivalries which always make for exciting viewing.

[uncool2pillow]

I think any non-soccer fan who watched the end of that Uruguay v. Ghana game would be converted, except that it had to be settled by PKs.

[cryptique]

I think any non-soccer fan who watched the end of that Uruguay v. Ghana game would be converted, except that it had to be settled by PKs.

I disagree. I thought the ending of extra time was disgusting. A player commits an egregious foul to keep the ball out of the goal, and his team is rewarded for it. I think a non-soccer fan would be repulsed.

 

I was repulsed, anyway. It nauseates me to think that Uruguay was rewarded for Suarez's actions. Ghana should have scored a last-minute goal in the run of play, but for his blatantly illegal handball. If only the referee were empowered to award a goal in such a situation, rather than a penalty.

 

So, fuck Uruguay. I hope the Dutch take them apart. I'm thinking 5-0 or worse. They should be embarrassed even to walk onto the pitch in the semifinals, because they don't deserve to be there.

 

Also, I hope FIFA bans Suarez for a long, long time. He certainly should get at least a two-game ban, so there's no question of him playing again in this World Cup.

[uncool2pillow]

I disagree. I thought the ending of extra time was disgusting. A player commits an egregious foul to keep the ball out of the goal, and his team is rewarded for it. I think a non-soccer fan would be repulsed.

 

I was repulsed, anyway. It nauseates me to think that Uruguay was rewarded for Suarez's actions. Ghana should have scored a last-minute goal in the run of play, but for his blatantly illegal handball. If only the referee were empowered to award a goal in such a situation, rather than a penalty.

 

So, fuck Uruguay. I hope the Dutch take them apart. I'm thinking 5-0 or worse. They should be embarrassed even to walk onto the pitch in the semifinals, because they don't deserve to be there.

 

Also, I hope FIFA bans Suarez for a long, long time. He certainly should get at least a two-game ban, so there's no question of him playing again in this World Cup.

They were rewarded by the dismal PK attempt by the Ghana player. PKs are usually an extraordinary opportunity for a team to score an easy goal in a sport in which scores are usually few and far between. BTW, I hope the Dutch win too.

[IATTBYB]

I was so disappointed that Ghana did not make it through. Their striker (Aneyu?) has been one of the most exciting players to watch in this Cup. I can only imagine how he must have thought after drilling that first PK in the shoot-out. He will probably be thinking why couldn't he do that just a few minutes earlier. As for the Uruguayians, Furlan is a hell of player and that final PK took some stone cold balls to attempt. But the Dutch are going to kill 'em. HUP HOLLAND HUP!

[bjorn_skurj]

Suarez is going to be king of Uruguay when he gets back. It was not a terribly honorable thing for him to do, but the logic of it, given the rules of the game and the situation his team was in, can't be denied. He gave his team a fighting chance, and his team took it. (After the Ghana guy choked, that is.) Whatever FIFA may or may not do to him is far far preferable to what his own countrymen would have done to him if he had not used his hands.

 

I would love to see Holland and Spain in the finals. Eighty Years' War grudge match!

[Tweedling]

I disagree. I thought the ending of extra time was disgusting. A player commits an egregious foul to keep the ball out of the goal, and his team is rewarded for it. I think a non-soccer fan would be repulsed.

 

I was repulsed, anyway. It nauseates me to think that Uruguay was rewarded for Suarez's actions. Ghana should have scored a last-minute goal in the run of play, but for his blatantly illegal handball. If only the referee were empowered to award a goal in such a situation, rather than a penalty.

 

So, fuck Uruguay. I hope the Dutch take them apart. I'm thinking 5-0 or worse. They should be embarrassed even to walk onto the pitch in the semifinals, because they don't deserve to be there.

 

Also, I hope FIFA bans Suarez for a long, long time. He certainly should get at least a two-game ban, so there's no question of him playing again in this World Cup.

I loved the game as well as the ending and I'm about as much of a non-fan as you can get. Never mind the fact that I had an open tibia fracture playing indoor soccer one week before I was scheduled to get married in Jamaica. That's another thread.

Sorry but the Ghana dude should have put the ball in the goal.......it was wide open. Opportunity missed.

[bleedorange]

I disagree. I thought the ending of extra time was disgusting. A player commits an egregious foul to keep the ball out of the goal, and his team is rewarded for it. I think a non-soccer fan would be repulsed.

 

I was repulsed, anyway. It nauseates me to think that Uruguay was rewarded for Suarez's actions. Ghana should have scored a last-minute goal in the run of play, but for his blatantly illegal handball. If only the referee were empowered to award a goal in such a situation, rather than a penalty.

 

So, fuck Uruguay. I hope the Dutch take them apart. I'm thinking 5-0 or worse. They should be embarrassed even to walk onto the pitch in the semifinals, because they don't deserve to be there.

 

Also, I hope FIFA bans Suarez for a long, long time. He certainly should get at least a two-game ban, so there's no question of him playing again in this World Cup.

 

I didn't watch it. Only read about it. But it seems like an incredibly smart play to keep the ball out of the goal. Similar to a DB taking down a receiver when he's about to blow by him on a route. Live to fight another play.

[stooka]

I didn't watch it. Only read about it. But it seems like an incredibly smart play to keep the ball out of the goal. Similar to a DB taking down a receiver when he's about to blow by him on a route. Live to fight another play.

 

Exactly!

[tongue-tied lightning]

in that case, a goal should have been awarded since it was on it's way in anyway.

[uncool2pillow]

in that case, a goal should have been awarded since it was on it's way in anyway.

That's like saying a running back who had a clear shot to the end zone except for the defender who horse collared him ought to be rewarded a touchdown. Granted, NBA has their goal tending rule, but soccer doesn't. The defender acted in a moment of desperation, he's already suffered consequences and will suffer more. Again, his team benefited not from his foul but from Ghana's inability to score the PK.

[bleedorange]

That's like saying a running back who had a clear shot to the end zone except for the defender who horse collared him ought to be rewarded a touchdown. Granted, NBA has their goal tending rule, but soccer doesn't. The defender acted in a moment of desperation, he's already suffered consequences and will suffer more. Again, his team benefited not from his foul but from Ghana's inability to score the PK.

 

What consequences?

[uncool2pillow]

What consequences?

Red card which means he was kicked out of this game and automatically suspended for the next. A totally appropriate penalty for a handball in the penalty area.

[bleedorange]

Red card which means he was kicked out of this game and automatically suspended for the next. A totally appropriate penalty for a handball in the penalty area.

 

I assume that's a standard penalty. Either way, the guy is a national hero.

[cryptique]

Sorry but the Ghana dude should have put the ball in the goal.......it was wide open. Opportunity missed.

He did put it in the goal. It was only kept out by an illegal play.

 

FIFA will not make any rule changes because of this (they're notoriously stubborn), but I wish they'd at least look into it. I think it's reasonable to allow the referee discretion to award a goal in this kind of circumstance. When the ball is obviously headed toward the net, and the only possible way to prevent it from crossing the line is to break the rules, the defending team should not be rewarded for doing so.

 

I'm a lifelong soccer fan and I'm as resistant to rule changes as anyone, but this is one I'd welcome.

[pillowy star]

Hup Holland Hup!

[bobbob1313]

You play to win the game.

[uncool2pillow]

Klose almost looked liked he was apologizing to the Argentinian goalie at the end of the game.

[plasticeyeball]

I think a non-soccer fan would be repulsed.

 

I was thinking the same thing. I figured most non fans would think that purposely cheating can actually win you the match would confirm their thinking that it's a stupid sport.

 

On the other hand, I don't know how there could be a rule where a goal is awarded when the ball doesn't cross the plane of the goal. In that instance, I could easily see a goal awarded if suarez was in the goal and batted it out after it went in but keeping it from going in is a different story. I don't know what they could change that rule to to avoid that instance. I only know I've never seen it happen before.

 

 

 

 

Gemany looks unstopable at this point. I was hoping for a better match this morning. I think they will miss mueller in the next one and that wasn't even close to being a yellow but no one has gotten past that defense.

[Calexico]

I was sickened when that Ghana player missed the spot kick in normal time and Suarez's reaction halfway down the tunnel left a bad taste in the mouth. I feel there should be a referee's discretion allowed in situations like this. Give the goal as it was so obviously going in and then red card the player and restart the game from the centre circle. FIFA of course won't touch this sort of amendment with a barge pole.

 

I am rooting for Holland all the way with a soft spot for Germany for the cavalier way they play. Their young players are hungry for it and want to take the game to the opponents and I applaud them for that. As long as the Uruguayans are hammered with maybe RVP grabbing a couple I will be happy.

 

 

The World Cup early stages was like WW II. The French and Italians left early, the Americans arrived late and the English were left to face the Germans.

[uncool2pillow]

Suarez's reaction halfway down the tunnel left a bad taste in the mouth.

I agree with this. I have a hard time arguing that a goal should be rewarded when the ball didn't cross the goal line, even if only for cheating.