Who's ready for the World Cup?

[mosesbotbol]

If Spain wins it, it will really cement them as being the European super country of sports. If Netherlands wins it, Shell will take 10 cents a gallon off gas for one week.

[MiamiE]

Honestly I think Spain squeaked by AGAIN. Germany let us down this past game.

[TheRiddick]

Fernando, have you signed up to Bobbi Eden's fan club? She promised to give free blow jobs to all her followers if Holland wins on Sunday. Still time, you know...

http://outofbounds.nbcsports.com/201...ale-1.html.php

[Don Fernando]

I added her to my twitter account the moment they announched 'teambj'.

[Superbad]

Wow, did the Spanish world cup team train with the Spanish Olympic diving team or what?

[TheRiddick]

Originally Posted by Superbad

Wow, did the Spanish world cup team train with the Spanish Olympic diving team or what?

Another game decided by the refs (sigh...) Stupid, stupid, stupid. Webb was so inconsistent it was awful. Robben is handled and pushed off the pitch, no call at all, yet just 10 seconds later Iniesta is touched on the shoulder (does a great Swan Dive - 0.3 degree of difficulty) and a player is sent off. Then just 2 minutes later Elia is clearly brought down on the edge of the box and again, no call. WTF?!

Not that f***ing Robben helped things, TWICE! Did I say already how much I don't like the guy playing a full game?

Oscars should introduce new categories starting next year: Best Sports Acting Team and Best Sports Actor. Both Spain and Iniesta should easily win.

Worst WC, by far! In so many ways.

Germany was the best team for me.

[kelmac07]

Congrats to Spain...damn fine final!!

[Don Fernando]

this sucks! this really sucks!

[Smokin Gator]

The Dutch played the game they had to play and were oh so close to PKs. Congrats to Spain, but I wish it had turned out the other way!!

[Don Fernando]

Robben should have dived when Puyol tried to floor him. Puyol would have been sent off and we would have won the worldcup. So much for trying to play fair.

[Ogre]

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

Robben should have dived when Puyol tried to floor him. Puyol would have been sent off and we would have won the worldcup. So much for trying to play fair.

There have been allot of bad calls by the officials this year, Its hard for a game to be played fair. It looks like they may be doing an instant replay in the future.

[md4958]

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

Robben should have dived when Puyol tried to floor him. Puyol would have been sent off and we would have won the worldcup. So much for trying to play fair.

in all seriousness Ferdi, even cigar aficianado called Spain to win... I don't think a dive from Robben would have saved you. Perhaps playing with 10 men was Netherlands bigger problem.

[Don Fernando]

Originally Posted by md4958

in all seriousness Ferdi, even cigar aficianado called Spain to win... I don't think a dive from Robben would have saved you. Perhaps playing with 10 men was Netherlands bigger problem.

If Robben dived, Puyol would have been sent off, that would have changed the game. Spain would not have been able to play their tactical game with 10 vs 11. He should have done what Inesta did to Heitinga, and I would have been a happy camper on his way to get hammered right now, instead of posting on CA.

[yourchoice]

For this American viewer who admittedly is just now trying to better learn and enjoy the game, what drives me crazy is it seems in order to get a call you must embellish the foul. In hockey, the embellishment itself would be a penalty, and for other professional North American sports, embellishment is generally frowned upon. In football (American ), if a receiver is held but still makes the catch, they can decline the penalty. It seems to me, with soccer, if you don't go down and try to play through the foul, the foul is not called.

A serious question, is this part of the rules of soccer, either "by the book" or just generally accepted? If so, I'll probably be continuing my every four years viewing.

[Pass]

Originally Posted by TheRiddick

Another game decided by the refs (sigh...) Stupid, stupid, stupid. Webb was so inconsistent it was awful. Robben is handled and pushed off the pitch, no call at all, yet just 10 seconds later Iniesta is touched on the shoulder (does a great Swan Dive - 0.3 degree of difficulty) and a player is sent off. Then just 2 minutes later Elia is clearly brought down on the edge of the box and again, no call. WTF?!

Not that f***ing Robben helped things, TWICE! Did I say already how much I don't like the guy playing a full game?

Oscars should introduce new categories starting next year: Best Sports Acting Team and Best Sports Actor. Both Spain and Iniesta should easily win.

Worst WC, by far! In so many ways.

Germany was the best team for me.

Agreed!

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

If Robben dived, Puyol would have been sent off, that would have changed the game. Spain would not have been able to play their tactical game with 10 vs 11. He should have done what Inesta did to Heitinga, and I would have been a happy camper on his way to get hammered right now, instead of posting on CA.

I was thinking the same thing the second it happened.... And then Iniesta went for the Oscars and all I could think was Robben should've done the same. Which is really freakin' sad... B/c I HATE diving. I mean, I know a lot of times it is necessary for you to get the foul call (when you are fouled) but sheesh!!!

[TheRiddick]

Originally Posted by yourchoice

A serious question, is this part of the rules of soccer, either "by the book" or just generally accepted?

For certain countries it is the norm. Spain and Italy are main culprits, their youth academies spend as much time on "acting" as they spend on technique. Watch Germany, England and Dutch play, if you see a dive it is a rare occurrence and only lately after their leagues have been infected by foreign players and coaches. Arsenal won a load of games this way in years past (Pires, anyone?), although they have cleaned up after their manager was taken to the task by other teams/managers. Drogba, Ronaldo (I am a Manchester fan) and a few others imported this BS lately to PL. Too bad.

But as usual, Blatter won't do crap about this...

[md4958]

Originally Posted by yourchoice

For this American viewer who admittedly is just now trying to better learn and enjoy the game, what drives me crazy is it seems in order to get a call you must embellish the foul. In hockey, the embellishment itself would be a penalty, and for other professional North American sports, embellishment is generally frowned upon. In football (American ), if a receiver is held but still makes the catch, they can decline the penalty. It seems to me, with soccer, if you don't go down and try to play through the foul, the foul is not called.

A serious question, is this part of the rules of soccer, either "by the book" or just generally accepted? If so, I'll probably be continuing my every four years viewing.

If the foul is in the possessing teams favor, and the ball was not turned over on the foul, the play is allowed to continue. Unfortunately "diving" has become an art forn in soccer, the Italians are especially talented. If it's a blatant dive, the diver can be issued a yellow card.

[md4958]

Damn! No bjs now

[icehog3]

Sorry Ferdinand, I was rooting for your guys.

[Don Fernando]

Don't forget the teams from South America, they dive like the best. I love Luis Suarez (he plays for Ajax Amsterdam, which is my team), but he's also a diver first class.