FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

I already know the answer, but I have to ask, as perhaps I’m not alone.

Any other Americans here that don’t give a hoot about the national team, but instead support another national side? (Germany for me)

A step further would be my open hostility towards the USMNT and hoping they crash out ASAP to end the every four year nationalistic uprising of support. I won’t go into that more, though, this post is already cynical enough.

There are dozens of us—dozens!

Right here.

I don’t have a huge hatred for USMNT but I don’t care for it. The other part stems from the fact that barring some surprise run/upset, they’re probably not going to win a WC anytime soon

I usually pull for England or Germany too.

[Cod]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

After the US, I will root for any CONCACAF nation or African nation as they both tend to play spoiler for the CONMEBOL and UEFA nations.

[ggsimmonds]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Those aren’t really phantom injuries. Those are guys who are already dead tired heading into this tournament because they’ve played high level footy for nearly 2yrs straight now getting kicked and stepped on for 90+ mins.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Come on man, and the timing always just happened to be a coincidence? You're telling me the fact they started happening after the equalizing goal and whenever one side needed a sub or just lost possession? I'm sure it was legit when Wilson for Wales started grabbing his ankle when there was zero contact made with that ankle or Musah just happened to cramp up when there were 3 US subs waiting to be subbed. And Pulisic sitting on the pitch holding his hands up screaming was certainly due to the fact that he felt he needed medical attention and not at all because he took a dive to try to force stoppage and kill Wales' run. Sure

[KG]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

That’s some real English type ish y’all are on [emoji23]

Pack… do you feel the same way about the Men’s Hoops Team? I love me some Team USA, hoops, soccer, boxing, etc…

After that it’s France and Jamaica


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KG]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Come on man, and the timing always just happened to be a coincidence? You're telling me the fact they started happening after the equalizing goal and whenever one side needed a sub or just lost possession? I'm sure it was legit when Wilson for Wales started grabbing his ankle when there was zero contact made with that ankle or Musah just happened to cramp up when there were 3 US subs waiting to be subbed. And Pulisic sitting on the pitch holding his hands up screaming was certainly due to the fact that he felt he needed medical attention and not at all because he took a dive to try to force stoppage and kill Wales' run. Sure

It’s all situational. Wilson was def on some BS but Pulisic legit got fouled. If you couldn’t see him limping around then I don’t know what to tell you.

Yeah…1 of those subs was for Musah because he was out there gassed out. Cramps can come and go.

Soccers only different because there’s a running clock. You can’t call timeout like you can in hoops to kill momentum. You don’t get a tv timeout or break after every play like the NFL. Different rules = different strategies.

I know you’re a good dude though GG despite all that purple ish in your wardrobe [emoji23] Come down 95 [emoji23] . You know Pack wants to get that right hand up [emoji1421] [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dubcity]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

I already know the answer, but I have to ask, as perhaps I’m not alone.

Any other Americans here that don’t give a hoot about the national team, but instead support another national side? (Germany for me)

A step further would be my open hostility towards the USMNT and hoping they crash out ASAP to end the every four year nationalistic uprising of support. I won’t go into that more, though, this post is already cynical enough.

There are dozens of us—dozens!

I get the vibes, but I'm not sure I'd be fine with German nationalism but shy away from American lol. They've all got issues.

I think the Mexican national team is way more fun and interesting to follow. That country actually loves soccer. Here most of the support comes from more urban/hipster spots, places where there are enough international transplants to support it, etc. It's way more of a spread out thing, even in World Cup years.

Personally I would love to see England, Wales and Mexico do well. I honestly haven't followed the US team enough to be super invested in them.

[Brahvocado]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Personally I'd love to see England, Mexico and France all do very poorly because their fans and players are obnoxious.

Idk, I'm not even remotely nationalistic but I've been watching US soccer since I was a kid, for better or for worse. I've never really been able to wrap my head around "rooting" for another team, if my team can't win I'm not really gonna be happy about anyone else winning lol. There are other teams I enjoy watching, but I don't actually care if they win or not.

The only reason to want the US to do poorly as an American is so Berhalter finally gets fired, but since his brother is in charge of whether or not he gets fired, even that wouldn't be a guarantee (yay nepotism!).

The current US crop of players has the most potential we've probably ever seen, they just need a coach that doesn't think playing Jordan Morris over Gio Reyna is a good tactical choice.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

That’s some real English type ish y’all are on [emoji23]

Pack… do you feel the same way about the Men’s Hoops Team? I love me some Team USA, hoops, soccer, boxing, etc…

After that it’s France and Jamaica


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Basketball is different, I can’t front. I want them to always win in Basketball but that’s also because I know they’re going to be the team to beat in every Olympics. But to be fair, it was also one of the first sports I followed and I got to witness that Dream Team run in the 90s where that let me know “Yeah, we’ll have this sport on lock for awhile”.

Jamaica would be another country I don’t mind seeing win as well.

Whereas with Soccer, I know they’ll never win a WC and nothing they’ve done over the years has given me any indication that they’ll seriously contend for it. And with knowing that, it’s like why get behind that?

[ggsimmonds]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

It’s all situational. Wilson was def on some BS but Pulisic legit got fouled. If you couldn’t see him limping around then I don’t know what to tell you.

Yeah…1 of those subs was for Musah because he was out there gassed out. Cramps can come and go.

Soccers only different because there’s a running clock. You can’t call timeout like you can in hoops to kill momentum. You don’t get a tv timeout or break after every play like the NFL. Different rules = different strategies.

I know you’re a good dude though GG despite all that purple ish in your wardrobe [emoji23] Come down 95 [emoji23] . You know Pack wants to get that right hand up [emoji1421] [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pulisic did get fouled a bunch. It looked like early on the plan was to rough him up. Kid's gonna be sore tomorrow no doubt. But he absolutely stayed down out of some attempt at gamesmanship. And even the commentators know Musah went down for strategic reasons lol.

Its part of the sport but it was too much in the last ~20 minutes. Ain't no way that many guys cramping up in 70 degree weather. I know the different rules and running clock results in unique strategies (stop playing both sides lol) but after Bale's equalizer we couldn't go 3 minutes without a guy rolling around on the pitch.

I stay outside of Houston now lol. Moved from PG County about 6 years ago.

Anyway its odd, I seem to enjoy the less important matches more when watching soccer. Seems like when the stakes are higher is when the gamesmanship and shenanigans come out.

[ggsimmonds]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Basketball is different, I can’t front. I want them to always win in Basketball but that’s also because I know they’re going to be the team to beat in every Olympics. But to be fair, it was also one of the first sports I followed and I got to witness that Dream Team run in the 90s where that let me know “Yeah, we’ll have this sport on lock for awhile”.

Jamaica would be another country I don’t mind seeing win as well.

Whereas with Soccer, I know they’ll never win a WC and nothing they’ve done over the years has given me any indication that they’ll seriously contend for it. And with knowing that, it’s like why get behind that?

I want USA to do well in soccer because thats the path to grow the sport here. I don't really care about national pride or bragging rights. I know winning the WC ain't happening anytime soon, but I still cheer them on to put on a good showing. Its like being a Detroit Lions fan I guess.

I'm the opposite with basketball. I legit don't care one bit how Team USA does. If anything I like seeing them lose once in awhile because that will grow the sport internationally and get some more foreign talent in the NBA.

[Keirik]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Screw that. I’m an American. I want the US to win the World Cup and I’ll walk down the street singing Yankee Doodle Dandy all night even if I’m alone. I can’t bring myself to not support them just because I don’t like a coach or a player. It’s my country. That’s enough for me. After that, as the son of German parents, that’s my secondary team if US is out (which seems to frequently happen lol).

[Krebstar]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

I get the vibes, but I'm not sure I'd be fine with German nationalism but shy away from American lol. They've all got issues.

Yeah, there's nuance, though—and I'll begin and end with the following: in the modern day, patriotism ≠ nationalism. I chose my previous wording very intentionally—but I'm leaving it at that.

Back to the footie—tomorrow there's a match that, to me, is the first intriguing pairing so far: Mexico v Poland.

[dubcity]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

I want USA to do well in soccer because thats the path to grow the sport here.

Is it tho? I'm not sure what the ceiling is for the growth in popularity of the sport in America, but I'm not convinced its much higher than where we are at now. And that's fine with me. I'm not sure I want a world where I turn on my car radio and they are going on and on about the MLS, or Skip and Shannon are talking about Pulisic nonstop lol.

[Krebstar]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

I’d say the global juggernaut known as the Premier League is growing the sport in the country rather well.

[ggsimmonds]

Re: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Is it tho? I'm not sure what the ceiling is for the growth in popularity of the sport in America, but I'm not convinced its much higher than where we are at now. And that's fine with me. I'm not sure I want a world where I turn on my car radio and they are going on and on about the MLS, or Skip and Shannon are talking about Pulisic nonstop lol.

For the first point, I'm not sure either. Maybe a strong world cup showing doesn't move the needle. I'd like to see the answer to that question.

On the second point, its not so much about media coverage or TV viewership. Our best young athletes don't pursue soccer. They mostly enter football and basketball. I'd like to see a few elite American athletes pursue soccer. It seems like the soccer farm system here is still more of a closed system (family history of playing, or more tilted towards middle class).

So guess I lied, there is some patriotism at play lol. I don't want to be content with "hey we got an American player playing for a top EPL team!!" I want an elite American athlete to be one of the top players in the EPL. Don't care as much about growing MLS into another NFL or NBA money machine.