France vs Croatia World Cup Final

[biggunsbob]

Take a stab at it .

I say France 3-1 or 3-0. Probably just gave them the kiss of death but they should crush this team. At least on paper .

 

[Michchamp]

an England-France final would be kind of cool due to the historical rivalry, but First Time finalist (I think?) Croatia making it is neat too.

my gut instinct is Croatia wins a penalty shootout, but my brain says France wins by a goal (1-0, or 2-1) and also that in a penalty shootout, France would win as well.

 

[sggatecl]

Country with a population less than half of New York City just made the World Cup final. Meanwhile, America can't even qualify. Funny stuff.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I guess I'm on the Croatia bandwagon.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Country with a population less than half of New York City just made the World Cup final. Meanwhile, America can't even qualify. Funny stuff.

They probably played soccer at 2 months old. More people are playing here but I can't see the Men ever getting that good.

 

[Michchamp]

They probably played soccer at 2 months old. More people are playing here but I can't see the Men ever getting that good.

there's plenty of talent here. we lose out on the competitive experience players in Europe get in their professional leagues, but there are plenty of kids and even adults in the US that have been playing their whole lives.

Landon Donovan, for example. sent to boarding school to play soccer in his pre-teen years. lots more like him.

We've gotten fucked by incompetent management. Firing Bradley and hiring Klinsmann was dumb. Klinsmann leaving Donovan off the 2014 squad was dumb. Bruce Arena couldn't have done a worse job picking up the pieces from Klinsmann.

it shouldn't be this hard to find a decent manager. or even one who simply doesn't make things worse.

 

[biggunsbob]

I hope France crushes Croatia . That Team plays dirty as hell and got away with a lot roday verses England..But that is just my opinion . I’m just not buying how fresh they look after playing this many extra time games. But who knows maybe they ran more suicide sprints then the other teams lol..

 

[Mitchrapp]

there's plenty of talent here. we lose out on the competitive experience players in Europe get in their professional leagues, but there are plenty of kids and even adults in the US that have been playing their whole lives.

Landon Donovan, for example. sent to boarding school to play soccer in his pre-teen years. lots more like him.

We've gotten fucked by incompetent management. Firing Bradley and hiring Klinsmann was dumb. Klinsmann leaving Donovan off the 2014 squad was dumb. Bruce Arena couldn't have done a worse job picking up the pieces from Klinsmann.

it shouldn't be this hard to find a decent manager. or even one who simply doesn't make things worse.

I can guarantee you know about soccer way more than I do so I'll take your word for it.

I hope France crushes Croatia . That Team plays dirty as hell and got away with a lot roday verses England..But that is just my opinion . I’m just not buying how fresh they look after playing this many extra time games. But who knows maybe they ran more suicide sprints then the other teams lol..

I will never root for a France team.

 

[Michchamp]

I can guarantee you know about soccer way more than I do so I'll take your word for it.


...

Thanks!

 

[tinselwolverine]

Landon Donovan, for example. sent to boarding school to play soccer in his pre-teen years. lots more like him.

Landon Donovan once was married to Bianca Kajlich.

 

[sggatecl]

They probably played soccer at 2 months old. More people are playing here but I can't see the Men ever getting that good.

Not looking at you necessarily but it's such a bullshit cop out when people blame a lack of interest in America's failings at soccer. Every damn high school in America has soccer and every local parks and recreation department has soccer leagues. Vast majority of Power 5 schools have soccer programs. Michchamp is right about not having a good professional league, MLS is not close to top tier.

Our women do phenomenally. Our men are trash.

Again, a country with a population of LESS THAN HALF of New York City just made the final. You can't tell me we don't have enough people interested in soccer to compete. We're just not that good, we're just too egotistical in our usual dominance of sports to admit it.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Not looking at you necessarily but it's such a bullshit cop out when people blame a lack of interest in America's failings at soccer. Every damn high school in America has soccer and every local parks and recreation department has soccer leagues. Vast majority of Power 5 schools have soccer programs. Michchamp is right about not having a good professional league, MLS is not close to top tier.

Our women do phenomenally. Our men are trash.

Again, a country with a population of LESS THAN HALF of New York City just made the final. You can't tell me we don't have enough people interested in soccer to compete. We're just not that good, we're just too egotistical in our usual dominance of sports to admit it.

What has two legs, three legs and four legs?

A man, a tripod, and a horse.

Sometimes the answer is so obvious that to you can’t see it for your nose.

Our best male athletes don’t play soccer because it’s a stupid sport for men to play.

Our best female athletes play soccer because it’s a great sport for chicks.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Not looking at you necessarily but it's such a bullshit cop out when people blame a lack of interest in America's failings at soccer. Every damn high school in America has soccer and every local parks and recreation department has soccer leagues. Vast majority of Power 5 schools have soccer programs. Michchamp is right about not having a good professional league, MLS is not close to top tier.

Our women do phenomenally. Our men are trash.

Again, a country with a population of LESS THAN HALF of New York City just made the final. You can't tell me we don't have enough people interested in soccer to compete. We're just not that good, we're just too egotistical in our usual dominance of sports to admit it.

When I was in 9th, 1979, I remember player soccer for a few weeks during gym class but no one ever said I want t be a soccer player when I grow up. We rather play baseball, or football -- or number of other sports. That's not a cop out those are just facts. Granted that was a long time ago and it has changed some but kids still want to play baseball, and football among others.



Explain why Soccer is the most popular sport in the world but here it's not close to being.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Explain why Soccer is the most popular sport in the world but here it's not close to being.

Soccer is a good sport for poor people in poor countries.

All you need is a big wide open space and a ball.

It?s also a good sport for chicks in the US.

Because nobody wants to put much money into a sport for chicks.

 

[sggatecl]

When I was in 9th, 1979, I remember player soccer for a few weeks during gym class but no one ever said I want t be a soccer player when I grow up. We rather play baseball, or football -- or number of other sports. That's not a cop out those are just facts. Granted that was a long time ago and it has changed some but kids still want to play baseball, and football among others.

So because there isn't AS MUCH interest as baseball and football, that explains why a country with a 40 to 1 population ratio can't compete with the likes of Croatia? I'm not buying it. They made it to the quarterfinals back in 2002 and haven't sniffed it since. That speaks to a shitty program imo and not lack of interest.

Explain why Soccer is the most popular sport in the world but here it's not close to being.

We love to win (US Soccer doesn't do this), hate ties (happen often in soccer), hate flopping (though that doesn't explain why NBA numbers are up), no commercial breaks to feed our fat fucking faces, and not enough offense.

Sure, there is some deeper answer about when global sports became a big thing at the end of the 19th century, baseball took America by storm while soccer took most of the rest of the world. Then basketball started popping up at the start of the 20th century. And then when football became more than a college past time after WW1 that meant even less time for soccer. In most other countries, they were content with soccer (a cheap sport) while America kept coming up with new ways to entertain.

 

[Mitchrapp]

So because there isn't AS MUCH interest as baseball and football, that explains why a country with a 40 to 1 population ratio can't compete with the likes of Croatia? I'm not buying it. They made it to the quarterfinals back in 2002 and haven't sniffed it since. That speaks to a shitty program imo and not lack of interest.



We love to win (US Soccer doesn't do this), hate ties (happen often in soccer), hate flopping (though that doesn't explain why NBA numbers are up), no commercial breaks to feed our fat fucking faces, and not enough offense.

Sure, there is some deeper answer about when global sports became a big thing at the end of the 19th century, baseball took America by storm while soccer took most of the rest of the world. Then basketball started popping up at the start of the 20th century. And then when football became more than a college past time after WW1 that meant even less time for soccer. In most other countries, they were content with soccer (a cheap sport) while America kept coming up with new ways to entertain.

It's simple really where can you kick a ball in NYC?

Boys just find its not as fun.. I don't even watch soccer, and millions and millions of Americans don't either. As small as Croatia is there is a high % of boys/men who love soccer, NYC is quite low - I'd be surprised if it's even 1%.

 

[Mitchrapp]

We love to win (US Soccer doesn't do this), hate ties (happen often in soccer), hate flopping (though that doesn't explain why NBA numbers are up), no commercial breaks to feed our fat fucking faces, and not enough offense.

Sure, there is some deeper answer about when global sports became a big thing at the end of the 19th century, baseball took America by storm while soccer took most of the rest of the world. Then basketball started popping up at the start of the 20th century. And then when football became more than a college past time after WW1 that meant even less time for soccer. In most other countries, they were content with soccer (a cheap sport) while America kept coming up with new ways to entertain.

I think you just answered your own question.

 

[sggatecl]

I think you just answered your own question.

No, I answered YOUR question. Soccer has more participation than you realize, clearly. As of 2012, U.S. soccer as 2.5 million registered males. In 2017 a Gallup poll (https://news.gallup.com/poll/224864/football-americans-favorite-sport-watch.aspx) reported that soccer was the third-most played team sport in the U.S., behind only basketball and American football.

It's simple really where can you kick a ball in NYC?

https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/soccer

I count 80+ soccer fields on that site alone in NYC.

Boys just find its not as fun. As small as Croatia is there is a high % of boys/men who love soccer, NYC is quite low - I'd be surprised if it's even 1%.

Sounds like the subjective opinions of an old man out of touch. Just my subjective opinion of course.

I don't even watch soccer, and millions and millions of Americans don't either.

The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final drew 26.7 million viewers, greater than final games of the 2014 World Series or the 2015 NBA Finals, and the 2010 Men's World Cup final drew 26.5 million viewers.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

Country with a population less than half of New York City just made the World Cup final. Meanwhile, America can't even qualify. Funny stuff.

Still can't find this country called America.

 

[biggunsbob]

I can guarantee you know about soccer way more than I do so I'll take your word for it.





I will never root for a France team.

I do and I will. Nothing wrong with France .