The Song Fight Bulletin Board

john m wrote:Also the Czechs' victory over a weak US showing, albeit promising and decisive, is not as impressive as Italy's hard-fought victory over a surprisingly spirited Ghana side.

I wasn't that wow-ed by Italy - I think they have yet to get going although it can't be denied that they did produce some good stuff tonight. Ghana strike me exactly like Angola and The Ivory Coast - just nothing in the final third. All this exciting fluid football and then an inability to convert. Most frustrating.

They should certainly have had one penalty. Whether they would have spooned it into space or not is, I guess, a moot point.

Also they need to tell their left backs (both of them) to remember it is not entirely an attacking position.

j$ wrote:Ghana strike me exactly like Angola and The Ivory Coast - just nothing in the final third. All this exciting fluid football and then an inability to convert. Most frustrating.

That was horribly irritating. They even had some nice crosses into the box, and then weak or drastically inaccurate strikes ruined the entire attack.

Tomorrow, of course, is what I want to see.

Allez les Bleus!

Two games down, two erratic performances, three goals scored, none conceded, Rooney's back, Lennon's a sensation...

Round Two... Bring on the Germans!

Or Ecuador. Both of which could beat you.

True. Could is meaningless though. The Germans are pretty rubbish this time round, but they're hosts, which'll mean a lot. Stifle Ballack (a big ask maybe) and they only really have Laim as a creator.

Ecuador I have yet to see play - though on highlights alone, they're efficient and tidy. It's hard to judge either in a group where Costa Rica and Poland both turned out so terribly weak. Same with our group, on paper, it was an easy England / Sweden 1/2 (or vice versa) but were we both pretty lousy against the other teams because we're lousy or because they're good?

Or to put it another we were one minute away from winning our group tonight whilst playing what appears to be our worst football for ages. Something doesn't quite add up ...

bring on the knockout stages - at least when we go out there we'll know it's because we weren't good enough, for sure ...

j$

j$ wrote:

Caravan Ray wrote:This soccer stuff is easy - bring on the next bunnies.

That would be Brazil, wouldn't it? Which would make your comment dangerously close to racism

I must admit - I really don't understand this at all. What is the Brazil/bunny connection?

I use the term "bunny" in the meaning of - 'a small, startled animal awaiting annihilation while caught in the glare of headlights' ie. as usually used to refer to tail-end batsmen facing fast-bowlers.

Unfortunately I really don't know enough about Brazil to be properly racist - apart from the pubic waxing thing and perhaps something about very hard, oddly-shaped nuts.

I would like to know how to be properly insulting to a Brazillian - it will come in handy for Monday mornings game.

Please post your suggestions here, under the heading: "How to Piss Off a Brazillian"

There must be something better than just "piss off you fat, stinking, stupid, Brazillian bastard"

(This is much more diffucult than our traditional sports - where we usually end up playing against either England or New Zealand. That lot are easy to insult)

All I've got to say is:

Vive football americano.

I watched part of a World Cup game today. A first for me. I saw most of the first half of the Korea/France match. And you know, it was pretty entertaining. I could see myself getting into watching that.

Hoblit: I am also anxious for the return of American Football, if by that you mean the NFL. Exciting time to be a Saints fan. We should be competitive right up until kickoff.

Ah, mid-August, when the football season starts anew. Rosicky is gonna look good in Arsenal colors.

Test your French footballing IQ:

* Can you pronounce Frank Ribery? If not, you're no Ligue 1 fan. The Marseille winger is the hottest young local talent in some time.

* Can you pronounce Claude Makelele? Not that hard, but if you failed, you probably don't watch much soccer, if any. He is an integral part of one of the best club teams in the world.

* Can you pronounce Thierry Henry? If not, congratulations! ESPN has a commentator's job available for you.


I haven't watched today's matches yet but I keep hoping that a large building will fall on that one guy who thinks he's Dick Vitale.

Yes, yes, and yes. Obviously.

Ugggghhhh fucking no-call goal. Also fucking French team being incompetent. Finally fuck Korea.

Most importantly, though:

FIRE DOMENECH

Spotted this in Saturday's Daily Mirror, well it made me smile...

Took me a moment to realize that was Eriksson and not Domenech.

And then I reflected that it could have been either.

Caravan Ray wrote: The Sleeping Giant has awoken!!

Did I really say that back in November? How right I was! Australia cruies through to the 2nd round.

See you later Croatia. Bring it on Italy, you espresso-sipping, stylish-clothes-wearing, hand-gesticulating NANCY BOYS!!!! This next one should be easy - Italy haven't won anything since the 3rd Punic War of 241 BC.

Oh god, typical fuckin' australian. Where were you when you lost 2-0 to Brazil?

Where are you when the group is so screwed that it's so who's not quite so bad in relation to a weak Brazil side that you'll qualify second?

I am happy Australia have qualified, and I honestly hope they do something against a not-that-spectacular Italian side. But really, unless you think you have what it takes to go all the way, keep quiet. Drawing with a suprisingly weak Croatian side does not make you world-beaters. You are just floatsam for other teams to trip up on.

This, coming from someone who does not think our team is any better than yours. Really, please, show some dignity.

j$

USA is out, and any small interest that America was starting to have in the World Cup has died.

It's a shame, cuz I watched their 2nd and 3rd game and I wasn't all that bored. I would have liked to have seen them move on.

I've just started watching it ... the field is huge! I'm used to watching hockey, and the size of this is pretty crazy. It's actually not bad for watching ... I always thought that it would be more like baseball to watch, but it's kind of fun actually. I'm not really cheering for anyone right now though. What teams are the best?

j$ wrote:Oh god, typical fuckin' australian... Really, please, show some dignity.

j$

Dignity is for losers. Sing when your winning! (or drawing, as the case may be)

But I'm not surprised those without insight to the intricacies of the game are talking down our group. I've been a student of this game for quite some time now (over a week!) and that was definitely the finest Croatian team I've ever seen take the pitch against Australia. Most of them were Australian anyway (or most of our blokes are Croatian...something like that)

But I do certainly wish your English boys all the very, very best in the upcoming encounters. I know all everyone over there is hoping those brave lads in white will strive to return old England to its rightful place in world sport - ie. choking in the semi-finals in a way that would make Tim Henman proud.

Recent anomilies in the Ashes series and Rugby World Cup must have shaken English sporting fans to their core. Good to see that the Wallabies and the Sri Lankans have in recent weeks set the world spinning back on it's correct axis.

jolly roger wrote:I've just started watching it ... the field is huge! I'm used to watching hockey, and the size of this is pretty crazy.

Hockey is played on pretty much the same sized field. I think you mean you're used to watching ice-hockey

jolly roger wrote:What teams are the best?

My personal opinion, of the teams remaining:
Top tier: Argentina, Brazil
Second tier: Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain
Third tier: England, Mexico, Sweden
Underdogs: Australia, Ecuador, Ghana, Ukraine

(France, Switzerland, and South Korea omitted because they haven't yet played today.)

Ah Caravan. I'll take your bait.


Jolly Roger is Canadian. When he says hockey, he clearly means "ice" hockey. What possible purpose could it serve to try and force your aussie-centric mentality on the guy? Do you think that those who appreciate a real game give a shit about the semantics that might facilitate the bruised ego of those who can't comprehend the level of difficulty and skill required to skate whilst playing a game of hockey?

Next thing, you'll try and tell me Fosters and Tooheys are beers.

Clearly, they are an INFERIOR beer.

Ok, from now on, I move that we refer to "hockey" as "Ice Hockey" and you can refer to your field hockey as "inferior hockey".

Happy?



World Cup Soccer.

Doesn't it seem a little unethical to use a ball that is designed to fly straighter and truer? Are there soccer purists who feel that the use of this new ball design will eradicate the value of previous accomplishments?

I have been enjoying the games... I really haven't picked any team to follow. I find it more fun to turn on the TV and start rooting for whoever is losing. I suppose that means I'll have to start cheering for Australia now.

Revised after the night games.

Top tier: Argentina, Brazil
Second tier: Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain
Third tier: England, France, Mexico, Sweden
Underdogs: Australia, Ecuador, Ghana, Switzerland, Ukraine

Actually, the Hockey World Cup is in Germany later this year, being played in the same stadiums as the Football World Cup
Hockey World Cup
Australia is the top ranked seed - but Canada don't seem to have a team. Maybe next time, eh?

Does ice hockey have a World Cup? I suppose it would be similar to the Rugby League World Cup which involves 2 Australian states, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and a few towns in northern England

Leaf wrote:Next thing, you'll try and tell me Fosters and Tooheys are beers.

Fosters is a larger
Tooheys is the name of a company that makes a whole range of beers
I drink XXXX

I would be careful calling Ghana an underdog. Sure it's their 1st ever World Cup but they ripped through their group only losing to Italy who of course is a great team.

Brazil will probably win though.