OT: World Cup picks

[slufanskip]

Relax, soccer breath, it is an "OT" subject.

Inane, juvenile hot-head posts by slufanskip: I will bet the "over".

so why do you post? Do you not get the OT? Does OT to you mean topic that needs trashed? It's labeled OT so that the people that aren't interested don't need to open or read it. It's not that hard to understand for most of us. For you however, I should have understood, it probably is difficult. You seem a bit slow. My bad

[MB73]

so why do you post? Do you not get the OT? Does OT to you mean topic that needs trashed? It's labeled OT so that the people that aren't interested don't need to open or read it. It's not that hard to understand for most of us. For you however, I should have understood, it probably is difficult. You seem a bit slow. My bad

I pointed out iniitally that I was betting the "under" in World Cup games.

I was right. Good move based upon sound research and judgement.

Is that fair?

Always low scoring, inferior teams go into defensive shell, hope to get lucky.

This Cup so far is lowest scoring ever.

Networks, etc, are all talking about how boring it is. 0-0. 1-0. 1-1 thriller.

Even YOU said one of the games almost put you to sleep on an earlier post.

I said they are "great athletes", right? They are!

But soccer is not set up for entertainment value, and superior teams are not rewarded as they should be...

Some 1-0 games are determined by a lucky / random type goal, both teams played their asses off, for what?

FYI I like a well played 2-0 baseball game. But the possibility of a 8-4 game always is there.

EVERY World Cup game, we are looking at 1-0, 2-0, random goal gets thru.

USA has never really supported soccer, it is a low tier sport. Pro leagues fail all the time.

The guy that started womens pro soccer in SL the last couple yrs must have had money to throw away. Convinced some foreigners to invest, too, HA!

So sue me for being right.

[slufanskip]

I pointed out iniitally that I was betting the "under" in World Cup.

I was right.

Is that fair?

Always low scoring, this one so far is lowest ever.

Networks are all talking about how boring it is. 0-0. 1-0. 1-1 thriller.

Even YOU said one of the games almost put you to sleep on an earlier post.

I said they are "great athletes", right? They are!

But soccer is not set up for entertainment value, and superior teams are not rewarded as they should be...

Some 1-0 games are determined by a lucky / random type goal, both teams played their asses off, for what?

FYI I like a well played 2-0 baseball game. But the possibility of a 8-4 game always is there. NEVER is it in soccer.

EVERY World Cup game, we are looking at 1-0, 2-0, random goal gets thru.

USA has never really supported soccer, it is a low tier sport. Pro leagues fail all the time.

The guy that started womens pro soccer in SL the last couple yrs must have had money to throw away. Convinced

some foreigners to invest, too, HA!

So sue me for being right.

Any chance you could begin to write coherently? It's a bit hard to have a discussion with you as it's usually hard to figure out what you're trying to say. You're giving a SLU education a bad name.

I'll give it a shot anyway.

Are you trying to say every WC game has a random goal? What determines if it's random or not?

So you enjoy a well played 2-0 baseball game but your enjoyment is enhanced by the chance that there will be poor pitching later in the game?

In baseball how many times out of 10 does the superior team win? 6 out of 10 gives them a 97 win season which is pretty damn good. I assure you the superior team wins more often than that in soccer. In reality the superior team is rewarded more often in soccer than in baseball.

If you have a 8-7 baseball game where the game where the winning team scored an unearned run on an error and another on a wild pitch, is that still a good game?

If it's a 1-0 game and an outfielder made an over the wall catch to prevent a 2 run homer for the losing team, was that a boring game? How about if the shortstop also made a diving play in the 5th?

You're right, the USA doesn't support soccer as well as they do baseball. Pure genious on your part to recognize that.

You're betting the "under" in the WC, under what? and how would you be right?

There are boring soccer games, as there are boring baseball and football games. Imo the Algeria / Slovania game was one.

By SL do you mean St. Louis?

[MB73]

Any chance you could begin to write coherently? It's a bit hard to have a discussion with you as it's usually hard to figure out what you're trying to say. You're giving a SLU education a bad name.

I'll give it a shot anyway.

Are you trying to say every WC game has a random goal? What determines if it's random or not?

So you enjoy a well played 2-0 baseball game but your enjoyment is enhanced by the chance that there will be poor pitching later in the game?

In baseball how many times out of 10 does the superior team win? 6 out of 10 gives them a 97 win season which is pretty damn good. I assure you the superior team wins more often than that in soccer. In reality the superior team is rewarded more often in soccer than in baseball.

If you have a 8-7 baseball game where the game where the winning team scored an unearned run on an error and another on a wild pitch, is that still a good game?

If it's a 1-0 game and an outfielder made an over the wall catch to prevent a 2 run homer for the losing team, was that a boring game? How about if the shortstop also made a diving play in the 5th?

You're right, the USA doesn't support soccer as well as they do baseball. Pure genious on your part to recognize that.

You're betting the "under" in the WC, under what? and how would you be right?

There are boring soccer games, as there are boring baseball and football games. Imo the Algeria / Slovania game was one.

By SL do you mean St. Louis?

You dig yourself into a deeper hole with every post.

FYI, you can bet the "over" or "under" for the amount of goals scored in most sports: soccer, baseball, football, basketball... so once again, you ranted and did not have a clue about the topic you were addressing.

Mathematics / probabliltites: one goal in soccer where a pass miraculously gets thru 6-7 players playing "D" in front of the goal to another player on offense running full speed for a goal and a 1-0 win is significantly different than one fielding error producing a win in an 8-7 baseball game as you suggest. There are so many other opportunities, possibilities. In soccer, it is all on the line for one or two plays (or NONE), that make 100% of the scoring.

Yes, SL = abbreviation for St. Louis, sorry.

Boring to explain this to you, soccer is not less popular than just baseball as you state, but many other sports, but nice try.

Yes there are boring baseball and football games. But far fewer percentage of them. 0-0, 1-0, 1-1, forgetaboutit.

You need to please read this twice to get it before you get mad and respond.

[moytoy12]

Wow, surprising result today.

Overall, I'm pretty disappointed in the first round so far; however, I think it's an indication of how close teams are in quality. Just look at N. Korea (105th ranked) v. Brazil (1), it ended 2-1 and N. Korea played very well. So, combining the parity in the sides with the general tendency to be conservative in the first game, we get a fairly docile opening round of games.

Here's hoping for some better games as we move forward in group play...

[b.hayes]

Here's hoping for some better games as we move forward in group play...

And here's hoping for no more 9 am games after these two.

[Pistol]

One of the things I've noticed right now in our schizoid/paranoid negative culture is the almost irrational resentment and anger that many "masculine" real dudes, real football-loving Americans feel toward the World Cup. It's almost as if these narrow-minded tough guys sense a threat from abroad or something. For example:

Last night drifting off to sleep I listened to a long and tedious skit on Jimmy Fallon making fun of soccer, which was funny for about 15 seconds but then -- OK, we get it, duh? It is common to hear sportscasters on networks and talk radio disparaging the World cup -- even calling it a sissy sport in one instance. I would compare it to boycotts against France in the early years after 9/11 (ps turns out France was right about not getting overly-involved in the Middle East, btw).

I'd be interested to know anyone's theory about this obvious male American animosity toward the World Cup. It was sort of funny in a quaint way, at first, but now it is so obnoxious and stupid that there seems to be some other sinister and alien force at work. Of course if you don't like soccer, then fine. But it is the very loud and very in your face criticisms of soccer as being boring etc. that have me wondering-- what's your point??

I often have students tell me how boring great works of literature are, evidently oblivious to the fact that their statement is a huge strike against their own intelligence and taste. Once I heard someone tell me Paris was BORING. imagine that . . . . .

just wondering.

Awesome post. I wonder the same thing every World Cup when this comes up, why so many people have a mentality that is immediately dismissive of a sport that is the most popular in the world. Whatever it takes to keep brainless machismo intact, I guess.

[slufanskip]

You dig yourself into a deeper hole with every post.

FYI, you can bet the "under" for the amount of goals scored in most sports: soccer, baseball, football, basketball... so once again, you ranted and did not have a clue about the topic you were addressing.

Mathematics / probabliltites: one goal in soccer where a pass miraculously gets thru 6-7 players playing "D" in front of the goal to another player on offense running full speed for a goal and a 1-0 win is significantly different than one fielding error producing a win in an 8-7 baseball game. In soccer, it is all on the line for one play, two plays, that make 100% of the scoring.

Yes, SL = abbreviation for St. Louis, sorry.

Boring to explain this to you, soccer is not less popular than just baseball as you state, but many other sports, but nice try.

yes there are boring baseball and football games. But far fewer percentage of them. 0-0, 1-0, 1-1, forgetaboutit.

You need to please read this twice to get it before you get mad and respond.

I find your utter ignorance fascinating.

How many touchdowns are there on a 14-7 football game? How about a 10-3 game? In football you can drive 30-40% of the length of the field and get points for kicking a field goal.

Did it ever occur to you that a pass threaded through 6 defenders that hit's a teammate running at full speed was skill not luck?

My statement was the USA supports soccer less than baseball which is correct. Can you show me where I said soccer was less popular than baseball. Talk about needing to read twice to understand.

Here's the thing, you clearly don't understand or enjoy the game, so why bother wasting what must be valuable time to make a negative post regarding the sport? Have you posted on a curling thread somewhere today?

I understand betting the over/under, apparently though, you don't? You claimed you were right. Have you checked the line on all the games to know if the under actually did win? Do you really think you've figured it all out and if you just bet under on every game you'll be correct the majority of the time? If you have, how much have you wagered. I would think figuring out something like that would have made you a ton of money already. I'll assume a person as smart as you has. Congrats.

[slufanskip]

Awesome post. I wonder the same thing every World Cup when this comes up, why so many people have a mentality that is immediately dismissive of a sport that is the most popular in the world. Whatever it takes to keep brainless machismo intact, I guess.

I think MB can help you with understanding.

[slufanskip]

Netherlands should have won 4-0 but their performance didn't inspire as much confidence as they usually do. Although perhaps this is for the best, as so often the dutch have played brilliantly only to burn out early. Perhaps van Marwijk knows what he's doing with this solid style.

Do you really feel they should have won 4-0? If so what makes you think that?

[cheesycow]

Do you really feel they should have won 4-0? If so what makes you think that?

Their 66%-33% edge in possession combined with their wasted chances.

[slufanskip]

Their 66%-33% edge in possession combined with their wasted chances.

I must have seen the game differently. I agree they had a large majority of the possession. However, I don't think they had that many wasted chances. They played a controlled disciplined game, holding possession while not taking a lot of chances ot creating risk.

[cheesycow]

I must have seen the game differently. I agree they had a large majority of the possession. However, I don't think they had that many wasted chances. They played a controlled disciplined game, holding possession while not taking a lot of chances ot creating risk.

Van der Vaart could have scored on the cross from Sneijder if he hadn't decided to get cute, and Denmark had a miracle bicycle off the line on another one.

[Pistol]

I think MB can help you with understanding.

I have him on my ignored user list, so I only see him when others quote him. Based on your interactions with him lately, I stand by my decision- and see exactly what you mean.

[slufanskip]

Van der Vaart could have scored on the cross from Sneijder if he hadn't decided to get cute, and Denmark had a miracle bicycle off the line on another one.

so it wasn't impressive because they didn't score on a chance that you believe they could have and because a Dane made a great play clearing a ball off of the goal line?

I can see the Sneijder situation however, I'm sure I could watch the game again and pick a few chances the Danes had and determine that they could have won 3-2. I'm not sure though how a defender making a great play to clear a ball off the line makes them less impressive though.

What I saw was a team that completely dominated play against a quality team while not taking too many risks of their own. Denmark cannot score while the ball is at the feet of a Dutch player.

[slufanskip]

I have him on my ignored user list, so I only see him when others quote him. Based on your interactions with him lately, I stand by my decision- and see exactly what you mean.

you're missing out on some funny stuff.

[MB73]

I find your utter ignorance fascinating.

Wanna trade insults with MB73?

How many touchdowns are there on a 14-7 football game? How about a 10-3 game? In football you can drive 30-40% of the length of the field and get points for kicking a field goal.

Then why do fans pack NCAA and NFL stadiums, yet soccer in USA is ususally watched by parents? Look at stats. Facts are facts.

Did it ever occur to you that a pass threaded through 6 defenders that hit's a teammate running at full speed was skill not luck?

Of course, marvelous, skillfull athletes. But it is like Kingshighway and Lindell, a pass connects, miraculous, too. Happens 1-2-3 times a game.My statement was the USA supports soccer less than baseball which is correct. Can you show me where I said soccer was less popular than baseball. Talk about needing to read twice to understand.

You cannot get things straight at all. Did you just fall out of your mother's ass? Never said that...

Here's the thing, you clearly don't understand or enjoy the game, so why bother wasting what must be valuable time to make a negative post regarding the sport? Have you posted on a curling thread somewhere today?

Brilliant statement about curling...

I understand betting the over/under, apparently though, you don't? You claimed you were right. Have you checked the line on all the games to know if the under actually did win? Do you really think you've figured it all out and if you just bet under on every game you'll be correct the majority of the time? If you have, how much have you wagered. I would think figuring out something like that would have made you a ton of money already. I'll assume a person as smart as you has. Congrats.

Yes, I know the "numbers", typical is 2 or 2 1/2 goals,but you have to lay 250 to bet the under. Unlike you, I deal with facts.

Skip: I recommend citalopram.

[cheesycow]

so it wasn't impressive because they didn't score on a chance that you believe they could have and because a Dane made a great play clearing a ball off of the goal line?

I can see the Sneijder situation however, I'm sure I could watch the game again and pick a few chances the Danes had and determine that they could have won 3-2. I'm not sure though how a defender making a great play to clear a ball off the line makes them less impressive though.

What I saw was a team that completely dominated play against a quality team while not taking too many risks of their own. Denmark cannot score while the ball is at the feet of a Dutch player.

I guess I meant that they didn't show their usual attacking flair in the game. For the most part they played very solid, but I look forward to Robben coming back and Van der Vaart out of the starting 11.

[MB73]

I have him on my ignored user list, so I only see him when others quote him. Based on your interactions with him lately, I stand by my decision- and see exactly what you mean.

Wow, when Pistol emerges, I know the loons are swarming.

Pistol, who posted that teabaggers are morons.

And that I was a typical white guy who was not able to deal with change, or whatever/whoever he was trying to blame.

Serbian team got screwed, by the way, best player tossed for "what?", African team wins at home. 1-0 of course.

I will have steak and fine wine tonite, care of the "unders".

OK, deal, I am off the soccer thread for good.

[cheesycow]

Skip: I recommend citalopram.

Skip: I don't think I've ever liked you as much as I do watching you take this clown down.

[cheesycow]

Wow, when Pistol emerges, I know the loons are swarming.

Pistol, who posted that teabaggers are morons.

And that I was a typical white guy who was not able to deal with change, or whatever/whoever he was trying to blame.

Serbian team got screwed, by the way, best player tossed for "what?", African team wins at home. 1-0 of course.

I will have steak and fine wine tonite, care of the "unders".

OK, deal, I am off the soccer thread for good.

Clearly didn't major in english at SLU.

[billikenfan05]

I don't mind soccer haters. I just don't get people who love baseball but call soccer boring. I like baseball as much as the next guy but its not the most exciting sport in the world. At least soccer has the creativity aspect to it to increase excitement.

[slufanskip]

Skip: I don't think I've ever liked you as much as I do watching you take this clown down.

I don't think he even knows what he says or means.

He claims I said something which I didn't say. I remark that it wasn't what I said and then he acts like he's confused on why I denied saying it.

All SLU alums should be pissed that he claims to have a SLU degree.

I don't actually think he has one though.

[Hawk]

I enjoy watching soccer, especially on the world stage like this. I don't understand many of the nuances and subtleties that the die hard soccer fans do, but I still enjoy the sport. Biggest problem I have with it is lack of winner in tie situations.

[slufanskip]

I enjoy watching soccer, especially on the world stage like this. I don't understand many of the nuances and subtleties that the die hard soccer fans do, but I still enjoy the sport. Biggest problem I have with it is lack of winner in tie situations.

I don't mind it in a round robin point situation like the group round of the World Cup. However, I'd like to see them play longer to avoid shootouts in the elimination rounds.