2014 FIFA World Cup Thread

[FarawayFairways]

I'd be tempted to question the stats a bit since I'm sure Ronaldo hit the cross that led to Portugal scoring against the US? yet according to these numbers he didn't cross a ball in the entire duration of the world cup?

[yrew]

They come from the FIFA website. Now they wouldnt lie now won't they ;)

[FarawayFairways]

You're quite right, I couldn't possibly question such a paragon of virtuous reporting. OK so being FIFA they've probably recategorsied his cross as a shot off target subject to a 10% commission and appeal

I'd be curious to know how else they could have categorised that cross actually? Although thinking about it, it was right at the end, so the filthy FIFA representative probably left early to sneak off with some prostitute and completely missed it

[FarawayFairways]

OK change of tact

Every World Cup the so-called technical committee of FIFA (the ones who don't recognise a Ronaldo cross when they see one) produce a World Cup XI, now the media will do the same, but can we pre-empt it and produce our own before they can? Strictly speaking our task is harder given that we're two games to go, but it would be interesting to to see what we come up with

[yrew]

That's a tough question. But for defense I nominate Ron Vlaar.

[FarawayFairways]

The best right back I've seen only played 60 mins!!!

[yrew]

And his name is?

[FarawayFairways]

It was that Yedlin character who the American's unearthed. Speed and duration with no small amount of skill. Now admittedly he could have played the best 60 mins of his life and I caught him on the top etc I've never seen Tom Brady do anything other than throw interceptions, these things happen!

[nevets88]

I posted this before, but in light of Germany's bashing of Brazil, lest we forget that this happened when they played Algeria, so they're not precision perfect all the time.

[dsc123]

I hope this isn't deemed inappropriate.....from avclub.com:

Quote:

Appropriately enough for nasty things happening around a cup, Germany’s crushing, 7-1 defeat of Brazil quickly made its way to [pornographic website], prompting the adult site to beg for less for the first time in porn history. Highlight clips from yesterday’s World Cup match—most of them involving Germany’s Die Mannschaft going balls-deep on Brazil’s waiting goals an impressive three times in 76 seconds—quickly began popping up on [pornographic website], under titles like “Young Brazilians get f[****] by entire German soccer team.”

Unfortunately, that gag soon got in the way of the site’s preferred type of gags, prompting its spokesperson, [pornographic website] Katie (Oh, of the Connecticut [pornographic website] ?), to plead for decency from users of its masturbation movies.

That was followed by a tweet that read:

Quote:

" Please stop uploading the game highlights to [pornographic website]... Our public humiliation category is full. #BrazilvsGermany

[Golfingdad]

Apologies if this has already been posted.  If not, .... hehe ...

[David in FL]

Apologies if this has already been posted.  If not, .... hehe ...

Outstanding! :dance:

[JetFan1983]

Apologies if this has already been posted.  If not, .... hehe ...

The sad thing is the NBA is worse these days. I wish they would fine all floppers in the NBA and in soccer a minimum of $50K for each flop.

[nevets88]

One day there will be tech to verify body contact. Like the lines machines in tennis. The political will?

[JetFan1983]

One day there will be tech to verify body contact. Like the lines machines in tennis. The political will?

That'd be nice .

---

One thing I do know... if there's a sports related forum that will always condemn cheating of any kind, it'd be a golf forum lol.

[FarawayFairways]

It's undoubtedly a scurge on what it is already a game built from the top down about dishonesty

I quite like the video and perhaps it should be made compulsory viewing on any station permitted to take UEFA Champions League football as a mandatory half time advert and shown on the screens at every match. It would be a bit more powerful than teams marching out with a token banner handed down by Vichy Platini that says 'Fair Play' on it. Personally I'd have had a fat Swiss waiter in the restaurant demanding that the customer gives him a bigger tip and ejecting anyone who refuses, whilst giving those who agree a double portion!

I wouldn't be averse to a player found guilty of diving being made to wear a shirt that instead of displaying their name on the back has the words "I am a Cheat" on instead. Or the players name with the word Cheats in the present tense on it. I know it's medieval, but it seems appropriate that someone like Ronaldo could have a shirt that says "Ronaldo Cheats" on the back. Or perhaps a team shouldn't be allowed to have a sponsors name on the front, and perhaps it should be replaced with something like "Referee beware. Barcelona players cheat"

[Golfingdad]

The sad thing is the NBA is worse these days. I wish they would fine all floppers in the NBA and in soccer a minimum of $50K for each flop.

It might be worse as far as flopping to try and draw fouls.  If not, I agree that it's pretty close.

However, it's not even remotely close in terms of embellishment after the call has been made (or not).  The NBA'ers fake contact for a whistle, but not seemingly life threatening injuries for seconds, and sometimes minutes afterwards.  That's the part that really gets me.

[FarawayFairways]

Blame the Italians, they started it, but the sad thing is of course, it worked. Teams naturally enough sensed they were being disadvantaged if they didn't copy

In fact I'm not sure that the Italians have ever contributed much positive to football, from the Catenaccio system, the shirt tug, the injury fake, the penalty dive, corruption, or a whole host of bribery riven results, and more recently racism (which Vichy Platini refuses to do much about - €250 fine being the norm)