World Football Thread VIII - The beautiful game?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Colon™
I don't understand what Americans' beef is with a relegation/promotion system. It's darwinism at it's finest.

It's the advertizers... they'd HATE to see a NY team get relegated and lose millions.

[Colon™]

We have advertizers too. It's just that ours have balls.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Colon™
We have advertizers too. It's just that ours have balls.

Ours want more money and aren't willing to sacrifice money on a non-mainstream sport.

Considering our companies (Nike, Gatorade) have a significant presence in Europe, shows they know what they are talking about .

[Imran Siddiqui]

Anecdote: I went out to dinner to a sports themed restaurant tonight. In the main dining area there are 6 massive projector screens showing sports. One 4 there were baseball games. On one there was ESPNNews, which segwayed into the pregame for the NBA Playoffs. The last one was showing Tom & Jerry Cartoons.

What is that significant? Because at the time the US was playing Venezuela in a Friendly to get ready for the World Cup... and it was broadcast on ESPN2!!

They picked Tom & Jerry over US Soccer. The bar area, which had more TVs... no soccer.

Now, I can't accept that a sport that is passed up in favor of Tom & Jerry at sports restaurant can be 'mainstream'. don't care how many college teams there are. I don't care how many youth players there are. For a sport to be mainstream, the national league and team have to have their existance acknowledged more than every once in a while by the general sporting public!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Btw, MikeH, in the US's friendly with Venezuela (US won 2-0), Convey apparently looked awesome and was the Man of the Match. He started while Beasley came off the bench. Convey was just flat out better from what I read. Maybe he's got a shot to steal that starting spot from Beasley!

[Dauphin]

Prediction thread is up, for those who may be interested.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

and its off, zuberbulher - magnin - muller - senderos - behrami - vogel - barnetta - gygax - cabanas - streller - frei vs cote divoire!


www.radiosport.ch to listen live.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

BARNETTA!!!!!! 32ème minute.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

1 - 1, 46e minute.

amazing gold tho.

[duke o' york]

I read about Weggis in the Grauniad today Lawrence.

What language is the radio in?

[Lawrence of Arabia]

french. 15 minutes to go.

i think security is brazillian but im not sure. i have friends over there now

[Lawrence of Arabia]

1 - 1 final. streller, frei were gassed at the end. behrami - gygax was not working well. for somereason, even when streller asked to be subbed out, the coach didnt do it.

senderos is too slow, they should play senderos - behrami in the middle to compensate, and leave patrick muller on the bench.

cabanas was rusty/ bad and for a #10 on a national team was losing a lot of balls.

as usual, tranquillo barnetta brought his A game.

hakan yaki and mauro lustrinelli did not play

zuberbuehler was shaky yet again, with only one good save. every save he made, no matter how routine, got applause from the crowd.

[MikeH]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Btw, MikeH, in the US's friendly with Venezuela (US won 2-0), Convey apparently looked awesome and was the Man of the Match. He started while Beasley came off the bench. Convey was just flat out better from what I read. Maybe he's got a shot to steal that starting spot from Beasley!

I've just started thinking that I hope he isn't too great in the world cup so no-one buys him before next season!

BTW I think what you said about soccer not being mainstream in the US is spot on.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

guess where this guy is gonna be tomorrow nite at quarter to nine?



oooooohhh yeeeahhh.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by MikeH
I've just started thinking that I hope he isn't too great in the world cup so no-one buys him before next season!

BTW I think what you said about soccer not being mainstream in the US is spot on.

Heh... I think Reading will know to keep him in order to have a chance to stay in the Prem. I know I'll be rooting for them for just that, as I do with Fulham, which has McBride and Bocanegra in their lineups.

Though if Newcastle ever gets an American (perhaps Onyewu?), I'd be heaven .