***Official 2014 World Cup Thread*** (2 Viewers)

[roadkill1292]

If I am understanding you, you are saying the current system, which is producing record tv contracts for soccer in the US almost every year recently, is economically viable at lower tv ratings now but once the ratings improve in the future it won't work any more?

I am missing something because that does not seem to add up to me.

Sorry, I worded that terribly.

What I meant is that if I'm a network and I have a choice between broadcasting football/basketball -- which feature a ton of commercial time for me to sell -- and soccer where my monetarization comes from on-screen logos and on-site signage, it's hard to justify choosing soccer. Even if viewership was potentially identical, it seems like other sports would be a lot more lucrative for broadcasters.

But like you said, and like I've only recently realized, networks have actually been really eager to acquire broadcast rights, so it's obviously lucrative enough.

I don't think anyone will argue this. You can't sell as many advertising minutes for soccer in its current state than you can for football or basketball.What's interesting to speculate about is whether the popularity of soccer watching creates a pushback from fans in our big domestic sports and viewers start to rebel over the last three minutes of games taking a half hour to complete. I've told the story a couple of times about catching a college basketball game last year where both coaches decided to eschew timeouts after the final under-4 minute one and how the flow and excitement of play was phenomenal. We've been awfully conditioned to accept a lot of stoppages but I don't think soccer fans will put up with it universally.

I hope you're right. The end of basketball games is insufferable.

It's the primary reason I don't watch basketball anymore. Either the game isn't close or the last 3 minutes take 30 minutes.

I won't watch college basketball any more until they outlaw timeouts after the under-4 break. Three long timeouts in 20 minutes should be sufficient to pay the bills. A friend of mine in the local sports media once shrugged when I suggested this and said "I'd rather they get it right," meaning the coaches setting up plays. I don't give a crap about that, they've had all season to teach the kids what to do, I want to see players, you know, playing.

 

[Sebowski]

Screw these every four year guys. Just ignore this ####.

It can't hurt to try and explain. It is helpful to others that may want to understand more about why it is a long process.The soccer thread has plenty of full time posters now who were once "every four years guys".

I know. I was extra curmudgeony lady night and I feel like the lady 2 days of these threads have been a complete waste of time. But, that's on me. I should just be ignoring it all. Fool me once... ain't gonna, won't be fooled again. Don't mess with Texas.

 

[Sebowski]

I'm drinking with my daughter at the Mad Dog. It's 8:30 in the morning. GB the WC.

Awesome. Love that place. Have one at Toro for me later if they're open.

 

[roadkill1292]

Screw these every four year guys. Just ignore this ####.

It can't hurt to try and explain. It is helpful to others that may want to understand more about why it is a long process.The soccer thread has plenty of full time posters now who were once "every four years guys".

I know. I was extra curmudgeony lady night and I feel like the lady 2 days of these threads have been a complete waste of time. But, that's on me. I should just be ignoring it all. Fool me once... ain't gonna, won't be fooled again. Don't mess with Texas.

You're two times the lady!

 

[The Gator]

Battle of the sweeper keepers

 

[Steve Tasker]

Man, I love Ozil, but I just can't fathom why he is still starting. He's been in such a lull since like February.

 

[Steve Tasker]

My brother just saw Matuidi in the introduction line and asked me: "hey, is that Freddy Adu?"

 

[Mjolnirs]

DEUTSCHLAND!

DEUTSCHLAND!

DEUTSCHLAND!

Can we pay off the FIFA historian to change that 1934 playoff score to Dos A Cero?
-QG

It's FIFA, everything is negotiable.

 

[otello]

Allez!!

 

[The Gator]

I feel dirty hoping France goes through

 

[otello]

Gol

 

[Steve Tasker]

Nice header there. Damn.

 

[sporthenry]

Great finish. Seen fouls called for less.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Varane must do better.

 

[Native]

Hummels going to make a lot of money this summer. Very strong in the air.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Great finish. Seen fouls called for less.

Yep, but I don't have a problem with it. Varane needs to be stronger than that. No excuse.

 

[Sand]

Get rid of soccer in the Olympics.

This is youth soccer - why get rid of it?

In any case, during the national anthems all I could think of was Pele and Sly.

"Victoire! Victoire!!"

 

[[icon]]

Tim Howard back home in Memphis... Clearly "Memphis as F##K".

Buddy created that shirt and it's become very popular locally... Memphisasf##K.com (remove pound signs)

to tim

 

[Steve Tasker]

Ozil is just dreadful. I hope he gets like a month and a half off to recover after the Cup. Let him recharge his batteries.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Ozil is just dreadful. I hope he gets like a month and a half off to recover after the Cup. Let him recharge his batteries.

Klose and Muller together though has the Germans playing close to my Platonic ideal of German football. Finesse, yes, but with power.

 

[Tom Hagen]

Ozil is just dreadful. I hope he gets like a month and a half off to recover after the Cup. Let him recharge his batteries.

I'm starting to wonder if Giroud is banging his girlfriend or something. He just looks out of sorts.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Ozil is just dreadful. I hope he gets like a month and a half off to recover after the Cup. Let him recharge his batteries.

I'm starting to wonder if Giroud is banging his girlfriend or something. He just looks out of sorts.

That reminds me, I've been meaning to change my avatar since Balotelli got eliminated.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Big fan of Jacked Argentine Ref With Horrendous Comb-over.

 

[Slapdash]

Hummels going to make a lot of money this summer. Very strong in the air.

Not sure why Hummels hasn't been sold the last few summers, he is clearly an elite CB.

 

[The Z Machine]

I still think that France had the talent to score on Germany.

 

[Sebowski]

Tim Howard back home in Memphis... Clearly "Memphis as F##K".

Buddy created that shirt and it's become very popular locally... Memphisasf##K.com (remove pound signs)

to tim

Memphis? I guess that old saying is true. Nobody's perfect.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Finally dug up the expected goals (xG) for the USA/BEL match:

Minutes 0-60: 1.2 to 0.7 (US was outshot 21-4 but a lot of them were low %)
Minutes 60-105: 2.8 to 0.6 (Belgium completely dominated the US here - that's a crushing 45 mins)
Minutes 105-120: 0.4 to 1.5 (US created 1.5 xG in 15 minutes trying to rally)

Total: BEL 4.4 - 2.8 USA

Seven+ expected goals is a ton.

 

[QuizGuy66]

Screw these every four year guys. Just ignore this ####.

It can't hurt to try and explain. It is helpful to others that may want to understand more about why it is a long process.The soccer thread has plenty of full time posters now who were once "every four years guys".

I know. I was extra curmudgeony lady night and I feel like the lady 2 days of these threads have been a complete waste of time. But, that's on me. I should just be ignoring it all. Fool me once... ain't gonna, won't be fooled again. Don't mess with Texas.

Lol gotta love the qwerty keyboard/cell phone combo that results in 'lady' being typed instead of 'last'. Last night I almost typed "Good Person" as "Good Peedon"

I agree though - the 4 year timeline works so well every year would turn this into the Davis Cup.

-QG

 

[Slapdash]

Inconsistent yellow there

 

[The Gator]

Hummels going to make a lot of money this summer. Very strong in the air.

Not sure why Hummels hasn't been sold the last few summers, he is clearly an elite CB.

Klinsmann sold him to Dortmund, right?

Oof

 

[sporthenry]

Inconsistent yellow there

Stopped a counter without really making a play on the ball. And cards always flow more freely in the 2nd half. Probably should have been one or two in the first half but I also wonder if the ref knows who is on a yellow.

 

[Slapdash]

Inconsistent yellow there

Stopped a counter without really making a play on the ball. And cards always flow more freely in the 2nd half. Probably should have been one or two in the first half but I also wonder if the ref knows who is on a yellow.

Yeah, that was my point. Cabaye did it twice.

 

[The Gator]

More like Valmalo on his crosses/corners, sheesh

 

[Steve Tasker]

81 minutes in, and France hasn't looked likely to score for the entire match. Impressive defensive performance from the Germans, considering how good France has been offensively in this tournament.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Ozil is just dreadful. I hope he gets like a month and a half off to recover after the Cup. Let him recharge his batteries.

I'm starting to wonder if Giroud is banging his girlfriend or something. He just looks out of sorts.

That reminds me, I've been meaning to change my avatar since Balotelli got eliminated.

Giroud "stripping" on the sideline!!

 

[Steve Tasker]

That haggard French broad they keep showing looks like she'd fit right in on Old French Whore.

 

[sporthenry]

81 minutes in, and France hasn't looked likely to score for the entire match. Impressive defensive performance from the Germans, considering how good France has been offensively in this tournament.

Not the most exciting game for how open it appeared to be. Terrible final balls. France has to fell pretty crappy to lose on a goal like that.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Benz with the most French expression ever. He should have lit a gaulois.

 

[gianmarco]

Is it me or was that the most unemotional match played so far?

 

[The Gator]

Is it me or was that the most unemotional match played so far?

Very much so

 

[Zow]

That was entertaining.

 

[gianmarco]

Is it me or was that the most unemotional match played so far?

Very much so

They just said the same afterward that it felt like the 3rd game of the group stage. I completely agree. That felt like just some random friendly with no sense of urgency from either side.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

+1 for poor/listless game overall.

But this is also what happens a lot more when two teams that can play disciplined team defense match up. Not too many games like that so far in the WC.

 

[guru_007]

Awesome game. Great result. You guys are nuts.

 

[Premier]

@MenInBlazers: This is like watching two mid table premier league sides play out a meaningless last game of the season #WhatQuarterFinal

 

[QuizGuy66]

Is it me or was that the most unemotional match played so far?

Very much so

Classic Germany. The Machine.

-QG

 

[QuizGuy66]

Is it me or was that the most unemotional match played so far?

Very much so

They just said the same afterward that it felt like the 3rd game of the group stage. I completely agree. That felt like just some random friendly with no sense of urgency from either side.

You don't think the French collaborated here do you?

Too soon?

-QG

 

[=Smackdown=]

SCHWEINSTEIGER !!!

Going to be fun watching this game at a German Beer Garden today - folks goose stepping all over the place

You get a up until the last part.

Any updates on the German players health?

Bring on Brazil

And more Krombacher Hell please

 

[=Smackdown=]

Deutschland Deutschland uber alles !!!!

 

[Eephus]

+1 for poor/listless game overall.

But this is also what happens a lot more when two teams that can play disciplined team defense match up. Not too many games like that so far in the WC.

The early goal hurt the game. It allowed Germany to sit back further and closed the game down for long stretches. The French midfield that has been so impressive in the tournament was kept under control.