That was a pathetic display of soccer today. Italy surpsingly won allowing the US to advance with a win. However, they all played like chickens without heads...except for maybe McBride (he's sooooo much fun to watch). This performance has left a sour taste in my mouth and makes me question the urge and determination of almost every player on the team.

Meh who cares, football season starts soon.

I thought they played pretty well, especially the first half. They had a lot of control and chances. The ref made a horrible call in the box resulting in Ghana's 2nd goal which changed the entire game. US was forced to play a different game. Plus their captain Reyna went out w/an injury, he usually quarterbacks the play down the field. I think they'll rebound well. We would've had to play Brazil next week if we had won... no big loss.

Agreed pex, what a stupid call. And then we missed like 3 great shots in the 60th minute.

At least you scored 1 goal....

Hey now, England isn't looking like the sharpest knife in the kitchen either. Plus they had a much easier grouping. They didn't score their first goal till the 2nd game vs who? Trinidad/Tabago. No excuses for why US wasn't scoring. I think the ref in the Italy game might have contributed though.

Anybody watch the Brazil/Japan game today? It was great, the ref just let them play. It also helped that the players weren't falling down from the fans cheering and acting like their lives were flashing in front of their eyes. I hate diving. There is a FIFA proposition that is in the works that will make any player that is injured or fakes an injury sit out of the game for 10 minutes, no substitutes either. I think this new rule could bring back the honor and dignity of the game. Too many frencn, italian, insert country here, player that, even if they are fouled, totally act it up. It should be about the sport, not about acting.

Nah, it's good that they are acting. Cause in soccer offseason they can come be a football kicked. So when they get touched they can fall down and act like they were tackled. So the soccer players have to practice their acting during soccer seaon.

Totally confused, english please.

Not an England surpporter Pez ,I may live there ,but I`m half Italian.............

Don't get me started on Italy!!! LMAO. j/k

I'm actually supporting England... I doubt they'll go far, but I'm hoping.

BTW, what's up with Italian soccer players... it's like they get knocked down to the pitch if someone runs past them too fast?

Sorry Cross seeing as you're 'alf an Eye-tie... But Pez has a point> they should give awards at the end for best dives, and another for best overblown post dive agony drama- I admit, they do look good in slow motion replays

americans will never ever understand the worlds game.

Soccer only allows 6 subs per game, so yes the acting comes into it. I am a stocky defender and usually the damn wingers slam into me and fall down, getting the call. So to combat it, you MUST make it look like you get hit so it is even. It is all in the subtleties, like the entire game. I read a great column on soccer, and they compared it to making love, lots and lots of build up and teasing, until that awesome moment of climax..... GOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAZZZZOOOOOOOO (which is what I yell right after I finish as well.)

i have played for 26 years and love it. Half WOP here as well, so viva italia.

It looks like the best game could be Brasil and Argentina.

BTW if I see wayne rooney throw another fit I am going to poop (I will watch the game on the toilet).

Argentina is good. I think their best chance would be to take an early 2-0 lead vs Brazil. Otherwise, Brazil just plays so relaxed... I love it. They play like they've been there everyday. There are definately a few other teams that have good chances to make it in, unfortunately it really depends on which referee they are getting that day.

I've been playing soccer off/on for 30 years and I love it. I think there is more honor and dignity in house league soccer as people aren't always trying to dive. I grew up going to NASL Washington Diplomats games where I got to see Pele, Beckenbauer, Cryuff, etc. Got to play with my travel team during a few half times at RFK which was one of the coolest things... the grass was so green.

BTW, you can watch the game live on ESPN.com. Look on the right side column, should see a red banner for watching the game using ESPN 360. Very nice, I've been watching the game from work this morning.

How can you watch soccer!? It's sooooo boring! They kick the ball to one side then someone kicks it to the other side and back and forth back and forth. And the time clock count's up? Now I have to do math to figure out how much time is left. It's like an hour and a half of men running around in short pants scoring 1-3 points a game. I'd rather watch Tennis.

you ever play any sports competitively Harry?

Like at the NCAA level?

just cuirous.

Well flat i'm very competitive. I play football (quarterback/wide receiver) and I also run Track and Cross Country. I Took my 4x8 team to Regions when I was a freshman in track. Ran a 2:06 in the 800Meters.

Most sports are boring if you think about it from an outsider perspective. I love football, but damn... it's boring as hell. You have 4 tries to move an oblong ball 10 yards so you can try again. Each play lasts 3-6 seconds and then you have to wait another minute. If basketball didn't take an hour for the last 5 minutes, it would be better too. I can see how soccer can be viewed as boring. People that don't know the players or the background of the team, etc can find it extremely boring. If you've grown up with the sport and still follow it, it's fascinating though.

not picking...

just curious.

I boxed and wrestled for a bit and I was a tailback for a while, but still preferred the round on the ground to the pointy-ball. but i must take a shot, cross country and track? exciting? 206 800 is frickin flying though, I ran a 59 400 once in college. Soccer is about build up. I can totally see it as boring to most americans. Most dont care to learn.

Lol I ran a 54 400M as a freshman in highschool.

Learn about what? Kicking a ball into a square? That's not as exciting as throwing an object 60 yards and having a guy fight with another guy to catch it and then dodge 250 pound guys that could rip you to shreds. Only thing I like about soccer is that they produce good field goal kickers and punters

typical american viewpoint.
Are you still in high school?
The difference is, i can kick it into the rectangle, and I was one of the guys dodging the 250 lbers. takes skill for both. Just because you cant do it, or is bores you, doesnt mean it is not a good sport.

If you are a QB/WR what is up with the distance running, why not sprints?

btw i ran the 40 in 4.8 as a junior in high school. now it is more like a 14.8.


I looked at your bio, jeez 9/5/88 wow that WAS my junior year.... i am 9/4/73.

Billy Batts,"Now go get your fecking shine box."

Guess what it comes down to is different strokes for different folks. Some people might find football to be extremely boring while others can't live without it. I think what it comes down to for any sport is knowing how the sport is played, the rules, and most importantly... the teams and player history. Football wouldn't have half the fun if you didn't know the rivalry, player histories, coach histories, trash talk before games.... basically if you just turned the game on and watched a game of football, you probably wouldn't enjoy it as much. If you did, then you'd be okay watching any two teams play at any level. I think there could be a difference there as I enjoy watching soccer or hockey on any level, youth to bantam to college to pro.

I can kick a ball into a rectangle.... owe hard. I do sprints. Didn't you see that I ran a 400M in 54 seconds? I ran the 100M in the low 11's.

Well at CC practice everyone was like Brazil did this and that team did that omg did you see that, it was amazing. I'm still like, I don't care, i'm not ganna watch it lol. I love watching football. Fun to watch people get run over by a wall of muscle.

I can hold a football and run inside a box. I can throw a basketball inside a hoop. I can wrap my arms around a sweaty man wearing tights.... oh wait a sec...

I'm seeing your side of this HarryCarry. I think you grew up with football while others grow up with other sports. For the life of me, I can't figure out the fascination with Cricket. I don't bash it though, I just don't understand it.

I was raised thinking football = manly, soccer = girly.

Is that a threat?

It's quite simple actually. You just find out when the next game is and turn on the television. Even better, if you're at work... ESPN.com is broadcasting the games live.

So I think I get it... you don't like/understand soccer. For each their own. It's easy to say stuff when you simplify games... look at golf. People hit a small ball. They chase the ball. They hit it again. The chase the ball. Hit it again into a small hole. Then start over. Sounds pretty stupid, but I love it.

Football. Big guys push and shove each other while one or more try to carry the ball inside a box to the other end. Sometimes they throw the ball, sometimes they kick the ball.

Basketball. Tall guys run back and forth in a small box trying to throw a ball into a circle.

Hockey. Very skilled athletes progress a volcanized rubber disc from their own side of a rink to the opponents and create plays to move the disc into the opponents goal.

Wrestling. Hmmm... I don't want to go there.

Track. People run.

Nascar. People drive in circles for an ongodly amount of time.

What am I missing here?

I love golf too. I love how you can hit a ball further than someone who is stronger than you.

Don't like to watch basketball. Boring like soccer.

Track: Fun to watch people run super fast.

Hockey: Fun to watch but I only watch olympic or the finals.

Nascar: Cool crashes.

Soccer: Boring as hell to watch. Remember that Simpsons episode where the 3 soccer players just kick it to each other inside a triangle. That's pretty much it. Reason soccer riots happen are because they get soo bored and want some action.

Wrestling: Singlets aren't a pretty sight. Ever seen a 6'3 320 Pound Chinese guy in one? I have.
Baseball: Fun to play, boring to watch.

all valid points. i love the arguement. I have been doing it for years. I dont knock people for not liking soccer. It is boring to watch i just wanted to argue.... I have not even been to a dc unite game, because i do get bored. but the world cup? I went to 2 when it was here, that is complete pandemonium. Every year i go to the last home game for Penn state, and it rocks, but those crowds cannot compare to the chaos that was here in 94.

I got to go kick a ball into an even smaller rectangle now, indoor league play began last week.

Flat, you play at the FFX sportsplex... technically in Springfield? I used to play indoor soccer there and hockey when they had the outdoor rink up. I heard they tore it down years ago. We ended up leaving the Sportsplex and playing at this industrial park in Alexandria off Columbia Tnpk.

Went to all the RFK World Cup games, craziness... some of the best times of my life. I even painted my face, first and last time, for the USA game. Got our pic in an issue of NewsWeek for that game.

I dont,

i play here in maryland and with my high school team.

I am doing the espn 360 thing and it is aweome, germany just scored the header to tie, and argentina is folding.... wow great game!!!

thanks for the info on the 360 deal!

yeah, I'm watching it too... bout to start extra time. Go Germany!!!

Germany looks like they should win this one. Going into the second half of extra time. They are dominating ball control and have had some decent opportunities. Argentina needs to step up if they're going to do something... they're playing back too far and trying to work a long ball counter, which isn't working too well so far.

and there you have it

Germany's GK was great in the pks. He guessed the right side everytime and had those two great saves.. one unbelievable.

viva la italia,

yipppeeee azzurri!!!!!