World Cup

[PhantomOnTour]

We are three weeks out from the biggest sporting event in the world. How do you think the good ole' USA will fare?

Who do you like to win it all?

As a child we used to get soccer games from the Bundesliga in Germany on my local PBS station (how the hell they chose Germany-or West Germany as it was then-i have no idea) so I've become quite a fan of German football. Put it this way: I listened to the 1986 World Cup Final on the radio....in Spanish (Arg beat W Ger).

Any thoughts about this great tournament?
(and thanks to Gorgeous George for the inspirarion to start this thread) :ThmbUp:

[horses4courses]

I'll be watching many of the games....been watching World Cups since 1966.

USA can advance to the next stage.....after that, hmmmm.....

I like Brazil to win it all.
9-2, or 5-1, is not a bad futures bet, if you can get those odds.

[DJofSD]

I'm more focused on the UEFA final tomorrow.

[PhantomOnTour]

I'm more focused on the UEFA final tomorrow.
It's actually the European Champions League final tomorrow. UEFA is now known as the Europa League and is kinda like the NIT with respect to the NCAA Basketball tourney. It's the 2nd tier club teams playing. The ECC (Champions League) is a tournament involving the top 3 or 4 teams from each domestic league in Europe. UEFA/Europa League involves the 3rd-7th or so finishers in each domestic league.

Jose' is a genius (the Special One) and Inter should win, but as I stated before, I like me some German soccer...go Bayern Munich!

[DJofSD]

UEFA is what I see on my DVR schedule.

[PhantomOnTour]

Lemme clarify:

It's called the UEFA Champions League, and there is also a UEFA Cup. UEFA means the Union of European Football Associations, and they have 2 tournaments: the Champions League and the UEFA League. Champs League is the final being played tomorrow...sorry for the confusion as they both fall under the heading of UEFA. So you are technically correct. I should have been more clear about that.

[slewis]

Jose sure is a genius. To defeat the mighty Barcelona twice was just sensational management. Bayern's a tough foe but I think Inter gets it done.

As far as Germany's chances in the World Cup..I hear Ballack is lost and that hurts especially in this type of tourney....

It's really wide open and should be very entertaining.

Cant wait!

[cj's dad]

I'm more focused on the UEFA final tomorrow.

Network and time ?

Not on ESPN/ or 2.

[PhantomOnTour]

Network and time ?

Not on ESPN/ or 2.
Whoa, I was just looking for that...seems it's only on PPV here in Louisiana thru Fox Soccer Channel. Shame, I don't like soccer that much, and I won't be paying or watching I guess.

Not the way to grow the sport in the USA. All of our major sports are FREE, esp the title game. Foolish, the World Cup Final itself won't be ppv so why would anyone buy this game?

[DJofSD]

I believe it's Fox sports.

[PhantomOnTour]

I believe it's Fox sports.
Aha, there it is. Didn't even think to check network TV, thinking there was no way it would be on one of them. Now that is the way to grow the sport in America :ThmbUp:

tomorrow 2:30 eastern on Fox

[broadreach]

Italy have got an easy Group and should make the semi finals at least.

[ElKabong]

As a child we used to get soccer games from the Bundesliga in Germany on my local PBS station :

Holy cow, you remember that ? :)

In the late 1970s we used to jam in my dorm room at Bergstrom AFB to watch Toby Charles call the game of the week (german "football"). I'm not a soccer fan, none of us were. Those were the pre-espn days and soccer was played at a much higher level in GER than what we ever saw or did here.

Few of the players names stick in my mind (franz beckenbauer?) but it's Toby Charles calls of the games that I remember and his colorful comments. "Oh, there's a speculative ball" (bad pass) that used to get us a laugh...but he was good.

[cj's dad]

We are three weeks out from the biggest sporting event in the world. How do you think the good ole' USA will fare?

Who do you like to win it all?

As a child we used to get soccer games from the Bundesliga in Germany on my local PBS station (how the hell they chose Germany-or West Germany as it was then-i have no idea) so I've become quite a fan of German football. Put it this way: I listened to the 1986 World Cup Final on the radio....in Spanish (Arg beat W Ger).

Any thoughts about this great tournament?
(and thanks to Gorgeous George for the inspirarion to start this thread) :ThmbUp:

same here on the east coast on channel 22 Baltimore/D.C. market - we got the german league; wife used to get p---d that we were late for Mass because I had the boys watching Soccer

[PhantomOnTour]

Awesome, I didn't know so many others got Bundesliga soccer on their PBS as well. My PBS was actually originating from Boston (WBBS?) and evidently that's who was puttin on the soccer...Toby Charles, the name brings back memories. "Oh,a shot off the woodwork, that wasn't far off target."
My favorites were Pierre Litbarski, Horst Hrubesch, and Berti Vogts. I could go on and on about German soccer...Lothar Mattheus (how's that for a name?), Rudi Voller, Jurgen Klinsman, Andreas Brehme, etc....

So are we all rooting for Germany (after the US ofcourse)?

[Dave Schwartz]

I am amazed that there are so many World Cup fans here. Bravo. It is an exciting event.

I had the good fortune to attend the 2002 World Cup finals. (Great seats... 6th row.) When I got home and told people I'd been at the World Cup, they'd say things like, "So?" or "Is that skiing?"

http://www.horsestreet.com/BBSImages/WC2002-1.jpg

[nearco]

Btw.... the Champions League final is on FOX..... not Fox Soccer Channel, or Fox Sports....... it's on the regular Network free to air version of Fox.
About to kick off... c'mon BAYERN!

[nearco]

Crap.... Andy Gray is doing commentary.

I suppose could be worse, at least it's not "bulge in the auld onion bag" Tommy Smyth.

[Space Monkey]

Congrats to Inter for their win today. Having to go thru Chelsea, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, they truly are the best club in the world.

The US have an easy first round group. I don't give them a snowballs chance in hell of advancing to the third round. England is my second team, but they still haven't upgraded their defense to make it to the finals. I'm an Irishman who grew up in an Italian neighborhood, worked for a family owned Italian bakery for 22 years and most of my friend sthat I still contact from back home are Italian. I was rooting for Inter today, and I expect when all is said and done, Italy will be my last team standing. :ThmbUp:

[PhantomOnTour]

Luckily for the USA, we drew the weakest of the big teams in our WC group. At least my opinion is that England is a far better proposition than having to play Spain, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Italy, France, or Holland in the group stage. We can advance to the 2nd round but it's tough to look beyond that. You never know though, England has had nothing to shout about on the international stage for many years now....i just don't fear them like i do the other big teams.

[cj's dad]

I am amazed that there are so many World Cup fans here. Bravo. It is an exciting event.

I had the good fortune to attend the 2002 World Cup finals. (Great seats... 6th row.) When I got home and told people I'd been at the World Cup, they'd say things like, "So?" or "Is that skiing?"

http://www.horsestreet.com/BBSImages/WC2002-1.jpg

dave -- ?? did I read right that you paid $750 for a ticket ???????

What a guy !!!

[slewis]

If that ticket was 750¥.....that WOULD have been a GREAT deal..lol


Although England should'nt be "feared", they're still considerably more powerful than the US squad..... and we have some key injuries.

Argentina's team is a combo of superstars in the peak of their careers.

We saw Milito's game tonight. Messi is, well Messi. Tevez is sensational and could be used as a midfielder in certain formations.

The midfield, their weakest link,a bit slow but tough headed by Marscherano.

The defense is SOLID. When guys like Zanetti and Cambiasso dont make the squad, you know Argentina is DEEP.

MY choice ahead of Brazil.

[CBedo]

More than likely I won't watch one World Cup game, but this full length Nike commercial is awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE

[thorobasePA]

Spain are my idea of the winners. Xavi is one of the greatest players I've ever seen.

[DJofSD]

More than likely I won't watch one World Cup game, but this full length Nike commercial is awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE
Far sight better than the Tiger Woods ad.

I like the Rooney segment. Hope to see a lot of him during the WC games.

[eastie]

why don't they do brackets like the ncaa hoops ? imagine the pools internationally ?

[cj]

Of course they do brackets like they do hoops in many countries, and probably here too. I was in several when I lived in Europe.

Did anybody watch the Champions League final yesterday? The audience is gigantic, even dwarfs the Super Bowl. Most players want to win that above the World Cup.

[DJofSD]

An enjoyable game to watch.

I thought Munich was a little lack luster dispite having the ball more tha Milan. Milan was just too good defensively. Whatever shots on goal Bayern seemed to be desperate ones. Milan was patient and it was rewarded.

[cj's dad]

Nearly all of Bayern's shots were "wishful" shots; i.e. I'm going to direct this floater into the 18 and "gee, I wish someone on my team can make a play".

On the other hand, Milan's shots were with purpose and they converted their two best chances easily.

[cj's dad]

I am amazed that there are so many World Cup fans here. Bravo. It is an exciting event.

I had the good fortune to attend the 2002 World Cup finals. (Great seats... 6th row.) When I got home and told people I'd been at the World Cup, they'd say things like, "So?" or "Is that skiing?"

http://www.horsestreet.com/BBSImages/WC2002-1.jpg


Cost US$750 - three lines below the #64 0n the right middle side of the ticket

[broadreach]

Milan played well enough and they deserved the title overall as they had wins over the English champions(Chelsea) and Spanish champions(Barcelona). The winning team of a Champions League title receives around 15m Euro, so some player bonuses forthcoming :)

[PhantomOnTour]

Jose 'The Special One' Mourinho is a puppetmaster, and his players do as directed. Amazing; he plays great mind games as well. Before Inter played Chelsea(a team he used to manage) at Stamford Bridge in the earlier round, Jose stood in the tunnel all unassuming like and greeted each Chelsea player as they walked onto the field (sorry, i REFUSE to use the word 'pitch'!)...that broke their concentration and they were thinking about Jose and not the game.

Talk about a payday, Blackpool won the final promotion spot into the Premier League (England) yesterday, and that club stands to get a promo bonus of something like 110million pounds. They have moved from the lowest division of English soccer up to the top (4 divisions i think)...neat story as they were predicted to finish last in their league. Now they can enjoy their trips to Anfield, Stamford Bridge, The Emirates, and Old Trafford and then get relegated back to their old league. :)

What if MLB had relegation? Bring up the Triple A champs into the majors...everyone on the team makes the big show!

[cj]

Milan played well enough and they deserved the title overall as they had wins over the English champions(Chelsea) and Spanish champions(Barcelona). The winning team of a Champions League title receives around 15m Euro, so some player bonuses forthcoming :)

I have heard it is more like 40m Euro, or 50m US dollars.

[cj]

What if MLB had relegation? Bring up the Triple A champs into the majors...everyone on the team makes the big show!

That would be great. The Orioles could actually be competitive.

[PhantomOnTour]

Team USA will sort out their traveling team and possible starting 11 tonight vs Czech Republic. Gooch plays for the first time in 7mos....cross your fingers. Without him I think we are in really bad shape in S Africa.

Go Team USA!!!