Ole, Ole Ole Ole!

[Grieve]

<political correctness>
Let's have a jolly good game tomorrow - good luck to all!
</political correctness>
Come on England, let's show those yank pansies what "football" really means, and stomp their sorry American arses into the pitch like the miserable worms they are! Then the krauts, then the argies, and then the cup!! Eng-ger-land!!!!

[Skelas]

I'm having a hard time getting my ire up.

[Riz]

I predict a tie game actually. However, I'm standing firm that I believe this is England's year to take the cup.

Good luck! It's the World Cup...nobody loses, just good games for a month.

[Moristans]

So really, the message is, let's look at b00bies and a picture of a Brazilian guy holding the cup.

I'll lift a pint to that!!

[Riz]

Who doesn't like boobies?

[Vanraw]

Those are American Breast!!! England imports everything!!!

I am hoping for a USA upset, only because then America will give a shit, and the press will cover it. , oh yea and then Grieve can eat his traitoriset words!!

[Jakensama]

Here are 10 things that will* happen if USA beats England on Saturday...
1. The Queen has to knight one Clinton Drew Dempsey. Arise Sir Deuce of Nacogdoches.
2. Landon Donovan gets a 10-year contract with the Premier League team of his choosing. The contract will guarantee that Donovan plays every minute of every game (should he choose to do so), is always the highest-paid player both at his club and in the league as whole, and that he gets to wear the captain's armband at all times. Even at sleepytime.
3. England becomes the 51st state of America. Wayne Rooney himself has to sew the extra star into all current USA flags. While living in a caravan with a failbeard.
4. "Don't Tread on This" by Clint Dempsey becomes the new national anthem. Of every nation on earth.

5. Color and favorite will no longer be spelled with an extra u. By anyone.
6. USA to get first dibs on any future decent England left back, who will be naturalized, passported and placed in the American backline faster than you can say "Jonathan Bornstein?"
7. Fabio Capello immediately fired as England coach after the game, and replaced by high-trousered "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell for the rest of the World Cup. Halftime team talks where he belittles the players to be broadcast live on pay per view.
8. English people have to start calling it "sarker."
9. English commentator Martin Tyler forcibly relocated to the USA to announce all Major League Soccer games for the next five years. Dave O'Brien moves to England to announce all future English Premier League games on Sky Sports. Forever.
10. ...the team still has to get results against Slovenia and Algeria, because the World Cup is more than just one game.

[Vanraw]

Here are 10 things that will* happen if USA beats England on Saturday...
1. The Queen has to knight one Clinton Drew Dempsey. Arise Sir Deuce of Nacogdoches.
2. Landon Donovan gets a 10-year contract with the Premier League team of his choosing. The contract will guarantee that Donovan plays every minute of every game (should he choose to do so), is always the highest-paid player both at his club and in the league as whole, and that he gets to wear the captain's armband at all times. Even at sleepytime.
3. England becomes the 51st state of America. Wayne Rooney himself has to sew the extra star into all current USA flags. While living in a caravan with a failbeard.
4. "Don't Tread on This" by Clint Dempsey becomes the new national anthem. Of every nation on earth.

5. Color and favorite will no longer be spelled with an extra u. By anyone.
6. USA to get first dibs on any future decent England left back, who will be naturalized, passported and placed in the American backline faster than you can say "Jonathan Bornstein?"
7. Fabio Capello immediately fired as England coach after the game, and replaced by high-trousered "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell for the rest of the World Cup. Halftime team talks where he belittles the players to be broadcast live on pay per view.
8. English people have to start calling it "sarker."
9. English commentator Martin Tyler forcibly relocated to the USA to announce all Major League Soccer games for the next five years. Dave O'Brien moves to England to announce all future English Premier League games on Sky Sports. Forever.
10. ...the team still has to get results against Slovenia and Algeria, because the World Cup is more than just one game.

So you think we have a chance.....

[Vllad]

Here are 10 things that will* happen if USA beats England on Saturday...
1. The Queen has to knight one Clinton Drew Dempsey. Arise Sir Deuce of Nacogdoches.
2. Landon Donovan gets a 10-year contract with the Premier League team of his choosing. The contract will guarantee that Donovan plays every minute of every game (should he choose to do so), is always the highest-paid player both at his club and in the league as whole, and that he gets to wear the captain's armband at all times. Even at sleepytime.
3. England becomes the 51st state of America. Wayne Rooney himself has to sew the extra star into all current USA flags. While living in a caravan with a failbeard.
4. "Don't Tread on This" by Clint Dempsey becomes the new national anthem. Of every nation on earth.

5. Color and favorite will no longer be spelled with an extra u. By anyone.
6. USA to get first dibs on any future decent England left back, who will be naturalized, passported and placed in the American backline faster than you can say "Jonathan Bornstein?"
7. Fabio Capello immediately fired as England coach after the game, and replaced by high-trousered "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell for the rest of the World Cup. Halftime team talks where he belittles the players to be broadcast live on pay per view.
8. English people have to start calling it "sarker."
9. English commentator Martin Tyler forcibly relocated to the USA to announce all Major League Soccer games for the next five years. Dave O'Brien moves to England to announce all future English Premier League games on Sky Sports. Forever.
10. ...the team still has to get results against Slovenia and Algeria, because the World Cup is more than just one game.

Don't for get the 11th thing that will happen.

11. Nothing, most Americans won't even know it happened because there are few sports more despised in this country then soccer.



Vllad

[Jakensama]

So you think we have a chance.....

The best team at beating England is England, so theres an outside chance.. I don't think it will happen - but you never know - we managed to beat Spain in the confed cup and they are the best team in the world.

[Vanraw]

11. Nothing, most Americans won't even know it happened because there are few sports more despised in this country then soccer.



Vllad

I beg to differ. When the Women Soccer team won the cup, the popularity and press coverage sky rocketed. In fact it was responsible for many kids getting into the game. Keep in mind that that was women soccer. Americans tend to watch the men sports.

If the Americans beat England (unlikely), You would see USA TV ratings move up very fast for the next games. If they made it the final game and won the cup, (even less likely on the edge of WILL NEVER HAPPEN), you would see record numbers of Americans watching, and learning.

Today and for the last 10 years we have more and more kids playing Soccer than foot ball in elementary and middle schools. At some point and time these kids who have grown up to adults, will start watching. I'm not one of them . But the dynamic could change with a some sort of a great showing from the USA.

Of course its all unlikely, and I for one, dont give a shit

[Riz]

I played for my high school soccer team in 1985 (my Sr year, and when we got our first soccer team). I've been in love with the game my entire life. Personally, I see more and more interest in the game every year.

Hell, yesterday, I know at least 8 people in my office that were streaming the audio feed of the first game. I didn't realize anybody else was until I exclaimed (a bit loud) "Who the FUCK get's a red card on the first game in the series?" and got a lot of responses.

[Moristans]

The problem with the soccer/United States mix is not enough scoring and very little action over a 90 minute game. Americans don't have the attention span to watch soccer. But, Americans love spectacles where we get to cheer for America so the World Cup watchable.

I've watched every World Cup since '90 when I was in Sweden for the Summer and it was the only thing playing on all three of their channels. I still can't get myself to drive 20 minutes down the freeway to watch the Galaxy play for practically free. Soccer, in general, still has a long way to go.

[Riz]

I don't know. Pittsburgh has it's Football love obviously, and it's masochists who still watch the Pirates, but a lot of the Hockey crowd seems to favor Soccer too. If there is one thing we have, it's a LOT of hockey fans.

[Moristans]

Well, hockey has sticks and fighting.

1-1 tie, geez.

Convince a real, red-blooded American sports fan that they are supposed to be happy about that.

[Vanraw]

The problem with the soccer/United States mix is not enough scoring and very little action over a 90 minute game.

Its funny realy because int he end the scoring of American Foot ball is similar to soccer. Football is a game were 21 to 14 is really 3 to 2.

But its the strategy and team work of American Football that makes it for me. Foot ball is seriously one of the best team sports ever designed.

[Jakensama]

Soccer is not popular in the US because TV stations dont want to show 45 minutes straight of non commercial airable time...
   

[Grieve]

We wuz robbed!! :cry:

[Vanraw]

We wuz robbed!! :cry:

MUUUUAAAAHH!!

A tie is so much like a win here! Or should I say like England lost!!

[Moristans]

So if U.S. television showed both 45 minute halves, complete, no commercials, soccer would become popular in the U.S.?


:lol:

[Riz]

Well, since 90% of the kids are playing soccer these days, it's bound to become more popular.

[Vllad]

Well, since 90% of the kids are playing soccer these days, it's bound to become more popular.

A whole bunch of kids run track, play volleyball, ride bikes and play tennis. All of those sports are barely watched on television accept during the Olypics.

Soccer never was and never will be popular in this country. Will more people watch it then today? Probably. It can only go up I suppose. When shows like "Real wives of New Jersey" do better in the ratings then soccer that pretty much should tell you where soccer lies in importance with Americans. If Baseball and Hockey are struggling to stay alive then Soccer has no chance.


Vllad

[Jakensama]

So if U.S. television showed both 45 minute halves, complete, no commercials, soccer would become popular in the U.S.?

No, but that is a major reason TV networks never ran with it and marketed it more heavily, which is a big factor in why it is the #6 sport or so...

If Baseball and Hockey are struggling to stay alive then Soccer has no chance.

Baseball is doing fine, the only time in recent history it was struggling was after the strike -for obvious reasons.

[Diggles]

Hockey is doing alot better after they made several 'need more action' type rule changes. Less camping the middle and shootouts to end ties

[Jakensama]

This made me smile: