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[Slizz]

SI World Cup preview cover

Sick, should be in the mail tomorrow.

 

[Jamesfrom818]

I don't pay much attention to soccer or football but Donovan is one of the best players on the US team, right? How good is he compared to the rest of the world?

 

[bjscott05]

Just got the new SI. The article on Landon is a pretty good read. I also received my team USA jersey today and it fits a little small. If anyone is going to order one I suggest they go a size up.

 

[mYm|17|]

I don't pay much attention to soccer or football but Donovan is one of the best players on the US team, right? How good is he compared to the rest of the world?

I think Dempsey is the better of the two.

Donovan has shown he can play in the EPL and that's one of the best leagues but there are so so so many better players than Donovan in the world.

 

[AstroLad]

I thought Dempsey was the only outfield player that truly showed up last time. That's when he was lesser-known and subbing but I was a fan of his going in and he just brought a really great spark to the team every single time. He has a flair to his play unmatched by any U.S. players ever.

 

[Talon]

I don't pay much attention to soccer or football but Donovan is one of the best players on the US team, right? How good is he compared to the rest of the world?

Let's put it this way, he's not near the conversation as one of the best in the world. He's good with a healthy load of bitchassness.

 

[AstroLad]

Freddy Adu turned 21 today. Oh poor Freddy, takes me back.

 

[Pre]

I don't pay much attention to soccer or football but Donovan is one of the best players on the US team, right? How good is he compared to the rest of the world?

He's solid. Team USA doesn't have anyone approaching guys like Rooney, C. Ronaldo, Messi, etc.

 

[SpacLock]

Did I miss the friendly against Australia? If not, when is it?

 

[xbhaskarx]

Did I miss the friendly against Australia? If not, when is it?

Whatever you do, don't check the OP.

 

[Auron_Kale]

Any Bay Area GAF members going to watch AT&T Park for the US-England game?

I'll definitely be down there as I don't feel like staying home to watch it. Plus it'll be a nice day out hopefully.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Just got the new SI. The article on Landon is a pretty good read.

Joe Posnanski is one of the best baseball writers around, imo.
Does anyone know if the SI is out in stores yet?

I'll have to pick it up, I bought the ESPN World Cup Guide and it was quite good.

 

[woodchuck]

i was going to go to the AAC in dallas to watch, but june in dallas is fucking hot

 

[AstroLad]

Joe Posnanski is one of the best baseball writers around, imo.
Does anyone know if the SI is out in stores yet?

I'll have to pick it up, I bought the ESPN World Cup Guide and it was quite good.

I picked that up too for my vacation but didn't really have a chance to check it out. Their "I Scored A Goal" series of mini-films is really good too: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/i-scored-a-goal?cc=5901&ver=us

Seems that they are doing a really good job so far on coverage. Here's hoping it carries through to the WC. Just keep all the anchors and personalities who don't know shit about the sport far, far away. Nothing more annoying than all the dumbass Sportscenter anchors who don't know any of the names, intentionally mangle them, and then chuckle at themselves like they're cute five-year-olds.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Seems that they are doing a really good job so far on coverage. Here's hoping it carries through to the WC.

It will. ESPN are really going all out to push this World Cup, it's great to see them use their power for good instead of hyping Yanks-Sox and Lakers like they usually do.

 

[Atlagev]

You in the American Outlaws/Sams Army?

Technically, I guess. I mean, I stand in the supporters section and sing when ever I go to a US game. I'll only watch soccer games live from the supporters section these days, actually. I have no time to watch a game with fans who sit on their hands.

 

[Atlagev]

SI World Cup preview cover

Meant to say this earlier, but while I love our main jerseys this world cup, the keeper jerseys are *terrible*. Polka dots should never be on a soccer jersey.

 

[xbhaskarx]

ESPN's World Cup iPhone app

What's New in Version 2.0
Live match scoring
Tournament stats and tables
Video vignettes profiling all 32 teams
Anthem music – Stream national anthems for World Cup teams!
Social Media – Share favorite teams, news articles, and comments via Facebook, Twitter, and Email

Premium features available through in-app purchase for $7.99:
Live audio of all games
In-match video of goals and other key plays for all games
Video recaps, studio analysis, and original features
Premium alerts package – Manage alert preferences for your favorite teams and for individual games
Live play-by-play commentary, detailed stats, and field visualizations of every game

 

[xbhaskarx]

SFGate World Cup 2010 Map
Wow, I may have to go watch US vs England at AT&T Park...

The highly anticipated U.S.-England game on June 12 will be shown at AT&T Park. Admission is free. Gates open at 10 a.m.

And the San Francisco Parks and Rec department will be showing a bunch of games on a huge screen at Civic Center. Click on the link to their site below to get exact times.

 

[Schmitty]

I'm am so pumped for the cup. Do any brick and mortar stores like Dick's and Modell's have the official jersey?

 

[Auron_Kale]

SFGate World Cup 2010 Map
Wow, I may have to go watch US vs England at AT&T Park...

Like I posted earlier, I'll probably be going to watch the match there. Perhaps I'll see you there then or any other Bay Area Gaffers...

 

[jecclr2003]

Dude, you have a wrestling avatar, you're not allowed to make fun of any real sports.
Just go back to watching your staged homoerotic steroid-filled soap opera.

A "real" sport can't end in a 0-0 tie, imo. And your savior, Punk, is far more real than soccer!

The World Cup ranks slightly above the MLS in the US. And hardly ANYONE cares about the MLS.



If anything, I hope the USA wins the thing so we can spout about winning a sport that no one here even watches. So go USA I guess?

 

[xbhaskarx]

The World Cup ranks slightly above the MLS in the US. And hardly ANYONE cares about the MLS.

Then no one cares about baseball or the NBA in the US either, as a World Cup game between France and Italy with no Americans participating on either side got higher ratings than the deciding games of the World Series and NBA Finals:

The 2006 World Cup final — with 16.9 million Americans watching — beat out deciding games of baseball’s World Series (16.3 million) and basketball’s NBA finals (15.7 million).

 

[xbhaskarx]

Trouble in Mexico:

Jonathan Dos Santos, a 20-year-old midfielder, was considered a lock to make the team until a leg injury slowed his movement. Coach Javier Aguirre decided to leave him off the final 23-man roster, and that was terrible news for the Dos Santos family. Tottenham Hotspur forward Giovani Dos Santos, who is still with the team, was reportedly disheartened by the news, and the boys' Brazilian-born father, Zizinho -- a former first-division player in Mexico -- was outraged.

"Jonathan will not play for Mexico any more," he told a Mexican television outlet. "They cannot hurt him this way. Now Giovani does not even feel like playing in the World Cup. He is hurting, he is shattered. His dream was to be with his brother."

The news was said to be disturbing to a number of players, as well. So far, neither of the brothers has been made available for interviews. It's hard to imagine Giovani leaving the team, but the hurt feelings will not easily vanish.

 

[Ikuu]

A "real" sport can't end in a 0-0 tie, imo.

Why not?

 

[GoldenEye 007]

So the place I ordered my jersey from apparently has no idea why they haven't gotten any Jozy Altidore stuff in. So, I decided to change my order over to the Clint Dempsey away jersey. Ships out today and I should have it by Monday at the latest!

 

[jecclr2003]

Then no one cares about MLB or the NBA in the US either, as a World Cup game between France and Italy with no Americans participating on either side got higher ratings than the deciding games of the World Series and NBA Finals:

The 2006 World Cup final — with 16.9 million Americans watching — beat out deciding games of baseball’s World Series (16.3 million) and basketball’s NBA finals (15.7 million).

I'm not sure that's a fair number considering it's COMBINING 2 stations ratings. As well as being a non-annual event.
"As Richard Sandomir reports in Tuesday’s Times, the Italy-France finalissima drew 16.9 million viewers — 11.9 million on ABC and 5 million on Univision."

Both are dependant on who's in them.
I give you the world series. Baseball hasn't been the same since the strike. As well as 2 smaller teams (Detroit and St. Louis)

Games 1, 3 and 4 set all-time lows for television ratings, with Game 4 falling 20% from the previous year's Game 4.[14] The Series as a whole was also the lowest-rated ever, with the four games averaging a Nielsen rating of only 10.0 and a share of 17. By contrast, the six games of the 1980 Series—in the pre-cable television era—garnered a record-high rating of 32.8 and a share of 56.

NBA finals was 2 smaller teams. (Mavs and Heat)

Game 6 of the series was only ABC's sixth NBA game to ever achieve a double-digit rating (10.1). While the series ranked as the third-lowest of the prime time era (since 1982), ABC press releases managed to spin the ratings in a positive light:

And both the examples you listed have been some of the lower rated championship series in their respective sports.

 

[AstroLad]

Trouble in Mexico:

I'll never get why teams leave good players off and take like 18 GKs. In FIFA online matches first thing I do is take all the GKs off my bench.

 

[Jamesfrom818]

Then no one cares about baseball or the NBA in the US either, as a World Cup game between France and Italy with no Americans participating on either side got higher ratings than the deciding games of the World Series and NBA Finals:

The 2006 World Cup final — with 16.9 million Americans watching — beat out deciding games of baseball’s World Series (16.3 million) and basketball’s NBA finals (15.7 million).

You mean a once every four years event involving the entire country beat out the shitty series between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat. What an upset!

 

[jecclr2003]

You mean a once every four years event involving the entire country beat out the shitty series between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat. What an upset!

When you COMBINE THE RATINGS of 2 separate networks, yes!

 

[xbhaskarx]

I'm not sure that's a fair number considering it's COMBINING 2 stations ratings.

Well, if people want to watch the World Cup in Spanish they're still watching it in the US and therefore count as "people in the US". Would five million more people watch the NBA finals if it was also broadcast in Spanish? Of course not, everyone who wants to watch it is already watching it. If there was this untapped market of five million viewers that could be tapped into simply by COMBINING 2 networks, the NBA would also show their finals in Spanish.

You mean a once every four years event involving the entire country beat out the shitty series between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat. What an upset!

Well it still did, even though no Americans were playing. He said "hardly ANYONE cares" about the World Cup, so I'm just offering evidence to disprove that... and the statement was made with the knowledge that the World Cup only happens every four years so I'm not sure how that's relevant.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

I saw that Chile's best player will miss the first match in the World Cup. That's a bummer for them and I hope they can at least get a draw. It's been a long time since they've been in the World Cup, and I'd love to see them do well.

I need an avatar to support the USMNT. I shall go look.

In related news, I finished fixing and cleaning this up just in time. It will be at the World Cup watch parties and we'll have many tournaments on it throughout.

 

[jecclr2003]

Well, if people want to watch the World Cup in Spanish they're still watching it in the US and therefore count as "people in the US". Would five million more people watch the NBA finals if it was also broadcast in Spanish? Of course not, everyone who wants to watch it is already watching it. If there was this untapped market of five million viewers that could be tapped into simply by COMBINING 2 networks, the NBA would also show their finals in Spanish.

So you speak for all of the spanish speaking people of the US? (I kid, I kid)

Once again, you're taking an event which is every 4 years and putting it up against 2 championship series which were among the lowest rated all time of their repsective sports.

Why not stack it up against the Super Bowl? That'd be a little more of a fair comparison.


You want a fair comparison, how about you dig up the MLS Championship ratings?

 

[Clydefrog]

I saw that Chile's best player will miss the first match in the World Cup. That's a bummer for them and I hope they can at least get a draw. It's been a long time since they've been in the World Cup, and I'd love to see them do well.

I need an avatar to support the USMNT. I shall go look.

In related news, I finished fixing and cleaning this up just in time. It will be at the World Cup watch parties and we'll have many tournaments on it throughout.

[img/http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/jar155/DSC07145.jpg[/img]

oh my god when can i come over?!

 

[xbhaskarx]

2 championship series which were among the lowest rated all time of their repsective sports.

Why not stack it up against the Super Bowl? That'd be a little more of a fair comparison.

You want a fair comparison, how about you dig up the MLS Championship ratings?

Jesus, your idiotic straw man arguments are hurting my brain, years of debate and law school didn't adequately prepare me for this level of stupidity...

- Actually I'm putting it up against the finals for two of the three biggest professional team sports leagues in the US (I'm sure the NHL finals were much lower so that's three) for the same year as the World Cup. In any case we'll see how the 2010 ratings compare, I'm betting the World Cup will beat both again.

- You implied that not many people care about the World Cup in the US. What does "stacking it up against the Super Bowl" have to do with anything? The Super Bowl gets higher ratings than every other sporting event in the US. Does that mean Americans ONLY care about the Super Bowl and no other sports because nothing else stacks up? That's as stupid as me bringing up the fact that the global ratings for the World Cup absolutely DWARF the Super Bowl (I believe only 1-2 million people watch the Super Bowl outside the US).

- This is a thread for the US national team and the World Cup, not the MLS, hell only 3-4 members of the USMNT even play in the MLS. And YOU are the one who said the World Cup only ranks "slightly above" the MLS in America, so why must we now discuss the MLS in order to make it a "fair comparison"?

I always assumed wrestling fans must be borderline retarded and you are doing nothing to improve their image.

 

[MidnightRider]

Technically, I guess. I mean, I stand in the supporters section and sing when ever I go to a US game. I'll only watch soccer games live from the supporters section these days, actually. I have no time to watch a game with fans who sit on their hands.

This is how I feel....I go to our local soccer teams games all the time and it's nothing but people sitting down and watching the game as quitely as they possibly can..........

fucking sad.

 

[mYm|17|]

don't even respond to that guy xbhaskarx

 

[Atlagev]

Well, if people want to watch the World Cup in Spanish they're still watching it in the US and therefore count as "people in the US". Would five million more people watch the NBA finals if it was also broadcast in Spanish? Of course not, everyone who wants to watch it is already watching it. If there was this untapped market of five million viewers that could be tapped into simply by COMBINING 2 networks, the NBA would also show their finals in Spanish.



Well it still did, even though no Americans were playing. He said "hardly ANYONE cares" about the World Cup, so I'm just offering evidence to disprove that... and the statement was made with the knowledge that the World Cup only happens every four years so I'm not sure how that's relevant.

Blah, we already have this thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=396889

I vote that this thread be for U.S. supporters and potential supporters who want to learn about the game. Trolls can go play in that other thread. Either that, or we can just ignore them, which is the simplest option.

 

[DTLIONS1013]

I'm am so pumped for the cup. Do any brick and mortar stores like Dick's and Modell's have the official jersey?

Dick's might, I saw some France and Mexico jerseys there before the U.S. jersey was released. I got my away Charlie Davies jersey from worldsoccershop. I love it

 

[MidnightRider]

I always assumed wrestling fans must be borderline retarded and you are doing nothing to improve their image.

Trust me. I am from a state w/ plenty of guys just like this dude. They are all like him...... don't waste anymore of your time fighting w/ him.

No matter what you're going to be wrong and he's going to be right.

Just leave it at that.

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

Trust me. I am from a state w/ plenty of guys just like this dude. They are all like him...... don't waste anymore of your time fighting w/ him.

No matter what you're going to be wrong and he's going to be right.

Just leave it at that.

Hey, you can like wrestling and soccer, he's just trolling.

 

[xbhaskarx]

My new jersey arrived in the mail yesterday:

 

[Atlagev]

I need an avatar to support the USMNT. I shall go look.

In related news, I finished fixing and cleaning this up just in time. It will be at the World Cup watch parties and we'll have many tournaments on it throughout.

Dude, that is awesome! Striker represent!

 

[MidnightRider]

My new jersey arrived in the mail yesterday:

[IM]http://i50.tinypic.com/5x08rm.jpg[/IMG]

My Landon one should be on my front doorstep when I get home from work.

I already have the Dempsey......

will take a picture when I get home.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Top 10 World Cup controversies

England at #1

 

[Atlagev]

Top 10 World Cup controversies

England at #1

#3 and #5 are the worst and most blatant, I think.

 

[SlipperySlope]

We have a soccer team?

 

[NoRéN]

We have a soccer team?

your joke...it's old.

#3 and #5 are the worst and most blatant, I think.

Yeah. But, at least it led to positive changes. Make the last games of the group stage more exciting, too.

 

[Irish Icon]

Check out this article I wrote for a U.S. magazine. I hope I get at least some apathetic people interested...

'The Red-Blooded American's Guide to the World Cup'

http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/B...Blooded-American-039s-Guide-to-the-World-Cup/

 

[-PXG-]

BOO YAH! If it's been taken I'll change it.