Viva Italia... I'm an Italy freak. Italy and Scotland... (and being a Scotland fan means supporting anyone who's playing England at the time).

Notionally I'm a Toronto FC fan... I think it's brilliant that the beautiful game is getting established in Canada.

Indeed.

Mendalla

Mendalla wrote:

I'm still deciding who to cheer for. Neither Canada (my homeland) nor China (my wife's) made it through qualifying , so I don't have an obvious team.

With Canada out, I must root for South Korea. You know... for marital happiness reasons.

We will be cheering for Ghana.  My husband lived in Ghana as a child and we enjoy rooting for a more obscure, underdog team....at least until they get knocked out!

Soccer is  the fastest growing religion in the world today! 

Aye, laddie!

A true Scot could never support the Sassenachs.

I, of course, will be supporting the Socceroos - Australia.

Er, too bad we have to play our first game against Germany. 

Ahhh FIFA!!

We don't have cable, but when World Cup was on last time, we called the cable company and got it for a month anway.

My sweetheart was in Germany shortly before the WC several years ago and he's never lost the enthusiasm.  You might expect him to root for England, but he thinks they're wimps.  And my uncle is Brazilian, so we have a natural inclination for them.  My cousin lives in Mexico.  But sweetie likes the antagonism, so Germany it is. 

I never really knew much about it, until maybe 3 WCs ago, and in watching a match realized just how HARD those guys work, how hard they run, how hard they play.  Its impressive, especially compared to my beloved baseball.  I was won over.

I don't give up my life for watching a match, but I might have it on while I'm doing everything else in my day and come & watch.  My son though -he would tune things out to cheer for Brazil or Germany or whoever he latches onto for a match.  We'll be tuned in this time, and somewhere around here we have a Germany flag.  Must dig it out!! 

(Wasn't there some puck thing, all cold & icy going on recently?  how did that go?  lol)

Soccer's okay if there's no hockey to watch.  It sure beats that boring sport, baseball.  It's just too bad it's not a REAL sport like hockey, but I guess it will have to do.  But, in hockey, the stick is just an extension of... ah, I'd better stop here.  I don't want to get censored.  Canada couldn't get the hang of it; there's no stick involved. 

i love the world cup, i find its more reality country playing against country than hockey is, hockey all the players are of mixed nationalities watering down the teams origins, but soccer , hey Im Italian

FORZA AZZURRI!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm half German and so usually cheer for them.  I'm also a mix of British so could cheer for England.  My eldest is cheering for Germany, my youngest for Argentina and my son likes Spain (although his favourite player is Gianluigi Buffon of Italy).  I'm just looking forward to some amazing soccer!!!!

C'mon folks - Italy, Germany, Argentina ,Brazil, Spain etc etc - they're all potential winners.

Howzabout supporting a real underdog, Australia???

As this little Aussie battler has been supporting the UCC, through Wondercafe, with religious fervour, it's your Christian duty to support the Socceroos - and that includes you chansen! 

i been told and the sequence does work out i checked it myself, is that the cup goes back and forth every 4 yrs between a European country and a South American country , so since Italy took the cup 4 ysr go , this yr everone is predicting th ecup to fall to a South Americian team

what u guys think? should i bet Argentina ?

What I don't understand about soccer, you have a goal that you could park a tank in and have room to spare, and at half time the score is zero-zero!  What are these guys on?

Grass.

O, this is kewl. My Yobo and I have been invited to watch the S. Korea - Greece game tomorrow morning at her megachurch in Mississauga. Big screen, theater-style seating, what more could you ask?

It'll be me and a whole lot of Koreans. Rice and soup is planned for breakfast.

Maybe I'll have some fun by being the one guy there shouting, "Go Greece!"

That sounds like a great way to watch a game. Enjoy. But if you do start rooting for Greece, you'll have only yourself to blame if you end up sleeping on the couch when you get home .

Mendalla

So, let me get this straight.  If the game ends in a tie, it stays a tie?  Where's the fun in that?

North Korea is in the group of death, they are so done

I might cheer on Algeria, or Slovenia

Yes! Korean Republic wins its first match, against the powerhouse of Greece none less. It's a happy day in Seoul.

Knew you and your Yobo would like that result. I was quite pleased, as well. Greece isn't that much of a powerhouse though. Now if the Korean Republic can take out Argentina on Thursday, that will impress me.

I'm not watching the US - England game (yet, I'll pop over to cbc.ca and have a look at how good their streamed coverage is shortly) but it looks like it could be a nailbiter. 1 - 1 with about 10 minutes left.

Mendalla

AGH  - what kind of goal tender is Greene????  $%^&*@ 

 Blackbelt: England's coach is Italian... Fabio Capello

VIVA!

Go AUSSIES!

I'm still trying to figure out soccer.  Germany is playing Australia.  Germany has three home runs, and I have no idea what I'm talking about.

Yeow. 4-0? That Aussie-Germany game score sounds more like a blow-out hockey game than a football match. I was rooting for Australia, too.

Mendalla

my sweetie is saying things like "YEAH BABY!!" and "SEND 'EM HOME!!!" and "THEY GOT THEIR A** HANDED TO THEM!!"    He's pretty happy about the game, I think. 

Here's a tissue and a hug, PP. Let's go out for a beer to console each other and other despondent Aussie fans.

Mendalla

Well, at least Canada hasn't lost a game so far in this round.

At our place we're saying "DAE HAN MIN GUK! DAE HAN MIN GUK!"

I think a consolation beer & hug would be in order, PP. 

My sweetheart might have to finish his happy dance first, but certainly, we feel for you.

Here's K'naan's performance from the World Cup Celebration Concert on Thursday night. I love how he frames the celebratory, triumphant World Cup version with the more sombre, socially aware original (which I actually prefer). Makes both versions all that much more powerful. K'naan has a lot to proud of between this song and the album that spawned it.

 Mendalla

 L'Italia è paura? Sarà il Kiwis vincere?

So, what do people think of the first week?

Some surprises. Less than impressive (and below expectations) performances from England and Italy. The US isn't performing as well as some seemed to think they would. Spain losing to the Swiss was a shocker. Ditto powerhouse Germany's loss to Serbia yesterday. North Korea getting in a goal in against Brazil was a pleasant surprise I think, as was South Korea winning their opening match (but they got brought back to earth pretty quickly by Argentina).

Some not unexpecteds. Argentina and the Netherlands dominating their groups. Germany trashing the Aussies. Brazil being Brazil (we'll see how their next game goes).

I'm still not sure I have a favorite in this tournament. I'm kind of rooting for the Netherlands at this point because we have a Dutch friend, but I'd still love to see Spain (my wife's current research partner is Spanish), England, or the US get back on their feet.

And, as Mike so sublimely put it, "Go Kiwis Go!". After what happened to Italy when they played Paraguay, I wouldn't put it past New Zealand to surprise them tomorrow.

Mendalla

There have been a lot of big wins by underdog teams, which I like

Canada COULD develop soccer, but we need one sport in which the rest of the world can be triumphant.  What they really need is a stick in their hands.  What would happen if they crossed soccer with lacrosse?

Those didgeridoos are driving me didgeridon't.

Jae: don't be pathetic. The vuvuzela is intended to make its presence felt, like the in-your-face songs and chants European fans go for. Tough it out, pal.

Longer wait times in the ER ?

Mendalla

LOL

O, I fully acknowledge that they are "the iconic sound of South African soccer" but, you see, this is why I don't watch a lot of South African soccer. As Danny Jordan, Organizing Chief Executive, has said, "This will be the noisiest world cup ever..." (source for quotes: http://www.vuvuzelas.com/index01.html )

 KIWIS JUST GOT THE FIRST GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Dang. Scooped by the resident Kiwi. 7' in, too. Even Germany's first goal on the Aussies didn't come until 10' I think.

Mendalla

Soccer would make it in Canada if they allowed body checks and fighting. A penalty box would help too.

I support England - the true Holy Land according to my mother. I have sympathy for the U.S. team who were blatantly jobbed by the referee in their last game although I couldn't actually root for them. Such behaviour by referees should be punished. I'm also cheering for Slovenia, and New Zealand just scored on Italy - Yay!

I'll put my money on Argentina.

In other words, all of the things that would get me to stop watching it like I did hockey.

Mendalla

Question - Does the Goaler HAVE to stand back on the goal line for a penalty shot?

 1 : 1  NZ - ITALY !!!!!!!!

BRAVISSIMO!!!! The Kiwis gave it heaps & drew with the so-called champions.

(And Italy is my second favorite... they did not actually lose, so it was a great result for me....)

Whoever played this morning (Paraguay) got two home runs and I don't have a clue what I'm talking about.  Some place called New Zealand (was there ever an 'Old' Zealand? LOL) played a good game against Italy but WHERE'S THE SHOOT OUT??  .

Old Zeeland in a region of the Netherlands as anyone with half an education should know. New Zealand is also known as God's Own for reasons that are apparent to EVERYone who knows ANYthing worthwhile.

Shootout?.. shootout? This is not the OK Corral. It is the Beautiful Game! There is more than winning to all of this. It is about art and sport and coming together in celebration. It is about poetry in motion. You North Americans watch far too many cowboy and cop movies for your own good.

Play football (SOCCER)!

Old Zeeland in a region of the Netherlands as anyone with half an education should know. New Zealand is also known as God's Own for reasons that are apparent to EVERYone who knows ANYthing worthwhile.

Shootout?.. shootout? This is not the OK Corral. It is the Beautiful Game! There is more than winning to all of this. It is about art and sport and coming together in celebration. It is about poetry in motion. You North Americans watch far too many cowboy and cop movies for your own good.

Play football (SOCCER)!

jae, wash your mouth out. Vuvuzela's are NOT didgeridoos!

And here was I thinking the biggest humiliation for we Aussies was getting thrashed by Germany - but calling a vuvuzela a digeridoo????