franc11s

Stat number 1 (for real, from CNN today)...

Counting the ’02 and ’06 World Cups, the Yanks are 2-0-1 in white and 0-3 in blue.

Now WHO the heck decided to even make a note of starting that stat in 2002.

I was joking the other day when I suggested the scores were related to the color of the players under-pants - ITS NEARLY for REAL..

Other other funny US stats ?

RoB1833

They're 5th (I think) in the FIFA world rankings.

Bob

when England won with an own goal, they were shite...when the US gets a jammy own goal, it's fantastic...they have yet to score a goal under there own steam in this cup too

snowbunny

an allowed goal...

effin Italian primadonnas.

Pimpbot

I cannot believe how the American sports channels are attack the officials. The Red cards were all legit and the disallowed goal was followed perfectly to the letter of the rule book regarding offsides and obstructing the goalkeeper. You'd think the Ref had an Italian shirt on the way they have been weeping.

Drebin

To be fair one of the American commentators clearly said it was a 'good call by the referee' and 'he was interferring with play'.

They did bitch about the sending offs a bit too much though.

Pimpbot

When did two footed challenges become ok? I'm having a running argument with an American on another board about the straight red card that the American got for his two footed challenge. Here's what I got back.

Two-footed late tackles don't instantly get red cards though. Pointing out that it was two-footed isn't exactly noteworthy. What should get a red card (if you could only pick one from the two...) a late two-footed tackle or a malicious one footed tackle? The malicious one footed tackle, obviously. Because that is the purpose for the red card.

As to your second point, any ref that notices someone sliding in late and then goes to a red on the next late slide without warning the player is a ref that shouldn't be in the game. I'll give this ref the benefit of the doubt and assume he thought malice, which I disagree with, but it's certainly a step above the blunder that failing to warn a player and going right to the red would be.

Two-footed late tackles aren't instantly red cards. Let's not push that myth. Obviously a two footed tackle without malice is going to be closer than a one footed tackle without malice, but it's not one of those things where the ref is going to go "late and two footed...RED".

Bob

when you get away with it, otherwise it ain't...and they can be really nasty, anything from behind or along the tendon could get you in serious trouble...

as for the rest, well I kind of got lost in that person's waffle

gruffbrown

I'm guessing even if the guy had pulled a .38, it would have been an unfair decision.

Bob

only if there weren't any malice

Manc

All rules in football start as thus.

If in the opinion of the referee..........


so hence, if in the opinion of the referee a player commits a foul which merits "serious foul play" he will be sent off from the field of play.

all it needs according to FIFA is the referees opinion.

tony126

Commentators know the rules better than the referees. I was listening to a match where the commentator declared that it was alright to do a bit of shirt/short pulling and if they are going to blow up for that each time the game would not get going. They would soon get pissed off if I were a ref then, and what in the hell is a diagonal triangular pass? They make the expression that "it is a whole new ball game' reality.

dan_alford

And to be able to justify that opinion to FIFA if called into question.

englishnurse

we are not really fans of football in our house but watch the world cup games and enjoy them very much including the USA ones, moto GP is our sport, being bike fans.
As we are moving over this year we thought we would like to go and watch the moto GP at Laguna Seca next year so i visited the website, on there there is a run down of last years results and commentary, this is what it says:
'Rossi wins but americans come 2nd 3rd 4th and 5th!!!'
then there is a write up about young Nicky Hadens victory and how well he raced etc etc HE CAME SECOND!!!! no mention of the winner Valentino Rossi really apart from a couple of lines.
I did laugh bless them they really do seem oblivious to the rest of the world
I suppose you could say that Rossi beating them at home is another example of Italians upsetting them in the world of sport, just like the ref the other night

Hiro11

Yeah, only in America does the local press focus on domestic competitors. Give me a break.