The Soccer Lounge?
It is no secret that I really don't like soccer. I know several readers around here vehemently disagree with me, so after much thought I have made a personal decision to watch the World Cup.
It is no secret that I really don't like soccer. I know several readers around here vehemently disagree with me, so after much thought I have made a personal decision to watch the World Cup.
I know Lounge regular Erik will be excited, and Nagler of course, but the decision to watch is certainly not a sign of my future undying love for the sport. There are other sports I am not as fond of such as baseball, but fantasy teams at least have kept me interested enough. There is absolutely no way in hell I was going to join a soccer fantasy league, so I had to do the unthinkable. Place a wager.
We all know I am not a gambling man, but I was talking to my buddies over at Doc's Sports (one of our fine Wisconsin based sponsors) and they were telling me how they made soccer bettors over 1000 percent or something last time around. Now I don't know what 1000 percent of five bucks is, but I gave in and pulled the trigger.
Honestly, I have never even seen a set of World Cup brackets much less the World Cup betting odds, but I now officially have a vested interest in the outcome. I can't guarantee I will make it through the entire thing, but it stands to reason that when money is on the line I'll pay much closer attention.
I can live for like a week on five bucks.
Wish me and my five bucks luck with my first ever World Cup Soccer picks. Thanks again to Doc's for giving me another thing to do when I should be doing something else.
Oh yeah, I took the United States, didn't even look.
Comments (22)
June 03, 2010 at 11:45 am
Glad to see you're on board with soccer, even if it is temporarily. Best of luck with your five dollar bet!
June 03, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Brazil's gonna win it. Lately we kinda win one tournament lose the other...94 won, 98 lost. 2002 we won, we lost 2006.
Plus, this team has won everything it has played, against everybody. Why would it change now?
But in all seriousness, World Cup is an amazing thing. The whole freaking world stopping to watch for 90 minutes, that's just incredible...
June 03, 2010 at 03:06 pm
Wow dude, that's terribly unfortunate, my condolences.
I think I'll watch old Womens 1970's bowling marathons on ESPN classic (more action). Or if I'm lucky, maybe there will be a Spelling Bee on or something (more action). But you best believe, if I hear the US made it a round or two in... BIGGEST SOCCER FAN EVER, right here. LOL
Ignorant American - And Proud
GBP 4 LIFE
June 03, 2010 at 09:03 pm
Geez, Fitz! At least don't be proud of it!
Shame on you! But maybe this site will convert you! (it's in portuguese, but just look at the vids)
http://tributoaocarrinho.blogspot.com/
June 04, 2010 at 12:34 am
"Geez, Fitz! At least don’t be proud of it!"
I are what I are, and very proud.
When it comes to soccer, I'm a lost cause RS. BUT, I did see something cool on a soccer field once. A few years ago this guy just walked up to this dude and headbutted his ass right to the chest, seriously one of the most awesome things I've ever seen. When they incorporate more headbutts and punching, COUNT ME IN! LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF4iWIE77Ts
GBP 4 LIFE
June 04, 2010 at 12:43 am
And there were some cool vids on that site (thank you). But no way am I gonna sit thru a soccer game hoping to see somebody get tripped. Like I said, save the others, I'm a lost cause. 8-)
June 04, 2010 at 02:03 am
So if there is no violence in the sport, you don't watch it, right? Well then football (don't cal it soccer dammit) is nothing for you. I guss you dont like Basketball either, right? ;-)
June 04, 2010 at 02:51 pm
Nope, 'soccer' is not for me. And as long as I reside in the US of A, that's just what it is... 'soccer', there's only 1 'FOOTBALL' here, and it's AWESOME! And basketball.... meh, take it or leave it (mostly leave it).
Glad I could clear that up!
;-)
GBP 4 LIFE
June 04, 2010 at 11:09 am
Plenty of violence in soccer. Just happens to be in the stands and the bars. We'll have to ask RS or Hof when was the last World Cup that didn't have some fans killed or mamed
June 04, 2010 at 01:05 pm
Most definitely. Never been to a WC, but in here, there's plenty of off field violence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-16P69sCVnM
(I do not condone, but it was provoked. In our home, their shitty fans thrashed the bathrooms. So, in fear of retaliation, they blocked the bathrooms of their stadium, and provided only 3 portable bathrooms for more than 2000 fans. They kinda got what they deserved. And they lost the championship in that game, at their home!)
June 04, 2010 at 11:01 am
I'm more interested in the off-field activities in South Africa. 250 thousand free condoms being provided by the Gov. I got to believe there more to futball than the game.
June 04, 2010 at 05:39 am
Well... let's talk some trash! ... good for you and your five bucks. But don't you want to put them on a team, who survives mabye the semifinal... USA will go down against my team... Germany. That isn't my hope, this is my opinion. And for the record; Worldchampion: Spain (against Argentina, who beat Germany, mh.)... Brazil is a good team but also in some kind of a rebuliding mode (like New England... in some way). I know... the US beat Spain in a friendly game... so what! Mark my words: if you want to spent a few bucks; Spain over Argentina.
Can't wait for the worldcup! and btw: baseball is boring even with fantasy-stuff...
greetings from the Old Europe,
Hofschneider
June 04, 2010 at 10:35 am
Brazil has the same team playing together for 3 years now...
Julio Cesar - Entered 2007.
Maicon - 2007
Lucio - 2001 (world champ)
Juan - 2004
Michel Bastos - 2009
Gilberto Silva - 2002 (World champ)
Felipe Mello - 2009
Elano - 2007
Kaka - 2002 (world champ)
Robinho - 2005
Luis Fabiano - 2007
So, yeah, the vets like Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldinho aren't there... But this team is playing together for quite a while. This won't be the carnaval it was in 2006, where Ronaldo was 10kg overweight, and so was Adriano, where Cafu and Roberto Carlos were only interested in breaking records...
And besides, Spain is like the Vikings. They just always choke when it matters.
June 04, 2010 at 04:47 pm
Yeah... about Spain; you were right two years ago. But 2008 they won the Europe-Cup in a stylish, conclusive way. This team has - by far - the most talend and is on the rise also. Cassilas, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Torres are the best players on there position in the world (!!!) . All skill-positions if you can use this football- vokabulary here.
About Brazil; there team isn't young, thats true. But the most players hasN#t ever played a World-cup game. And thats the reason, they haven't lost the last three years. There oponents weren't that good. There talent-level isn't as good as 10 years ago, when they won everything.
June 04, 2010 at 05:33 pm
They also failed miserably in the Confederations cup. Which we won.
Besides, who gives a crap about European Cup? It's all about the World Cup, and they haven't even reached the finals, let alone win it...
About opponents, we've beaten Argentina (3x0 in the South American Cup finals, 3x1 in Buenos Aires), Italy (2x0), England (1x0), Portugal (6x2)... All in the last 3 years. What are you talking about?
June 05, 2010 at 02:13 am
Seriously now, World Cup is European Cup plus Brasil and Argentina. Just mark my words. I will be very surprised to see any other team under the last 4.
June 05, 2010 at 08:52 am
I agree. There has never been one before, I don't see another one making it now...
I don't know how will be the brackets, but my final four is Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Netherlands..
June 04, 2010 at 05:58 am
AND...
2002 USA - Germany; the game wasn't as good as this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sicTFKAUec&NR=1
June 04, 2010 at 10:37 am
That was very unnecessarry...
June 04, 2010 at 03:58 pm
WTF was that all about???
Alex Tallitsch
June 04, 2010 at 06:57 pm
Soccer guys are hardcore I guess. Whoa.
June 05, 2010 at 03:02 pm
Haters gotta hate so I'm not going to bother with all of those on the site that don't understand why the beautiful game is just that, but I will say that I think most people willing to give soccer a chance this World Cup will not be disappointed. The U.S. hasn't fielded a team this competitive in a long time. They've looked really sharp going into the tournament, getting hot at the right time and I think they play a brand of soccer that is very physical, very American.
I'd highly recommend this article to big American sports fans, it gives you an analogous American sports team to all the World Cup teams, it'll definitely help you understand the culture and environment: http://theunlikelyfan.blogspot.com/2010/05/disclaimer-im-new-to-this-sit...