I would love it if Argentina won (although I would prefer Australia and Brazil) but they haven't done well in years. Since 1990 when Maradona was still at his peak, they haven't made it past the quarter-finals once. If they won, I would be delighted, but I wouldn't put my money on them.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I don't know about Mister Drake, but I sure am ready to cheer on USA (plus SA and NZ for that matter). Saturday is a big day, and I am looking forward to seeing if the USA can put up some solid points against England...and maybe, just maybe, pull of an upset!
I will be watching!
"We have all the time in the world..."
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Not much for football myself, but I'm always interested to see the riots and violence which inevitably accompany some of these matches. There's no denying the passion
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Not much for football myself, but I'm always interested to see the riots and violence which inevitably accompany some of these matches. There's no denying the passion
To be sure Loeff. There have already been a couple in Suid Afrika already, specifically during the Nigeria v. North Korea game.
I have quite a few mates in ZA right now and they are all having a good time, of course that "good time" involves copious amounts of alcohol. I wonder if that might be a contributing factor to the rioting? :v
Perhaps a little in poor taste regarding recent events in the US, but dare I say they might find our players a little, well, too slick for them?
C'mon the Boys from the Blackstuff! {[]
BP logo on the jerseys?
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
You can support both Germany and the US, Loeffs....
Or 'the Germans', as the UK media strangely prefer to dub them...
LOL...I actually had the opportunity to drink a beer with some German players several years back when a game was played in Chicago. My brother and I were in the Exchequer Pub on Wabash when about ten of them came in. They settled in at a big table in the corner of the room. I raised a mug to them and said "Deutschland!" They returned my salute and we had a grand time.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Bella_docQuantum's next target (Canada)Posts: 51MI6 Agent
I'm ready. But first I'll be hoping Uruguay hammer the French.
Well they didn't hammer 'em... maybe just boiled them slowly until they quite forgot they needed to score to get out of the pot? :v Oh, and the irony of Henry appealing for a penalty for a handball -- too good. )
Otherwise I'm really hoping for Spain or Argentina to win it... it would be nice to have some flair brought back to the World Cup. If they don't do it, I could settle for a second tier of Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, even Germany just as long as it's not England, Fwance or Brazil. Yes, I've got my loyalties sorted out all right.
I have quite a few mates in ZA right now and they are all having a good time, of course that "good time" involves copious amounts of alcohol. I wonder if that might be a contributing factor to the rioting? :v
Not to worry, I'm sure SA's top of the world crime rate is a bigger contributing factor.
It's interesting though, I just saw a clip on TV today saying how they spend some $20 million on a CCTV-type system which allows them to monitor the streets from HQ, and to send out policemen to the area when they see anything suspicious. Hope it works (fingers crossed).
Oh, and the irony of Henry appealing for a penalty for a handball -- too good. )
That passed me - and the commentators - by.
I'm toying with putting a fiver on the US to win today. You get over £30 back if they do. The thing about England is they don't do flair really. Linekar and Hoddle had it a bit, but Rooney is very much the British bulldog and in the posters the English have that look of a bouncer: 'you're not coming in' that Anglo-Saxon King Henry VIII Holbein look about them, which looks good defensively but doesn't exactly lighten the heart.
I didn't mean to imply the guy deserved it because he was fat. Just pointing it out it was a man Cantona made contact with.
Cantona clearly gets him in the stomach and follows up with a punch. There's a woman standing next to the tube but if she gets more than a bit of mud in her curly hair then I am Gary Neville's favourite jockstrap.
I'm pretty sure the woman filed some complaint for ABH against Cantona and he was found guilty.
Heh-ho - still not funny anyway.
Gary Neville doesn't live too far away from me (my father knows his father), next time I see him I'll let him know where his favourite jockstrap is )
Actually the woman gave evidence against the kick victim saying that he had racially abused King Eric (F off back to france etc)
“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves.” - Carl Jung
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
U.S. vs England starts at 12:30 pm Central Daylight time---about an hour and twenty minutes from now. Might be the first soccer match I've watched in ten years. Looking forward to it B-)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Different coach, same old underachieving England. And, where was Wayne Rooney?
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I profess no knowledge of the game...but I'm led to understand that underdog USA has gotten a pretty good result with a tie against the favoured England. So well done! {[] Very impressed with Howard's work at the goal.
A very entertaining game; I can well understand its appeal. If I had more time in my life, I could easily become a fan. Great fun.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,447Chief of Staff
I profess no knowledge of the game...but I'm led to understand that underdog USA has gotten a pretty good result with a tie against the favoured England. So well done! {[] Very impressed with Howard's work at the goal.
A very entertaining game; I can well understand its appeal. If I had more time in my life, I could easily become a fan. Great fun.
Just home. Taped it. Great result Loeffs. Looking forward to watching it.
Bella_docQuantum's next target (Canada)Posts: 51MI6 Agent
Wow, Germany were smashing today against Australia! They've moved far away from the old dour stereotype and managed to marry accuracy and discipline with adventuresome attacking football -- truly, this could be England if only they had the ambition.
Actually the woman gave evidence against the kick victim saying that he had racially abused King Eric (F off back to france etc)
And that makes it okay to to assault someone ?:)
And that just isn't racial abuse either...no wonder he got something like a 9 month ban - he is nothing but a thug !
In response to your question, I have made no effort to condone the act of assaulting someone in itself, I have just made it clear that not only was the lady not kicked herself, but she in fact confirmed that Cantona was retaliating to provocative abuse. Furthermore, the fact that she gave evidence suggests she thought the hooligan deserved what he got, not that a role model like Cantona should have lowered himself to fisticuffs with the cretin
In response to your statement, I was only attempting to provide the gist of the kick victims words.The quotations provided by the woman present were indeed deemed to have been racist.
“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to a better understanding of ourselves.” - Carl Jung
If I were you, Loeffs, I start supporting Germany. They were blistering against Australia, scoring 4-0 but it could have been more. Mind you, you're not a real fan until you've experienced the pain of defeat.... mind you by that criteria, most Germans aren't real fans when it comes to football...
England? Stephen Gerrard as captain had that nervous, apprehensive look like he was worried his house was being burgled while he was on the pitch. Heskey couldn't score in a brothel - probably a good thing, mind, with the rate of HIV out there. The usual kicking it around willy nilly, less like football more pinball. As for the ball itself, well there have been loads of complaints about it, so why do they have to have a new World Cup ball? What have they all been playing with until now, surely teams should use the same ball that got them to the Finals? Whether the ball is so important to a game like this is arguable, though I refer FIFA to the name of the game - football. 8-)
IEngland? Stephen Gerrard as captain had that nervous, apprehensive look like he was worried his house was being burgled while he was on the pitch.
Well....I take it your comment was for comedic effect...not accuracy
It's such a pity that a few other 'star' performers that England supposedly have didn't step up like Gerrard did.....I know he's used to carrying ten other players at club level...but at international level too ?
YNWA 97
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,447Chief of Staff
Actually the woman gave evidence against the kick victim saying that he had racially abused King Eric (F off back to france etc)
And that makes it okay to to assault someone ?:)
And that just isn't racial abuse either...no wonder he got something like a 9 month ban - he is nothing but a thug !
In response to your question, I have made no effort to condone the act of assaulting someone in itself, I have just made it clear that not only was the lady not kicked herself, but she in fact confirmed that Cantona was retaliating to provocative abuse. Furthermore, the fact that she gave evidence suggests she thought the hooligan deserved what he got, not that a role model like Cantona should have lowered himself to fisticuffs with the cretin
In response to your statement, I was only attempting to provide the gist of the kick victims words.The quotations provided by the woman present were indeed deemed to have been racist.
Again...I don't condone the guys behaviour either....it has long been a 'pet hate' of mine that 'so-called fans' can hurl abuse at players and get away with it.....
...but then again...Cantona had a history of violence on the pitch...once assaulting a referee in fact...so I guess he just reverted to 'type' too....Utd tend to have a history of these type of players...one only has to look at Keane and Rooney for confirmation of that....sad indeed.
You'll have to forgive me about the 'racist' part....I don't know what the guy said so it's difficult to comment accurately...but the 'gist' given isn't racist in itself...unpleasant...but not racist.
Stephen Gerrard as captain had that nervous, apprehensive look like he was worried his house was being burgled while he was on the pitch. Heskey couldn't score in a brothel - probably a good thing, mind, with the rate of HIV out there.
Nap, were we watching the same game? The two guys you pick to slag off are the goalscorer and the man who fed him the ball?? Gerrard was England's best player (Johnson not far behind) and Heskey did his job of taking up space and occupying defenders quite well (we all know he never scores, but that's not what he's in there to do). Of course England will get out of the group, but they were not impressive. Rooney will bounce back (fitness permitting) but he was basically invisible for 75 minutes. Lampard and Gerrard have difficulty co-existing. Most worrisome is the spine of the defense -- King can never stay healthy, and his replacement Carragher looked totally overmatched. Terry is basically on his own back there, all the more troubling given a shaky keeper.
Nice result for the US, but I don't read too much into it. It was always going to be our lowest-pressure game -- a familiar opponent who we weren't expected to beat. Let's see how we do against Slovenia, when we are favorites against a side that may be a little better than we thought and which already has 3 points. If, god forbid, we lose on Friday (not likely but possible) and England beat Algeria (virtual certainty), then we are looking at a scenario where in the third game England and Slovenia play footsie in the center circle for 90 minutes to ensure both go through.
Hilly...you old devil!
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Howard's pretty banged up for the US as well; without him in front of the goal, seems they'd be in big trouble.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Stephen Gerrard as captain had that nervous, apprehensive look like he was worried his house was being burgled while he was on the pitch. Heskey couldn't score in a brothel - probably a good thing, mind, with the rate of HIV out there.
Nap, were we watching the same game? The two guys you pick to slag off are the goalscorer and the man who fed him the ball??
I didn't have any jokes for Rooney or Carragher....
I was referring to Gerrard in his role as captain and so-called morale booster. He, and the rest of the team, look dead miserable in interviews and the suit ads, though of course the other extreme if the jolly matey laughs of the Keegan or McClaren regime. Yes, I know the value of Heskey but it's a probelm when Rooney goes AWOL as neither are then going to score.
Goalkeepers get lambasted to act as scapegoats for England being unable to put two past the opposition. They're more likely to score poacher's goals against quality opposition, as opposed to screamers or nice link up play.
Comments
Anyone fancy Maradona's Argies to win it?
I would love it if Argentina won (although I would prefer Australia and Brazil) but they haven't done well in years. Since 1990 when Maradona was still at his peak, they haven't made it past the quarter-finals once. If they won, I would be delighted, but I wouldn't put my money on them.
It's been over six months, how about we reactivate this?
Are you ready to cheer on the US, Mister Drake?
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I will be watching!
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
To be sure Loeff. There have already been a couple in Suid Afrika already, specifically during the Nigeria v. North Korea game.
I have quite a few mates in ZA right now and they are all having a good time, of course that "good time" involves copious amounts of alcohol. I wonder if that might be a contributing factor to the rioting? :v
I'm ready. But first I'll be hoping Uruguay hammer the French.
C'mon the Boys from the Blackstuff! {[]
Roger Moore 1927-2017
BP logo on the jerseys?
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Or 'the Germans', as the UK media strangely prefer to dub them...
Roger Moore 1927-2017
LOL...I actually had the opportunity to drink a beer with some German players several years back when a game was played in Chicago. My brother and I were in the Exchequer Pub on Wabash when about ten of them came in. They settled in at a big table in the corner of the room. I raised a mug to them and said "Deutschland!" They returned my salute and we had a grand time.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Otherwise I'm really hoping for Spain or Argentina to win it... it would be nice to have some flair brought back to the World Cup. If they don't do it, I could settle for a second tier of Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, even Germany just as long as it's not England, Fwance or Brazil. Yes, I've got my loyalties sorted out all right.
It's interesting though, I just saw a clip on TV today saying how they spend some $20 million on a CCTV-type system which allows them to monitor the streets from HQ, and to send out policemen to the area when they see anything suspicious. Hope it works (fingers crossed).
That passed me - and the commentators - by.
I'm toying with putting a fiver on the US to win today. You get over £30 back if they do. The thing about England is they don't do flair really. Linekar and Hoddle had it a bit, but Rooney is very much the British bulldog and in the posters the English have that look of a bouncer: 'you're not coming in' that Anglo-Saxon King Henry VIII Holbein look about them, which looks good defensively but doesn't exactly lighten the heart.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Actually the woman gave evidence against the kick victim saying that he had racially abused King Eric (F off back to france etc)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
A very entertaining game; I can well understand its appeal. If I had more time in my life, I could easily become a fan. Great fun.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
And that makes it okay to to assault someone ?:)
And that just isn't racial abuse either...no wonder he got something like a 9 month ban - he is nothing but a thug !
Just home. Taped it. Great result Loeffs.
In response to your question, I have made no effort to condone the act of assaulting someone in itself, I have just made it clear that not only was the lady not kicked herself, but she in fact confirmed that Cantona was retaliating to provocative abuse. Furthermore, the fact that she gave evidence suggests she thought the hooligan deserved what he got, not that a role model like Cantona should have lowered himself to fisticuffs with the cretin
In response to your statement, I was only attempting to provide the gist of the kick victims words.The quotations provided by the woman present were indeed deemed to have been racist.
England? Stephen Gerrard as captain had that nervous, apprehensive look like he was worried his house was being burgled while he was on the pitch. Heskey couldn't score in a brothel - probably a good thing, mind, with the rate of HIV out there. The usual kicking it around willy nilly, less like football more pinball. As for the ball itself, well there have been loads of complaints about it, so why do they have to have a new World Cup ball? What have they all been playing with until now, surely teams should use the same ball that got them to the Finals? Whether the ball is so important to a game like this is arguable, though I refer FIFA to the name of the game - football. 8-)
Roger Moore 1927-2017
England will still qualify though. Algeria and Slovenia were both hopeless.
Well....I take it your comment was for comedic effect...not accuracy
It's such a pity that a few other 'star' performers that England supposedly have didn't step up like Gerrard did.....I know he's used to carrying ten other players at club level...but at international level too ?
Again...I don't condone the guys behaviour either....it has long been a 'pet hate' of mine that 'so-called fans' can hurl abuse at players and get away with it.....
...but then again...Cantona had a history of violence on the pitch...once assaulting a referee in fact...so I guess he just reverted to 'type' too....Utd tend to have a history of these type of players...one only has to look at Keane and Rooney for confirmation of that....sad indeed.
You'll have to forgive me about the 'racist' part....I don't know what the guy said so it's difficult to comment accurately...but the 'gist' given isn't racist in itself...unpleasant...but not racist.
Nap, were we watching the same game? The two guys you pick to slag off are the goalscorer and the man who fed him the ball?? Gerrard was England's best player (Johnson not far behind) and Heskey did his job of taking up space and occupying defenders quite well (we all know he never scores, but that's not what he's in there to do). Of course England will get out of the group, but they were not impressive. Rooney will bounce back (fitness permitting) but he was basically invisible for 75 minutes. Lampard and Gerrard have difficulty co-existing. Most worrisome is the spine of the defense -- King can never stay healthy, and his replacement Carragher looked totally overmatched. Terry is basically on his own back there, all the more troubling given a shaky keeper.
Nice result for the US, but I don't read too much into it. It was always going to be our lowest-pressure game -- a familiar opponent who we weren't expected to beat. Let's see how we do against Slovenia, when we are favorites against a side that may be a little better than we thought and which already has 3 points. If, god forbid, we lose on Friday (not likely but possible) and England beat Algeria (virtual certainty), then we are looking at a scenario where in the third game England and Slovenia play footsie in the center circle for 90 minutes to ensure both go through.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I didn't have any jokes for Rooney or Carragher....
I was referring to Gerrard in his role as captain and so-called morale booster. He, and the rest of the team, look dead miserable in interviews and the suit ads, though of course the other extreme if the jolly matey laughs of the Keegan or McClaren regime. Yes, I know the value of Heskey but it's a probelm when Rooney goes AWOL as neither are then going to score.
Goalkeepers get lambasted to act as scapegoats for England being unable to put two past the opposition. They're more likely to score poacher's goals against quality opposition, as opposed to screamers or nice link up play.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Roger Moore 1927-2017