OT: World Cup 2018

[Rocktheworld]

Lol

 

[intlzncster]

Lol

The English are totally going to riot no matter what happens from here on out. So glad we have smartphones now

 

[Rocktheworld]

The English are totally going to riot no matter what happens from here on out. So glad we have smartphones now

Well the most lulzy thing about it is that they did it at IKEA specifically

We'll see if they can find Croatian department stores to raid

 

[HuskyHawk]

Not so impressive from Croatia conceding that last goal and winning on penalties against a not very good Russian team. Still glad to see Russia out of it n

 

[intlzncster]

Well the most lulzy thing about it is that they did it at IKEA specifically

We'll see if they can find Croatian department stores to raid

Haha yeah I got that bit. I was just tangentially saying that English carnage is inevitable

 

[Waquoit]

Good World Cup for me. My two favorite teams are in the opposite half of the semis. And I can even root for France if they both lose.

I think the best teams went through.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

My France +700, England +1600, and Belgium +2000 bets I made are looking mighty tasty. Just need to fade Croatia.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Well the most lulzy thing about it is that they did it at IKEA specifically

At least the It's Coming Home-singing Englishmen didn't visit a Volvo Cars' dealership thinking the company's still Swedish-owned

 

[auror]

My France +700, England +1600, and Belgium +2000 bets I made are looking mighty tasty. Just need to fade Croatia.

Booo! Idemo Hrvatska!

 

[MadDogRevival]

Not so impressive from Croatia conceding that last goal and winning on penalties against a not very good Russian team. Still glad to see Russia out of it n

I watched the whole Russia/Cro game today. Two great scoring plays surrounded by a lot of uninspired play. Russians seemed to be playing a neutral-zone trap (hockey) equivalent. Was not exciting. Extra time was very exciting - should be sudden death, really.
Somebody with good soccer knowledge help me here. The guy on Croatia who hit the beautiful, long, bouncing header in for the 2nd Croatian goal - he played D sometimes with his arms behind his back to prevent the handball. The handball that led to the 2nd Russian goal, the Croatian defender blatantly threw his elbow/upper arm out into the ball. WduhF was that? It didn't look like he was beat if he just let the ball go. Was it just a really, really stupid play?

Also, I think Khawi Leonard needs to talk the Croatian goal tender about his quad tear. That goal tender had a completely torn hamstring muscle that was cured after 80 seconds of vigorous rubbing. It was inspiring.

 

[UConNick]

Vida warned over pro-Ukraine comments

Already been favoring Croatia the entire tournament but now I'm fully behind them. Love Vida, he played with Dynamo Kyiv for many years before joining Besiktas in Turkey. Absolute BS how a lot of the media I've seen about this has almost painted Vida as the offending party, the culprit. I understand the no politics rule for FIFA, but this is benign, just a show of solidarity and support for a country he called home for years. He's not the one committing atrocities against another sovereign nation. At the risk of getting Cesspool-y, I'll leave it at that. So happy Russia's done; Slava Ukrayini and Idi Hrvatska!

 

[gtcam]

The 3 Lions are destined to win

 

[UConnSwag11]

Really pulling for Croatia tomorrow. France and Belgium I don’t care. Hoping for great games in both

 

[auror]

I got engaged in Belgium and went on honeymoon to Croatia. Pretty easy for me. Until the final (hopefully).

 

[MadDogRevival]

Absolute BS how a lot of the media I've seen about this has almost painted Vida as the offending party, the culprit. I understand the no politics rule for FIFA, but this is benign, just a show of solidarity and support for a country he called home for years.

You're being unreasonable.
Vida said, "Glory to Ukraine." It wasn't "benign" at all. "Glory to Ukraine" is the expression that is used by anti-Russian Ukrainian nationalists. Very plainly, it was inflammatory and political and an attack on the host country.
I'm cheering for Croatia to win it - how could you not? A population slightly larger than CT.
But what Vida did was wrong. Very wrong. FIFA made a mistake. They should have suspended him for a 1/2 or a game to send a message. Can't let the sport be a springboard for people to vent about whatever is up their arse that day.
Every country has issues - the world cup is about setting aside those issues and playing soccer.
FIFA missed an opportunity.

 

[UConNick]

You're being unreasonable.
Vida said, "Glory to Ukraine." It wasn't "benign" at all. "Glory to Ukraine" is the expression that is used by anti-Russian Ukrainian nationalists. Very plainly, it was inflammatory and political and an attack on the host country.
I'm cheering for Croatia to win it - how could you not? A population slightly larger than CT.
But what Vida did was wrong. Very wrong. FIFA made a mistake. They should have suspended him for a 1/2 or a game to send a message. Can't let the sport be a springboard for people to vent about whatever is up their arse that day.
Every country has issues - the world cup is about setting aside those issues and playing soccer.
FIFA missed an opportunity.

I'm well aware of what he said; I said it later in my own post. The phrase is not supposed to be only used by nationalists, though it has been co-opted by the far right. It's more widely used as a basic expression of pride and has been long before even the rise of the USSR (read: 100+ years). I'd compare it to the Swastika, an Indian symbol of peace that was obviously also co-opted to much higher levels. It's a shame the Russian propaganda has successfully twisted the meaning of this phrase based off a fringe movement; it's akin to chanting "U-S-A, U-S-A." And if we're really feeling bad about Russia being "attacked" with a two-word phrase, why are they hosting such a massive event despite invading a sovereign country and corrupting elections in several others? FIFA's utter sleaze takes away any moral authority they can pretend to have.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Every country has issues - the world cup is about setting aside those issues and playing soccer.

If the Olympics didn't exist the World Cup would unquestionably be the most corrupt, politically-influenced sporting event on the planet. As it stands it's 1 or 1A.

 

[Waquoit]

If the Olympics didn't exist the World Cup would unquestionably be the most corrupt, politically-influenced sporting event on the planet. As it stands it's 1 or 1A.

I don't think the on-pitch product is corrupt.

 

[Robertelamin]

You're being unreasonable.
Vida said, "Glory to Ukraine." It wasn't "benign" at all. "Glory to Ukraine" is the expression that is used by anti-Russian Ukrainian nationalists. Very plainly, it was inflammatory and political and an attack on the host country.
I'm cheering for Croatia to win it - how could you not? A population slightly larger than CT.
But what Vida did was wrong. Very wrong. FIFA made a mistake. They should have suspended him for a 1/2 or a game to send a message. Can't let the sport be a springboard for people to vent about whatever is up their arse that day.
Every country has issues - the world cup is about setting aside those issues and playing soccer.
FIFA missed an opportunity.

Yeah they really missed an opportunity

 

[HuskyHawk]

You're being unreasonable.
Vida said, "Glory to Ukraine." It wasn't "benign" at all. "Glory to Ukraine" is the expression that is used by anti-Russian Ukrainian nationalists. Very plainly, it was inflammatory and political and an attack on the host country.
I'm cheering for Croatia to win it - how could you not? A population slightly larger than CT.
But what Vida did was wrong. Very wrong. FIFA made a mistake. They should have suspended him for a 1/2 or a game to send a message. Can't let the sport be a springboard for people to vent about whatever is up their arse that day.
Every country has issues - the world cup is about setting aside those issues and playing soccer.
FIFA missed an opportunity.

Perhaps if the Russians hadn't invaded the Ukraine they might not be as sensitive to criticism about it.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I don't think the on-pitch product is corrupt.

Debatable, but that's got nothing to do with this idea that the world cup is about putting politics aside.

 

[intlzncster]

Pulling for Belgium today. Probably the last chance for their golden generation. I do think France is better, but betting against Thibault has not worked out well for me.

Besides, France will be ridiculous in 2022.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Pulling for Belgium today. Probably the last chance for their golden generation. I do think France is better, but betting against Thibault has not worked out well for me.

Besides, France will be ridiculous in 2022.

I'm hoping for an England - Belgium final. If England can't win, I'd like to see a new winner, Belgium or Croatia. So....not France (who as you point out are loaded next time anyway).

 

[Rocktheworld]

Debatable, but that's got nothing to do with this idea that the world cup is about putting politics aside.

Given how the US wasn’t a clear-cut favorite over lone competitor Morocco for the 2026 cup, apparently mostly because of how the world views our president and his policies... yeah there’s no way you can say that politics are separate from this event. They should be, of course

 

[auror]

Belgium D positioning looking good so far. They're locked in.