Sunday, June 25, 2006
Rare Sports Post
The Rockies and Rangers had a pitching duel last night that was 11 to 6 when I stopped watching (and they apparently stopped scoring). That win puts the vaunted Rockies in the middle of the West, two games behind both the Padres and the Dodgers. You can feel the excitement mounting day by day.
In World Cup action, I was pulling for Mexico because it, with Canada, are our continent mates; but since I have picked Argentina to win the whole thing (beating Germany in the finals) it was difficult really to cheer for them. I liked the ref in this game but even he made some bone headed calls and the officiating generally has ranged from piss-poor to really awful.
Andrew and I have some new rules to make the game less of an appalling nightmare to watch. Hocky fans know that the refs there can call a dive--a bit of acting where the player is near death and down from the slightest of contact. New Rule: A dive in soccer earns a yellow card from the ref. If you go off on the stretcher, you can't come back in, unless you're willing to take a yellow card for histrionics. I think players should have to wear stiff thumbless mittens to stop the jersey grabbing--you could still throw the ball in, but Andrew is not ready to go that far.
Spain is a dark horse here. England, Brazil, France and Portugal are paper tigers. Ghana has a snowball's chance.
UPDATE: So of course England (bend it like Beckham indeed) and Portugal win--in two of the worst soccer matches I have ever seen. 16 yellow cards from the Russian ref in the Dutch/Portugal sideshow. Just appalling.
In World Cup action, I was pulling for Mexico because it, with Canada, are our continent mates; but since I have picked Argentina to win the whole thing (beating Germany in the finals) it was difficult really to cheer for them. I liked the ref in this game but even he made some bone headed calls and the officiating generally has ranged from piss-poor to really awful.
Andrew and I have some new rules to make the game less of an appalling nightmare to watch. Hocky fans know that the refs there can call a dive--a bit of acting where the player is near death and down from the slightest of contact. New Rule: A dive in soccer earns a yellow card from the ref. If you go off on the stretcher, you can't come back in, unless you're willing to take a yellow card for histrionics. I think players should have to wear stiff thumbless mittens to stop the jersey grabbing--you could still throw the ball in, but Andrew is not ready to go that far.
Spain is a dark horse here. England, Brazil, France and Portugal are paper tigers. Ghana has a snowball's chance.
UPDATE: So of course England (bend it like Beckham indeed) and Portugal win--in two of the worst soccer matches I have ever seen. 16 yellow cards from the Russian ref in the Dutch/Portugal sideshow. Just appalling.
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 8:16 AM 
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R,
The reffing has been on beyond awful. Did you check out both yellow cards issued to the Swedish player in the Germany game?
I regret to advise you of my firmly rooted belief that you received substandard scores in Bracketology.
The way the brackets were set up by FIFA, Germany could never have played Argentina in the finals.
Loop
The reffing has been on beyond awful. Did you check out both yellow cards issued to the Swedish player in the Germany game?
I regret to advise you of my firmly rooted belief that you received substandard scores in Bracketology.
The way the brackets were set up by FIFA, Germany could never have played Argentina in the finals.
Loop
# posted by 
: 8:43 AM
: 8:43 AM 
Horrible game in terms of reffing, diving, and the rest, but still some good action.
Mexico, Argentina way better.
Back from vacation in Portugal. Talk about fanatics. Wow.
Mexico, Argentina way better.
Back from vacation in Portugal. Talk about fanatics. Wow.
As I said over at Volokh, the problem isn't with the good games or the bad games; all sports have interesting good games and tedious bad games. The problem with soccer is that the mediocre, run-of-the-mill games are uninteresting relative to the standard of a mediocre football game or a mediocre hockey game, or [long list of sports deleted].
I should perhaps note that I don't say this as a soccer neophyte. I've been watching games semi-seriously for at least 30 years, and at every level from local clubs to national teams.
Hmm ... perhaps I'm a slow learner.
8-)
I should perhaps note that I don't say this as a soccer neophyte. I've been watching games semi-seriously for at least 30 years, and at every level from local clubs to national teams.
Hmm ... perhaps I'm a slow learner.
8-)
R,
I just posted on World Cup again. Can't help it. Also, finally got back to you on the Czech Elections.
Man, it has been a whirlwind three weeks.
Your blog still looks great. You know as often as I disagree, I'm still a big fan.
I just posted on World Cup again. Can't help it. Also, finally got back to you on the Czech Elections.
Man, it has been a whirlwind three weeks.
Your blog still looks great. You know as often as I disagree, I'm still a big fan.
Thaks Mike, I can't believe the Commies are third most popular. Maybe in Russia just for nostalgia but in the CR? I see you're getting some good traffic and plenty of loyal commneters. Great work. Keep it up.
Doug, the only reason I watch soccer is because I played it in HS and even in college. Otherwise, I doubt I'd bother.
Werewolf kid--Identify yourself, please.
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Doug, the only reason I watch soccer is because I played it in HS and even in college. Otherwise, I doubt I'd bother.
Werewolf kid--Identify yourself, please.
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