World Cup Brazil 2014

[Fredo]

For the few that cares...
I'm waiting to hear your final four!

1 Brazil
2 Spain
3 France
4 Portugal

[mooseknuckle]

I like Portugal and Spain. I hate my guitar player who leaves tomorrow for a 27 days in Brazil. He's going to like 8 matches or something.

[twispi]

Brazil hopefully all the way

[Dog hunter]

Not sure how Portugal is looking yet this year but thats my world cup team

[David Henry]

Got to go with Brazil the hometown favorites, those guys need a boost to their economy and they could ride a world cup win for a long time. I can still remember Pele when he scored that spectacular overhead summersault goal back in world cup action in the 1970's, cant remember who they were playing though. D.H.

[skain11]

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Wor.../21730336.html

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-...t-presser-hits

[omega50]

I love the global impact of soccer.
I was in the small village of Panormo in Crete during the 2006 World Cup games in Germany. Barricades on the street and a huge TV hung in the village square. The entire village attended.
Then in 2012 during the Euro I was in a small village in Portugal when Portugal was playing. Then a few days later in Lisbon, and later in the Azores we watched in small local bars as Portugal played. Crazy nights to watch the pride and passion of the Portugese.
I can only imagine the game played in a passionate country like Brazil.
I vote Portugal!

[Rockman]

Brazil all the way! But then sometimes they trip up on the stupidest things (I can say it... I'm half Brazilian ). And while being at home is an advantage, it's also tremendous pressure.

Lotta great teams and countries, though. It's always fun! What I mostly hope for is clean nice playing, with more skill and less fouling or aggression. That's what soccer is all about to me (& in Brazil), not the near-contact-sport/whatever-it-takes-to-win that is sometimes played.

[omega50]

I like this schedule tool.

http://sports.ca.msn.com/world-cup/interactive-calendar

[Winch101]

My attempts to watch soccer beyond my grandchildren have been
Very short lived . My assessment of the game ,you got the Dives,
The whining ...without the action . I always laugh at people who brag about
Their kids in soccer , just too cheap to anti up for hockey .

I intend to tough it out , maybe I'm missing something , actually nice
To see a team being played by people who have all their teeth .

I am pretty sure I have never seen this happen in a hockey game .



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oByEN7Bwpp8

[booboo74]

1. Argentina
2. Brazil
3. Germany
4. Spain

[Chernobyl Ant]

less than an hour till opening match

[Bassett]

Well I have high hopes of my home country, England but very unlikely to win haha. Next is ivory coast because I like the team, but again cannot contend with the bigger teams.

Brazil
Spain
Germany
France

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by Rockman

Brazil all the way!

Soooo... if you bribed FIFA officials to host the cup, would you bribe referees to win it?

[Rockman]

Never. That's no fun. Gotta win fair & square.

& Brazil's too poor to bribe anyone. I'd keep looking (Qatar...)

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by Rockman

Never. That's no fun. Gotta win fair & square.

& Brazil's too poor to bribe anyone. I'd keep looking (Qatar...)

LOL I'd say there have been more match-fixing scandals in soccer than in any major team sport. It seems to make up about 40% of the average Italian League player's salary

[Cory1]

Brazil over Argentina in the final.

Germany for third over (hold your breath...) uraguay

[Hat in the Cat]

Best headline of the day

"Home team Brazil scores 4 in cup opener for a 3-1 victory"

...and its Germany for the win with a big surprise finish from either Uruguay or Cameroon.

[Fredo]

That was a tensed game, and that was a nice referee...

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

Soooo... if you bribed FIFA officials to host the cup, would you bribe referees to win it?

Well played ..... after seeing the officiating in the opening match ..... I suspect as much.

[Spidey]

I'm going dark horse and saying The Netherlands take it all.....I'll be wearing my orange jersey at work tomorrow while the Dutch kick some Spanish *****.

[Rockman]

Originally Posted by EZM

Well played ..... after seeing the officiating in the opening match ..... I suspect as much.

Well, the penalty may or may not have been proper, but checking the goalee before that equalizing goal was definitely a foul. Can't whine about that one.

[Rockman]

Yeah, just looked at replays again and IMO the penalty was entirely wrong. Should not have been a foul or penalty.

Still can't whine about it, though. Croatia made no goals.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Rockman

Well, the penalty may or may not have been proper, but checking the goalee before that equalizing goal was definitely a foul. Can't whine about that one.

There is no whining here, nor did I mention the Olic goal, but since you ask ...... you might want to look up law 12.

According to the laws of the game you are 100% wrong here.

The rules are pretty clear - Olic is entitled to play the ball, and connected with the ball as he headed it. He was also "in place" and jumped up.

The goalie came forward, challenging into Olic's space, and missed the ball.

According to the rules, this is absolutely not a foul under any circumstances whatsoever.

Rule 12 outlines that a goalie cannot be challenged when his hands, or any part of his body, is in contact with the ball and the ground.

Challenging, be definition, is moving into an opponents space (or intended line), which does not include a live ball ( a 50/50 situation ).

Read it. All three conditions of the rules are pretty clear.

The goalie had neither the ball in his control, nor was he in contact with the ground, nor was Olic moving into the goalie's space, if anything the goalie was challenging into Olic's space. I'd say it's a 50/50 at worst.

This is crystal clear - I'm not sure how there is any sound argument against this poor call - other than the ref was wrong.

Don't get me wrong, I've reffed some big games and missed some calls, you are not always in a position to see things clearly through traffic. But two bad calls, that change the final results, is pretty bad for a guy that gets paid as one of the world's best professionals.

It seems like those who know soccer, would not dispute this after having looked at it from a few angles (which, of course, isn't something the ref can do in a live event).

Maybe have a look at some blogs out there and see what the world really thinks.

Either way ...... Ref called that game ..... it should have been 2-2 as far as I'm concerned.

BTW - you are absolutely allowed to be challenging shoulder to shoulder with an opposing player - which, maybe to you, is checking, which is, ironically, 100% legal......

Doesn't really matter does it ........ final whistle blew ........ the results will stand according to FIFA laws. No game can be overturned after the final whistle blows. lol.

What a joke this ref is ........ 2 bad calls ......... stole a draw for Croatia and Awarded the home team a win ...... lol

To be honest - I could have cared less who won that game - but this one was a joke. The world, who know the game, are pretty stunned.

It's the armchair once a year soccer fans who seem to be the experts disputing the reality of the situation.

[Unregistered user]

If they had to fix Brazil Vs Croatia, the whole thing is a joke. I'd rather watch paint dry.

[Rockman]

Yes, we know the goalie didn't have possession of the ball, but IMO it's far from a clear move, and still a foul. You absolutely can't say he wasn't in the goalie's space. His body is clearly moving the goalie away. He had momentum and won the dispute in the air.

Fine. But any player checking another, even without elbowing or other intent to harm, is on very shaky ground and IMHE often gets a foul called. Then the one getting pushed out (body check, minor) was the goalie? Sorry, i think that usually get's called. Not a yellow, not intentional necessarily, but still a foul. Checking is allowed, but to a limited extent. You can't slam someone out of the way and expect no foul every time. For many years now refs have been fairly protective of goalie's. You pretty much don't foul a goalie, generally speaking.

If the ref had not called that a foul I think there'd be just as many complaints and "expert" reviews online calling that one poor judgment. But yeah, given his refereeing in general, which I agree wasn't very good, it'd have been more like "Well, at least he gave Croatia one by letting that foul on the goalie by."

I don't think any fixing happened. Why? This game doesn't even matter. It's pressure. The ref was under a lot of pressure, whether self-imposed or not, to not call it badly for the home team. In so doing he called badly for the other team. It's unfortunate, it's not completely fair, but every team has suffered that. I've often wished they had play review available to refs (with the game paused) to verify important plays only (penalties or goals). I think it would only enhance the fairness of the game.

Ultimately it doesn't matter much. Neither Brazil or Croatia will go home over this. Just a morale thing & some fodder for armchair experts. BTW, I'm far from an expert, not even a true soccer fanatic. I just love the game.

In any case, I think Croatia played a great game and are a very respectable team. There are teams I respect and teams I don't respect much (too much fouling or underhanded plays). Croatia I respect. They played a good game.

[Badgerbadger]

Are they flopping around like landed jackfish?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QBPGXJE86I

[Unregistered user]

Oldie but funny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HKPz3yFYjQ

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Rockman

Yes, we know the goalie didn't have possession of the ball, but IMO it's far from a clear move, and still a foul. You absolutely can't say he wasn't in the goalie's space. His body is clearly moving the goalie away. He had momentum and won the dispute in the air.

Exactly - the goalie did not have possession of the ball - you are 100% right, therefore, it does not meet the conditions associated with a foul in a challenge. I rest my case.

Fine. But any player checking another, even without elbowing or other intent to harm, is on very shaky ground and IMHE often gets a foul called. Then the one getting pushed out (body check, minor) was the goalie? Sorry, i think that usually get's called. Not a yellow, not intentional necessarily, but still a foul. Checking is allowed, but to a limited extent. You can't slam someone out of the way and expect no foul every time. For many years now refs have been fairly protective of goalie's. You pretty much don't foul a goalie, generally speaking.

The word "intent" does not appear anywhere in law 12, which describes fouls. If I had a nickel every time "opinionated experts" used this term I'd be rich. Olic is entitled to play a 50/50 ball and move toward a live ball. He played the ball with his head, the goalie did not play, nor control, the ball. There was simply no foul on the goalie whatsoever.

If the ref had not called that a foul I think there'd be just as many complaints and "expert" reviews online calling that one poor judgment. But yeah, given his refereeing in general, which I agree wasn't very good, it'd have been more like "Well, at least he gave Croatia one by letting that foul on the goalie by."

Uhhhh? What???? If they let "that one go" then why was the subsequent goal whistled down????? You are 100% wrong here. They awarded a free kick to Brazil and waved off the goal.

So, by your own admission, experts do agree this was a bad call - which underpins my comments. It should have been a goal and the score should have been 2-2 at that point.

I don't think any fixing happened. Why? This game doesn't even matter. It's pressure. The ref was under a lot of pressure, whether self-imposed or not, to not call it badly for the home team. In so doing he called badly for the other team. It's unfortunate, it's not completely fair, but every team has suffered that. I've often wished they had play review available to refs (with the game paused) to verify important plays only (penalties or goals). I think it would only enhance the fairness of the game.


Ultimately it doesn't matter much. Neither Brazil or Croatia will go home over this. Just a morale thing & some fodder for armchair experts. BTW, I'm far from an expert, not even a true soccer fanatic. I just love the game.

Uhhh What???? The game does matter, as the top two teams with the most points, will advance to the next round ..... so yeah ....... someone might go home ....??????? Huh????


In any case, I think Croatia played a great game and are a very respectable team. There are teams I respect and teams I don't respect much (too much fouling or underhanded plays). Croatia I respect. They played a good game.

Either way - our opinions don't count anyways - and It sounds like there is no point for us to continue to debate this issue.

my responses in bold below your text ..... peace

[CanuckShooter]

Do they have cheer leaders?? I'd check it out if they have some good ones, the game doesn't really interest me.