The Soccer Thread (Version 7.0)

The important bit, according to Google Translate:

That about sums it up.

 

Thanks. I was going to do that...but then just googled it and found it on a yahoo blog.

The problem is...won't most teams just send their 'B' squad for this?

 

I don't think so. It's South America's continental championship, so those 10 teams will take it seriously, and neither the US nor Mexico will want to waste a chance like that in front of their home fans. Plus, there will be a place at the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia at stake.

A bigger bugaboo might be that since the four Concacaf nations are technically guests in a Conmebol tournament, clubs won't be obliged to release their North American players. If memory serves, that was a problem for Bob Bradley when the US went to the 2007 Copa America in Venezuela. The most experienced field players in the US squad were Ben Olsen (34 caps, age 30) and Eddie Johnson (26 caps, age 23), and only six of the 22 players called up had double-digit caps. You'd hope the USSF, SUM and MLS would have some plan in place by 2016 to make sure the host nation put out its strongest possible squad.

http://www.socceramerica.com/article/2562/6-copa-america-the-usas-balancing-act.html

 

So would a combo Copa American be a permanent thing, or just this one time?

Here's what the groups could look like:

Brazil
Venezuela
Costa Rica
Ecuador

Argentina
United States
Bolivia
Jamaica

Uruguay
Peru
Honduras
Chile

Mexico
Colombia
Paraguay
Panama

 

RT‏@Ourand_SBJ
SBD: Fox and ESPN have dropped out of the EPL bidding process. NBCU is the clear front runner. BeIN the big question mark.

 

Wow. Sucks for soccer that ESPN is out of the picture for the EPL, even in their current junior role to FSC.

 

Sweet sassy molassy, NBC is offering triple the current contract.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Closing-Bell/2012/10/26/EPL.aspx

 

They lost it in the UK, too, I believe to British Telecom, which is starting a TV operation.

They didn't have many games in the first place, and they never got first choice. They ended up showing a LOT of Man City games last year. Most of what they show is a big four/five team against your Swanseas and Norwiches.

I think they sell the games in something like six sets of 23. Sky usually buy about four, if I understand it right.

 

The only thing that would suc k about this is, no more Ivy League football on Saturday morning on the NBC spinoff network. But NBC definitely needs something to hang its sports hat on other than PGA golf, ND football and the other trash sports they show, like figure skating exhibitions, etc. Seriously, sports-wise there is generally no reason to watch NBC.

 

The Times goes deep on EBJT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/sports/soccer/john-terry-chelseas-dark-knight.html?ref=sports&_r=0

Not sure anything the average US soccer fan doesn't already know.

 

exciting first 30 minutes to the Merseyside Derby. 3 goals, 2 yellow cards and no way that both teams finish with 11 men.

 

That had nothing on the United-Chelsea match today.