World Cup and European leagues

[mr_b]

Could you imagine the flop fest if Italy and Portugal make it to the final.

Perhaps the ref could give out yellow cards shaped like Oscar statuettes.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Could you imagine the flop fest if Italy and Portugal make it to the final.

Perhaps the ref could give out yellow cards shaped like Oscar statuettes.

A better 'statuette' might be a boot deliberately tripping over a (diving) brick, given the dimensions of the countries!

VERY reminiscent of the Italian deliberately tripping over the back of the Aussie.  (After all, Australia could not all that inaccurately also be shown as a brick, just east-west rather than north-south.)

Based on the complaints of the various posts, am I correct that we unanimously favor a Germany-France final?  Since my elder son's paramour has Portugal as her favorite team, I supported her this round, but all bets are off for the next - I think I have to go with Zidane, ESPECIALLY if he is a 'cheese-eating surrender monkey'!

[cawcdad]

Could you imagine the flop fest if Italy and Portugal make it to the final.

Perhaps the ref could give out yellow cards shaped like Oscar statuettes.

I was thinking more along the lines of leave the refs out and bring in Olympic's judges. 5.3 with a degree of difficulty of 2.

[Greek Tragedy]

I will wonder if he'll get the same treatment Beckham did when he got sent off against Argentina ('98? too lazy to look),...

OS,

I suspect the tabloids will be pretty rough on Rooney, though perhaps not quite as bad as Beckham due to his youth (I believe Becks' red card was the 2000 European Championship - if I'm remembering that right, he would have been 25 to Rooney's 20). 

Well, he may have gotten one then too, but it was Argentina and Diego Simeone, I remember that vividly, just couldn't remember if it was the 98 Cup or the 02 Cup...we know it wasn't the 94 Cup   (sorry Hoosier Fan! lol...on a side note, I actually have a 1994 World Cup hat with England on it!)

Argentina seized an early 1-0 lead, but Shearer and Owen answered with goals of their own. The Argentinians drew even shortly before intermission. In the opening minutes of the second half, David was leveled from behind by Diego Simeone. Furious at the foul, he lashed out at the Argentinian, kicking at him with his right leg. The referee spotted this infraction and held up a red card. For the first time in his professional career, David was sent off. Down a man the rest of the way, England could muster little offense and ended up losing on penalty kicks.

Though a World Cup title was never expected, English fans were nonetheless enraged. Tabloids ran headlines that read "10 HEROIC LIONS, ONE STUPID BOY" and "WHAT AN IDIOT." David arrived home as public enemy #1.

I, too, will be rooting for Germany v France...but it's basically the lesser of two evils for me.  I'm not a big fan of Germany and I like to root for the underdogs, but unless I'm eating at Fazoli's or the Sopranos, I don't care about the Italians. lol.  as for France, one of my friends once said, "I have no use for the French!"   But, I also have no use for the Portugese (with all the diving and "Christian" Ronaldo trying to work his way out of Old Trafford).

[Mr. Ypsi]

You may be right (though I could have sworn it was '00), but, regardless, Rooney better grow up fast.  Stomping on groins is NOT a good route to making friends and influencing others!

No matter his obvious talent, I'd estimate he has no more than a year or two to avoid becoming a pariah - and once the stigma sets in, it is AWFULLY hard to overcome.

[Hoosier Titan]

It was 1998 when Beckham was sent off.  I just saw it last night--there is no comparison between what he did and what Rooney did yesterday.  Beckham took a swipe at a guy's leg while lying on the ground; Rooney tried to stomp on his family jewels from above. 

Becks has resigned as England's captain.  It was certain to happen, but I feel sad for him, as I did when he came out of the match yesterday.  A lot of fairly knowledgable fans in the US seem to think he's over-hyped; I've never seen him that way.  He's a football player who's better looking than most, who happens to be married to a decidely minor popstar.  But he led Man U to major victories in Europe and, of course, on set pieces he was perhaps the best ever. 

The top candidates for the captaincy seem to be Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Chelsea's John Terry.

I remember seeing Wayne Rooney when he first came up to the EPL to play for Everton.  It was the Everton-Liverpool derby and much was being made of him being the new "Boy Wonder," about to take the title away from Michael Owen.  The excuses that he's "young" are wearing thin.  Eriksson says England "needs" Rooney; I'm looking to see 1) how things go at Man U this season and 2) how the rest of the English supporters accept him.  I have no use for him at this point, regardless of talent.

Yes, our house is supporting Germany and France at this point, .  But there's very little joy in it--we mostly want to see the champion divers gone.  We had to miss Brazil-France, which looked to be a real cracker from the highlights.  It's on Tivo at home.

OS, I wasn't following England in 1994 so I am not offended by your remark--if I was supposed to be!

[Stinger]

If Real Madrid signs C. Ronaldo, I might have to give up all my Merengues jerseys. I've never liked the kid, and the wink solidified my feelings. What a punk.     Hoosier Titan, I too was perplexed about the decision to have Lampard begin the PK session.  I was sure it was going to be Gerrard.

For England, I think it's going to be good to close the door on the Sven era.

Im nowhere near to being a France fan, and Henry is a whiny little beo*ch, but Zidane is king. The man can do no wrong on the pitch.   In the years to come when I miss what Zidane can do, I only have to pull up video of his wonder goal vs Leverkusen in the '02 champions league final.

I can only see one final that will be entertaining, France v. Germany. 

[Stinger]

And one more thing, any English fan that still doesn't believe in Hargreaves after this World Cup should turn in their card.  I didn't know too much about him, only from watching a few Bundesliga matches on FSC mid-mornings, but man, that guy is a warrior. 

[Ralph Turner]

This might interest some of you.

It seems the English soccer fans have impacted the German quality of life like nothing else since WW-II.

[Warren Thompson]

This might interest some of you.

It seems the English soccer fans have impacted the German quality of life like nothing else since WW-II.

That's astounding, Ralph. The Brits are even outdrinking Texans .... 

[Mr. Ypsi]

This might interest some of you.

It seems the English soccer fans have impacted the German quality of life like nothing else since WW-II.

It's a good thing for German beer drinkers (i.e., nearly everyone over 4 years old) that presumably most of the Brits have gone home by now.

[Hoosier Titan]

... any English fan that still doesn't believe in Hargreaves after this World Cup should turn in their card.  I didn't know too much about him, only from watching a few Bundesliga matches on FSC mid-mornings, but man, that guy is a warrior. 

You're absolutely right--he was Man of the Match for England, no question.

Finally got to see the second half of France-Brazil and I'm glad I did.  Henry might have medieval ideas about women but that goal was a thing of beauty.

I just remembered that there is a third place game in the World Cup final!  If, as I wish, Italy and Portugal meet in that match it could be for the Diving Championship of the World!

[albinomascot19]

Two big matchups: Italy-Germany, Portugal, France.  Who is going to win it all?   

By the way I heard reports of Coach Bruce Arena being replaced by Juergen Klinsmann for a while now, do any of you see that happening? 

[Hoosier Titan]

There is a very enjoyable article about all the flopping at ESPNsoccernet:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=373195&root=worldcup&cc=5901&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1

[Greek Tragedy]

On the same website, Wayne Rooney claims no intent and no ill will on his red card and row with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Regarding his intent...I find that hard to believe.

Italy v Germany will be a battle.  Italy has come into form and have looked a little better than Germany, especially when it comes to defense.  But, the football gods won't let the hosts lose this one.  Penalties...and everyone will forget about Kahn not in goal.

Portugal and France aren't the two teams I wanted to see, but it now looks like France's destiny.  Barely making it out of their WC qualifying group, getting the two needed goals to go through to the Round of 16 on the last day and now taking down two of favorites in the tourney (Spain, Brazil), I don't see how Zu Zu and Co. will let this one slip. 

Germany v France in the Final.