X. Benedict Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 There doesn't seem to be a sport where calls are as arbitrary and discretionary as in the FIFA world cup. That is why it is really hard to become passionate about this tournament. The world can keep it.
KD in CA Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 Any particular reason why the US guy who was all alone on the right side of the goal box after his defender fell down with a minute left didn't shoot, instead choosing to pass to a guy who was covered by 3 guys? I guess I don't understand this game.
taterhill Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 Any particular reason why the US guy who was all alone on the right side of the goal box after his defender fell down with a minute left didn't shoot, instead choosing to pass to a guy who was covered by 3 guys? I guess I don't understand this game. 712386[/snapback] nice pic of the kid...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 That game showed me why I never got into watching soccer. Lousy officiating, diving players, kick the ball halfway down the field, get stopped, kick it back the other way. Thanks but no thanks.
LewPort71 Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 Now Ghana gets to play Brazil...... Good luck... and congrats to Italy and their fans for winning the Group of Death...
BuffOrange Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 There doesn't seem to be a sport where calls are as arbitrary and discretionary as in the FIFA world cup. That is why it is really hard to become passionate about this tournament. The world can keep it. 712384[/snapback] Yep, at least it's only soccer
Fewell733 Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 US did not deserve to advance. We were clearly the worst of the group. Everybody beat the Czechs, we lost 3-0. Ghana could have easily beat the Czecks 6-0 if it weren't for their ridiculous goal tender. If we had bothered to show up in the first game, this all might have been a different tournament for us. We showed little heart or passion- which there is no excuse for. Perhaps we need some fresh faces. Sad that this is the best this country can offer. Youth soccer is huge now, so hopefully in 5 to 10 years we'll be able to field a more competitive side. One that can both create and capitalize offensively. Just pathetic.
meazza Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 I blame Bush.No, seriously, if we hadn't invaded Iraq and pissed off the entire international community, we'd be getting calls. No, really, I believe that. 712325[/snapback] I really don't believe that FIFA would want to see the US get kicked out. FIFA already has the entire world market and would love to attract US fans since it is the only market in which they are not maximizing their revenue.
X. Benedict Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 I really don't believe that FIFA would want to see the US get kicked out. FIFA already has the entire world market and would love to attract US fans since it is the only market in which they are not maximizing their revenue. 712416[/snapback] Then explain the US group draw. It is hard to do if you use FIFA's own rankings.
meazza Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 I'm sorry about the result to those who followed the team closely.
meazza Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 Then explain the US group draw. It is hard to do if you use FIFA's own rankings. 712418[/snapback] If you look at the rankings, Italy was like 15-16th when the draw took place. USA was considered a better team. So the real top teams in the group was supposed to be Czech-USA and Italy-Ghana the underdogs. It is the stupidity of the Fifa rankings. US beats Trinidad & Tobago 3-0, and they get a higher ranking than a Italy squad that beat Germany 5-1. I know it's tough, I really though US was gonna win and Italy draw, but we did our part.
stinky finger Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 Shame........I really thought we were Ghana beat 'em.......
Fewell733 Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 Then explain the US group draw. It is hard to do if you use FIFA's own rankings. 712418[/snapback] The US team has no one to blame but themselves. One good effort out of 3 is not adequate. There are other very tough groups. Though there were also easy groups. Trying to put the blame anywhere but on themselves accomplishes nothing- as we Buffalo fans surely must have learned by now. It sucks that we're out, but we weren't playing well enough to get overly excited.
The Avenger Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 That game showed me why I never got into watching soccer. Lousy officiating, diving players, kick the ball halfway down the field, get stopped, kick it back the other way. Thanks but no thanks. 712389[/snapback] That, and the fact that a major superpower like the U.S. with a population of about 300 million can get beat by a country like Ghana who has the population and GDP of Deleware. Not too many Americans get fired up for that. Does anyone in the general population even know where Ghana is?
Ramius Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 great quote by my girl today watching the game (she also watched most fo the italy game) "Does the USA play dirty? Because everytime i see 2 players run into each other, the other team always falls down and gets hurt, but the US never does" And that my friends, along with match fixing, is why soccer will never catch on fully in the US. A bunch of pussies running around on the field. until they play like men, i refuse to respect the majority of the soccer world.
meazza Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 great quote by my girl today watching the game (she also watched most fo the italy game) "Does the USA play dirty? Because everytime i see 2 players run into each other, the other team always falls down and gets hurt, but the US never does" And that my friends, along with match fixing, is why soccer will never catch on fully in the US. A bunch of pussies running around on the field. until they play like men, i refuse to respect the majority of the soccer world. 712453[/snapback] oh well.
linksfiend Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 If you look at the rankings, Italy was like 15-16th when the draw took place. USA was considered a better team. So the real top teams in the group was supposed to be Czech-USA and Italy-Ghana the underdogs. It is the stupidity of the Fifa rankings. US beats Trinidad & Tobago 3-0, and they get a higher ranking than a Italy squad that beat Germany 5-1. I know it's tough, I really though US was gonna win and Italy draw, but we did our part. 712421[/snapback] Those rankings were horsesh--. I always looks a bookmaker odds. They know how to get things much more accurately than those stupid FIFA rankings. Pre-tournament, Italy was the favorite in our group at @15/1, the Czechs @30/1, USA 100/1, Ghana 130/1
meazza Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 Those rankings were horsesh--. I always looks a bookmaker odds. They know how to get things much more accurately than those stupid FIFA rankings. Pre-tournament, Italy was the favorite in our group at @15/1, the Czechs @30/1, USA 100/1, Ghana 130/1 712576[/snapback] That's what I was implying. They were asking how USA could get into this group of "death". Because they were ranked higher than the Italians.
linksfiend Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 That's what I was implying. They were asking how USA could get into this group of "death". Because they were ranked higher than the Italians. 712578[/snapback] Oh, that, well that's just the mechanics of the FIFA seedings. Italy was the top seed in our group. FIFA places the top eight seeds into different groups. The top 8 seeds were determined partially by FIFA ranking and partially by how you performed in the last 2 world cups. USA missed out on a top seed because of our last place finish in World Cup 1998. We came up as 9 seed based on those calculations. You can read all about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seeding_for_2006_FIFA_World_Cup After that, it is basically drawing balls out of hat. There are some rules about not having too many teams from the same region (Europe, Asia, CONCACAF) in the same group. But it basically boils down to some bad luck in the draw.
meazza Posted June 22, 2006 Posted June 22, 2006 Oh, that, well that's just the mechanics of the FIFA seedings. Italy was the top seed in our group. FIFA places the top eight seeds into different groups. The top 8 seeds were determined partially by FIFA ranking and partially by how you performed in the last 2 world cups. USA missed out on a top seed because of our last place finish in World Cup 1998. We came up as 9 seed based on those calculations. You can read all about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seeding_for_2006_FIFA_World_Cup After that, it is basically drawing balls out of hat. There are some rules about not having too many teams from the same region (Europe, Asia, CONCACAF) in the same group. But it basically boils down to some bad luck in the draw. 712589[/snapback] Bring on Australia/Crotia. Nesta is injured and might miss the whole tournament. Phuck
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