Chup nails it. I'm interested in Soccer and have tried to become knowledgeable, gone to some games, watched the World Cup, etc. But I will never be able to enjoy it on the level of baseball. There is a fundamental difference between a life long passion and something approached later in life. I played baseball for more than a decade, have several years of coaching, and have literally been to hundreds of professional games. If somebody came along with none of that background and started telling me that he knew more about baseball, I could only laugh in his face. That's pretty much how Ancalagon comes off in this thread. It's awesome for people to be excited about a new sport. I love hanging out with new baseball fans, talking the finer points with them, helping them to become better fans. But the people I know like that tend to respect the deeper experience and knowledge held by the lifers.
This is nothing new from Chup. He gets his panties is wad over this at least once a year. Because it's Saturday and I'm lazy here's my response from last year: It seems to really bother him that I don't give a shit about the Barclay's Premier League. But I don't, I only care about the MLS and the USMNT. And on those topics I will talk shit b/c I follow them and I like to talk shit about sports I follow. The banter is part of the fun. Chup looks down his nose on both the MLS and USMNT and I like to fuck with him for it. It helps that he is quite often wrong (remember how the USMNT wasn't going to win a game in last years World Cup b/c there were too many MLS players and not enough from 'real' leagues).
Good match! SEA 3-0 DAL. Sounders back at the top of the table (where we should be!). http://www.mlssoccer.com/standings/supporters-shield Now, back to the subject at hand. I feel the need to point out something. Have I ever called Chup's analysis of tactics into question? His read of formations? How a game plays out? If so, please point it out. Because I don't think I have. Instead I think I kept my arguments to the economics of different leagues and the future of the USMNT. True or false: MLS is a single entity league that broke even last year. True or false: MLS spent more money on their Academies last year than was spent paying professional players in the US 10 years ago. True or false: Only three teams in the Championship didn't run a negative balance last season. True or false: The three teams that didn't run a negative balance were the three worst teams. Do you need 40 years of watching soccer to understand basic economics? A fucking spade is a spade. Just b/c I've only been paying attention to soccer for a decade doesn't mean I can't point out basic economic facts. And the basic economics show that the current European model is unsustainable (ask Scotland: How 'bout them Rangers?). Forgive me if I don't worship it as the end all be all of the sport.
So St. Louis FC (USL) lost to Sporting KC (MLS), 1-0, in the 4th round of the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tourney last night. Bummer, but still a good showing to get that far!
Ha ha, no. I don't look down my nose at either the MLS or USMNT. I just know their place in world football. A perfect example is your hero Yedlin. You thought he would be a world beater, but so far he can't cut it. Dempsey couldn't cut it in the higher level of the Premier League either. I don't even need to mention Altidore. "I don't give a shit about the Premier League"? What a moronic remark. If you gave a shit about your countrymen failures actually sustaining their talent in world football then you would. There remains no such thing as an American world class player. I'd also say that you don't just big up American advances, you mock the teams that your fellow WForgers support, and what's more is that you do it without even knowing that person's position. It's basic, childish stuff. @gul summarises it very well in that he points out perspectives that apply dependent on that extent of support. You think I am going to tolerate the denigration you put my way because you think you're clever? I've supported my team for 20 years, and even then I was a latecomer. Spurs (not so much the England team, but still a little bit) are part of who I am. Where I come from football is tribal, and that's something you don't understand. All I see from you is a hipster who is just follows the latest fad, and I'm damn sure that in five years time you won't give a crap what is happening to Sounders. If you weren't this sort of fad fan, there's no way you'd show such disrespect to proper football fans, you'd revere them -just as many of your countrymen I knew do.
As if following a BPL team automatically rates you respect. Talk about having your head up your ass! And care to answer my questions: True or false: MLS is a single entity league that broke even last year. True or false: MLS spent more money on their Academies last year than was spent paying professional players in the US 10 years ago. True or false: Only three teams in the Championship didn't run a negative balance last season. True or false: The three teams that didn't run a negative balance were the three worst teams. As usual you can't debate the facts you've go to try and pretend I don't have standing b/c I haven't been a fan for 40 years. If I don't know what I'm talking about, then my points should be easy to disprove no? And btw, here's a picture from 05 (notice the 04 Germany away jersey): So when it comes to how long I've been a soccer fan. Once again (this is becoming common in this thread) you are laughably and disprovably wrong. Get off your high horse, try and get some facts and come back to the discussion when you're sober.
I don't give a flying fuck about your length of fandom. You had a Germany shirt ten years ago. And? Which club did you support? Sounders sure as hell didn't exist then. Please, you're not even from Seattle, are you? Watching the sport is hardly the same as following a side. Laughable nonsense like "come back when you're sober" says it all. What I'm saying, and all I'm saying, is stop pretending like a fucking know it all when it comes to this sport. You don't know it all and a lot of what you come out with is total shit generated by your myopic view of the game...and if you don't think that following a club for decades that is 130 years old, and is the club that you were born and raised next to, and is a club with a significant history of trophies and achievements (as are many of the top English sides) is something that is meaningless then you're just making yourself look like a buffoon. What's more, I don't want respect for the team I support. But I do expect you to show respect for the level of the game over here. I know American Spurs fans (and American fans of other European clubs) that would laugh at you. You need to learn about world football and you need to understand that your club affiliations stay with you for life, and is part of who you are. That's not something you grasp when you're busy insulting me. Tell me, have you ever supported the underdog? Ever supported a side through a relegation battle? Ever stayed loyal despite a trophy drought? When you have, then you can lord it over me.
I was giving you the benefit of the doubt. If you were sober and self aware when you typed out that a soccer fan must 'revere' the BPL and it's fans then I honestly feel bad for you and should probably just walk away. You've obviously got too much of yours self worth invested in your league and team. But, I won't. First off. If you were serious. Fuck you and fuck the BPL. I'll watch the soccer I want to watch and talk about the soccer I want to talk about. End of story. Secondly, some more facts for you to ignore. I only talk shit about the BPL and England in response to you talking shit about the MLS and USMNT. Seriously. Go back and look it up. It's not hard there are really on two threads where we go back and forth on this. This one and this one: http://www.wordforge.net/index.php?threads/world-cup-2014.103969/ Go look it up, post some links. What you'll find is that as I've said repeatedly I. DON'T. GIVE A FUCK. ABOUT. THE BPL. Instead I just talk about my teams. You then come in like a swinging dick talking shit, but then get your panties in a wad when I respond. Stop being a whiny little bitch. If you can't handle the heat don't pretend to own the kitchen!
USA 2 Germany 0 Germany's technical superiority initially allowed them to hold off the larger US team, but they couldn't sustain their defense.
The U.S. doesn't completely dominate women's soccer. It's more that the U.S. is a perpetual top two or three in the world, so they win a whole lot and they're always competitive, but it's not a surprise when they lose to another top team. So, in the six completed Women's World Cups, the U.S. has two championships--same as Germany--a second place finish, and three third place finishes, and hasn't won this millennium. They've done better at the Olympics, but even there they've never won a championship match by more than one goal.
We are the best, as it should be. USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!
Not only did the US stomp Japan, but the ratings were insane. They beat out game 6 of the 2015 NBA finals and game 7 of the 2014 World Series: http://www.sbisoccer.com/2015/07/womens-smashes-records.html
I hope this back and forth continues through the next World Cup. One on hand, the USMNT has a long way to go, and I do get annoyed at the homers who think we are on the verge of a World Cup Final. On the other hand, nobody gives a shit about the trophy your club team won in 1901.
@shootER Apparently SSE is serious about getting an MLS team in SA. In the last couple days they just hired Tim Holt from Orlando where he got them from USL to MLS in only a couple years. Also they've started playing this at Spurs games:
Looks like you might not even be there to make up the numbers next time around.... Jurgen Klinsmann: United States sack former Germany boss Oh dear. I thought you said you were headin' for the stars Anc? See, when you've been a fan of the game for as long as the rest of us have, you know when never to blow your trumpet about how you're the next big thing and how you're going to conquer the world in short order. Things can change very quickly in football.
Still butthurt about getting slapped around about soccer? Unfortunately your education is only beginning. Today's lesson is on CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying. Right now we're in the fifth (and final) round of WCQs, commonly called the Hex. The six teams play each other in a home and home double round robin. Last week the US had it's worst start in modern history, losing to the 2nd best team (Mexico) at home then the 3rd best (Costa Rica) away. Now there is no getting around the abysmal play. But a lot of that goes on Klinsmann. We rolled out in a 3 man backline that has been used once, back in early 2015, in recent history. There were obvious defensive failings. When pressed Klinsmann justified his decision by saying he needed to to get Puilisic on the field. Which he started as a number 10. Yeah, he is a potential wunderkind, starting in the Bundesliga at 17 and being the youngest person ever to score multiple goals, but he is still only 18. And he plays winger at Dortmund, not inside. So one of the biggest games of WQCs and he rolled out a new backline, so he could give an 18yo his first USMNT start, out of position. And then blamed the players. Who then gave up on him in Costa Rica. Now, that said, it is still very early. And Mexico and Costa Rica are pretty much going anyway (both have been to 3 out of last 4) We have yet to draw, much less lose to someone we have to beat. There are 8 more matches to play. Last time around Mexico got in by taking 11 points in the Hex (won playin against NZ). We of course expect better and still have plenty of time left to get there. Glad you are following the USMNT though, hope you learned something about the sport today.
No. This is a fantasy you have created and doubled down on. I am very apathetic about the English national team and don't watch most of their matches. I've been watching football since your were still in your school uniform and struggling to grow the first hair of your hipster beard, long before it ever became cool for hipster yanks to follow the game. Oh I'm well aware you can still qualify. I'm just giving you shit based on your arrogant, self appointed stays as professor of the game, who at the same time knows fuck all about anything outside of Concacaf. I'm touched you were so enraged you felt you needed to post all that, but I don't care if you qualify or not. I'm not. I only knew about it because the BBC reported it and they were taking the piss out of the Americans on the Spurs forum I post at (remember Spurs Mr. Football expert? The team you mocked as being rubbish, who fininished second in the Premier League last year and got back into the Champion's League? )
Look buddy, I'm helping you out. We all know that in a WC (hopefully soon) England will be out first round knockouts on PKs. And all your xenophobic Tory brethren are gonna be looking for a (white, English speaking) team to support, and of course it will be the USMNT. And, thanks to the education I'm giving you, you'll be able to claim to have been a fan since way back in the day*. You're welcome. *Don't admit to WF, use the Klinsmann/Tottenham connection.
