Go USA!

[redeye]

It use to be worse, they used to not announce the amount of stoppage time that there would be, so you can imagine the frustration when it could be anywhere between 1 and 5 minutes, and no one knew except the ref.  Definitely very shady...

I remember that and found it exciting.  Also seems like they used to do exact time, whereas it seems like they round to whole minutes today.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

I was wondering about that.  Specifically, that means time may have expired before Portugal scored on us?

When I played, I don't think we had extra time.

Yes.  But it also means time may have been up on some of our last attempts against Belgium.

There are a lot of problems with how the rules are handled in soccer, and I don't blame people who get frustrated by it.

I do like the fact that they don't blow the whistle while a team is trying to score.  But obviously the overall time thing is a lot of power in the hands of one man who gets paid very little for the risk/responsibility he is given.

This world cup they reviewed goals for the first time with a "goal technology", and it worked well, especially on one goal that was questioned in particular.  Also, now the linesmen have headsets and communicate with the main ref and he can make decisions based on what they tell him - very helpful, especially in the case of fouls away from the ball, hand balls, penalties, etc.

[(notOM)Rebel123]

It's whatever the ref decides to do, and it will never end during an attempt to score.  It really is too much power in the hands of one ref, but like I said it used to be worse.

Maybe they should add a few referees. I know some SEC football refs that they can have.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

I remember that and found it exciting.  Also seems like they used to do exact time, whereas it seems like they round to whole minutes today.

The MLS initially used a clock that counted down and had a horn and you'd think that would work, but it just didn't. 

It just wasn't soccer.  Hard to explain.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Maybe they should add a few referees. I know some SEC football refs that they can have.

Ha!  Yeah, that's been thought of too, but they already get in the way too much as it is.  The last Switzerland game, the ref got in the way of one of the players and literally stopped the forward's run and the guy stopped and went off on the ref...I thought he was about to be carded.

My suggestion would be to add a ref in a booth with replay and let the ref confer with him and the linesman.  But who knows what they'll do, if anything.

This world cup has surprisingly been pretty good when it comes to the refs.  After the first game where the ref made an awful call that probably cost Croatia the game, they've pretty much been invisible and that's really what you want.

We got robbed of at least one goal in 2010, but this time around I can't complain, they did a pretty decent job.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Most MLS soccer-specific stadiums are right at 20,000 - about the same as NBA's average arena and just a hair larger than the NHL average.

If anything, I think ticket prices are the biggest driver.

And the larger stadiums are modified to lower seating for MLS games.  However, there are less games a week, so that needs to be factored in also.

[redeye]

Yes.  But it also means time may have been up on some of our last attempts against Belgium.

There are a lot of problems with how the rules are handled in soccer, and I don't blame people who get frustrated by it.

I do like the fact that they don't blow the whistle while a team is trying to score.  But obviously the overall time thing is a lot of power in the hands of one man who gets paid very little for the risk/responsibility he is given.

This world cup they reviewed goals for the first time with a "goal technology", and it worked well, especially on one goal that was questioned in particular.  Also, now the linesmen have headsets and communicate with the main ref and he can make decisions based on what they tell him - very helpful, especially in the case of fouls away from the ball, hand balls, penalties, etc.

Yea, I agree with you completely.

Was this new goal technology used to determine if the ball went across the goal line?

Thanks for all the answers!

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Yea, I agree with you completely.

Was this new goal technology used to determine if the ball went across the goal line?

Thanks for all the answers!

Yes.  The ball has to completely clear the line for it to be a goal.  France's 2nd goal vs. Honduras was really close, but the technology/replay showed that it was a goal.

No problem, I enjoy talking soccer and don't do it very often on this board or among fellow Arkansans.

Another interesting element of soccer as opposed to basketball/football, is that you can run out of bounds as long as the ball stays in bounds.  The location of the ball determines whether it is still in play, not the person.

[redeye]

Yes.  The ball has to completely clear the line for it to be a goal.  France's 2nd goal vs. Honduras was really close, but the technology/replay showed that it was a goal.

No problem, I enjoy talking soccer and don't do it very often on this board or among fellow Arkansans.

Another interesting element of soccer as opposed to basketball/football, is that you can run out of bounds as long as the ball stays in bounds.  The location of the ball determines whether it is still in play, not the person.

That's one thing that hasn't changed any, because it was the same when I played.

I believe the Switzerland player you mentioned is Xherdan Shaqiri (yes, I copied and paste.)  I remember him staring down that ref.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Yes.  The ball has to completely clear the line for it to be a goal.  France's 2nd goal vs. Honduras was really close, but the technology/replay showed that it was a goal.

No problem, I enjoy talking soccer and don't do it very often on this board or among fellow Arkansans.

Another interesting element of soccer as opposed to basketball/football, is that you can run out of bounds as long as the ball stays in bounds.  The location of the ball determines whether it is still in play, not the person.

All these seemingly laxed rules, like only the ball needing to be in bounds and not the player or the seemingly arbitrary use of the clock, are simply because, on the whole, they are not critical elements of the game.  It's not like basketball where every possession is very important, because the scoring is so high and the court is physically small.  In soccer, we play over 90 minutes on a field significantly larger than a FB field to a final score of 2-1. 

[Inhogswetrust]

That's just insane.  They cannot play a World Cup in that heat.  I hope they do reconsider, and that we get it that year.  I don't think it will happen though.

Baseball is played in heat, football is sometimes played in heat. Golf is played in heat. Those sports players wear more in uniforms than soccer players. I guess soccer players are wimps....................................

Just kidding.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Baseball is played in heat, football is sometimes played in heat. Golf is played in heat. Those sports players wear more in uniforms than soccer players. I guess soccer players are wimps....................................

Just kidding.

I played it in Honduran heat...on the coast.  But Qatar is a whole other ball game..

[Ex-Trumpet]

I played it in Honduran heat...on the coast.  But Qatar is a whole other ball game..

Never been to Qatar...live in Phoenix for 3 years...hottest I ever saw was 118.  Played golf one day when it was 115.  Maybe the stupidest thing I've ever done! 

And Qatar is hotter!

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Never been to Qatar...live in Phoenix for 3 years...hottest I ever saw was 118.  Played golf one day when it was 115.  Maybe the stupidest thing I've ever done! 

And Qatar is hotter!

Yeah, I think they said 120 during that time of year.  However, they also have an indoor artificial snow ski mountain there, and they say they can make the field cooler...I guess we'll find out.

[Pork Twain]

Thank gawd that crap is over

[Inhogswetrust]

I played it in Honduran heat...on the coast.  But Qatar is a whole other ball game..

There is this thing called humidity.....................................not sure if Qatar has it.

[DukeOfPork]

I was wondering about that.  Specifically, that means time may have expired before Portugal scored on us?

When I played, I don't think we had extra time.

Had Bradley made one successful pass or kicked it into an open area instead of losing possession, I think the whistle would have been blown.

[Inhogswetrust]

Yeah, I think they said 120 during that time of year.  However, they also have an indoor artificial snow ski mountain there, and they say they can make the field cooler...I guess we'll find out.

I'm not trying to be a horses behind but the indoor ski area is in Dubai not Qatar.

[DukeOfPork]

I'm not trying to be a horses behind but the indoor ski area is in Dubai not Qatar.

Yep.

But they're all the same to the average person on this board.

[Inhogswetrust]

Yep.

But they're all the same to the average person on this board.

Well that may be true.

[online-with-swine]

I was in Qatar in July and it was miserably hot.

What will be interesting is the conflict in culture not during the games but between the fans after the games and in the streets.

[Ex-Trumpet]

I'm not trying to be a horses behind but the indoor ski area is in Dubai not Qatar.

Yep, pretty awesome!

[DukeOfPork]

I was in Qatar in July and it was miserably hot.

What will be interesting is the conflict in culture not during the games but between the fans after the games and in the streets.

Everyone had better plan on taking a break from sex and alcohol for the duration of that tournament.

[Inhogswetrust]

Everyone had better plan on taking a break from sex and alcohol for the duration of that tournament.

Then that settles it. IF I were even considering watching it before I'm not now!

[DukeOfPork]

Then that settles it. IF I were even considering watching it before I'm not now!

Well, I was referring to the people ATTENDING the tournament.

[Ex-Trumpet]

I'm guessing no scantily clad chicks in the stands either?  Forget it!!

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

I'm not trying to be a horses behind but the indoor ski area is in Dubai not Qatar.

That is correct.  My mistake.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

I'm guessing no scantily clad chicks in the stands either?  Forget it!!

As well as no alcohol, among other things.  They've got a lot of problems ahead.

[Inhogswetrust]

Well, I was referring to the people ATTENDING the tournament.

Attending or watching it really doesn't matter.

[Inhogswetrust]

A friend of mine went to Qatar last fall on a Congressional junket. He's convinced that will be a huge problem too.

He should know. The congressional folks know something about different cultures being in the belly of the Federal government..........................................NOTHING is more different culturally than that.

[DukeOfPork]

He should know. The congressional folks know something about different cultures being in the belly of the Federal government..........................................NOTHING is more different culturally than that.

What does that mean?