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ktabz16 · Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 9:09 am Post subject: World Cup 2014

The World Cup has already started. Contrary to popular belief, the World Cup as televised is simply the final round of the World Cup. The technical name for the month long event is the World Cup Finals. World Cup qualifying has already started and every nation in the world has a shot by earning it on the field.

The US National team has a new coach and some new players and we're looking good. We dispatched Scotland this past weekend 5-1. http://www.ussoccer.com/media-library/Videos/US-Men/2012/05/120526-USA-SCO-Highlights.aspx Check out the second goal by Michael Bradley, one of the best I've ever seen by a US player. I've been a critic of MB in the past but he was transferred to Serie A in Italy and has raised the level of his passing to unbelievable heights.

The US are in the midst of 5 games in 18 days and are on a 5 game winning streak including winning in Italy 1-0 late last year. Tonight we take on a young Brazil side on ESPN2. This is not the Bob Bradley squad of the past, we press and pass and control the game and it's fun to watch.

Chemical Ali · Senior Joined: 10 Apr 2003 Posts: 1352

Not a very encouraging result against Canada, but hopefully the pieces will come together. Dempsey was insane in the last EPL season, so maybe that will transfer over.

In the meantime, go Netherlands! (Euro 2012) and Go Mozambique! (CAN World Cup qualifying)
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ktabz16 · Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:52 am Post subject:

i have a feeling the boys have been working hard and last night's result was more klinsmann testing to see how far he could push them in training before games while he still had a chance. The next 2 count and i expect to see a much fresher squad than we saw last night.

also onyewu does nothing for me at defender, too slow to defend, no passing skills out of the back, hes a relic of the american "boot it" mentality.

Chemical Ali · Senior Joined: 10 Apr 2003 Posts: 1352

MJatUM · Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:55 pm Post subject:

For those that care... Local boy Geoff Cameron is playing with the team in qualifying right now. Geoff is from Attleboro and played at WVU and URI before being "drafted" into the MLS and Houston.

He has an outside shot at being the 23rd man on the WC squad.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Cameron

http://www.chron.com/sports/dynamo/article/Dynamo-s-Cameron-called-back-for-shot-at-U-S-team-3572424.php
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"When I got the call, there were no negotiations, just when can I come?" -DK

Old Cage · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:11 pm Post subject:

So today at lunch in a bar there is a Euro Cup game on a tv in the distance. All I know is that the red team is playing the blue team.

I have never seen such a flopfest. Every seven seconds a guy on one team or the other is writhing in agony, The replays show that quite often the half dead guy was not even touched. A minute later he is back in the action as if nothing has happened. Yikes.
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"Jack didn’t have any envy in him," Calipari said. "He was the greatest coach to ever coach here."

DrG · Hall of Fame Joined: 02 Apr 2003 Posts: 2171 Location: MA

I have a theory on this. You don't see this too much in club football because they practice nearly year-round and the teams are much more cohesive. In international play, the national teams are thrown together without a lot of practice so players are more prone to shortcuts like flopping. It's not pretty and it doesn't do much for the sport. I used to love international football but now I can't wait for the EPL to start again. (Easy for me to say after what my beloved Chelsea did in the Champions League.)

ktabz16 · Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 10:55 pm Post subject:

DrG · Hall of Fame Joined: 02 Apr 2003 Posts: 2171 Location: MA

Yeah, I forgot to say the NBA is right up there in flopology!

harbo · Senior Joined: 02 Apr 2003 Posts: 1460

Maybe someone can invent the Flop-o-Meter, so that we can rank the flops. I'm partial to the flops where there is about a one second delay between the alleged contact and the flop. The longer the delay the higher you score on the Flop-o-Meter.

I also appreciated the ESPN commercial mocking the art of flopping.

wsjer88 · Sophomore Joined: 30 Dec 2006 Posts: 210 Location: Boston

ktabz16 · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:41 am Post subject:

drg, my theory is that the english culture frowns upon flopping so it doesn't happen as much in the EPL and the anglo leagues (mls included). in other parts of the world it is part of how the players learn the game. personally it annoys the crap out of me.

watch the us play a central american or caribean team and you'll see everything i hate about the game. flopping, ref intimidation. when we have a free kick they stand right in front of the ball. ridiculous time wasting with late leads (subs walking off rather than running and downright refusal to put the ball back in play). dirty plays and cry acting. i found a hacked feed for last night's us-guatamala wcq last night. the central americans used all of those tactics, and it was effective, it took us right out of our game.

Chemical Ali · Senior Joined: 10 Apr 2003 Posts: 1352

No great fan of Italy, but absolutely great to watch England gown down in a shootout. Poor England. Let the self-pity begin.
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"Time is going really, really, really, really slow. What's the score of the Red Wings game?"

DrG · Hall of Fame Joined: 02 Apr 2003 Posts: 2171 Location: MA

Italy was by far the better side today, so no problem with the result. They really get screwed by the schedule, however. Germany gets five days rest while Italy gets only three after a 120-minute game. Even Michael Ballack said it's unfair. Everything is falling Germany's way and I will be very surprised if they don't win it all.

Old Cage · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 8:44 pm Post subject:

G: "Everything is falling Germany's way and I will be very surprised if they don't win it all."

Your statement would also be on the mark (pun intended) if you were discussing economies and/or currencies.
_________________
"Jack didn’t have any envy in him," Calipari said. "He was the greatest coach to ever coach here."