Absolutely. Bayern said that this loss was worse than 1999, when another English team famously mugged them in injury time.
I wondered this in the 2008 Euros and I wonder it again: why play Mario Gomez in big games? He just doesn't score.
Who are ya? (The new football thread)
Tue, 2012-05-22 10:57
#102
Catchfire
Sat, 2012-05-26 10:57
#103
FUCK EURO 2012
I found it interesting that in the Ukraine protesting gets you a $40 dollar ticket compared to the ones in Quebec.
The FEMEN statement said Dnipropetrovsk police also arrested a French female photographer and a female Polish reporter, confiscating their video and audio recording equipment in the process.
A Similar incident took place in Kiev on May 12, when other FEMEN activists pounced on the trophy. Each woman was subsequently fined the equivalent of $40.
http://www.rt.com/sport/topless-attack-femen-dump-euro-trophy-in-protest...
Thu, 2012-09-13 05:28
#104
Hillsborough papers: Cameron apology over 'double injustice'
Something for which the people of Liverpool have waited 23 years: The truth about the Hillsborough disaster of 15 April 1989, in which 96 people died from being crushed in overcrowded sections of the Hillsborough stadium due to incompetence on the part of the police.
A cover-up followed, with police and emergency services altering the notes of officers who were on duty in an attempt to minimise or erase the failings. The police tested blood from the victims' bodies for alcohol in an attempt to shift the blame and to smear the victims as drunken hooligans.
A popular UK tabloid only days later published a front page report claiming that drunken Liverpool fans had stolen from the dead bodies of their fellow fans and urinated on policemen. These were outright lies, but lies believed by many until this day.
Not only did Hillsborough - and the way it was presented in the media - serve to further demonise football fans in general, it was also used as another stick with which to beat the people of Liverpool.
As a result of the independent report issued on 12 September, further inquests are likely, and, hopefully, criminal prosecutions of the police who ordered the cover-up.
The families of the Hillsborough victims never gave up hope of justice, despite the indifference of Conservative and Labour governments in the intervening years.
As Trevor Hicks, father of two daughters who died at Hillsborough put it yesterday: "The truth is out today and the justice starts tomorrow."
Justice for the 96.
You'll Never Walk Alone.
Edit: removed unattributed info regarding blood-testing of victims.
Thu, 2012-09-13 22:19
#105
A popular UK tabloid only days later published a front page report claiming that drunken Liverpool fans had stolen from the dead bodies of their fellow fans and urinated on policemen. These were outright lies, but lies believed by many until this day.
Not only did Hillsborough - and the way it was presented in the media - serve to further demonise football fans in general, it was also used as another stick with which to beat the people of Liverpool.
Fri, 2012-09-28 02:15
#106
Fri, 2012-09-28 13:16
#107
Catchfire
Greatest ever.
Sat, 2012-11-17 12:31
#108
Catchfire
Wed, 2012-12-05 16:54
#109
Catchfire
Footie roundup:
First, Glasgow Celtic Football Club have just defeated Benfica 2-1 (both goals, fittingly, scored by a man named Hooper) putting them through to the Champions League round of 16--a feat escaping much richer clubs like holders Chelsea and Man City. This punctuates their famous, stunning defeat of Barcelona two weeks ago.
My Hibs remain, incredibly, in second place in the Scottish Premier League, just one point behind Celtic. I can't see Voldemort's Rangers on the table--Caissa, do you know where they've gone? Better than this, Hibs just beat cross-town rivals, the Jam Tarts of Midlothian, 1-0 in the Scottish Cup, to partly make up for the embarrassing 5-1 defeat in the final last year.
The English Premier League is boring. Next!
Football once again takes a big role in geopolitics, since Israel destroyed Palestine's Football Stadium...again. Dave Zirin writes in The Nation:
The answer is simple. Sports is more than loved in Gaza (and it is loved.) It’s an expression of humanity for those living under occupation. It’s not just soccer and it’s not just the boys. Everyone plays, with handball, volleyball and basketball joining soccer as the most popular choices. To have several thousand people gather to watch a girls sporting event is a way of life. It’s a community event designed not only to cheer those on the field, but cheer those in the stands. As one Palestinian man from Gaza said to me, “[Sports] is our time to forget where we are and remember who we are.”
Attacking the athletic infrastructure is about attacking the idea that joy, normalcy or a universally recognizable humanity could ever be a part of life for a Palestinian child. This is a critical for Israel both internationally and at home. The only way the Israeli government and its allies can continue to act with such brazen disregard for civilian life is if they convince the world that their adversaries collectively are less than human. The subway ads calling Muslims “savages”, the Islamophobic cartoons and videos that are held up as examples of free speech, are all part of a quilt that says some deaths are not to be mourned.
With no hockey, I'll be looking for some excitment to start building in the EPL, since it's the only league I can regularly watch. But it seems no team wants to win it this year.
Tue, 2013-03-19 23:28
#110
Catchfire
Tue, 2013-03-19 23:33
#111
Catchfire
(Was it possible to love Leo Messi more? The answer is yes.)
Tue, 2013-03-19 23:43
#112
)
Wed, 2013-03-20 00:12
#114
Still helluva player (based on my limited knowledge of the non-gridiron style of football). Sorry for bursting the bubble. I was only aware of it being fake because Dave Zirin confessed to having fallen for it too.
Sat, 2013-04-27 00:56
#115
Catchfire
Wed, 2013-07-31 21:24
#116
ikosmos
..........Summer of '42 ............
Years ago, in Kiev, they told me why the Dynamo players had deserved a statue.
They told me a wartime story.
Ukraine was occupied the Nazis. The Germans organized a soccer match. The national team from its armed forces against Kiev's Dynamo, made up of textile factory workers: the supermen against the starving.
The Stadium is full. The fans shrink, silently, when the victorious army makes the first goal of the afternoon; they ignite when Dynamo ties; they explode when the first half ends with Germany losing 2 to 1.
The commander of the occupying forces sends his assistant to the dressing room. The Dynamo players listen to the warning.
"Our team has never been defeated in occupied territories."
And the threat.
"If you win, we'll execute you."
The players return to the field.
A few minutes later, the third goal for Dynamo. The crowd watches the game standing up, with a continuous roar. Fourth goal, the stadium goes wild.
Suddenly, before it is time, the referee ends the game.
They shot them with their uniforms on, by the edge of a ravine.
from Days and Nights of Love and War
Wed, 2013-08-07 13:21
#117
Catchfire
God. What a story. And Dynamo Kiev: what a team, what a legacy.
Wed, 2013-08-07 13:37
#118
Time to let the cry baby Suarez go.
Sat, 2013-09-14 17:16
#119
Catchfire
Mesut Özil. Gareth Bale.
Wed, 2013-11-13 12:44
#120
Not my thing, but I thought it might amose those of you for whom it is:
http://deadspin.com/nfl-logos-as-european-soccer-badges-1463591677?utm_c...
Sat, 2013-12-07 12:28
#121
The groups for the 2014 World Cup:
Sun, 2013-12-08 22:38
#122
Catchfire
I don't know what those are, but they're not the groups for the 2014 World Cup! Maybe they're from a different tournament? I'm thinking 2010's from the look of the teams. The groups for next year's finals can be found here: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/dec/08/brazil-world-cup-2014-ti...
Most immediately interesting is Group A, which pits the last tournament's finalists against one another, and confirms (In group D) what was always likely: England won't make it out of their group stage.
Tue, 2014-05-13 13:08
#123
Catchfire
Is this where the footie talk is happening? Maybe it's not a good time to bring it up with Caissa feeling vulnerable -- I was actually pretty gutted to see Liverpool miss out on the league this year, because they have been so, so, so much fun to watch. When they beat Man City so wonderfully I was really rooting for them (and Man Utd have been so dreadful this year there was no shame in't).
But -- and even an Evertonian would have to feel for him -- Liverpool's heart and soul let this happen against Chelsea:
With that goal -- even a draw would have sealed it and honestly Chelsea weren't going for the win looking forward to the Champion's League next week (which they lost anyway) -- the Reds saw their best chance at the league in decades slip (sorry) away.
Now oil-rich City is going to lord it over the rest of us suckers for another year, the dirty punks.
Tue, 2014-05-20 14:15
#124
Catchfire
bump for Caissa sadface
Wed, 2014-05-21 10:25
#125
If you weren't a moderator, Catchfire...
Thu, 2014-05-22 17:53
#126
Catchfire
Aww, don't be sore Caissa. I'm with you on this one this time! I was hoping Liverpool would take the league. No fan of City and I've loved the way Liverpool stood strong against Suarez (who now seems kinda happy, albeit probably in a Ronaldo "i'ma take off soon anyway, ok?" sense) and against Ferguson's book. And they've been the most exciting team to watch all year.
It's just that Gerrard trip is so tragically funny. If he didn't beat up DJs for not playing Phil Collins in nightclubs, I'd feel sorry for the Scouser.
Fri, 2014-05-23 07:46
#127
We can duke it out over the chessboard again. That's how Caissa vanquishes her enemies. When did our beloved Rangers make it back to the top division?
Fri, 2014-05-23 13:05
#128
Catchfire
Happily, Caissa, the olde enemie is not back in the Scottish top flight, the premiership. They are in the Scottish League one, the third-highest division in Scottish football. However, having clinched the title they have been promoted to the Scottish Championship, the second highest. We can only hope that they don't go any higher, for the good of humanity.
Fri, 2014-05-23 13:11
#129
Whenever you want to start a chess thread I am happy to play thee. I don't know if it belongs in banter or where. You can even have the white pieces.
Fri, 2014-05-23 14:38
#130
Catchfire
You can even have the white pieces.
This is a deal if I can play black.
Mon, 2014-05-26 08:42
#131
You may play black. I'll start a thread in banter. Same rules as last time, no search engines.
Mon, 2014-05-26 17:51
#132
Catchfire
Congratulations to General Franco and Real Madrid for winning their tenth European Cup! At least it was a Welshman who scored the winner (worth his 100-million Euro pricetag?)
Also, took my almost-three year old to see the Whitecaps play on Saturday. Great game, but a bad penalty call cost us the win. But the best part was wee-CF yelling "Go team go!" and "Get out of here!" indiscriminately throughout the game. Unfortunately we were sitting beside the Seattle fans who brought a lot of flags so he and his 11-month old sister were cheering much more often with them than with their non-flag-waving dad.
Mon, 2014-06-16 17:00
#133
Anybody following the World Cup?
Mon, 2014-06-16 17:01
#134
Catchfire
YES
Tue, 2014-06-17 07:46
#135
Yes.
Thu, 2014-06-26 17:21
#136
oh yeah,
there are trucks and lorries and chips and fries, so please, in English two terms CAN designate one thing:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Watchwords+foot+mouth+over+soccer/99...
Thu, 2014-06-26 17:24
#137
USA lose today, but go through to final 16, quite a feat:
FIFA in English:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/index.html
and French:
Thu, 2014-06-26 17:32
#138
alan smithee
Go Uruaguay Go
Thu, 2014-06-26 17:46
#139
It's all about la Albiceleste.
Thu, 2014-06-26 17:57
#140
the Netherlands are winning me over
... but then I thought the San Jose Sharks looked good early on
Thu, 2014-06-26 20:09
#141
alan smithee
the Netherlands are winning me over
... but then I thought the San Jose Sharks looked good early on
That's a coincidence...I picked San Jose to win the Western Conference.
Good thing I don't bet on sports.
Wed, 2014-07-02 10:03
#142
I still like the Netherlands.. although like everyone else they left the winning part to the last possible seconds and beyond...
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/index.html
seriously, every big team that won in recent days -- Brazil, Germany, France, Netherlands, Argentina -- seemed to do it after 88 minutes, which has worked out well for me, as I have often shown up at the TV to see the finish, at work or elsewhere....
Wed, 2014-07-02 10:12
#143
Our 12 year old son went 8/8 on his first round playoff predictions. 8 games to go.
Wed, 2014-07-02 10:23
#144
congratulations to him ,
but ... did all the big-name/higher-ranked teams win their rounds?
Wed, 2014-07-02 10:31
#145
Yes, they did, and there were a few nail-biters. Two on penalty kicks and three in extra time.
Wed, 2014-07-02 15:24
#146
and we should pause , at least for a moment, to remember:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2014/m=6/news=remembering-andres-esc...
For the football world, Andres was a talented defender who had impressed for Medellin side Atletico Nacional and the Colombian national team. But for Maria Ester and the rest of the Escobar family, the 27-year-old was much more than that: "He was our little brother, our pride and joy," she tells FIFA.com in Rio de Janeiro, an unmistakable twinge of nostalgia in her tone.
The pain has not faded, despite the 20 years that have been and gone since Escobar was shot six times outside a bar in Medellin, where he had been insulted and accosted by his fellow countrymen as a result of his own goal at USA 1994. "Sometimes I think it'd be better if people didn't remember Andres every day, because it's really painful. But he left a mark, so it's normal," adds Jose, another of the former centre-half's siblings.
FIFA's invitation triggered all sorts of conflicting emotions among the members of the family who have come to Brazil to watch this summer's tournament. "Especially because of the way the World Cup kicked off, with an own goal [by Brazil's Marcelo versus Croatia]," Maria Ester notes.
"That brought back very sad, distressing memories, but it helped hammer home that it's part and parcel of the game, that these things happen all the time. We're really happy to be here and to have the chance to share in the joy that football can bring, along with everyone else who is here."
Wed, 2014-07-02 23:53
#147
[url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2118017-islam-slimani-algeria-will-do... Will Donate Their World Cup Prize Money to Gaza[/url]
forward Islam Slimani announced in the aftermath of the tournament that the entire squad will donate all of their prize money to the people of embattled Gaza. That figure is estimated to be about $9,000,00[0]
Fri, 2014-07-04 12:37
#148
Germany is leading 1-0.
Fri, 2014-07-04 12:43
#149
spoiler
Fri, 2014-07-04 13:49
#150
Germany is now leading 3-0. 
ETA: Kidding, of course.
Mon, 2014-07-07 15:46
#151
the Big Pool:
Ger vs Brazil: GER
NL vs Arg.: pick'em