FIFA World Cup - Germany 2006 (1 Viewer)

[Ricardo C]

Man, the Dutch are going through the Serbians like they're not even there. 1-0 so far, but not for lack of trying. This could turn ugly for the Serbs in a hurry.

 

[Marianne]

Apparently the England team was suffering from the heat. Obviously the Paraguay team would be used to it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...nd/5069162.stm

It should be cooler for their next game so they won't be able to use that excuse!

 

[Andy_Bu]

I am shocked that Holland only got a one goal win in that game. They look like they would win by 2 or 3 goals easy.

Portugal fell asleep after grabbing tha easy first goal. Figo is one of the slowest footed players on the planet right now, I can't figure out what the Angolan defender was doing on that play. Figo just left him in the dust.

A quick recap of results from the different regions (w-t-l)

Asia 0-0-1
Oceania 0-0-0
South America 2-0-1
Concacaf 1-1-1
Europe 4-1-2
Africa 0-0-2


Andy

 

[Lew Crippen]

Nice summary Andy.

Great fun on the streets here today, as Mexico wins big—fans driving around with flags as big as a wall—and all wearing the national jerseys. (This is a big deal where I live, where most young men and kids wear Chivas gear.

So far Argentina looks the class of all the sides who have played.

The Portugal/Angola game was not inspiring—it seemed like a match from some years ago.

 

[Andy_Bu]

First bit of TV ratings info is starting to trickle in. Looks like the World Cup got off to a huge start in Atlanta of all places

Andy

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http://www.wsbtv.com/sports/9353613/detail.html

TV ratings show that the World Cup Soccer broadcasts on WSB-TV were a big hit in the Atlanta area Saturday.

The morning game between England and Paraguay was the highest rated sports program of the day. Its 6.2 rating beat the Braves-Astros game by a half a rating point. And the Braves were on Fox and not a cable station.

Head to head against the women's French Open final was no contest. Six times as many people watched soccer than tennis. The French Open did a 0.7.

The 3rd game of the NHL finals also faired poorly against soccer. The scoreboard there read World Cup 6.2, Stanley Cup 1.3.

In other words, soccer beat Braves baseball, major tennis, and championship hockey in Atlanta. Who would have thunk it.

 

[MichaelBA]

Argh! I'm going to miss the Italy game today! DAMN! I wish the USA was like Europe and the whole country would just SHUT DOWN for these games! ARGH! ARGH!

FORZA AZZURRI!!!

 

[Brook K]

Yeah, I'm going to be in the airport and on a plane and miss the USA game. Hope they have the game on in the airport but usually the TV's are on CNN. Guess I could sit in one of the bars and watch.

Atlanta has a pretty large immigrant community and large local soccer organizations. We ate at a Mexican restaurant on Saturday and there were guys with Argentina jerseys there and a big Argentina flag attached to the hood of their car. The restaurant had added TV's just for the WC.

I was out shopping and hadn't heard the score so I asked if Argentina won and got a much longer answer than I had anticipated.

 

[Andy_Bu]

Please note that the numbers presented in that article were from the ABC station, not the Univision station (where most hispanic viewers would watch the game).

The combined audiance in Atlanta must have been great. I wish the reporters who report the tv ratings would take the time to present both stations numbers as that is a much truer representation of how many people are watching the World Cup in the US.

Andy

 

[Holadem]

The Mexico - Iran match was a riot.

Portugal - Angola - why do all the portugese look like friggin models (my female friend wouldn't stop drooling)? Are their women that hot as well? .


GO BLACK STARS!!!

The Togo situation is killing me .

--
H

 

[Chris_Morris]

Wow, I can't believe that Japan has the audacity to complain about dirty Aussie play in other matches, after Japan stole that first goal

As to who I'm rooting for, I'm German/American so either team winning is fine. I do lean more towards the USA side, only because I would hope a USA win would bring soccer/football into a more prominent light. Not that it would help, since I still hear too many people say soccer is boring, while watching a 3 hour baseball game with ~20 minutes of action. Sorry, I'd rather watch a nil-nil match than sit through the five minute process of spit-scratch-nod-pitch, over and over.

 

[Ricardo C]

In my experience, oh yes

 

[Andy_Bu]

OK that was the game of the tournament so far.

Japan was leading 1-0 with less than 6 minutes left. Final score was Aussie 3 Japan 1. I don't think thats how the define "kill a game off"



Andy

 

[Ricardo C]

Major props to the Aussies, that was a hell of a game

 

[MichaelBA]

The Aussies have SUPER-subs! Wow!

 

[Lew Crippen]

I can’t speak for Portugal, but if you consider their former colony Brazil, the answer is decidedly Yes!

 

[Holadem]

Do you mean experience, or experience?

Has anyone been succesfull with the FIFA/Yahoo matchcast (getting a server busy message)? Or TVUPlayer (can't initialise)? Or any other similar stuff?

--
H

 

[MichaelBA]

The USA is getting off to a sh*tty start. Not a huge surprise, but...

 

[Melanie]

So are there any real numbers?

I heard that football isn't really popular in the US. Is it the low scoring, that you are not used to? Don't major networks broadcast the matches, because they can't cut to a lot of commericals? Or is it because there are no real superstars? Or is it unpatriotic to support a foreign game? Also I never understood why it is called Major League Baseball : World Series.

In my opinion the global competition during the World Cup is something that really ups the ante compared to domestic ballgames. We didn't have any luck getting tickets (what a crazy system), but we have watched all games back-to-back on TV. There really isn't anything like it. The goal to help the nations of the football world to compete on an equal footing has been accomplished.

What I like about football is that it is a fast-paced game running 90+ minutes. Offense and defense are on the field at the same time. No pads, no helmets (as a female spectator you actually get to see the hot players) no men in spandex. The ref doesn't get to review his calls. I enjoy a great NFL game. You got the coaches, who can telephone their assistants, who analyse the game, while it is happening. You got the diffrent calls, that are all laid out, connected to the quarterback. This would ruin every soccer game. That's why it's so diffrent. The players get to decide, spur of the moment. Coach can shout instructions, but do they hear it with all the noise?

Spectacular goals. You never know where the keeper ends up or who scores. So far most of the WC matches have been fair play. One red card. And I just love players, who try to fake a foul. Some of them are such drama queens. Sometimes it can be coma-enducing, (hello Portugal), but it can also be a thriller like Japan vs. Australia today. Amazing! I couldn't believe my eyes. Congratulations on scoring the first goals ever in a WC. The spectators with their flags, chants, instruments, booing are always a riot.

I wanted the US team to win. Better luck next time. The keeper has been around since 1990. I believe that WC in the US really started the pro league?
By the way there were more American fans in the stadium today then I expected. Police is on high alert.

Germany is probably an underdog. Brazil's coach said that we are the best team though. But whatever I'd support them anyway. Flag and all. I have been told that this type of national pride wasn't possible in 1974. Today even the foreign press is pleasantly surprised at our patriotic attidude. And you just gotta love Franz Beckenbauer, who helicopters to each and every game!

Italy tonight! I wish they'd be allowed to lift their jersey celebrating a goal. Damn FIFA changing the rules.

Haven't heard of any clashes though. Fans from diffrent countries are celebrating one big party side by side. Wonderful.

 

[Holadem]

Melanie, don't get me started, lest I offend everyone and am accused to anti-americanism (never mind that I was just rooting for Team USA :frowning: ) .

--
H

 

[ChrisMatson]

I have watched several matches and the US team had the worst performance I have seen so far. I really hope they can change things around for Italy.