World Cup Day 4 Thread
Three matches on tap today
Costa Rica-Serbia (already under way)
Germany-Mexico (11am ET)
Brazil-Switzerland (2pm ET)
The Costa Rica match is on regular FOX, the other two are on FS1 due to the US Open being aired on regular FOX. Two CONCACAF squads in action today. Costa Rica went to the quarters in 2014, but they are in a tough group (though they were in 2014 as well). Mexico is favored to finish second in their group and get their toughest match out of the way today against the defending champs.
The comment on the US Open pushing the later games to FS1 gave me a scary thought: Joe Buck calling soccer. It puts me to sleep just thinking of it, and I'm not a soccer hater (just a Buck hater).
Speaking of awful announcing, what are everyone's thoughts on FOX's WC coverage so far? The guy that called the Peru-Denmark game yesterday sounded like a parody of a Mexican PbP guy. Alexi Lalas seems like a jerk but he wore a Detroit Red Wings shirt in Moscow the other day so I like him now. I just read that only 2 of the FOX teams are live, while the rest are calling games off a TV in LA. Seems like a pretty terrible shortcut for the world's biggest sporting event.
They’re truly atrocious thus far. If I had Telemundo, I’d just be watching on that even though I know very little Spanish. I hope Kate Abdo is making oodles of money for having to sit through these awful conversations. Lalas’ only redeeming quality is that he’s from Michigan. He talks about how being an analyst is like playin a character. Well, nobody likes your character so change it up. But he’s nothing more than a glorified sports radio host.
Joe Buck doing a WC would be absolutely terrifying. Let’s cross our fingers for 2022 and 2026.
Not being there live explains a few commentary thoughts I’ve had. It often feels like they can’t capture the emotion of the stadium which now makes sense.
I’ve been okay with the announcing so far, but mostly because I want as little intrusion as possible to the game so I’m barely listening anyway. That was my problem with the Peru game yesterday. The match should speak for itself and doesn’t need an announcer to make it exciting.
In general, I find that most of the announcers and studio guys add almost nothing to Fox broadcasts (goes for NBC EPL games too). They keep bringing in ex players who are too biased and can’t provide any actual analysis. They are on the TBS/TNT NBA studio model without the personalities.
Rant over... back to the games.
Generally hate sports on Fox but I gotta give Fox credit for having great coverage of the US open. They spend way more time than anyone explaining what makes Shinnecock special, what makes holes play tough, and what players are thinking about when trying to make shots or strategizing. Most broadcasts are just cuts of players hitting shots and making putts, no real insight into how to play a golf course and no helping viewers appreciate brilliant course design.
Speaking of Joe Buck...I've been watching the series "Brockmire", which is hilarious. It's about a broken-down alcoholic baseball announcer. Definitely recommend it. It's on IFC network and Amazon.
Anyway, Joe Buck had a cameo on the last episode. They had an alcoholic intervention for Brockmire in a bar, Joe Buck attended via Skype due to his busy schedule. He was doing the "Senior LPGA Skins Game at the French Lick Resort, the jewel of SE Indiana", it was a jab at his apparent desire to broadcast any event just to be on the air.
It was a strange concept, but a funny appearance, not taking himself too seriously like you would think.
Kolarov with the goal of the day already. If something tops that in the next 2 games, it’s going to be a special day of futbol
Coutinho's was pretty much on par, IMO.
I haven't heard an American announcer yet who compares to British announcers. If I turn on a game and hear an American I'm always disappointed.
Holden isn’t terrible with regards to knowledge of the game. However he has a weak voice.
Hes way way better than other American announcers though, such as Twellman or Friedel. Those guys may be the worst in the world IMO.
JP is pretty good though.
You forgot the OT. Soccer is actually waaaaay OT when the US isn’t involved.
This color guy's voice is so nasally and downcast. He sounds like he should be selling me discount drill bits at Lowe's, not calling a sports game.
Germany-Mexico on now
Manuel Neuer looking to be at full strength. Which is a good thing for the Germans...
Germany getting outplayed by Mexico in the first half. Germany may have to get it done on set pieces because they do not look creative in the final third so far.
Mexico looking gassed towards the end, what is that attacking style going to do to their legs in the second half? Great work by them so far but Germany is way too good to even get comfortable with a 1 goal lead...
Way too good? Certainly didn't look like it. This was the slowest most disorganized play I've ever seen from the germans. It was as if they were sleeping out there
And Mexico strikes first. Great game so far.
Go Dustin Johnson!
Casual soccer fan question:
What was that yellow card for?
Time wasting
The germans are playing very slow compared to the mexicans
Germany will get more chances, but they seem to be playing at a slower pace than Mexico, and shooting everything off target
The crowd is 80% pro-Mexico? That's nuts.
I remember reading that in 2014, more international fans came from the U.S. than any other country. I wonder how many were actually fans of the U.S. team...
Fox put up a graph yesterday that said the USA was 2nd only to Russia in number of fans attending the World Cup by country.
But again, I wonder what percentage of those U.S. fans actually root for the USMNT?
I just read recently that the most popular sports team in the United States - all sports considered - is the Mexican national soccer team. That is mind-blowing.
That is a good question and if that’s true about the Mexican National team, my head asplodes.
Never would have guessed that but now that I think about it, it makes sense. Any domestic sport is going to split support 30-some ways. But I'd have to think a high percentage of Mexican Americans support the Mexican national team and since a whopping 11.2% of the US population is mexican american, that's a lot of support.
Germany better find out what Klose, Schweinstieger, and Podolsky are up to. This lot they have can’t close the deal. Zero killer instinct from them today.
I was wondering the same about Schweinstieger. I remember him being great in 2014. Seems he aged very quickly as he's fallen all the way to playing for the Chicago Fire right now.
Mario Gotze was pretty good in 2014 and he's only 26 now. He did have a mediocre season for Dortmund but seems curious the decisions Germany made for the national team. Leroy Sane was left off as well.
Lot of options as a squad but a lack of elite talent and killer strikers it seems like.
Great job by Mexico - counter-attack was very dangerous looking. I know nothing about Switzerland's team, but an upset would be hilarious.
I lived in Switzerland for a bit and maintain a passing familiarity with their team, it would be a much bigger upset than the Mexico game.
The announcers just said Switzerland is top ten in the FIFA world rankings?
They're not a bad team, I'm more looking at the matchup
The rankings are basically nonsense.
They are, but they deliberately gamed it. By being very deliberate about scheduling friendlies, they were able to get very favorable advantages in the ranking algorythm.
It was so blatant, FIFA has changed the ranking system going forward to attempt to eliminate what the Swiss did. IIRC, Poland did the same thing.
Great performance by Mexico. Made Germany look clueless. I hope Osario is the US’ next coach. But if they make it to the quarters, they might try to keep him.
Great result Mexico.
The Wells Fargo ad for suspicious card activity with Landon buying the Mexico jersey is sublime.
I speak Spanish and the woman doing the translation is comically bad.
I don't know why I was so happy to see Germany lose. Just amazing feeling.
GO BRAZIL
Everybody loves an underdog. Germany had their chances, I thought Mexico was playing it way to defensively the second half. They won it in the end though, kudos to them.
... because Germany has to be the biggest bunch of whiners ever?
They beg for and complain about calls more than Lebron.
Dang, that was a rocket of a goal. Brazil looks pretty squared away so far.
Going to be a very interesting tournament. Thought Brazil looked great til they scored.
Go Mexico ! Hoping to avoid Brazil in sweet 16.
These games have been great but it's been hard to watch without the US.
Welcome to the board!
And yes, I agree.
Man this might be the year of the underdog given how shaky the favorites look. El Tri put in work. The Swiss absolutely murked Neymar all match.
Going to be interesting to see what goes on from here.
Neymar better find a helmet and shoulder pads if that “style” is allowed to continue. Not much of a fan of his but damn he took a beating.
The better Mexico is the better off USA will be in the long run. They need to face better competition more frequently if they ever want to compete with the best. Long way to go.
I love the trolling that Donovan is doing. After leaving him off the team the way they did he has every right IMO.
Completely agree about Landon. Well played by him, in my opinion.
Disagree about "long way to go" to "compete with the best." US is in a tough spot right now. But from 1994 on, we've competed with the best. We haven't been _one of_ the best, but we've definitely been competitive with them.