I need a good "sports cry"...GO USA!!!!

[Buddyblazon]

Haven't had a good one since Ray Bourque finally won the Stanley Cup after 21 years with my Colorado Avalanche.

The US has never won a World Cup match on European soil...and are taking on one of the power houses of soccer in Italy. But Ghana beat the Czechs today. Because of that, the good news is that we will not be eliminated today if we lose...but it would be as close as it gets.

A win today would be hugely historical and would be our next step in being one of the up and coming teams in Int'l play. And it would show the last cup was not a fluke.

COME ON BOYS...MAKE ME CRY!

[Faygo Kid]

1. You wanna cry? I cry every autumn during OUR "football" season.

Don't think this is the kind of cry you wanted, but since you brought it up. . .

[elehhhhna]

3. Please. I am a Cubs fan.

[Faygo Kid]

5. Maybe we can share hankies.

Actually, that's a bit gross. But best wishes anyway. We were all disappointed in 1984 when San Diego beat the Cubs in the NL playoffs. What a memorable World Series that would have been (we would have kicked your butts, but it would have been cool). Geez, our Tigers are actually good this year - heart defibrillators are working overtime throughout Michigan!

[Buddyblazon]

8. Here's an idea...

fire that douchbag McMillan.

[Faygo Kid]

18. I LIKED Rock Hudson in McMillan and Wife. Fire Matt Millen!

[Buddyblazon]

22. Whoops...

hehe...my bad.

FIRE HIM TOO!

[Faygo Kid]

36. Hell of a tie ol' Rock was wearing. Nice carpet pattern. That's the 70s.

I have always said the 70s were the ultimate hellhole for male fashion. Remember Murray on Mary Tyler Moore? Gads, I wore polyester suits and platform shoes. TO WORK! AT A BANK!! Women fared better; they got worse in the 80s with the finger-in-the-electric-socket hairdos.

[thatsrightimirish]

82. Lets hope

Italy wins the next game!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. What is the basis of making the next round? Net points, wins, or what?

[Buddyblazon]

7. The first part of World Cup is called "Group Play".

Every team that qualifies (32 all together) gets put into four team groups. Than they play a round robin...or each other. The two top teams from each group advance to the next round where it becomes single game elimination...you lose...you go home.

This is our second of three games in group play. We lost the first. We lose the second, it will be very tough for us to advance out of group play, whether we win the next game or not.

We are in Group E fyi.


Have to say, we look MUCH better today.

[VolcanoJen]

9. Net points + tiebreakers

There are 8 groups of 4 which play each other, within groups, in round-robin format.

Win = 3 points
Draw = 1 point
Loss = 0 points

In event of tie, tiebreakers are used; head-to-head record, goals scored, not sure of the exact formula.

The two teams with the most points within each group advance to the second round of 16.

[gatorboy]

4. Well I can see how important CNN thinks the World Cup story is.

Their poor reporter has to report by video phone. CNN, you cheap bastards! :rofl:

[VolcanoJen]

6. ABC/ESPN bought the US rights...

... so CNN probably can't even get close to the matches; even the excellent Fox Soccer Channel can't show highlights. They have reporters there, but they're so far from the venues you wonder if they're even in Germany.

ABC must've paid a bundle for such exclusive coverage.

[gatorboy]

10. Yeah, the reporter was talking from the street.

But I noticed that this is a trend with alot of CNN reporting. Reporters have to use video phones for alot of work. CNN wonders why no one is watching but who wants to watch a video that looks like low res Youtube?

I say fire Beck and put his salary into the camera dept. Cheap bastards.

[Buddyblazon]

11. FUCK!!!

[VolcanoJen]

12. Italy just struck - 1:0

Team USA looks good though; let's hang in there...

[VolcanoJen]

13. GOOOOOOOOAL!!!! US TIES IT UP!!!

Holy crap!!!!

:bounce: :toast: :bounce:

[Buddyblazon]

14. WOOOOOHHHOOOOOO!!!!!

I DON'T CARE HOW WE GOT IT. IF HE HADN'T KICKED IT IN...WE HAD A GUY.

USA USA USA....LISTEN TO THAT CROWD!!!

RED CARD!!!!

[VolcanoJen]

15. Italy gets a Red Card for elbowing McBride! Italy down to 10!

McBride is bloodied... holy freaking crap...

[Buddyblazon]

16. BLOOD MAKES YOU MEANNNNERR!!!

AND NOW THE ITI'S PLAY ONE SHORT FOR THE REST OF THE GAME!

[VolcanoJen]

17. Damn... emotions are high at this match!

Poor McBride... bloodied but back in the game!

USA! USA!!

This is exciting. :-)

[VolcanoJen]

19. Whatever!! That is a bullshit Red Card against the US!!

:wtf:

It's all even now... 10 players apiece. Bullshit!!!!!

[The Revolution]

21. Yeah it was. nt.

nt.

[kryckis]

23. I'm sorry but...

...that tackle was freakin' crazy. A totally idiotic thing to do.

[VolcanoJen]

25. Wasn't near as egregious as the elbow to McBride...

... give a yellow card for the late tackle, but giving Mastroeni a red card feels like payback.

[kryckis]

27. I think it was justified.

He came in for his legs. In slow-mo it looked really nasty.


In any case, it's all even now.

[Buddyblazon]

20. Red Card...

the sides are even.

Darn

[tridim]

24. Calls like that are why I don't watch much Soccer

A "Make up call" red card for a typical open-field tackle? Pure BS.

[Buddyblazon]

26. It happens in every sport.

But it doesn't make it any less BS.

[tridim]

30. Yea, but in other sports you don't get kicked out of the game

for playing hard, unless it's something really bad like purposefully elbowing a player in the face. That would have been a 5 yard penalty in Football and a maybe a 2 minute minor in hockey.

[VolcanoJen]

33. Exactly... and, Mastroeni is out of the next match, as well!

That's what sucks about the red card... not only is he ejected from this match, he just became ineligible for play in the next match as well.

So, now the entire US team (and fans!) suffer in the third first-round match against Ghana, too.

For a bullshit red card. Should've been a yellow. Clearly a make-up card.

[Buddyblazon]

34. Absolutely true.

Cannot argue with you on that one.

[sg_]

35. It is a red card by the rules...

2 footed, studs showing and caught Pirlo on the ankle, could have broke his leg.

[VolcanoJen]

38. Studs were not showing and there have been many other late tackles...

... during World Cup matches so far, and to date it's been a yellow card foul at worst.

It was a make-up call.

[Faygo Kid]

28. I love football. Crisp air of autumn, college reunions, high scores.

The beauty of a college campus in the Midwest in October, the passion of the Packers fans, Barry Sanders leaving jocks all over the field, or John Elway or Joe Montana engineering a two-minute comeback. The precision of the Patriots led by an unflappable seventh round draft choice. Notre Dame vs. USC coming down to a spin move for a touchdown with no time left. Family members long gone gathered for Thanksgiving and the Lions game going back to 1934. Woody breaking yardsticks and Ted Ginn in an open field and all the college rivalries going back generations. Yep, I'm with all of you. Football is special.

Oh, you mean soccer? Well, that sucks.

[VolcanoJen]

31. Not to stir up the boring, old football/soccer thing...

... but as a diehard NFL fan, I've found that I can enjoy both the NFL and the '06 FIFA World Cup.

I'm watching athletic mastery here and it's quite impressive. Plus, the game just moves... no time-outs, no commercials. 45 minutes of action.

US sports fans, you can have your cake and eat it too, you know! :-)

[Faygo Kid]

48. Stir it! Actually, no criticism intended of soccer fans. Except. . .

Why has every parent in the last 25 years spent their lives taking kids to play in soccer games, and yet the USA doesn't dominate? Geez, we have 300 million people in this nation, and untold terrific athletes who could have been legendary and rich if they had been in Little League instead of tormenting parents with four soccer games a week, and no time for building a fort with their friends or reading an unassigned book or going for a swim. Actually, soccer does suck.

[VolcanoJen]

29. Look at these photos of Brian McBride!

Italy's Daniel de Rossi was given a red card (ejection + not eligible for next match) after elbowing McBride:





This is easily the most physical match of the '06 World Cup so far.

[kryckis]

32. The blood probably..

..makes it look alot worse than it was. Nonetheless incredibly stupid.

[VolcanoJen]

37. Did you see that nasty elbow to his face from De Rossi?

Now, that's why you get a red card.

And watching it live and on replay, it looked awful, it probably hurt quite a bit, but McBride's back in the match, thankfully.

[kryckis]

41. Um, yeah?

It's not like I'm arguing.

[mcscajun]

74. Facial lacerations bleed profusely even if they aren't serious.

They certainly ARE alarming-looking.

[VolcanoJen]

39. JAYSUS!! Now Eddie Pope is out of the match with his second yellow!

US 9 players and Pope out of the next match as well.

THIS REFEREE FUCKING SUCKS.

[tridim]

43. Well of course we should expect another "make up" red card

for Italy in a few minutes.

This game fucking sucks. Which is too bad, because it looked like it was going to be a good game.

[VolcanoJen]

44. The US announcers say that particular Referree has ruined this game.

The look on the faces of the dejected fans confirms it. Even the Italian fans are not enjoying the new vibe this match just took on.

[The Revolution]

51. Yeah, the mood has definitely changed. nt.

nt.

[Buddyblazon]

40. WHAT THE FUCK!?!?!

There better be a makeup call for THAT one.

[VolcanoJen]

42. This official is un-freaking believable!!!

What is he doing???

[regnaD kciN]

47. As a Seattle resident...

...I must say that I never realized before today that the World Cup employed refs from this year's Super Bowl. :grr:

[VolcanoJen]

49. LOL

:-)

The ESPN blogger says that Pope is scowling the sidelines muttering to himselves, and the fans in the stands, from both sides, still seem pissed at the three ejections.

[BlueCollar]

45. all 3 reds totally justified

These players need to settle down and play football

[Buddyblazon]

52. ...if they were playing backgammon.

[BlueCollar]

56. this is the world cup

not a bloody English third division match between Millwall and Watford

[SPKrazy]

70. Bullshit!

2 were justified

the first red card against US was WRONG!!!!!!!!!!

[BlueCollar]

71. on what basis?

[SPKrazy]

73. It Was At Best A Foul

and no way a red card

the ref is dirty!

Jorge Larrionda was suspended from officiating in the '02 World Cup for "irregularities." Something tells me Larrionda just ref'd his last '06 World Cup match.

[BlueCollar]

76. looked like there was no intent to play the ball to me

that my friend is "dangerous play" and worthy of a yellow. Since the player had already been cautioned once and received a yellow the referee had no option but to issue the red

[SPKrazy]

78. Well You Stand Alone In Your Opinion

the ref sucked

big big big ones


USA got SCREWED!

[BlueCollar]

80. i agree the ref sucked

but there's more to a game of football than the final score. The US was a better team but the players and coach fell into the emotional trap and lost the win on their own. Hopefully they'll mature before they play Ghana.

[kryckis]

46. My gosh!

No one's safe! As a neutral viewer it's rather intriguing.

[durrrty libby]

50. The refs are horrible and ruining the game n/t

[VolcanoJen]

53. A gorgeous goal by Beasley... and OFFSIDES!

:grr: :grr:

McBride, what were you thinking????

[tridim]

55. You can't stand in the goalkeeper's way?

WTF? This game is just silly.

[kryckis]

57. Well..

If that was actually allowed it would really be silly.

[tridim]

59. Yea, it's called a "screen" in every other sport

And it's legal.

[kryckis]

69. You can't place a player offside

and have him block the ball path infront of the goalkeeper and then claim he wasn't involved. It was correct offside.

[BlueCollar]

75. well explained

as a former referee,that is how I interpret the offside rule. A player can be in an offside position and not affect the play...if so,I wouldn't call it...

[VolcanoJen]

60. You can't get in front of the last defender, no.

Offsides is the same in just about every sport of this kind.

[Buddyblazon]

54. Crud!

[Faygo Kid]

65. The USA is so very much also a country of Italian heritage. So we win!

Either way! And if Italy isn't among your top five places to visit, and someone of Italian (or Sicilian) descent is not one of your top five friends, I suspect you are in the minority. (We would kick their ass unmercifully in the real football, though.) Me? Gawd, I love Italian food. Mom and grandma made great traditional dishes from my ethnic heritage, but that heritage did not beat the Italians.

[gatorboy]

58. Are the Italians made of porcelain?

McBride goes back in a play bloodied. But everytime an italian gets hit they do their Red Foxx "I'm having a heart attack!" impression. :wtf:

[tridim]

61. Don't forget the stretchers

[gatorboy]

64. Heh! That's what I'm talking about.

One of them gets tripped and out comes the Keystone stretcher brigade.

"This is the big one, Elizabeth!"

[Buddyblazon]

67. And then they use a few squirts of...

the MAGIC SPRAY....and poof...they're all better.

Someone should ship that stuff to our CSH units in Iraq. They could save everyone.

[VolcanoJen]

63. There's a lot of "Academy Award" action in World Cup play

The more dramatic the player "acts" the more likely he is to pull a foul on his opponent.

I actually find it one of the more humorous aspects of the game, and find it interesting that the Australian and US teams don't ever seem to employ it. Thankfully. :-)

[Twillig]

83. The USA and Aussies would be shamed worse than a sex offender!

"the Australian and US teams don't ever seem to employ it. "

The only time a US 'footballer' goes off with somebody else's help (cart) is if he gets "Theismanned" or has his knee blown out.

I can only wonder about that savage "Aussie rules football" code of macho!

[suffragette]

62. This ref's handing out yellow & red cards like they were party favors

:grr:

[VolcanoJen]

66. Would've loved the victory, but the draw is OK

We're still in this... gotta beat Ghana, and need the Czechs to lose to Italy.

[BlueCollar]

68. I agree

and I think that will happen. Too bad the US team fell victim to playing cheap football.It cost them two players for the next round.

I thought the US team was better than the Italian team and would have won it if they had excercised some personal field-discipline.

Arena's coaching so far in this tournament has been very patchy...

edit: typo

[VolcanoJen]

72. Just about every international announcer is blaming it on the ref

Jorge Larrionda was suspended from officiating in the '02 World Cup for "irregularities." Something tells me Larrionda just ref'd his last '06 World Cup match.

Even the Italian announcer for ESPN says that ref was atrocious.

I don't think we played dirty at all... just aggressive football. I'm pleased with the draw but would've loved a win... but what I'm pissed about is we lost two of our best players for the match against Ghana.

[BlueCollar]

77. I believe the US had committed nine fouls to Italy's one

before the first red was issued to the Italian. The game got out of hand and both coaches and captains are responsible for allowing it to get out of hand.

Makes for an interesting US vs.Ghana setup though

[kryckis]

79. I'm very

impressed that the US held on to the draw. Well done! It's still going to be tough to make it out of this group but it's far from over.

[BlueCollar]

81. I agree

but I really believe that if they compose themselves they can win against Ghana and play well enough to advance in the later rounds.

[pinto]

84. Locking. USA ties Italy, 1-1.

Thanks.