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The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

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Re: The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

Ecuador's goalie played one helluva game. Too bad they blew about five open chances.

CONCACAF undefeated without Honduras.
 
Re: The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

It might be time for us to get off of our high horse when it comes to diving...

http://online.wsj.com/articles/the-world-rankings-of-flopping-1403660175

Although, to be fair, our amount of time on the ground has to be boosted by the fact that Clint Dempsey actually got his nose broken.

Priceless said:
CONMEBOL: 12-2-3 38/51 (.745)
CONCACAF: 5-3-3 18/33 (.545)
UEFA: 10-6-9 36/75 (.480)
CAF: 3-2-7 11/36 (.306)
AFC: 0-3-8 3/33 (.091)

Will the AFC go 0-for-the World Cup?
Click to expand...

Hey now. They drew a couple.
 
Re: The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

GrinCDXX said:
Why would you question this? FIFA, being a well-known English speaking organization, is defending Italy, a well known English speaking country.
Click to expand...

If anyone gets farked by conspiracies, it's the English. (See goal by Lampard in 2010 and getting fudged out by the Russian mob for 2018.)
 
Re: The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

Slap Shot said:
??

I didn't see anything in there that indicates where the US fits relative to the rest.
Click to expand...

It's arranged in order of number of 'Injuries' (quotes theirs). We're sixth (edit, sorry seventh) on that measure.
 
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Re: The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

ExileOnDaytonStreet said:
It might be time for us to get off of our high horse when it comes to diving...Although, to be fair, our amount of time on the ground has to be boosted by the fact that Clint Dempsey actually got his nose broken.
Click to expand...

Slap Shot said:
??

I didn't see anything in there that indicates where the US fits relative to the rest.
Click to expand...
EODS is no doubt referring to the blue table at the end of the article. Injury stoppages per nation ranged from 2 to 17, with Team USA involved in 12. That's above average. "Writhing Time" per nation ranged from 0:24 to 7:40, with Team USA responsible for 6:24 of stoppage time. That's near the top.

As EODS points out, we shouldn't be held responsible for any delay caused by Dempsey's broken nose. So our "true" ranking is probably somewhere in the middle of the pack. But even with that adjustment, the numbers are at out odds with our self-image. We believe that our players refuse to fake injuries; that we don't stoop to that level. The numbers suggest we more or less fit in with the other nations in this respect.

Maybe the real difference is that American players are a bit more subtle. Create the little delays when it's a tactical advantage to do so; but avoid the "La Scala Death Performances" that make a mockery of the proceedings. Now I'd certainly agree that subtle > blatant. But to rephrase EODS just a little, perhaps we shouldn't be claiming the moral high ground if this is an accurate characterization.
 
Re: The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

Shirtless Guy said:
Relax, I realize that Mexico beat out Panama. I'm asking the question of what if Honduras was replaced with Panama, would they have faired better.
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Honestly I doubt. Honduras at least had the experience of the last World Cup, besides a couple of Gold Cup upsets Panama really hasn't shown anything.
 
Re: The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

Hypothetically if Panama replaced Honduras, it would be much worse. It just goes to show that Mexico's form in the hex was baffling.
 
Slap Shot said:
??

I didn't see anything in there that indicates where the US fits relative to the rest.
Click to expand...

I just realized that you don't see the chart if you go to the mobile version of the article. Here's the evidence to what I was referring to:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bq-_cocIcAAdZMb.png:large

So THERE!! :)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aL8pFw7J6ok/UFKKbA6fmeI/AAAAAAAAAEM/tYh-CPie9so/s1600/Clint.gif
 
Re: The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

ExileOnDaytonStreet said:
I just realized that you don't see the chart if you go to the mobile version of the article. Here's the evidence to what I was referring to:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bq-_cocIcAAdZMb.png:large

So THERE!! :)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aL8pFw7J6ok/UFKKbA6fmeI/AAAAAAAAAEM/tYh-CPie9so/s1600/Clint.gif
Click to expand...
I don't think board will get mad if you embed the Deuce Face:
<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aL8pFw7J6ok/UFKKbA6fmeI/AAAAAAAAAEM/tYh-CPie9so/s1600/Clint.gif"></img>

I still laugh at Bocanegra's reaction...
 
Re: The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

In terms of total “writhing time” (using the article’s terminology) we rank 5, one second behind Nigeria and 58 seconds ahead of Iran.

Here’s an interesting stat. On what I’ll call a “La Scala Scale” (my terminology now) of seconds per incident, Brazil ranks 31, with an average “writhing time” of 11.6 seconds, a few hundredths of a second ahead of Switzerland. I take this to mean that they're good at using injuries to "create little delays". France leads the La Scala Scale with 43.9 seconds, and the US is fourth (sorry pgb, not middle of the pack), between Russia and the Ivory Coast.

The long time for Dempsey explains the high ranking on the total time and the La Scala Scale, but doesn’t explain the high ranking on published list. If we disregard it entirely, we only move down one slot to 8.
 
CLS said:
In terms of total “writhing time” (using the article’s terminology) we rank 5, one second behind Nigeria and 58 seconds ahead of Iran.

Here’s an interesting stat. On what I’ll call a “La Scala Scale” (my terminology now) of seconds per incident, Brazil ranks 31, with an average “writhing time” of 11.6 seconds, a few hundredths of a second ahead of Switzerland. I take this to mean that they're good at using injuries to "create little delays". France leads the La Scala Scale with 43.9 seconds, and the US is fourth (sorry pgb, not middle of the pack), between Russia and the Ivory Coast.

The long time for Dempsey explains the high ranking on the total time and the La Scala Scale, but doesn’t explain the high ranking on published list. If we disregard it entirely, we only move down one slot to 8.
Click to expand...
What about the Altidore injury?
 
Re: The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

CLS said:
In terms of total “writhing time” (using the article’s terminology) we rank 5, one second behind Nigeria and 58 seconds ahead of Iran.

Here’s an interesting stat. On what I’ll call a “La Scala Scale” (my terminology now) of seconds per incident, Brazil ranks 31, with an average “writhing time” of 11.6 seconds, a few hundredths of a second ahead of Switzerland. I take this to mean that they're good at using injuries to "create little delays". France leads the La Scala Scale with 43.9 seconds, and the US is fourth (sorry pgb, not middle of the pack), between Russia and the Ivory Coast.

The long time for Dempsey explains the high ranking on the total time and the La Scala Scale, but doesn’t explain the high ranking on published list. If we disregard it entirely, we only move down one slot to 8.
Click to expand...
By "published list," I assume you mean the number of stoppages. Yes, from a partisan point of view, I'd admittedly be more comfortable with the US in the middle of the pack. And on one (or more) measures, that's not the case.:o But for this conversation, my primary point was to agree with EODS. Your contribution actually supports that core point.

Another Angle: While the article is a creative new take, there is a fundamental problem here. In specific cases, there's no reliable way to prove who was momentarily shaken up, and who was simply faking. When you're on the receiving end of a professional foul, you may genuinely need a moment or two to gather yourself before continuing on. Or, you may be working the ref, period. Looking at stoppages from the whole tournament was a good idea. At least that reduces the impact of being fooled by one or two "Primo La Scala Performances." And it does seem reasonable to believe that a high number of stoppages at least correlates with a willingness to fake. But it's not a perfect indicator.

In particular, I don't believe that the legitimate delays are randomly distributed across the whole tournament field. In my heart of hearts, I still believe that many of the short US delays are legit. But of course that could be my partisanship slipping through again...
 
Re: The FIFA World Cup Thread (Spoilers Welcome)

Well today is the big day. I think we will have some very good matches this afternoon.
As far as Uruguay, I don't like the way they play as a team and I'm sorry to see them in.

BTW the italians last week were saying goodbye in a condescending way to Spain because Spain was out.
 
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