2014 World Cup

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Maniac Craniac, Jun 23, 2014.

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  1. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    Well, it's about time someone made a thread!

    I can't believe what I just saw. USA was up 2-1 and sitting pretty as the final minutes ticked away. However, in the absolute last possible second (literally), Portugal scoots in a header and ties the game.

    FYI, you can watch the games live free at univision.com. If you don't want the spanish commentary (why wouldn't you? Soccer sounds better in Spanish or Portuguese, even if you don't know the language!), you can listen to the game live for free at either espn.com or at the espn feed on tunein.com. The univision video allows for adjusting how much of a delay you want your video feed to have, so it's possible with some effort to get the espn radio commentary to sink up with the univision video.
     
  2. 03310151

    03310151 Active Member

    GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



    Oh, my God...Noooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have got to be kidding me.




    I'm not watching anymore that about killed me.
     
  3. Mighty_Tiki

    Mighty_Tiki Member

    It looked like the USA defense just quit........I don't get it, they were so aggressive all match and then to just let of all people Ronaldo get a perfect cross pass to a breaking attacker........ugh........that was a total head shake moment.....
     
  4. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I watched USA v Ghana, Nigeria v Bosnia, Japan v Greece. All interesting games that showed different styles and strategies.
     
  5. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    It looked like they were employing my time-tested video game strategy of stalling and running out the clock out any time there's a lead with less than 1/2 of the game to go. From NES Ice Hockey (1988!!!) to Madden 2014, it works every time :wiggle:

    Also, Ronaldo :aargh4:
     
  6. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    So if my math is right, now fans of the USA team should root for Ghana's Black Stars to defeat Portugal, right?
     
  7. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    No. From a US perspective, the ideal outcome of the Ghana-Portugal game is a tie. Second best is a Portugal win. A Ghana win is the scenario that is most likely to keep the US from advancing.

    If Ghana and Portugal tie, then each team (which currently have 1 point each) would get an additional point, for a total of 2. They would therefore fall short of the US (which currently has 4 points), regardless of the outcome of the US-Germany game. So the US would advance.

    If either Ghana or Portugal win, they would get 3 additional points, which would raise their total to 4. They could therefore tie the US (which currently has 4 points), if the US loses to Germany. In that case, the first tiebreaker is goal differential (goals scored minus goals allowed). Currently, the goal differential is +1 US, -1 Ghana, -4 Portugal. So Portugal is much weaker than Ghana in this regard.

    If the US wins or ties with Germany, then the USA advances regardless of the outcome of the Ghana-Portugal game.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 23, 2014
  8. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Great, thank you, that's very clear. I suppose my Ghanaian friends will just have to be understanding. :smile:
     
  9. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    When is a loss worth celebrating? When you STILL advance to the next round!!! WHOO HOO!!! Nobody expected the USA to survive the group they were place into, but we've made it to the final 16. I've never seen people in the USA so excited about soccer. I think the MLS might be in anticipation of a boom year next coming season. We'll see :)

    I made some friends at the laundromat today. They have 3 televisions mounted from the ceiling, all of which were on news channels. I politely asked the manager if he could put the world cup game on (in fact, I expected it to already be on, which is why I decided to do my laundry in the middle of the day :pat:), to which he obliged. Several people jumped up and crowded around the TV and thanked me for speaking up and/or reminding them that the game was on! We had a small USA cheering section right next to the coin-operated detergent dispenser :)

    Another story coming out of the world cup http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/27/sports/worldcup/world-cup-2014-suarez-barred-by-fifa-for-latest-bite.html What an ugly thing to do. I'm glad that FIFA came down so hard on him. I wish american professional sports leagues would do the same when players get out of line.
     
  10. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    I was in a Best Buy when USA vs. Portugal was on, and all the TVs were set to show it, with a big crowd around.

    Anyway, next up is either Belgium or Algeria, probably Belgium. Hmm.
     
  11. fiza200

    fiza200 New Member

    2014 world cup is very interesting and there are many teams have been take part in this competition.
     
  12. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    What a phenomenon the competition has been so far! I have been able to watch games at the laundromat, the gym, bars, restaurants, at friends' houses, in malls- it's everywhere! I've even seen live score updates on electronic billboards while stuck in traffic on the highway. When I've had to provide my own screen, I've been able to watch it on either my computer at home or my tablet. Out in public, I've had groups of strangers crowd around my tablet to create a mini-tail gate. It's been fun and wild!

    Currently watching Belgium vs USA. Score 0-0. If we win, it's on the the quarter-finals! :usa2::usa2::usa2::usa2:
     
  13. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Well, that's the end for Team USA. But I think they did fairly well, and made the Belgians earn it. It was a little strange being in a bar and seeing it packed full of Americans who were on pins and needles watching a soccer game, but I suppose now most of them will go back to indigenous sports for the next four years. :smile:
     
  14. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    An exciting run with a painful ending. There were a couple of shots that I really thought were goals. Still, I think they should be proud of what they accomplished and I definitely see soccer as having a bright future here in the USA.

    I don't know who to root for at this point, but I know the games will be fantastic.

    Off topic here, but I decided to watch baseball tonight for the first time in weeks, in the hopes of some good news from my old friends, the New York Yankees. ARRRGGHHH!!! They had the winning run on base in the 9th and couldn't pull though. Today isn't my day, I guess.
     
  15. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Now is when the true soccer fans identify themselves. It's one thing to watch when the US is still in the competition and another to continue watching after they're eliminated.:unitedstates:
     
  16. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Of the remaining teams, I'd like to see the Ticos go on, but we'll see.
     
  17. dirkcraen

    dirkcraen New Member

    I am very much enjoying this world cup ! Exit the predictable leaders and enter the underdogs ! HUP HOLLAND !
     
  18. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    One popular prediction is for a final of Brazil v Argentina but here's my prediction. France wins over Germany and then loses to Brazil. The Netherlands beats Costa Rica and then beats Argentina to set up a Brazil v Netherlands final which Brazil wins decisively. Remember, you heard it here first.
    :popcorn:
     
  19. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Well, it didn't take very long for my first prediction to go wrong.:pat:
     
  20. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

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