2018 World Cup

[soupslam1]

36 minutes ago, SalinasSpartan said:

I see. I got a two year old I just signed up for soccer, so I got awhile lol.

Until they are about 7-8 years old they play what I call bee hive soccer. About 11-12 years old they start having a much better grasp of team concepts. Our daughter played from five years old through high school. The club soccer was fun, but was relatively expensive traveling to tournaments all over the west. She loved it and we had a good coach and group of parents that had a lot of fun too. 

I volunteer reffed for awhile, but got tired of the whining parents and gave it up after a couple of years. 

Soccer is one of the few games where you can totally dominate play and lose on a fluke goal. Total frustration when that happens. 

[SalinasSpartan]

Just now, soupslam1 said:

Until they are about 7-8 years old they play what I call bee hive soccer. About 11-12 years old they start having a much better grasp of team concepts. Our daughter played from five years old through high school. The club soccer was fun, but was relatively expensive traveling to tournaments all over the west. She loved it and we had a good coach and group of parents that had a lot of fun too. 

I volunteer reffed for awhile, but got tired of the whining parents and gave it up after a couple of years. 

Got it, so five years before she really begins her training to make the national team to fulfill my totally reasonable expectations for her. 

[soupslam1]

3 minutes ago, SalinasSpartan said:

Got it, so five years before she really begins her training to make the national team to fulfill my totally reasonable expectations for her. 

Some soccer coaches don’t like it, but I recommend you let your daughter try several different sports to prevent burnout. Although soccer was her primary sport, our daughter also played baseball/softball, volleyball, and basketball. I saw some really good soccer players flat give it up when they reached high school. 

[thelawlorfaithful]

5 hours ago, toonkee said:

Yep. Artificial, indoor, frozen ponds are pretty much out of reach for probably 90% of the world. Separates the economic wheat from the chaff. 

Does the USA dominate in sports it wants to because superior athlete pools or because $?

Both, but the money may play a slightly bigger role. We have an extremely diverse population that is also one of the largest in the world. Being also stupendously rich allows us to more efficiently capture that talent pool across almost all sports. 

[GOUNMLOBOS]

9 hours ago, TheBigAwesome said:

Hey @ExplorerSunDevil,

This is short notice but would you be interested in running a "2018 FIFA World Cup Challenge" like the 2017 ConFed Cup you did?

I'm in.

Would anyone else be interested?

Last year's players:

@blind_squirrel54
@masterfrog
@renoskier
@Old_SD_Dude
@GOUNMLOBOS
@BestintheWest

I'm in. 

[renoskier]

I'm in

[dshawfan]

19 hours ago, Cincy said:

As soon as I post that France scores. 

Jobu strikes!

[SleepingGiantFan]

On 6/9/2018 at 4:06 AM, BSUTOP25 said:

 

.... yeah, I’m good. Thanks.

Well played. I really like soccer but would really, REALLY like it if after every game, they reviewed video and every time they discovered horseshit like you posted, the flopper got a 3-game suspension.

[dshawfan]

And every once in awhile, it's actually real...

 

[jdgaucho]

On 6/9/2018 at 4:06 AM, BSUTOP25 said:

 

.... yeah, I’m good. Thanks.

 

"This is how it's done."

Signed, Kai Nacua and BYU 

 

 

 

 

 

[BSUTOP25]

7 hours ago, SleepingGiantsFan said:

Well played. I really like soccer but would really, REALLY like it if after every game, they reviewed video and every time they discovered horseshit like you posted, the flopper got a 3-game suspension.

 

1 hour ago, jdgaucho said:

 

"This is how it's done."

Signed, Kai Nacua and BYU 

Well, I will admit that one soccer player has earned my respect.

[retrofade]

We may not be in the World Cup, which +++++ing sucks, but I think the future is bright for our squad. We have a ton of young talent, and have probably found our keeper for the next World Cup cycle in the form of Zack Steffen. Then you have guys like Pulisic, Bobby Wood, Weson McKennie, DeAndre Yedlin, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Erik Palmer-Brown, Josh Sargent, and Tim Weah. Almost all of those guys are in their early 20s at the oldest... even Yedlin is only 24 and should be in his prime for the 2022 cycle. The fact that we took a squad with an average of 6 senior caps among them and played to a draw with one of the top teams in the world says a lot. That squad didn't even feature a number of our best young talents either.

[TheBigAwesome]

On 6/10/2018 at 2:57 AM, GOUNMLOBOS said:

I'm in. 

 

On 6/10/2018 at 10:01 AM, renoskier said:

I'm in

 

On 6/9/2018 at 5:27 PM, Old_SD_Dude said:

I’ll play. 

 

On 6/9/2018 at 5:58 PM, blind_squirrel54 said:

I’ll play

Looks like @ExplorerSunDevil hasn't checked in for a while, so I started the game thread here:

Since the World Cup has 6 more Groups and an additional 2-rounds of knockout play we'll need a revised point-system. I borrowed Explorer's point-system and customized it. Here is what the preliminary version looks like:

Quote

Here are the basic rules:

• 1 point per correct group stage result picked. 
• 3 extra points per correct group runner-up picked.
• 5 extra points per correct group winner picked.
• 10 points per correct Round of 16 winner picked.
• 15 points per correct quarterfinal winner picked.
• 20 points per correct semifinal winner picked.
• 25 points for picking the correct winner of the 3rd place game.
• 30 points for picking the correct winner of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Whoever accumulates the most total points wins the challenge!

If anyone knows what one of these "should" look like, let me know and we can adopt that point-system. Alternatively, you can suggest different point awards for each level/accomplishment and we can go with that. Or just go with this, whatever everyone prefers.

 

[retrofade]

On 6/9/2018 at 9:32 AM, Stealthlobo said:

 

Sucks this year there is limited interest in the US due to them not being in it, but I'm sure excited. Hopefully Spain will show up this year an repeat 2010. Viva La roja!

Well, they fired their coach this morning. So they’re off to a great start. 

[Stealthlobo]

2 hours ago, retrofade said:

Well, they fired their coach this morning. So they’re off to a great start. 

What!? I hadn't heard that yet. Guess it was because of the conflict of interest with Real Madrid just hiring him? Well that is a great start...

[Stealthlobo]

I also just read the US (along with Mexico and Canada) officially got 2026! Definitely going to more games then!

[TheBigAwesome]

Not too late to join in on the 2018 FIFA World Cup Challenge.

Deadline for entries is prior to kickoff of the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia (Thurs., 6/14, 8am PT).

 

[Lobo Amor]

The real reason why we suck at soccer is because here in America we grow wanting to be the next Joe Montana or Michael Jordan not Ronaldo or Pelé. When I was in Spain 90% of the kids were playing soccer in the streets not like here where they are given participation trophies just for wearing the uniform.

[Lobo Amor]

2 hours ago, Bob said:

Uruguay has some big time recent wins. BYU is a bad comp as BYU just sucks now

Uruguay has won a world cup like byu has won a Natty.

[SalinasSpartan]

13 minutes ago, Lobo Amor said:

Uruguay has won a world cup like byu has won a Natty.

Uruguay has won two World Cups.