2018 World Cup

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Soccer will never be a 'real' sport over here when you never know how much time is left in a half or a game. I doubt that extra time board is right 5% of the time.

Why are you even in this thread? All you do is complain about soccer.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Why are you even in this thread? All you do is complain about soccer.

I'm still watching as it's great to watch live sports at 8am at work. I guess i'm just here for the barrel rolls and the feign seizures.

[agulati]

Couple of really exciting games tomorrow.

I am picking France and Belgium to come out victorious. (Belgium is more of a biased pick, as I have never been a Brazil fan)

[Looch City]

Whatever happens, if Russia gets past the Quarter Finals, it's definitely fixed.

[agulati]

Originally Posted by Iggy City

Whatever happens, if Russia gets past the Quarter Finals, it's definitely fixed.

I wouldn't be surprised if PEDs are involved as well.

[Flamenspiel]

^^Thanks AFC, a nice reference to "those days" with your clip.

About the Saturday games, i think the Russia match will be a throwback game, i.e. Argentina-Peru 1978, Korea-Italy 2002 among other examples. On Friday, the French-Uruguay game has the Argentinian ref, although a really good ref, its an interesting pick, could there be something to that?

Uruguay and Argentina are about as close as you can get in terms of geography and cultural similarities. Argentina has more diversity as you get a way from the capital but still...

I think Brazil-France looks like a good semi-final but i could be wrong. Until Belgium breaks through and beats a top team its hard to know what they have. Serbian ref for that one, should be a good choice.

[Hockey Fan #751]

Originally Posted by Iggy City

Whatever happens, if Russia gets past the Quarter Finals, it's definitely fixed.

Well, England couldn't beat Russia at the 2016 Euro so who knows.

I think the only sure thing about that game is brawls in the stands and in the streets between the English and Russians. Especially after reading this:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...cket-loophole/

[GirlySports]

Dutch ref will do Sweden England. He'll probably do the final.

Brazilian ref will do Croatia Russia. That game might be a mess.

[Sgrath]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Soccer will never be a 'real' sport over here when you never know how much time is left in a half or a game. I doubt that extra time board is right 5% of the time.

This is one of those things that seems to come up often around big games etc. and especially from people who should know better and have had it explained to them (ex-England players on TV as the classic example). The extra time board is the minimum time the ref feels is necessary to add. They can still add as much as they want.

http://www.theifab.com/laws/the-dura...time-lost-2018

There is a certain irony around a 'not knowing when a game will end' complaint on hockey forum.

[Strange Brew]

The thing about the World Cup is that when you have a strong rooting interest for a team it is just so “permanent” when they are knocked out. Qualifying and another four years to go through.

For that reason it is just such a great tournament. Nothing else can compare.

[savemedrzaius]

For all the people who are bad-mouthing the diving...

I've been watching some games with my 7-year-old daughter. It seemed like she was really getting into football and always asked me when the game starts and would actually get excited.

Last week we were watching a match and there was no diving or embellishment at all.

My daughter said this game is so boring. I asked her why and she said because no one is falling down. It turns out she just likes seeing the players pretending to be hurt so she could pretend to be really concerned for them.

So for the 7-year-old market diving brings in the fans!

[GirlySports]

She's an honorary Brazilian

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Sgrath

This is one of those things that seems to come up often around big games etc. and especially from people who should know better and have had it explained to them (ex-England players on TV as the classic example). The extra time board is the minimum time the ref feels is necessary to add. They can still add as much as they want.

http://www.theifab.com/laws/the-dura...time-lost-2018

There is a certain irony around a 'not knowing when a game will end' complaint on hockey forum.

I think they should (and probably will) take a page from rugby here. A few years ago they changed from the arbitrary injury time to stopping the clock for these things. Now when you hit 80 minutes and play stops, the game is over. I don’t have an enormous issue with the extra time not being exact, but there are some games where there are mysteriously say 6 minutes added, and it seems way too long. Honestly though, it’s a pretty minor thing nearly always.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Locke

Ultimately the same criteria applies to both:

"Why change? Its working."

They are both immensely popular and profitable sports just as they are, so whats the incentive for the powers that be to change them?

So were baseball, boxing, and horse racing, yet they all suffered declines. Sports that don't adapt to viewer tastes eventually lose popularity for it (tautologically, perhaps). One can argue, however, that their ability to adapt - without becoming a different sport - is limited.

[Reneeee]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Soccer will never be a 'real' sport over here when you never know how much time is left in a half or a game. I doubt that extra time board is right 5% of the time.

Maybe if you educate yourself on how extra time is calculated you'd be less ignorant about the subject matter

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[SebC]

Uh, Nandez?

[Senator Clay Davis]

You'd expect better there from Mbappe.

[atb]

France needs to start putting some shots towards goal. Lots of possession but fizzles in the penalty area.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Well certainly should be an open game now, Uruguay have to open up.

[Mango]

Wow! Awesome save Lloris.