2014 FIFA World Cup Official Thread

[Scherrman]

Speaking of Mexico, did anyone else see how amazing their goalie was? I think his name was Ochoa and I was very impressed with him. If Howard didn't have that last amazing game then I think Ochoa would have been the best goalie in the World Cup, up to this point at least.

 

[DJdish]

Yep, Ochoa is the name and he was playing for the French club Ajaccio.
His contract is just over, and one Ajaccio fan was so impressed with Ochoa´s performance against Brazil, that apparently he wanted to sell his house and family
to give the money so that the Ajaccio would keep Ochoa as their goalie.

http://babb.telegraph.co.uk/2014/06...-house-and-family-in-exchange-for-goalkeeper/

 

[salsadancer7]

I don't have a problem with his choice. Like I said, he's knows what he's doing. I grew up watching Donovan and he's always been my favorite player. We're about the same age. It just seems like he still had enough talent to help the team out but I understand the planning for the future strategy. I think Jurgen has done a wonderful job with this team.

I wish they allowed you to the team roster if you lose a player to injury.

 

[DJdish]

Quarter Finals for Friday

France vs Germany
Brazil vs Colombia

I´m rooting for France and Colombia, I´d like to see some teams that haven´t been recently in Semi- Finals for a change.

 

[DJdish]

Germany advances again to the semi-final, bummer I wanted to see France moving on for a change.
Last WC Germany lost in semi-finals against Spain.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

I'm going out on a limb & predicting a Brazil-Argentina World Cup Final.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

I'm going out on a limb & predicting a Brazil-Argentina World Cup Final.

Of course with Brazil suffering an injury to Neymar & Silva out of the semi-final match with Germany due to a yellow card,my fall back prediction is Germany & Argentina in the final.

 

[DJdish]

I´ll be rooting for Germany on that semi-final.
Sadly for me Colombia didn´t win this one.
I´d like to see new faces for a change in the finals.

Tomorrow I´ll be rooting for Belgium and Costa Rica.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

This is huge.

Neymar out of World Cup with fractured vertebrae
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/socce...a-knee-in-the-back-223454503.html?clear=cache

 

[DJdish]

Wow, how did that happen ? I just watched a few minutes

 

[whitewolf8214]

Quarter Finals for Friday

France vs Germany
Brazil vs Colombia

I´m rooting for France and Colombia, I´d like to see some teams that haven´t been recently in Semi- Finals for a change.

Same here and too bad for France and Colombia lost was rooting for them!!

 

[DJdish]

For the other quarter finals:

Argentina vs Belgium
Costa Rica vs Netherlands

I´ll be rooting for Belgium and Costa Rica.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

Belgium better watch out or things could get pretty "Messi."

 

[DJdish]

Bummer, Argentina leading 1-0. I would really like to see some new teams moving on, for a change.

 

[BoiseStateFan4Life]

That had to be the gamble of the tournament. Swapping goalkeepers before PKs. Well done Netherlands!!!!!

 

[DJdish]

I´d love to see Germany vs Netherlands for the final match.

 

[(((Garyd)))]

I'm going out on a limb & predicting a Brazil-Argentina World Cup Final.

Brazil my guess

 

[TNGTony]

Interesting tid-bit. I was having a discussion with a person who claimed that "no one" cared about the World Cup in the US after team USA's elimination and that soccer in the US is just a fad that comes around every 4 years. I am under no delusion that Soccer will take over the country as people have predicted each and every World Cup summer for the last 30 years. but this year US viewership of World Cup is about 40% higher than any previous year.
For reference:
American TV viewership of FIFA
USA v Portugal = 22.500,000 ESPN + 6,500,000 Univision = 29 Million*
USA v Belgium = 16,490,000 ESPN + 5,100,000 Univision = 21.59 million*
(*not including public viewing parties in hundreds of towns across the country or internet streaming)
Brazil v Colombia = 6,349,000 ESPN + 5,500,000 Univision = 11.849 Million*
France v Germany = 4.899,000 ESPN + 5.100,000 Univision = 9.999 Million*
(Not including internet streaming)

Putting this into context: More Americans watched USA vs Portugal FIFA than the audience of all 5 2014 NHL Stanley Cup finals games added up together
TWICE as many Americans watched France vs Germany soccer than watched any individual Stanley Cup finals game in 2014
More Americans watched France vs Germany soccer on ESPN alone than watched 3 of the 5 Stanley Cup games.

More Americans watched USA vs Portugal on ESPN alone than watched any of the NBA finals games.
More Americans watched USA/Belgium than watched all but one of the NBA finals games.

More Americans watched USA/Belgium than watched any individual 2013 MLB World Series game.

Now here is the kicker.
More Americans are watching NON Team USA FIFA games than have watched any other regular season game of any sport except American football over the last year.

More Americans watched USA v Portugal on ESPN than watched a regular season American football game on ANY network, even Fox who had the record highest viewership at [27.5] million in 2013. - corrected from 21.5 originally posted

Ratings in all sports in the US except American football are down anywhere from 4-10% over the last 4 years.
Ratings for American football are up by 6% over the last 4 years.
Ratings for Soccer (football) in the US are up by over 40% over the last 4 years.

So, someone's watching. And the old adage still applies: Just because you don't care doesn't mean no one cares.

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

It's just that the FIFA World Cup is special & it does come every 4 years. That's the reason I watch it. I've also seen plenty of empty seats in stadiums where soccer is supposed to be popular,like in South America. It's like any sport,if your team is winning,you'll show up to watch,if not,you stay home.

 

[chances14]

Interesting tid-bit. I was having a discussion with a person who claimed that "no one" cared about the World Cup in the US after team USA's elimination and that soccer in the US is just a fad that comes around every 4 years. I am under no delusion that Soccer will take over the country as people have predicted each and every World Cup summer for the last 30 years. but this year US viewership of World Cup is about 40% higher than any previous year.
For reference:
American TV viewership of FIFA
USA v Portugal = 22.500,000 ESPN + 6,500,000 Univision = 29 Million*
USA v Belgium = 16,490,000 ESPN + 5,100,000 Univision = 21.59 million*
(*not including public viewing parties in hundreds of towns across the country or internet streaming)
Brazil v Colombia = 6,349,000 ESPN + 5,500,000 Univision = 11.849 Million*
France v Germany = 4.899,000 ESPN + 5.100,000 Univision = 9.999 Million*
(Not including internet streaming)

Putting this into context: More Americans watched USA vs Portugal FIFA than the audience of all 5 2014 NHL Stanley Cup finals games added up together
TWICE as many Americans watched France vs Germany soccer than watched any individual Stanley Cup finals game in 2014
More Americans watched France vs Germany soccer on ESPN alone than watched 3 of the 5 Stanley Cup games.

More Americans watched USA vs Portugal on ESPN alone than watched any of the NBA finals games.
More Americans watched USA/Belgium than watched all but one of the NBA finals games.

More Americans watched USA/Belgium than watched any individual 2013 MLB World Series game.

Now here is the kicker.
More Americans are watching NON Team USA FIFA games than have watched any other regular season game of any sport except American football over the last year.

More Americans watched USA v Portugal on ESPN than watched a regular season American football game on ANY network, even Fox who had the record highest viewership at 21.5 million in 2013.

Ratings in all sports in the US except American football are down anywhere from 4-10% over the last 4 years.
Ratings for American football are up by 6% over the last 4 years.
Ratings for Soccer (football) in the US are up by over 40% over the last 4 years.

So, someone's watching. And the old adage still applies: Just because you don't care doesn't mean no one cares.

the big question is, are they watching it just because it's the world cup or are they watching it because they like the game of soccer. my guess is that it's only because it's the world cup, which only comes around once every 4 years