Not a big soccer fan but I have enjoyed watching bits and pieces of these World Cup Games.

I have a hard time with the flopping and acting. Like the NHL, Soccer should issue yellow flags for embellishment.

Quick report after day 1 behind enemy lines here in Seattle.

They did a great job cleaning up the trash from the streets since the last time I was here. City looks good, everyone having a great time, lots of watch parties and no fuckery that I've witnessed. Weather is great. Yesterday was a great day of soccer, looking forward to another one today.

USA!

To my uninitiated American-eyes and after reading & hearing from the pundits, FIFA comes across as a deeply corrupt and dirty organization with a very long and 'distinguished' history of screwing-up the game...and yet, people fervently follow and willfully payout their hard-earned money to them. While I'm pleased the US player gets to return and I get a good chuckle at all the whining and braying from the 'football' talking heads, I guess this means the US team is officially in the vortex of forever-soccer debates.

I watched both matches yesterday. I was glad to see both Norway and Brazil players vigorously signing their national anthems. No protesting, no staring at the floor.

“USA star Folarin Balogun has been cleared to play in the team's crucial World Cup round of 16 game after FIFA rejected an appeal launched by Belgian soccer chiefs.  …”

https://mol.im/a/15956615

I LOVE the photo of President Trump in this article!

What kind of coach (Belgium) goes an Worldwide TV and expresses how upset he is about his upcoming opponent having their best player back for the game?

Must be a European thing. I think Europe is very concerned that the US is on the verge of a major breakthrough in soccer and may be in a position to dominate the sport in the decades to come.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:

quote:

Originally posted by pbslinger:
The Kane kick at the ball in the air that accidentally kicked the Mexican player and led to a penalty, indicates to me soccer is a dumb game.

You kick at a ball and have inadvertent contact, then you might lose the game for it? Seems like a fairly minor infraction getting a huge punishment.

Soccer is not a dumb sport. That was one of the most suspense filled games I’ve ever watched. Yes it had VERY bad calls by the referee but the end result was one of the best performances I have ever seen by a team. For England to pull off that defense for that long while being a man down was truly remarkable.

People say this sport is boring. Games like Mexico vs England show how wrong they are.

It is a dumb sport because they haven't figured out a way to make the punishment for infractions fair and on a level equal to the infraction, intent or injury risk.

Game time!

I'm not a soccer fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm not really a hater either. However, as a very casual fan I have been bored by most of the games I've watched this year, as opposed to in years past when I did appreciate some very thrilling action even if it didn't always lead to scoring. This time around, it's kind of losing me, and the extremely lame rules and phony penalties don't help.

Ruh Roh, not looking good for the home team!

I'm not happy with our goalie, he was way out of position on that 3rd goal.

What a bonehead play by our goalie!

Guess the red card deal didn't matter much after all.

Bummer.

We were never in the game and didn’t deserve to win…

Nope. We got our butts handed to us.

Pretty obvious US team didn't come out ready and were playing on their heels. Defense was porous and Belgium played at a higher level, they controlled the ball, passing was much better than the US and their defense constantly stymied any US attack. US top players didn't play well and only Tillman stepped up.
Would things have been different if Burhalter started games? He seems to be the spark of energy the team needs.
Anybody know the last time the US beat a higher ranked team?
Who knew Leonard Fournette plays soccer for Belgium?

They played that like a bulldog eating soup, Sloppy as hell.

But honestly, the quarter-finals where going to be as far as we'd get anyhow. Spain is going to absolutely crush the Belgians.

I just hope France doesn’t win it all. I fucking hate France.