The 2010 World Cup Thread / South Africa

[gometros]

He sure has! I was a little worried that his potential was all hope and hype, but he's proving himself to be a great player. My DH says it was luck, but I don't agree. I can't wait for the next USA game. I wish I could be there waving my American flag and blowing a vuvuzela (sp)!

Was it luck? Maybe, who knows I don't believed in 'just luck'. He was right behind waiting for the play the whole time, he never gave up, so it wasn't just luck. They worked so hard for 90 minutes + minutes and never gave up.

Luck is what you make it. The luck part comes in where the ball rebounds too, but the rest is all field vision, hustle and skill. After Donovan played the ball up the wing, he kept running. He stops and he's not there to put in the rebound.

 

[FireDancer]

Was it luck? Maybe, who knows I don't believed in 'just luck'. He was right behind waiting for the play the whole time, he never gave up, so it wasn't just luck. They worked so hard for 90 minutes + minutes and never gave up.

I don't believe in blind luck either. Other then being born to a millionaire almost all forms of luck require you to do something. Even winning the lottery requires buying the ticket. In sports this is even more true. If you are running second in a race and the leader, who is a mile ahead of you, pulls a muscle it is part luck (good for you and bad for him) but you still had to be running in second place to take advantage of it. A lucky bounce still has to be put away, and just to be there to get a chance at the lucky bounce you had to qualify for the tournament.

Didn't Sentanta merge with someone (FSC perhaps?). ESPN was also showing an EPL match on Saturday mornings. There is also MLS, while not yet on the level of Serie A, the EPL or La Ligua, there are some very skilled players and some entertaining games.

I'm not sure exactly what happened with Setanta. First they lost their EPL rights in England which caused them to bleed commercial revenue. They were the chief rights holders for the SPL and when they lost the EPL and the revenue stream that went with it the SPL also lost a lot of television money which is the last thing they need.

It completely slipped my mind that ESPN was showing an EPL and a La Liga game per week. I don't know if that deal came from their bid on the World Cup or, more likely, from ESPN winning the UK broadcasting rights for so many packages.

I just can't wait for Saturday. One of The US, Ghana, Uruguay, and South Korea are guaranteed a place in the semi-finals and any of those 4 are good enough to beat the other 3 (or the 2 of the 3 they have to) and get to that stage. As we showed last year against Spain and even against Brazil for 45 minutes in a knock out competition any team can beat any other team in a one-off match.

 

[Cat0727]

Oh boy, Italy is going to get a butt whooping when they get home. Their performance this WC was abysmal.

This American announcer is so annoying and biased, btw. He needs to turn it down. I hope he is not commentating the USA-Ghana match on Saturday.

 

[SouthernExplorer]

I missed the last few minutes of the Italian match to watch some Wimbledon coverage. I have been following the longest tennis match in history (11 hours!) between Mahut and Isner, and Isner won!!!! Go team USA! I must say that it is refreshing to see a Frenchman display so much respect and class in defeat. The football team can learn so much from Nicolas Mahut. The French must be so proud of him!

I'm eagerly looking forward to Ghana v. USA. I'm also rooting for Germany and England. Being part Irish I must say I laughed so hard during France's final match. Schadenfrued! Karma was swift and harsh!

 

[PixieDust32]

I don't believe in blind luck either. Other then being born to a millionaire almost all forms of luck require you to do something. Even winning the lottery requires buying the ticket. In sports this is even more true. If you are running second in a race and the leader, who is a mile ahead of you, pulls a muscle it is part luck (good for you and bad for him) but you still had to be running in second place to take advantage of it. A lucky bounce still has to be put away, and just to be there to get a chance at the lucky bounce you had to qualify for the tournament.



I'm not sure exactly what happened with Setanta. First they lost their EPL rights in England which caused them to bleed commercial revenue. They were the chief rights holders for the SPL and when they lost the EPL and the revenue stream that went with it the SPL also lost a lot of television money which is the last thing they need.

It completely slipped my mind that ESPN was showing an EPL and a La Liga game per week. I don't know if that deal came from their bid on the World Cup or, more likely, from ESPN winning the UK broadcasting rights for so many packages.

I just can't wait for Saturday. One of The US, Ghana, Uruguay, and South Korea are guaranteed a place in the semi-finals and any of those 4 are good enough to beat the other 3 (or the 2 of the 3 they have to) and get to that stage. As we showed last year against Spain and even against Brazil for 45 minutes in a knock out competition any team can beat any other team in a one-off match.

Exactly! He was running for the ball, so it wasn't just luck, he was there, but anyway

 

[PixieDust32]

Oh boy! Italy, drama drama! The champs are gone too

 

[gometros]

Oh boy, Italy is going to get a butt whooping when they get home. Their performance this WC was abysmal.

This American announcer is so annoying and biased, btw. He needs to turn it down. I hope he is not commentating the USA-Ghana match on Saturday.

John Harkes? He's not a quarter the announcer he was as a player. I mute the sound when he announces a game.

This is the first time in World Cup history that the previous world cup champion and the runner up were knocked out in the group stages.

 

[Cat0727]

John Harkes? He's not a quarter the announcer he was as a player. I mute the sound when he announces a game.

This is the first time in World Cup history that the previous world cup champion and the runner up were knocked out in the group stages.

Yes. I'll be muting the sound as well next time I hear him

I missed the last few minutes of the Italian match to watch some Wimbledon coverage. I have been following the longest tennis match in history (11 hours!) between Mahut and Isner, and Isner won!!!! Go team USA! I must say that it is refreshing to see a Frenchman display so much respect and class in defeat. The football team can learn so much from Nicolas Mahut. The French must be so proud of him!

I'm eagerly looking forward to Ghana v. USA. I'm also rooting for Germany and England. Being part Irish I must say I laughed so hard during France's final match. Schadenfrued! Karma was swift and harsh!

I watched Wimbledon as well (when did they come out with ESPNU, lol so random!) What an amazing match! I kept switching back and forth between that and Italy's game.

haha I love that word "Schadenfreude" thanks to my favorite Broadway play, Avenue Q!

 

[Guy Incognito]

the vuvuzela as a weapon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXPPyjtw5WU





(watch the volume if you're at work)

 

[PixieDust32]

Oh boy, Italy is going to get a butt whooping when they get home. Their performance this WC was abysmal.

This American announcer is so annoying and biased, btw. He needs to turn it down. I hope he is not commentating the USA-Ghana match on Saturday.

oh he is so full of it!!! I watch the games in spanish channel univision. The guys are so cool and their comments after USA gol made me cry, they always talk very positive. They said that the USA team never gave up on their dream, that they played with their feet and scored with their heart and how much that goal meat to a nation, i translated to my husband as they were talking and he said, wow these guys are way better than the moron on espn. lots of famous people posted on twitter that they watched the games in spanish too because of that.

 

[LilyWDW]

Before tomorrows game...

GO URUGUAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[FireDancer]

If anyone is having trouble getting psyched for the game tomorrow this might do the trick.

 

[MomofKatie]

If anyone is having trouble getting psyched for the game tomorrow this might do the trick.

LOVE that video!! I think I've watched it 6 or 7 times, and I tear up each time. GO, USA!!

 

[crazy4stitch]

Has anyone tried any of the vuvuzela filters yet? I found this link http://antivuvuzelafilter.com/ it is supposed to take out that annoying buzzing if you are streaming the game. I just wish ESPN would filter the noise out, I have heard that BBC did. Anyway, here is to a great second round. Can't wait for Sunday, hoping that England can beat Gernany. Looking forward to watching Argentina, Messi is really a wonderful player. Is anyone else's family as sick of the games as my daughter?? She is about to disown me

 

[PixieDust32]

My stomach has butterflies! Good Luck USA

 

[LilyWDW]

My stomach has butterflies! Good Luck USA

I would LOVE a US v Uruguay game. I would be in heaven.

 

[TimeforMe]

Good effort, though.

 

[PixieDust32]

 

[kinntj]

So disappointing.

I will be mourning until I watch England vs. Germany tomorrow. Unfortunately, one by one more will be eliminated. I hate to see us leave so early though.

 

[PixieDust32]

I know ! I cried we were so close many times oh well...