Posted on 06/16/2002 11:07:48 PM PDT by monkeyshine
Actually, there are only a couple of ex-pats on the team. Carlos Llamosa is one. When he first moved here he was a window washer at the WTC (Yes, on the outside! Yikes!).
I was too (it's a Boston thing). My mother was English and my dad was Polish. So I've been rooting for the US, England, Poland and Ireland. I also usually root for the underdogs and teams that play with flair (Senegal).
If it comes down to England and the US I'll be cheering for the US. But I'd hate to have us eliminate England. They live and breathe soccer over there. I know my uncle does. I usually call him during the Cup to talk soccer. Tough to get insightful analysis over here (good boot!), although the Irish guy working for ESPN now is pretty good.
Nope it is still there: Good-Bye Cruel Free Republic.
Nope. All you need to have is either citizenship or have a parent born in the country. For example, there's a Nigerian playing on Poland, a Canadian on England. The best player in the world is playing for France even though he was born in Algeria.
I found myself rooting for Senegal as well, they just seemed scrappy. Afterwards I heard an interview with one of their players say "we aren't here to be tourists". I really like to hear that kind of thing from an athlete. Plus they are underdogs and just like the NCAA basketball tournaments, I like to see the underdogs beat the powerhouses.
I suppose I should be happy, but I'm still smarting over the US losses in the Air Hockey World Cup and the International Pong Championships.
It's no wonder there are riots after soccer games. The whole game seems designed to confuse fans and to give the losers reasons to be angry.
Then there's the annoying whining of the losing coaches after each match (that doesn't involve Saudi Arabia and 8-0 scores). Every losing coach says that they should have won, complains about the officials, and criticizes the other team for either illegal play or for refusing to take risks with a lead (the Mexican coach is criticizing the US for packing the defense -- whining that at least it's opponents in the first round were stupid enough to give Mexico chances to score).
Doesn't anyone ever just say they got beat in World Cup? All sports involve whining by fans, but to hear coaches do it is pathetic. But this is the "world's" game, and most of the world whines about everything.
How many real underdogs win the title? Villanova and NC State? Two talented big conference schools that played sloppy all year and didn't grow up until playoff time. They still were seeded around 8th or 9th.
How many underdogs get to the final four or the elite eight? In the end, it's the same old big schools (sort of like the World Cup *g*).
LOL!
That would just make it all the more sweet! ;o)
It's no wonder there are riots after soccer games. The whole game seems designed to confuse fans and to give the losers reasons to be angry.
Our Maryland University College Park is get trashed regardless of win or lose in basketball or football. So are many others. Not an excuse. It is barbaric in any case.
Then there's the annoying whining of the losing coaches after each match.
Mexican coach was too much. He has no class. I'd say it is about 50-50 with them congratulating the winning team or to complain about everything. He most likely will be fired anyway despite quite a good job of turning the team around and showing very attractive soccer in the group play.
Do you mean commercials? If so, I don't believe that there are commercials during the game, with the exception of halftime. Also, how do you know that they don't adjust the clock so that it's real time? Anyway, it doesn't matter to me, as long as the games are good.
A sombrero lays on the pitch after being tossed from the stands, 17 June 2002 at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, following second round playoff action between Mexico and USA in the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan. USA defeated Mexico 2-0 to advance to the quarterfinal. AFP. KIM JAE-HWAN.
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