Just a tip for those who are interested in the economic impact of World Cup on South Africa, there’s a documentary on Netflix Instant that looks into some of the deals relating to the stadiums, etc. It’s called: World Cup Soccer in South Africa: Who Really Wins?. Hint: It’s about what you’d expect when big money players are involved.
Green is my fav. color – always. Watched the Netherlands v. Japan game on epsn3 replay yesterday. Those Danes can pass.
2.
calling all toasters
Every World Cup fan roots for three teams: their own, Brazil, and whoever is playing Italy.
3.
Comrade Javamanphil
Go All Whites!
4.
Violet
All Whites all the way!
5.
stormhit
Haters gonna hate.
6.
Comrade Javamanphil
Apparently it’s Oscar season at the World Cup and the Italians are interested in getting some nominations.
“A negro cannot be Italian” is the chant that explains the vitriol. The target of the abuse is 19-year-old Mario Balotelli, a footballer with Italian champions Inter Milan and a rising star of Italy’s Under-21 national team.
In England, Germany or France, Balotelli would be making headlines in the sports pages as one of the most exciting young prospects in the national sport. In Italy, his treatment at the hands of a minority of hostile football fans is turning him into a symbol of the country’s seeming inability to embrace a multi-ethnic identity. Last Monday, Juventus were fined for anti-Balotelli chanting at a match for the second time this season.
Jealousy would be one thing, but in Italy’s case it’s a matter of peeling back one perfectly legitimate reason to detest them, and finding yet another.
11.
sbjules
Kiwis, Kiwis, Kiwis! Tony Lochhead of NZ played for my college alma mater (UCSB).
Everybody talks about Balotelli’s bad attitude, but it’s pretty clear why he has one. Balotelli’s talent is undeniable, and Lippi is an idiot for taking his geriatric squad over young talent.
If you’re going to over-generalize the attitudes of most in a country by the disgusting behavior of a minority of vocal assholes, I wouldn’t suggest ever visiting redstate or the like.
I haven’t even checked but I bet I can go over there right now and read screed after screed in the comments about the brown menace invading.
27.
cmorenc
The Italians always act like they just got blasted by a shotgun in the face or a baseball bat to the knees and ankles. Yeah the Z player had a bit of shirt, but without leverage (technically this is a foul) but well after the Z player let go, the Italian player went down like he was yanked down by a 50,000 KG test strenth rope.
I’d love to see Z beat the Italians, but it would take a miracle for that to happen now that the score’s tied by the PK.
28.
Face
@QDC: The ESPN announcers said that the Italians are trained to go down the instance they feel someone pulling their shirt.
If you’re going to over-generalize the attitudes of most in a country by the disgusting behavior of a minority of vocal assholes, I wouldn’t suggest ever visiting redstate or the like.
Idiots blathering on redstate is not the same thing as a bunch of people openly chanting racists chants in packed stadiums for the country’s most popular sport. According to the Guardian article, it’s been questioned in the Italian parliament. The team has been fined. That’s a bigger deal than what a bunch of morans type on teh interwebs.
I know it doesn’t reflect what everyone it Italy thinks. It never does. But it sounds like it’s a live issue in Italy.
30.
Montanareddog
Why Italian football is not popular is because of its traditionally negative and cynical approach. It is not haters hating.
The French team’s meltdown is both entertaining and sad.
Just watching de Rossi’s free kick, a lot has been said about the new ball, but this is the first tournament where one is not seeing any free kicks from shooting range troubling the goalkeepers in any way. And few long range shots too. Craig Johnston was an Australian forward who played for Liverpool in the ’80s and invented a new type of football boot and is therefore good on the technology side. I saw him on the BBC last night saying that the Jabulani has only 8 panels (instead of the 32 of a traditional ball) which means it is too spherical, too smooth a surface, and thus the players cannot work the ball in the same way. It seems to me that the players can swerve the ball one way or another, but not to the same degree, and that it does not seem to dip at all. At free kicks in shooting range, it is either hitting the wall or going straight over every time.
31.
4jkb4ia
Basta per indebolimento di cuore?? I am trying to say “heart failure”.
32.
4jkb4ia
Gaetano da Stefano(Gazzetta dello Sport): “New Zealand defends itself with its teeth.”
33.
calling all toasters
South Africa would have been the perfect venue to shame the various racist soccer fans in Europe with a display of tolerance and decency. Too bad they have to blow on their deafening fart trumpets constantly.
From The Guardian MBM: “Italians are playing as if the game was taking place on the deck of an aircraft carrier on a stormy sea: falling all over the place in other words.”
42.
burnspbesq
Bob Ley on ESPN teasing about a report on “a total meltdown in the French camp.” There’s more than just the Anelka thing?
43.
Violet
@Suicidal Zebra:
I’d never seen that before. Hilarious. And seemingly pretty accurate.
From the sounds of things the French squad feel that Federation sent Anelka home without cause, and are objecting to it by not training today. So drahma, but not as big a deal as some may be suggesting.
Interesting report on ESPN about the French team being in shambles. Best part? When French journalist Erik Bielderman phoned in to report that Nicolas Anelka said “go to fuck yourself, you son of a bitch” to French coach Domenech.
The BBC had a post on their blog that just tickled me to death — the mighty Azzuri ships a goal to New Zealand, and its mighty “….former Halifax Town and AFC Wimbledon striker Shane Smeltz.”
Italy gets those calls because it is Italy, we don’t because we are the USA. It’s quite simple.
53.
r€nato
SCHIFO!!!
Italian players doing post-game interviews, saying, “no problem; we’ll beat Slovakia and advance.” Not the way you played today…
Lippi’s choices for the squad being questioned.
54.
Dr. Squid
I keep wanting to refer to the France coach as Ben Domenech. Is that wrong?
55.
r€nato
Serie A is notorious for the gross exaggeration players carry out every time the slightest contact is made.
Commentators asking why the hell Gattuso and Quagliarella have not played yet. I’d like to know as well.
56.
r€nato
@Violet: It most certainly is a live issue in Italy, and I am certain that Balotelli’s bad attitude stems in no small part from the racism here.
Make no mistake about it; Italians talk a good game publicly, but they really are not comfortable with the increasingly multicultural look of their country. They don’t like the Romanians (gypsies), they REALLY don’t like the Asians (they make Italians look like the slackers that they often are), they don’t like the Senegalese, they don’t like the Peruvians… hell, they can barely stand their fellow Italian from the town 30km away.
I always get confused by Nicolas Anelka. Because I’m a racist, my instant reaction to his name is “the former Arsenal guy with the heart problem?” Then I realize the former Arsenal guy with the heart problem is Nwankano Kanu. Nicolas Anelka has no heart. Still, I think before we jump to any conclusions about Nicolas Anelka, we should investigate whether Raymond Domenech is, in fact, a son of a whore.
59.
Leinad
@Davis X. Machina: As an A-League watcher I’m amazed that Smeltz didn’t make at least 2nd Div. in England – guy is a natural finisher, strong in the air and has the poacher’s instinct for positioning.
60.
burnspbesq
Does anyone else wonder what odds you could have gotten from an English bookie before the tournament started on the proposition that after two matches, England and New Zealand would have the same number of points?
arguingwithsignposts
Just a tip for those who are interested in the economic impact of World Cup on South Africa, there’s a documentary on Netflix Instant that looks into some of the deals relating to the stadiums, etc. It’s called: World Cup Soccer in South Africa: Who Really Wins?. Hint: It’s about what you’d expect when big money players are involved.
Green is my fav. color – always. Watched the Netherlands v. Japan game on epsn3 replay yesterday. Those Danes can pass.
calling all toasters
Every World Cup fan roots for three teams: their own, Brazil, and whoever is playing Italy.
Comrade Javamanphil
Go All Whites!
Violet
All Whites all the way!
stormhit
Haters gonna hate.
Comrade Javamanphil
Apparently it’s Oscar season at the World Cup and the Italians are interested in getting some nominations.
zzyzx
Wow that was sudden… could have called a PK for hand ball too…
Leinad
Toldyas so.
Smeltz hat-trick on the cards here ;-)
El Cid
Como dice Univision, GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!
lol chikinburd
Haters gotta hate, indeed.
Jealousy would be one thing, but in Italy’s case it’s a matter of peeling back one perfectly legitimate reason to detest them, and finding yet another.
sbjules
Kiwis, Kiwis, Kiwis! Tony Lochhead of NZ played for my college alma mater (UCSB).
Svensker
@lol chikinburd:
Seriously? Wow.
lol chikinburd
Smeltz, you magnificent bastard.
El Cid
He who Smeltz it dealt it?
wengler
@lol chikinburd
Everybody talks about Balotelli’s bad attitude, but it’s pretty clear why he has one. Balotelli’s talent is undeniable, and Lippi is an idiot for taking his geriatric squad over young talent.
Italy can be happy being racist losers.
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
Racism in football
wengler
The Kiwis are going to be smacking around this Italian squad all day. Which will be awesome if they can avoid being sent off.
Violet
@lol chikinburd:
Wow, that’s awful. That says a lot about the Italians. None of it good.
Violet
The Italians are attempting to win Oscars for these performances. WATB.
wengler
De Rossi sniped.
The Italian strength on acting is coming through for a PK.
El Cid
goooooooooooooooooooool
wengler
If that jersey grab counts for a PK, then the US should have had about 5 PKs just on that one play.
IM
They both have to win, is this right?
wengler
@IM
No. If they draw the table is 4-2-2-1 going into the final game.
QDC
ESPN announcers no openly (and deservedly) mocking Italian acting.
stormhit
@Violet:
If you’re going to over-generalize the attitudes of most in a country by the disgusting behavior of a minority of vocal assholes, I wouldn’t suggest ever visiting redstate or the like.
I haven’t even checked but I bet I can go over there right now and read screed after screed in the comments about the brown menace invading.
cmorenc
The Italians always act like they just got blasted by a shotgun in the face or a baseball bat to the knees and ankles. Yeah the Z player had a bit of shirt, but without leverage (technically this is a foul) but well after the Z player let go, the Italian player went down like he was yanked down by a 50,000 KG test strenth rope.
I’d love to see Z beat the Italians, but it would take a miracle for that to happen now that the score’s tied by the PK.
Face
@QDC: The ESPN announcers said that the Italians are trained to go down the instance they feel someone pulling their shirt.
Fucking actors. Ridiculous.
Violet
@stormhit:
Idiots blathering on redstate is not the same thing as a bunch of people openly chanting racists chants in packed stadiums for the country’s most popular sport. According to the Guardian article, it’s been questioned in the Italian parliament. The team has been fined. That’s a bigger deal than what a bunch of morans type on teh interwebs.
I know it doesn’t reflect what everyone it Italy thinks. It never does. But it sounds like it’s a live issue in Italy.
Montanareddog
Why Italian football is not popular is because of its traditionally negative and cynical approach. It is not haters hating.
The French team’s meltdown is both entertaining and sad.
Just watching de Rossi’s free kick, a lot has been said about the new ball, but this is the first tournament where one is not seeing any free kicks from shooting range troubling the goalkeepers in any way. And few long range shots too. Craig Johnston was an Australian forward who played for Liverpool in the ’80s and invented a new type of football boot and is therefore good on the technology side. I saw him on the BBC last night saying that the Jabulani has only 8 panels (instead of the 32 of a traditional ball) which means it is too spherical, too smooth a surface, and thus the players cannot work the ball in the same way. It seems to me that the players can swerve the ball one way or another, but not to the same degree, and that it does not seem to dip at all. At free kicks in shooting range, it is either hitting the wall or going straight over every time.
4jkb4ia
Basta per indebolimento di cuore?? I am trying to say “heart failure”.
4jkb4ia
Gaetano da Stefano(Gazzetta dello Sport): “New Zealand defends itself with its teeth.”
calling all toasters
South Africa would have been the perfect venue to shame the various racist soccer fans in Europe with a display of tolerance and decency. Too bad they have to blow on their deafening fart trumpets constantly.
Leeds man
@calling all toasters:
Generally, the only time I root for Brazil is when they play Argentina. But I’ll make an exception when they play Portugal Friday.
Definitely cheering for Ivory Coast this aft.
J.W. Hamner
WOW
Don’t think I can say that strongly enough.
sbjules
Gaucho heart by the all whites!!!
Violet
Thrilled for New Zealand! Amazing result! Go All Whites!
Nethead Jay
Wow, New Zealand really did it…
4jkb4ia
Here is some entertaining commentary from the New Zealand Herald.
Suicidal Zebra
Just in case you’ve never seen it:
Italian Soccer Training
mcd410x
From The Guardian MBM: “Italians are playing as if the game was taking place on the deck of an aircraft carrier on a stormy sea: falling all over the place in other words.”
burnspbesq
Bob Ley on ESPN teasing about a report on “a total meltdown in the French camp.” There’s more than just the Anelka thing?
Violet
@Suicidal Zebra:
I’d never seen that before. Hilarious. And seemingly pretty accurate.
Svensker
Yay NZ!
Suicidal Zebra
@burnspbesq:
From the sounds of things the French squad feel that Federation sent Anelka home without cause, and are objecting to it by not training today. So drahma, but not as big a deal as some may be suggesting.
Mark S.
@burnspbesq:
They are refusing to practice. They’ll be home soon enough, hopefully joined by Italy and England.
DanF
That was CRAZY!!
MikeJ
Before the French had even qualified there were scenes of 60,000 people booing him and demanding he be fired. It’s stunning that the FA kept him.
You Don't Say
@Leeds man: Go Ivory Coast!
JenJen
Interesting report on ESPN about the French team being in shambles. Best part? When French journalist Erik Bielderman phoned in to report that Nicolas Anelka said “go to fuck yourself, you son of a bitch” to French coach Domenech.
Hilarious!
Davis X. Machina
I hope all you so-called progressives feel guilty for not following the real news.
The BBC had a post on their blog that just tickled me to death — the mighty Azzuri ships a goal to New Zealand, and its mighty “….former Halifax Town and AFC Wimbledon striker Shane Smeltz.”
That’s ‘former Halifax Town and AFC Wimbledon….’
burnspbesq
@wengler:
Italy gets those calls because it is Italy, we don’t because we are the USA. It’s quite simple.
r€nato
SCHIFO!!!
Italian players doing post-game interviews, saying, “no problem; we’ll beat Slovakia and advance.” Not the way you played today…
Lippi’s choices for the squad being questioned.
Dr. Squid
I keep wanting to refer to the France coach as Ben Domenech. Is that wrong?
r€nato
Serie A is notorious for the gross exaggeration players carry out every time the slightest contact is made.
Commentators asking why the hell Gattuso and Quagliarella have not played yet. I’d like to know as well.
r€nato
@Violet: It most certainly is a live issue in Italy, and I am certain that Balotelli’s bad attitude stems in no small part from the racism here.
Make no mistake about it; Italians talk a good game publicly, but they really are not comfortable with the increasingly multicultural look of their country. They don’t like the Romanians (gypsies), they REALLY don’t like the Asians (they make Italians look like the slackers that they often are), they don’t like the Senegalese, they don’t like the Peruvians… hell, they can barely stand their fellow Italian from the town 30km away.
Joel
Go New Zealand!
PanAmerican
Dan Loney on the French dust up:
Leinad
@Davis X. Machina: As an A-League watcher I’m amazed that Smeltz didn’t make at least 2nd Div. in England – guy is a natural finisher, strong in the air and has the poacher’s instinct for positioning.
burnspbesq
Does anyone else wonder what odds you could have gotten from an English bookie before the tournament started on the proposition that after two matches, England and New Zealand would have the same number of points?
Royston Vasey
This is New Zealand’s greatest ever result at soccer.
Holding the reigning World Cup holders to a 1-all draw?
Result!
2 games, 2 goals, 2 points – Better than England! Lolz!
Oh, and the All Blacks beat Wales in Dunedin (bye bye Carisbrook) on Saturday after kicking Irish butt the week before in New Plymouth.
Go the Kiwis!
Go the All Whites!
Go NEW ZEALAND!
RV in NZ
Proud
Royston Vasey
This is New Zealand’s greatest ever result at soccer.
Holding the reigning World Cup holders to a 1-all draw?
Result!
2 games, 2 goals, 2 points – Better than England! Lolz!
Oh, and the All Blacks beat Wales in Dunedin (bye bye Carisbrook) on Saturday after kicking Irish butt the week before in New Plymouth.
Go the Kiwis!
Go the All Whites!
Go NEW ZEALAND!
RV in NZ