World Cup Thoughts

by user The armchair QB

I didn't watch much of the World Cup. In fact I never watched an entire game. I caught a half here and there of different matches. I watched England once, Brazil once, Portugal, Argentina, and part of the final match between Italy and France. Like many Americans I'm really not a soccer fan but I can appreciate the sport when it is played at a high level. I had a couple of thoughts while watching this year's global fiesta:

-Soccer players flop worse than former Duke star Shane Battier. It's really quite embarrassing. I mean for many of these countries where being a "macho" male is quite important, they sure act like a bunch of panzies. Sure you can call it gamesmanship intended to produce an advantage for their team. And maybe it's just part of the soccer culture. But to me it's just a buch of grown men acting like little girls. For a humorous look at this epidemic check this out: http://usa.worldcupblog.org/group-e/secret-italian-training-video.html

-Speaking of women, my wife is not allowed to watch Portugal anymore. She was drooling after a few minutes of watching their star Cristiano Ronaldo. No shocker here, but I can't compete with that. The Italian team is also off limits for her.

-Another pet peeve of mine is soccer's stupid off-sides rule. I saw several goals taken away because an offensive player had gotten ahead of the defensive player too early. This game needs offensive help anyway and more goals scored. Take this rule out and things open up.

-In the matches I did watch I only saw one goal scored but it was a great one (the chest bump and kick into the net by the Argentinian. The rest of the goals I saw were from replays later on sportscenter. When they get it right it really is a thing of beauty. Here's a site that shows replays of a few of these goals: http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/best-world-cup-goals-so-far.html

These guys really are great athletes. And you have to appreciate how fit they are. I wonder how many miles they run in an average match? Anyone know that one?

-Overall I'm just glad the French didn't win it. I root against them just on principle.

Date

Mon 07/10/06, 9:28 am EST

Sayhey-rodSoccer Kid

1243 days ago

Score 0

I read at some pt that a player can expect to run about 6-8 miles per game. I like the offsides rule, if only to appreciate the sweetness of a great through ball where the forward times his run perfectly to receive it in a legal position. Take away that rule and you lose some of the beauty.

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Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

1243 days ago

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Agreed. Irish CM Roy Keane ran 8 miles in one game (They did tests). Football didn't used to have offsides - it was brought in for a reason. The divind is atrocious. I assure you England don't act like that. I can't understand why your wife would like Ronaldo - the biggest wimp of the competition.

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Sayhey-rodSoccer Kid

1243 days ago

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OK, alex, I'll argue with you every time you claim football in england is above all this diving. T. Henry, A. Robben, C. Ronaldo, sure they are foreign. But Joe Cole, Gerrard and Crouchino all are also known for diving.

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ChristofMVP

1243 days ago

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This was a good read. When an article makes me chuckle, I need to vote for it! Good job.

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Pack MentalityWaterboy

1243 days ago

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As discussed in comments to a different article, the penalty-kick shootout has also got to go. Or at least change the penalty kicks so that they're more like penalty shots in hockey. That is, start out at midfield and let the shooter bring the ball up toward the goal himself, but let him take the shot from anywhere outside the 6-yard goal crease (and let the goalie move about within the crease to track his movements). Maybe also put the shooter on a 15-second shot clock so he can't just dance around indefinitely to jockey for position against the goalie.

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Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

1243 days ago

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why play for 90 minutes first? Just have the shootout and get it over with!!! (I'll take the 'under')

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Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

1242 days ago

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That would also be very easy... we have a program called "Superstars" and one of the rounds saw that exact thing you described (they even had to negotiate cones, and run back to centre and do it three times). A different footballer demonstrated first, and always got 3/3 (apart from once, which was 2/3). It wouldn't work. Also, no such thing as a "six-yard crease", it's a "six-yard box", in the same way it is inside a "penalty box."

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Alex HolowczakHall of Famer

1242 days ago

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Or penalty area, come to think of it.

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