First game kicks off in 4 hours. Seems like we should have a thread dedicated to the WC. It's already getting brought up in the WDT. Focus: The games, the players, predictions for winners, complain about the referees, make fun of the diving etc... Alt-Focus: What a clusterfuck this is becoming for Brazil and what an awful organisation FIFA is. Focus: FiveThirtyEight has Brazil at 45% likelihood to win the tournament with Argentina the next closest at 13%. Frankly, it's shocking how much of a frontrunner Brazil is. They've actually given Australia a 0.0% probability of winning, which is depressing (we're ranked with Algeria, Honduras and Iran!). Alt-Focus: John Oliver says it perfectly:
The World Cup is a very special time of year here, a time when a large percentage of people forget where they live/are from in favour of pretending to be from the country their great grandparents were born in.
It's also that time of year where a number of non-soccer fans discreetly step away from the mass of drooling idiots that fill the pubs and workplace.
The World and Euro Cups are the only time I watch soccer, because its the best-of-the-best and has international intrigue. And it's fun seeing how big of pussies the Italian team is. They dive when a beam of light hits them. No athlete has thinner skin than a pro soccer player.
I'd rather watch a loop of church services on EWTN than watch 1 game of soccer on TV. The amount a country cares about the World Cup is inversely proportional to how well their country is doing economically, politically, and culturally on the world stage.
It's funny, as someone who doesn't actually watch soccer, the only real mental image I have of World Cup are from the news broadcasts, which generally cover the bad shit that goes on. For instance, the only mental image I have of this World Cup is: Now, it's admittedly more exciting than an actual soccer game, but still...
Eh, alot of top club teams would beat most international teams save for a few. Bayern Munich or Real Madrid would be one of the top 2-3 teams in this tournament. And is it that much thinner than an NBA star, even a monster like Lebron James falls like an Italian midfielder. And is it any worse than baseball where players go on the 15 day DL for sneezing wrong? So the US cares a ton about it?
The NBA at least is attempting to stop the flopping. They're not doing enough, but at least there's an effort. Baseball is more roster manipulation than anything. Baseball teams have a pretty thin bench position player wise, you've got to have bodies.
I tried to watch the last world cup, and came to the conclusion that I just dont get it. I did gamble on the world cup this year because I am a degenerate. I will check the results after the tournament is over to see if I have won.
I gave it a shot as well, except I stopped almost immediately after trying to figure out why the match was still being played with no time left on the clock.
I agree. It's just that in a game that averages one, maybe two goals a game those super-pussy Hollywood flops change the outcome of games. Important games, too. A lot of soccer fans defend it and say its "part of the game". I think it's cheating.
Oh boy, is this where we prove how cool we are by proclaiming repeatedly how little we care? Because if you truly don't give a shit, you're doing it wrong. This first game should be pretty interesting. Brazil's attack isn't as good as it has been in Cups past, plus the Croats have a very underrated back 4. Add to that the pressure for Brazil to put on a show and if it's scoreless at halftime things could get very interesting.
I couldn't agree with this more if I fucking tried. People wrapping themselves in flags of countries they've spent a week in when they were five before said grandparents passed away acting like they live and breathe that country. I have no problem hopping on the World Cup bandwagon, but at least do it for the country you were born in and spent 99.99% of your life.
Who defends it? Its awful. This is one of the most bullshit things about it. As a huge soccer fan, I hate it. Its annoying, most of the time brings no real advantage, and it gives mouthbreathing American idiots a reason to bash on soccer. I'd love to know the chuckleheads you talk to that "defend it". Its strategy, but awful strategy. Much like D Wade's awful flop the other night he knew would be called cause the refs were whistle happy. Its technically "smart", but its no less obnoxious and cheap. They've begun cleaning it up in the EPL with cards and suspensions, and diving is treated with utter contempt by fans. Unfortunately, the only way it will ever stop is if FIFA steps in a makes it a point of emphasis, but they are too busy counting their Qatari blood money. Italians are bad, African teams are worse. And the unfortunate part is that many of the teams that are known for diving play a quick, entertaining, and fluid style of soccer. The grind it out teams you don't like don't have much need for it. I went to the US-Poland friendly at Soldier Field in Chicago 2-3 summers ago. Chicago has the biggest Polish population in the US, so it makes sense. We were in the bottom ring, above us in the upper deck were scores of Polish fans, most of them teenage/twentysomethings from the South Side wrapped in Polish flags, lighting off flairs, yelling "Fuck Dempsey" or "You're a bitch Altidore"...in perfect Chicago accents cause they are AT BEST, first generation Americans, mostly second generation. These fuckers were born here and are shitting on their national team because of some absurd reverse jingoism. My grandmother is Dutch and I love the Dutch national team and have a badass orange Holland jersey, but you're fucking high if you think I'd support them over the US.
Nah, but describing the impact that it has on those of us that don't give a shit is legitimate commentary. Hell, enjoy it all you like, more power to you... but it's got nothing to do with being cool. It's not just a soccer fanboy thread, it's a discussion thread, where the issues around it are fair game. If you want a fanboy thread feel free to fire it up in the sports board.
And keep it on topic and civil... post other shit in the WDT (that's what it's there for) or pm/rep it.
There are few case by case scenarios, because Chicago has the second largest Polish population outside of Warsaw, that is a discussion to have. But I have an Albanian friend who hasn't been back to the mother country maybe twice for less than 14 days already starting with this shit, his family has been here for years, he can't even speak the language.