Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

He really is that stupid.

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Tick tock motherfuckers!

These are not very smart people, and things got out of hand.

You come for women, you’re gonna get your ass kicked.

The Giant Orange Man Baby is having a bad day.

The lights are all blinking red.

Everything is totally normal and fine!!!

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty. ~Thomas Jefferson

President Musk and Trump are both poorly raised, coddled 8 year old boys.

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” was supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

Republicans in disarray!

Fight them, without becoming them!

Every decision we make has lots of baggage with it, known or unknown.

It is not hopeless, and we are not helpless.

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

You are here: Home / Sports / Algeria v South Korea Open Thread

Reader Interactions

81Comments

  1. 1.

    Alex S.

    I dislike how every national anthem uses western classical orchestration. Algeria wins.

  3. 3.

    scav

    Scusi, but the times for teams auto-correct in the main block has transformed this into a battle of parallel universes for me. Sorely needed transformation likely, but . . . boilerplate capricious clause.

  4. 4.

    mali muso

    I think Algeria wins this game.

    Agree with Alex on the boring western martial flavor of most anthems. One refreshing exception is Japan’s national anthem which sounds very Japanese and ends on a note that to Western ears sounds like it is missing one last beat.

  5. 5.

    Amir Khalid

    I have just learned from the Guardian’s liveblog that South Korea used to sing its national anthem to the tune of Auld Lang Syne.

    Meanwhile, I have been asked, as football deity, to make this match less dull than Belgium vs. Russia. I’ll see what I can do.

  6. 6.

    Onkel Fritze

    You know it’s the World Cup when you watch South Korea v Algeria. Any other time in your life that would just be an insane waste of time.

    Russia looks quite capable of blowing it. Really not sure who’s gonna make second in this group.

  8. 8.

    Amir Khalid

    The Algerians want it more. They’ve been asking tough questions of the Korean defence, and now they’ve got the goal.
    ETA: Make that the goals.

  9. 9.

    BD of MN

    Certainly looks like Algeria wants this one… Must be revenge from their one previous match 30 years ago…

    2-0 Algeria…

  13. 13.

    Origuy

    Someone at Google fell asleep during the last match. Clicking their doodle still gets the Russia-Belgium game.

  14. 14.

    MikeJ

    I think some of the Algerians should look into wearing a slip under their white kit.

  15. 15.

    Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)

    @mali muso:

    I was thinking about this the other night. The U.S. would do well to exchange our anthem for Rhapsody In Blue (sure, it’s long, but there are no lyrics, which means no one’s gonna screw ’em up, and no diva’s gonna scale off of that long note at the end) or One O’Clock Jump (what’s more American than, “Crash the gate with some friends/Hope the party never ends”?).

  16. 16.

    Violet

    What’s up with most of the Korean players having brown or lighter hair? Is that hair color all the rage with men that age in Korea?

  21. 21.

    Alex S.

    Meh, so I couldn’t comment because it was marked as spam, then I couldn’t edit my test comment because it was also marked as spam…

    anyway….

    @MikeJ.

    That could be a mean tactic. Statistically Koreans have the smallest….

  22. 22.

    Amir Khalid

    @Violet:
    Dyeing one’s black hair brown seems to be a thing among northern Asians — the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans. Among Chinese-Malaysians it’s more of a thing for young women.

  25. 25.

    Schlemizel

    Help out the newbie again please.
    I come to this game from hockey were the trick is to move the object around until you get a good lane to shoot through. I assume futbol is pretty much the same. Why is it that Algeria seems to be doing that so obviously & so successfully? I’m more used to not being able to tell what the attacking team is doing. This game it seems so clear that I could see being a fan. Is it that Korea is that confused? Algeria that good? I’m just dense & can’t see it other times?

  26. 26.

    burnspbesq

    If this result holds up, a draw against Russia on Thursday will put Algeria through.

    If you had asked any of the managers in Group G whether they would rather face Russia or Algeria in the round of 16, I think the answer would have been unanimous. That’s why they play the matches, goes the old cliche.

  28. 28.

    Alex S.

    So…after two games, the African teams are not looking bad at all. Cote D’Ivoire at second place, has final game against Greece. Algeria at second place, has final game against Russia. Ghana with a fantastic second game, not out yet, but they showed what they’re able to do. Nigeria also at second place, has to play Argentina though, but a draw is enough. Only the dysfunctional Cameroon disappointed.

  29. 29.

    Violet

    @Amir Khalid: Interesting. I’ve seen it with Japanese, especially women. Just seemed sort of striking, all the players lined up during the national anthems and most of the Korean players having such obviously dyed hair.

  30. 30.

    Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)

    @Amir Khalid:

    If we’re going to be serious about it…I like This Land… quite a bit, but I prefer America the Beautiful.

  31. 31.

    Morzer

    @Amir Khalid:

    If, in your divine capacity, you could see your way to letting South Korea score 4 unanswered goals in the second half, Madame Morzer would greatly appreciate it.

  32. 32.

    scav

    @burnspbesq: Every so often, there’s nothing like watching stats being taken out behind the barn and thoroughly jumped on, repeatedly.

  33. 33.

    burnspbesq

    @Amir Khalid:

    I know I’m not American, but I’ve always preferred This Land is Your Land to The Star-Spangled Banner

    Great lyric, and much easier for non-singers to sing (the octave-and-a-fifth range needed to sing the Star Spangled Banner properly is not commonplace), but This Land Is Your Land doesn’t lend itself easily to a good brass-band arrangement. And trying to sell the wingnuts on Woody Guthrie is likely to be harder than selling them on the idea that the best explanation for Benghzi is “shit happens.”

  34. 34.

    Morzer

    @Amir Khalid:

    I believe it’s because getting a blonde effect on Asian hair is rather difficult – and attempts at it tend to leave the recipient with a ginger/brown effect.

    So I have been told, anyway.

  35. 35.

    Morzer

    @burnspbesq:

    I am not so sure about that assessment of Russia. They’ve looked toothless for a while now, ever since Andre Arshavin fizzled out. Plus, they have the offensive “genius” of Fabio Capello in charge.

  37. 37.

    burnspbesq

    Conditions in Manaus at game time are likely to be about the same as conditions in large chunks of the USA in July and August. All of our guys, except the Euros, have played two matches a day in those conditions in youth tournaments. I think it’s advantage USA.

  39. 39.

    Morzer

    @Schlemizel:

    The Korean defense has failed to organize itself remotely adequately. They’ve been caught flat repeatedly, rather than working in pairs one up, one back – and they are apparently unable to head the ball effectively.

  41. 41.

    Ultraviolet Thunder

    @burnspbesq:

    This Land Is Your Land doesn’t lend itself easily to a good brass-band arrangement. And trying to sell the wingnuts on Woody Guthrie is likely to be harder than selling them on the idea that the best explanation for Benghzi is “shit happens.

    Thanks to you I’m now hearing a marching band in my head play This Land Is Your Land. The trombones sound hung over.
    Yeah This Land Is Your Land will never be more than a sentimental favorite thanks to Arlo’s dad’s politics. Shame, it’s a really cool song.

  42. 42.

    mali muso

    @burnspbesq: Or we could use “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” as the anthem and then whenever we play the UK at any sporting match, they’ll only have to play one tune!

    Unrelated side note, one of the things I have enjoyed about being forced to go to Univision for my WC fix (no cable here) is seeing all of the Spanish language commercials of all the usual big name brands. Feels like being in a secret America. I like it!

  43. 43.

    Schlemizel

    @Temporarily Max McGee:

    I would strongly support “America The Beautiful”. Not only is is a song humans can actually sing it is a lovely piece about our great country instead of a busted drinking song about a pointless battle in a war we didn’t do very well in.

  44. 44.

    Amir Khalid

    @burnspbesq:
    The Wingnuts would of course want a national-anthem version to leave out the “relief office”, “private property”, and “freedom highway” verses.

  45. 45.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)

    @burnspbesq: I think the way to go is to sell the wingnuts on “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” (awesome tune) and then switching to the original lyrics.

  47. 47.

    Morzer

    Madame La Chatelaine de Morzer has refused to watch the second half, so we are going to go and buy some on-sale ice-cream (and restock my allergy medicines).

    Amir Khalid, Your Divinity knows our prayer!

    대한민국!

  48. 48.

    Schlemizel

    @burnspbesq:
    While I love “This Land”, particularly the verses usually left out it would never fly – the song and its author were clearly commies who did not put their shoulder to the wheel to keep American’s under the complete control of the Masters Of the Universe. Now that they are so close to reaching their goal they would not want to raise the ugly questions Woody did in that song.

  49. 49.

    dmsilev

    @Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): Hmm. I assume you mean this:

    They will hang Jeff Davis to a sour apple tree! (3X)
    As they march along!
    (Chorus)
    Now, three rousing cheers for the Union; (3X)
    As we are marching on!

    Could work.

  50. 50.

    scav

    Anyone want a futbal breather, but with a high hair- and uniform-based WhatWasThatitude score, there’s always Cricket (seen in passing). “England’s Moeen Ali, centre, celebrates bowling Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Thirimanne for a duck in the second Test.” ! For a duck! I haven’t been so in love since someone told me there once was a position called silly man on. Utterly clueless in loveness stage.

  52. 52.

    Schlemizel

    @Morzer:
    Thanks a lot. I really wondered why it was finally so obvious. On the one goal it was clear 3 defenders collapsed on the ball carrier who then passed to a wide open guy. That sort of D is death in ice hockey and I was wondering why I had not noticed it before.

  54. 54.

    Violet

    @mali muso: There’s a McDonald’s commercial that’s aimed at the Mexican-American community. It’s all in Spanish until the English voiceover at the end. The dad and other adults support Mexico and the son and his friends support USA. Of course they find common ground via McDonald’s. It’s an interesting commercial airing on English language TV.

  55. 55.

    Amir Khalid

    @Morzer:
    It’s too bad that you’ve gone out. I just gave South Korea a little something to keep their spirits up.

  56. 56.

    scav

    @Morzer: Aaaaahhh! It’s like waiting for the very end credits in a film noire! Third Best Boy, Asst Gaffer and Fourth Gangster corpse! Giddiness increases.

  57. 57.

    mali muso

    @Violet: Yeah, I’ve seen that one on rotation both on ESPN (when I’m at work) and on Univision. And on the last break, there was another McD’s spot that showed a young Hispanic guy at his first job at McDonalds, doing the Spanish translating for the drive-thru and his parents (I assume) coming through the window. Or at least that is what it looked like from my vantage in the kitchen.

    Nice save by the Algerian goalie that.

  58. 58.

    burnspbesq

    @mali muso:

    Unrelated side note, one of the things I have enjoyed about being forced to go to Univision for my WC fix (no cable here) is seeing all of the Spanish language commercials of all the usual big name brands. Feels like being in a secret America. I like it!

    Even more interesting is VW’s use of Andres Cantor (the longtime voice of futbol on Univision) in a spot intended for English-speaking media. I always say that Andres and his longtime partner Norberto Longo (may he rest in piece) were my Spanish tutors. For anybody who saw it, their call of the US’ 3-1 win over Argentina at Copa America 1995 was unforgettable.

  60. 60.

    Alex S.

    Very impressive how the Algerian players dance around the Koreans. They exploit their physical advantage perfectly. I guess the longer this tournament goes on, the more important physical strength and stamina become.

  61. 61.

    Amir Khalid

    4-1 to Algeria. There, that should make for an exciting game. But I fear Mrs Morzer will be rather unhappy with me.

  63. 63.

    mali muso

    @burnspbesq:

    I always say that Andres and his longtime partner Norberto Longo (may he rest in piece) were my Spanish tutors.

    I can definitely feel my Spanish improving over the course of the week. Speaking French already helps a bit (lots of shared cognates), but the steady stream of commentary is a bit like immersion.

    Time for yellow cards. One for each side, how fair.

  66. 66.

    Violet

    This is kind of fun: The World Cup of Everything Else. You can click around the left column and see who would win based on various things–most water, lowest murder rate, most Starbucks per capita, etc.

    ht/ Guardian liveblog.

    And Korea gets a goal! Crazy game!

  69. 69.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)

    According to the stats there have been 9 shots on goal. Six of them have gone in. Goalkeeping issues?

  71. 71.

    Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)

    @scav:

    I understand the “football god” bit, but when did he become St. Amir, patron saint of dairies and freezer cases?

  74. 74.

    burnspbesq

    The Algerian number nine is definitely in the running for the Gold Scissors, awarded for the worst hair of the tournament.

  75. 75.

    scav

    @Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again): I don’t think we’ve ever fully explored the limits of his talents. As a comparatively young, or at least recently revealed deity, he might still be developing powers. Also, this being BJ, it wouldn’t be out of line to have a foodstuff and pet/animal companion sideline. I would also imagine a fairly robust and jackal-inspired liturgy.

  78. 78.

    KG

    This Land wouldn’t work because it’s still under copyright protection. Every performance (televised or not) would require royalty payments and that would be a major pain in the ass for all involved

  81. 81.

    pseudonymous in nc

    There’s always one match in the group stage that is “meh” on paper but turns out to be a stormer. This was the one.

    @Violet:

    There’s a McDonald’s commercial that’s aimed at the Mexican-American community. It’s all in Spanish until the English voiceover at the end. The dad and other adults support Mexico and the son and his friends support USA. Of course they find common ground via McDonald’s. It’s an interesting commercial airing on English language TV.

    Telemundo has been expanding into a market that’s explicitly second-generation / code-switching with mun2: its target demographic is young, bilingual, occupies a cross-cultural space, and is very much American.

    The natural “voice” of football in the US is going to be a hybrid: a little bit ESPN jock, a little bit anglophile, a fair bit Hispanic. It’s taken a while to get there, but it’s good to see it forming.

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