So, No Soccer Today?

[Alkie]

Or are all the new BIG BIG fans of the sport just not interested in the Brazil/Portugal match?

[Ty in Tampa]

Or are all the new BIG BIG fans of the sport just not interested in the Brazil/Portugal match?

Thanks for reminding me.

[BudGirl]

I'm rooting for Chile today, their flag is very similar to the Texas flag.

I'm also hoping the Swiss win.

For group G, I don't know.

[Alkie]

I am uncharacteristically rooting for Brazil because of the woman on the subway this morning who was wearing her Bra-zil.

[Limey]

I am uncharacteristically rooting for Brazil because of the woman on the subway this morning who was wearing her Bra-zil.

I hate the Portuguese, because they are supremely talented but spend most of their energy flopping around and requesting red cards be dolled out to the opposition.  I wish those fuckers would cut that shit out and just play.

[austro]

I'm watching to see who gets screwed worse by the yellow card festival. Seven so far in the first half.

[Limey]

It's been a foul-tempered half in which defenders have been on top, except when they've been on the ground following sneaky digs and kicks. A goal in the second half is not out of the question - Brazil have gone close twice - but a red card, or several, looks more likely. Indeed, there already should have been on for Juan, who blatantly sabotaged Portugal best break with a deliberate handball.

[Limey]

BTW, if you're not following the MBMs on The Guardian, you're missing out.  Both are having spectacular off-topic discussions.  CIV-HON is all about fear of unmoving escalators, which has even elicited a Mitch Hedberg reset, and BRA-POR is about words or phrases that, in your head, instantly follow a player's name.

[AtascAstro]

I'm hoping few of the recently won soccer fans are watching, nothing turns Americans off faster than flopping.  You really have to build up a sizeable appreciation for the game before it can be digested.

If ties and little scoring seem to be the biggest obstacles to getting American audiences to tune in, flopping is probably the greatest factor in tuning out.

[Noe]

I hate the Portuguese, because they are supremely talented but spend most of their energy flopping around and requesting red cards be dolled out to the opposition.  I wish those fuckers would cut that shit out and just play.

I loved it when the referee and just about half of the Brazilian team, including Julio Ceasar scolded a Portugal player for flopping in the penalty box.  The Portugal player was running away as the referee was screaming at him whilest raising his yellow card and behind him all the Brazilians were providing the backup choir.  I could hear it now: "Stop that you Karl Malone wannabe!"

[Noe]

BTW, if you're not following the MBMs on The Guardian, you're missing out.  Both are having spectacular off-topic discussions.  CIV-HON is all about fear of unmoving escalators, which has even elicited a Mitch Hedberg reset, and BRA-POR is about words or phrases that, in your head, instantly follow a player's name.

The phrase that pops into my head when I hear "Capdevilla" is "Seize the House!".

[AtascAstro]

FIFA would do well to add subsequent review suspensions for flopping.

[Noe]

FIFA would do well to add subsequent review suspensions for flopping.

Flopping was harshly criticized during the World Cup matches in the late 70s/early 80s when all World Class squads started employing the tatic as a way to win set pieces, et. al.  It became ridiculous and FIFA was roundly criticized for moving slow to put a stop to this ugliness.  They started to clamp down on it and what has happened because of it is a better style and substance to play and creating attacks.  I agree though, some more serious ramifications for flopping would ultimately end this nonsense and pure play futbol with style would become the norm again.

Ian Drake said in the Spain/Chile match early on (when one Spanaird flopped) "One red card for that silliness will end that for sure, especially in this important match".  Instead, the referee later on red carded a Chilean defender for running down field and accidentally tripping Torres near the box.  Torres stayed down as if he had been shot and that sold the red card.  Dumb ass call by the ref.

[AtascAstro]

Ian Drake said in the Spain/Chile match early on (when one Spanaird flopped) "One red card for that silliness will end that for sure, especially in this important match".  Instead, the referee later on red carded a Chilean defender for running down field and accidentally tripping Torres near the box.  Torres stayed down as if he had been shot and that sold the red card.  Dumb ass call by the ref.

Exactly the call that prompted my comment.  Playing through contact and traffic is where the amazing moments of the game happen, any child could flop on the ground, there is nothing great, beautiful, or skilled about it.

[Noe]

Exactly the call that prompted my comment.  Playing through contact and traffic is where the amazing moments of the game happen, any child could flop on the ground, there is nothing great, beautiful, or skilled about it.

Concur!  I started following futbol in the late 70s when all my friends from Mexico (I lived there for one year with my Grandpa) taught me the game.  I could not stand the flopping and told everyone that this was horrible that a major sport that everyone loved was highlighted by this sort of play.  They were as frustrated with it as I was, but they learned to look the other way.  I told them that would never fly in America, looking the other way was not the way of the fan of a sport.  It was about being vocal and harsh with such tomfoolery in a major sport you follow.  Funny thing was, by the early 80s, the shouts by fans started to be realized when it became strategic to use flops (IMHO).

FIFA did some good things to curtail it, now they need to do just a tad more.

[Matt]

Concur!  I started following futbol in the late 70s when all my friends from Mexico (I lived there for one year with my Grandpa) taught me the game.  I could not stand the flopping and told everyone that this was horrible that a major sport that everyone loved was highlighted by this sort of play.  They were as frustrated with it as I was, but they learned to look the other way.  I told them that would never fly in America, looking the other way was not the way of the fan of a sport.  It was about being vocal and harsh with such tomfoolery in a major sport you follow.  Funny thing was, by the early 80s, the shouts by fans started to be realized when it became strategic to use flops (IMHO).

FIFA did some good things to curtail it, now they need to do just a tad more.

I played soccer from the age of 5 to the age of about 16 and I always refused to flop. Even on the traveling teams I would have teammates flopping during games but it always seemed so unnatural and wrong to me. It angered me to see them do that in the middle of an offensive attack. If I was going to end up on the ground someone was going to have to put me there. If FIFA can get rid of flopping and diving then the sport will be more popular in the states, absolutely.

[Limey]

FIFA would do well to add subsequent review suspensions for flopping.

Could. Not. Agree. More.

The trouble right now is that there's lots to gain and virtually no downside to "simulation".  There have been a few given out, but not enough.  Refs keep falling for the same shit, and there was another classic today in CHI-SPN, when a Chilean was carded for making virtually zero contact with a Spanish acrobat.  The Ref was about 10 feet away.  Pathetic.

[Limey]

Flopping was harshly criticized during the World Cup matches in the late 70s/early 80s when all World Class squads started employing the tatic as a way to win set pieces, et. al.  It became ridiculous and FIFA was roundly criticized for moving slow to put a stop to this ugliness.  They started to clamp down on it and what has happened because of it is a better style and substance to play and creating attacks.  I agree though, some more serious ramifications for flopping would ultimately end this nonsense and pure play futbol with style would become the norm again.

Ian Drake said in the Spain/Chile match early on (when one Spanaird flopped) "One red card for that silliness will end that for sure, especially in this important match".  Instead, the referee later on red carded a Chilean defender for running down field and accidentally tripping Torres near the box.  Torres stayed down as if he had been shot and that sold the red card.  Dumb ass call by the ref.

The linesman needs to chime in on that.  But Torres' acting is what drew the card, and for that he should be suspended 1 game.

[Limey]

I played soccer from the age of 5 to the age of about 16 and I always refused to flop. Even on the traveling teams I would have teammates flopping during games but it always seemed so unnatural and wrong to me. It angered me to see them do that in the middle of an offensive attack. If I was going to end up on the ground someone was going to have to put me there. If FIFA can get rid of flopping and diving then the sport will be more popular in the states, absolutely.

Flop over my leg in a match, and the next time you're hurled to the ground in excruciating agony, it would be for reals.

[Matt]

Flop over my leg in a match, and the next time you're hurled to the ground in excruciating agony, it would be for reals.

I would expect that reaction to a flopper. I had kids on my team taking dives during scrimmages.

[Noe]

Flop over my leg in a match, and the next time you're hurled to the ground in excruciating agony, it would be for reals.

My Dad hated me playing futbol.  He wanted me to give up playing futbol and concentrate on playing baseball only.  His main reason?  He told me "I don't want you playing a sport where coaches tell you to purposely break the other guys leg if he gets by you!".  I laughed and told him he was silly.  Until the one day I was playing striker for the first time on my club team and got by a defender and had a clear run on goal.  BOOM! Down goes Noe! Down goes Noe!

[Limey]

My Dad hated me playing futbol.  He wanted me to give up playing futbol and concentrate on playing baseball only.  His main reason?  He told me "I don't want you playing a sport where coaches tell you to purposely break the other guys leg if he gets by you!".  I laughed and told him he was silly.  Until the one day I was playing striker for the first time on my club team and got by a defender and had a clear run on goal.  BOOM! Down goes Noe! Down goes Noe!

My brother got signed by a semi-pro team in South London.  First training camp, one of the aging vets decides to treat the new kid to a lesson.  A hospital visit later, and my brother was never playing organised sports again.  Hopefully one of my Dad's rather shady south London drinking buddies handed that fuck his testicles, but I don't really know.

[Noe]

My brother got signed by a semi-pro team in South London.  First training camp, one of the aging vets decides to treat the new kid to a lesson.  A hospital visit later, and my brother was never playing organised sports again.  Hopefully one of my Dad's rather shady south London drinking buddies handed that fuck his testicles, but I don't really know.

Head on a swivel!  That is what one of the vets on this amateur club (run by a Dutch man, so I played for Holland International... or HINT, nice bright orange jerseys with block letters in front... go figure) told me.  I learned my lesson well from that day forward.  I played goalie, striker, and sweeper in my four years with them.  Apparently, my days as a sweeper were the most impressive to them (or maybe they were saying I sucked less at that position than the others).  I had no clue what I was doing half the time!