*** Official World Cup 2010 Thread ***

[fletchdad]

Sadly USA plays Germany this Friday...... sigh.........
My wife will be on one side, me on the other, and my poor daughter right in the middle. She (my daughter) alternates between cheering for the Germans cause she already knows a good team when she sees one, and cheering for the US cause she has a heart for the underdog.......

 

[SilentJay]

Sadly USA plays Germany this Friday......

Uh... no. Slovenia. USA and Germany are in different groups.

 

[woody19]

i hope england win there next 2 games, from the teams we got it should be easy but u never know with england lmao

 

[beardyian]

:willy:so thats where the bees went - they're all living inside the football grounds of South Africa :willy:


:willy:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PgKXFEzcG4:willy:


:willy:vuvuzela my arse :willy:

 

[blacksun]

.

The vuvuzelas are that buzzing noise--and if you dont like them youve never been to a game where the whole stadium is moving through your bones...you can keep your anthems and singing of national songs--theyre nice and patriotic-- but if you want an atmosphere that moves your soul you take a vuvuzela ; - ]

Sorry but that is utter nonsense, if you have ever been to a real game with real atmosphere you would know that the singing/cheering etc of fans is much more enjoyable than the constant annoyance of the buzzing vuvuzela. Having watched every world cup since 82 I can honestly say this one has no individual atmosphere at any game, I wouldnt mind so much if it was just at the SA games as its their 'thing' but the beauty of the world cups (away from the actual football) has always been the different ways the fans from different countries get behind their teams and that has been lost here with that annoying noise in the background of every game. There have been complaints by players already (see Evra and Alonso) and calls for them to be banned, and whilst thats never gonna happen I can understand why.

 

[fletchdad]

Uh... no. Slovenia. USA and Germany are in different groups.

you sure? I didnt check but my wife cancelled an appointment this Friday cause she said that US/Germany was on... I will have to check

And the buzzing of the vuvuzelas makes the audio of the games almost unbearable.......

 

[fletchdad]

Uh... no. Slovenia. USA and Germany are in different groups.

OK, just got it cleared up. Germany is playing, and the US are playing, just not each other, I misunderstood her. (I do that a lot....lol)

 

[workinonit]

Judging by the match reports I'm quite glad I fell asleep during the Japan v Cameroon game Expecting better from Italy v Paraguay

 

[bhood1776]

Questions for English fans

I wanted to post this here because I didn't think it needed a whole thread, but I have 3 questions I need an Englishman to answer.

I don't know a lot about football, but have been curious about 3 terms used in football.

1. Why do you guys call it a pitch? The word field is the most common term used in sports so why does that not work here? The English will say field of battle then turn around and say pitch instead of playing field. Point being field is a common term in the English language.

2. Shoes or boots? I always thought boots needed to at least go above the ankle (or higher) yet every English broadcaster calls them boots even though they are below the ankle. Do the English not use the word shoes?

3. Why nil? I've only heard the word nil used in football while zero or nothing is used for all other sports. Where did this come from?

Again, I'm just curious about these and I don't want anyone to take this as I'm critizing. I've just always wanted to know these things. Thanks!

 

[blacksun]

I wanted to post this here because I didn't think it needed a whole thread, but I have 3 questions I need an Englishman to answer.

I don't know a lot about football, but have been curious about 3 terms used in football.

1. Why do you guys call it a pitch? The word field is the most common term used in sports so why does that not work here? The English will say field of battle then turn around and say pitch instead of playing field. Point being field is a common term in the English language.

2. Shoes or boots? I always thought boots needed to at least go above the ankle (or higher) yet every English broadcaster calls them boots even though they are below the ankle. Do the English not use the word shoes?

3. Why nil? I've only heard the word nil used in football while zero or nothing is used for all other sports. Where did this come from?

Again, I'm just curious about these and I don't want anyone to take this as I'm critizing. I've just always wanted to know these things. Thanks!

OK I'll give you the answers I have, can't be sure they're exact gospel but certainly from my understanding of the English language and football its my take.

1) The word pitch is always used here for sports fields, I am assuming because most of England was fields (as in the farming sense of the word) the word pitch was used to distinguish the exact field rather than just a general one kids would play in. A pitch implies specific dimensions too whereas a field is just a general name for an area of grass. Ironically tho in the official rules that referees use it is known as the 'field of play'.

2) The old football boots were much more like boots as you describe, almost like hobnail boots with spikes in the bottom in the early days, the name has just stuck down the years even tho they are more like running shoes with studs in now.

3)The english don't really use the word zero, nil is a much more widely used word for nothing, commonly used as in 'nil by mouth' as instructions in hospitals, the nil in sport here is just an extension of that.

Hope that helps with your understanding of the beautiful game

 

[bhood1776]

Thanks Blacksun, those make a lot of sense when you put them in context. I'm just a noob when it comes to football and here in America we get British broadcasters when it's on TV and those terms always gave me a ? above the head. Again thanks!

 

[ItsMe]

A friend of mine in America rang me and said the commentators in the USA vs England game when Rob Green did his ricket said he comes from a rough area and probably won't be able to go back. No he is always welcome here.

Once you have represented the Hammers with distinction you are always a hammer.

Bobby Moore
Geoff Hurst
Sir Trev
Paulo Di Canio
C arlos Tevez
Julian Dicks
Frankie Mac
Bonzo
Alvin
Martin Peters

the list goes on.

We don't turn our back on our boys.

Only those who bring disgrace to the club, e.g. Ince, have no chance of redemption.

Just putting it straight for any being misled.

Up the Irons!

 

[Effexor]

Those stupid plastic horns have to go.

Here's why: The difference between the chanting / singing and the horns is that one is for a specific team, and the other one is just plain annoying.

If it was a tradition to cheer on one specific team with that buzzing, then I could make an arguement for them to stay. Clearly it's not though, since trying to watch US vs England was just a constant Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

I'm in the US, and as such, not exposed to soccer much other than with my kids, who all play. I do like any sport that is played at the highest level though, so I'll sit and watch some games. If FIFA (or whoever runs this event, I'm not positive) wants to expose the game to people that aren't big fans and maybe get them excited about the sport, then ban these dumb things.

 

[8Michael3]

Sorry but that is utter nonsense, if you have ever been to a real game with real atmosphere you would know that the singing/cheering etc of fans is much more enjoyable than the constant annoyance of the buzzing vuvuzela. Having watched every world cup since 82 I can honestly say this one has no individual atmosphere at any game, I wouldnt mind so much if it was just at the SA games as its their 'thing' but the beauty of the world cups (away from the actual football) has always been the different ways the fans from different countries get behind their teams and that has been lost here with that annoying noise in the background of every game. There have been complaints by players already (see Evra and Alonso) and calls for them to be banned, and whilst thats never gonna happen I can understand why.

Dude, cmon youre speaking to a man that has lived in 6 different countries on 4 continents... been a liverpool fan since 6 years old and enjoyed football in every country and while I lived in England was singing for Barnes alongside every other Englishman----yes great atmosphere!!! wonderful in every country... but now youre sitting there in a pub while ive been to 3 games including Eng vs USA and the atmosphere is unlike anything ive ever expereinced!!!! 50% of the Stadium and every English fan with a vuvuzela erupted.

But I agree it would be better if it was only at the African games (I really do)... thats how we cheer the boys and its unfair to expect the other teams to perform their best when they need to hear their fans singing and themselves playing and shouting... thats probably why green fumbled (the ball or the vuvuzelas? lol).

Italy surprised the hell out of me in the second half, they are looking very strong. And the Dutch were looking good as well. But yet to see a team play as well as Germany and Argentina.

All you need to do is phone a cousin and tell him to blow a vuvuzela during a national anthem and fifa will ban them!!! but whos gonna disrespect which country?

 

[8Michael3]

Yes they do need to do something about them though...because the other countries also offer some amazing culture. England arrived with 30 000 supporters and USA with 50 000 and at the USA vs Englan there were about 5 000 south Africans.... your own supporters are blowing them for F sakes, theyre cool. just try blowing one. it s good fun.

 

[blacksun]

Thanks Blacksun, those make a lot of sense when you put them in context. I'm just a noob when it comes to football and here in America we get British broadcasters when it's on TV and those terms always gave me a ? above the head. Again thanks!

No worries mate, I'm actually in San Diego now, and for the next 3 months, so I have to watch the games on ESPN and trust me your commentators dont help as they don't even use the correct terminology, and those guys are meant to help guys like yourself learn the game.
One kept using 'allowed' the other day instead of 'conceeded' I'm like WTF as if teams 'allow' the opposition to score. Anyway despite this I hope you continue to watch and enjoy what I consider to be the greatest sport going.

 

[blacksun]

Yes they do need to do something about them though...because the other countries also offer some amazing culture. England arrived with 30 000 supporters and USA with 50 000 and at the USA vs Englan there were about 5 000 south Africans.... your own supporters are blowing them for F sakes, theyre cool. just try blowing one. it s good fun.

Whilst I accept as you are there it maybe fun, not all of us are able to make that trip and have to rely on TV to see the games, all we get as spectators is a constant droning noise, as such all the TV companies have had to turn down the volume on the crowd and we can't even hear fans cheer a goal or singing their songs as the drone is just too incesant. Anyway I'll leave my rant there, hope you enjoy the experience out there.

 

[Dorkus Malorkus]

hello, i have been pertty much permanently drunk watching the footy over the past week or so, hence i haven't been around much.

random thoughts:

- most of the games so far have been pretty crappy.

- the germans look pretty impressive, but (a) they were playig australia and (b) if there's anything we can learn from past WCs it's that the team that impresses in the group stages goes on to bomb in the knockout rounds (see: argentina last time, holland pretty much every time)

- the grounds only being half-full is ridiculous. even in america in '94 they managed to fill much bigger stadiums and nobody there cares about 'SAWKER'.

- THOSE GODDAMN VUVUVUVUVUZUZUZVUZVZVUVZUVUVUZELAS NEED TO DIE. seriously i live in a 4th floor flat and someone passing by had got one of them and was blowing it. that noise was annoying and that was just one guy four floors away. the thought of thousands of them being blown right next to me gives me a headache.

- the only thing this WC has been good for so far is comedy goals. rob green, that danish own goal, the superman paraguay goalie and the dude who tried that bizarre scoop save = hilarity. it's funny how every error seems to be judged on the newly founded rob green sliding scale - "yeah that was pretty bad but i've seen worse, probably about a 6 on the green-o-meter"

- holland and south korea are winning the highly coveted hot chick fans competition. honorable mentions for usa and denmark. the south americans have been disappointing so far but with brazil today that may well change!

and finally...

 

[Marginal]

Vuvuzelas are just awesome for the fact that they are pissing everyone off.

 

[beardyian]

- holland and south korea are winning the highly coveted hot chick fans competition. honorable mentions for usa and denmark. the south americans have been disappointing so far but with brazil today that may well change!

Bring on the Brazilians

Meanwhile - here's England v USA in Lego

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXo2nm2ODF0&feature=player_embedded#!

Green looks even dafter in this lol

 

[S93]

Ronaldo has shown in the Ivory Coast-Portugal that he is still the best in the world, at diving that is...

 

[Marginal]

What do you expect from him?

 

[S93]

Diving and whining.

Didnt post because I was surprised but because I hate his guts...


Edit: Ah just noticed your signiture Marginal. In Bruges is one of my favorite movies!

 

[Marginal]

Diving and whining.

Didnt post because I was surprised but because I hate his guts...


Edit: Ah just noticed your signiture Marginal. In Bruges is one of my favorite movies!

Instant classic.

 

[ThunderPT]

Portugal was so disappointing today... Any team that defends decently and plays for a draw against Portugal will easily get one, Portugal simply won't be able to create goal chances.