And this is why you don't mess with soccer fans...
(disregard the music)
Thanks to AB for the link!
Showing posts with label soccer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soccer. Show all posts
Random Future Cups
The USA didn't win the 2022 bid to host the World Cup...
Instead the Russians and Qatar(ians?) will get all the glory (and money). This decision totally makes sense to me, instead of siding with the United States, the world futbol governing body picked our two greatest security threats over the past 50 years, Russia and the Middle East. It's like playing Risk against Fifa... well done, Seppy Blatts
Instead the Russians and Qatar(ians?) will get all the glory (and money). This decision totally makes sense to me, instead of siding with the United States, the world futbol governing body picked our two greatest security threats over the past 50 years, Russia and the Middle East. It's like playing Risk against Fifa... well done, Seppy Blatts
*Keep in mind that Qatar also boasts 140F Summer month temps!
(from ESPN)
U.S. 2022 World Cup bid falls short
The tiny desert nation of Qatar beat out the United States as the 2022 World Cup host, with FIFA brushing aside doubts about blistering heat to bring soccer's showcase event for the first time to the Middle East. The 22 voters on FIFA's executive committee, some accused of corruption in the weeks leading up to their meeting, picked Russia to stage the 2018 tournament, another first-time host. Qatar, an oil-rich nation that has been independent since 1971, has a population of about 1.7 million -- 500,000 less than Houston. At 4,416 square miles, it is smaller than Connecticut. READ MORE
(from ESPN)
U.S. 2022 World Cup bid falls short
The tiny desert nation of Qatar beat out the United States as the 2022 World Cup host, with FIFA brushing aside doubts about blistering heat to bring soccer's showcase event for the first time to the Middle East. The 22 voters on FIFA's executive committee, some accused of corruption in the weeks leading up to their meeting, picked Russia to stage the 2018 tournament, another first-time host. Qatar, an oil-rich nation that has been independent since 1971, has a population of about 1.7 million -- 500,000 less than Houston. At 4,416 square miles, it is smaller than Connecticut. READ MORE
Random Viva España
Mark of a champion. Take a beating and get back up...
I think the better team won... Viva España!
(from ESPN)
Spain wins first World Cup on Iniesta's goal late in extra time
Spain rules the soccer world, winning the World Cup at long, long last. It came after an exhausting 1-0 victory in extra time over the Netherlands on Sunday. Two years after winning the European title, the stylish Spaniards did even better. This was a physical test of attrition that sometimes turned dirty -- a finals-record 13 yellow cards were handed out and the Dutch finished with 10 men. In the end, it was Andres Iniesta breaking free in the penalty area, taking a pass from Cesc Fabregas and putting a right-footed shot from 8 yards just past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg. For the Dutch and their legions of orange-clad fans wearing everything from jerseys to jumpsuits to clown gear to pajamas, it was yet another crushing disappointment. READ MORE
I think the better team won... Viva España!
(from ESPN)
Spain wins first World Cup on Iniesta's goal late in extra time
Spain rules the soccer world, winning the World Cup at long, long last. It came after an exhausting 1-0 victory in extra time over the Netherlands on Sunday. Two years after winning the European title, the stylish Spaniards did even better. This was a physical test of attrition that sometimes turned dirty -- a finals-record 13 yellow cards were handed out and the Dutch finished with 10 men. In the end, it was Andres Iniesta breaking free in the penalty area, taking a pass from Cesc Fabregas and putting a right-footed shot from 8 yards just past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg. For the Dutch and their legions of orange-clad fans wearing everything from jerseys to jumpsuits to clown gear to pajamas, it was yet another crushing disappointment. READ MORE
Random Spain Vs. Netherlands
So... It's come to this...
The Spanish against the uhh Dutch, Netherlanders, Hollandese? Should be a good one
(from BettingPro)
Netherlands v Spain match preview
Vicente Del Bosque’s team are strong favourites to win the 2010 World Cup final on Sunday.
The Spanish against the uhh Dutch, Netherlanders, Hollandese? Should be a good one
(from BettingPro)
Netherlands v Spain match preview
Vicente Del Bosque’s team are strong favourites to win the 2010 World Cup final on Sunday.
Three weeks ago, Spain took to the field at the Moses Mabhida Stadium and were left licking their wounds after a surprise defeat by Switzerland. However, La Furia Roja have bounced back in a big way and now stand on the verge of winning their first ever World Cup after their semi-final win over Germany. The Spanish are clearly the best football team in the competition, something which has led most of their opponents to assemble men behind the ball in an attempt to frustrate their opponents. However, they have now won five matches on the spin in South Africa and can be backed at 6/5 (Sky Bet) to win in normal time when they face the Dutch at Soccer City. The Netherlands have beaten Denmark, Japan, Cameroon, Slovakia, Brazil and Uruguay to reach their third World Cup final and Bert van Marwijk’s team will be looking to succeed where his predecessors of 1974 and 1978 failed. Bet365 currently offer 11/4 that they win in normal time and they were a similar price to beat the Selecao in the quarter final. READ MORE
Great prediction from the sunny one!
Random Nike Curse
It was the greatest commercial I'd ever seen...
Now it looks like, the ad was also a curse for everyone featured in it!
(from Yahoo)
Nike World Cup ad 'curse' claims almost all its stars
When the New York Times soccer blog Goal first suggested that the celebrity footballers who appeared in Nike's now famous "Write the Future" ad might be cursed, there were still plenty of questions left unanswered. It's true that Ronaldinho hadn't even been selected for Brazil by manager Dunga, and Franck Ribery had gone out early along with an ignomonious France. But a week ago, Rooney, although in poor form, was still in the tournament. Retiring Cannavaro and Italy had yet to crash out 3-2 to underdogs Slovakia; Didier Drogba, while recovering from an elbow injury, was still in the World Cup with the Ivory Coast (barely); and Landon Donovan and Tim Howard were, pre-Ghana at least, real American heroes. Now it looks like the ad is a better predictor of World Cup outcomes than Paul the octopus. Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu's four minute spot has ripped through the chances of almost every one of its featured World Cup hopefuls like David Villa running through a Honduran back four. Goal-less Rooney is at the centre of blame for an under-performing England, Cannavaro represents a past-it Italian defense that let in 5 goals on 6 shots on target, and African hope Ivory Coast collapsed in the group stage with Drogba scoring only one goal. READ MORE
Now it looks like, the ad was also a curse for everyone featured in it!
(from Yahoo)
Nike World Cup ad 'curse' claims almost all its stars
When the New York Times soccer blog Goal first suggested that the celebrity footballers who appeared in Nike's now famous "Write the Future" ad might be cursed, there were still plenty of questions left unanswered. It's true that Ronaldinho hadn't even been selected for Brazil by manager Dunga, and Franck Ribery had gone out early along with an ignomonious France. But a week ago, Rooney, although in poor form, was still in the tournament. Retiring Cannavaro and Italy had yet to crash out 3-2 to underdogs Slovakia; Didier Drogba, while recovering from an elbow injury, was still in the World Cup with the Ivory Coast (barely); and Landon Donovan and Tim Howard were, pre-Ghana at least, real American heroes. Now it looks like the ad is a better predictor of World Cup outcomes than Paul the octopus. Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu's four minute spot has ripped through the chances of almost every one of its featured World Cup hopefuls like David Villa running through a Honduran back four. Goal-less Rooney is at the centre of blame for an under-performing England, Cannavaro represents a past-it Italian defense that let in 5 goals on 6 shots on target, and African hope Ivory Coast collapsed in the group stage with Drogba scoring only one goal. READ MORE
*UPDATE - This article was written before the ad also claimed Brazil's Robinho, Portugal's Ronaldo and even Roger Federer at Wimbledon!
If I was Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler, I'd be shaking in my (flashy new nike) boots
Random Traffic Jam
The power of American Soccer...
(from PopSci)
Landon Donovan's Game-Winning World Cup Goal May Have Set Internet Traffic Record
Just how breathtakingly, heart-stoppingly awesome was Landon Donovan’s 91st-minute goal in today’s win-or-go-home U.S.-Algeria World Cup game? It was definitely significant enough to temporarily overwhelm Twitter. And it just might have been the single biggest driver of Internet traffic ever. Over at Mashable the editors were monitoring new traffic across the Web via Akamai’s Net Usage Index, a traffic meter that keeps real time tabs on how many visitors per minute are landing on more than 100 major news sites. In the minutes after Donovan’s game-clinching, elimination-defying goal during added stoppage time, Web traffic spiked to 11.2 million visitors per minute, eclipsing even the 2008 U.S. presidential election as measured by the viewers per minute metric. Of course, Donovan can’t take all the credit. Elsewhere in South Africa England and Slovenia were wrapping up a similarly tense match, and all that breaking news hitting the wire at once likely contributed to the spike, which reportedly threw Yahoo Sports out of sorts for several minutes and also caused some Twitter issues (what doesn’t these days?). READ MORE
PS - Oh yeah... remember this Sun headline?
Strong enough to crash the internet!
Landon Donovan's Game-Winning World Cup Goal May Have Set Internet Traffic Record
Just how breathtakingly, heart-stoppingly awesome was Landon Donovan’s 91st-minute goal in today’s win-or-go-home U.S.-Algeria World Cup game? It was definitely significant enough to temporarily overwhelm Twitter. And it just might have been the single biggest driver of Internet traffic ever. Over at Mashable the editors were monitoring new traffic across the Web via Akamai’s Net Usage Index, a traffic meter that keeps real time tabs on how many visitors per minute are landing on more than 100 major news sites. In the minutes after Donovan’s game-clinching, elimination-defying goal during added stoppage time, Web traffic spiked to 11.2 million visitors per minute, eclipsing even the 2008 U.S. presidential election as measured by the viewers per minute metric. Of course, Donovan can’t take all the credit. Elsewhere in South Africa England and Slovenia were wrapping up a similarly tense match, and all that breaking news hitting the wire at once likely contributed to the spike, which reportedly threw Yahoo Sports out of sorts for several minutes and also caused some Twitter issues (what doesn’t these days?). READ MORE
PS - Oh yeah... remember this Sun headline?
How'd that work out for you?... England Always Second to Yanks is more like it
Random Cup Nash
Everyone knows Steve Nash loves soccer...
What we didn't know is that he was born in S. Africa and is currently working for CBSSports.com to cover the World Cup... Awesome, Funny stuff!
Check out all of the videos HERE
What we didn't know is that he was born in S. Africa and is currently working for CBSSports.com to cover the World Cup... Awesome, Funny stuff!
Check out all of the videos HERE
Random 'After The Cup'
Further proof that soccer is the most amazing sport in the world...
(from AfterTheCup)
There are over 1.4 million Arabs who are citizens of Israel, facing the challenge of living in a Jewish state while maintaining their Arabic heritage. In Israel, soccer is king, and Bnei Sakhnin has become the first team from an Arab town to win the prestigious Israeli Cup- and represent Israel in European competition. Fielding Arab, Jewish and foreign-born players, owned by an Arab, and coached by a Jew, Bnei Sakhnin’s success has begun to represent a symbol of coexistence, a potential bridge between Arabs and Jews in Israel. READ MORE
(from AfterTheCup)
There are over 1.4 million Arabs who are citizens of Israel, facing the challenge of living in a Jewish state while maintaining their Arabic heritage. In Israel, soccer is king, and Bnei Sakhnin has become the first team from an Arab town to win the prestigious Israeli Cup- and represent Israel in European competition. Fielding Arab, Jewish and foreign-born players, owned by an Arab, and coached by a Jew, Bnei Sakhnin’s success has begun to represent a symbol of coexistence, a potential bridge between Arabs and Jews in Israel. READ MORE
Random Hands Of Gods
Truly inspirational story about 5 guys who have nothing but a goal...
"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things." -Albert Einstein
Gotta find your Diego!
(from Wiki)
In the Hands of the Gods is a 2007 documentary. The film follows five English freestyle footballers as they try to raise money by showcasing their skills, in order to fund a trip to Buenos Aires to meet their idol Diego Maradona. Their names are Sami Hall, Danny Robinson, Paul Wood, Jeremy Lynch and Mikey Fisher. They have no money for food travel or accommodation, two of them are actually living on the streets prior to starting on their mission. Their journey takes them through North, Central and South America and tests them both physically and mentally. It is a journey that takes them far from their homes on a trip that will change their lives forever. The title is a reference to Maradona's famous Hand of God goal. READ MORE
Watch the film on HULU
"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things." -Albert Einstein
Gotta find your Diego!
(from Wiki)
In the Hands of the Gods is a 2007 documentary. The film follows five English freestyle footballers as they try to raise money by showcasing their skills, in order to fund a trip to Buenos Aires to meet their idol Diego Maradona. Their names are Sami Hall, Danny Robinson, Paul Wood, Jeremy Lynch and Mikey Fisher. They have no money for food travel or accommodation, two of them are actually living on the streets prior to starting on their mission. Their journey takes them through North, Central and South America and tests them both physically and mentally. It is a journey that takes them far from their homes on a trip that will change their lives forever. The title is a reference to Maradona's famous Hand of God goal. READ MORE
Watch the film on HULU
Random Lost Boys
A different kind of spotlight shining on African soccer...
(from CurrentTV)
Soccer's Lost Boys: World Cup Dreams and Nightmares
As South Africa hosts the 2010 World Cup, the focus will be on many of the continent's brightest stars in soccer, including Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Inter Milan's Samuel Eto'o. In "Soccer's Lost Boys," correspondent Mariana van Zeller explores the dark side to the sport's global popularity, what has been called "the new slave trade." The demand for young West African players in professional European soccer leagues has skyrocketed--and so has the number of unlicensed agents, illegitimate soccer academies, and shady middlemen looking to exploit these players. For a very small percentage of these West African youngsters, their dreams of playing professionally in Europe come true. The rest face a litany of horrors: deadly Mediterranean crossings, broken promises, vanishing agents, brutal living conditions, and families torn apart. It's estimated that 20,000 young African soccer players are now stranded in Europe. Many more never even make it that far and remain stuck in transit in port towns across Africa. READ MORE
Spotted @ TheBook
(from CurrentTV)
Soccer's Lost Boys: World Cup Dreams and Nightmares
As South Africa hosts the 2010 World Cup, the focus will be on many of the continent's brightest stars in soccer, including Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Inter Milan's Samuel Eto'o. In "Soccer's Lost Boys," correspondent Mariana van Zeller explores the dark side to the sport's global popularity, what has been called "the new slave trade." The demand for young West African players in professional European soccer leagues has skyrocketed--and so has the number of unlicensed agents, illegitimate soccer academies, and shady middlemen looking to exploit these players. For a very small percentage of these West African youngsters, their dreams of playing professionally in Europe come true. The rest face a litany of horrors: deadly Mediterranean crossings, broken promises, vanishing agents, brutal living conditions, and families torn apart. It's estimated that 20,000 young African soccer players are now stranded in Europe. Many more never even make it that far and remain stuck in transit in port towns across Africa. READ MORE
Spotted @ TheBook
Random Dempsey
Clint Dempsey is the unusual piece of the American Soccer puzzle...
He can play like complete shit for 89 minutes then miraculously score a game winner and be hailed the hero of the team...
(from ESPN)
What are you looking at?
Visit Craven Cottage, home of the Fulham Football Club in London, and this is what you'll hear on game day:
"He scores with his left,
He scores with his riiiiight,
That boy Clint Dempsey,
Makes Drogba look shite!"
Now, visit almost any website or blog that deals with the subject of the U.S. soccer team. With just a bit of poking around on the topic of Dempsey, you'll likely find comments like this one: "He's lazy. He doesn't track back on defense and his effort is lacking in most all games. So what if the guy plays well on the club level, he doesn't do very well (more often than not) for the U.S." Meet Clint Dempsey, American soccer's human Rorschach test. No question, he's made a mark on the game. Just what that mark looks like, though, often depends on the eye of the beholder. When the U.S. faces England in its World Cup opener on June 12, few players on the field will inspire more conflicting observations than the 27-year-old Texan. While Dempsey is well-known to the soccer faithful in both countries, he's thoroughly appreciated in one land and routinely overlooked in the other. But here's the kicker: The red-white-and-blue-flagged nation where he commands the most respect is the United Kingdom, not the United States. READ MORE
He can play like complete shit for 89 minutes then miraculously score a game winner and be hailed the hero of the team...
(from ESPN)
What are you looking at?
Visit Craven Cottage, home of the Fulham Football Club in London, and this is what you'll hear on game day:
"He scores with his left,
He scores with his riiiiight,
That boy Clint Dempsey,
Makes Drogba look shite!"
Now, visit almost any website or blog that deals with the subject of the U.S. soccer team. With just a bit of poking around on the topic of Dempsey, you'll likely find comments like this one: "He's lazy. He doesn't track back on defense and his effort is lacking in most all games. So what if the guy plays well on the club level, he doesn't do very well (more often than not) for the U.S." Meet Clint Dempsey, American soccer's human Rorschach test. No question, he's made a mark on the game. Just what that mark looks like, though, often depends on the eye of the beholder. When the U.S. faces England in its World Cup opener on June 12, few players on the field will inspire more conflicting observations than the 27-year-old Texan. While Dempsey is well-known to the soccer faithful in both countries, he's thoroughly appreciated in one land and routinely overlooked in the other. But here's the kicker: The red-white-and-blue-flagged nation where he commands the most respect is the United Kingdom, not the United States. READ MORE
Random World Cup Selection
23 have been chosen to represent a nation...
(from ESPN)
U.S. sets 23-man World Cup roster
Edson Buddle and Herculez Gomez went from long shots to the U.S. World Cup roster, joining veterans Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley and Tim Howard on the American team headed to South Africa. U.S. coach Bob Bradley cut seven players from his preliminary roster Wednesday to reach the 23-man FIFA limit. The Americans will play England on June 12 in their World Cup opener. Let go were defenders Chad Marshall and Heath Pearce; midfielders Alejandro Bedoya, Sacha Kljestan and Robbie Rogers; and forwards Brian Ching and Eddie Johnson. Midfielders Donovan and Beasley, and defender Steve Cherundolo earned their third World Cup trips. Beasley's selection capped a comeback from nine months of national team exile that ended in March. READ MORE
(from ESPN)
U.S. sets 23-man World Cup roster
Edson Buddle and Herculez Gomez went from long shots to the U.S. World Cup roster, joining veterans Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley and Tim Howard on the American team headed to South Africa. U.S. coach Bob Bradley cut seven players from his preliminary roster Wednesday to reach the 23-man FIFA limit. The Americans will play England on June 12 in their World Cup opener. Let go were defenders Chad Marshall and Heath Pearce; midfielders Alejandro Bedoya, Sacha Kljestan and Robbie Rogers; and forwards Brian Ching and Eddie Johnson. Midfielders Donovan and Beasley, and defender Steve Cherundolo earned their third World Cup trips. Beasley's selection capped a comeback from nine months of national team exile that ended in March. READ MORE
Good Luck... The Cup is 15 days away!
Random Nike Commercial
This is the greatest commercial ever made...
Thanks To J. McGlinchy for the link!
Write The Future from Nalden on Vimeo.
DO NOT TELL ME THE WORLD CUP ISN'T IMPORTANT!!!Thanks To J. McGlinchy for the link!
Random World Sex Workers
Futbol fans need love too...
I just didn't realize they needed to pay for it!?!
(from CBSNews)
World Cup Welcome: A Billion Condoms and 40,000 Sex Workers
The taxi drivers hustling around the bars on Long Street in Cape Town say they are ready for all the soccer fans that will flood the city in June for the World Cup. So are hotels, restaurants, breweries and, inevitably, prostitutes. Arguably, the soccer World Cup is to the sex industry what the holiday season is to candy shops, a temporary surge of excited people feeling collectively festive, willing to pay for a bit of extra indulgence. South Africa's Drug Central Authority estimates 40,000 sex workers will trickle in for the event from as far as Russia, the Congo and Nigeria to cater to the wide taste spectrum of some 400,000, mostly male, visitors and their apres-soccer needs. READ MORE
I just didn't realize they needed to pay for it!?!
(from CBSNews)
World Cup Welcome: A Billion Condoms and 40,000 Sex Workers
The taxi drivers hustling around the bars on Long Street in Cape Town say they are ready for all the soccer fans that will flood the city in June for the World Cup. So are hotels, restaurants, breweries and, inevitably, prostitutes. Arguably, the soccer World Cup is to the sex industry what the holiday season is to candy shops, a temporary surge of excited people feeling collectively festive, willing to pay for a bit of extra indulgence. South Africa's Drug Central Authority estimates 40,000 sex workers will trickle in for the event from as far as Russia, the Congo and Nigeria to cater to the wide taste spectrum of some 400,000, mostly male, visitors and their apres-soccer needs. READ MORE
Spotted @ DrudgeReport
Random No-Hope
For the US, the World Cup is no longer about hope...
It's about expectation!...
It's about expectation!...
The not so beautiful game!
Tears of joy are made in sweat!
(from Wiki)
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competition and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation. Though soccer has not traditionally had a high profile in American sporting life, the sport has steadily grown in popularity since the 1970s. The team is, according to the FIFA World Rankings, ranked 14th in the world and first in CONCACAF, has appeared in the last five FIFA World Cups, and will appear in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. READ MORE
(from Wiki)
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competition and is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation. Though soccer has not traditionally had a high profile in American sporting life, the sport has steadily grown in popularity since the 1970s. The team is, according to the FIFA World Rankings, ranked 14th in the world and first in CONCACAF, has appeared in the last five FIFA World Cups, and will appear in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. READ MORE
Random Soccer Page
If you care about soccer and live in Philly, please be sure to check out...
As always... gotta support my friends in their extra curricular efforts...
(from PhillySoccerPage)
The Philly Soccer Page covers the world of soccer from a Philadelphia perspective. From Cape May and Wilmington on up to Trenton and Allentown, soccer flourishes in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, and we’re interested in all of it. We play in pickup games and leagues around the area, watch the sport in local soccer-friendly pubs, and look to support it however we can. This site was started by members of the Casa Soccer League in Philadelphia, and now our contributors and readers come from across the soccer spectrum and have one thing in common: An interest in soccer in the Delaware Valley. READ MORE
As always... gotta support my friends in their extra curricular efforts...
(from PhillySoccerPage)
The Philly Soccer Page covers the world of soccer from a Philadelphia perspective. From Cape May and Wilmington on up to Trenton and Allentown, soccer flourishes in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, and we’re interested in all of it. We play in pickup games and leagues around the area, watch the sport in local soccer-friendly pubs, and look to support it however we can. This site was started by members of the Casa Soccer League in Philadelphia, and now our contributors and readers come from across the soccer spectrum and have one thing in common: An interest in soccer in the Delaware Valley. READ MORE
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