Manchester United begins US assault

BBC ^ | 24 July, 2003 | David Willis

[RoughDobermann]

It's not fast enough to get me excited, it's not slow enough to get me relaxed

Sure, I understand that from a viewer's perspective. But, if you've ever played soccer/football, you'd have a different impression. It's a very fluid sport. But, to each his own! Personally, I'd rather attend an insurance seminar than attend a baseball game.

[Benrand]

Nothing is more sublime than the Simpsons portrayal of soccer. A boring sport.

Gimme real football...Elway, Marino, Farve, Maddox, Kendrell Bell...not this kicking crap. They must give out pillows and blankets to the first 60,000. The other 7,000 are drunker than a Pittsbrgh Stiller fan.

Imagine a sport with all NFL kickers, all Garo Yepremians and Rolf Benirschkes...nauseating.

[Dead Dog]

Teddy Rosevelt almost banned American Football becuase of death and deabilitating injury. It wasn't so much the that the forward pass was invented for this reason, it was invented (NOT BY NUTER DAME) as a trick play, but it did help elevate the problem. What they did do is ban "Flying Wedge" formations.

From what I understand of Rugby, from friends who play it, is that they don't hit dirrectly but wrap-up. Rugby is a tough, painful sport, however I don't believe the injury rate is not as high as American Football (not that that means one is any better than the other). Also notice, you don't see double headers in Football...the Las Vegas Rugby convention these guys play 3 or 4 games day.

[discostu]

The big difference is that shutouts are few and far between in football, thanks to the field goal a team is almost always going to be able score once, even the lowly Bengals manage to score once during most games. 7-0 football games (the equivalent of 1-0 hockey or soccer games) are super rare, and forget 0-0 which happens a few times a year in hockey just ain't happening in football.

My opinion of soccer is based almost entirely on international play, I like it I think it's a great game, but I can clearly see why it's not successful in America and why it probably never will be. And I don't say that as a hit on either soccer or the American sports fan, not every game can be successful everywhere, that's just how life goes.

[discostu]

And don't forget the drastic improvement in goaltending in hockey, I remember a time when a save percentage of .900 was a ticket to the all-star game, now a save percentage of slightly below .900 is a ticket to the minors. Save percentage is up league-wide a good .02 maybe even .03 which doesn't sound like much until you do the 30 shot math and see that it's the difference between giving up 3 goals most of the time and giving up 3 goals as an aberation.

Then there's the talent dilution and salary situation. Hockey is a mess right now.

[Alberta's Child]

One of the big factors involved in the improvement in goaltending is that the post-Edmonton Oilers generation (basically from Patrick Roy to the present) of hockey players was the first one in which most hockey goalies had been playing the position from the time they were young kids. For the first time, goaltending became a "respectable" position and wasn't just for those players who had been too slow or unskilled to play other positions as a kid.

[discostu]

Somebody on FR always knows what you're talking about, that's what I love about the place. That wedge looks dangerous. If I recall one of the big changes was getting rid of the actual grid that has left it's memory behind in the colloquial for a football field, from what I remember thrown balls (in any direction) were only allowed to travel over a small number of squares which caused the game to seriously tighten up and heighten the chance for getting clobbered, by getting rid of the grid that allowed outs and deep passes both of which spread the players and lower the danger level.

True rugby players don't haul each other down like in American football, ours is really the only of the football-ish games that has the brutal tackling, most of the others are grab and impede. There was an interesting column on ESPN a few years ago, when the America Bowl was held in Australia the event organizers decided to do a weekend of football, so they had a rubgy game an Aussie Rules game and the NFL pre-season match. His primary impression from it was that Australian football fans are very generous with the beer while regaling reporters with tall tales, but other than that everybody seemed to enjoy all three games and the group of drunkards (sorry, fans) that adopted him understood why our guys wear so much protection when they heard the first colisions.

[discostu]

Yeah positional goaltending and the era of the popular goaltender has changed everything. Whether or not it's for the better I haven't decided.

[AngryJawa]

How much of the hockey goalie improvement is due to the steady balooning of the size of their gear as compared to 30 years ago?

[Alberta's Child]

That is definitely a factor, but I think the reality is that the improved athleticism of goalies and the refined coaching of goaltenders has a lot more to do with the dramatic improvement in goaltending over the last 15 years.

[Cronos]

Cricket, ah, the gentleman's game...

[Cronos]

Aye, like Jonah Lomu, the New Zealand rugby player, massive and yet he can do 100m in about 10s! For cricket, the world Cup was pretty good this year, with the Aussies winning again.

[STFrancis]

But can they beat him...????

[diotima]

Man U is in LA LA on sunday...I'm thinking about buying tickets....

[jjbrouwer]

You'd better hurry because they sell out very quickly.

I watched the Man Utd vs Celtic game on Fox the other night. Man U absolutely pulverised the Jocks.

Personally, I like to see Man U get stuffed which is very likely now Beckham has left.

Then again, I'm a Chesea fan...

[STFrancis]

So, how do you like the Chelski's chances this year...

[ArmstedFragg]

But can they beat him...????

Brazil didn't seem to have much trouble..... :-)

[jjbrouwer]

I think "Chelski" should spend our new-found wealth on a bunch of really crap players - just because we can...

We signed Damian Duff who is great, plus Wayne Bridge and Geremi [sic?] so we are going to be right up there with United and Arsenal this season.

Plus we are going to win the Champions League! Okay, I'll go and take my meds now...

[jjbrouwer]

Malaysia 1-4 Chelsea - BBC report

Our boys are even bullying small nations now.

[jjbrouwer]

Ruud Van Nistelrooy's goal against Celtic Tuesday night, as well as his ball skills, were simply amazing.

Van Nistelrooy is an incredible player. Last season he was almost scoring a goal a game for United which is virtually unheard of.

Not sure he will get the same quality of service from the midfield without Beckham though.