World cup?!?

How the heck has there been no World Cup thread?! I'm no soccer fanatic but I do enjoy the game every once in a while... and this year's amazing! Greatest win in US recent history, Defending champs on life support, England over Argentina...

C'mon, where's the taunting? Where's the bragging? Where's the national fanaticsm bottled up into violent rage over a completely insignificant sporting event?!

Or are we all going to wait and see what country wins, then go out and buy the jersey and pretend like we had it since we were 10?

well i watched teh first america game...

and most of germany and ireland befroe i had to go to class....

i love soccer, but the times it's on have sucked so far. you'll hear from me later

Aaaaaaaaargh!!!!! There's no escaping the bloody thing! NYC look what you've done!
Turned our lovely peaceful fantasy land of HOP into a place of football hooliganism....
Sorry..over-reacted again... I don't know what it's like over in the US but here everything has gone completely football-infested. HOP seems like the only safe haven for a non lover of footie!

*sits back and waits for all the football lovers she's just offended to jump out and tear her to shreds with their teeth*

I awoke this morning to find... Croatia had beaten ITALY!!!! WHAT THE??!!! that is a major upset... I have been noticing how many goals have been disallowed this year for an 'off side' reason... and this game was no exception!!! The Italians had 2 goals disallowed for off side...I reckon the sideline refs have been a bit dodgey this year...
I wish that I could be watching it live...the games have the best atmosphere, I went to the Brazil VS Cameroon game for the olympics and thought that the stadium was gonna collaspe when Cameroon scored... the whole place jumped to their feet screaming...nothing like 40 thousand excited people in a stadium...
waves little Brazillian flag singing 'ole ole ole ole'

I know exactly what you mean Noona, I don't understand the fanatasism some people have with kicking a fake pig's bladder around a field.

I suppose not many of them would understand why we swing dirty great balls of fire around though, so I'm happy to let them be

Oh come on guys! After the shattering year that the earth had with so many divisions between the people of the world, its so good to see people come together to share time, even if it is for some friendly competition... Enjoy the feeling that comes from people sharing something in harmony... I think its good that there has been a minimal amount of violence, concerning such a huge event like the world cup, espically because the sport evokes such passion for so many people...Watch the faces of the people in the crowd next time and see how happy they are. Thats whats important, its a multi dimensional event, its not just about the "kicking of a fakes pig bladder" around the field, its about the spirit of people being together to have a great time as well.

the only time they broadcast soccer in america is the world cup....

see. i liek it wayyyyyy better than american football. actually, i just liek it...

but i feel the same way about american football you do about soccer, so i understadn and i'm sorry.

Hey don't be sorry Kyrian! Funny you should say that because I'm really intriugued about American football. I'd love to go and see a game!

Valura, I'm not being a big moaning spoilsport! I agree it's lovely how it brings people together and an good excuse for a party. I just think that the whole image surrounding football and the types of people who follow it are different over here.

anyway
"GO ON EEEENNNNNNNGGGGGLLLAAANNNNDDDDD!"

I can understand that the image of footballers is really very diferent in England after the violence and the clashes, and I agree that the behaviour that they can display is not at all in good taste, so I relate to where you'd be coming from... I have seen some terrible things on the news in relation to the footy in the U.K.
Im just really happy that this event has been quite peaceful so far....

Now hold on a minute...!

No need to go AmericanFootballBashing! It just so happens that American football is definitely my favorite spectator sport... yes, it probably is one of the most complicated and rule intensive of the major sporting events but since I used to be a referee in College I've explained it all to many a confused European...

As for the US apathy for soccer, I'd agree. With the Basketball finals (stupid lakers) and hockey finals on during this time as well as interleague baseball extremely important horse racing (triple crown) I'd expect the world cup to be the #5 or 6 (perhaps even below NAASCAR racing) in terms of interest... which is pretty far down there.

Plus the whole 5:30 AM broadcasts from Asia don't help.

I guess as Americans we like our footballs oblong and our soccer players female... and topless.

English football hooliganism and football are two very seperate issues Valura and shouldn't be lumped together (not saying you were, just saying).

I think what Noona was meaning was that everything - TV programmes (right across the spectrum) newspapers and general advertising (pepsi, coca cola, toilet paper, car ads, washing powders) is all suddenly fixated with football. Every where you go you see George Cross flags and bunting. You can't have a quiet drink in the pub because virtually every pub is full of soccer fans....

I watched the 6 o'clock news last night on a major channel and it led with the Beckham goal and English fans celebrating then moved on to the serious topics - Pakistan shooting down spy planes/world war iminent/coach crash/that kind of thing.
It's just bizarre that a nation so collectively apathetic as ours can suddenly rally behind a common theme.

The worst part, that no one as realised yet, is we get through all this crap then have very little breathing time before bloody wimbledon starts.
Which means 2 weeks of all the decent tv being postponed/resheduled, Robsinson's barley water ads every where and footage Cliff Sodding Richard singing to cheer the crowds up a few years ago.....

Ok i've had my rant now. I'll go back to sleep.

Well. Here in Australia we get live games at great times (4, 7, and 9)(more or less)

I've seen about 15 games already.. not so much that I'm a soccer fanatic, but because it's finals week, and what better way to procrastinate writing papers/studying for exams than soccer.

Anyway.. I was glad croatia beat Italy.. (because I'm rooting for Mexico)
Damn happy Mexico beat Croatia.

I was happy the US got scored on, even though I was thinking maybe I should show a little American patriotism... But, fuck that - there's enough of that in the US they don't need any soccer wins to fuel their hyper-nationalism.

W000t! Futbol!

~Drea

The point I was wanting to make was that I thought it was great that a common theme had bought so many people together, that was all.
I wasnt getting all fired up over anything like hooliganisim or the footy riots (I know your not saying that I was C@ntus, just clarifying my point)
I understand that people may get a little bit sick of the whole thing and thats cool, each to their own, but I just wanna say that I understand that Noona was just joking around, and I wasnt raving on at anyone... cool?

Sheepishly walks in whistling 'Football's coming home,' walks out again

[ 09 June 2002, 22:36: Message edited by: FireMorph ]

Did anybody else notice the English fans booing the Argentinian National Anthem....
or was it just me?

I wasn't impressed by that, let me tell you!!

Drea, you don't need to worry about soccer wins fueling American nationalism. The US could beat Brasil 34-0 in the finals and it wouldn't make the front page of sports over "Shaquille O'Neil says he got good night of sleep"...

My brother and I were chatting about this being one of the biggest sports weekends (for us in the US)... And I totally forgot the French open as well.

Besides, us Americans can't be bothered with soccer. We have enough trouble trying to tell all of your little countires apart anyway... Denmark, Sweeden, Ireland... which one's the one with that big clock thingie?

Just as I was thinking I was safe, and someone had to go and mention the bloody football. ah well, ther's another lovely utopia gone from our grasp

hmmmm.......not a football follower but i drew Brazil in a sweepstake. Is this good or bad?

A bit off topic, but it does involve pissed footbal fans, and its a little story that made me smile

We were sat about outside our flat late friday night, having a practise with home made poi, and broomstck staff's, the lightings adequate so you dont have to burn all the time. Then we hear the enguuuuuurrrrrlllluuuund! chants coming from up the hill. Its really no surprise as we have a pub at the top of our road. So, anyway, we the hear this 'look at those f'in weirdo's. Next thing we know there's a load of leering abusive drunks shouting abuse at us from a range of about 8 feet,. We've drawn quite a crowd. Not a pleasant one, though they weren't all bad, a couple of them seemed quite intrested. So i goes and grabs me fire staff which I've been soaking for a while. light up and start to spin. Most have them have already left by this time, to find some gardens/bins/or just their trousers to use as urinals. I finnish my spin, and these two guys that were left wandered of muttering. so I go and sit with a freind, and she turned to me and said 'did you see that?' and I'm 'yeah pissheads, were quite used to it by now' and she says 'No, the way they came over and took the piss until you did the fire, then they looked confused for a bit before being totally mesmerised'. I must admit I didn't notice that, as I was spinning with my back to them. no real point to the story I suppose, Thought I'd just share it with you as its slightly football related, and I dont think it waranted another thread.

... Upon reading everyone elses posts I guess I should apologize for bringing it up. I didn't realize that everyone else was so flooded with World Cup mania...

If you're really sick of it all, perhaps for the next world cup you could come vacation in America. You won't hear a word about it.

good call NYC. we hardly even heard anything about it when we hosted it....

perhaps i shoudl go to one of those other countries adn get good and sick of it

Hey Marlboro, you don't have to act so sheepish. I've been singing "3 Lions" for the last few days.
I'm not a football fan. And i certainly don't like the way everything is suddenly obsessed with it (not sure if that came across by the way) but England in the world cup seems to have stirred something in me. I kinda hope they win.

I'd prefer Brazil to win though, cos then Ros wins money in the sweepstake.

Talking of football riots, did anyone see what happened in Moscow yesterday after they got beaten by japan? Some scary sh!t. 1 dead, 30 injured. An estimated 8,000 strong mob roving round the city burning, looting and pillaging. And, for the most part, the police (most of whom had been watching the match on tv themselves) did nothing to stop them.
It is said that there was a strong fascist element spurring the crowd along and many racist chants were heard.....

Not good news from Russia.

But on a brighter note for you Stateside folks, isn't the US the world No 1 in women's soccer, where it's one of the biggest sports? That's pretty cool, if you ask me.

I don't know where to start! Perhaps with ENGLAND!!!!!!!!

Bugger, nothing else to say really.

....Oh yeah I do...ok, ahem...Ros come up this way and we'll show you what it is to love football. It's truely the worlds' game. Which brings me on to 'pig skins'. I met some french in the park after we drew to Sweden and they said England was no good. At least we gave the game to the world, I replied. And then, what do ya know. The foot of Beckham!!!!!! WWWWWWOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

It is the beautiful game. I wished people could distinguish football thugs to fans. Ever sat down with someone that see's the grace in it? The twists and turns, flick ons and team spirit. Look at the Irish or the Brazillians. One spirited and a team the other gracefull but at times pretentious. How about Japan and Korea, their good teams and their people are going mad for it!! Good for them I say. Oh yeah, and thanks to all those from those countries that supported England, cheers

Ps: Ros, Yeah Brazil is a good un and to all you lot stateside, pity it's on so early for you lot...

that's enough rambling.....

Sod the footy, lenox lewis and tyson what a fight!!!!!!
England's going for it this year.
--------------------------------------------------
Last night i met some pixies and we danced round a stone.

[ 11 June 2002, 02:26: Message edited by: Trippy Hippy ]

That is so terrible to hear about the riot in Russia...
Lots of luck to ya Rozi... I reckon you have a winner there hun...

Once upon a time there was a team called "the French team" ... they even won a few competitions I heard ... and today, I still wonder what it is they'd been doing for 93 minutes against Denmark ???? maybe they were sunbathing ???

Anyway ...

back to work

shine on
Cass

Ahhh the footie....

Well I was never into footie. My first experience watching the world cup was here in 98 when france won... I thoght it was interesting...

Now I root for England and Brazil. I have a feeling the English want it bad enough this year to take the cup home...

My only problem with football occurs when the whole fucking country cant get enough of it...

There are threats of nuclear war... but the paper puts beckhams face on the front page...

Shit, when beckham broke his foot it even made the front page of the times (the supposedly serious one)... I just dont understand how a whole country can be so fixated with something... It gets kinda frustrating walking down the street and not being able to get away from football... Every advertisement on the telly has something to do with football even if they are just selling life insurance 'so u can be home in time and health to see the game.'

As much as I love a good sport and a good game I cannot get into footie like this its just scary in England... Everyone is wearing their teams shirt these days and getting al patriotic...

Well I'm done blabbering (be careful this effect is temporary) for now and will blabber some more later.... Take care all, lots of love and see u soon...
Drome

U.S. Loses 3-1 and still advances?

Wow, if a team can lose by two goals and still move on I think the US is gonna do AWESOME in this tournement!

ENG-ER-LAND ENG-ER-LAND ENG-ER-LAND ENG-ER-LAND ENG-ER-LAND ENG-ER-LAND ENG-ER-LAND ENG-ER-LAND!!!!

Anyone reading my posts in the staff move section knows that i got pretty excited about the match tuthur day.

oh and before i go...

"dont cry for me argentina, the truth is we NEVER loved you!!"

vic xx