Well I lost my money… but Go Brazil!
Korea is in absolute frenzy right now…reported cases of heart attacks and strokes throughout the country! I cannot believe they held out and won that game…Spain was so strong but they looked to wear off towards the end…Korean stamina really carried them through. Germany is going to be tough to beat!
Steve
Well I would say the Germans should be no harder than the Italians. :)
But at least the South Koreans are battle-experienced. If USA could run the Germans off the field (and if you saw the US vs Germany game, the Germans were lucky to survive) and South Korea tied with America (I like both countries so it’s better than way :wink: ), then they have a good chance of winning. Not sure what side I’ll support (seeing as I got friends and family from both countries), but I think I’ll go for the underdog in the eyes of the world.
As for those fans, I hope there’s more of them! At my school I also have South Korean fanatics (rootin’ for the team even though they don’t the darnest thing about soccer), but the German side is pretty disappointing (much more reserved). Some people believe soccer is a religion. To me, it’s so much more.
8)
did anyone actually watch the South Korean matches?
and still not have the slightest fear that it all might have been fixed?
Foreword: The two youngest fo the three sons of the President of south Korea have benn arrested for corruption, tax avoiding and money laundry (correct word?), a few days and a month ago. Just to set the scene :)
South Korea - Portugal:
Two Reds for Portugal, the second one debatable
South Korea - Italy (up to now one Yellow card for the south Koreans in the whole tournament)
One very dubious Red Card for Italy, one golden goal disallowed, debatable offside calls in favor for south Korea. Referee coming from a country that lost to Italy. The Koreans diving even more than the germans against the US and getting more than away with it.
South Korea - Spain
Two goals disallowed, one golden one, which was clearly a goal.
More strange offside calls against spain.
I think Germany only has a chance, when the referee and linesmen are coming from: Italy, Spain, Portugal.
Otherwise i guess we will see another chapter of “how referees can decide a match”, even though i fear that the german team can be beaten without that help. But i am sure, we will see some more referee action!
To make it clear: The Koreans are a big postive surprise when it comes to their soccer. They have clearly deserved to go to the second round. But the further advance tastes much too bitter.
If I were to say there was no favoritism, I would be lying. But it’s one of the perks of holding a World Cup Championship. I’m sure the South Koreans will be complain’ about the refs 4 years from now in Germany.
Hey if I wanted to sound arrogant I would’ve complained that the game should’ve been at least tied between Germany and USA since at one part, the German player used part of his arm to block the soccer ball (though you could say it was unintentional) as it was going through the goal post. (Along with some other close calls). Stuff like this happens, it’s unavoidable.
I saw the Spain vs. Korea game, and it was the refs were a bit easy going on the Koreans. But it wasn’t life threatening to the overall game. As for the second near-miss (the first was clearly not a goal), the refs ruled that it crossed the byline. This one was more of a toss-up, so i’ll have to carefully review the tape before I can make a ruling.
@TG:
Give it time. Senegal’s best player (striker El Hadji Diouf) is only 21 years old! He’s like the Kobe Bryant of the sport! Give it another 4 years and see how much more they can accomplish (especially considering how much fellow Africans are now getting into soccer)! :D
When does a soccer player hit his peak?
I don’t want to sound prejudice or anything, but do you ever watch marathons and the olympics? Black men are faster than white men…they are bigger and stronger (and don’t get sun burn.) I’m so damn white i get sun burn through shirts, and if I lived in a world without prejudice I would want to be black. I would be just as smart, but bigger, s tronger, or at the very least not get sun burn! (damn i hate it.) So if the Senegal team was better funded, wouldn’t they make the semis at least in 06 in Germany?
By the way, how well funded is Brazil?
Well Mexico isn’t exactly a first world country (though it’s getting there :) )
but it devotes a lot of money to soccer programs. I think that soccer players are among the highest paid athletes in Mexico.
About the black comment, it’s intresting to see how you even have blacks playing on the Swedish soccer team! (I’ve been to Stockholm and you don’t see very many colors except white)
Soccer players don’t hit their peak until at least 25 (just in time for the 2006 World Cup). Just look at Brazilian player Ronaldo.
"About the black comment, it’s intresting to see how you even have blacks playing on the Swedish soccer team! (I’ve been to Stockholm and you don’t see very many colors except white) "
That’s so true! Tell me if I am wrong, but Great Britain doesn’t have a very large black community, yet they make up a great deal of their olympic teams and such.
But when are blacks going to get into hockey?
Well Uk does have a fairly large black population (as my friends tell me), but nowhere near what is represented in their Soccer team. :-?
As for hockey, I’m sorry but not a lot of fellow Afro-Americans I know, save me, are not real intrested in hockey. You would think give blood, play hockey (due to the competitive nature). But 10-20 years down, that can all change. I’m sure it’ll just be a another sport they dominate at.
yes, hockey a sport with brute strength really doesn’t have its fair share of blacks, but isn’t america’s best speed skater that Ono guy? so a generation should do the trick.
Uh, no need to burst your bubble but Apolo Ohno is a Japanese American, not Afro-American.
but isn’t he black (half black or something?) tell me if i am mistaken, maybe i just have horrible memory.
I think the number of blacks in the NHL is on the rise and some of them are already dominating. Take for instance Jarome Iginla, he won the scoring title this year.
i don’t see too much hockey, but when i do it is watching sportscenter, and I’m yet to see a black (i’m not saying they aren’t there though) or Italian :cry:
By the way, Apolo Ohno is half Japanese.
and half black?
And half Caucasian.
Yeah, I never head Apolo was ever black or even partly so.
i don’t see too much hockey, but when i do it is watching sportscenter, and I’m yet to see a black (i’m not saying they aren’t there though) or Italian :cry:
There are more and more blacks playing hockey as years go on.
You must not watch alot of hockey, there has been a few Italians.
Well, Canadians with Italian back grounds.
This is a list of black people, that I know of, playing in the NHL.
Anson Carter-Edmonton Oliers
Mike Grier-Edmonton Oliers
George LaRoche-Edmonton Oliers
Steve Weeks-Carolina Hurricans
Fred Brathwatie-St. Louis Blues
Donald Brasher-Philadelphia Flyers
Jerome Inginla-Calgary Flames
Between 1980-1996 there was roughly 3-4 black people who played the game.
And I know I’m missing some.
That was my double post……im stupid.
