Originally posted by Rekop Dog
View Post
-
Most important, if BK says he's backing brazil to win the world cup - Lay everything you have on them - because he is running so bad. Though was talkin to him last nite - his trip report will be good 2day. -
good cautionary tale about staking etc http://www.irishpokerboards.com/foru...ead.php?t=4438Comment
-
all aboard the aftertiming train.
Who was on Wesley for 1st goal then?Comment
-
Why The Yanks Don't like Saaawcer
PRESENT TENSE: The Americans have played in every World Cup since 1990, yet US conservatives remain hostile to what they see as a Hispanic game, writes DAVIN O'DWYER
THERE ARE some perennial sideshows to every World Cup, and over time they become as intrinsic a part of the tournament as the football itself. The debate about how each newly designed football behaves like a helium balloon is a mainstay; the England team always find innovative ways to self-destruct; while the Dutch players often act like housemates in Big Brother , throwing tantrums and getting kicked out.
And then there is the well-worn story about how, finally, the Americans are taking to the game they call soccer.
Every time the world gathers for its footballing shindig we wonder why the Yanks don’t get the beautiful game. In response we hear how many tykes are playing the game at school level, and how successful the American women’s team are. Every time we are warned that the sheer number of people playing the sport in the US guarantees that it will become a footballing superpower at some point beyond the future’s visible horizon.
Credit where it’s due: the American national men’s team have consistently qualified for the tournament since 1990, and they’ve been a pretty handy side for the past five years or so. The era when we could mock them for “rushing to the end zone” and fielding “goaltenders” is over now, alas.
But, while it’s true that football has an increasing number of players and viewers in the US, there is still a widespread resistance to the game there. And, now more than ever, that resistance is vocally lead by prominent US conservatives.
Leading the tirades this time around is Fox News conspiracist-in-chief Glenn Beck, who didn’t exactly celebrate the opening of the World Cup last week. Demonstrating his rare gift for nonsensical analogies, he compared the tournament to Barack Obama’s policies: “It doesn’t matter how you try to sell it to us, it doesn’t matter how many celebrities you get, it doesn’t matter how many bars open early, it doesn’t matter how many beer commercials they run, we don’t want the World Cup, we don’t like the World Cup, we don’t like soccer, we want nothing to do with it . . . The rest of the world likes Barack Obama’s policies, we do not.”
Then Matthew Philbin, writing for the conservative website NewsBusters, sounded off: “As healthcare reform and stimulus spending have underscored, if Europe jumped off a cliff, the American left would be right behind it. So it makes sense that the media’s main argument for accepting soccer is that ‘everybody’s doing it’.”
Perhaps most tellingly of all, former Richard Nixon henchman G Gordon Liddy said on his radio show: “This game, I think, originated with the South American Indians and, instead of a ball, they used to use the head, the decapitated head, of an enemy warrior.”
This comment unwittingly revealed a central tenet of conservative opposition to soccer: despite the best efforts of suburban soccer moms, soccer in the US is identified as a Hispanic game. When conservatives oppose immigration in order to protect an illusory “real America”, which is barely concealed code for “white, conservative America”, it is clear that the growth of a Hispanic game is also perceived as a threat. The fact that one US player is called Carlos Bocanegra just emphasises the point.
Furthermore, the nativism and xenophobia that are so characteristic of today’s American conservatives mean that the sport’s global reach becomes evidence not just of, well, widespread popularity, but also of the fact that the game is necessarily at odds with their definition of Americanism. So soccer is framed as representative of socialism, or multilingualism, or whatever the hell is irking them this month. Its very popularity is enough to make it suspicious. As Beck revealingly put it, “I hate it so much, probably because the rest of the world likes it so much.”
Of course, the Americans wouldn’t be the first people to exhibit a deep-rooted suspicion of a “foreign game”, as we well know, but there isn’t the same postcolonial motivation for these soccer haters.
There are two delicious ironies in all this conservative bleating. The first is that another of Nixon’s henchmen, Henry Kissinger, is the most eminent soccer fan in the US. The second is that many US sports, such as basketball and gridiron football, both highly symbolic of American sporting exceptionalism, use a “draft system” for player recruitment, which gives the weaker pro teams first pick of the fresh talent coming out of college.
Never mind Obama’s healthcare bill, these sports are practically Bolshevik in their enduring devotion to a centralised redistribution of wealth. The World Cup might capture global attention, but at least the competition displays a pretty rigorous adherence to the principle that the winner takes it all. The free market has spoken, after all, and soccer has won.Comment
-
Lol England indeed, absolutely dreadful.
I really can't understand the lethargy from players with undoubted quality,frankly they should be ashamed for that sham of an effort.
I'd rarely condone booing your team but I think the fans were justified this time.
Thousands of then have spent a small fortune to support their team in SA and Wayne Rooney after his performance last night is the last one to be criticising them.
Just frustration I presume and i'm sure he'll see things differently this morning but bad form all the same.
I'd like to see Gerrard behind Rooney for the next game and a start for Joe Cole.
Capello absolutely must change things around now and those players need to get off their arses and show some spirt that's been severely lacking up to now, if they want to get to the last 16.We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.Comment
-
Anelka sent home for abusing Domenech!Comment
-
Yeah, gave me a much needed chuckle.Originally posted by The C Kid View Post
"Go screw yourself you dirty son of a whore"
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.Comment
-
lol, that's why he was subbed at half time. He basically told Domenech, and i quote "go get fucked up the arse, you son of a bitch!"Originally posted by The C Kid View Post
Comment
-
Danny (or anyone),
Do you buy into this "..it's been a long season in the Premiership and players are tired'' excuse that's being mentioned?Comment
-
just got booted off there for a few minutes while playing turbo's obv come back to fuck all chipsOriginally posted by chips1234 View Post
Comment
-
I do find the rule about 2 yellow cards in different games will earn you a one match ban fucking redic!
Plus can then not cross the fucking ball!"you raise, i kill you" El Tren :{)Comment
-
Nah, not really, there may be a small element of fatigue after a pretty full last few weeks of the season but alot of players/teams are in the same boat.Originally posted by Bless You View Post
Whatever about formations or team selection, I think they've chocked tbh.
Rabbits in the headlights and they've collectively frozen,manager included.
There's alot of quality players in that squad and they couldn't even string a few passes together against one of the poorer teams in the competion, that's just shocking.
They have to win on Wednesday, the fear of losing isn't a factor anymore so I hope to see a different England, I can't say i'm exactly full of confidence though, i'm at a loss to understand it all really.We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.Comment
-
Thats Ste you are thinking aboutOriginally posted by Ace View Postyou do look like DBC so that is lolz
Comment
-
England will win Wednesday, finish second in the group. Germany though will also finish second, England will end up playing Ghana/Serbia and pox a win. QF and all be good againOriginally posted by dannydiamond View PostComment
-
Originally posted by KevIRL View Post
Yeah, I still think they'll win on Wednesday, the shackles will be off in a way but Slovenia will definately fancy it and after whats gone on nothing would surprise me!We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.Comment
-
I was going to sit on the sidelines for the rest of the group stages but Ghana are just way too big a price. I'm hammering them today, its certain to be a very bad world cup for me if they don't win.'Mental Toughness is doing the right thing for the team when it's not the best thing for you' - Bill BelichickComment
-
Your criminally over-rating African teams. Thought they where pretty lucky to win they're first game and reckon Aus will do them here!Originally posted by eagle eye View PostProfit before people.Comment
-
ugh really - sorry then LOL @ Ste.Originally posted by KevIRL View PostThats Ste you are thinking aboutComment
-
I'm gone in deeper now. I'm not overrating them either, if this doesn't work out its because I underrated Australia.Originally posted by Rekop Dog View Post'Mental Toughness is doing the right thing for the team when it's not the best thing for you' - Bill BelichickComment
-
Yeah, with the rate of yellow cards given out, it needs a huge overhaul. It's the same with the champions league. Fifa and Uefas constant insistence that their biggest showcases are ruined by red cards and the best players being suspended is so bizarre. I just don't get it.Originally posted by tylerdurden94 View PostComment
-
lol you could be good now!Profit before people.Comment
-
red card was a little harsh IMO - I know its in the rules but there was no intent there at all it was blasted straight at himComment
-
The problem with the English midfield:
/blah
standard rant 101:
The problem with the English midfield is that none of them are midfielders with the exception of Joe Cole.
With the exception of Joe Cole none of them would look comfortable in the Spanish, Dutch or Brazilian teams.
Alan Shearer was going on about the inability to hit simple 20 yard passes last night, thats not the problem, the problem is the lack of interest in hitting 5 yard passes.
In a 442 system these players will look static, it is not a problem with 442 in of itself as the excuse makers are claiming its down to the players.
The English players take up positions too far apart from each other on the pitch for a 442 to have any fluid movement, this is due as I said after their last game to the pivot/brains of any English league team has historically been an Irish/Scottish/Foreign lad sitting in the middle providing the link between the back and the rest.
When the English have had player like this (Steve McMahon for example) they have been treated like they didn't belong in the English side.
Also some of the English players would be more comfortable on smaller pitches (FrankL)
England need to play 4-5-1 in order to force their players closer to each other and therefore force them to PASS the ball simply.
I would drop Lampard if their was anyone in the squad worthy of taking his place, there is not (lol at playing Scholes/Gerrard out of position for years for him btw)
Even thought Lennon is better I would play Wright-Phillips on the right instead of Lennon for one reason, he gets involved more and is willing to play short passes, basically he has more hustle and hustle is exactly what Engerland need right now
I lost my train of thought when the Aussies scored, was going to back Ghana but a couple of injuries picked up in training and knowing nothing of their backup players put me off.
-------------------------James---------------------------
Johnson----------Upson-----Terry-----------A.Cole
-------------------Barry----------------------
Wright-Phillips----------------Lampard--------J.Cole
-----------------Gerrard------------------------
----------------------------Rooney (if fit)
(Hart and Dawson would start if they had any experience)
tl;dr Its all Maggie Thacher's fault for selling the playing fields in the 80's
/blah
That should save some poor sod getting an earful of shyte off me later
*Ghana's for the losing now
Comment
-
very harsh red card for kewell.Comment
-
mental refereeing in this gameComment
-
BK i'm disappointed that you haven't posted ur trip report from last nite
Originally posted by bubbleking View PostComment
-
Nothing harsh about it, he clearly moved to block the ball with his arm, thats a definite red card.Originally posted by cardshark202 View Post'Mental Toughness is doing the right thing for the team when it's not the best thing for you' - Bill BelichickComment
-
my head is absolutely fried today so its a hassel typing it up but il get around to itOriginally posted by Ace View PostComment
-
Yeah it was definitely a red. The rule is harsh though!Profit before people.Comment
-
He didn't really move his arm to the ball. He had to try block it but I don't think he intentionally went to block it with his arm.Originally posted by eagle eye View Post
Definite red by the letter of the low, but in this instance it's a harsh one.Comment
-
I finally got around to reading up on some of these rules (http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/lawsofthegame.html)
Handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with
the ball with his hand or arm. The referee must take the following into
consideration:
• the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)
• the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)
• the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an
infringement
• touching the ball with an object held in the hand (clothing, shinguard, etc.)
counts as an infringement
• hitting the ball with a thrown object (boot, shinguard, etc.) counts as an
infringement
Also...
In the context of Law 11 – Offside, the following definitions apply:
• “nearer to his opponents’ goal line” means that any part of a player’s
head, body or feet is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the
ball and the second-last opponent. The arms are not included in this
definition
• “interfering with play” means playing or touching the ball passed or
touched by a team-mate
• “interfering with an opponent” means preventing an opponent
from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing
the opponent’s line of vision or movements or making a gesture or
movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an
opponent
• “gaining an advantage by being in that position” means playing a ball
that rebounds to him off a goalpost or the crossbar having been in an
offside position or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent
having been in an offside positionComment
-
Agree with this.Originally posted by cardshark202 View Post
Is it a no win situation for the ref though? If you say Kewall didn't do it deliberately then you have to also not send off the guy who is cute about it. I still wouldn't send them off tho. Imo etc.Last edited by The Tourist; 19-06-10, 15:16.Comment
-
Ghana in 50 yards off target shot shocker!Profit before people.Comment
-
I am off the game now, if Ghana win I win but no loss if they don't.'Mental Toughness is doing the right thing for the team when it's not the best thing for you' - Bill BelichickComment
-
What I'm not liking is how much players are getting away with calling for cards for their rivals this competition. every decision, you see players shouting and waving their hands to symbolise a red or yellow card. What happened to when you'd get one yourself for that behaviour?Comment
-
I think it was only ever an English/UK thing (getting booked for asking for your opponent to be booked). The rest of the world seems to accept it as a valid tactic.Originally posted by zuroph View PostComment
-
You loaded on at 2.25 or thereabouts and got out somewhere between 3.5 and 4.9 and your in the green. Am I Reading it rightOriginally posted by eagle eye View PostComment
-
I lumped on at 2.54 and went in for half that again at 7.2 and got out at 2.88.Originally posted by Howard_Finkel View Post
Edit: I went in again at 7.2 after they went down 1-0.Last edited by eagle eye; 19-06-10, 15:51.'Mental Toughness is doing the right thing for the team when it's not the best thing for you' - Bill BelichickComment
-
-
mr crazy eyebrows is finishing up
"Remember the time he ate my goldfish? And you lied and said I never had goldfish. Then why did I have the bowl, Bart? Why did I have the bowl?"Comment
-
Bollox, Hamann has finished his stint with the RTE, thought he was class.Comment
-
Denamrk are an extremely average team and Cameroon will not light up any matches by their standards. I predict a draw and a very boring match.Comment
-
Jesus that was frustrating, only had a token amount on Ghana to make it interesting but if I'd had something any way substantial I'd be tearing my hair out. I don't think I've ever seen a team take the wrong option so many times!Originally posted by Rekop Dog View Post
Comment
-
Agreed. Darragh Maloney is very good in the presenters chair as well. Obvious replacement for when Billo goes.Originally posted by thedini View Post
Will be great fun when Ozzie arrives
Comment
-
-
lol at yer one on rte saying we are going over to micheallyster for the sunday game live
its still only saturday
Last edited by Angry-Ball; 19-06-10, 16:09.
"Remember the time he ate my goldfish? And you lied and said I never had goldfish. Then why did I have the bowl, Bart? Why did I have the bowl?"Comment
-
Up DownComment
-
-
Anelka, whose nickname is “The Incredible Sulk,” reportedly told Domenech: “Go f–k yourself. You dirty son of a bitch.” He was grinning at the end of the match, after France lost 2-0 to Mexico without mustering a shot on target.
Comment
-
-
Comment
-
Bunch of fucking idiots!Originally posted by cooker3 View Post"you raise, i kill you" El Tren :{)Comment
-
-
He put in a little "hope to come back" at the end and Maloney cut across him before he got a chance to put the plea out to us to launch a facebook campaign to get him Gyles'es jobOriginally posted by thedini View Post
Comment
-
Hmmm... if you hadn't been the one who posted it I'd say they are some decent bets. The Meath one in particular.Originally posted by bubbleking View PostYou are technically correct...the best kind of correct
World Record Holder for Long Distance Soul Reads: May 7th 2011Comment
-
fucking ipoker donks
"Remember the time he ate my goldfish? And you lied and said I never had goldfish. Then why did I have the bowl, Bart? Why did I have the bowl?"Comment
-
Niclas Bendtner will light up south Africa tonightComment
-
-
He will be the only pundit on the planet giving out that Diego's not playing enough attacking players and could easily get another winger on the pitch somewhereOriginally posted by KevIRL View PostWill be great fun when Ozzie arrives
Comment
Comment