Soccer: General Discussion

[RHshoxfan]

You could say the same thing about Bayern Munich as well, which is basically the German national team plus the best Dutch and one of the best French players. Not to mention Real Madrid with Ronaldo, James and Bale.

[Kung Wu]

You could say the same thing about Bayern Munich as well, which is basically the German national team plus the best Dutch and one of the best French players.

How'd you know who my favorite team is?

Not to mention Real Madrid with Ronaldo, James and Bale.

Yup (I'm a HUUUUGE James fan).

Both of those teams are also super stacked to almost being illegal. But. neither. has. Messi.

[JJClamdip]

All soccer would have to do is get rid of the offsides penalty and not let the goalie catch the ball. Goalie could still use hands, just can't catch the ball.

That would allow some scoring. Offensive drives would have to be well-defended to prevent a score because the ball would tend to stay near the goal until the defense could move it out with soccer skills and footwork, instead of the goalie just catching an attempt on goal.

I agree whole hardly these would be very wise moves along with increasing the goal width by five meters and height by three meters.

Also the goalie would have to be blindfolded in the last two minutes of the first half and not be allowed to face the field of play during the second half.

[MoValley John]

I agree whole hardly these would be very wise moves along with increasing the goal width by five meters and height by three meters.

Also the goalie would have to be blindfolded in the last two minutes of the first half and not be allowed to face the field of play during the second half.

Don't blindfold the goalie, that isn't even sporting. Just eliminate the offside, expand the goal and allow body checking. I'd pay big money to watch that.

[JJClamdip]

Don't blindfold the goalie, that isn't even sporting. Just eliminate the offside, expand the goal and allow body checking. I'd pay big money to watch that.

How about an eyepatch instead of the blindfold then?

[MoValley John]

How about an eyepatch instead of the blindfold then?

As long as they are wearing pirate uniforms.


I like it!

[Kung Wu]

I agree whole hardly these would be very wise moves along with increasing the goal width by five meters and height by three meters.

Also the goalie would have to be blindfolded in the last two minutes of the first half and not be allowed to face the field of play during the second half.

Or require that they use hands instead of feet and reshape the goal to about the size of a one meter hoop and hang it 10 feet from the ground?

[SB Shock]

[Shox1979]

My daughter wears a soccer jersey every year for school pictures... Makes my wife crazy. Last year she wore a Wolverhampton jersey. I'd be shocked if any kid any school around here has ever done that.

[Kel Varnsen]

Well, maybe "rooting" is too strong! I do enjoy the way the play (they share fun to watch).

My father is a Gooner as well. I guess I like to see his team do well; if it doesn't effect the fate of mine of course!

Chelsea, my brothers favorite club; now that's a different story!!

Haha, just giving you some grief. I do enjoy watching some of their passing sequences (the one against Norwich in 2013-2014 was a sight to behold).

And yeah, Chelsea can go to hell.

[Kel Varnsen]

Barcelona. Messi. You can stop right there. Because, really, [anybody] with Messi is game over in my book.

But add Neymar and Suarez and that team is so stacked it should be illegal.

Agreed. Barca is beyond stacked. Messi is a magician.

[WuDrWu]

Before print was dead, the Shah was in charge of Iran. When he was exiled, a family ended up in England. 2 sons eventually landed in the 316. They brought with them their love of soccer and these weekly magazines covering the British leagues.

Their love for Kevin Keegan became well known throughout the land, even though I had no idea about any of goings on outside of they played with a white round ball.

Then Apple introduced the IIc and the greatest computer soccer game ever invented. 4 divisions of the English League. You started at the bottom with a match against Millwall and worked towards promotion. It took forever and the players might have consisted of 3 or 4 block pixels and your team may have had 2 players. Maybe. 50 shades of green. Ok, maybe 3 shades.

The 82 World Cup didn't get a lot of play here. The final MAY have been on ABC, but there was a wonderful recap (eventually) on HBO with Sean Connery doing the voice over.

You had the run of the Wings, hugely popular in the late 70s and early 80s before becoming a yearly drain on your sympathy. Save the Wings, ugh. I loved the Wings in their heyday. I lived for playoff games against Saint Lewis. Mike Dowler. Kevin Kewley. Chico. Steve Pecher. Schlobo. Postgame dinner at Carlos and Wongs. Great times. The MISL, the NASL all came and went.

86 brought Maradona's hand of God. The awful 90 WC full of penalties and no goals. Then it came to America. Record crowds (records that stand today I believe) and thanks to an own goal against Columbia (a goal that would cost Andres Escobar his life shortly thereafter) the USA advances. Soccer arrives. A gutty performance against Brazil and people knew the US could at least compete.

The internet and satellite tv began to open the window to a world of futbol that few of us knew much about except that it existed. I began to meet people through work from Great Britain. I learned more and became interested in the game outside the International game.

I got to hear what it's like to be a fan of Nottingham Forrest. Of Man U. Of Liverpool. Of Stoke City and on and on. Very interesting. I was given gifts, in fact the Stoke City scarf I have is one of my most prized possessions not emblazoned with WSU.

I enjoy trying to follow the early rounds of the FA Cup (or whatever it's called now) and what teams will be promoted and regulated. It's too much to try and follow other leagues (other than Champions imho) but it's fun to be aware of what they're doing.

I never played the sport other than for fun, so my knowledge of tactics etc are non-existent. I enjoy the sport. I'm trying to get excited about the MLS and I love Sporting Park, one of the few things I like about the greater Kansas City area.

I love what JK has done for the USMNT. I love his passion for the game and for our country's team. At least at the World Cup level, the US is now strongly in that 2nd group just below the championship teams, and a side that is fully capable of beating any team in the world.

The game is FULL of problems, and that's what keeps it from growing here. The politics of the game can be sickening. FIFA is a joke. Officiating is marginal. Faking is still about 50% of the game. I don't think the game has to go to 5 times goal size to become better, but I do think it has to change.

Anyway, that's a little of my story.

[Mr. Obvious]

Ian Anderson (RIP) and Jeff Bourne, 2 friends I'll never forget.

[Kel Varnsen]

Before print was dead, the Shah was in charge of Iran. When he was exiled, a family ended up in England. 2 sons eventually landed in the 316. They brought with them their love of soccer and these weekly magazines covering the British leagues.

Their love for Kevin Keegan became well known throughout the land, even though I had no idea about any of goings on outside of they played with a white round ball.

Then Apple introduced the IIc and the greatest computer soccer game ever invented. 4 divisions of the English League. You started at the bottom with a match against Millwall and worked towards promotion. It took forever and the players might have consisted of 3 or 4 block pixels and your team may have had 2 players. Maybe. 50 shades of green. Ok, maybe 3 shades.

The 82 World Cup didn't get a lot of play here. The final MAY have been on ABC, but there was a wonderful recap (eventually) on HBO with Sean Connery doing the voice over.

You had the run of the Wings, hugely popular in the late 70s and early 80s before becoming a yearly drain on your sympathy. Save the Wings, ugh. I loved the Wings in their heyday. I lived for playoff games against Saint Lewis. Mike Dowler. Kevin Kewley. Chico. Steve Pecher. Schlobo. Postgame dinner at Carlos and Wongs. Great times. The MISL, the NASL all came and went.

86 brought Maradona's hand of God. The awful 90 WC full of penalties and no goals. Then it came to America. Record crowds (records that stand today I believe) and thanks to an own goal against Columbia (a goal that would cost Andres Escobar his life shortly thereafter) the USA advances. Soccer arrives. A gutty performance against Brazil and people knew the US could at least compete.

The internet and satellite tv began to open the window to a world of futbol that few of us knew much about except that it existed. I began to meet people through work from Great Britain. I learned more and became interested in the game outside the International game.

I got to hear what it's like to be a fan of Nottingham Forrest. Of Man U. Of Liverpool. Of Stoke City and on and on. Very interesting. I was given gifts, in fact the Stoke City scarf I have is one of my most prized possessions not emblazoned with WSU.

I enjoy trying to follow the early rounds of the FA Cup (or whatever it's called now) and what teams will be promoted and regulated. It's too much to try and follow other leagues (other than Champions imho) but it's fun to be aware of what they're doing.

I never played the sport other than for fun, so my knowledge of tactics etc are non-existent. I enjoy the sport. I'm trying to get excited about the MLS and I love Sporting Park, one of the few things I like about the greater Kansas City area.

I love what JK has done for the USMNT. I love his passion for the game and for our country's team. At least at the World Cup level, the US is now strongly in that 2nd group just below the championship teams, and a side that is fully capable of beating any team in the world.

The game is FULL of problems, and that's what keeps it from growing here. The politics of the game can be sickening. FIFA is a joke. Officiating is marginal. Faking is still about 50% of the game. I don't think the game has to go to 5 times goal size to become better, but I do think it has to change.

Anyway, that's a little of my story.

That's awesome, Doc. Thanks for sharing. I very much agree with your last paragraph. Rules don't have to change per se, but the prevention of diving and FIFA in general do hurt the sport in America.

You mentioned the USA game vs. Colombia in 94. "The Two Escobars" is one of my favorite 30 for 30s and a fantastic documentary. It's funny because I actually think that year was where we took one of our most talented teams we've had to the World Cup, along with 2002 and 2014. I have a feeling we will reap the benefits of JK's work as Technical Director big time by 2022 (much the way Germany did in 2014).

Great seeing some folks here excited about the game. If you're interested, most of the games will be on NBC and NBC Sports Network on Saturday mornings (start times range from 6:45 AM CT to 11:00 AM CT) in the Fall. Manchester United-Tottenham would be a great one to catch to start off the season at 6:45 this week.

[Kung Wu]

Random fact: Kung Wu was one of the very last standing members of the 100% club for the Wings. There were only about 15ish of us left the last I knew.