World Cup

[germcanbuc]

Let me jump back into this now since youre all talkin bout the US/England game, and I watched it closely knowing thats pretty much the only game anyone here would pay attention to(no offence, but I know you Americans hate your soccer). First, I had the States winning this one. Heres why: Englands not a good team. Theyve got VERY skilled players, BUT they never play as a team. Like any other team sport, it is about THE TEAM. You win as a team, and you lose as a team. While the US may not have the same amount of skill on their side, they play well together, something the Brits dont do. They havent since the 60s when they last won anything of significance. With all that skill, youd think theyd have some better outings(just look at my boys). Secondly, goaltending. I think Howard is very underated(Im a keeper myself). He is the heart and soul of that team(in my opinion). You could just see the fire in his eyes after the goal. He was LIVID. Even 10-15 minutes later, he was still pissed about it. If I were in his shoes, I wouldve been too. His defence melted on that play. No sorry, one of his defencemen(I believe it was his sweeper, not sure though) did. That being said, Im glad they pulled out the tie........Germany/Australia tomorrow.....WERE COMIN....CANT NOBODY TOUCH US......I DONT EVEN CARE THAT BALLACKS OUT

[olafberserker]

Firstly, I've watched and/or listened to some of every game.  Only reason I haven't watched every game is due to other commitments.  So save your stereotypical comments.   Secondly, Howard is an excellent goalie.  He will be pissed many times this tourney though since our defense is inconsistent at best.  Thirdly, since I am of German descent I will be pulling for them as well.  Peace

[germcanbuc]

Firstly, I've watched and/or listened to some of every game.  Only reason I haven't watched every game is due to other commitments.  So save your stereotypical comments.   Secondly, Howard is an excellent goalie.  He will be pissed many times this tourney though since our defense is inconsistent at best.  Thirdly, since I am of German descent I will be pulling for them as well.  Peace

Wasnt tryin to offend you dude(or anyone for that matter), so dont think that was my intent by any means, BUT I do know MOST Americans dislike soccer, and probly wont be paying much attention. You may be the exception to the rule due to your German heritage. My comments were stereotypical, Ill give you that, but is that stereotype wrong? Does most of America pay any kind of attention to soccer, even during World Cup time? Im asking, because living in Canada, I cant be sure, but from what I gather, most people just dont care. Again, sorry if I offended you, didnt mean to do that. On a side note, I knew you were of German descent, your name gives it away.

[ufojoe]

Ahem.... I don't know what you're watching Joe - the US had at least two really good chances right on goal.

And that was it. England dominated 90% of the second half and were constantly in our end of the field.

[oregonbucfan]

Ahem.... I don't know what you're watching Joe - the US had at least two really good chances right on goal.

And that was it. England dominated 90% of the second half and were constantly in our end of the field.

well that happened in the confederation cup as well... US just takes the few opportunities they have.

[ufojoe]

Ahem.... I don't know what you're watching Joe - the US had at least two really good chances right on goal.

And that was it. England dominated 90% of the second half and were constantly in our end of the field.

well that happened in the confederation cup as well... US just takes the few opportunities they have.

US was playing for the tie in the 2nd half. And at this point, that's fine.

[olafberserker]

Howard may have broken ribs:

http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/news/bradley-isnt-sure-if-howard-has-broken-ribs--fbintl_ap-wcup-us-howard.html

[MBF]

Firstly, I've watched and/or listened to some of every game. Only reason I haven't watched every game is due to other commitments. So save your stereotypical comments.

Agreed, in fact the only game I haven't watched was Algeria-Slovenia.

[germcanbuc]

WE ABOUT TO F*#K THESE SOCCEROOS UP!!!!!!WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH.....DEUTSCHLAND!!!!!!!!!!

[cyberdude557]

For those who don't ride on the crest of every Internet-football-hot-topic wave, the unrelenting foghorn-esque noise you have heard at World Cup games is produced by an instrument known as a vuvuzela -- a three-foot-long plastic trumpet traditionally blown throughout games to create an atmosphere. However, by pumping out sound up to 130 decibels -- 10 decibels above the human pain threshold -- they also are associated with causing hearing loss and communication problems on the pitch.

Some 20 years after being introduced to the game in the early 1990s, the instrument came to prominence on the world stage during the 2009 Confederations Cup. TV stations were upset by the "goat being slaughtered" timbre, while players complained that they couldn't hear themselves think over the din. "It doesn't allow you to concentrate and it's unbearable," Spanish player Xabi Alonso said at the time. FIFA head honcho Sepp Blatter, however, pooh-poohed calls to ban the vuvuzela for World Cup 2010, insisting that we should not attempt to "Europeanize" the African tournament.

[Photos: Wild fans celebrating all over South Africa]

As expected, the vuvu has caused quite a kerfuffle at WC 2010 thus far. The drone has been giving TV networks and commentators grief, and FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke has reportedly toyed with the idea of handing out free earplugs in stadiums to avoid the barrage of lawsuits from the newly hard of hearing.

World Cup organizing committee head Danny Jordaan addressed the issue Sunday, and refused to rule out a ban. From the AFP:

"We have asked for no vuvuzelas during national anthems or during stadium announcements. I know it's a difficult question," he added, saying that "we're trying to manage the best we can.

"We heard from the broadcasters and individuals and it's something we are evaluating on an on-going base.

Jordaan told the BBC in an interview that he had to consider the option of banning the trumpets.

"If there are grounds to do so, yes," he said, asked if a ban was an option.

France captain Patrice Evra added fuel to the fire, claiming that the vuvuzela is the reason his side were so awful on Friday night:

"We can't sleep at night because of the vuvuzelas. People start playing them from 6 a.m. We can't hear one another out on the pitch because of them."

The vuvuzela is clearly much more than an irritating novelty; it's a divisive issue that is threatening the health of fans, affecting the quality of performances and ultimately putting people off of tuning in (will you honestly feel enthused to watch Slovakia vs. Paraguay knowing you'll have to endure 90 minutes of the sound of an angry beehive going through a blender?).

Yet at the same time, Blatter is right (for once) when he says we should not impose Western values on South Africa. A ban would rob the tournament of part of its cultural identity, leaving thousands of locals perplexed: could you imagine being told by an international body that you could no longer drink beer at American football games, or fall asleep during baseball? The South Africans wouldn't take too kindly to having a national institution removed.

As a compromise, perhaps the vuvuzela could be adapted so it isn't quite so loud? Or maybe it could be adjusted to produce a nice noise like the sound of John Mayer gargling honey?

http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Vuvuzelas-might-yet-be-banned-from-World-Cup?urn=sow,247947

[Tampa Bay Todd]

At some point the greater good has to take over. If the players and the networks (remember the ones paying for this whole thing?) think these things should be banned, then by all means ban them. Time for South Africa to realize what the rest of us have had to deal with for years -- that those who pay the bills and play the games get the final say.

[Col. Klink]

For those who don't ride on the crest of every Internet-football-hot-topic wave, the unrelenting foghorn-esque noise you have heard at World Cup games is produced by an instrument known as a vuvuzela -- a three-foot-long plastic trumpet traditionally blown throughout games to create an atmosphere. However, by pumping out sound up to 130 decibels -- 10 decibels above the human pain threshold -- they also are associated with causing hearing loss and communication problems on the pitch.

Some 20 years after being introduced to the game in the early 1990s, the instrument came to prominence on the world stage during the 2009 Confederations Cup. TV stations were upset by the "goat being slaughtered" timbre, while players complained that they couldn't hear themselves think over the din. "It doesn't allow you to concentrate and it's unbearable," Spanish player Xabi Alonso said at the time. FIFA head honcho Sepp Blatter, however, pooh-poohed calls to ban the vuvuzela for World Cup 2010, insisting that we should not attempt to "Europeanize" the African tournament.

[Photos: Wild fans celebrating all over South Africa]

As expected, the vuvu has caused quite a kerfuffle at WC 2010 thus far. The drone has been giving TV networks and commentators grief, and FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke has reportedly toyed with the idea of handing out free earplugs in stadiums to avoid the barrage of lawsuits from the newly hard of hearing.

World Cup organizing committee head Danny Jordaan addressed the issue Sunday, and refused to rule out a ban. From the AFP:

"We have asked for no vuvuzelas during national anthems or during stadium announcements. I know it's a difficult question," he added, saying that "we're trying to manage the best we can.

"We heard from the broadcasters and individuals and it's something we are evaluating on an on-going base.

Jordaan told the BBC in an interview that he had to consider the option of banning the trumpets.

"If there are grounds to do so, yes," he said, asked if a ban was an option.

France captain Patrice Evra added fuel to the fire, claiming that the vuvuzela is the reason his side were so awful on Friday night:

"We can't sleep at night because of the vuvuzelas. People start playing them from 6 a.m. We can't hear one another out on the pitch because of them."

The vuvuzela is clearly much more than an irritating novelty; it's a divisive issue that is threatening the health of fans, affecting the quality of performances and ultimately putting people off of tuning in (will you honestly feel enthused to watch Slovakia vs. Paraguay knowing you'll have to endure 90 minutes of the sound of an angry beehive going through a blender?).

Yet at the same time, Blatter is right (for once) when he says we should not impose Western values on South Africa. A ban would rob the tournament of part of its cultural identity, leaving thousands of locals perplexed: could you imagine being told by an international body that you could no longer drink beer at American football games, or fall asleep during baseball? The South Africans wouldn't take too kindly to having a national institution removed.

As a compromise, perhaps the vuvuzela could be adapted so it isn't quite so loud? Or maybe it could be adjusted to produce a nice noise like the sound of John Mayer gargling honey?

http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Vuvuzelas-might-yet-be-banned-from-World-Cup?urn=sow,247947

If they can figure out some way to lower the volume of the things, fine, but banning them is ridiculous. Technology should be able to filter out the noise for television and as far as the players go, quit whining .... effing primadonnas.

[FortMyersDave]

For those who don't ride on the crest of every Internet-football-hot-topic wave, the unrelenting foghorn-esque noise you have heard at World Cup games is produced by an instrument known as a vuvuzela -- a three-foot-long plastic trumpet traditionally blown throughout games to create an atmosphere. However, by pumping out sound up to 130 decibels -- 10 decibels above the human pain threshold -- they also are associated with causing hearing loss and communication problems on the pitch.

Some 20 years after being introduced to the game in the early 1990s, the instrument came to prominence on the world stage during the 2009 Confederations Cup. TV stations were upset by the "goat being slaughtered" timbre, while players complained that they couldn't hear themselves think over the din. "It doesn't allow you to concentrate and it's unbearable," Spanish player Xabi Alonso said at the time. FIFA head honcho Sepp Blatter, however, pooh-poohed calls to ban the vuvuzela for World Cup 2010, insisting that we should not attempt to "Europeanize" the African tournament.

[Photos: Wild fans celebrating all over South Africa]

As expected, the vuvu has caused quite a kerfuffle at WC 2010 thus far. The drone has been giving TV networks and commentators grief, and FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke has reportedly toyed with the idea of handing out free earplugs in stadiums to avoid the barrage of lawsuits from the newly hard of hearing.

World Cup organizing committee head Danny Jordaan addressed the issue Sunday, and refused to rule out a ban. From the AFP:

"We have asked for no vuvuzelas during national anthems or during stadium announcements. I know it's a difficult question," he added, saying that "we're trying to manage the best we can.

"We heard from the broadcasters and individuals and it's something we are evaluating on an on-going base.

Jordaan told the BBC in an interview that he had to consider the option of banning the trumpets.

"If there are grounds to do so, yes," he said, asked if a ban was an option.

France captain Patrice Evra added fuel to the fire, claiming that the vuvuzela is the reason his side were so awful on Friday night:

"We can't sleep at night because of the vuvuzelas. People start playing them from 6 a.m. We can't hear one another out on the pitch because of them."

The vuvuzela is clearly much more than an irritating novelty; it's a divisive issue that is threatening the health of fans, affecting the quality of performances and ultimately putting people off of tuning in (will you honestly feel enthused to watch Slovakia vs. Paraguay knowing you'll have to endure 90 minutes of the sound of an angry beehive going through a blender?).

Yet at the same time, Blatter is right (for once) when he says we should not impose Western values on South Africa. A ban would rob the tournament of part of its cultural identity, leaving thousands of locals perplexed: could you imagine being told by an international body that you could no longer drink beer at American football games, or fall asleep during baseball? The South Africans wouldn't take too kindly to having a national institution removed.

As a compromise, perhaps the vuvuzela could be adapted so it isn't quite so loud? Or maybe it could be adjusted to produce a nice noise like the sound of John Mayer gargling honey?

http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Vuvuzelas-might-yet-be-banned-from-World-Cup?urn=sow,247947

If they can figure out some way to lower the volume of the things, fine, but banning them is ridiculous. Technology should be able to filter out the noise for television and as far as the players go, quit whining .... effing primadonnas.

USA dealt with them last year in the Confederation Cup where they Spain and almost beat Brazil.  They seem to be used to them.  Its just part of the local ambiance IMHO, when in Rome (or Durbin, Capetown, etc. Plus the French really hate the noise, makes it a plus for Anglo-speaking nations and fans who hate La Francais!