Portugal vs France

[Darrell111]

Here is the link if you are somewhere (like work) that you cant see it on a Tv.

http://espnevent1.espn.com.edgesuite.net/070506_portfrance.asx

IF you care of course :)

[roknroll]

Portugal and france? ha!...england and brazil got knocked out...there's no reason to watch anymore...no offense.

well...I may be interested in seeing either of these teams get their arses kicked by italy...which...they will.

[ducktrapper]

On behalf of the KEEP SOCCOR OUT OF NORTH AMERICA AND FORCE IT TO STAY WHERE IT BELONGS SOCIETY ... Who gives a flying g string?  :TON> 

[bhika]

On behalf of the KEEP SOCCOR OUT OF NORTH AMERICA AND FORCE IT TO STAY WHERE IT BELONGS SOCIETY ... Who gives a flying g string?  :TON> 

+1

[Darrell111]

Portugal and france? ha!...england and brazil got knocked out...there's no reason to watch anymore...no offense.

well...I may be interested in seeing either of these teams get their arses kicked by italy...which...they will.

Yes Italy shall Win!!!

I really dont understand why so many Americans HATE soccer (the real football).. I mean gosh if you dont like it cool but at least appreciate these people are amazing atheletes and there is a reason why its the number 1 most popular sport in the world. 

[roknroll]

People that bash soccer really piss me off...they've never played the sport...they don't understand it...they think it's for wussies...and they think it's boring...

Fact:European futbol accumulates more broken bones than any other sport in the world. for wussies? I think not
Fact:Football players wear padding that covers nearly every part of the body.  Futbol players wear shinguards. Again, you think football is a lot harder on the body that soccer? think again.
Fact:The reason you don't see players getting into hardcore fights with each other like other sports, is because they would be banned from FIFA for the rest of their lives if they did.  American sports don't give a damn if players fight.  In fact, they indirectly encourage it.  So they get a 2 game suspension...big deal.

I'm guessing the majority of people that hate soccer are uncooridinated fools.

North America may know how to breed great luthiers...but they also breed a lot of ignorance.

Now go back to your regularly scheduled game and watch your fully padded hockey and football players. 

[Gemnoc]

ALLEZ LES BLEUS!!!
:GRN> :GRN> :GRN>

Don't care much for Soccer myself, but if I had to pick a team, that would be the French team that's actually Africa's team. ^_^

[dazdarren]

I must admit I didnt get football (or soccer as they may call it in N America) until I lived in England and went to a few Man U games and was there for the 2000 World Cup.  One can't help but get into the sport when you live amongst it and you come to appreciate what a great sport it is.  The fans are the most passionate you will find.  THe games are over in two hours as opposed to the almost 4 hours it takes to play an NFL game.  Those who dont understand the game and think it lacks action and intensity should sit back and realize how boring an NFL game can be with the run 3 yards and huddle, run 4 yards and huddle again etc. 

[prof_stack]

On behalf of the KEEP SOCCOR OUT OF NORTH AMERICA AND FORCE IT TO STAY WHERE IT BELONGS SOCIETY ... Who gives a flying g string?

[/color][/size]Yeah, I used to think that way also until I got stuck coaching a high school boys team 20 years ago.  Small school, I was drafted.  The second round and beyond of the World Cup is like a series of Super Bowls, one after the other.  What passion the nations have!

Anyway, after 20 years of mostly high school coaching with a couple years of college women and a couple of U-12 boys, I've come to realize that soccer is much more complicated than it seems.  Italy's superb first goal yesterday against Germany was made possible because the less-experienced German defenders left the shooter unmarked, so he could calmly curve the ball around the keeper and into the side netting.  Nice.

Final comment:  our football coach watches the game films of our HS team.  For 48 minutes of clock, there are maybe 11 minutes of actual play he has to study.  That was surprising to me, the guy who runs the scoreclock for our home games.

Prediction:  France 2-1 Italy.  Germany 3-1 Portugal

[Daysailer]

In the 70's, there was a TV show called SuperStars, where they invited the top athletes from all the major sports.
Top NFL Running Backs and Receivers.  NL and  AL  shortstops and homerun hitters.  NBA guys.  Dont  remember if NHL  was there.
Also one skinny, kinda dorky, American Soccer player. At the time I think he was the first and only American Professional Soccer Player.
They competed against each other in many  different events, track, obstical course,  weight lifting.....

First two seasons,  The Soccer Player won...   they never invited him back for the third season.   
Sorry I cant remember his name, But,  he sure proved which team sport requires the best athletes !

Later becoming a Soccer referee,  in addition to Basketball,  I grew to have an immense appreciation for the sport.
90 mins,  non-stop.  Only 3 substitutions allowed per game.
Like Prof-stack  said, NFL players see less than 10 mins total action, and get a 30-55 sec rest after each 6 seconds of effort.
NBA Many extened stops and many substitutions. Base ball,  long games, little individual activity except  for pitcher and catcher.

All sports require highly skilled efforts that should be appreciated like we enjoy a great musician.
Not all sports are for each of us, any more than we would all agree on musical styles.    well maybe we could agree on the head banger stuff.   :TON>

phill   

[roknroll]

"Italy's superb first goal yesterday against Germany was made possible because the less-experienced German defenders left the shooter unmarked, so he could calmly curve the ball around the keeper and into the side netting.  Nice." :huh: :huh:

less experienced?? I think not.  These guys grew up on the sport, much like the italians.  Sure each country has it's different style of play, but to call one country "less experienced" is kind of dumb. sorry.  I've seen many german goalies stopping bananas...I've also seen a lot of german defenders totally owning italian strikers and midfielders.

[expatCanuck]

Now go back to your regularly scheduled game and watch your fully padded hockey and football players. 

Soccer's a great sport, but let's please not be dissing hockey, the One True Sport.  -_-
The padding's there because contact is an element of the game.
Tho' I'd say that the fighting allowed is tragic ... I place much blame on the Bruins' nasty style of play that arose in the early '70s.

- Richard

[Darrell111]

"Italy's superb first goal yesterday against Germany was made possible because the less-experienced German defenders left the shooter unmarked, so he could calmly curve the ball around the keeper and into the side netting.  Nice." :huh: :huh:

less experienced?? I think not.  These guys grew up on the sport, much like the italians.  Sure each country has it's different style of play, but to call one country "less experienced" is kind of dumb. sorry.  I've seen many german goalies stopping bananas...I've also seen a lot of german defenders totally owning italian strikers and midfielders.

That goal was just plain GREAT!  He recived an incredible pass and hit a shot that not many keepers could stop.   Just like the Argentina goal.. i dont care WHAT team you are or WHO you are ,, there is nothing stoping it from going into the back of the net.

[Darrell111]

Soccer's a great sport, but let's please not be dissing hockey, the One True Sport.  -_-
The padding's there because contact is an element of the game.
Tho' I'd say that the fighting allowed is tragic ... I place much blame on the Bruins' nasty style of play that arose in the early '70s.

- Richard

Hey i completely agree.. My best friend played semi pro and tells me some crazy stories about their games. 

Here is my 2 pennies worth: 

I played baseball, football, golf and soccer in high school.  I still currently play soccer, basball and Golf..

For soccer i play on 2 indoor teams and 1 outdoor team.  I can honestly say soccer is the hardest sport i have ever played.  Not because of my personal fitness level but because if the many different skills it takes to play.  When i played football yes it was hard ( i was a running back)  when you got hit or had to run a bunch of plays one after another in the hot sun with all that gear on but i had a different body type then.  Football is not about long term endurance.  Sure if you have great endurance that helps but its not required since if your get tired or hurt you have 2nd and 3rd string there to back you up on the next play.  Dont get me wrong i love football and its a lot of fun to play but soccer is just so much tougher on me. 

With indoor soccer ( you play it much like hockey) 5 on the field and one in goal.  The plays are the same as hockey, quick and fast!! Your only out there for about 4-6 min because if you stay any longer your will get burned, i dont care how good of shape you are in because you should be playing at a level (just like hockey) that pushes you to the point of exhaustion.  I cant tell you how many times i get to the point i think im going to throw up from sprinting up and down the field for 4 min THEN when you get the ball you and are about to puke you HAVE to find the energy to beat 2 guys and score a goal ALL of this while your tired.  There is nothing in football or baseball like that.  Hockey yes. 

OTOH Outdoor , its very demanding because you have to go out there and run for 90 min strait.  Depending on the position you play that determines how much running you will do.  Midfielders do A LOT!

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY!!! Lets NOT forget the HOT soccer chicks you get to play against in Coed!!! Dang man.. almost as good a body as a Tennis chick hahah

[Tycho]

I'm cheering for France for the purely selfish reason that if Italy wins, it will be impossible to get anywhere in Toronto for about two days.

[jeremy3220]

People that bash soccer really piss me off...they've never played the sport...they don't understand it...they think it's for wussies...and they think it's boring...

Fact:European futbol accumulates more broken bones than any other sport in the world. for wussies? I think not
Fact:Football players wear padding that covers nearly every part of the body.  Futbol players wear shinguards. Again, you think football is a lot harder on the body that soccer? think again.
Fact:The reason you don't see players getting into hardcore fights with each other like other sports, is because they would be banned from FIFA for the rest of their lives if they did.  American sports don't give a damn if players fight.  In fact, they indirectly encourage it.  So they get a 2 game suspension...big deal.

I'm guessing the majority of people that hate soccer are uncooridinated fools.

North America may know how to breed great luthiers...but they also breed a lot of ignorance.

Now go back to your regularly scheduled game and watch your fully padded hockey and football players. 

I played high school varsity soccer and I can't stand to watch it. There are too many turnovers in soccer for me. In other words they don't have enough control over the possesion, there's too much kicking it back and forth between teams. In American football at least they are advancing(or losing) their postion on each play. You speak very harshly against people who don't like soccer (fools/ingorant). But I don't care, I don't really watch much sports anyway.

[Darrell111]

Here ya go..

http://www.wikihow.com/Appreciate-a-Soccer-Game-on-TV

[prof_stack]

"Italy's superb first goal yesterday against Germany was made possible because the less-experienced German defenders left the shooter unmarked, so he could calmly curve the ball around the keeper and into the side netting.  Nice.

Less experienced?? I think not.  These guys grew up on the sport, much like the italians.  Sure each country has it's different style of play, but to call one country "less experienced" is kind of dumb. Sorry.

Less-experienced doesn't mean bad.  The Germans had a younger group of players in the back with less international experience behind them.  They were very suspect in the games leading up to the World Cup.  Remember that the host nation does not have to qualify.  They gave up two goals to Costa Rica in the opener.  ESPN and FifaWorldCup.com among others all commented early on about Germany's weakness.

Italy took advantage with a great pass to the un-marked player who one-touched around the keeper into the net.  Marvelous goal, no doubt.  Italy deserved to win the game.  Their defense has allowed only one goal for the whole World Cup, an own-goal to the USA.

[ducktrapper]

People that bash soccer really piss me off...they've never played the sport...they don't understand it...they think it's for wussies...and they think it's boring...

Fact:European futbol accumulates more broken bones than any other sport in the world. for wussies? I think not
Fact:Football players wear padding that covers nearly every part of the body.  Futbol players wear shinguards. Again, you think football is a lot harder on the body that soccer? think again.
Fact:The reason you don't see players getting into hardcore fights with each other like other sports, is because they would be banned from FIFA for the rest of their lives if they did.  American sports don't give a damn if players fight.  In fact, they indirectly encourage it.  So they get a 2 game suspension...big deal.

I'm guessing the majority of people that hate soccer are uncooridinated fools.

North America may know how to breed great luthiers...but they also breed a lot of ignorance.

Now go back to your regularly scheduled game and watch your fully padded hockey and football players. 

I beg your pardon. How'd you like a skate up your a$$?  I'm coordinated enough for that.  :TON>

[roknroll]

"I beg your pardon. How'd you like a skate up your a$$?  I'm coordinated enough for that."

only if you loosen me up first.