FIFA World Cup 2014 (Brazil) SPOILERS: Read at own risk

[Nebu]

This is setting up for a massive disaster for the USA.

Did anyone here expect the US to make the round of 16 prior to the start of the World Cup?  I know I didn't. 

[Ingmar]

Even if they lose there are multiple scenarios where they advance, the easiest being 'Portugal and Ghana draw', but also if Portugal beats Ghana (nice own goal, Ghana) and the goal differential doesn't swing by *5*.

Right now it's very likely that they advance even if they lose.

[Paelos]

Ghana puts in another goal and that all changes fast.

[Ingmar]

A one goal loss for the US and a one goal win for Ghana still puts us through, because of head to head.

EDIT: Yeah, and as Nebu says, even if they don't advance, it can hardly be called a disaster. When the groups were originally posted I doubt 10% of people would have predicted that the US would advance. They've already outperformed expectations.

[Paelos]

A one goal loss for the US and a one goal win for Ghana still puts us through, because of head to head.

EDIT: Yeah, and as Nebu says, even if they don't advance, it can hardly be called a disaster. When the groups were originally posted I doubt 10% of people would have predicted that the US would advance. They've already outperformed expectations.

No, I don't think it does. Because of total goals.

http://screamer.deadspin.com/what-has-to-happen-for-the-usmnt-to-advance-1594615051/1596488489/+reubenfb

[Ingmar]

Ah, yeah, apparently the article I was using to double check only factored a 1-0 win for Ghana, not a 2-1 one.

[Paelos]

Good news, Portugal just buried a goal.

[Speedy Cerviche]

A one goal loss for the US and a one goal win for Ghana still puts us through, because of head to head.

EDIT: Yeah, and as Nebu says, even if they don't advance, it can hardly be called a disaster. When the groups were originally posted I doubt 10% of people would have predicted that the US would advance. They've already outperformed expectations.

Sorry guy but any way you cut it, it's pretty bad when you blow your ticket to round 2 in minute 94 of 95. They gotta make up for that now.

[01101010]

Is it me, or does the USA just run out of gas ~75min?

[Nebu]

Is it me, or does the USA just run out of gas ~75min?

Gas?  No.  Focus?  Yes.

[Paelos]

SNUCK IN THE BACK DOOR! USA USA USA!

[Rasix]

I'll take it.

[Amarr HM]

Is it me, or does the USA just run out of gas ~75min?

Spent most of those minutes chasing the ball, the old football idiom comes to mind 'let the ball do the work'.

[Jeff Kelly]

I just had the misfortune to watch Keith Olbermann's video comment about the US v. Ger game 'if a tie is a win, we all lose'.

Heavily retweeted and shared already because 'MURICA apparently. Probably the douchiest comment about the world cup and soccer. I've seen this year. Just, wow.

[Ingmar]

People who don't like ties are douchebags? Uh, ok.

Here's the actual douchiest thing written about soccer thus far this year, by the way:

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/opinion/columnists/2014/06/25/coulter-growing-interest-soccer-sign-nations-moral-decay/11372137/

[Paelos]

The only thing I took from that game is we played like shit and still advanced. Gotta up the game if they want to win in the elimination rounds.

[Chimpy]

I will take the result we got, though the way the US played was pretty meh. I am a little miffed that we need to thank Ronaldo for helping us through though.

[Jeff Kelly]

People who don't like ties are douchebags? Uh, ok.

Go on and watch what he said then get back to me. It wasn't  'I don't like ties'.

[01101010]

The USA squeaked by Ghana but they won it on a set piece so I give them credit. They fucked up against Portugal and lost to Germany. They'll go out first game, 3-0 to Belgium.

[Ingmar]

People who don't like ties are douchebags? Uh, ok.

Go on and watch what he said then get back to me. It wasn't  'I don't like ties'.

I just watched it. Which part was I supposed to be offended by? Soccer has an incredibly hard time getting traction here, and the ties are part of it. I don't mind them personally but I get where the people who hate them are coming from and it's certainly the majority opinion for US sports fans, or at least English-speaking US sports fans.

[Trippy]

SNUCK IN THE BACK DOOR! USA USA USA!

We're in the easier bracket now so it was better not to win

[Numtini]

Getting out of that group was amazing whether we did it backwards, sideways, or on a stretcher. Tough draw in general with the extra plus of Ghana, our personal tormentor demon. I thought we'd be eliminated in two matches.

[Paelos]

Getting out was an over-achievement for this group, but I believe we've done that before. To progress as a "soccer nation" we have to start winning some elimination games, and they don't get much easier than Belgium.

[01101010]

Yeah well, Belgium is no joke. They 'should' beat SK pretty easily which means they ran their group..which was not the greatest, I'll admit. But still, Belgium was the sleeper on quite a few boards at my job.

[Teleku]

People who don't like ties are douchebags? Uh, ok.

Go on and watch what he said then get back to me. It wasn't  'I don't like ties'.

I just watched it. Which part was I supposed to be offended by? Soccer has an incredibly hard time getting traction here, and the ties are part of it. I don't mind them personally but I get where the people who hate them are coming from and it's certainly the majority opinion for US sports fans, or at least English-speaking US sports fans.

I always felt if people were so proud/defensive of ties being integral to soccer, they should take it to the logical conclusion.  No exceptions at all.  Allow ties even in the world cup final.  Bask in the glory of 0-0 beautiful game championships!   

[cironian]

I always felt if people were so proud/defensive of ties being integral to soccer, they should take it to the logical conclusion.  No exceptions at all.  Allow ties even in the world cup final.  Bask in the glory of 0-0 beautiful game championships!   

Here's where the terrible beauty of penalties comes in. They are such a soul destroying thing to go through that even the objectively worse team will prefer to risk everything at a shot of deciding the game before it comes to that.

Fun (disclaimer: fun may mean incorrect) fact: In the good olde days, 5 players from each team were executed on the spot when the referee king got too damn bored with the game, but they toned it down a bit in recent years.

[Merusk]

People who don't like ties are douchebags? Uh, ok.

Go on and watch what he said then get back to me. It wasn't  'I don't like ties'.

I just watched it. Which part was I supposed to be offended by? Soccer has an incredibly hard time getting traction here, and the ties are part of it. I don't mind them personally but I get where the people who hate them are coming from and it's certainly the majority opinion for US sports fans, or at least English-speaking US sports fans.

Add on to ties the uncertainty of the game clock as a reason it remains less sticky. Soccer fans love it, Americans prefer more than a single ref knows when the game is actually going to end.

Soccer should be at least as big as Hockey in the US. Bigger given you don't have to live in a northern climate or be rich enough to afford an indoor rink to play. Yet it's not.

[Ingmar]

Yeah the clock is the one thing that drives up the fucking wall.

[Abagadro]

Now Algeria can get revenge for the collusion game!  Also, not sure I've seen a bench player booked before.

[tazelbain]

How big is this ban to the World Cup?

[Ingmar]

Suarez? Pretty big. Nobody loses a guy that good without missing a step.

[Chimpy]

The clock doesn't bother me because, like Rugby, you know within 5-10 minutes EXACTLY how long in real time watching a game will take. A football game in the U.S. has 60 minutes of playtime and takes around 3 hours to complete. Soccer has 90 minutes (plus injury time) and it takes right about 2 hours start to finish. The running clock is awesome because the game doesn't stop to try and sell you some shitty beer you don't want anyway every 2 minutes.

Also, when MLS started they tried reversing the clock and counting down but it confused people more so they switched it pretty quickly to the international standard.

The big problem with soccer becoming a huge sport in this country compared to others is that we are a country with ADD and can't focus on something on the television (where most people see sports) for more than 5 or so minutes before expecting an interruption for a commercial. Well, that and American Exceptionalism makes everyone think that if it is not a sport that is played primarily in the U.S. with comparison to the rest of the world and the absolute best league is based here it is pooh poohed as some kind of "wimpy sport". More children actively participate in soccer in the US than in any other country, the problem is that once they reach puberty there is very little chance for organized play in most parts of the country. Little towns with 2000 people have teams participating in youth soccer leagues but only the richest/biggest schools in suburbia tend to have the sport available at the high school level.

[Ingmar]

YMMV, but I like having the opportunity to get up and use the restroom, etc., without potentially missing the one big event that might happen in the whole game.

[Fordel]

If only there was a break halfway through the game. 


They always tell you exactly how much extra time each half is going to have, the clock is far from a mystery.

[Merusk]

Thanks for proving my point, soccer fans.

Remain in wonder as the game fades to the background for another four years.

Also:

 If only there were a method of sending information from the game clock controlled by the ref through the aether to some mysterious device that could display it for all. No negative count or plus time required.

If only such methods existed on this frail mortal coil.