***Official 2014 World Cup Thread*** (1 Viewer)

[Christo]

Love the insight from the longtime footy guys in here. Meant to ask this before the game started.. whats the story behind the shirtless soccer avatar shtick?

We all went gay all of a sudden.

Well, some of them were gay all along.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Only thing worse than these soccer players like Dempsey rolling around holding their face and holding the game up are these boxers that take a left hook to the chin and lay on the ground like they are dead waiting for the ref to count to 10.

Dempsey's reasonable reaction to having his nose broken only amplifies how awful some of the theatrics are that the 'haters' complain about. You're making their point for them.

F their point. If you don't like it, don't watch. But don't tell me that the flopping is the only thing keeping them from watching.

FWIW, I thought Dempsey was a great answer to people who don't like the flopping.

He broke his nose, took a hard kick to the head, refused the little paramedic boat and went back in the game with gauze stuffed up his nose.

Not sure how you play any tougher than that.

For people that hate the flopping, I'd use Dempsey yesterday as an example. (Disclaimer, I've watched Dempsey play exactly 1 game but what I saw from him yesterday, he's the poster guy for anti flopping)

J

Yeah, I didn't see much flopping by the US team (if any at all.) Is the US team just as guilty when it comes to flopping? Was that game just an anomaly? Or do they play a cleaner game?

Ironically Dempsey might be the closest thing we have as he will flop when he feels the need.

The US is no different than 50% of the teams in that they still do it, just less than some of the latino teams.

Unfortunately this thread is likely to be unreadable during/after the Portugal game since that will be the main talking point.

I am even thinking of just retreating to the soccer thread to post to get away from it.

Interesting. Like I said, I've got all of one game experience watching him.

Soccer thread? I thought this was the soccer thread?

J

This is the World Cup Thread - there's a regular soccer thread with a legendary number of pages

-QG

 

[NewlyRetired]

Only thing worse than these soccer players like Dempsey rolling around holding their face and holding the game up are these boxers that take a left hook to the chin and lay on the ground like they are dead waiting for the ref to count to 10.

Dempsey's reasonable reaction to having his nose broken only amplifies how awful some of the theatrics are that the 'haters' complain about. You're making their point for them.

F their point. If you don't like it, don't watch. But don't tell me that the flopping is the only thing keeping them from watching.

FWIW, I thought Dempsey was a great answer to people who don't like the flopping.

He broke his nose, took a hard kick to the head, refused the little paramedic boat and went back in the game with gauze stuffed up his nose.

Not sure how you play any tougher than that.

For people that hate the flopping, I'd use Dempsey yesterday as an example. (Disclaimer, I've watched Dempsey play exactly 1 game but what I saw from him yesterday, he's the poster guy for anti flopping)

J

Yeah, I didn't see much flopping by the US team (if any at all.) Is the US team just as guilty when it comes to flopping? Was that game just an anomaly? Or do they play a cleaner game?

Ironically Dempsey might be the closest thing we have as he will flop when he feels the need.

The US is no different than 50% of the teams in that they still do it, just less than some of the latino teams.

Unfortunately this thread is likely to be unreadable during/after the Portugal game since that will be the main talking point.

I am even thinking of just retreating to the soccer thread to post to get away from it.

Interesting. Like I said, I've got all of one game experience watching him.

Soccer thread? I thought this was the soccer thread?

J

This is the WC thread. The soccer thread has over 73k posts in it.

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=305522

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

That save is better every time I see it.

 

[El Floppo]

There won't be a more purely bipartisan, vocal crowd than this. Great to see.

 

[Raider Nation]

Cross-posted from the Mike & The Mad Dog thread.

Mike Francesa... soccer expert.

A few minutes before that, he asked if Brazil was good.

I don't care if you've never seen one second of soccer. How have you not at least heard that Brazil is good???

 

[Joe Bryant]

Only thing worse than these soccer players like Dempsey rolling around holding their face and holding the game up are these boxers that take a left hook to the chin and lay on the ground like they are dead waiting for the ref to count to 10.

Dempsey's reasonable reaction to having his nose broken only amplifies how awful some of the theatrics are that the 'haters' complain about. You're making their point for them.

F their point. If you don't like it, don't watch. But don't tell me that the flopping is the only thing keeping them from watching.

FWIW, I thought Dempsey was a great answer to people who don't like the flopping.

He broke his nose, took a hard kick to the head, refused the little paramedic boat and went back in the game with gauze stuffed up his nose.

Not sure how you play any tougher than that.

For people that hate the flopping, I'd use Dempsey yesterday as an example. (Disclaimer, I've watched Dempsey play exactly 1 game but what I saw from him yesterday, he's the poster guy for anti flopping)

J

You seem really hung up on the stretcher, Joe.

I just think it's kind of as one usually thinks of the stretcher as something serious. But cool that Dempsey refused it.

J

It's to keep the game moving for guys who may or may not actually be injured. Ref calls for the stretcher and off they go- game back on. I would say most guys refuse it.

It's not about being seriously hurt, it's about moving the game along.

Yes. I get that. But it's still funny.

On a serious note, is there a penalty for refusing the stretcher? If it's a league mandated thing to speed up the game and you defy the thing they're trying to do, are there repercussions?

J

 

[Fan of Charles McCoy]

I wonder if these staggering viewership numbers ESPN and others are enjoying will spur ABC, etc to show more games on national TV.

 

[chet]

Roughly how much do the players run in a game? Someone claimed the other day that it was 18 miles but I didn't have the heart to point out that would be at a world class marathon pace.

My guess is around 6-8.

 

[B Maverick]

Alex Morgan is pretty.

All I see is that pic in a Man U shirt. Instant slagness.

https://www.google.com/search?q=alex+morgan+manchester+united+jersey&rlz=1C1GPCK_enUS414&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=S5egU9SSFc-6oQSu04KwAQ&ved=0CB4QsAQ&biw=1086&bih=959

 

[NewlyRetired]

I wonder if these staggering viewership numbers ESPN and others are enjoying will spur ABC, etc to show more games on national TV.

The TV schedule is already set. I don't see it being changed.

 

[Christo]

Who's the best US goalie of all time?

Its a complicated question. At his peak, Brad Freidel, IMO. But Freidel had a short national team peak compared to Keller and Howard.

Where's Meola rank?

Possibly 4th, but there is a large gap between the top 3 and Meola. Meola is hurt by not having a top league on his resume.

Marcus Hahnemann

Guzan is better than Meola & Hahnemann.

 

[Steve Tasker]

This announcer sounds like Triumph the Insult Dog.

A strong run from Neymar...FOR OCHOA TO POOP ON

 

[TheIronSheik]

Roughly how much do the players run in a game? Someone claimed the other day that it was 18 miles but I didn't have the heart to point out that would be at a world class marathon pace.

My guess is around 6-8.

I saw the stat of one guy that got subbed out at like the 70 minute mark and it said he covered 8.54 km.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Roughly how much do the players run in a game? Someone claimed the other day that it was 18 miles but I didn't have the heart to point out that would be at a world class marathon pace.

My guess is around 6-8.

I think they they show the amount every time a sub is made. If memory serves it has been around 8km. That is not for the whole game but gives a rough idea.

 

[Joe Bryant]

This is the WC thread. The soccer thread has over 73k posts in it.

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=305522

Sorry. Sarcasm didn't play well there.

J

 

[Kal El]

Flopping is extremely annoying, in any sport, but especially so in soccer. I think someone caught flopping should get punched either in the face or the ####. Then they'd have something to flop about.

 

[B Maverick]

what happens first, Brazil with a BS PK or Mexico with a disallowed goal?

 

[Ilov80s]

Roughly how much do the players run in a game? Someone claimed the other day that it was 18 miles but I didn't have the heart to point out that would be at a world class marathon pace.

My guess is around 6-8.

I saw the stat of one guy that got subbed out at like the 70 minute mark and it said he covered 8.54 km.

Average is 7 miles. The most for any sport by a longshot. Only tennis is anywhere close.

http://m.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/sports-run-stats-show-burns-shoe-leather-article-1.1307763

 

[culdeus]

So Alexi Lalas is the front line A team booth crew for ESPN? Is this primarily because he had a funny haircut while playing at a C-/D+ level?

Will Donovan bump him out of that role?

 

[The Gator]

Flopping is extremely annoying, in any sport, but especially so in soccer. I think someone caught flopping should get punched either in the face or the ####. Then they'd have something to flop about.

Thanks for the update

 

[El Floppo]

Alves giving full license by the ref to just keep fouling

 

[NewlyRetired]

Cross-posted from the Mike & The Mad Dog thread.

Mike Francesa... soccer expert.

A few minutes before that, he asked if Brazil was good.

I don't care if you've never seen one second of soccer. How have you not at least heard that Brazil is good???

It is called schtick coming from an old white reporter who secretly knows that sports pulse of the country has passed him by.

 

[chet]

Roughly how much do the players run in a game? Someone claimed the other day that it was 18 miles but I didn't have the heart to point out that would be at a world class marathon pace.

My guess is around 6-8.

I saw the stat of one guy that got subbed out at like the 70 minute mark and it said he covered 8.54 km.

Average is 7 miles. The most for any sport by a longshot. Only tennis is anywhere close.

http://m.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/sports-run-stats-show-burns-shoe-leather-article-1.1307763

Fail. They didn't include rugby.

 

[B Maverick]

So Alexi Lalas is the front line A team booth crew for ESPN? Is this primarily because he had a funny haircut while playing at a C-/D+ level?

Will Donovan bump him out of that role?

god i hope not. so far LD is stiff and as boring as a rock. Lalas at least has some personality.

 

[Kal El]

Flopping is extremely annoying, in any sport, but especially so in soccer. I think someone caught flopping should get punched either in the face or the ####. Then they'd have something to flop about.

Thanks for the update

Just venting a bit. Time to move on.

 

[El Floppo]

Roughly how much do the players run in a game? Someone claimed the other day that it was 18 miles but I didn't have the heart to point out that would be at a world class marathon pace.

My guess is around 6-8.

usually around 8-10km (5-6 miles)

 

[Steve Tasker]

Flopping is extremely annoying, in any sport, but especially so in soccer. I think someone caught flopping should get punched either in the face or the ####. Then they'd have something to flop about.

I'm not going to get sucked into the flopping conversation, but I will say that I believe at least a decent amount of what people think are "flops" in soccer are not really flops. As a player, you are taught to disengage on contact. If I've got the ball and Jermaine Jones is trying to slide tackle me at full speed, I'm probably going to go airborne at the slightest contact....otherwise he's going right through my legs for a gruesome compound fracture. If you watch the slow-mo, it looks like there was minimal contact and that I flopped. But is that really the case? IMO, no.

That said, the embellishment is a problem. If you go down on that slide and no foul is called and you're not hurt, get up and play. It's the guys rolling around on the ground for 5 minutes screaming in fake agony that piss me off.

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

Roughly how much do the players run in a game? Someone claimed the other day that it was 18 miles but I didn't have the heart to point out that would be at a world class marathon pace.

My guess is around 6-8.

I think they they show the amount every time a sub is made. If memory serves it has been around 8km. That is not for the whole game but gives a rough idea.

Player Club Games Distance (m) No. of sprints Avg top speed Avg speedMark Noble West Ham 33 380,927.00 1350 29.91 7.57Mile Jedinak Crystal Palace 32 364,319.90 1224 30.89 7.21Steve Sidwell Fulham 33 361,070.80 1420 30.66 7.39Jordan Henderson Liverpool 33 359,080.00 1725 31.98 7.27Adam Lallana Southampton 33 358,094.80 1818 31.75 7.71Jake Livermore Hull City 31 351,434.80 1321 31.26 7.46Steven Caulker Cardiff City 33 338,766.20 1097 31.83 6.54Ryan Shawcross Stoke City 33 330,012.10 979 31.29 6.42Liam Ridgewell West Brom 31 328,131.10 1316 30.8 7.15Seamus Coleman Everton 30 325,464.80 1704 32.79 6.99Moussa Sissoko Newcastle United 32 325,368.80 1460 32.68 6.82Ashley Westwood Aston Villa 29 320,758.40 1068 30.44 7.32Eden Hazard Chelsea 33 316,439.90 1594 32.44 6.61Yaya Toure Manchester City 30 309,043.20 700 30.55 6.88Olivier Giroud Arsenal 31 307,704.90 1642 31.37 6.74Chico Flores Swansea 30 295,205.40 886 30.63 6.71Wayne Rooney Manchester United 27 284,240.20 1186 31.8 7.18Michael Dawson Spurs 29 280,102.70 847 31.1 6.33Sung-Yeung Ki Sunderland 27 266,227.40 921 29.7 7.31Robert Snodgrass Norwich 25 263,768.00 1280 31.5 7.14Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2602212/Nine-ten-players-Premier-League-distance-covered-table-English-West-Hams-Noble-leading-running-NINE-London-Marathons-season.html#ixzz34vY5paxb

 

[El Floppo]

So Alexi Lalas is the front line A team booth crew for ESPN? Is this primarily because he had a funny haircut while playing at a C-/D+ level?

Will Donovan bump him out of that role?

First US player in the Serie A. He's no Brad Davis, but he's got the minimals- plus he's not afraid to say stupid things... and often does.

 

[NewlyRetired]

So Alexi Lalas is the front line A team booth crew for ESPN? Is this primarily because he had a funny haircut while playing at a C-/D+ level?

Will Donovan bump him out of that role?

Alexi was the first American player to play in Serie A, back at a time when it was the best league in the world.

There are 23 tv media types ESPN has in Brazil, they swap them for every game.

Lalas and Keller are the leads for US games.

I don't know when Landon will retire but I could see him playing 2 more years.

 

[El Floppo]

Who's the best US goalie of all time?

Its a complicated question. At his peak, Brad Freidel, IMO. But Freidel had a short national team peak compared to Keller and Howard.

Where's Meola rank?

Possibly 4th, but there is a large gap between the top 3 and Meola. Meola is hurt by not having a top league on his resume.

Marcus Hahnemann

Guzan is better than Meola & Hahnemann.

Maybe and yes.

 

[Ilov80s]

Roughly how much do the players run in a game? Someone claimed the other day that it was 18 miles but I didn't have the heart to point out that would be at a world class marathon pace.

My guess is around 6-8.

I saw the stat of one guy that got subbed out at like the 70 minute mark and it said he covered 8.54 km.

Average is 7 miles. The most for any sport by a longshot. Only tennis is anywhere close.http://m.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/sports-run-stats-show-burns-shoe-leather-article-1.1307763

Fail. They didn't include rugby.

I think they were just looking at sports that are pretty popular in America.

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

There's some EPL stats...

 

[Christo]

More Shep:

Did you ever play in the World Cup? I played on the U.S. team a bunch of times, but we never got close to the World Cup. It was the Stone Age for American soccer. I remember one time, I got a call on a Friday from the national-team coach, and he said, “If I give you gas money, can you get up to Hartford for Saturday night? We’re playing Italy.” We lost, 7-0. But we weren’t embarrassed. I thought I had a good game.

For anyone else who has no idea who Shep is.

HIS BUSINESS CARD READS, “I PLAYED WITH PELÉ ON THE NEW YORK COSMOS.”

 

[ffldrew]

Good series of attacks by Mexico here - no fear gotta like that

 

[Celph Titled]

i love that his name is fred

Mosquito waits in the wings. (Actually true)

 

[El Floppo]

More Shep:

Did you ever play in the World Cup? I played on the U.S. team a bunch of times, but we never got close to the World Cup. It was the Stone Age for American soccer. I remember one time, I got a call on a Friday from the national-team coach, and he said, “If I give you gas money, can you get up to Hartford for Saturday night? We’re playing Italy.” We lost, 7-0. But we weren’t embarrassed. I thought I had a good game.

For anyone else who has no idea who Shep is.

HIS BUSINESS CARD READS, “I PLAYED WITH PELÉ ON THE NEW YORK COSMOS.”

 

[NewlyRetired]

Good series of attacks by Mexico here - no fear gotta like that

I don't expect it but would love to see the US play as well against Portugal.

 

[Ilov80s]

Flopping is extremely annoying, in any sport, but especially so in soccer. I think someone caught flopping should get punched either in the face or the ####. Then they'd have something to flop about.

I'm not going to get sucked into the flopping conversation, but I will say that I believe at least a decent amount of what people think are "flops" in soccer are not really flops. As a player, you are taught to disengage on contact. If I've got the ball and Jermaine Jones is trying to slide tackle me at full speed, I'm probably going to go airborne at the slightest contact....otherwise he's going right through my legs for a gruesome compound fracture. If you watch the slow-mo, it looks like there was minimal contact and that I flopped. But is that really the case? IMO, no.That said, the embellishment is a problem. If you go down on that slide and no foul is called and you're not hurt, get up and play. It's the guys rolling around on the ground for 5 minutes screaming in fake agony that piss me off.

I also think people wildly underestimate how little contact with your feet/ankles it takes to bring you down when you are running full speed. They also underestimate how much it hurts to be sprinting and have someone trip you.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Brazil has to score that.

 

[General Malaise]

Going to have to surgecially remove my jaw from the floor.

 

[Steve Tasker]

MEMO

 

[ffldrew]

here is first yellow - and on Ramieres - who hasn't touched anyone all game

 

[Christo]

Only thing worse than these soccer players like Dempsey rolling around holding their face and holding the game up are these boxers that take a left hook to the chin and lay on the ground like they are dead waiting for the ref to count to 10.

Dempsey's reasonable reaction to having his nose broken only amplifies how awful some of the theatrics are that the 'haters' complain about. You're making their point for them.

F their point. If you don't like it, don't watch. But don't tell me that the flopping is the only thing keeping them from watching.

FWIW, I thought Dempsey was a great answer to people who don't like the flopping.

He broke his nose, took a hard kick to the head, refused the little paramedic boat and went back in the game with gauze stuffed up his nose.

Not sure how you play any tougher than that.

For people that hate the flopping, I'd use Dempsey yesterday as an example. (Disclaimer, I've watched Dempsey play exactly 1 game but what I saw from him yesterday, he's the poster guy for anti flopping)

J

He knows what getting fouled feels like. One of his years with Fulham he drew the most fouls in an entire EPL season. People like to kick him for some reason.

 

[El Floppo]

lol... Alves gets to do it over and over, but Ramires gets the yellow on his first tackle.

 

[Christo]

i hate this guy on color commentary - he might as well be Stevie Wonder. No way was that a yellow

I thought so, but I am also heavily rooting for Mexico.

It's Mexico on one side and Dani Alves on the other. Decisions, decisions.

 

[charvik]

Flopping is extremely annoying, in any sport, but especially so in soccer. I think someone caught flopping should get punched either in the face or the ####. Then they'd have something to flop about.

I'm not going to get sucked into the flopping conversation, but I will say that I believe at least a decent amount of what people think are "flops" in soccer are not really flops. As a player, you are taught to disengage on contact. If I've got the ball and Jermaine Jones is trying to slide tackle me at full speed, I'm probably going to go airborne at the slightest contact....otherwise he's going right through my legs for a gruesome compound fracture. If you watch the slow-mo, it looks like there was minimal contact and that I flopped. But is that really the case? IMO, no.

That said, the embellishment is a problem. If you go down on that slide and no foul is called and you're not hurt, get up and play. It's the guys rolling around on the ground for 5 minutes screaming in fake agony that piss me off.

very

 

[chet]

lol... Alves gets to do it over and over, but Ramires gets the yellow on his first tackle.

Pretty hard tackle IMO. Not your run of the mill tackle where the idiot flops for a minute.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Roughly how much do the players run in a game? Someone claimed the other day that it was 18 miles but I didn't have the heart to point out that would be at a world class marathon pace.

My guess is around 6-8.

I saw the stat of one guy that got subbed out at like the 70 minute mark and it said he covered 8.54 km.

Average is 7 miles. The most for any sport by a longshot. Only tennis is anywhere close.http://m.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/sports-run-stats-show-burns-shoe-leather-article-1.1307763

Fail. They didn't include rugby.

I think they were just looking at sports that are pretty popular in America.

Wrong. They didn't have competitive hot dog eating, either.