World Cup 2022

[unclevlad]

You could make your prediction DT, so we know who to bet on...

 

I have no clue, I've almost entirely avoided it.  And that says something, because during the weekdays, other than Feast Week...it's the only notable sports.  

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/14/us/grant-wahl-cause-death/index.html

[Michael Hopcroft]

2 hours ago, Logan D. Hurricanes said:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/14/us/grant-wahl-cause-death/index.html

I am sorry Grant Wahl had passed -- her was a very good sports journalist. But I am glad it was a natural, cause and that he passed in peace.  Can you imagine the press it would have generated during this already questionable job of hosting the competition Qatar has been doing so far?

 

Now my attention turns to the recent death of a reporter for one of the Qatari reporters/photographers.

[death tribble]

France 2 Morocco 0

 

2 times winners Argentina vs 2 times winners France. One will become the only three times winner. Both are currently stuck with Uruguay on 2 wins.

Germany and Italy have 4 and Brazil have 5.

This should be very good. France want to be one of the only teams ever to retain and Argentina want too break their drought and end Europe's dominance as they have won each tournament since 2006.

[death tribble]

Croatia beat Morocco 2-1 in the third and fourth place play off match

[Cancer]

oops premature

[death tribble]

Argentina win 4-2 on penalties after being held to 3-3 after extra time. They were 2-0 up at half time. First time South America has won in 20 years.

Argentina's third win. First for Messi and first since Maradonna died.

The defending champions got to the final and went down fighting.

[Cancer]

I was the reason it went to penalties.  I loathe France (for soccer).  I am a karmic jinx of the highest order.

 

My wife asked me if I was watching the game.  I was not, because I misremembered the game time.  I turned it on and watched the 90 seconds it took to go from 2-0 to 2-2.  I turned it off.  I peeked again some time later and it was 3-2, and again less than two minutes later it was 3-3.  I resolved to maintain discipline and stayed away from all video and score feed.  Only now did I peek in here and see DT's announcement of the happy result.

 

See everyone for the next World Cup, in North America in four years.

[Pariah]

Penalty kicks? Lame. Why not just have sudden death in extra time?

 

And I am happy to announce that as promised, I did not watch one minute of this dog-and-pony show in which one of the world's most corrupt sports administrations rewarded one of the world's most corrupt regimes by awarding them one of the premiere events in the sporting world.

 

But congratulations to Argentina for winning the event.

[death tribble]

Germany and Italy will want to come back stronger. The one was knocked out in the group stages and the other did not qualify.

Will England be there ? Unknown. We have done better with the current manager than we have before in qualifying for a World Cup, a European Cup and then another World Cup in succession.

[Cancer]

I watched a fair amount in the group stage, but much less in the elimination rounds.  That had mostly to do with my teaching schedule and other duties (several unforeseen) as the Cup went on.

 

And yes, the host country was just as bad and repressive and out-and-out medieval as everyone's worst fears.  No reason to go there, ever.

[unclevlad]

I caught the extra time...one of the moronic 'features' that I LOATHE about soccer is its ridiculous policy there...and the extra time, and the PKs mostly...I was getting the coffee brewed.  Because, hey, it's a title match.  

 

I think the NHL's rule is more amusing:  cut down on the players on the ice, to make for a more open game.  I'd also say, allow more substitutes.  But hey, this is soccer, and the Lords Of Soccer are obstinately conservative.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Missed it by that much. 

 

[Pariah]

On 12/18/2022 at 1:24 PM, unclevlad said:

I think the NHL's rule is more amusing:  cut down on the players on the ice, to make for a more open game. 

 

I've pondered what it would be like to apply this philosophy to other sports. Your slashing point guard gets called for a charge? Play the next minute of the game four-on-five. That left tackle gets called for holding again? Play the next four downs without him. Yellow card? He's out of the game for the next 2 minutes.

 

Much more entertaining in every case, I think you'll readily agree.

[unclevlad]

It's a rule that works in continuous-possession games, where there's ongoing ebb and flow of the ball/puck.  So, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, you can penalize a man for a period of time.  Hockey and lacrosse have these rules.  Soccer doesn't;  it might work, but the time frames would have to be different, since soccer has a much larger field.  It simply takes longer to transition, or get set up.  And passes are probably more readily disrupted.  It probably wouldn't work in football or basketball;  the style of the game is just not conducive to it.

 

But I was specifically referring to overtime.  Instead of 11 on 11, make it 9 on 9, or even 8 on 8.  

[Pariah]

12 minutes ago, unclevlad said:

But I was specifically referring to overtime.  Instead of 11 on 11, make it 9 on 9, or even 8 on 8.  

 

I've heard this suggestion for hockey playoffs, where shootouts aren't a thing:

 

1st OT: 4 on 4

2nd OT: 3 on 3

3rd OT: 2 on 2

4th OT: 1 on 1

5th OT: Goalies meet at center ice and fight.

 

I'd go for that.

[death tribble]

Lionel Messi's Instagram account has got the most likes ever for pictures of him with the World Cup

[Michael Hopcroft]

I did not get to watch the match, but I did see pictures of the medal ceremony where Messi had one of the Qatari officials slip a traditional jacket of honor over his shoulders, covering up the Argentine logo of his jersey. Whether the dignitary realized he was doing it or not, it may have honor Messi but disrespected Argentina. One last tone-deaf gesture from the worst World Cup host in the competition's history.

 

I wouldn't say "international sports" because Hitler hosted an Olympics. You can't get much worse than Hitler.