2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

[Bloodshot Scott]

Very proud of our team. Very proud of one of my favorite players on the planet, Tim Howard. By himself kept us in the match.

Team USA have had their fun. They can fuck off now.

U mad?

BTW, which is your weak ass country anyway? They make it to the elimination rounds?

 

[bobjustbob]

The sponsors must be thrilled with this. You know, with all of those Belgians packing the bars here for the rest of tournament, soccer will be catapulted onto the first 20 minutes of Sports Center for the rest of the month. Oh well, back to the rest of our lives for the next 4 years.



PS: Belgian soccer jerseys selling fast on Amazon.

 

[Jagger69]

"Team USA" (gay) can get fucked. You had your good WC in 2002, which is more than you deserve. The neutrals, and definitely me, are with Belgium. The goodwill is with them. They are the emerging team. Hopefully, now that it's sudden death, they step up and ream you cunts.

I did not ask for it to be clarified? Anyway. Team USA have had their fun. They can fuck off now.

I am not a soccer fan nor have I posted in this thread until now but I am an avid sports fan and, dude, that's just really poor sportsmanship no matter the sport. Regardless of your feelings for the USA team (or the nation), your lack of class makes you appear to be an extremely bitter loser (sorry about the Aussies' misfortune in Group B this go around, mate ). Don't be that guy....no one likes that guy. So what if the USA lost to Belgium? We certainly exceeded expectations and I'm proud of our guys even though, other than their participation in the World Cup, I couldn't give a rat's ass about soccer and I would guess that most Americans feel exactly the same way. Now it's back to baseball and waiting for football season to begin.

I'm not quite sure why you seem to despise the USA team so much (most of the time these fixations are based on jealousy from my experience but, hey, maybe you have some other axe to grind against the red, white and blue....who knows? :dunno. Good luck to Belgium and the rest of the teams who remain in the competition and better luck to the Aussie team next time....perhaps they can manage to get out of the preliminary round like the USA team was fortunate enough to do this year. G'day, mate! :thumbsup:

 

[ritingfunny@yah]

Soccer paid my way through college, so I LOVE the game, but I cannot bear to watch the US team play. I've wondered why for years, but after the group stage this year, it finally hit me. It's the "good enough" mentality of soccer fans, players and coaches in the US. Hell, on Yahoo Sports right now, there's a headline that begins, "US team's thrilling World Cup..."

Excuse me? Thrilling? Where? An incredibly lucky win over Ghana, a humiliating tie against a Portuguese team that was a one man team, and that one man was hobbled, and still managed to humiliate the defense in the last seconds, a pathetic loss to Germany, wherein everyone played like it was OK to lose, and a loss in the knockout stage, that should've been a multiple goal blowout, but for the Belgians' inexperience. Fans of any other American sport would find that record horrible, but soccer fans are thrilled. The US team didn't show up to any of their matches. It just seemed to me they were once again just happy to participate. Almost as if they were in some pee wee American soccer league, where everyone gets a trophy and no score is kept, to aid the "players'" self esteem. Any other country in this tournament would be ashamed to enter the knockout stage after such a performance in the group stage, and any other team would've fought a LOT harder during their knockout stage game. What's the difference between the Swiss and the Americans today? The Swiss can hold their heads high, knowing they gave their all. The Americans' offense pretty much consisted of, "I'll kick the ball this way, and maybe one of my teammates will get it." Once again, the pee wee league mentality.

No wonder sports commentators like Keith Olbermann and the late night talk show hosts have made so many jokes about soccer in general and the US team in particular. The US team deserves to be ridiculed. They played poorly in four games. Hell, if the best you can do is this, the next time you qualify for the World Cup, forfeit your place to a team that will actually put an effort forth like the Nigerians, Algerians and the Swiss did in the knockout stage. Yep, they lost, but they actually mounted attacks, in other words, they didn't settle for "good enough."

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Soccer paid my way through college, so I LOVE the game, but I cannot bear to watch the US team play. I've wondered why for years, but after the group stage this year, it finally hit me. It's the "good enough" mentality of soccer fans, players and coaches in the US. Hell, on Yahoo Sports right now, there's a headline that begins, "US team's thrilling World Cup..."

Excuse me? Thrilling? Where? An incredibly lucky win over Ghana, a humiliating tie against a Portuguese team that was a one man team, and that one man was hobbled, and still managed to humiliate the defense in the last seconds, a pathetic loss to Germany, wherein everyone played like it was OK to lose, and a loss in the knockout stage, that should've been a multiple goal blowout, but for the Belgians' inexperience. Fans of any other American sport would find that record horrible, but soccer fans are thrilled. The US team didn't show up to any of their matches. It just seemed to me they were once again just happy to participate. Almost as if they were in some pee wee American soccer league, where everyone gets a trophy and no score is kept, to aid the "players'" self esteem. Any other country in this tournament would be ashamed to enter the knockout stage after such a performance in the group stage, and any other team would've fought a LOT harder during their knockout stage game. What's the difference between the Swiss and the Americans today? The Swiss can hold their heads high, knowing they gave their all. The Americans' offense pretty much consisted of, "I'll kick the ball this way, and maybe one of my teammates will get it." Once again, the pee wee league mentality.

No wonder sports commentators like Keith Olbermann and the late night talk show hosts have made so many jokes about soccer in general and the US team in particular. The US team deserves to be ridiculed. They played poorly in four games. Hell, if the best you can do is this, the next time you qualify for the World Cup, forfeit your place to a team that will actually put an effort forth like the Nigerians, Algerians and the Swiss did in the knockout stage. Yep, they lost, but they actually mounted attacks, in other words, they didn't settle for "good enough."

I didn't find any of the USA games boring. I lettered in soccer in high school though, so I do know a little about the game and absolutely loved playing (almost as much as hockey). So I don't know what this post is about nor do I think you know much about the game. smh

 

[nightwanker]

Quarter-finals solely are made up of group winners.
Expectations and letdowns, be that as it may - the best playing teams will stage an awesome final elimination.

 

[ritingfunny@yah]

I didn't find any of the USA games boring. I lettered in soccer in high school though, so I do know a little about the game and absolutely loved playing (almost as much as hockey). So I don't know what this post is about nor do I think you know much about the game. smh

Having coached and played most of my life, I know whereof I speak, and US Soccer has to make a drastic attitude adjustment or get used to getting knocked out in the group stage or the first game of the knockout stage in each and every World Cup they qualify for. Some have said we need to attract more young people to the game, which is true. If you're an athletically gifted kid, looking for a sport to concentrate on, are you going to idolize football and basketball players like Russell Wilson and Tim Duncan, who concentrate solely on WINNING or are you going to be inspired by a team that's happy to lose and tie their way from one round of their most important playoff to the other? Geez, we act as if these guys on the US team are inferior to their Belgian counterparts, but they're not. They just lacked the "We WILL win," attitude and dedication to doing all you can to win. If you enter a soccer match with no offensive strategy, prepare your keeper to be VERY busy.You can't just take the field and hope for the best. Soccer is a game of strategy and possession. The teams who control possession consistently win, teams that kick the ball wherever and hope for the best, go home early.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

we act as if these guys on the US team are inferior to their Belgian counterparts, but they're not. .

This shows exactly how much you know about the game.

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we act as if these guys on the US team are inferior to their Belgian counterparts, but they're not. .

This shows exactly how much you know about the game.

 

[tartanterrier]

Quarter-finals solely are made up of group winners.
Expectations and letdowns, be that as it may - the best playing teams will stage an awesome final elimination.

I think that's the 1st time this has ever happened in the World Cup, so I guess the games will be great ones from here on in. My favorites Brazil are still in, although whether they will win it depends on Neymar staying injury free.

 

[BioDefenseGrad]

Excruciating loss. Even though Belgium had us out classed all game, I still thought we had a chance to win it at the end. Wasn't to be though. They were certainly the better team.

Howard didn't deserve to be on the losing end tonight. Dude was a fucking beast for 120 minutes. Defense really let him down.

The U.S. is a very ugly team to watch. They had few offensive weapons on the forward line other than Dempsey (who has a narrow skill set) but the real weak link is the offensive midfield.
How is it that a guy like Bradley is running the offense, when he's a defensive midfielder? If it wasn't for Howard, that score might have been 4-1.

 

[BioDefenseGrad]

Having coached and played most of my life, I know whereof I speak, and US Soccer has to make a drastic attitude adjustment or get used to getting knocked out in the group stage or the first game of the knockout stage in each and every World Cup they qualify for. Some have said we need to attract more young people to the game, which is true. If you're an athletically gifted kid, looking for a sport to concentrate on, are you going to idolize football and basketball players like Russell Wilson and Tim Duncan, who concentrate solely on WINNING or are you going to be inspired by a team that's happy to lose and tie their way from one round of their most important playoff to the other? Geez, we act as if these guys on the US team are inferior to their Belgian counterparts, but they're not. They just lacked the "We WILL win," attitude and dedication to doing all you can to win. If you enter a soccer match with no offensive strategy, prepare your keeper to be VERY busy.You can't just take the field and hope for the best. Soccer is a game of strategy and possession. The teams who control possession consistently win, teams that kick the ball wherever and hope for the best, go home early.

You can tell that soccer does not attract our best athletes. Our midfielders looked small and unathletic compared to Belgiums and lost a lot of jump balls in the air. They also looked slow. The U.S. was the 2nd worst team in the tournament in turnovers/take aways. I think part of that is due to Bradley leading the passing offense, but it's also due to being physically slow.

The NFL needs to watch out. Over time parents will urge future WR, SS, RB, CB etc. to play soccer and have a better chance of playing in a pro league than to risk it on the NFL.

- - - Updated - - -

Having coached and played most of my life, I know whereof I speak, and US Soccer has to make a drastic attitude adjustment or get used to getting knocked out in the group stage or the first game of the knockout stage in each and every World Cup they qualify for. Some have said we need to attract more young people to the game, which is true. If you're an athletically gifted kid, looking for a sport to concentrate on, are you going to idolize football and basketball players like Russell Wilson and Tim Duncan, who concentrate solely on WINNING or are you going to be inspired by a team that's happy to lose and tie their way from one round of their most important playoff to the other? Geez, we act as if these guys on the US team are inferior to their Belgian counterparts, but they're not. They just lacked the "We WILL win," attitude and dedication to doing all you can to win. If you enter a soccer match with no offensive strategy, prepare your keeper to be VERY busy.You can't just take the field and hope for the best. Soccer is a game of strategy and possession. The teams who control possession consistently win, teams that kick the ball wherever and hope for the best, go home early.

You can tell that soccer does not attract our best athletes. Our midfielders looked small and unathletic compared to Belgiums and lost a lot of jump balls in the air. They also looked slow. The U.S. was the 2nd worst team in the tournament in turnovers/take aways. I think part of that is due to Bradley leading the passing offense, but it's also due to being physically slow.

The NFL needs to watch out. Over time parents will urge future WR, SS, RB, CB etc. to play soccer and have a better chance of playing in a pro league than to risk it on the NFL.

 

[over_shadowed]

Wow, we're still in the World Cup!!!
After a very hard fight with Switzerland, I'm sure we will suffer again with Belgium. God, they played really well, I think BEL-USA was one of the best games of the second round. Anyway, all the teams are exhausted after their matches, except for Colombia, Netherlands and France.
We deserve even a 4th place this time!!!
VAMOS ARGENTINA!!!!!!

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

I hope Messi gets it finally. Or Germany. Or Belgium. Or the Netherlands. Oh heck, I don't have a damn fucking clue who my horse is now, so I will just say Germany, since I do have some German blood.

 

[ritingfunny@yah]

This shows exactly how much you know about the game.

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This shows exactly how much you know about the game.

I'm going to make one last comment on this, and that's all, since your commentary is so biting... tee hee... Soccer games are won between the boxes, not in them. Everyone who's played soccer at a competitive level constantly hears the phrase, "Create space.) Can you name one example of where the US team did this in any of their four World Cup games? And can you find more than two or three examples of where Belgium didn't do that in yesterday's game? Spain won the last World Cup (And the last two European Cups,) by doing it to perfection. Did Spain have a killer striker? Nope. Did they have superior athletes? Not really. Did they create space and control the space between the boxes? Oh, HELL YES. Did they fail to do that this year? Oh, HELL YES. As long as the US is just happy to get to the tournament, they can expect the result they got this year. Tim Howard was excellent yesterday, but if your keeper's saves are in the double digits, the rest of the team is letting him down BIG TIME. I'm SO glad so many Americans are SO content with the definition of mediocre attitude and strategy that is US Soccer. Enjoy your four games in all the World Cups to come.

- - - Updated - - -

This shows exactly how much you know about the game.

- - - Updated - - -



This shows exactly how much you know about the game.

I'm going to make one last comment on this, and that's all, since your commentary is so biting... tee hee... Soccer games are won between the boxes, not in them. Everyone who's played soccer at a competitive level constantly hears the phrase, "Create space.) Can you name one example of where the US team did this in any of their four World Cup games? And can you find more than two or three examples of where Belgium didn't do that in yesterday's game? Spain won the last World Cup (And the last two European Cups,) by doing it to perfection. Did Spain have a killer striker? Nope. Did they have superior athletes? Not really. Did they create space and control the space between the boxes? Oh, HELL YES. Did they fail to do that this year? Oh, HELL YES. As long as the US is just happy to get to the tournament, they can expect the result they got this year. Tim Howard was excellent yesterday, but if your keeper's saves are in the double digits, the rest of the team is letting him down BIG TIME. I'm SO glad so many Americans are SO content with the definition of mediocre attitude and strategy that is US Soccer. Enjoy your four games in all the World Cups to come.

 

[rookieb]

Backing the Netherlands, but ye gods they need to wake up in the first half...

 

[BioDefenseGrad]

I'm going to make one last comment on this, and that's all, since your commentary is so biting... tee hee... Soccer games are won between the boxes, not in them. Everyone who's played soccer at a competitive level constantly hears the phrase, "Create space.) Can you name one example of where the US team did this in any of their four World Cup games? And can you find more than two or three examples of where Belgium didn't do that in yesterday's game? Spain won the last World Cup (And the last two European Cups,) by doing it to perfection. Did Spain have a killer striker? Nope. Did they have superior athletes? Not really. Did they create space and control the space between the boxes? Oh, HELL YES. Did they fail to do that this year? Oh, HELL YES. As long as the US is just happy to get to the tournament, they can expect the result they got this year. Tim Howard was excellent yesterday, but if your keeper's saves are in the double digits, the rest of the team is letting him down BIG TIME. I'm SO glad so many Americans are SO content with the definition of mediocre attitude and strategy that is US Soccer. Enjoy your four games in all the World Cups to come.

- - - Updated - - -



I'm going to make one last comment on this, and that's all, since your commentary is so biting... tee hee... Soccer games are won between the boxes, not in them. Everyone who's played soccer at a competitive level constantly hears the phrase, "Create space.) Can you name one example of where the US team did this in any of their four World Cup games? And can you find more than two or three examples of where Belgium didn't do that in yesterday's game? Spain won the last World Cup (And the last two European Cups,) by doing it to perfection. Did Spain have a killer striker? Nope. Did they have superior athletes? Not really. Did they create space and control the space between the boxes? Oh, HELL YES. Did they fail to do that this year? Oh, HELL YES. As long as the US is just happy to get to the tournament, they can expect the result they got this year. Tim Howard was excellent yesterday, but if your keeper's saves are in the double digits, the rest of the team is letting him down BIG TIME. I'm SO glad so many Americans are SO content with the definition of mediocre attitude and strategy that is US Soccer. Enjoy your four games in all the World Cups to come.

Most Americans don't give a damn about soccer. It's fun to watch every 4 years or so. It doesn't have the same stature that it does in countries where soccer is basically the only pro sport that people participate in.

The U.S. will win the world cup eventually, but no one is going to cry if that doesn't come along in the next 3 or 4 World Cups.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Germany! Yes! What a nice set piece.

 

[nightwanker]

Neymar: Injured Brazil forward ruled out of World Cup

Brazil forward Neymar has been ruled out of the World Cup after being injured in the 2-1 quarter-final win over Colombia.
The 22-year-old was carried off on a stretcher and taken to hospital after being kneed in the back by Juan Zuniga.
A team doctor confirmed the Barcelona player fractured a vertebra in his back.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28173132

Terrible news for football!
Horrifying from a humane point of view.
"fractured a vertebra in his back"

It further says, it won't need surgery, but at least weeks to recover.
From what I saw on TV it was a very rude foul from behind.

 

[feller469]

Neymar being out puts a bit of a damper on Brazil v. Germany. T. Silva missing the match due to yellow cards sucks too. Cheap foul on Neymar. Wonder if FIFA will penalize further.

 

[Motor.boater]

BTW, which is your weak ass country anyway? They make it to the elimination rounds?

lol

I'm not quite sure why you seem to despise the USA team so much (most of the time these fixations are based on jealousy from my experience but, hey, maybe you have some other axe to grind against the red, white and blue....who knows? :dunno.

It's because they were playing Belgium. Fuck, looking how easily you yanks get offended by my posts, lucky Belgium weren't playing Greece!

better luck to the Aussie team next time....perhaps they can manage to get out of the preliminary round like the USA team was fortunate enough to do this year. G'day, mate! :thumbsup:

We'll need it with the fat cunt we've got as coach, and stinking self entitled, chest -puffing soccer culture we've got over here.

Wow, we're still in the World Cup!!!
After a very hard fight with Switzerland, I'm sure we will suffer again with Belgium.

You will suffer alright.

We deserve even a 4th place this time!!!
VAMOS ARGENTINA!!!!!!

VAMOS BELGIUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!