Predict Our Final Record

[ddraig]

Speaking of soccer, anyone watching the U.S. women's World Cup team currently destroying the other teams in their grouping? 16 goais for, zero goals against! It is like watching a world class heart surgeon at work.

It's been a great WC so far and I've caught most of the matches; it's on all the time here.

Some things that make the Women's WC more enjoyable than the Men's WC:

The women play a more technically sound game. They play soccer the way soccer is taught and the way the game is supposed to be played. Far less one-on-one heroics. The women build their attacks and win or lose as a team. They are better sports in general, win or lose.

Unlike the men, there is far less fake injury hysterics, pleading, whining and diving when the women play.

The talent level of the top teams is off the charts this WC.

Finally, they are women and some of them are hotties.

Two thumbs up on all of it Mike. I love watching the women's game because it is far more technical and less likely to rely on star players for the "winning" goal. And as you said, some of them are hotties!

[maoling]

ddraig...what do you think of the U.S. team piling it on against Thailand? They got a lot of criticism for it. I disagree. They wouldn't have done any favors to the Thai team if they had patronized (matronized?) them and taken their foot off the gas. A pummeling like that is a harsh lesson, but it showed them how much farther they need to go to be elite on the world stage. Ultimately, the Thai players will work harder in future knowing that nobody is going to take pity on them and play nice. They gave up when it got ugly, and the price for giving up is more severe than showing some pride and playing hard until the whistle.

Plus, I believe goal differential part of the tie-breaker in the WC group stage. There was no way to tell in Game One of group to know how many goals would seal the deal if the U.S. ran into trouble against future opponents.

The Thai players played much tougher against Sweden in their second match, and even though they got spanked, they showed a lot more heart and even nicked in a goal. By now, they might even be angry enough to beat Chile and if that happens, they can thank the U.S. team for the drubbing they got before they get sent home. And next World Cup, they will be the better for it.

[D-train]

Yep I have no issues with them scoring all those goals for the reasons you said. It was acting like they had just broken a tie versus Germany in the final match on goals 7 8 9 10 11 12 and 13 that was pretty bad.

[roosevelt]

Previously, I predicted 57 wins on the now defunct Times forum.
Thereafter, upon further reflection, I felt this way too low owing to the krappy division they play in.
Hence, I am upping win total to 62 wins.

[maoling]

Yep I have no issues with them scoring all those goals for the reasons you said. It was acting like they had just broken a tie versus Germany in the final match on goals 7 8 9 10 11 12 and 13 that was pretty bad.

That's true, but it was the first goal in a World Cup for several of the players who were brought in as subs or would otherwise never been in a position to score a goal. Yes, it got ridiculous lol. Such is the nature of the most perfect soccer match you can imagine -- everybody scores and we win by nearly two touchdowns! Doubt we'll see another debauchment like that the rest of the way. Even if this U.S. team eventually wins the whole shebang, they will never forget the day they beat Thailand 13-to-feckin'-nil in a Cap Match, and got payback for the high cost of Thai Stick in the late 70s.

[ice99]

The M's were the first $100M, 100 loss team. There have been 3 other teams since then. I suspect that they will be in the 100-100 club again.

Baltimore was the first $110M, 110 loss team last year. I'm not sure the M's want to be the second.

The commissioner was at the game the other day and it seemed that he was okay with teams rebuilding and not aggressively trying to compete.