Game Thread: World Cup / USMNT Chat Thread
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I know next to nothing about soccer. Mrs. Basket Case and I have been watching Copa America and Euro 2024 just because there’s not much else on other than cooking competitions and manufactured reality shows.
My observation for both is that I’ve never before heard this level of trashing referees by professional announcers. Happens in both Euro and Copa.
One of the American announcers on FS1 just gave the referee’s full name (he’s Latin, so it’s about a half-dozen names in a string), and called him “out of his depth.†The female announcer chimed in in agreement.
As the game has continued the disparagement has also continued, though I haven’t heard the name repeated.
Look, I’m not defending the referee’s calls. But in today’s world, using a platform with millions of viewers to call the guy out as incompetent by his highly specific name is asking for a crazie with an axe to grind to use that (figurative) axe on the ref  or worse, some totally innocent person in the ref’s family.
Again, I’m not defending the ref’s calls. I’m saying that the announcer has an ethical obligation to understand the potential gravity of what he’s saying.
It’s little different from doxxing someone you don’t agree with, hoping that a crazy person will go to the person’s home (or worse, his/her children’s school) and do the dirty work that (1) you’re too far above the fray to contemplate, yet (2) have no problem egging others on to do.
Somebody could get hurt and regardless of the legalities (which are beyond my expertise), if that happens, the announcer has blood on his hands.
My observation for both is that I’ve never before heard this level of trashing referees by professional announcers. Happens in both Euro and Copa.
One of the American announcers on FS1 just gave the referee’s full name (he’s Latin, so it’s about a half-dozen names in a string), and called him “out of his depth.†The female announcer chimed in in agreement.
As the game has continued the disparagement has also continued, though I haven’t heard the name repeated.
Look, I’m not defending the referee’s calls. But in today’s world, using a platform with millions of viewers to call the guy out as incompetent by his highly specific name is asking for a crazie with an axe to grind to use that (figurative) axe on the ref  or worse, some totally innocent person in the ref’s family.
Again, I’m not defending the ref’s calls. I’m saying that the announcer has an ethical obligation to understand the potential gravity of what he’s saying.
It’s little different from doxxing someone you don’t agree with, hoping that a crazy person will go to the person’s home (or worse, his/her children’s school) and do the dirty work that (1) you’re too far above the fray to contemplate, yet (2) have no problem egging others on to do.
Somebody could get hurt and regardless of the legalities (which are beyond my expertise), if that happens, the announcer has blood on his hands.
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I think now it’s time to begin the post-mortem on the Gregg era.
I like GB, and I have no idea who to replace him with, but he just isn't getting the job done.
I decided about 20 yrs ago, when nearly every kid in our neighborhood was playing soccer that in 20yrs time, we should be very competitive on the world stage. We have right at 10 times the population of Uruguay. Don't understand.
I decided about 20 yrs ago, when nearly every kid in our neighborhood was playing soccer that in 20yrs time, we should be very competitive on the world stage. We have right at 10 times the population of Uruguay. Don't understand.
CONMEBOL should be ashamed they gave that official that game with his minimal experience.
That was horrible.
That was horrible.
It’s ultimately still on us. We mounted 0 serious attack. Even with Flo going down that’s inexcusable.
And it’s a pattern. And it’s coaching. It’s time to move on.
And it’s a pattern. And it’s coaching. It’s time to move on.
I don‘t know enough about soccer to opine on coaching.
I do know that after watching both the Euro and the Copa America, I won’t watch any more.
First, the scoring is too low. I’m not advocating a 23-18 lacrosse scoring model. But something about like baseball would work fine.
As it is, and at the international elite level, if you’re down 1 it’s a problem, and the best you can realistically hope for is a draw. If you’re down 2, the game is essentially over. The fundamental setup promotes a play-to-not-lose mentality, as opposed to a play-to-win. I’d rather watch paint dry or grass grow.
Second, the flopping is ridiculous. Mrs. Basket Case and I have had far more fun mocking players faking life-altering injuries than actually following game action.
They’re rolling around the field acting like they’ve been gut-shot with double-ought. “I’m dying, I’m dying. I’ll never walk again. Please tell my wife I love her.†Then 30 seconds later, they’re sprinting down the field like nothing happened (which it didn’t).
Boring games. Atrocious officiating. Flopping and ensuing histrionics that would embarrass a junior high girls’ fingernail-polishing team.
After 40 years of hype, the USMNT can’t play its way past Panama without losing its poise, punching an opponent and yakking up a hairball. Following that up with getting dope-slapped by Uruguay.
I’d rather have my eyelashes pulled out with tweezers.
I do know that after watching both the Euro and the Copa America, I won’t watch any more.
First, the scoring is too low. I’m not advocating a 23-18 lacrosse scoring model. But something about like baseball would work fine.
As it is, and at the international elite level, if you’re down 1 it’s a problem, and the best you can realistically hope for is a draw. If you’re down 2, the game is essentially over. The fundamental setup promotes a play-to-not-lose mentality, as opposed to a play-to-win. I’d rather watch paint dry or grass grow.
Second, the flopping is ridiculous. Mrs. Basket Case and I have had far more fun mocking players faking life-altering injuries than actually following game action.
They’re rolling around the field acting like they’ve been gut-shot with double-ought. “I’m dying, I’m dying. I’ll never walk again. Please tell my wife I love her.†Then 30 seconds later, they’re sprinting down the field like nothing happened (which it didn’t).
Boring games. Atrocious officiating. Flopping and ensuing histrionics that would embarrass a junior high girls’ fingernail-polishing team.
After 40 years of hype, the USMNT can’t play its way past Panama without losing its poise, punching an opponent and yakking up a hairball. Following that up with getting dope-slapped by Uruguay.
I’d rather have my eyelashes pulled out with tweezers.
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I wouldn't want to change anything about scoring, but the flopping has got to be reined in.
Soccer is a “bigger picture sport,†excepting for knockout rounds. It operates in terms of campaigns rather than battles.
A goal is a momentous occasion in and of itself, and I’d prefer to keep it that way. Hell some of the best games I’ve ever watched were 0-0 draws.
High scoring soccer is bad if the defense is terrible, and low scoring soccer is bad if the offense is terrible. If both teams are competent at both aspects even a 0-0 game can be a nail biter. Or it can be fun to watch a game where one team is desperate to attack or the other is desperate to defend.
If you’re watching the game for the goals, you’re watching for the wrong reasons. It’s the beautiful game. Not the high scoring one.
I’ll often whip out two examples for good vs bad low scoring games. 2011 Alabama-LSU 9-6 in round one and 2008 Auburn-Mississippi State 3-2. Both low scoring games, but one was an exciting nail biter where every point came at a premium and the other two mules fighting over a turnip.
These days they’re not generally flopping. If you get caught flopping you’re gonna get booked for simulation.
What they’re generally doing is hamming it up after they’ve actually been fouled. Many times they’re acting, generally to time waste. And while that is annoying they actually were fouled, and that’s why stoppage time is a thing. But as a guy that played the sport I will tell you that sometimes they definitely aren’t. High camera angles and slow mo replays don’t do justice to how much it hurts to get your legs clipped out from under you while you’re running at speed.
Big day for soccer fans. Got 4 matches of quarter finals to watch, the first one up in about 20 minutes from Germany. Have fun all!
Gotta give it to Southgate he flipped the narrative pretty good over the last few days.
I still don't understand why he holds Palmer out until the last few minutes. They immediately had more energy when he came in.
The U.S. Men's National Team will not amount to much on the international scene unless they invest in a top coach - probably from outside the U.S. like the women's team has done. You may feel this is an outlandish suggestion but to those who have lived and breathed international football it is very obvious. The current Men's coach is a joke who could possibly coach the third tier of English football.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_...ach-16-candidates-berhalter-copa-america-2024
Interesting ESPN article on candidates that might replace CGB. I don't think Klopp is an option, and most of the others seem pretty tame. However, the last two are Poch and Tuchel. Both unemployed. Poch is really good with young players, and Tuchel is great at tournament tactics. Wonder if either would consider the job??
Interesting ESPN article on candidates that might replace CGB. I don't think Klopp is an option, and most of the others seem pretty tame. However, the last two are Poch and Tuchel. Both unemployed. Poch is really good with young players, and Tuchel is great at tournament tactics. Wonder if either would consider the job??
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