Posts made by frimmel

@Gargantua:

Isn’t calling it the “Myth of Blitzkreig” a bit like calling it the “Myth of WWII”?

Not really. I think the myth is that Germany created some heretofore unknown form of warfare which to some degree is factual but isn’t ever really challenged. It is also factual the Germans did not have particularly greater mechanization at the start of the war or that they created something from scratch and without parallel. Speedy victory has been advocated since Sun Tzu. The challenge is not to the facts of the war but to the interpretation.

It is fair to say that for many “Blitzkrieg” is used without much definition and with little nuance and to cover a wide variety of tactics and doctrine that might be better broken down and more carefully classified. What happens to the interpretation of the early war when you do that?

I’ve been linking to this book around here for years. “The Blitzkrieg Myth.”

It’s been awhile since I read it but I’m fairly certain the myths are at least cribbed from that book if not quoted verbatim.

@aequitas:

Best Player on the field:

SCHWEINSTEIGER

I’m not sure about best but damn he was a Timex in that final match. Gotta like a guy that bleeds for his team. Certainly seemed like quit is not in that guy’s vocabulary.

I’m glad it didn’t go to penalty kicks. Heck of a match.

Has there ever been a World Cup where the substitutes made such in an impact in so many games?

This is kind of hilarious. Assuming you’re not a Brazil fan of course.

@P@nther:

@frimmel:

… Germany is very machine like (I see them making plays, not just crosses) but Messi and Robben (separated at birth from Jason Statham?) just seem more “it” than Muller…

I like the machine that scores 5 goals in under 30 minutes ;-)

I can’t believe it…

I’m tempted to back track but Brasil was incompetent. Still Germany is a heck of a team. Should be a great final.

As an aside why aren’t both semi-finals on the same day? Doesn’t seem fair.

I certainly like Germany to make the finals but I think the winner of the Argentina/Netherlands match wins it all. Germany is very machine like (I see them making plays, not just crosses) but Messi and Robben (separated at birth from Jason Statham?) just seem more “it” than Muller. In any event it should be exciting stuff.

@aequitas:

Argentinia vs Netherlands then.

Going with Netherlands on this one.

I gotta think Messi comes through again in some way but that Robben dude for Netherlands is at least as “all that” as Van Persi. Should be a heck of a game.

Except for the shaky cam “Edge of Tomorrow” was pretty good. I just hate the shaky cam film making style that is standard op these days.

I had to skip “Turn” and I guess I’ll be skipping “Falling Skies” given how I couldn’t get through the first ten minutes of the opener because of the shaky cam.

Megan Fox is a very unattractive beautiful woman.

@P@nther:

Are German Bundesliga or Spanish Primera Division matches available in US?

Not to my knowledge. The Barclay’s stuff is just available since that new NBC sports channel started about this time last year. There have been some other leagues on but I’m not particularly familiar with all the different ones.

But before the Barclay’s stuff was available I’d only watch US international matches like the World Cup or the Olympics. I think those being available are going to help push the game in the US a bit.

As much as I hate to say it MLS pales in comparison to BPL. Not even close. But with that stuff available both MLS and BPL (I don’t remember ever watching soccer as a kid) you’re going to get more kids interested. Look at the turn outs for the USNMT in the qualifying matches, especially in towns with MLS teams. This stuff takes time.

It is picking up. I think as the US continues to have success in international competition it will continue to pick up. It is becoming less second tier.

I also think as the danger of American Football becomes more known, kids will be steered more to soccer and other less concussion inducing sports. A win against the Belgium team will be huge.

My interest has picked up considerable with the availability of Barclay’s Premier League matches. It was sort of a “Ohhhhh… Now I get what everyone sees in this” moment.

Backing in is still in.

So has every team lost their game after playing in Manaus?

No because Portugal won.

Here’s me at the end of the match: “No. Just hold it. Not there. No. No. NO. NO. NOOOOO. Expletive. Expletiving expletive. Expletiving Ronaldo. You’ve gotta be expletiving kidding me. Expletive.”

Germany is not automatically qualified with a US win. They would still need a draw at least with the US or a loss or draw for Ghana against Portugal.

US wins they get six points and are qualified and eliminate Portugal. Portugal would not be able to match the German 4 points.

Ghana with a win over Portugal and a Germany loss to the US would tie Germany at 1-1-1 with four points and fall back to the tiebreakers which is goal differential isn’t it? They then have to drub Portugal pretty badly or hope the US drubs Germany pretty badly or whatever adds up to the +4 Germany is sitting on right now. So Germany is still on the bubble.

I DVR’d the Ghana/Germany match and watched it this morning and I’m feeling a lot better about the USA’s chances. Ghana is a not a bad team at all. Germany is quite obviously precise and efficient and I certainly see why they are favorites to win but I’m much more confident in the USA’s chances after seeing that game.

Seems everyone is dismissing it as Germany playing badly but I think they were looking past Ghana and taking them lightly and were made to pay the price.

Here’s to Ronaldo crying his eyes out!!!

Well at least Germany didn’t lose. Unfortunately, their not winning makes the US game so much more important to them.

Gonna be an exciting match tomorrow with a win for US meaning advancement. It would be great if it didn’t come down to the Germany match for the US to determine advancement.

I was really hoping for Germany to get it done today and not need a win against the US.

Messi with the winner to pull it out a win in stoppage time for Argentina. Even if everyone were not telling me how great that dude is, it doesn’t take an expert to notice that guy is clutch. Big players make big plays in big games. True in any sport it seems. Fabulous score. It’s been like an hour since the goal and I’m still going “Damn.”

I’m a bit baffled as to how Qatar could even be considered. I would think as far as playing a game goes the Dark Side of the Moon would be friendlier to players. At least then they’d have some sort of environmental protection in needing spacesuits instead of being expected to run around for ninety minutes in a dessert in summer.

That one will end up a war of attrition. The winning team will be the one with the fewest players keeled over from heat stroke. How do they even expect to provide suitable playing surfaces? Are they building a half dozen or more domed stadiums?

It wasn’t the punch that got him the red card. That was just a free kick to Germany. I often see some variation of that sort of thing awarded a free kick.

The head butt was what got him the red card. Don’t lose your cool when a call goes against you. Pretty simple.

I don’t have a problem with the card and wouldn’t be terribly bent out of shape if he didn’t get it either. I also don’t know if Pepe had warnings from the ref. before. From the sounds of it the Portugal team was getting very frustrated all around. Maybe the ref was scared of losing control of the match. Sometimes these sorts of calls aren’t just about the incident in question.