World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

You only had to look at the markets hosting this week and realize things weren't going to be good. Dallas on a Thursday (or anytime really) and New England hosting is a recipe for a bad week.

Considering the weather in C-Bus, 14k isn't horrible.

The only number I really wish was higher was in NYC, but that team has been so pitifully managed that it may take some time to build up steam.

But that's the number Columbus does all the time, even in good weather, their 25,000 seat stadium still has 10,000 empty seats. And this is probably the most successful team in MLS over the past couple of seasons.

 

[BoomGoestheDynamite]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

But that's the number Columbus does all the time, even in good weather, their 25,000 seat stadium still has 10,000 empty seats. And this is probably the most successful team in MLS over the past couple of seasons.

The Crew's attendance is actually up 25 percent from their first two games last year so its a nice positive trend so far.

 

[ColbyWMHB]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

Not sure where you're getting your information. Barcelona have 87 points and Madrid have 86.

Thanks for the correction...looked at Fox Soccer's site for Spain (link is here: http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/laliga) and while the schedule is updated, the table sure hasn't been. I should have seen the problem had I looked at the GP column. But Spain is the league I follow the least, so I blew it!

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

The Crew's attendance is actually up 25 percent from their first two games last year so its a nice positive trend so far.

You're right about that, and overall average attendance is up over 10% as well over last year, so maybe I'm hitting the panic button a little early.

http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/take-me-out-to-the-ballgame-week-5-2/8788

I enjoy reading that feature every week.

 

[Drew S.]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

That penalty was embarrassing. If that's a pen, there are about 20 pens a game. The officiating in all the games was horrid.

Even Everton's pen, while a legitimate foul, only happened because of the ref's wrong decision, Fulham deserved a throw in.

Is it any real surprise where martin atkinson was in charge? He should be banned for life from football.

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

This ref is horrid. Almost as horrid as Lyon.

Makes a pitiful decision to book Cris and then books him again for dissent and sends him off.

He's just about gotten every yellow card decision wrong.

He's got a little MLB umpire in him, its obvious the people have come to see him.

 

[jmh]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

This was an amusing article: The Special One believes Barcelona are "obsessed" with winning the CL in Madrid in order to show up Real Madrid.

And apparently he thinks that because the cules were singing "we're going to Madrid" (or, you know, whatever that translates to in Catalan) when Inter played at the Camp Nou in the group stage back in November. Honestly, I don't see the connection. I mean, sure, realistically they probably do want to show up Madrid, but I have to figure that was just the fans being excited and optimistic and they would've been singing the same thing if it were London or wherever else. If anything it was probably more along the lines of singing "we're going to be in the final and you're not" to Inter, although I guess the woofing gods may have the last laugh on that one.

 

[BoomGoestheDynamite]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

Sepp Blatter's buffoonery reaches new heights:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/columns/story?id=776809&cc=5901&ver=us

I'd dismissed Qatar as irrelevant in the race for 2022 because even with all its oil money, a country of less than 2 million people (and only one "major" city) hosting a 32 team event with its associated traveling fans in a part of the world that isn't exactly renowned for stability seemed absurd. I was wrong.

 

[Kepler]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

Would it be inappropriate to speculate that he found $6 million in change in the sofa cushions in his suite?

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

Would it be inappropriate to speculate that he found $6 million in change in the sofa cushions in his suite?

Not all. He's a straight up crook.

 

[BoomGoestheDynamite]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

Would it be inappropriate to speculate that he found $6 million in change in the sofa cushions in his suite?

I'll be mildly amused if/when Heineken, Budweiser, and Amstel are all told public booze advertising won't be permitted at this world cup.

 

[Craig P.]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

Would it be inappropriate to speculate that he found $6 million in change in the sofa cushions in his suite?

Yes, that's very inappropriate. His price is a lot higher than that.

 

[Craig P.]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

This ref is horrid. Almost as horrid as Lyon.

Makes a pitiful decision to book Cris and then books him again for dissent and sends him off.

He's just about gotten every yellow card decision wrong.

He's got a little MLB umpire in him, its obvious the people have come to see him.

Uh, that was a pretty nasty tackle. It was purely a message-sender, he was after the man with no intent to play the ball (even though I think he might have made contact with it on the way through). I don't think it's particularly borderline as a caution.

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

Uh, that was a pretty nasty tackle. It was purely a message-sender, he was after the man with no intent to play the ball (even though I think he might have made contact with it on the way through). I don't think it's particularly borderline as a caution.

Cris? He got the ball! He got the ball before the man!!! He didn't have his studs up! 99% of the time its not even a foul!

To book him for it is ludicrous.

Then about 2 minutes later (if that) Lyon got away with a challenge that should have been a straight red.

 

[Craig P.]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

Getting the ball was incidental. You can tell from the combination of where he and the ball are when he begins the tackle and how hard he dives into it. No, he didn't have studs up, and that's why it was yellow and not red.

I can't comment on the subsequent challenge. I've only seen the one by Cris.

 

[Craig P.]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

Yikes, Macoun was lucky not to go. That wasn't too far off of the ballbuster that Paco Torres took in the CCL last week.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

Sepp Blatter's buffoonery reaches new heights:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/columns/story?id=776809&cc=5901&ver=us

I'd dismissed Qatar as irrelevant in the race for 2022 because even with all its oil money, a country of less than 2 million people (and only one "major" city) hosting a 32 team event with its associated traveling fans in a part of the world that isn't exactly renowned for stability seemed absurd. I was wrong.

Well, people weren't exactly keen on the idea of South Africa hosting the World Cup. I would think a lot of their bid would rest on how well SA does as a host. If its bad, then they'll run into a lot of resistance in going to a place where they haven't traditionally played before for a while.

I'll be mildly amused if/when Heineken, Budweiser, and Amstel are all told public booze advertising won't be permitted at this world cup.

Hell, are they even allowed to sell Alcohol there? I believe they're a little more modern and liberal than most Arab Countries, but **** it, Hooligan's don't work on straight Coke-Cola alone.

 

[AMC]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

]Hell, are they even allowed to sell Alcohol there? I believe they're a little more modern and liberal than most Arab Countries, but **** it, Hooligan's don't work on straight Coke-Cola alone.

Yes, but you have to get a permit allowing you to drink, and the only bars selling alcohol are in the expensive hotels.

How about this as a scenario? Israel makes its first ever finals, but none of its fans are allowed into the country.

How about we stick to liberal democracies for our world sporting events?

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

That is one of the worst red card decisions in Champions League history.

Watching the replay now that FSC's terrible camera work shows it, I can see why he got a red. But the other guy deserved a yellow for diving.

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: World Soccer XII: South Africa Awaits

Thiago Motta was sent off for a Barca player diving, he had the ball and had his hand up to shield himself, the Barca guy put his face into the hand and dove acting like he had been shot, then Motta got in the Barca player's face and I think touched him and got sent off for a straight red.

Now Barca gets away with an obvious trip, no card.

jmh will be here in a minute to complain about how the ref is screwing Barca.