Manchester United begins US assault

BBC ^ | 24 July, 2003 | David Willis

[ArmstedFragg]

Those who don't get it, let me know and I'll try to explain it.

Don't bother.

It's like trying to explain "rationality" to a DU user.

[Consort]

[discostu]

Hockey's got the same scoring chances problem. Defense is outstripping offense in both sports pretty heavily, I don't think the reasons are the same but there's a definite parallel.

[discostu]

But remember according to the legend the forward pass got invented to cut down on the number of deaths in football. Never been sure how much I believe that legend but it's a great legend. In football courage varies heavily by position, tightends get clubed every play they're either blocking for the pass blocking for the run or receiving a pass in the most populated part of the field. I don't think anybody on the All Blacks is defensive lineman big, they're big for rugby guys but from everything I've seen rubgy guys are closer in size to hockey players than NFLers.

I love the straw hats they're so... Australian.

Baseball's not actually very complex, I think it's the variety of scoring methods in cricket that make it hard to get. Don't know when I'll try it again, as you noted it's hard to find here.

[ArmstedFragg]

It's like trying to explain "rationality" to a DU user.

Uh.... lest there be any doubt.... I was composing my post 41 at the same time Lambo was posting his post 40. It wasn't intended to be a response to his request.

Just being careful here, the juxtaposition might be misinterpreted.

By all means, anybody who wishes to rhapsodize about "a game of time and space", explain away!

[Jay D. Dyson]

I'm disappointed in the low level of venom on this thread. I really expected more than the restrained and intelligent discussion I've seen so far.

Sorta like going to a fight and having a hockey game break out, eh? ;)

-Jay

[Ax]

I was stationed at Menwith Hill Station (yes, that's right, ECHELON; we were listening to you calling your girlfriend and not worrying about the 8th Guards Shock Army and the 24th Motorized Rifle Division across the Fulda Gap). We were all big fans of Leeds United. In March 1972, we were privileged to see the very best Manchester United team ever fielded. George Best, Bobby Charlton, Dennis Law, Lou Macari and others whose names escape me, thanks to a major senior moment. Leeds had Jackie Charlton, Peter Lorimer, Allen Clarke, Mick Jones, Johhny Giles, Norman Hunter, Terry Cooper, Paul Madely, Paul Reaney, Billy Bremner and Garry Sprake. Leeds managed to beat Man Utd 5-1 on that afternoon, and there was great joy in the White Rose county, and none in the Red Rose county.

[foreverfree]

I have eleventh-row seats for the Man. Utd.-Juventus match July 31 at the Meadowlands.

And on Aug. 3, they open Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, before turning that new venue over to the REAL football players (y'know, the ones in the blueish green helmets with the silver wings...).

foreverfree

[foreverfree]

I don't know as much about rugby, but I'll watch it occasionally on FSW,

Wish I could afford to upgrade my DirecTV to get FSW, GOLF, etc.

'Til then I'll watch Mexican soccer on Saturday nights on Galavision, whenever I want a soccer fix.

foreverfree

[dogbyte12]

Football has some of the same scoring problems, but it is disguised. Basically, a field goal means that you have failed to make it over the end line. Other than that, a touchdown is 1 score.

A 21-7 game is 3-1 in other words. Football disguises the relative lack of scoring with the 3 point field goal, the 2 point safety, but it's really just semantics.

Other posters have noticed the speed of the game can be amazing if the players are really skilled. Americans are improving, but not there yet. It would be like judging basketball by watching pee-wee games, and criticizing them for not being that great.

I encourage folks to watch the games on FoxSportsWorld and be stunned by the level of play, physical skill, tactical awareness. Club games are often much more entertaining than world cup games. World Cup teams are basically all-star teams. Great group of collective players, but not a cohesive unit. I would suspect that Real Madrid and Manchester United would have easily won the World Cup over Brazil. After playing together every day, much of the year, year after year, the grace and skill can be quite stunning. World Cup teams often only train as a group only a few weeks a year, before the players head back to their club sides.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy's goal against Celtic Tuesday night, as well as his ball skills, were simply amazing. I encourage anybody who wants to watch with an open mind, to view the Manchester United game Sunday. It might be educational.

[freeangel]

Loved it--and ain't it the truth! Beckham was the sexiest thing going for it until he got married.(sigh)

[Alberta's Child]

You're right about that. In soccer, defense is dominating simply because the pace of the game allows a well-coached team to play a system to perfection. This is also true in hockey, but in hockey you also have the added element of large, fast players effectively shrinking the size of the ice surface. The Devils are a good case in point -- they've got a reputation for being a big, defensive-minded team, but even their biggest players are deceptively fast.

[Alberta's Child]

Who are you calling a social misfit? Guilty as charged, I suppose.

Have you ever thrown rocks at a group of police officers after a soccer game? LOL.

[Alberta's Child]

I'm disappointed in the low level of venom on this thread. I really expected more than the restrained and intelligent discussion I've seen so far.

Well, I'm always ready to lay a beating on any Clymers. LOL.

[dogbyte12]

Welcome to Scottish Soccer Hooligan Weekly. If it ain't scottish, it's crap!

[Jay D. Dyson]

I was stationed at Menwith Hill Station (yes, that's right, ECHELON; we were listening to you calling your girlfriend and not worrying about the 8th Guards Shock Army and the 24th Motorized Rifle Division across the Fulda Gap).

Nice. I keep a special buzzsaw on hand for those semantic trees of yours. ;)

-Jay

[lambo]

I think the upgrade was actually only about $12 a month, which surprised me. I get at least that much value and pleasure out of it.

[lambo]

That was a polite gesture. Very un-Freeper-like of you, in my experience.

You're a gentleman (I presume) and a soccer fan.

Thanks.

I'm still waiting to hear Mihalis pontificate on "the beautiful game".

[lambo]

Have you ever thrown rocks at a group of police officers after a soccer game?

With a screen-name like "Lambo"?

I plead the Fifth.

[SoDak]

It's not fast enough to get me excited, it's not slow enough to get me relaxed. I suppose the same could be said about baseball by someone from, say Europe. Every sport I watch makes me want to play it, except soccer.