The World Cup

[Zom]

Nice perspective, '61. I notice Fifa didn't apologize to team USA, but at least they will look at goal line tech after the current competition:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 771294.stm

[footballguy51]

The argument about instant replay in soccer is interesting, but some sports commentators have made a good point: soccer is a sport of endurance where you play for 45 consecutive minutes each half. If we stop the game to check on calls (off-sides, etc.), the game becomes choppy and looses the affect. Football has set plays which start and stop, and during the time between plays the officials are able to check plays. In basketball, they review plays such as 2 or 3 point shots, but they only review those during official time-outs. In other words, basketball doesn't actually stop play to check on a shot, they just make a note to go back and check. How do you employ instant replay in soccer? You can't wait until halftime and go back to check on a goal or off-sides. The only thing they could realistically do is have technology that would sense when the ball crossed into the net. Maybe a light could turn on, similar to hockey. But, reviewing penalties should never be allowed, as you would either have to halt the game to verify, or wait until halftime (or the end of the game) to check (when it is too late to fix anything).

[Warthog]

Maybe soccer should figure out that you can stop and re-start the time clock for injures, replays, etc instead of that stupid, 'oh lets just add a random three minutes to the end of the game' thing.

[Lord_Byron]

Everyone always jumps directly to replay. They don't need replays, the need a goal judge.

And Warthog is right, they need to keep the official time on the board and stop the clock during "stoppage time". Half ends at 45minutes everytime that way.

Stopping diving and fake injuries would be nice, also.

[hammb]

Everyone always jumps directly to replay. They don't need replays, the need a goal judge.

And Warthog is right, they need to keep the official time on the board and stop the clock during "stoppage time". Half ends at 45minutes everytime that way.

Stopping diving and fake injuries would be nice, also.

You guys are acting like soccer should be an actual sport that people want to watch. Let's just leave it where it is. God forbid it were to gain any popularity and we'd have to hear MORE about it. I can handle it when the only mention of soccer is once every 4 years...I'm thankful the US still kinda sucks.

It just blows that the world cup is coinciding with one of the great sporting events of the year (Wimbledon) and taking some coverage away from that. This Wimbledon featured on of the greatest tennis matches of all time, and still we hear more about a bunch of guys kicking a white ball...

[i zig a zoomba]

Everyone always jumps directly to replay. They don't need replays, the need a goal judge.

And Warthog is right, they need to keep the official time on the board and stop the clock during "stoppage time". Half ends at 45minutes everytime that way.

Stopping diving and fake injuries would be nice, also.

You guys are acting like soccer should be an actual sport that people want to watch. Let's just leave it where it is. God forbid it were to gain any popularity and we'd have to hear MORE about it. I can handle it when the only mention of soccer is once every 4 years...I'm thankful the US still kinda sucks.

It just blows that the world cup is coinciding with one of the great sporting events of the year (Wimbledon) and taking some coverage away from that. This Wimbledon featured on of the greatest tennis matches of all time, and still we hear more about a bunch of guys kicking a white ball...

I'm sure these tennis players you are talking about would disagree, since 90 percent of them are avid soccer fans. If soccer is just guys kicking a white ball, then tennis is just two people hitting a yellow ball. Soccer is actual popular in this country, just because it isn't talked about on mainstream stations dosn't mean people don't pay attention to the better leagues in Europe. The main reason soccer is not talked about or on air is due to commercials. In football, there is a commercial break after every possession, every timeout, every quarter, every chance they get there is a commercial. Soccer you hardly have time for commercials which is where the money is made for these big time American sports. Just because you personally don't like soccer doesn't mean it isn't popular here. I absolutely hate Lady Ga Ga but I know she is popular. Maybe that's why I hate her, because she is popular. If the Major League Soccer product was better then the best leagues in the world, you would here about it more then every four years. Fox Soccer Channel is where us soccer fans get our fix, not ESPN.

Replay is not needed in soccer. However two goal line officials is. They used this system in the UEFA Champions League Finals and I'm baffled as why it would not be used in the worlds biggest tournament for this sport. The sport doesn't need any technology, it needs to make sure goals are goals, and bad refs aren't allowed to ref any longer. Just like in every sport, bad calls are made.

[i zig a zoomba]

sorry I used then, when I should have typed thAn. And the whole diving and fake injuries is extremely annoying. Just like in basketball when these guys flop and scream AHHHHH and want fouls called, that is basically the soccer version, just less dramatic.

[TG1996]

Maybe soccer should figure out that you can stop and re-start the time clock for injures, replays, etc instead of that stupid, 'oh lets just add a random three minutes to the end of the game' thing.

The extra time in the US-Ghana game was ridiculous in that respect. The first extra period, I counted four minutes of goal celebration and faked injuries by the Ghana-reans (credit: my brother), but 1 minute was added. In the second extra period, it was played fairly straight-up, but they added 3 minutes.

Then in the Japan game today, the ref blew the second extra period over as Japan lined up for a free kick with 119:40 showing on the clock.

Seems like there are way too many fixes to clean up the "inexact science" of officiating and way too few people listening.

[Warthog]

I'm thankful the US still kinda sucks.

My first thought after 'we' lost the other day was, well at least I won't have to waste any more of my time pretending to give a s**t about soccer.

[BGorDeath]

I'm still waiting for my Little Debbie snack cake and juice box since the US lost. I expect a trophy, too.

[threestooges]

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's matches. I think Brazil-Netherlands has the potential to be a great one, and Uruguay-Ghana could be very entertaining as well.

I'd better go stock up on Little Debbie snack cakes and juice boxes.

[i zig a zoomba]

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's matches. I think Brazil-Netherlands has the potential to be a great one, and Uruguay-Ghana could be very entertaining as well.

I'd better go stock up on Little Debbie snack cakes and juice boxes.

Yes, I'm pretty geared up for the matches. Referee drama free hopefully. I'll be pulling for the Oranje. They haven't really put it all together yet, but tomorrow is judgment day. Should be a great attacking game. Brasil, Holland, Spain, and Argentina are my favorite teams to watch for their styles.

I think I'll stick with the usual Capri Sun and orange slices for halftime though. Then later I'm going to play some baseball and have the usual as well... steroids and chew.

[Flipper]

Remember...chew the tobacco and inject the steroids.....doing the opposite could be very detrimental

[Zom]

The Dutch are now 24 games unbeaten and have won nine in a row.

Remember Holland's "total football" of the 1970's when they scored at will with line drives from about 75 yards? More like "totally awesome football".

I bet Johann Cruyff fancies a Netherlands/Germany final. Me too.

And they wear orange.

[TG1996]

And they wear orange.

As good a reason as any to pick a favorite going in! Although I still think the numbers on their uniforms look like they were put on last minute with electrical tape.