2010 World Cup Thread

chuckywang · June 29, 2010

It's too bad none of the Americans stayed in South Africa to bail out England when they started losing to Germany.

SpongeWorthy · June 29, 2010

You mean Russians.

June 29, 2010

So every group winner advanced to the quarterfinals, excepting the US. Also, five of the seven actual seeded teams -- I'm not including South Africa -- advanced, with Italy and England being the exceptions. I don't believe we've seen an upset in the knockout rounds yet (SPI had USA-Ghana as a tossup). An upset is coming, though not many options for "monumental" one, obviously.

:(

chuckywang · June 29, 2010

Penalties in JAP-PAR.

The absolute STUPIDEST "overtime" in sports. Any team who wins a game on PK's should be ashamed of their win.

Derwood · June 30, 2010

they should have to replay the match, like in the English league Cups

wolf stansson · June 30, 2010

They should have to make their pk's.

June 30, 2010

Penalties in JAP-PAR.

The absolute STUPIDEST "overtime" in sports. Any team who wins a game on PK's should be ashamed of their win.

they should have to replay the match, like in the English league Cups

Got a realistic solution that works for every competition?

And no, replaying the match isn't a realistic solution in the World Cup. Also, they only replay the match once in the English League Cups now before going to extra time and penalties.

shnsajax · June 30, 2010

They should have to make their pk's.

Especially in a 0-0 game after 120 minutes.

chuckywang · June 30, 2010

Penalties in JAP-PAR.

The absolute STUPIDEST "overtime" in sports. Any team who wins a game on PK's should be ashamed of their win.

they should have to replay the match, like in the English league Cups

Got a realistic solution that works for every competition?

And no, replaying the match isn't a realistic solution in the World Cup. Also, they only replay the match once in the English League Cups now before going to extra time and penalties.

The only thing I can think of is play 9v9 or something like that. If there are no realistic solutions, then the game is flawed.

Jon · June 30, 2010

Trib[/url]"]Nigeria's president has suspended the national football team from international competition for two years after a poor showing at the World Cup.

Ima Niboro, a spokesman for President Goodluck Jonathan, made the announcement Wednesday, saying the ban would enable the country to reorganize its football administration.

Niboro said that all funding of the World Cup squad, including the hiring of Swedish coach Lars Lagerback, would be investigated.
........
Nigeria risks being banned by FIFA from all international football because of the political interference.

"At the time of writing, we have no official information on this matter," FIFA said in a statement. "However, in general, FIFA's position regarding political interference in football is well known."

Nigeria's next scheduled international match is a qualifier for the 2012 African Cup of Nations, at home to Madagascar in early September.

FIFA statutes demand that national federations manage their affairs independently, or face suspension from world football.

National and club teams, plus referees, would be barred from participating in international matches and football officials are prevented from attending meetings.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter had already expressed concern over the French government's investigation into France's first-round exit from the World Cup.

"Definitely I can tell you that political interference will be dealt with by FIFA notwithstanding what kind of interference and what is the size of the country," Blatter said Tuesday.

It sucks for the soccer fans in Nigeria, but I wouldn't terribly mind FIFA really laying down the law on Nigeria (and hopefully France) if they follow through with this.

I'm sure the people of Nigeria would just love the government if they were to be banned from World Cup qualification because of this.

Banedon · July 1, 2010

Heh...I don't think other sports are going to be as accepting of the vuvuzela's as FIFA is...

UFC president Dana White said Wednesday that vuvuzelas -- the beehive-sounding noisemakers that have become famous during soccer's biggest event -- are being banned at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.

That's when heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar will fight interim belt holder Shane Carwin.

"This decision was pretty simple," White said. "Vuvuzelas make the most horrific sound I've ever heard. I'd rather let Brock punch me in the face than hear 15,000 people blow on those things."

shnsajax · July 1, 2010

Javier Aguirre has resigned as the head coach of the Mexican National Team. He was probably the best thing to happen to Mexico in some time. Maybe Hugo Sanchez will take over for the 4th or 5th time.

wolf stansson · July 1, 2010

Javier Aguirre has resigned as the head coach of the Mexican National Team. He was probably the best thing to happen to Mexico in some time. Maybe Hugo Sanchez will take over for the 4th or 5th time.

I think they'll back up a truck of cash for Marcelo Bielsa which is probably an awesome move for them. If he got them playing like Chile, they could be a bitch.

shnsajax · July 1, 2010

Javier Aguirre has resigned as the head coach of the Mexican National Team. He was probably the best thing to happen to Mexico in some time. Maybe Hugo Sanchez will take over for the 4th or 5th time.
I think they'll back up a truck of cash for Marcelo Bielsa which is probably an awesome move for them. If he got them playing like Chile, they could be a bitch.

That requires Mexico committing to one coach for a full 4 years. Are they capable of that?

Jon · July 1, 2010

Yahoo Sports[/url]"]Diego Maradona is Argentina’s irascible coach and former mega-star player. He had gotten word that German player Bastian Schweinsteiger was complaining about Argentina’s tactics with the referees, the behavior of their fans and, of course, the dirty acts that went down during a brawl following Germany’s 2006 World Cup penalty kick victory.

So Maradona stared into a Fox Sports camera on Thursday and with a mock German accent asked:

“What’s the matter Schweinsteiger? Are you nerrrvoushhh?”

Bless Maradona and bless a quarterfinals match that is heating up by the moment.

Maradona is like Ozzie Guillen. Only Maradona has done more with his hands than Ozzie has ever done.

Soul · July 1, 2010

Heh...I don't think other sports are going to be as accepting of the vuvuzela's as FIFA is...

UFC president Dana White said Wednesday that vuvuzelas -- the beehive-sounding noisemakers that have become famous during soccer's biggest event -- are being banned at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.

That's when heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar will fight interim belt holder Shane Carwin.

"This decision was pretty simple," White said. "Vuvuzelas make the most horrific sound I've ever heard. I'd rather let Brock punch me in the face than hear 15,000 people blow on those things."

I don't mind them, but only because I know the WC is only going to last a little while.

I hope they don't start showing up in American sports like the NFL or MLB.

As an interesting little WC quirk, I think it's fine. Not on an ongoing basis.

Butterscup1679666578 · July 1, 2010

Didn't the Marlins recently have a vuvuzela promotion?

wolf stansson · July 1, 2010

Didn't the Marlins recently have a vuvuzela promotion?

If by problem, you mean they gave them away to the first 10,000 fans, then yes.

Butterscup1679666578 · July 1, 2010

Didn't the Marlins recently have a vuvuzela promotion?
If by problem, you mean they gave them away to the first 10,000 fans, then yes.

I don't get it.

July 1, 2010

Didn't the Marlins recently have a vuvuzela promotion?
If by problem, you mean they gave them away to the first 10,000 fans, then yes.

read better! :D

wolf stansson · July 1, 2010

Didn't the Marlins recently have a vuvuzela promotion?
If by problem, you mean they gave them away to the first 10,000 fans, then yes.
read better! :D

ahahaha...I'm an ass.

Carry on, Butters.

July 2, 2010

I'm going to end up watching the Ghana-Uruguay game anyway but the disappointed US homer in me wants to watch the second half added time of US-Algeria over and over again for the duration of Ghana-Uruguay.

shnsajax · July 2, 2010

I'm going to end up watching the Ghana-Uruguay game anyway but the disappointed US homer in me wants to watch the second half added time of US-Algeria over and over again for the duration of Ghana-Uruguay.

.

If Ghana wins I am going to feel even more sick