World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

[Priceless]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

Little boy "invades" the pitch at South Africa v Brazil friendly in Johannesberg. Security steps in...Neymar & Co. have other ideas.

[Jimjamesak]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

So the MLS season begins this weekend and it will begin with replacement referees as PRO (the organization contracted to provide refs) has decided to lockout the new referees union the PSRA when an agreement could not be reached.

Here are the assignments for this weekend.

Now, a little inside soccer info. There are a good number National level referees in this country that could slot into these games, and a lot of them are not on this list because they refused to cross.

Next up, a lot of the ARs are not trained as high level ARs and could have some serious trouble keeping with the speed.

But the biggest things that jump out? 1. There are no 4th officials listed. Because they're having trouble filling those slots! 2. Notice the last two games, both in LA, have the same ARs? This is in Southern California, there are litterally hundreds of capable National Referees in SoCal, and they have to use the same two guys on both matches!

This is going to be a hilarious disaster.

[Priceless]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

Fair play hero or Bayern goat?

Now, not to rain on Hunt's good deed or anything here, but let's consider the circumstances: The game was in the 75th minute and Bremen were already two goals ahead, looking comfortably on their way to a 2-0 victory. This call wasn't exactly a pivotal moment that would decide the outcome of the game.

But let's say the game was 1-1 or 0-0 in the 75th minute when Hunt tripped over his own leg and the referee gave his side a freebie. Would you be okay — or livid — with a player from the team that you support approaching the ref and doing the same as Hunt?

Surely he should be praised for his honesty and courage to do the unpopular thing. But does that make it the "right" thing to do within the context of a sporting competition, where the objective is to win the game?

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

The objective is to win the game, sure, but the game still has rules. With that in mind, of course it's still "right" to reject an ill-gotten advantage.

But of course people would still be upset with him, but that's because people are idiots that are willing to equate "unpopular" with "stupid" or "wrong".

[Priceless]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

Russia asks FIFA to kick the US out of the World Cup.

The animosity brewing between Russia and the United States has extended into the sports world.

Alexander Sidyakin and Michael Markelov, two members of Russia's Duma (parliament), have written an open letter to FIFA President Sepp Blatter asking him to expel the United States Soccer Federation from world soccer's governing body and prevent the United States men's national team from competing in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, according to ESPN and Reuters.

In their March 11 letter, Sidyakin and Markelov claim the "USA's military aggression against several sovereign states" (namely Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya and Syria) and cases of human rights violation all over the world revealed by E. Snowden, "are reason enough for FIFA to "urgently convene an emergency session to consider suspending USA's membership in FIFA and denying the U.S. team the right to participate in the upcoming 2014 World Cup in Brazil."

Citing Russian Russian website Newsru, ESPN reports the parliamentarians'€™ letter comes as "ball-for-ball" response to a petition circulated by USA senators Dan Coates and Mark Kirk, which asks FIFA to prohibit Russia from competing at the World Cup because of its military action in the Ukrainian region of Crimea.

[HumRsky]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

Very happy to see that Atletico is through to the CL quarterfinals. I don't consider myself a "fan," but they are the Spanish team I pull for, and they beat my least favorite team - AC Milan.

[jmh]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

Diego Maradona is coming out of retirement to play for a team in the 5th tier in Argentina.

[Jimjamesak]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

Diego Maradona is coming out of retirement to play for a team in the 5th tier in Argentina.

The price of coke must've gone up in Argentina...

[bigmrg74]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

Diego Maradona is coming out of retirement to play for a team in the 5th tier in Argentina.

I'm guessing the 6th tier teams usually involve fat guys and a keg on the field right??

[MountieBoyOz]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

I'm guessing the 6th tier teams usually involve fat guys and a keg on the field right??

Maybe he'd like another taste at the Ham of God.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Maybe he'd like another taste at the Ham of God.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxlvyhEsvt1qfia8fo1_500.gif

[Bob Gray]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

Always a good day when Arsenal take a North London Derby! Distancing Spurs from a CL spot is an added bonus.

[jmh]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

A win! A win! Hallelujah! Still going down but it was fun to see regardless.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

Sizable Portuguese population in the Providence-Fall River-New Bedford area.

Also a significantly less risk of being kidnapped, beheaded, and dissolved in acid.

I remember taking my daughter with me to see Mexico v. Brazil circa 2006 at Foxboro. Place was 100% sold out. Got no local coverage, other than on Univision etc. To this day, still one of my all-time favorite sporting events, 70,000+ fans and zero local media coverage. I believe Kaka won it with a late goal for Brazil. I'd expect the same crowd this time around ... especially right before World Cup.

[Red Cloud]

Re: World Soccer XXV - the run up to the World Cup

BREAKING: Jack Warner is a feminine hygiene product.

Wait, that's not new.

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2...y-qatari-firm/

The former vice-president of soccer’s world governing body and President of CONCACAF for over two decades, Jack Warner, has been accused of receiving over $2.3 million from a Qatari firm, just days after the 2022 World Cup was awarded to the Middle East country.

According to an investigation by British newspaper, The Telegraph, Warner appears to have been personally paid $1.2 million from a company controlled by a former Qatari soccer official just after the decision to award the desert country the World Cup. Allegedly, another $750,000 was also paid to Mr Warner’s sons and a further $400,000 was paid to one of his employees.

Warner, Fifa’s vice-president for 14 years until 2011 when he stepped down following a Fifa ethics committee found him guilty of encouraging bribes. A report from the ethics committee said there was “compelling” evidence that Mr Warner was “an accessory to corruption.”

When approached by the Telegraph in his Trinidad home but refused to comment on the payments when asked about them. Warner is currently being investigated by the FBI, with reports about bank accounts in the Cayman Islands and New York are being scrutinized, and his eldest son who lives in Miami is said to be co-operating with their investigation.

Reportedly the documents unearthed by the Telegraph’s in-depth investigation, which saw numerous journalists scour the globe to find out details on the alleged deals, state that two weeks after Qatar won the right to host the 2022 World Cup, a statement dated December 15, 2010 was made “payable to Jack Warner” by Qatar’s Fifa executive Mohamed Bin Hammam.