Official 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa thread

[b0bby]

Originally Posted by ManUtd

Anyone here watching ESPN in 3D?

im at work doing no work streaming WC from my iphone lol. EPIC. i bet some of the members here are doing 3D.

[quirkmanly]

Originally Posted by benzgrl

Hello - new to soccer here. I used to watch a lot of U.S. Pro Basketball & Football when I was younger, but don't feel the games are the same anymore. So hearing so much about the WC and the U.S. team's improvement, I'm actually interested in catching some games this WC. Just a question - I heard the U.S. team is mostly made up of foreign players - is this true? Also, what player(s) on the US are the "stars" or standouts? And is ESPN the only U.S. channel showing the WC?

Thanks.

Your players are all American, however many of them play professionally for clubs outside of the USA. My personal standouts would be Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley.

I must admit that once I found out ESPN was covering everything, I didn't take much notice of whether other channels were screening any games.

[benzgrl]

Originally Posted by quirkmanly

Your players are all American, however many of them play professionally for clubs outside of the USA. My personal standouts would be Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley.

I must admit that once I found out ESPN was covering everything, I didn't take much notice of whether other channels were screening any games.

Hey - thanks so much! When is the first U.S. game?

[D-Blitz]

Originally Posted by quirkmanly

Your players are all American, however many of them play professionally for clubs outside of the USA. My personal standouts would be Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley.

I must admit that once I found out ESPN was covering everything, I didn't take much notice of whether other channels were screening any games.

"Your?" Aren't you American?

[D-Blitz]

Originally Posted by benzgrl

Hey - thanks so much! When is the first U.S. game?

Tomorrow against England. The game will be HUGE!

[b0bby]

@benz regarding foreign players its quite common for a lot of teams to carry players not born in that country. all it takes is citizenship.

[benzgrl]

Originally Posted by quirkmanly

I'm a displaced Brit with an American wife

Ahh! I was wondering by the "your" statement. Haha!

Originally Posted by D-Blitz

Tomorrow against England. The game will be HUGE!

Ok, I wanna catch this! Thx!

Originally Posted by b0bby

@benz regarding foreign players its quite common for a lot of teams to carry players not born in that country. all it takes is citizenship.

Yeah, I know we take foreign players (non-citizens) in the NBA, MLB and so forth, and it doesn't really matter to me, I was just curious. But just to clarify: we do have foreign players, but they all happen to have become U.S. citizens?

[quirkmanly]

Originally Posted by benzgrl

Yeah, I know we take foreign players (non-citizens) in the NBA, MLB and so forth, and it doesn't really matter to me, I was just curious. But just to clarify: we do have foreign players, but they all happen to have become U.S. citizens?

That's correct. At the moment I believe you have a Scottish chap and a Brazilian representing the US, everyone else are American born.

[Lord_Stewie]

Originally Posted by b0bby

@benz regarding foreign players its quite common for a lot of teams to carry players not born in that country. all it takes is citizenship.

The French team is an amazing example of that.

[b0bby]

Originally Posted by benzgrl

Yeah, I know we take foreign players (non-citizens) in the NBA, MLB and so forth, and it doesn't really matter to me, I was just curious. But just to clarify: we do have foreign players, but they all happen to have become U.S. citizens?

or hold dual citizenships so yes.

this is more comparable to Team USA at olympics basketball where we have pure born Americans as oppose to just foreign guys in the NBA (at club level). its like if steve nash was a dual citizen of Canada and America but chose to play for Team USA at the olympics even though he was born in Canada.

[walter stark]

Originally Posted by benzgrl

Yeah, I know we take foreign players (non-citizens) in the NBA, MLB and so forth, and it doesn't really matter to me, I was just curious. But just to clarify: we do have foreign players, but they all happen to have become U.S. citizens?

the only big example in Europe is Jérôme Boateng & Kevin-Prince Boateng.
brothers who were born in Germany and Jerome plays for Germany and Kevin Prince plays for Ghana

[D-Blitz]

Originally Posted by Lord_Stewie

The French team is an amazing example of that.

Probably the most cited example. If all the Algerians/Moroccans/Tunisians playing for France played for their countries, these African nations would be definitely more around.

[quirkmanly]

Mexico are looking good for a win here if they keep this level of play.

Dang, that was a bad call...........................

[benzgrl]

Cool! Thanks guys!

So I was talking to my Argentinian co-worker - picking his brains a little and he says the U.S. has foreign players because they're not developing talent in this country for it, he says to Americans it's a girl's sport (referring of course, to the fact that the U.S. Women's Soccer is the best). I attribute it more to Title IX and the fact that boys are not encouraged into Soccer and it's not as yet popular as the other sports in this country, but whatever.

Your thoughts?

[wilky61]

I watch for 40 minutes and nothing happens, and then an egregious offside call disallows the only occurrence of the half...

This is why I can watch futbol only once every four years.

benzgrl, I don't really perceive soccer as either a boys' sport or a girls' sport. I just perceive it as being an "in the background" sport.

[quirkmanly]

Originally Posted by wilky61

I watch for 40 minutes and nothing happens, and then an egregious offside call disallows the only occurrence of the half...

This is why I can watch futbol only once every four years.

benzgrl, I don't really perceive soccer as either a boys' sport or a girls' sport. I just perceive it as being an "in the background" sport.

Don't worry I'm sure FIFA can organize some 6-6 ties for you to enjoy....

[Lacit170]

anyone get the CBC website to work for live online streaming?? trying to watch this and am getting nowhere.... anyone have any other sites that might work?

[Lord_Stewie]

Originally Posted by benzgrl

Cool! Thanks guys!

So I was talking to my Argentinian co-worker - picking his brains a little and he says the U.S. has foreign players because they're not developing talent in this country for it, he says to Americans it's a girl's sport (referring of course, to the fact that the U.S. Women's Soccer is the best). I attribute it more to Title IX and the fact that boys are not encouraged into Soccer and it's not as yet popular as the other sports in this country, but whatever.

Your thoughts?

I think your co-worker is a bit off about the sport being a female's sport from the American View. I think the main issue is that we actually finally got a taste of what soccer is in '94 and we are slowly embracing the sport.

I think if the US gets a chance and wins a Cup, then American's perspective about the sport will change, I think its just a matter of time.

[Lacit170]

Originally Posted by wilky61

I watch for 40 minutes and nothing happens, and then an egregious offside call disallows the only occurrence of the half...

This is why I can watch futbol only once every four years.

benzgrl, I don't really perceive soccer as either a boys' sport or a girls' sport. I just perceive it as being an "in the background" sport.

Soccer is all about anticipation! the tension builds and builds, i love it!

[Imamuppet]

Originally Posted by benzgrl

Cool! Thanks guys!

So I was talking to my Argentinian co-worker - picking his brains a little and he says the U.S. has foreign players because they're not developing talent in this country for it, he says to Americans it's a girl's sport (referring of course, to the fact that the U.S. Women's Soccer is the best). I attribute it more to Title IX and the fact that boys are not encouraged into Soccer and it's not as yet popular as the other sports in this country, but whatever.

Your thoughts?

The US has 1 foreign born player, Feilhaber (Brazilian), out of 23. The rest were born and developed their skills in the US. Most of the team does, however, play in Europe which has much stronger leagues than the MLS. Soccer/Football is a sport that is growing in the US and national team is improving with every world cup. The talent is coming it's just that there is so much competition from other sports and, in general, the best athletes in the US play basketball, baseball and American football. It will probably take another 20-30 years but the US WILL win the world cup.