World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

[JF_Gophers]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

This was a "disastrous" performance? We should have been second in group and been dispatched by a powerful team in the round of 16, instead we won the group but then lost to an overachieving second-tier team in the round of 16.

It's disappointing to lose when it looks like you have a path forward (frickin' Bemidji) but that seems like at least a par.

I think he was referring to 06 as disastrous, not 10.

 

[RMUColonials]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

*Gulati said the USA has no plans to participate in the 2011 Copa America in Argentina.

Meh.......

 

[blockski]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

Meh.......

I will say this - the 2011 Gold Cup will actually matter, as it will carry a ticket to the 2013 Confederations Cup.

As much as I would like for them to participate in Copa America, I can understand the scheduling issues.

 

[Kepler]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

Ha, you can't even figure out how to design a crest properly.

I am in the minority of Timbers fans (for one thing, I have never been face down in a pool of my own vomit here, to the best of my recollections), but I kinda like the new crest in these colors. The old crest, while full of memories, really doesn't fit into the MLS, and the river field was the basis of many jokes about the constant rain.

 

[J.D.]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

Advancing to back to back knockout stages in world cups would be a good start for us...

 

[blockski]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

I am in the minority of Timbers fans (for one thing, I have never been face down in a pool of my own vomit here, to the best of my recollections), but I kinda like the new crest in these colors. The old crest, while full of memories, really doesn't fit into the MLS, and the river field was the basis of many jokes about the constant rain.

The new crest isn't great, but the people saying the old crest was awesome need a little perspective. Sure, it has tradition, but let's not get carried away about the actual graphic design.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

I will say this - the 2011 Gold Cup will actually matter, as it will carry a ticket to the 2013 Confederations Cup.

As much as I would like for them to participate in Copa America, I can understand the scheduling issues.

I think there are new rules too about countries from outside of the "home" confederation participating in that countries tournament. For example, Mexico is participating in the 2011 Copa, but only sending their Olympic team (and an additional 5 overage players).

I am in the minority of Timbers fans (for one thing, I have never been face down in a pool of my own vomit here, to the best of my recollections), but I kinda like the new crest in these colors. The old crest, while full of memories, really doesn't fit into the MLS, and the river field was the basis of many jokes about the constant rain.

Honestly, I have no opinion on the new crest. It seems fine, I can get why the Timbers Army people are upset though, if they really had no input as they claim.


--
I think any time you fail to make it out of the groups at a World Cup, it's a disaster. Yes, the 2006 group was tough, but we had a chance to advance, failed to take it, and Arena was rightly let go.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

FIFA either doesn't get it, or they just really don't care and want to rub it in our face every time they screw up.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-...us/fifa-censor-stadium-replays?cc=5901&ver=us

JOHANNESBURG -- FIFA will censor World Cup match action being shown on giant screens inside the stadium after replays of Argentina's disputed first goal against Mexico fueled arguments on the pitch.

Angry Mexico players protested to referee Roberto Rosetti after the screens in Johannesburg's Soccer City showed Argentina forward Carlos Tevez was offside before he scored the opening goal in a 3-1 victory on Sunday.

FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said Monday that replaying the incident was "a clear mistake."

"This will be corrected and we will have a closer look into that," Maingot told a news conference Monday. "We will work on this and be a bit more, I would say, tight on this for the games to be played."

Maingot said the screens were used to broadcast a FIFA "infotainment program" to fans before the match and could be used to replay some match action.

Responsibility for operating the screens falls to South Africa's World Cup organizing committee, which took charge of the 10 stadiums during the tournament.

Organizers' spokesman Jermaine Craig said he had spoken to the stadium broadcasting team about the incident.

"The goal was awarded and it happened relatively quickly," Craig said. "In retrospect, maybe it shouldn't have been shown. It was shown and unfortunately there is nothing we can do about that."

Maingot said FIFA has not yet received feedback from its officials at the match about a mass confrontation between coaches and players behind the Mexico bench as the teams left the field at halftime.

Italian referee Rosetti was at the center of a melee trying to separate heated conversations that included Argentina coach Diego Maradona.

 

[Red Cloud]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

We ought to be used to this. The NCAA has been doing it for years.

 

[blockski]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

I think there are new rules too about countries from outside of the "home" confederation participating in that countries tournament. For example, Mexico is participating in the 2011 Copa, but only sending their Olympic team (and an additional 5 overage players).

I was under the impression that those rules are more UEFA's proposal and hadn't been formally adopted yet - of course, it's a lot easier for UEFA to argue that when their confederation can field a great tournament easily.

The Olympic + overage solution might work, particularly with these tournaments coming up in the year prior to an Olympic year.

 

[Kepler]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

FIFA either doesn't get it, or they just really don't care and want to rub it in our face every time they screw up.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-...us/fifa-censor-stadium-replays?cc=5901&ver=us

Wow. That's amazingly tin-eared.

The Beeb was saying that by the next WC they will have to incorporate video replay because... wait for it... it's been so well received in cricket and rugby. Hey, whatever works.

 

[BoomGoestheDynamite]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

Advancing to back to back knockout stages in world cups would be a good start for us...

Well the tournament won't be in Europe, so I think our chances are pretty good.

 

[pirate]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

Wow. That's amazingly tin-eared.

The Beeb was saying that by the next WC they will have to incorporate video replay because... wait for it... it's been so well received in cricket and rugby. Hey, whatever works.

cricket matches last like 5 days, people forget bad calls before the game is even over...they don't need replay

I think they should use replay only for goal line decisions such as yesterday's mistake. Too many offsides during a game to review them and I don't like the idea of only reviewing offsides after a goal.

 

[blockski]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

Wow. That's amazingly tin-eared.

The Beeb was saying that by the next WC they will have to incorporate video replay because... wait for it... it's been so well received in cricket and rugby. Hey, whatever works.

They don't even need video replay. Just put one official on each of the end lines. You could also add a second on-field ref just to get another set of eyes out there - that would solve FIFA's concerns about technology.

Gridiron football has 7 officials watching 22 players on a smaller field. Hockey has 4 on the ice watching 12 (plus goal judges).

 

[J.D.]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

Not really on topic, but in just watching Germany and leaving out club performance...

Schweinsteiger
Ozil (rising star or what?)
Mueller
Podolski (strikes the ball with pace almost every time)
Klose

That is a very difficult group to deal with and should result in a great quarterfinal against Argentina.

Also, with Germany and Ghana winning...that solidifies Group D as my retroactive Group of Death.

 

[pirate]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

They don't even need video replay. Just put one official on each of the end lines. You could also add a second on-field ref just to get another set of eyes out there - that would solve FIFA's concerns about technology.

Gridiron football has 7 officials watching 22 players on a smaller field. Hockey has 4 on the ice watching 12 (plus goal judges).

didn't they test that? seemed to work if I recall.

I've seen them use two refs on the field for youth soccer and while there is some issues with consistency, the field gets covered which makes up for it. each team gets one of the refs for a half so it evens out essentially

 

[Puck Swami]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

I could see each World Cup coach getting one challenge flag that they could use during the game to challenge a call on the field. The challenge would be video reviewed at the next stoppage in play.

Win the call, and the coach gets the benefit of the reversed call plus retains the challenge flag to use again. Lose the challenge, and you'd need a suitable punishment for delaying the game - maybe other team gets a free kick from 25 or 30 yards out or your team goes down to 10 men for 5 minutes or something like that.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

didn't they test that? seemed to work if I recall.

I've seen them use two refs on the field for youth soccer and while there is some issues with consistency, the field gets covered which makes up for it. each team gets one of the refs for a half so it evens out essentially

The Europa League this year experimented with the extra official behind each goal, seemed to work okay. I'd be against a 2nd on field official though, I don't think the fact that each team gets an official for each half necessarily means it's even.

 

[blockski]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

I could see each World Cup coach getting one challenge flag that they could use during the game to challenge a call on the field. The challenge would be video reviewed at the next stoppage in play.

Win the call, and the coach gets the benefit of the reversed call plus retains the challenge flag to use again. Lose the challenge, and you'd need a suitable punishment for delaying the game - maybe other team gets a free kick from 25 or 30 yards out or your team goes down to 10 men for 5 minutes or something like that.

I don't particularly care for the challenge system in any sport. Plus, I'm sure you'd have a situation like in football with fumbles - you could challenge an opponent's goal, arguing that he was offside, but there's no way you could challenge a call where the ref called a player off who was actually onside (just like whistling a player down when he had actually fumbled).

Just adding more eyes and getting more angles on the play would help immensely with some of the judgment calls (such as the US disallowed goal on the phantom foul in the box) and with the questions of fact (was the ball over the line or not?).

Most importantly, such a system would be scalable at all levels of play. You don't need two on-field officials, for example. You don't need end-line officials, either.

Another benefit of end-line officials would be on corner kicks - this isn't a huge issue, but there have been quite a few cases in this Cup where there have been slight deflections off defenders that should have been corners, but were called as goal kicks instead.

 

[Kepler]

Re: World Soccer XVI: The Sadness

A little impromptu social history on the Velvet Divorce from the commentators.

The Repre held the Netherlands off the board for 17 minutes longer than I expected, anyway.