Americans World Cup?

[Kev]

Here in Argentine almost the 95% it's soccer. Tv, newspapers, everytime talking about soccer. Then comes Tennis, Basket just a little (Thanks Manu, we love you!) and almost invisible there is box... La Hiena Barrios keeps the flag very high, but he use to wear a Soccer t-shirt on the ring from a small team with many funs. Even Cotto use River Plate soccer t-shirt.

I'm suprised you play tennis in Argentina. In Britain it's seen as virtually exclusively the domain of the upper classes, like Polo. All of our tennis players are come straight from the Hugh Grant production line, with the exception of Andrew Murry, the boy Scot who has already been built up to almost Peter Sampras proportions by our national press.

When it comes to tennis any player rated above 50 in the world is a major talent for us.


By the way, what is basket? Is it like weaving, where you make baskets out of straw and the like?

[lukas_corso]

By the way, what is basket? Is it like weaving, where you make baskets out of straw and the like?

Lol!
I was thinking on Basquet, we use to call it with that word in Spanish...
Basketball it's a great sport too.

And tomorrow, June 23, in Montreal:
(ESPN2) Joachime Alcine (26-0) vs. Javier Mamani (28-4-1)

[bigragu]

Typical of all you sad yanks. A game that everyone else in the world plays but that you are not very good at has to be a rubbish sport.

Thats why you all have your own sports, American Footbal and Baseball so that the other countries can't beat you.

The Americans are like the spoilt kid at school. Someone is better at him at something so he kicks the ball onto the school roof so nobody can play. Then he goes and plays swingball on his own.



Just kidding, love you Americans really :P

To be honest....I hate just about everything until I actually get to either experience it, eat it, watch it, play it or kill it..... my girlfriend was a 3 time state champ in soccer so I have to barter with her so I can watch boxing(my absolute, my precious) so I now started watching soccer....man those guys can trap and cross like mad men(not the US team, we look like a high school team)....I am starting to see the fouls and offsides and some of the nuances that make soccer the #1 sport in the world....and some of the worst acting this side of soap operas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! man do those guys flop like a fish out of water or what!!!!!!!

[Kev]

Typical of all you sad yanks. A game that everyone else in the world plays but that you are not very good at has to be a rubbish sport.

Thats why you all have your own sports, American Footbal and Baseball so that the other countries can't beat you.

The Americans are like the spoilt kid at school. Someone is better at him at something so he kicks the ball onto the school roof so nobody can play. Then he goes and plays swingball on his own.



Just kidding, love you Americans really :P

To be honest....I hate just about everything until I actually get to either experience it, eat it, watch it, play it or kill it..... my girlfriend was a 3 time state champ in soccer so I have to barter with her so I can watch boxing(my absolute, my precious) so I now started watching soccer....man those guys can trap and cross like mad men(not the US team, we look like a high school team)....I am starting to see the fouls and offsides and some of the nuances that make soccer the #1 sport in the world....and some of the worst acting this side of soap operas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! man do those guys flop like a fish out of water or what!!!!!!!

Yeah that is the downside of soccer, the players are all a bit gay and will fall over when a gentle breeze starts, but that is still less gay than wearing a full suit of armour. Seriously American Footballers are better protected than the US soldiers in Iraq. I mean, having to wear a helmet and face guard just to throw a little ball around. Now THAT is gay!

For a real manly sport watch rugby, like American Football without the padding and interruptions every 5 seconds whilst the coach draws a plan for the next move on his charts.

[bigragu]

Yeah that is the downside of soccer, the players are all a bit gay and will fall over when a gentle breeze starts, but that is still less gay than wearing a full suit of armour. Seriously American Footballers are better protected than the US soldiers in Iraq. I mean, having to wear a helmet and face guard just to throw a little ball around. Now THAT is gay!

For a real manly sport watch rugby, like American Football without the f
[/quote]I would say the same things...I would be on the field and get a cheap shot from some dude and I would just snap..I would take the pads off and challenge dude to step up and be a man but they would always b*tch out..most of them are pussys without all that padding on...which explains why most don't get into boxing or rugby for that matter.....When I played semi-pro football we had a rugby team the next field over....I wen't over there after practice one day and they asked if I wanted in...I said "sure" like a dumba**...we I watched how they were playing and when I got the ball I ran like hell...and waited....when the guys got close I pitched the ball back and let my guard down...big mistake!!....they friggin took my head off....I got up and kept playing and then the scrum came...(is that what it's called?) anyway..one dude is ramming his head into mine while raking his friggin cleats down my shin!!!!!!! we it didn't take me long to figure out the way to play rugby was to be like an animal...in the next scrum I raked my cleats down one guys shin and then STOMPED on another guys ankle.....at the end of it all they wanted me to join...but I said "no way" "this sport makes me want to punch people in the friggin face constantly".....I don't think I could control my temper long enough to make it through a rugby game....that's my rugby story....

[maracho]

That sounds like the way we play sandlot soccer but we only get punchin mad when we are scored against. Kicking shins and head butting apponents are what makes soccer giggly in my opinion. The world cup refs make soccer look very dull.

The sport that always got me injured more than any other was flag football which can be played like rugby

[superheavyrhun]

You get yourself a cc for getting your ass on a rugby field. Being Welsh, rugby is pretty much a way of life round here, and especially in rural areas, the local team is the social focal point of the entire area. I play for the 2nd XV, mainly cause I'm not very good at the whole scrum thing, but you definitely did well to last out the whole game.

I'm quite proud of my record that in 13 years I've never been sin-binned or sent off, and never been in a fight. You won't find too many of those records in rugby! It is a great sport from my POV, as it has a position for every body type, and fitness level, and around here it's great for getting to know everyone in the area.

Yeah that is the downside of soccer, the players are all a bit gay and will fall over when a gentle breeze starts, but that is still less gay than wearing a full suit of armour. Seriously American Footballers are better protected than the US soldiers in Iraq. I mean, having to wear a helmet and face guard just to throw a little ball around. Now THAT is gay!

For a real manly sport watch rugby, like American Football without the f

I would say the same things...I would be on the field and get a cheap shot from some dude and I would just snap..I would take the pads off and challenge dude to step up and be a man but they would always b*tch out..most of them are pussys without all that padding on...which explains why most don't get into boxing or rugby for that matter.....When I played semi-pro football we had a rugby team the next field over....I wen't over there after practice one day and they asked if I wanted in...I said "sure" like a dumba**...we I watched how they were playing and when I got the ball I ran like hell...and waited....when the guys got close I pitched the ball back and let my guard down...big mistake!!....they friggin took my head off....I got up and kept playing and then the scrum came...(is that what it's called?) anyway..one dude is ramming his head into mine while raking his friggin cleats down my shin!!!!!!! we it didn't take me long to figure out the way to play rugby was to be like an animal...in the next scrum I raked my cleats down one guys shin and then STOMPED on another guys ankle.....at the end of it all they wanted me to join...but I said "no way" "this sport makes me want to punch people in the friggin face constantly".....I don't think I could control my temper long enough to make it through a rugby game....that's my rugby story....
[/quote]

[VictorCharlie]

I've been playing soccer my whole life. I've coached and reffed. And in my 28 years I've seen soccer grow leaps and bounds. I think what many countries have on us (other than the fact the sport is a national passion for most) is better orginization at the lower levels. This is something that is growing all the time in the US. I'd would be very suprised if the US didn't play in a WC final more than once in my lifetime. We have good players and great atheletes; its only a matter of time before it happens.

[Koori Warrior]

GO AUSSIES! Its a shame the Aussies Vs Yanks didnt happen........we all would know what would happen to u guys. Aussies 5-nil,zip,zero,diddlysquat,nothing!

[superheavyrhun]

I've been playing soccer my whole life. I've coached and reffed. And in my 28 years I've seen soccer grow leaps and bounds. I think what many countries have on us (other than the fact the sport is a national passion for most) is better orginization at the lower levels. This is something that is growing all the time in the US. I'd would be very suprised if the US didn't play in a WC final more than once in my lifetime. We have good players and great atheletes; its only a matter of time before it happens.

Another thing which I think does count against the American side is that you don't have an especially strong domestic league. If all your top players played there, and there was money there to bring in some good foreign players to supplement it, then your side would see a lot more of each other, and develop a better camaraderie. IT really is a problem with all of the smaller nations, where they become a two-tier team, with the base playing domestically, and the stars playing in different leagues, and are seen as incomers by the rest of the side.
At the moment, if a european player goes to the states to play then it tends to be a sort of semi-retirement, where they go in, pass on some expertise, play a few games and get rather bloated and sluggish.

Personally, I'd love to see the Ukraine really turn it on in the later stages and get quite far, especially to see Shevchenko get fitter and fitter and start banging the goals in!

[AC-Cobra]

Yeah that is the downside of soccer, the players are all a bit gay and will fall over when a gentle breeze starts, but that is still less gay than wearing a full suit of armour. Seriously American Footballers are better protected than the US soldiers in Iraq. I mean, having to wear a helmet and face guard just to throw a little ball around. Now THAT is gay!

For a real manly sport watch rugby, like American Football without the f

I would say the same things...I would be on the field and get a cheap shot from some dude and I would just snap..I would take the pads off and challenge dude to step up and be a man but they would always b*tch out..most of them are pussys without all that padding on...which explains why most don't get into boxing or rugby for that matter.....When I played semi-pro football we had a rugby team the next field over....I wen't over there after practice one day and they asked if I wanted in...I said "sure" like a dumba**...we I watched how they were playing and when I got the ball I ran like hell...and waited....when the guys got close I pitched the ball back and let my guard down...big mistake!!....they friggin took my head off....I got up and kept playing and then the scrum came...(is that what it's called?) anyway..one dude is ramming his head into mine while raking his friggin cleats down my shin!!!!!!! we it didn't take me long to figure out the way to play rugby was to be like an animal...in the next scrum I raked my cleats down one guys shin and then STOMPED on another guys ankle.....at the end of it all they wanted me to join...but I said "no way" "this sport makes me want to punch people in the friggin face constantly".....I don't think I could control my temper long enough to make it through a rugby game....that's my rugby story....
[/quote]

You definitely get a CC for that ragu. I play both American Football and Rugby (Defensive End and second row respectively) and there is no question Rugby is the harder sport. Whenever someone on my Football team tells me Football is more of a mans sport or for tougher guys. I go through three things. 1) does your sport have legal forms of stamping? 2) Do you get the crap smacked out of you whilst wearing no padding and 3) You ever lost a kidney in a game? (happened to a kid on my team in a babaric game in Italy).


Now to address everyone saying the U.S.A would be great at soccer if they cared and would be in a World cup final like that.

You guys are seriously underestimating the sport. Look at your team. Look at Brazil, look at England, Look at Argentina. Hell look at the african teams that are outplaying your asses on no money whatsoever. The arguement about your guys not having experience because they dont have the experience as players "go where the money goes" is false. Brian Mcbride, Claudio Reyna, Tim Howard, Marcus Hanneman among other all play in the English Premiership, considered the or one of the best leagues in the world without a doubt.

The U.S have a long way to go to catch up to the rest of the world.

Oh and by the way, you didnt do better than us last world cup, we both got knocked out in the quarters. Cept we only got knocked out by the eventual champs who didnt lose a single game (and havent lost in the World Cup since 1998, in fact they havent drawn since 1998 ).

[El Kabong]

Just for the record it's two CENTS tuck....cents as in money, change, etc.

You don't HAVE to care about the World Cup, if you don't just don't watch it and don't bitch about it...there are a lot of commercials out there I care to avoid, mainly the ones about feminine products which as a man I a) have no use for and b) get a little grossed out by. Also the genital herpes ads...don't have it, don't want to know anything about it.

As for how the US did, Bruce Arena had us play conservative the entire World Cup...oh we'll let our defense win for us....yeah let's not try to score any goals at all.

The 4-5-1 = LOSING

The way I think we should have lined up is the basic 4-4-2....or maybe even a 3-4-3 with Donovan, McBride, and Johnson up top. Our soccer players are used to scoring goals, playing in college, MLS, or Premier league(not that the Premier League is THAT bad it's just an offensive minded league). So why try to change their style in the fucking World Cup, I can bet you 5 million dollars we didn't play a 4-5-1 when we were qualifying. Apparently our coach was scared by our draw and was aiming for the 2nd spot to begin with.

Bigragu, we have argued many times and this will be another. Football is tougher than rugby...yeah Rugby players don't have pads...well they don't hit hard enough to warrent wearing pads....would you rather go one on one with the best fullback in the world or try to catch a ball over the middle where Ray Lewis is? Yeah rugby is a dirty sport and I doubt I'd last very long before I would smash someone in the face with a forearm shiver (this is why football players wear helmets)

[JT Rock]

Just for the record it's two CENTS tuck....cents as in money, change, etc.

You don't HAVE to care about the World Cup, if you don't just don't watch it and don't bitch about it...there are a lot of commercials out there I care to avoid, mainly the ones about feminine products which as a man I a) have no use for and b) get a little grossed out by. Also the genital herpes ads...don't have it, don't want to know anything about it.

As for how the US did, Bruce Arena had us play conservative the entire World Cup...oh we'll let our defense win for us....yeah let's not try to score any goals at all.

The 4-5-1 = LOSING

The way I think we should have lined up is the basic 4-4-2....or maybe even a 3-4-3 with Donovan, McBride, and Johnson up top. Our soccer players are used to scoring goals, playing in college, MLS, or Premier league(not that the Premier League is THAT bad it's just an offensive minded league). So why try to change their style in the F****** World Cup, I can bet you 5 million dollars we didn't play a 4-5-1 when we were qualifying. Apparently our coach was scared by our draw and was aiming for the 2nd spot to begin with.

Bigragu, we have argued many times and this will be another. Football is tougher than rugby...yeah Rugby players don't have pads...well they don't hit hard enough to warrent wearing pads....would you rather go one on one with the best fullback in the world or try to catch a ball over the middle where Ray Lewis is? Yeah rugby is a dirty sport and I doubt I'd last very long before I would smash someone in the face with a forearm shiver (this is why football players wear helmets)

I'm with Lyle on this one average Defensive lineman 6'5 280 linebackers 6'2 230-240 that can run on the 4x100 olympic team, cornerbacks and safety's that could keep up with world class sprinters and weigh about 180-200 of solid muscle and hit you like they got shot out of a cannon....I'll take a helmet if there passing them out..

[El Kabong]

...see Ronnie Lott, a man who cut off his finger to finish a football game

[JT Rock]

...see Ronnie Lott, a man who cut off his finger to finish a football game

That was a Myth dude he actually injured his pinky in a game and had less than a 1/2 inch surgically removed in the offseason..Good bad ass story but unfortunately a myth

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...type=printable