[OT] Controversial Call (USA)

[deluca67]

Its true that people are finally paying attention. If even the occasional fan watches every 4 years maybe this sport will grow in North America. Personally I could care less for the 'beautiful game'. It puts me to sleep and the constant diving and theatrics is maddening. Jim Rome absolutely hates soccer and said on rome is burning that America won't embrace soccer until they can win consistently. The same can be said of Canada. Its hard to enjoy a sport when you're ranked 87th or whatever.

Not a Roy fan I take it.

[gregkash]

130 million people watched the super bowl last year.

730 million watched the world cup final in 2006.

 

Yeah, not important.

[Guest Sloth]

Spain should easily beat Honduras and Chile if not they certainly didn't deserve to be ranked #2. There are just too many good teams in the tournament to seriously think the US has a chance. That the US team was down 2-0 and needed a comeback against Slovenia says a lot about their chances.

 

I'm not saying the U.S. is a legit contender. They are ranked number 14 in the world and that is some what respectable. As I said earlier, Team USA made it to the final of FIFA 2009 world championships. You seem to be ignoring that. I'm simply saying a NUMBER of teams now have a chance at winning the CUP. In the past, it came down to the dominating countries, such as Brazil, Italy, Germany, Spain, etc... It is NO longer like that. Again, Switzerland beat Spain the other night. In a way, you're contradicting yourself. Spain is a power house and their supposed to win their division. And from your point of view they are still guranteed to do that. Things have changed. Spain may not make it to the round of 16. Can you handle that? To put down England and the USA is beyond stupid. England is a respectable soccer country, and Team USA is improving EACH year/tourny. They made the championship game in last year's world championship! For you not to give them any type, no matter how small it is, of chance of winning it all is beyond stupid. Will I be surprised if the Team USA fails to make the elimination round? No, I will not. But, I will also not be surprised if they make it to final dance. Give some credit to the dramatic improvement of U.S. soccer. It has come a LONG way! The U.S.A. went multiple decades w/out making the World Cup. You do have to qualify. You know that, right? When team U.S.A. made the World Cup in 90', they were a laughing stock. Now, team U.S.A. is considered as a team to be worried about. A team to considered as a contender. If you'd speak to ANY legit soccer analyst, you'd understand. It appears, as usual, you refuse to listen to other people's thoughts or opinions. I always respect and think about another person's thoughts or opinions. I am not one sided, but it appears as if you are. Over the past couple of years, I've noticed you to be completely one sided. You fail to allow others express their opinion. You fail to take part in a proper debate. It's terrible you practice this frame of thought on Sabrespace. I come to this site because people conduct legit, respectful debates. You seem to fail to do so. I hope you realize this, but the odds are appearing to be rather slim...

[SabresneedaCup]

I'm not saying the U.S. is a legit contender. They are ranked number 14 in the world and that is some what respectable. As I said earlier, Team USA made it to the final of FIFA 2009 world championships. You seem to be ignoring that. I'm simply saying a NUMBER of teams now have a chance at winning the CUP. In the past, it came down to the dominating countries, such as Brazil, Italy, Germany, Spain, etc... It is NO longer like that. Again, Switzerland beat Spain the other night. In a way, you're contradicting yourself. Spain is a power house and their supposed to win their division. And from your point of view they are still guranteed to do that. Things have changed. Spain may not make it to the round of 16. Can you handle that? To put down England and the USA is beyond stupid. England is a respectable soccer country, and Team USA is improving EACH year/tourny. They made the championship game in last year's world championship! For you not to give them any type, no matter how small it is, of chance of winning it all is beyond stupid. Will I be surprised if the Team USA fails to make the elimination round? No, I will not. But, I will also not be surprised if they make it to final dance. Give some credit to the dramatic improvement of U.S. soccer. It has come a LONG way! The U.S.A. went multiple decades w/out making the World Cup. You do have to qualify. You know that, right? When team U.S.A. made the World Cup in 90', they were a laughing stock. Now, team U.S.A. is considered as a team to be worried about. A team to considered as a contender. If you'd speak to ANY legit soccer analyst, you'd understand. It appears, as usual, you refuse to listen to other people's thoughts or opinions. I always respect and think about another person's thoughts or opinions. I am not one sided, but it appears as if you are. Over the past couple of years, I've noticed you to be completely one sided. You fail to allow others express their opinion. You fail to take part in a proper debate. It's terrible you practice this frame of thought on Sabrespace. I come to this site because people conduct legit, respectful debates. You seem to fail to do so. I hope you realize this, but the odds are appearing to be rather slim...

burn.

[TheChimp]

You mean the game isn't still going on? ZZZZZZZZZZZ

[Foot In The Crease!]

A little off topic, but did anyone see Wayne Rooney response when

0-0 draw with Algeria. Hes a grade A a-hole.

[bunomatic]

But a terrific player.

[That Aud Smell]

i saw the replay several times from free kick forward and, like just about everyone in the world, concluded that the u.s. got jobbed.

 

but, as someone who watches a fair amount of int'l soccer, the first real question that i had was: how hard/soft was the foul that was committed that created the kick? because soccer referees are notorious for making up for what they conclude is a bad free kick call with a call in the defending team's favor. i was reading yesterday that the foul was pretty soft. that doesn't excuse the phantom call, but it does help explain it.

 

A little off topic, but did anyone see Wayne Rooney response when

0-0 draw with Algeria. Hes a grade A a-hole.

But a terrific player.

the english side deserved to be booed - expectations were justifiably high for this team and thus far they've failed to live up to expectations. apropos of conversation on another thread, rooney may be a jerk, but he's a fantastic player.

[spndnchz]

That call sucked.

[Trey]

It is exactly. I would say years from but it is more likely weeks from now (maybe even days) except for the few soccer fans in this country no one would remember that the US beat Slovenia 3-2. Three perfect games in one season would have been a part of American sports history.

 

Your close minded analysis of this situation is frustrating. You put your personal feelings for a sport ahead of anything else and belittle others in the process. If you would look at the larger picture you would see that this call could set soccer back in the USA by years, and at a time when we were finally starting to get a strong following. Personally, I could care less about 3 perfect games in a season in baseball. However, I do appreciate the situation and regret that the bad call was made. The difference is that 3 perfect games in a season is a piece of history, while this goal could very well change the future of a sport and a nation.

[TheChimp]

Soccer makes for good background TV when you're cooking a turkey. Takes about the same time.

[deluca67]

130 million people watched the super bowl last year.

730 million watched the world cup final in 2006.

 

Yeah, not important.

And yet I still don't care.

[JohnRobertEichel]

And yet I still don't care.

 

And yet no one really cares that you personally don't care. Stop thinking that your opinion on soccer (just like your opinion on the Sabres, the Bills, politics, etc) means much to anyone here. It's always the same ###### thing with your posts - overly negative and lacking critical thinking. Are you really just an internet troll trying to get a rise out of people? Or is your personal life this ###### miserable that you have to post 10 times a day on each thread to let everyone know that the sky is perpetually falling on everyone and everything possible?

 

The notion is laughable that the denied 3rd goal in the Slovenia game doesn't matter just because the US doesn't have a chance anyway of winning the World Cup.

 

For one thing, they DO have a chance of winning. They were ranked 14th in the world coming into this tournament with genuine elite talent like Howard, Donovan, Dempsey, Altidore, Bocanegra, and Onyewu plus some quality role players and a great coach. The US proved in last year's Confederations Cup that they can hang with the very best (Brazil, Spain). And we've already seen upsets galore in this World Cup. Traditional juggernauts like Italy, England, and France now look terribly flawed. Germany and Spain have had some early struggles. Algeria is very beatable, we might not even have to face Germany in the first knockout round, and after that we would have just 3 more games where fortuitous matchups, hard work, good coaching tactics, and maybe some lucky calls can leave the US in a cinderalla story situation.

 

But even if the highly expected happens and we don't win the World Cup, there is still tremendous value in advancing as far as possible and playing competitively against the very best squads. The longer the national team is in it, the more positive exposure they get and soccer in general gets. Casual US sports fans are getting more interested because of the world stage and the opportunity for our country to beat others at one of the few things they're better at us in and care so much about. The hyped game against heavily favored England had political undertones due to the BP gulf fiasco. The comeback against Slovenia and the denied 3rd goal has become a rallying point for Americans who love the "us against the world" and "never give up" mantras.

 

Perfect games in baseball are rare and very cool, but the sport of baseball is maxed out in its national popularity. Soccer has barely begun tapping into its full potential in the USA, especially with the changing demographics from Mexican immigration. A deep World Cup run can do a lot to transform pro soccer in the US at a critical time in the fragile MLS's history where they are expanding but still struggling to break even financially.

 

OK it's late. I'm done here. In summary: ###### off, DeLuca.

[TheChimp]

I'm with you, Deluca. Soccer's gay.

[SwampD]

And yet no one really cares that you personally don't care. Stop thinking that your opinion on soccer (just like your opinion on the Sabres, the Bills, politics, etc) means much to anyone here. It's always the same ###### thing with your posts - overly negative and lacking critical thinking. Are you really just an internet troll trying to get a rise out of people? Or is your personal life this ###### miserable that you have to post 10 times a day on each thread to let everyone know that the sky is perpetually falling on everyone and everything possible?

 

The notion is laughable that the denied 3rd goal in the Slovenia game doesn't matter just because the US doesn't have a chance anyway of winning the World Cup.

 

For one thing, they DO have a chance of winning. They were ranked 14th in the world coming into this tournament with genuine elite talent like Howard, Donovan, Dempsey, Altidore, Bocanegra, and Onyewu plus some quality role players and a great coach. The US proved in last year's Confederations Cup that they can hang with the very best (Brazil, Spain). And we've already seen upsets galore in this World Cup. Traditional juggernauts like Italy, England, and France now look terribly flawed. Germany and Spain have had some early struggles. Algeria is very beatable, we might not even have to face Germany in the first knockout round, and after that we would have just 3 more games where fortuitous matchups, hard work, good coaching tactics, and maybe some lucky calls can leave the US in a cinderalla story situation.

 

But even if the highly expected happens and we don't win the World Cup, there is still tremendous value in advancing as far as possible and playing competitively against the very best squads. The longer the national team is in it, the more positive exposure they get and soccer in general gets. Casual US sports fans are getting more interested because of the world stage and the opportunity for our country to beat others at one of the few things they're better at us in and care so much about. The hyped game against heavily favored England had political undertones due to the BP gulf fiasco. The comeback against Slovenia and the denied 3rd goal has become a rallying point for Americans who love the "us against the world" and "never give up" mantras.

 

Perfect games in baseball are rare and very cool, but the sport of baseball is maxed out in its national popularity. Soccer has barely begun tapping into its full potential in the USA, especially with the changing demographics from Mexican immigration. A deep World Cup run can do a lot to transform pro soccer in the US at a critical time in the fragile MLS's history where they are expanding but still struggling to break even financially.

 

OK it's late. I'm done here. In summary: ###### off, DeLuca.

 

 

I'm with you, Deluca. Soccer's gay.

When taken together, these two posts gave me a good laugh this morning.

[Guest Sloth]

And yet no one really cares that you personally don't care. Stop thinking that your opinion on soccer (just like your opinion on the Sabres, the Bills, politics, etc) means much to anyone here. It's always the same ###### thing with your posts - overly negative and lacking critical thinking. Are you really just an internet troll trying to get a rise out of people? Or is your personal life this ###### miserable that you have to post 10 times a day on each thread to let everyone know that the sky is perpetually falling on everyone and everything possible?

 

The notion is laughable that the denied 3rd goal in the Slovenia game doesn't matter just because the US doesn't have a chance anyway of winning the World Cup.

 

For one thing, they DO have a chance of winning. They were ranked 14th in the world coming into this tournament with genuine elite talent like Howard, Donovan, Dempsey, Altidore, Bocanegra, and Onyewu plus some quality role players and a great coach. The US proved in last year's Confederations Cup that they can hang with the very best (Brazil, Spain). And we've already seen upsets galore in this World Cup. Traditional juggernauts like Italy, England, and France now look terribly flawed. Germany and Spain have had some early struggles. Algeria is very beatable, we might not even have to face Germany in the first knockout round, and after that we would have just 3 more games where fortuitous matchups, hard work, good coaching tactics, and maybe some lucky calls can leave the US in a cinderalla story situation.

 

But even if the highly expected happens and we don't win the World Cup, there is still tremendous value in advancing as far as possible and playing competitively against the very best squads. The longer the national team is in it, the more positive exposure they get and soccer in general gets. Casual US sports fans are getting more interested because of the world stage and the opportunity for our country to beat others at one of the few things they're better at us in and care so much about. The hyped game against heavily favored England had political undertones due to the BP gulf fiasco. The comeback against Slovenia and the denied 3rd goal has become a rallying point for Americans who love the "us against the world" and "never give up" mantras.

 

Perfect games in baseball are rare and very cool, but the sport of baseball is maxed out in its national popularity. Soccer has barely begun tapping into its full potential in the USA, especially with the changing demographics from Mexican immigration. A deep World Cup run can do a lot to transform pro soccer in the US at a critical time in the fragile MLS's history where they are expanding but still struggling to break even financially.

 

OK it's late. I'm done here. In summary: ###### off, DeLuca.

 

I'm with you on this one, McKindley. Great post. Had a number of well backed up points. :thumbsup:

[deluca67]

And yet no one really cares that you personally don't care. Stop thinking that your opinion on soccer (just like your opinion on the Sabres, the Bills, politics, etc) means much to anyone here. It's always the same ###### thing with your posts - overly negative and lacking critical thinking. Are you really just an internet troll trying to get a rise out of people? Or is your personal life this ###### miserable that you have to post 10 times a day on each thread to let everyone know that the sky is perpetually falling on everyone and everything possible?

 

The notion is laughable that the denied 3rd goal in the Slovenia game doesn't matter just because the US doesn't have a chance anyway of winning the World Cup.

 

For one thing, they DO have a chance of winning. They were ranked 14th in the world coming into this tournament with genuine elite talent like Howard, Donovan, Dempsey, Altidore, Bocanegra, and Onyewu plus some quality role players and a great coach. The US proved in last year's Confederations Cup that they can hang with the very best (Brazil, Spain). And we've already seen upsets galore in this World Cup. Traditional juggernauts like Italy, England, and France now look terribly flawed. Germany and Spain have had some early struggles. Algeria is very beatable, we might not even have to face Germany in the first knockout round, and after that we would have just 3 more games where fortuitous matchups, hard work, good coaching tactics, and maybe some lucky calls can leave the US in a cinderalla story situation.

 

But even if the highly expected happens and we don't win the World Cup, there is still tremendous value in advancing as far as possible and playing competitively against the very best squads. The longer the national team is in it, the more positive exposure they get and soccer in general gets. Casual US sports fans are getting more interested because of the world stage and the opportunity for our country to beat others at one of the few things they're better at us in and care so much about. The hyped game against heavily favored England had political undertones due to the BP gulf fiasco. The comeback against Slovenia and the denied 3rd goal has become a rallying point for Americans who love the "us against the world" and "never give up" mantras.

 

Perfect games in baseball are rare and very cool, but the sport of baseball is maxed out in its national popularity. Soccer has barely begun tapping into its full potential in the USA, especially with the changing demographics from Mexican immigration. A deep World Cup run can do a lot to transform pro soccer in the US at a critical time in the fragile MLS's history where they are expanding but still struggling to break even financially.

 

OK it's late. I'm done here. In summary: ###### off, DeLuca.

Soccer has already "maxed out it's potential" here in the United States. Every four years people start clamoring on how this can be the start of a turn around for soccer in America. When the woman scored the goal and ripped off her shirt that was supposed to be a big turnaround. It's simply amounted to just another sports story. Not a important moment in sports history. The only thing people remember is the shirt coming off. Soccer is getting some attention now because there is nothing else going on. Baseball is entering the dog days of summer and not much is going on in the NBA or NHL and NFL camps are not open. Enjoy the soccer coverage while you have it. Locally you won't hear much about it after the NHL off-season gets into to full swing and nationally it's going to be buried by free agent class of the NBA.

[Guest Sloth]

Soccer has already "maxed out it's potential" here in the United States. Every four years people start clamoring on how this can be the start of a turn around for soccer in America. When the woman scored the goal and ripped off her shirt that was supposed to be a big turnaround. It's simply amounted to just another sports story. Not a important moment in sports history. The only thing people remember is the shirt coming off. Soccer is getting some attention now because there is nothing else going on. Baseball is entering the dog days of summer and not much is going on in the NBA or NHL and NFL camps are not open. Enjoy the soccer coverage while you have it. Locally you won't hear much about it after the NHL off-season gets into to full swing and nationally it's going to be buried by free agent class of the NBA.

 

How can you say soccer has "maxed" out it's potentional in the United States? The US went decades without making the World Cup. When they did make the World Cup, Team USA was the laughing stock. Ever since qualiflying for that World Cup, US soccer has improved tremendously. Damn, the US soccer team almost won the Confederation Cup last year. I know I said this in a previous post, but the US beat #1 Spain in the Confederation Cup. How is that not a sign of continued growth? You are completely wrong with the idea of soccer maxing out it's growth in the US. The number of kids playing soccer across the US is increasing every year...even in states like Mississippi! You're trying to participate in a discussion you know nothing about. All you're doing is making yourself look like an idiot. Your posts are rather funny to read. Keep it up and you'll continue to get slammed by people who know what they're talking about. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know what offsides is in soccer. Hint, it doesn't involve a blue line or a line of scrimmage.

[deluca67]

How can you say soccer has "maxed" out it's potentional in the United States? The US went decades without making the World Cup. When they did make the World Cup, Team USA was the laughing stock. Ever since qualiflying for that World Cup, US soccer has improved tremendously. Damn, the US soccer team almost won the Confederation Cup last year. I know I said this in a previous post, but the US beat #1 Spain in the Confederation Cup. How is that not a sign of continued growth? You are completely wrong with the idea of soccer maxing out it's growth in the US. The number of kids playing soccer across the US is increasing every year...even in states like Mississippi! You're trying to participate in a discussion you know nothing about. All you're doing is making yourself look like an idiot. Your posts are rather funny to read. Keep it up and you'll continue to get slammed by people who know what they're talking about. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know what offsides is in soccer. Hint, it doesn't involve a blue line or a line of scrimmage.

I wish I remembered the authors name that Tim Graham and Jeremy White were talking about a couple of weeks ago. That author has a great point. You know why more kids play soccer now than say 10 years ago? Soccer is a place where this countries worst athletes can go and compete. All the kids that are two small for basketball, lacking the hand eye coordination for baseball and the fear of the physical contact of football, either the kids or their parents. Soccer is the special-ed version of sports.

[SwampD]

I wish I remembered the authors name that Tim Graham and Jeremy White were talking about a couple of weeks ago. That author has a great point. You know why more kids play soccer now than say 10 years ago? Soccer is a place where this countries worst athletes can go and compete. All the kids that are two small for basketball, lacking the hand eye coordination for baseball and the fear of the physical contact of football, either the kids or their parents. Soccer is the special-ed version of sports.

As absolutely hilarious as I think this post is, it is completely off base. The atheletes are just as good as any other sport. The reason more kids are playing is money. Soccer is really cheap to participate in. It's the same reason why so few play hockey.

[SwampD]

Oh, and awesome win by the US. Boy, that Algeria goalie was something else. It could have been 7 - 0.

[JohnRobertEichel]

I wish I remembered the authors name that Tim Graham and Jeremy White were talking about a couple of weeks ago. That author has a great point. You know why more kids play soccer now than say 10 years ago? Soccer is a place where this countries worst athletes can go and compete. All the kids that are two small for basketball, lacking the hand eye coordination for baseball and the fear of the physical contact of football, either the kids or their parents. Soccer is the special-ed version of sports.

 

Playing soccer at an elite level requires a unique combination of endurance, speed, agility, and coordination that few other sports demand. Just because soccer doesn't place a premium on extreme height or extreme size or hitting a ball with a stick doesn't mean that it's any less of a sport.

 

Anyway, DeLuca and the rest of the immature "soccer is gay" crowd can continue posting their drivel. I'm going to continue enjoying this World Cup run from a USA national team that absolutely refuses to give up. Today's Algeria game was unbelievable. Again we start out slow. Again we have goals taken away from us because of incompetent refs. But again we fight back and make clutch goals just in the nick of time. And this is the first time since 1930 that the US team won its group! Now hopefully we don't have to play Germany next round, which would perhaps give us the easiest road to the semifinals in the entire tournament (since we wouldn't have to play Argentina in the second knock-out round).

[Guest Sloth]

Oh, and awesome win by the US. Boy, that Algeria goalie was something else. It could have been 7 - 0.

 

Lando Donovan's goal was one of the greatest goals, that includes hockey, I have ever witnessed. He buried it with almost no time left, and I erupted! Team USA was about to be eliminated, but Donovan said not today, world! Hadn't been that excited over a goal since Drury tied it against the Rangers with 7 seconds to go in the 06/07 playoffs! Parise's goal against Canada in the gold medal game was incredible, too! I can't leave that one out. Simply unbelievable! :w00t: :w00t: :w00t:

[spndnchz]

If U missed it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ4T39AbR3E

[nobody]

Great win by the US.