prateek Posted July 4, 2010 Who are your guys' picks for the semifinal? I'm pretty sure the Netherlands will win, but I'm not sure about Germany/Spain. For the semis, I want Netherlands and Spain. Netherlands are expected to go through easily, but Spain have it hard for the first time this tournament. We'll just see how it pans out for them on Wednesday. The funny thing is I predicted a Netherlands vs Spain final even before the tournament and no one believed me on the part of the Netherlands. Also, I picked Italy to win the 2006 World Cup and Spain to win Euro 2008. Let's see if my streak extends to 3 tournaments with my pick of Netherlands. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brickdoctor Posted July 4, 2010 Yesterday all my theories about the 2010 World Cup came down. Hard. But I guess that's the beauty of football. I'll risk a guess, though (no more logic, only guesses from now on): Uruguay beats the Netherlands and moves ahead to the finals. Deutschland beats Argentina. Paraguay beats Spain (I ALWAYS support Paraguay!) and then beats Deutschland and wins the 2010 World Cup over Uruguay. I'm with you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrickClick Posted July 4, 2010 (edited) Deutschland beats Argentina. Paraguay beats Spain. No it can't be you just HAVE to be wrong about this... ARGENTINA FTW! Edited July 4, 2010 by BrickClick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erdbeereis Posted July 4, 2010 No it can't be you just HAVE to be wrong about this... ARGENTINA FTW! Ummm... That game is already done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KimT Posted July 4, 2010 What's the big problem? He committed a foul, got justly penalized for it with a red card and Ghana was given a chance to score a goal - but they failed to. I'm not seeing why he is being cast in such a poor light, if this happened in the 50th minute instead of when it did no one would have though anything about it; or if he had slide tackled someone in the box instead of what he did again no one would have thought twice about it. I agree. I think it's terrible luck for Ghana, but it's not like Suarez got away without penalty. I'm sure a lot of other players would have done the exact same thing. The big deal is that he did it. Doing something like that to undo a goal that would have given Ghana the victory is not only bad sportsmanship, it's plain cheating. Being penalized doesn't make it right - at least not where I live Afterwards he started the "God directed my arm"-aplogies which is just pathetic. Uruguay is where they shouldn't be - Ghana won, but got cheated out of victory. I hope Suarez gets boo'ed when he returns to Uruguay. Netherlands and Germany for the final Spain hasn't really played all that well this time, but they do deserve to get the Bronze (instead of them cheating Uruguaians ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrickClick Posted July 4, 2010 Ummm... That game is already done. Aww man haven't had the time to watch all the matches lately. I can't believe I missed it... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brickdoctor Posted July 4, 2010 The big deal is that he did it. Doing something like that to undo a goal that would have given Ghana the victory is not only bad sportsmanship, it's plain cheating. Being penalized doesn't make it right - at least not where I live Afterwards he started the "God directed my arm"-aplogies which is just pathetic. Uruguay is where they shouldn't be - Ghana won, but got cheated out of victory. I hope Suarez gets boo'ed when he returns to Uruguay. Netherlands and Germany for the final Spain hasn't really played all that well this time, but they do deserve to get the Bronze (instead of them cheating Uruguaians ) I think it's more like the 'Intentional Foul' strategy in Basketball; if he doesn't do it, Uruguay loses, if he does it and gets penalized, he still gives his team a chance to live. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Artanis I Posted July 5, 2010 I think it's more like the 'Intentional Foul' strategy in Basketball; if he doesn't do it, Uruguay loses, if he does it and gets penalized, he still gives his team a chance to live. Don't compare American sport to rest-of-the-world sport, everyone knows American sports are wrong in every way... (Oooh time out! Time out! Pause the game!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prateek Posted July 5, 2010 (edited) Don't compare American sport to rest-of-the-world sport, everyone knows American sports are wrong in every way... (Oooh time out! Time out! Pause the game!) Hold up... I don't think it's wise to bring this conversation into this thread... BUT, Brickdoctor's analogy is correct, even though intentional fouls aren't as bad as Suarez's antics. Edited July 5, 2010 by prateek Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Artanis I Posted July 5, 2010 Hold up... I don't think it's wise to bring this conversation into this thread... BUT, Brickdoctor's analogy is correct, even though intentional fouls aren't as bad as Suarez's antics. Was that a "time out"? Haha.Come on guys, just play the game. Kick the ball. Try to get it in the goal. No push/pulling, no hacking, no hand-ball, no acting, no complaining, no faking injury. Play fair and everyone will think well of you even if you are outplayed. You'll be remembered better if you win by being really awesome rather than by being sneaky. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brickdoctor Posted July 5, 2010 Hold up... I don't think it's wise to bring this conversation into this thread... BUT, Brickdoctor's analogy is correct, even though intentional fouls aren't as bad as Suarez's antics. TIME OUT! We've only got 2.83724583248732846237463746782346372467 seconds left in the game, and we're down by 13 points. First we'll bump into this guy and make it look like we got fouled. Then we drive down the court and score- TIME OUT! Then we bump and lie on the ground writhing in pain. Shoot 'free' throws, repeat- TIME OUT! That was unnecessary roughness! Was that a "time out"? Haha. Come on guys, just play the game. Kick the ball. Try to get it in the goal. No push/pulling, no hacking, no hand-ball, no acting, no complaining, no faking injury. Play fair and everyone will think well of you even if you are outplayed. You'll be remembered better if you win by being really awesome rather than by being sneaky. Exactly. I only saw a bit of it, but I think the Argentina-Germany game was as good as it gets. They didn't pretend to be hurt; they just got up and played the game. They accepted their mistakes and didn't blame the ref. (or at least as far as I saw in the last 15 minutes ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zorbas Posted July 5, 2010 I only saw a bit of it, but I think the Argentina-Germany game was as good as it gets. They didn't pretend to be hurt; they just got up and played the game. Mertesacker. The ball hit his face with great force and speed and all he did was to go to defend his team for the corner kick Argentina gained. Just like that. Simply, like nothing had happened. Not falling down to gain more (valuable) time, no complaining, no nothing. Just a high-five with the keeper and back on the work. I smiled when I saw that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erdbeereis Posted July 5, 2010 Mertesacker. The ball hit his face with great force and speed and all he did was to go to defend his team for the corner kick Argentina gained. Just like that. Simply, like nothing had happened. Not falling down to gain more (valuable) time, no complaining, no nothing. Just a high-five with the keeper and back on the work. I smiled when I saw that. That looked pretty darn painful. I wouldn't have wanted to be in his place. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zorbas Posted July 5, 2010 (edited) That looked pretty darn painful. I wouldn't have wanted to be in his place. Neither do I to be honest. It's just that these kind of reactions are not common in today's football universe. (Again, taking into consideration the importance and the score at that time point.) It's one of those moments that will stay in my mind as a memory from this WC for sure. EDIT: Too bad that the majority of videos that float on the net are just focusing on the hit. It would have been a valuable lesson for all the over-hyped stars out there. Edited July 5, 2010 by Zorbas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brickdoctor Posted July 5, 2010 That looked pretty darn painful. I wouldn't have wanted to be in his place. That's the point. He had to be in pain, but he got up, 'shook it off', and kept playing to help his team. He didn't writhe in pain and he didn't blame the guy who hit the ball into his face. No sane man could want to be in his place, but he didn't try to make other players have pity on him and didn't try to affect the ref. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prateek Posted July 5, 2010 That looked pretty darn painful. I wouldn't have wanted to be in his place. I get a couple of those to the face a year. It hurts like a female canine, but you're fine after a couple of minutes. You get so dazed that you don't have the sense of dropping to the ground and embellishing it as an injury. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
posades Posted July 5, 2010 The big deal is that he did it. Doing something like that to undo a goal that would have given Ghana the victory is not only bad sportsmanship, it's plain cheating. Being penalized doesn't make it right - at least not where I live Afterwards he started the "God directed my arm"-aplogies which is just pathetic. Uruguay is where they shouldn't be - Ghana won, but got cheated out of victory. I hope Suarez gets boo'ed when he returns to Uruguay. Netherlands and Germany for the final Spain hasn't really played all that well this time, but they do deserve to get the Bronze (instead of them cheating Uruguaians ) Cheating would be doing the handball and getting away with it. What Saurez did was against the rules, sure, but he was punished for it and the game went on. I never said what he did was the right thing, all I was implying was that what happened during that part of the game was perfectly legitimate. Should we be up in arms everytime someone tackles another player from behind or makes an injury seem more serious than it is? Those aren't the "right" things to do either but I don't see people calling players cheats and pathetic because of it. Like I said before, if this would have happened earlier in the game or with a different infraction, no one would have thought twice about it. As for a prediction for the final, I want to see the Netherlands and Spain go through. Most of that has to do with the fact none of them have won a World Cup before, so it would be nice to see someone win it for the first time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erdbeereis Posted July 6, 2010 As for a prediction for the final, I want to see the Netherlands and Spain go through. Most of that has to do with the fact none of them have won a World Cup before, so it would be nice to see someone win it for the first time. If I wasn't a Germany fan I would be hoping for that as well. In other sports, unless I have a team that I support taking part I always go for the teams that haven't won before. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Holodoc Posted July 6, 2010 The game is going on already, but I just wanted to point out; Come on - just do it! (while I'm writing Uruguay scored the 1:1) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CF Mitch Posted July 6, 2010 I want to see the Netherlands and Spain go through. Most of that has to do with the fact none of them have won a World Cup before, so it would be nice to see someone win it for the first time. Actually, Holland won the World Cup in my birth year; 1988 But yes, I would like to see them go up against Spain too Regards, CF W Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prateek Posted July 6, 2010 Actually, Holland won the World Cup in my birth year; 1988 But yes, I would like to see them go up against Spain too Regards, CF W First, Netherlands have never won the FIFA World Cup, and secondly, there was no World Cup in 1988. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dunjohn Posted July 6, 2010 '88 was the European Championships, not the World Cup. Ireland's first major tournament Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CF Mitch Posted July 6, 2010 Oops, sorry. It turns out I've been misinformed by my parents My bad CF W Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dunjohn Posted July 6, 2010 (edited) Hmm, come to think of it, it was the Dutch who knocked us out of Euro '88. And then knocked us out of USA '94. Stupid orangeshirts.... Edited July 6, 2010 by Dunjohn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the Inventor Posted July 6, 2010 Yeah, Netherlands to the finale. 3-2 the Inventor Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
