Now that was a headbutt.....

[iron grip]

Farking Barbarians Go play horseshoes, maybe that easy enough to understand.

I'll just say this about it. Its a game of inches. A shot can be inch perfect right inside the post, two inches left-no goal- to the right goalie gets it. A pass is the same, sure the short quick ones are easy enough for people who've played most their lives. But a eighty or ninety yard pass cross field while running and somebody trying to trip you in the process?? Then dropping the ball at your feet perfectly (from that blast across field) in a flat out sprint...

Whatever, you really have to see a high level game in person to begin to appreciate the game. Seeing the amazing tricks in practice gives evidence to the creativity these guys have too. Though most (in U.S.) will never see that or care to for that matter.

One thing is for sure more people were on the soccer fields in Madison this past Sunday evening than I've ever seen out there. Reminded me of tennis courts after Wimbeldon. [/u]

[iron grip]

If someone headbutted me in the chest like that I promise I would immediately react equal or more violence instead of crying like a 11 year old girl.

And you would have gotten a red card too And missed the rest of the game, team looses etc. That chit is against the rules.

In high school when someone got a red card the school had to pay a fine. I was told by the principal not to lose my temper on the field any more after two reds early in my sophomore year or I would have to start paying them.

[mottlet]

I remember the first time I saw the National team play. It was against Argentina in some sort of friendly in the summer of 99 at RFK here in DC. Pretty soon after Arena was named head coach after Sampson's debacle in the 98 Cup. U.S. won 1-0 and Kasey Kellar blocked a PK to preserve the win. The place went nuts. Only thing I can relate it to was watching Auburn drop the winning pass on the last play of the game against UM in 03. Pandemonium.

mottlet

[crow]

I've been privileged to see some great soccer here in GA. I saw the silver medal and gold medal games in the '96 Olympics. And, the school where I worked here has produced two Olympic and National Team players, Josh Wolfe and Jason Moore. Moore did not hang long, but Josh has been on the team for many years.

Soccer is a beautiful game with less of the testosterone push that football gives me. Yes, football does have its moments of finesse and fine skills, but nowhere the level required in soccer.

Comparing the two sports is very difficult because they are both competitive sports, but.... Kinda like the difference between wild, spontaneous sex and gentle lovemaking. The end result is the same and there are similar motions, movements, etc; but the methodology and thought process is very different.

One is poetry in motion; the other is slightly controlled violence. Both are appealing to me, but they require a different thought process to be enjoyed thoroughly.

Dang, ain't I eloquent today!

[iron grip]

HERE HERE!!

Atta boy crow

I played against Wolfe a couple times with my old club NOSA, once in regionals in S.C of all places. He scored two top class goals in the second half to tie us 3-3. We had already beaten N. Texas (a feat for a Louisana team) and Wolfe and his Ga. team had lost to S.Carolina so they couldn't advance. Well Wolfe left to go train with the U-21 national team in Colorado after the game against us, I think he was 17-18 at the time.

You have to be pretty bad to be chosen to the top 23 players in the country. Wish it was me.

[bigwater]

i too have been trying to gain an apprecaition for the original futball as well.. i've learned that despite the lack of scoring, the game can still be exciting.. lots of skill is required.. shots on goal and keeping the ball on your end of the field are most important..

but this bullschit with the flopping is ridiclious.. its so fake that its bush league.. its gives off a feel of fakeness that is similar to watching wwe (wraslin)..

the refs also appeared to be very inconsistent.. hell the head of fifa blasted the refs for their performance....

i proably would have gotten into it more if the U.S. had made a stronger showing..

[crow]

bw, I know what you mean. I wish there was some way to increase the scoring because I think that is one thing lacking to get American crowds to come. They expect quick action and lots of it. While there is constant motion in soccer, it can get slow at times, a lot of dropping the ball back to reset an attack many times just to mount one attack on the goal.

They say that the new balls (different seams and shapes of panels) was done to make the ball easier to knuckle and harder for the keeper to control. Don't think it helped...lots of low scores.

I don't think Americans will show up untill the game gets more action in scoring.

[Sdelta]

IG,
I coached a team from here that loss to them(GA) in the semi's(the first boys team ever to advance) in Regionals in Houston. If I remeber correctly they also had a Short but stocky black kid that was part of the national pool at that time.
I was lucky enough to get to meet Oliver Khan in 2000 at a BayernMunich game plus the whole team. What an atmosphere over there, before games they make our tailgating look laughable...

Sdelta

[mudsucker]

I think that it is fun to watch a realy good keeper! It is a big "defensive" game going on out there!

[iron grip]

Sdelta,

I think Ga. did have (maybe N.C) the guy your talking about but in the u-18 pool. I don't remember right now. Baton Rouge had one or two then too.

Olie Kahn, I'm surprised he didn't play more than their last game. Although the second string keeper isn't a bad gig at all. Kinda like a specialty long field goal kicker in the NFL. You don't get called on much but you better be ready when you do.

Bigwater, Crow; There were 147 goals in 64 games last count, and Miroslav Klose of Germany had 5 in 7 games. Look at it like a home run or a suicide squeeze. Won't see many of either in a baseball game but at crucial times both can highlight a career much less a game.

[Grommet]

I thought this game was pretty good. Try it.

http://www.wallak.net/zidan