All-Purpose, Never-Ending Soccer Thread

FFT is spreading their previews out over a couple issues. I only have the one with Argentina on the cover so far ... pretty good reading.

World Soccer stuffed it all into one issue. It has team overviews, interviews with the manager and one player per team and the probably squads (which are about 70-75% accurate). It's not exactly in-depth, but good for those seeking a little beyond surface knowledge.


Anyone writing their own previews for their paper? I might be able to if I can sweet-talk the right people today.

 

I'll pick a couple up for the trip to Germany. The NY Times is doing a blog on the cup -- http://worldcup.blogs.nytimes.com/
. I think that their sports magazine on Sunday will have a lot about the cup.

As an aside, I went to Niketown yesterday and bought one of the red jerseys that the US wore against Latvia. The sales guy said that they were flying off of the shelf.

 

Not writing any previews, but I am doing a daily review of that day's action and the next day's games.

 

I read somewhere that Nike only made 2,006 of those 'Don't Tread on Me' tops. They weren't as good as the US red shirts circa WC '98 through '02 qualifying, but they weren't bad.

 

I'm writing a local preview, talking to area residents about the World Cup.  Last I heard, it's going to be translated for our Spanish language weekly as well.  ;D  I'm also writing about what the local pro soccer team will be doing during the World Cup, as a second-day story.

Pretty much everybody has picked Brazil to win.

I haven't been told what to do once the matches actually start.  I see visits to local ethnic restaurants in my future.  :

 

Good stuff. I'm not sure I'd be able to get away with that ... a little too much indifference, plus my Espanol es muy mal.

Ethnic restaurants might not be a bad idea. Is there an adult rec soccer league you could swing by? You'd probably find a nice blend of nationalities there.

 

To stoke the passion and memories, here's SI's flashbacks on 1994, starting with Alexander Wolffs' great intro piece:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/events/1998/worldcup/flashback/1preview.html

I always liked soccer, always played it, watched a few games of 1990 Cup (and later the 1986 one from an Argentine friend who tapes it every time, every game). But 1994 . . . . let's put it this way: those who went to games, remember the security geeks with beige faux-military outfits and purple berets? I was lucky enough to be one of those at all the games in my hometown. Never seen anything like it, maybe never will again.

At least, not from the stands.

Yes, I'm getting fired up. And yeah, I'll watch them all. Angola-Iran, bring it on.

 

I posted it elsewhere, but since it was discussed here:

Ives Galarcep World Cup Blog.

This guy regularly writes on the New York Red Bulls and gives regular news on soccer.

 

I didn't need any WC mags to enter the SportsJournalists.com pool ... dammit, I want to see your picks, just to see the teams I shouldn't have picked.

 

The feeling in NYC during the last World Cup was awesome. Watching the Brazil-England game in a bar which shut its doors at midnight -- hours before the game started -- because they didn't want to be cited for serving booze after last call. Getting to another bar with a friend 30 minutes early to watch the US-Germany game (I think that it was a 6:30 start) and snagging the last two seats out of about 200. I watched USA-Mexico at a Mexican restaurant around the corner from my place with the owner and all of the workers.

Hell, falling asleep at the beginning of the Portugal match and waking up when the announcers called the first goal was unforgettable.

Five days till I fly out.

 

Damn those Italians!!!

http://usa.worldcupblog.org/group-e/secret-italian-training-video.html

;D

 

Webster, my friend, one day I'll get you to come on over for an early morning Old Firm match. You'll be hooked!

Good luck on the trip over. I was talking to some of your guys at a few games. I'm rather jealous.