OT - World Cup Coverage on MGoBlog
So we are about a month out and I can't really wait. For the most part, this thread could have probably waited two weeks, but the Wings are out, the Pistons are the Pistons, the NFL is in a dead period, and we have some time before softball and baseball reach their post seasons. So what the hell? A couple questions to start and if there's anyone that wants to talk some WC that's cool too.
- First, can any of the powers that be (Brian, Tim, FA) shed some light on what WC coverage is gonna be like here? Can we expect a full out USMNT analysis and WC preview of some sorts in the coming weeks (please!)?
- Is there any high-quality blog which I can be directed to? Way back when I know Brian threw around the idea of starting an USMNT blog. Is there one out there that can come close to the analysis and humor that we get here?
Any other ideas to prepare now that we are about a month out? Maybe even some ideas for around these parts?
Go pick up World Soccer.
Or, read Brian Glanville's history of the World Cup.
There's not really much else you should do except get out of the house for the next month - 63 games in 30 days makes these summers tough.
The internet and ESPN3 are going to make this World Cup amazing. I'm starting graduate school June 21 and will be watching every game on my laptop when I'm not sitting on my ass and watching at home.
Plus we get a pretty nice time change for most games. Earliest games start is 7am, latest is 2pm. So, if you work nights like me, you're in like flint. And if you're at work, well, let's hope you get espn360
http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2010/01/espn-inc-2010-fifa-world-cup-s…
Sorry but the start times are FAR from ideal for people at work. It's a lot easier and less of a hassle to sit on the couch and watch the game rather than getting caught watching it at the office.
Better than the really early stuff we had in previous WCs. Everyone's idea of ideal is different and yeah, if you can't get away with watching at work, you're gonna have trouble. Personally, there's something I like about having world-wide sporting events NOT be on during primetime. I'm going to love being able to wake up to World Cup games.
Plus, since literally every game will be on ESPN3, you can re-watch or watch them at anytime.
I can just about guarantee that there will be open threads on the board for most of the games. I'm defering to Brian for anything beyond that.
ESPN and ABC are showing every single game I believe so I'm sure there will be plenty of coverage/analysis. I can't wait either. Too bad South Africa openly wants the US gone in the first round to prevent security problems if Obama comes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/09/sports/soccer/09soccer.html
The Yanks are coming...
Perhaps we could do a Live thread here? It's been awhile and I'm desperate for something...
Yeah, I would think at least for the England game a CiL is a must.
The curse was broken, right????
if it was completely broken, but the Demar Dorsey CiL ended with the desired result.
it has been reported this week that almost 250,000 tickets remain unsold for the WC.
Perhaps we are learning the limits of "live fandom" - people maybe aren't going to travel everywhere to watch footie. i realize the economy is an issue, but also, the cost and time commitment for people to get to SA is significant. I am sure it is even harder and more expensive than 2002.
I think it has a lot more to do with the rampant crime (I know people who have personally witnessed police shootouts with machine-gun wielding carjackers) than the economy. People's homes are like fortresses over there. South Africa was really a poor choice for traveling fans from a safety/infrastructure standpoint and the result is unsold tickets.
that they tried to sell all the tickets online in a country where a significant number of people don't have internet access.
I understand trying to use the internet... but if someone has cash and wants to purchase your product, you take his money and say "thank you."
Tickets have been available for the last 3-4 weeks at South African grocery stores.
There are still 250,000 available.
And of those 250,000 around 249,999 are nose bleed or involve teams no one cares about or a combination of the two.
but in 1998, 2002 and 2006, 250,000 of those 250,000 tickets were, you know, sold by this point.
So you can find whatever excuse you need, but the ticket sales for this event, in comparison to at least the last four World Cups, are an epic failure at this point.
It will also be interesting to see what South Africa, a country whose domestic sports leagues are pretty small-time, does with a bunch of 50,000-seat stadiums after the World Cup. These cost the country a fortune to build. Really questionable move when you look at the cost-benefit analysis.
If they don't go any other way, they will go to locals or to fans who are in town for other games. The overall sell rate is at about %95 if you consider there are over 60 games.
I can't think of any other sport that people would spend over 10K to go watch 1-2 games... the Baseball World Classic they had was %50 sold and locals in LA and San Diego didn't care about going. And Olympic basketball isn't the hottest ticket either.
Can't Wait!
I've been stressing over the US postion battles for months?
1. Left Back ... who knows here ... assuming gooch is healthy (which i think is a must for us to advance because of his physical size in the middle) im a fan of Bocanegra but i wouldnt be against putting in Cherundolo in on the right allowing spector to slide into the left
2. 2nd midfield ...ugg whos gonna help bradley? i dont really know yet ... im not a huge fan of any of the options
3. 2nd forward ... unless we go to a 4-5-1 with landon and dempsey being psuedo forwards ... i think jozy is a look and we just have to pray for the health of davies and if not i sorta like ching next
uggg
i think we sneak in the knockout phase and lose another heartbreaker to the germans 1-0 in the first round
at this point ive got spain beating england 2-1 in the final but that might change in the next month
I would rather have Gooch and Demerit play the middle with Boca on the left and Spector on the right. I think Spector is our best crossing option from left back.
We are pretty versatile and deep at the midfield position. Jose Torres has been playing well for Pachuca. Only if Jermaine Jones was healthy we would even be deeper.
I really hope Davies can play for us. There is nobody with his ball skills and pace. Davies is the perfect complement to Altidore, one having pace and the other being a big forward able to hold the ball. I don't know if I like Ching. He has lots of experience, but he is also coming off an injury.
I would like to see either Buddle or Gomez make it. It depends if Bradley puts more weight on current form or experience. Based on the past, we all know that Bradley puts lot of weight on experience and team chemistry.
As for Buddle and Gomez, I'm not sure who would be a better fit. I have seen Buddle more than Gomez, so I can't really comment on it. I have heard that Gomez has more pace than Buddle which could beneficial.
I don't know about the Spector/'dolo thing. I used to completely agree that Spector was the better option but he's been so bad for West Ham this year that I'm beginning to think his confidence is shot. Add in the fact that both England and Algeria have exactly the kind of small quick wing players that have killed him all year and I think I prefer Cherundolo for those games.
On Davies, I'm really nervous about playing someone who will be 9 months from his last competitive match at the beginning of the World Cup. It's a great story if he makes it back but I have bad memories of John O'Brien in 2006. At some point, form has to count. Similar feelings about Ching. I hope Gomez and Buddle (and maybe even EJ) get a long look in camp. Hopefully, Holden being back means Dempsey can push up top as the second striker. (I'm not sold on Jozy in a 4-5-1).
Spector was regularly playing left back for West Ham this season. He will be right back for the US, which is his better position. I think that we might be high on Spector based on how well he played in the Confederations Cup, but I think he is the best crossing right back we have.
I'm not sold on Jozy in a 4-5-1 either. Bradley is going to have to play Dempsey or maybe even Donovan up top if we don't have any other options.
i wasn't saying i want or think we will go to the 4-5-1 ... i just kinda mentioned that its possible for me to see it happening
I hope Brian does some WC blogging over here. I'd lile to see it.
I am no expert at all on soccer, but I will be doing some blogging on itat the JCB as its a great event, but tons of gambling chances. I'm fascinated by all the lines you can bet now on the event.
If they did some post on the WC id like see post on big games like the Egland vs. USA, Brazil vs. Ivory Coast, and the other big ones
(1) Andy Gray will be doing the color commentary. This is a very good thing.
(2) Jurgen Klinsmann has been hired as an analyst.
(3) Martin Tyler as lead play-by-play commentator.
Andy Gray did ESPN's commentary for EURO 2008 (and I confused him with Martin Tyler).
http://www.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/football/03/09/team.usa.world.cup/index.h…
Cool article about the growing popularity of World Soccer. My favorite part is where it says something about how ESPN made the X games an Olympic sport. It's only a matter of time before soccer catches hold here. The more exposure we get to the real leagues (EPL, La Liga) and get to watch real soccer, the more people will like it.
Just too bad we'll never have a local league of the same caliber as those in Europe.
That's the rub, Tom, and it's why I don't think soccer will ever truly "take hold" here.
Americans get to watch the best gridiron football, the best hockey, the best baseball and the best basketball in their arenas, in this country. On the other hand, the soccer is equivalent to the English Third Division (aka League One), and the only time we get great football is either during a World Cup qualifier, or when foreign club teams come and play friendlies (which never have the intensity of a league match).
So, the hardcore fan will watch Barca, Chelsea, Inter Milan on TV, but without a mechanism to go root on a high quality team in person regularly, soccer's upward growth in this country will be limited until the MLS gains as a competitive entity. That will take decades.
Yup, exactly.
It'll be interesting to see what happens at the end of this summer. Fox Sports has really upped the number of games they show state-side and we all know that ESPN is making a huge push. Last year the UEFA Champs final got ridiculous ratings, however they also had the powerhouse matchup of all powerhouse matchups with Man U vs. Barca. This year probably won't see the same ratings but will be interesting to see how high they are. Even the Confed Cup was pretty intently followed over here.
Being Americans, we're in a unique position where we can aford to follow teams in Spain or in England. The technology has gotten to the point where we can watch every game keep up with all the news, etc, etc, etc. But at some point you need to be able to attend games more than once a few years during a trip to Europe.
So what's the answer? MLS? Like you said, it'll take a long time before that soccer is watchable on the same level as the EPL or La Liga. But it may not take that long for it to be watchable on the same level as the NHL or NASCAR.
NHL TV ratings in the U.S. are not good. That's why most games are exiled to VS.
Greece is gonna beat that ass and take names.
Will they be able to afford to send their players to the matches?
Or, will Germany and the rest of the EU step in and pay for that as well?
ZING.
Although the not so funny part is that the USA will probably be in the same situation in a few years based on the way we're spending $$$!!!
Double Zing!
That sumbitch Brian ruined our football teams 08 and 09 seasons and paid off the goons at the freep to blame RR instead.
<sarcasm>