OT: World Cup

[UConnSwag11]

Some videos to get everybody pumped!!(I am torn though about it)

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[husky99]

I am not sold on this Brazil squad. I think Germany or Argentina wins

 

[UConnSwag11]

I am not sold on this Brazil squad. I think Germany or Argentina wins

I still think Spain is the team to beat. I can see Argentina making a run. I believe it's messi's year

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[alfonse]

http://thebiglead.com/2014/06/11/graphic-the-most-popular-beer-from-every-2014-world-cup-country/

 

[bobbygt]

My favorite world cup goal by my favorite all-time player!

 

[elduderino]

Hard to say Uruguay or Holland are sleepers but at between 25 and 30 to 1 each, theyre looking like good buys to me. Especially Uruguay.

 

[Gurleyman]

Belgium was my dark horse - but then they got an easy group and became everyone's trendy pick. Plus, Fellaini wasn't in good form this year with ManU, but we'll see if that carries over.

 

[Gurleyman]

This one made my jaw drop in 2010:



And, of course, you have to put this one in this thread (not for Donovan's finish, but the drama and end to end rush):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k29wBfLmNP0

 

[UConnSwag11]

some pretty bs calls, that Penalty and then the no call before Brasils third goal

 

[UConnSwag11]

I am not sold on this Brazil squad. I think Germany or Argentina wins

they looked pretty bad/average today... slow, sloppy, nothing special

 

[intlzncster]

I still think Spain is the team to beat. I can see Argentina making a run. I believe it's messi's year

I like Spain in this one, given the pace they play at in these conditions. I'll believe it when I see it with Messi in the WC. I won't be surprised if he dominates, but I'm not going to hold my breath either.

 

[dogpause]

The WC has become one of my favorite sports events. Even though I watch almost no soccer except for USMNT games, I'll watch eery WC game that I can.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I like Spain in this one, given the pace they play at in these conditions. I'll believe it when I see it with Messi in the WC. I won't be surprised if he dominates, but I'm not going to hold my breath either.

The Spain Holland game is going to be a good one today. I can see Holland giving Spain a run for their money or even winning

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

I have Belgium vs. Columbia in both of my ESPN brackets.

Long shot for that to happen but like both teams quite a bit.

 

[Strummer]

I've really tried to like soccer over the years. It's an entertaining game. I suppose it doesn't help that the U.S. team isn't a top team despite having 20 million kids playing rec soccer at any given moment in this country.

Watched Croatia/Brazil. Not a soccer guy, but Croatia appeared to get jobbed pretty badly.

I know soccer guys absolutely hate when non-soccer guys suggest changing the rules, but that's what needs to happen here. 1 official calling the whole field? The call on the Croat for the PK was just ridiculous. The flopping is ridiculous. It makes Duke look like amateurs. It makes the game very difficult to watch for someone like me, a non-hardcore soccer fan.

Rules need to change. Start with this - the penalty kick system is just plain stupid. A whistle gets blown, and a guy gets a kick that he makes 80% of the time or more? And then a 2-1 lead is virtually insurmountable? And he wasn't facing the goal and he had little chance of scoring, if any? Doesn't seem like an 80% shot is the correct reward for the infraction. Maybe have different levels of penalty kick, depending on what was happening at the time of the foul.

Soccer is so popular in the rest of the world, that I can't see any changes ever being implemented. It's like having the #1 talk show on TV for 50 years running. Why make a change?

If the game is decided by one guy flopping and an official awarding a kick that goes in 80% of the time and that most likely decides the game, then that official needs to have somebody reviewing the calls, minimally.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

I've really tried to like soccer over the years. It's an entertaining game. I suppose it doesn't help that the U.S. team isn't a top team despite having 20 million kids playing rec soccer at any given moment in this country.

Watched Croatia/Brazil. Not a soccer guy, but Croatia appeared to get jobbed pretty badly.

I know soccer guys absolutely hate when non-soccer guys suggest changing the rules, but that's what needs to happen here. 1 official calling the whole field? The call on the Croat for the PK was just ridiculous. The flopping is ridiculous. It makes Duke look like amateurs. It makes the game very difficult to watch for someone like me, a non-hardcore soccer fan.

Rules need to change. Start with this - the penalty kick system is just plain stupid. A whistle gets blown, and a guy gets a kick that he makes 80% of the time or more? And then a 2-1 lead is virtually insurmountable? And he wasn't facing the goal and he had little chance of scoring, if any? Doesn't seem like an 80% shot is the correct reward for the infraction. Maybe have different levels of penalty kick, depending on what was happening at the time of the foul.

Soccer is so popular in the rest of the world, that I can't see any changes ever being implemented. It's like having the #1 talk show on TV for 50 years running. Why make a change?

If the game is decided by one guy flopping and an official awarding a kick that goes in 80% of the time and that most likely decides the game, then that official needs to have somebody reviewing the calls, minimally.

These changes have either previously been implemented or have been discussed.

They've done numerous things in recent years to change/bring the game up to speed. They now have an official at the end of each goal line and have gone to goal line technology for all goals in the world cup. No longer is it being called a goal/no goal from someone standing 30 yards away.

They've discussed adding a second referee to the center of the field, but IMO as someone was has played all throughout my life and in college, and reffed at a decently high level, that wouldn't help the problem and would only add to the confusion.

Years ago, to get a penalty, you had to be denied a goal scoring opportunity. I.e., any foul in the box wasn't automatically a penalty. Something like yesterdays PK, at the discretion of the ref, may not have been a penalty when that rule was in place.

Sure theres things that could be changed and probably will change going forward as the game evolves and technology evolves.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Belgium was my dark horse - but then they got an easy group and became everyone's trendy pick. Plus, Fellaini wasn't in good form this year with ManU, but we'll see if that carries over.

Belgium has been a trendy pick for like a year, since Hazard broke out and got filthy. Even without Bentenke, that's a filthy roster. I love Lukaku.

 

[CallMeBruce]

This one made my jaw drop in 2010:



And, of course, you have to put this one in this thread (not for Donovan's finish, but the drama and end to end rush):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k29wBfLmNP0

What makes that goal brilliant is how well Donovan runs the counter. We're going to miss him in this tournament.

 

[Waquoit]

I like Spain in this one, given the pace they play at in these conditions. I'll believe it when I see it with Messi in the WC. I won't be surprised if he dominates, but I'm not going to hold my breath either.

At least he doesn't have a washed up old junkie for a coach this go-round.

 

[intlzncster]

At least he doesn't have a washed up old junkie for a coach this go-round.

This is true. That is a plus. Though have you seen Maradona lately? He looks positively svelte. Must be back on the coke.

 

[intlzncster]

I have Belgium vs. Columbia in both of my ESPN brackets.

Long shot for that to happen but like both teams quite a bit.

That a super long shot blue. A European team in South America vs a side without their stud striker.

But if you win, it will be glorious!

 

[intlzncster]

The Spain Holland game is going to be a good one today. I can see Holland giving Spain a run for their money or even winning

Definitely. I'm excited for it.

And just to be clear, my pick to win it is definitely still Brazil. All anyone had to do was watch that ref jobbing of Croatia to see just why.

Also, I think they'll get stronger as the cup goes on. Neymar didn't even play great and he got 2 goals. He's going to thrive in his home country.

 

[intlzncster]

This one made my jaw drop in 2010:

That's literally a video game goal. Video reminded me how much I hated the numbers on the back of those Neth jerseys.