World Cup ... Lethargy?

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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Like many in the U.S., I've had to cultivate my interest in what the world calls football and U.S. Americans call soccer. Like many, I first felt the goal needed to be bigger to keep the scores from staying so low ... one to nothing indeed. But on several trips to U.K., Ireland and Europe, I eventually got the idea. It's a lot of play for a low-low score, usually, and once you accept that, you're hypnotized along with the rest of the world. My nephew by my late wife was a firebrand goalie in high school, taking after my late wife's dad's athleticism (grandpa was a natural athlete in several sports). Well, the U.S. didn't even make the tournament, which slackened interest considerably in the U.S. The fact that it is played in Russia dampens enthusiasm with some. I am intrigued that Croatia is in the running. If the Brits are in the final game, I'll probably tune in; they were another underdog. I can follow the ball better than I can see the puck in hockey, so that's a big plus for these old eyes. Some of the Forums members in U.K. and Europe are likely on this every day. I got grabbed in a Korean grocery store a few days ago where the owner had it on a big flat screen TV. Once you get grabbed, whole days can go by. I have to be careful about that.

 

thomasw

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 5, 2016
862
24
A lot of Canucks with a European background love to follow the tourney once every four years (many stem from the UK), almost as much as hockey. Even though the country for which I was cheering was bounced (Germany), I am truly fascinated by the strategies. But I am enough of a Canucklehead with a love of the contact sports rugby, hockey and lacrosse etc. to find the flopping and diving that seems 'normal' in fußball to be lame, dishonorable, distasteful and rather unmanly. That said, I like all else about the beautiful game. I'd find a France vs England final to be very intriguing indeed...

 

ben88

Lifer
Jun 5, 2015
1,323
544
Quebec
Used to be a soccer hooligan back in the days. Russian teams, mainly Moscow teams, fans were our rivals. Well... they were everybody's rivals. I stopped following soccer about 15 years ago. I just don't think it's as entertaining as it was in the 80s-90s.
The fact that it is played in Russia dampens enthusiasm with some
FIFA is fairly shady organization. There have been a lot of rumors regarding FIFA's relationship with Putin's clique.

 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
I'm not into sports at all. I personally think that they're more fun to play than to watch. Moreover, my father hates soccer with a passion (he's a baseball nut), so I had never much contact with soccer, although I had to play it in high school as par of the physical education component.
Still, every four years I watch the world cup, as I find it interesting to watch people from different countries duke it out. Even my father tunes in, for the same reason.
I [...] find the flopping and diving that seems 'normal' in fußball to be lame, dishonorable, distasteful and rather unmanly
My feelings exactly.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,070
Carmel Valley, CA
Watching England v Croatia right now, and have watched many matches in the group stage, and all in the knock out rounds. England and France are my two favorite national teams, both with players from my PL team, Tottenham Hotspur.
COYS!!
And, yes, flopping is crap, and I love it when a bloke gets a yellow card for so doing. Too often it's overlooked.

 

briarbuck

Lifer
Nov 24, 2015
2,287
5,492
No offense intended to my EU friends but the sport is unwatchable...
soccer-dive-headbutts.gif


 

noseflute

Lurker
Jun 25, 2018
44
1
Well, I can tell you that in France, yesterday, there was no lethargy ... Champs-Elysées were quite crowded :)

 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
Well, disappointing result for those of us who were rooting for England. The Croatians are playing awesomely, though—they did deserve to win.

 

noseflute

Lurker
Jun 25, 2018
44
1
Thank you jpmcwjr !
Well I’m a bit disappointed too...

England-France would have been more fun

 
I played soccer in college for both my undergrad and grad schools. Six years of playing sweep, and I have to admit that even I can't watch the game, ha ha. I coached for a year right after college, and I was known to fall asleep on the bench. For me, it's one of those games that if I am playing, I can stay in "the zone" but watching... zzzzzz... But, on the other hand, there really isn't a sport that exists that I would want to watch, but I enjoy playing most of them. Well, I have been known to mesmerized by hours and hours of women's beach volleyball. :puffy:
That all said, Goalie is only a position in hockey. In soccer, they are called Keepers. That was hammered into us by our Australian coach. But, I find that all Americans tend to call them goalies, so... I just felt obliged to throw that out there... in case you even found yourself talking soccer with an Australian, ha ha.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,070
Carmel Valley, CA
In the US, we have PK's or penalty kicks. In the UK, it's just a called a penalty, meaning the kick that ensues. US, yes, soccer goalies; UK, keeper or just keep. No over time there, just "extra time"...
But the game is fascinating the more you know about it. There's really no soccer played in the US that equals Premier League, not to mention World Cup. Most of the players are superb athletes, unlike American football (which I love) where specialists play most positions and see under ten minutes of actual playing time per game.

 

ron123

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 28, 2015
541
984
Park Ridge, IL
My hat's off to England and Croatia...one of a lot of great matches in this World Cup. I'm a casual observer of Soccer, and like it most of the time, but some of the flopping that goes on can make it unwatchable for me.

 

workman

Lifer
Jan 5, 2018
2,793
4,219
The Faroe Islands
Most of the flopping is done by players from south Europe or South America. Don't know why, but it is imbedded in their (football)culture.

I wanted England to win today, but expected Croatia to take it. As the match evolved, my sympathies changed. Croatia really fought for it and they clearly believed more in it.

The final match is sunday between Croatia, a nation of 4. something millions, born out of the balkan wars in the nineties, against mighty France. As a resident in a country of 50.000 souls,my sympathies are with the underdogs. Go Croatia!

 

glassjapan

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 11, 2017
270
56
I've always liked Luka Modric. He's such a class player and an excellent example of how a midfielder should play. A great passer that makes everybody around him better. I really did want to see England win it all. I feel for their fans. But I'll pulling for Croatia on Sunday!

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,070
Carmel Valley, CA
Modriç is the real deal. He was sold by Tottenham a few years ago, sad to see. But they got Christian Eriksen, a star of the Danish team, and a very capable replacement. COYS!!
Looks like the premier flopper, Neymar, Jr., overdid it and couldn't get a call when he really was fouled.

 

ashdigger

Lifer
Jul 30, 2016
11,378
70,056
60
Vegas Baby!!!
I love the game. It's a moving chess match. The goalies have really played well. When I played the only folks that called them Keeps were snobs, but what do I know, I played for 20 years.
Btw, rumor has it that Neymar missed his flight and is currently rolling his way home.

 
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