John Adams

Germany will get some set pieces and they are devastating on set pieces. The US will need at elast one goal to tie and it won't be easy. I do not expect Germany to play super aggressive or risk injury but I also don't expect them to just boot the ball around without intent. If it's 1-1 with 25 minutes to go, Germany will hold back knowing they won the group. But it will take a lot of great US play to get to that point.

They look good so far. 0-0 was my prediction. Sticking to that.

Soccer already draws a ton of youth players. We don't lack for interest. Hell, there are more kids playing soccer here than there are people in Costa Rica and Uruguay combined. The academy system here is just finally forming here though, and it's because of the rise in popularity in soccer. Give it about 10-15 years and the US will have several true world class talents. Those kids are 6-8 years old now and the academies will pick up on them in the next 2-5 years and give them top notch (sorry dad coaches) training. The trick is keeping the best players off the crappy school teams where they learn nothing from (generally) bad coaches. Sure our players have bad touch--that's because they get bad training early on in fundamentals. But worse, they get bad mental training late from lousy middle and high school coaches. The problem with Freddy is that he was a crazy skilled 14 year old who never got taller or faster than he was at 14. I had the (dis)pleasure of seeing him play in Philly last year. He could still do some amazing things and even though it was clear he hit the weights, the guy was about 5-4 140 lbs. And he was godawful slow. Pretty ineffective on the field but had a little razzle dazzle here and there. Doug Flutie minus the heart. And he was a head case for some of those early years when he was the next Pele.

Fakety fake. Good way to sell mugs though.

True, I'm comparing this WC vs others though. This WC is getting a ton of viewership and that's even with a US team with no star power. Before the WC, most of the 24M people who watched on Monday probably couldn't name a single player on the US team, and if they could even come up with a name, they would have guessed Donavan, who was cut. At some point, the US will produce a breakout player--maybe not a Ronaldo but someone like Tim Howard but in the field. When that happens, the soccer viewrship will substantially spike up again. Until then, the yearly growth in attendance at MLS games, increased TV viewership, is great news. One thing that's huge about soccer too: Girls and women like it. Not only are the US Women #1, but no matter who's playing both sexes relate to the athletes. The US Women, when they play in the Olympics and WC, get big ratings. That's a mostly female viewership, although some of the guys are there just to see Alex Morgan, and who can blame them?

In perspective, the match got higher ratings on ESPN than their average MNF game. 18.2 million vs 13.3 million. That does not count the people watching on WatchESPN (1 million) and univision (6 million). Combined with the Univision audience, it beats the average World Series in the last 20 years except a couple in the 90s. Does not beat the NBA except a few crap years. Stanley Cup not really in the conversation on TV ratings--no one watches the Cup. I wonder if this will translate at all to MLS ratings. The in-stadium live experience is pretty much sold out but it's never had much TV audience. I watch "my" team but except for the finals and maybe an occasional playoff game, don't watch many matches of other teams. Probably would if they were more available.

Ever see a WR pull a fake flag from his hip? A corner jump around like he won the lottery after a routine pass breakup? A D lineman pose or sumo stomp? And on and on. That crap doesn't get penalized. Soccer leagues don't have shootouts. Only the tournaments, for the sake of exhaustion.

Not many American, English, or German fans would disagree. But it's a world sport and some people enjoy the show. Ever been dancing at a Hispanic dance club? No khakis and polos amigo. It's a spectacle. You don't have to get it but you should understand that it doesn't bother everyone as much as it does us. Watch enough soccer and you become numb to it. Like every time there's a dunk in basketball, someone has to flex in the camera or kangaroo strut up court. TD celebrations. Baseball nut scratches. None necessary. All annoying. All still happen. Fans of those sports get annoyed when it's raised back into their consciousness but overall forget about it while watching. In baseball, a hitter would have to reach into his pants and whip his dong out before anyone would think twice about how odd it is that guys are walking around grabbing their sack every 30 seconds.

Why would I explain this to you? You "lamest thing ever" valley girled up a soccer rule that's been around for a bazillion soccer matches and think that's a good topic of conversation? Like me proposing that home runs be worth 2 instead of one? Or 2 strikes and you're out to speed up the game. Take away dribbling in basketball to make it more like Ultimate Frisbee? Play hockey with a ball instead of a puck? All of this as an admitted nonfan? Non-elimination soccer games can end in ties. Just a fact. You can hate it but no soccer fan will really care to seriously debate such a fundamental rule of the game.

I didn't say shut up. But your strawman did so keep talking to him.

You mean where I keep quoting you is where I'm misquoting you? That's new "counselor." Actually, I explained this to you before. Glad you get it now. Here's what you said Boy Blunder. ""There is no such thing as attorney-client confidentiality based upon answers to questions asked by a third party." That statement was in the context of a discussion about Hillary waving A-C privilege based on her answers in the interview. So I'd say that context was relevant. But maybe you were having a discussion with an unseen presence here on PPP. When crayonz goes serious to correct you, you've lost. You'd be better off if he was calling you a Canadian. I suggest you brush up on your law. You're the expert right? Want to go a few rounds on Marbury vs. Madison legal eagle? Roe v. Wade?

Says a nonsoccer fan. I told someone else this before (not here). Two reasons he's playing: (1) He's the US teams ONLY central playmaker. There's no one even a close second to him in the middle of the field. The next time you see an attack originate from the middle from a good pass, let me know. All the US offense not coming through Bradley is us using our speed up the sides. So as bad as he is, he's as good as we have. (2) Although he's had some real stinkers at this cup and in some of the qualifiers, he's also had games like the first half last night where he's a consistent passer and threat. He's too good to keep on the bench.

The ridiculous thing you said bears repeating "There is no such thing as attorney-client confidentiality based upon answers to questions asked by a third party." Said another way regarding the scenario you were talking about, since you don't follow your own lahgik, "There is no such thing as attorney-client confidentiality based upon answers [by the attorney Hillary] to questions asked by [the interviewer]." The person answering was Hillary Clinton. The person asking was the third party interviewer. No one else was in the room. Interviewer asked attorney. This is not a scenario where the lawyer and client are talking and someone overhears it. If she answers the third party and mentions something privileged, she waives the privilege. Now Mr. TV Lawyer, do you get it yet? You are wrong. Perhaps you can consult a real lawyer and have them explain this to you.

Portugal over Ghana will be fine. They won't make up a 5 goal differential and if they do, the wheels are truly off. If Germany goes up by 1, they will park the bus and not take any chances, risk injury, etc. Remember: All the Germans need is a tie to win the group. 0-0 is the same as 10-0 for them. If you'd have said the US would be in this position a week ago, I'd have been thrilled. I don't expect that the US will be disheartened for more than a day. They just tied one of the best teams in the world and outplayed them for most of the match in a game that Portugal desperately needed.

Eff Ghana. They are not spoiling this party.

Lieber Joachim, Wie wäre es wenn wir nur kick den Ball um für 90 Minuten am Donnerstag? Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Jürgen Portugal is pretty much out, but expect them to play hard for a half. If it's close at the half, they might hold out for pride.

Lots of ways for the US to advance: US win, US tie, Ghana-Portugal tie, all advance US. And US loss with right goal counts in the other game also advances them. US are currently up 2 goals on Ghana in goal differential and 5 on Portugal. Unless Portugal wins in a rout and the US loses in a rout, a Portugal win would be great news for the US. So while you're watching when you take off from work on Thursday at noon, keep an eye on both games (played at the same time as always on the last day).

You may want to look for another role in real life. You said "There is no such thing as attorney-client confidentiality based upon answers to questions asked by a third party. " That's incorrect. If a third party asks a question and an attorney answers it by divulging something privileged, the disclosure waives the A-C privilege. It would be a problem.

Some of that is on Klinsman. He had the US keep the high pressure on the throw in (they showed him motioning the team to stay forward and not retreat) so they were caught upfield more than they could have been. Really hard to blame Cameron on goal 2. It was a perfect pass to the only place where his guy could get a head on it. The midfield giveaway was worse. Michael Michael Michael. I see people elsewhere calling for Bradley to be pulled but he's the best possession player and playmaker they have. Great first half. Bad second. And overall, bad Cup for him. Now for the hard game. Dempsey's pecker-goal would be legendary if not for that ending.

Ghana-Portugal tie is more likely than Germany US tie.

Gaaaaaah! Tough watching the US not able to play possession soccer and burn some clock. It was a great pass and finish--nothing taken away on that. Ghana-Portugal tie sends US through. US win sends US through. US tie sends US through. I say Jurgen calls in some favors and the US and Germany just pass the ball around for 90 minutes and both advance.

Howard is great. I'm watching from India and they didn't show the first shot replay, where it looked like he misplayed it, but the save was awesome. US brining good pressure. Like to see them do better on the set pieces. Corners have been a zero so far.

One thing to give up a goal on a good play. That was brutal. The US lacks good touch on a good day but Cameron's flub was nightmarish. Bradley looks much better today. They will need him.

She's not laughing off the rape. She's telling a story about people involved in the case. Hillary is a sneaky liar but this laughter-gate is much ado about nothing. Now the Right-PC police will make this into a big thing and Hillary will have to issue an apology. And god I'll feel so much better about it. I only play a lawyer on TV but what you said is not right. Not sure where she divulged confidential attorney-client communications in that audio. I listened to it a few days ago but mostly it seemed like she was telling stories of things that happened around the case or things that were in the public. If she said, "My client was telling me "blah blah blah," then she'd be breaking attorney client confidentiality."

Youth soccer isn't played on a full size field with 11 players each side. American soccer associations finally figured out that one ball-22 kids was a bad idea and now copy the European model of playing smaller sided games until kids are in their teens. In Europe, they mostly play 8v8 soccer until U15. Here we tend to make the switch at U13 but that's because high school coaches put pressure on the soccer clubs to prepare players for high school soccer. Stupid coaches think that learning formations matter for youth soccer.