Football The 2010 Football World Cup Thread

[teabagyokel]

I believe the UK and Australian Sports Ministers had a similar wager prior to the Beijing Olympics which the Brit won!

Here is the BBC's World Cup quiz: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8730698.stm
And a somewhat related F1 quiz: http://cliptheapex.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=1241

My favourite story of the World Cup build up was North Korea's attempt to register only 2 goalkeepers (FIFA rules mandate 3) by registering a striker as a goalie. The player in question has been subsequently banned from playing outfield!

The goalies are moaning about the Jabulani ball, same moaning as about Teamgeist 4 years ago, interestingly enough. Most of the symptoms of the ball's "illness" have been altitude, however.

 

[Brogan]

I watched a clip on the new ball, on the BBC website I think, and it was quite interesting.

It has no seams at all and is made of synthetic materials and all welded.

You don't realise just how much R&D goes into stuff like that, I thought a ball was a ball.

 

[teabagyokel]

It did use to be, but adidas and Nike seem to be pushing the boundaries in recent years.

I saw a replica Jabulani in a sports shop, and it did look marginally rounder than the other balls on display, including the Champions League final ball.

Loughbrough University have to have something to do!

By 2014 there'll be some other leap in technology painted in Brazilian colours, I am sure!

As for 2018, someone who you might know, Luca di Montezemelo, (head of the Italia '90 bid team) has backed England's 2018/22 bid, saying it is good. Always nice to have backing from Luca!

 

[Muddytalker]

Handy calendar/schedule type thing all in one

 

[Brogan]

That's great!

What a really clever way of doing it.

 

[Bullfrog]

I made my own last night (bit of a ritual in our house), it has pie charts and an interactive 'Das Golden Boot' top scorer league.

 

[McZiderRed]

As much as I'm a fan of the World Cup and diverse culture, I have a bit of an issue with this one...

One of the reasons that I love the World Cup is that I come into contact with, via my tele, foreign culture. When Euro '96 was held in England I was at first disappointed, until the tournament got going and it grew on me! The Opening Ceremony for this World Cup was fantastic!

So, imagine my disappointment when I watched the first two games today. The "normal" atmosphere of a match was drowned out by the incessant use of the Vuvuzela. I understand that it's the usual thing for the South African fan to use them, and in fact they were probably quite affective when South Africa were playing, because the crowd support one of the teams on the pitch.

However, when the crowd is impartial, like they were with the France game, the level of noise from the Vuvuzelas does not fluctuate and is just an incessant noise which does nothing for an atmosphere. I was reduced to muting my TV, so that I didn't have to listen to it anymore... and OK, you could say that the commentators are not much better, but muting the TV means zero atmosphere.

Tomorrow's England game will, no doubt, be the same. But as it's on ITV, I suppose I'll have to hate the crowd noise as much as I hate the commentary...

 

[Bullfrog]

You could always do the old 5-Live switcheroo and have the tv muted with the radio on.

 

[Enja]

I don't actually mind the vuvuzelas, I'm used to them now, but I agree they don't add a whole lot to the atmosphere.

In fact all they do is drown out the fans of whichever nations are involved.

 

[teabagyokel]

In fact all they do is drown out the fans of whichever nations are involved

...which, since England games are on pre-watershed is probably not a bad thing come to think of it. Maybe we won't have to listen to the Great Escape followed by "England Till I Die" with the National Anthem thrown in from the England band.

Anyway, not complaining too much about the vuvuzelas - bet there were some South Africans watching English football at Fratton Park and saying "What is that ringing sound?"

 

[Muddytalker]

Anyway, not complaining too much about the vuvuzelas - bet there were some South Africans watching English football at Fratton Park and saying "What is that ringing sound?"[/font]

See also the drum at Sheff Weds - Mind you, Palmeiras v Boca Juniors, it isn't.

I've also got used to the vuvuzelas now, and besides, anything that drowns out Clive ^%$£! Tyldesley is worthy of applause, chez Muddy.

 

[Brogan]

I see what you mean about those annoying trumpet things.

It's only 4 minutes in to the England game and it's already getting on my nerves.

 

[Matthew Little]

Current Score......................USA 1, England 1.

GO USA! GO USA! GO USA!

 

[Brogan]

That was a dreadful mistake by the England goalkeeper.

Just about sums up their usual performance though.
They always manage to make it hard for themselves.

 

[Matthew Little]

That was a dreadful mistake by the England goalkeeper.

Just about sums up their usual performance though.
They always manage to make it hard for themselves.

You should've seen the ESPN commercials about the USA-England match leading up to today.....they were touting the game as, to quote one of the commercials, "the biggest fight since the American Revolution!"

 

[Brogan]

You should've seen the ESPN commercials about the USA-England match leading up to today.....they were touting the game as, to quote one of the commercials, "the biggest fight since the American Revolution!"

So it's not just the UK media which go completely over the top then

 

[Matthew Little]

You should've seen the ESPN commercials about the USA-England match leading up to today.....they were touting the game as, to quote one of the commercials, "the biggest fight since the American Revolution!"

So it's not just the UK media which go completely over the top then

It's a universal phenomenon, Brogan.
BTW, going OT for a second, BMW's art car is back on-track in LeMans.............

 

[Brogan]

BTW, going OT for a second, BMW's art car is back on-track in LeMans.............

Sweet!

I'm going to switch over to Le Mans - these bloody trumpet things are doing my head in

 

[Matthew Little]

BTW, going OT for a second, BMW's art car is back on-track in LeMans.............

Sweet!

I'm going to switch over to Le Mans - these bloody trumpet things are doing my head in

I should have an update posted in a few minutes over there in the LeMans thread. BTW, going back on-topic, its' still USA 1, England 1; the second half just began.

 

[Matthew Little]

And it's a draw.................
England 1
United States 1