The Soccer Thread (Version 9)

At some point they have to understand that this is the equivalent of Mike Tyson boxing Neil Patrick Harris. Once you're up by six or so and it is apparent that the game is a mismatch, they need to go into "Act like you got into the end zone before" mode. Yeah, sure, if you don't want to get scored on play defense - but scoring on Thailand is no big accomplishment.

I understand that's hard. It's the World Cup, and for many of these players simply being on the pitch and playing is a dream come true. They're excited, and celebrating their goal or a friend's. Still, if you don't want to get hated on, you need to find a way to not show up the other team so badly. The keeper for Thailand probably needs therapy.

It's a choice. The team is going to be judged by how this sort of situation is handled from this point forward.

 

I think it's fair to say Nike invested equally in both in 1997.

I do not think it's fair to suggest Nike presaged something that was two years away.

The reality is USWNT is going to be better than almost every other team in the world whether Nike sponsors it or not...for the next 20 years. It's gonna change over time though. The USWNT can only get so much better. Once more of the world fully catches up...it'll be harder.

 

When the USWNT go deep in the tournament, their ratings are really good. But no other women's games do well, they have no qualifying campaign to speak of and they really only play 2 tournaments which matter (one of which is already covered by the NBC Olympics rights).

 

See also: The choreographed hugathons in the circle after EVERY OUT in high school girls softball. So, yeah, it could have been worse. They could have been singing.

 

A national treasure? I follow sports and I'm pretty sure the only woman I can name on the team is Alex Morgan.

 

A possible solution has been offered here and in the media before. Once the margin gets to five goals, the three-sub rule is waived and teams can substitute as often as they want. Gives more players a cap, gives some subs 20-30 minutes of high-level experience, and eliminates embarrassments like yesterday.

This game made me think of another classic mismatch, the Bournemouth Gynecologists vs the Watford Long John Silver Impersonators.

 

Up to, during and after the game at the Rose Bowl, the writer from my former paper called them The Girls of Summer in every reference. Gag.
I think exmediahack's son's team could have beaten Thailand. Going bonkers over this game and this score is insanity.

 

You leave my 'Orns out of this.

 

No they're not. They are a shitty product turning people off from the sport. It's not the Dream Team because there was a completely different dynamic with the change from amateurs and the interest in the sport's professional leagues.

 

Did Angola have a pro league? I want to congratulate you on missing the point of my post by oh, about 13 miles.