Footbol

[kickingfrog]

As someone with no allegiance to a specific team it is very entertaining to watch the world cup.

 

Supreme athletic ability

Great spectacle

Drama

Questionable calls

and grown men flopping on the ground like 7 year old girls who have been slapped.

 

A true fan of a team I'm sure would be driven mad, but for me, it is simply great entertainment.

[alexcba]

even when my team is in it i still make fun and call them morons. "oh no a gust of wind! im gonna fall down and grab my face and knee at the same time hoping the wind will get a card.."

 

this is why hockey players will always be tougher than soccer players. stamina maybe not, but toughness for sure. no argument.

[JohnF]

Hopefully we can keep this soccer thread alive with no one trying to turn it into a personal political football (pun intended).

 

I'm not a soccer fan but it's gotten so first thing before dinner I'm turning the tv to the FIFA report and then watching the feature game rerun later in the evening. My wife's not thrilled but that's why we got a tv for the bedroom. Soccer is more important than survivor or one of those silly shows. I can't believe my apparently intelligent wife wastes time watching shows like that.

 

I figger I'll soon know enuf about it to start picking teams to cheer for.

 

JF

[Paully]

BBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[HTHM]

even when my team is in it i still make fun and call them morons. "oh no a gust of wind! im gonna fall down and grab my face and knee at the same time hoping the wind will get a card.."

 

this is why hockey players will always be tougher than soccer players. stamina maybe not, but toughness for sure. no argument.

So, playing one full game with a broken elbow, another two with a fractured upper arm, having my nose broken on 5 different occasions, three teeth kicked through my lower lip, and having my knee sprained are not signs of toughness? After all of these injuries I got up and ran back to my goal.

The players on the field take the same hits as hockey players do, but without the equipment and the ability to hit back for fear of ejection.

[Governator]

I've never been a fan of soccer, infact up until this tournament I had never seen a full soccer game in my life. But thanks to some great streaming of the games on CBC.ca I've been watching most games monday-friday while working. It's actually become a bit of an addiction and I've finally understood most (if not all) of the rules of the game.

 

These guys are true athletes, albeit some are very disrepectful to the game itself. I couldn't imagine running for 90min+ with only a short break inbetween.

[alexcba]

your preaching to the choir bro. i played in my teen years, been hurt many times, but the soccer we play was no where near as dramatic as the soccer these pro's play.. listen i didn't mean to step on your toes there, so sorry if i did but you know aswell as i do that when it comes to fifa and euro these guys act more than they play. if you wanna see them play real soccer then watch them play their club games not this spectacle. don't tell me during this world cup you haven't seen the wind magically take people out on more than a few occasions. i stand firm tho.. hockey players are tougher.. you are just tough as an individual.

Edited June 24, 2010 by alexcba

[JohnF]

your preaching to the choir bro. i played in my teen years, been hurt many times, but the soccer we play was no where near as dramatic as the soccer these pro's play.. listen i didn't mean to step on your toes there, so sorry if i did but you know aswell as i do that when it comes to fifa and euro these guys act more than they play. if you wanna see them play real soccer then watch them play their club games not this spectacle. don't tell me during this world cup you haven't seen the wind magically take people out on more than a few occasions. i stand firm tho.. hockey players are tougher.. you are just tough as an individual.

 

Hockey players must be wimps. They wear cups. Soccer players just grab for the family jewels when threatened.

 

JF

[alexcba]

LMAO!!

[JohnF]

LMAO!!

 

I told my wife last night after she commented on their apparent fascination with their own boys that I was ok with all the grabbing but if I ever saw them helping each other out my interest in soccer was over.

 

JF

[alexcba]

hahahahaha just youtube "vinnie jones" he was notorious for the franks and beans twister on the field.. altho not really helping he would just put people on the ground lol.

[JohnF]

hahahahaha just youtube "vinnie jones" he was notorious for the franks and beans twister on the field.. altho not really helping he would just put people on the ground lol.

 

That hurts just thinking about it. We had a crazy old guy (rich guy) here in town who thought it was a riot to come up behind a guy at a party, reach between his legs and give him a tweak.

 

Jeez. I'm starting to realize why I played hockey as a kid. Soccer guys were too tough.

 

JF

[torco]

I am wallowing in Italy's defeat. With Canada not in the tournament, I reverted to my roots to cheer for, but with the Azzurri playing so poorly the question is who do i get behind and cheer for now?

[canadadude]

I am wallowing in Italy's defeat. With Canada not in the tournament, I reverted to my roots to cheer for, but with the Azzurri playing so poorly the question is who do i get behind and cheer for now?

USA-USA-USA

[alexcba]

I am wallowing in Italy's defeat. With Canada not in the tournament, I reverted to my roots to cheer for, but with the Azzurri playing so poorly the question is who do i get behind and cheer for now?

 

im sure john will tell you that who ever you decide to get behind, don't tweak his tackle! lol!

[JohnF]

im sure john will tell you that who ever you decide to get behind, don't tweak his tackle! lol!

 

Hey. After watching these games I'm afraid to even stand beside two other guys in a line.

 

I'm thinking I'd like to cheer for the US but that's just sentiment. I doubt they're going very far. I'm still trying to figger out who the teams most likely to last are.

 

This is great entertainment, isn't it?

 

JF

[alexcba]

latin teams, portugal/brazil.. best bet to getting to the end. if germany gets passed england then watch out!

[Guest Johnny Bass]

I am wallowing in Italy's defeat. With Canada not in the tournament, I reverted to my roots to cheer for, but with the Azzurri playing so poorly the question is who do i get behind and cheer for now?

 

ARGENTINA! A vast population of Argentina is ITALIAN! If the Portuguese can have Brazil, we can have Argentina!!! Boo to the Italian goaltender. He made one save and it was going wide anyways! Lippi sucked as a coach. How Camoranesi was not played I dont know(he was the best player in game 2. DI Natale sucked too. We needed Alberto Gilardino instead. How old players like Grosso, Inzaghi, Luca Toni, did not make the team, I dont know.

 

Oh well. Cant win them all. Go Argentina!!! Tomorrow will be the game to watch. Brazil VS Portugal!

[Guest Johnny Bass]

The two defensive teams are out(France and Italy). Leaving some high scoring teams like Spain, Argentina, Netherlands and Brazil to do some real damage.

[torco]

Yeah I like the look of Argentina, the italians needed a change in mindset. They have skilled players but refuse to play attacking football until its too late.

[BillsTheBassMan]

I'm a German Supporter as I'm German/English Background and I'm kind of worried.

 

Next Match Vs England, The following match in all likelihood vs Argentina. VERY VERY Difficult.

 

The world cup, the eurocup, and Champions league are always great events, even for casual fans. This world cup, as kicking frog stated, has been providing tons of great enterntainment.

 

My hats off to the South Africans for putting on a very well organized show and hosting this great tournament. It only gets better from here.

 

No Italy = Awesome - always been my second most hated squad - bunch of divers.

 

No France = Great - They shouldn't have been there anyways.

 

No Portugal = Hopefully - They are my most hated squad. Divers, Cheats, Whiners, Whimps, Actors, you name it, they play it.

 

I suspect I'll support whoever beats the Germans (should they lose) whether it be the three lions or Maradona and Co (which is where I think the Germans will lose).

[cuzza]

I think Argentina look ominously good along with Holland. I don't hold out much hope for England on Sunday.

 

This is Vinnie Jones in action on Paul Gascoigne......

 

[BillsTheBassMan]

I think Argentina look ominously good along with Holland. I don't hold out much hope for England on Sunday.

 

This is Vinnie Jones in action on Paul Gascoigne......

 

 

The Dutch always unravel. At the last Euro they looked more devastating before falling apart in a 3-1 defeat against the Russians (who couldn't even qualify for the World Cup). The Dutch will fall apart somewhere along the way, and their defensive incapabilities will catch up with them.

 

The Argentinians could very well win this tournament and they seem more passionate than I have ever seen them, and love him or hate him, I credit that much to Maradona. He has easily been the most entertaining manager to watch. Like the dutch, Argentina suffers a bit in the backfield, but they have more firepower than anyone else in the tournament. They'll be relying on that out-balancing the subpar backfield (which is still significantly better than Hollands)

[misfish]

I'm a German Supporter as I'm German/English Background and I'm kind of worried.

 

Im not worried.They will beat England.

 

 

The following match in all likelihood vs Argentina. VERY VERY Difficult.

 

This one scares me more. If the Geramns can get past them,they should take the whole thing.

 

No Italy = Awesome - always been my second most hated squad - bunch of divers.

 

Finaly dont have to put up with a lard ass co-worker.HAHAHAHA.Boy were the Slovak fellas given him the razz after that game.

 

 

No Portugal = Hopefully - They are my most hated squad. Divers, Cheats, Whiners, Whimps, Actors, you name it, they play it.

 

Thats all I got to say about that.

[bongo]

The Dutch always unravel. At the last Euro they looked more devastating before falling apart in a 3-1 defeat against the Russians (who couldn't even qualify for the World Cup). The Dutch will fall apart somewhere along the way, and their defensive incapabilities will catch up with them.

 

The Argentinians could very well win this tournament and they seem more passionate than I have ever seen them, and love him or hate him, I credit that much to Maradona. He has easily been the most entertaining manager to watch. Like the dutch, Argentina suffers a bit in the backfield, but they have more firepower than anyone else in the tournament. They'll be relying on that out-balancing the subpar backfield (which is still significantly better than Hollands)

 

 

Definitely Argentina and the Netherlands in the end, glad Italy and Greece are out too much drama!!

 

Also, Japan, USA, and Uruguay have played some superb Football