Soccer really sucks, doesn't it?

[a.kitman]

It's hard to express the sheer awesomeness of Isner vs. Mahut

Soccer players could learn a thing or two about toughness and grit from Isner and Mahut.

well that is more about endurance then anything else. so its rather american footballers that could stand to learn a thing or two. if its anything football have over your american sports its stamina and endurance.

[Cort Haus]

You're a good man, Serb, but Kaka did ****-all. The other guy should be shot for bringing the game into disrepute.

What I really can't understand are (1) - the clips Asher posted of supposedly terrible fouls which looked like nothing special really - I assume the perp was one of Serb's favourite players and (2) Serb's inexplicable support for the USA.

[duke o' york]

Well Serbia weren't in the World Cup were they... oh.

[Cort Haus]

Serb is Russian

[duke o' york]

I know, I was pulling his leg. I think that the definitive answer to this thread is "No, and if you don't like it then the Chicago Blackhawks are better than ok, if that's what you're into."

[Drake Tungsten]

Valcke also announced Saturday FIFA won't alter the way it apportions spots for the tournament despite the struggles of teams from Europe and Africa at this World Cup.

"There is no discussion about slots for the future, we have 32 teams," Valcke said.

Of the 13 European teams that started this World Cup, only six made it to the final 16. That's fewer than at the last three World Cups stretching back to 1998, when the tournament expanded to 32 teams.

Of the six African entrants, only Ghana advanced, while teams from South America and Asia filled seven spots in the last 16. ...

Under the current breakdown, Europe has 13 entries, Africa 5 (plus the host this time), Asia and South America 4.5 each, CONCACAF (North and Central America and Caribbean) 3.5 and Oceania 0.5.

Playoffs featuring Oceania vs. Asia and South America vs. CONCACAF explain the fractions.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5330663/ce/us/fifa-acknowledges-very-different-ball-perhaps

What bull****...

If FIFA doesn't change the breakdown to Europe 10, Africa, Asia and South America 5 each, CONCACAF 4, and Oceania 1 for the next World Cup, it will be obvious that it's nothing but a corrupt and laughably Eurocentric organization.

[BeBMan]

Africa should be reduced to 3 for that vuvu faux pas.

[C0ckney]

at the idea that CONCACAF should get more places. there's the USA and mexico who are good and then a massive gap to a bunch of teams who wouldn't stand a chance of qualifying if they were in europe, south america or even africa.

africa should get 1 less and that place should be given to south america.

[Drake Tungsten]

at the idea that CONCACAF should get more places.

That means only six out of 13 European teams will qualify to the round of 16. In comparison, all five South American teams competing in the World Cup have qualified for the second round. Even North America is doing better, sending two out of three.

Combined, North and South American teams are sending seven out of eight teams.

Percentage of European teams qualifying for the second round: 46.

Percentage of North and South American teams qualifying for the second round: 87.

http://missionlocal.org/2010/06/world-cup-the-case-against-europe/

Europe clearly deserves to lose World Cup spots.

[C0ckney]

to lump north and south america together is retarded and more than a little disingenuous.

in south america there a good number of teams who play to a decent level and can compete, as we have seen. this is not the case for north america, where there are two such teams.

[Drake Tungsten]

to lump north and south america together is retarded and more than a little disingenuous.

The separate results for both the South American and North American teams are listed, ******. Both continents sent a much higher percentage of their World Cup qualifying teams into the knockout round than Europe did.

[Cort Haus]

There are only 2 good teams in CONCACAF. Apart from them, only Costa Rica has ever got past the group stages in the modern game.

The good form of the South American sides in this tournament does make it tempting to suggest more places for them, but 4.5 teams out of 12 countries isn't a bad showing.

The proposal of 10 countries from 50 (Yoorp) and 5 from 12 (S. America

[Drake Tungsten]

Frankly, I'd be fine with South America, CONCACAF, and Oceania having 10 spots to split between them in qualifying. The important thing is to reduce the gross favoritism displayed toward Europe, which simply doesn't deserve 40% of the available World Cup spots.

[Cort Haus]

Basing proposed quotas on performances half-way through a single tournament

[Drake Tungsten]

I'm basing quotas on fairness and good sense. There's no good reason for Europe to have just one less World Cup spot than Africa, Asia and South America combined. It only happened because FIFA is dominated by Europeans and is staggeringly inept/corrupt.