The Soccer Thread (Version 13) — Winter World Cup Edition

Pretty sure that was the name of a stadium on the FIFA 95 video game.

 

Yeah, it’s been reported on for decades.

 

I see an ankle bend like that, I think of Joe Theismann.

 

As awesome as it would be, "Melbourne Rectangular Stadium" is a FIFA creation because its regular namer (an insurance company) is not a FIFA sponsor. "Rectangular" is a thing because Aussie Rules and cricket play on ovular fields.

 

Beat me to it. It's not an attempt to be cheeky, but merely clarify.

 

Same thing happening here in Wellington. FIFA is calling Sky Stadium “Wellington Regional Stadium”.

 

Right. And Melbourne has two bigger stadiums that host Aussie Rules, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (aka the MCG) and Marvel (yes that Marvel) Stadium, which is occasionally known as the Docklands Stadium, which was I think the project name before it got a sponsor.

I believe Stadium Australia (aka the Sydney Olympic stadium), was built to have movable grandstands but they're locked in one configuration now because it's too expensive. EDIT: It was proposed but never carried out. The stadium can still host both.

 

Last night's Canada-Nigeria game was one of those where Fox had a talking point about Canada's Christine Sinclair is the all-time women's goal scorer. It was mentioned again and again. Problem is that Sinclair is 40 years old, and now kind of ineffective. But that talking point was hammered. And still hammered after she was subbed out. She had a terrible PK. But man, Fox kept that point going.

 

Some of these PKs have been shockingly bad. Spain just blew one. It had the pace and direction that a middling high school varsity team would be embarrassed about. Same as Press' PK last night.

 

Last few World Cups, I've simply muted the American commentary. Those dead horse narratives being part of my reasoning.

I'll leave the sound up for Univision or Telemundo.

In Europe I'll listen to the Brits and the Germans and the French and the Italians and the Croats and the Poles and the Norwegians and the Swedes and the Portuguese, etc., etc., and anyone else in any language whether I understand it or not, ad infinitum.

But no more American teevee soccer announcers or analysts, please.

 

Wait until they get going even more with Alex Morgan. It's not her fault – just like it's not Christine Sinclair's – but the theme mallet will be swinging.

 

Fearful what Fox might do if today's game (U.S. time) is as lopsided as expected.