France 2019 Catch-All: June 7 - July 7

Prederick wrote:

Per The Guardian their funding is unknown, but also comes from their general manager.

Also, to be fair, I don't think the Men's team gets a whole lot either, I don't think football is all that big in Thailand.

If that wasn't clear before today, it certainly is now.

Unfortunately we may have inspired the other teams in our group to try and put double digits on them as well, to compete for goal differential with us. But hey, that's ball.

I understand still scoring in a blowout, goal difference could matter, but maybe don't celebrate every goal like you've just won the World Cup after you go up 5?

Conversely, some of you scored for the first time in the World Cup, some of you scored in your first game at a World Cup, some of you broke records, all of you broke records, and all you did was run around cheering and hugging each other, so celebrate away.

I'm definitely in the "that seems unsportsmanlike" camp but it would be terrible to be eliminated by a goal tie-breaker because you let off after 5

SpacePPoliceman wrote:

Conversely, some of you scored for the first time in the World Cup, some of you scored in your first game at a World Cup, some of you broke records, all of you broke records, and all you did was run around cheering and hugging each other, so celebrate away.

I agree with this, and also, I think there may be a level of the game at which easing up on your opponent doesn't apply. If there is, it would obviously include the pinnacle of the sport, which this is.

I am firmly in the camp of "if you don't want the other team to run up the score, stop them". USA used all of their subs, what are they supposed to do? Thailand was intent on dropping everyone back to try and limit the damage, was USA supposed to stop trying?

I'm sorry, this is supposed to be the pinnacle of the sport. You go 100% all game, every game. (Excepting the case where you have already advanced and your game has no bearing on the results, and even then I don't like it when teams mail it in).

If it's about the celebrations, I don't get it. They weren't running to the corner flag and sliding on their knees, they were hugging and running back to the center circle.

I will readily admit bias as an American, but come on.

Is this where I go into my ESPN Chris Berman voice and say "Alex Morgan FROM?..."

Carlbear95 wrote:

Is this where I go into my ESPN Chris Berman voice and say "Alex Morgan FROM?..."

She's working with them, too? Is it the same game as George RR Martin, or something yet to be announced?

Fedaykin98 wrote:
Carlbear95 wrote:

Is this where I go into my ESPN Chris Berman voice and say "Alex Morgan FROM?..."

She's working with them, too? Is it the same game as George RR Martin, or something yet to be announced?

I'm not sure if you're playing along or don't get the reference? Cmon Fed.. I would only care about a soccer player if...

Spoiler:

IMAGE(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/4b/64/b2/4b64b2000fe97193e8db22ad7f7e24fe.jpg)

People not knowing whether I'm being serious or absurd is my speciality, Carl.

That's because you are seriously absurd Fed.

Abu5217 wrote:

That's because you are seriously absurd Fed.

LOL!

I will never understand the tendency to equate "celebration" with "unsportsmanlike conduct". It would be unsportsmanlike if they were taunting the other team, mocking the other team, or doing something to call attention to the other team's poor performance.

The internet is abuzz today with thousands of people all shaking their head reproachfully at the USWNT for continuing to celebrate their late game World Cup goals, stating that they should be more "professional". I suspect that almost all of these people did NOT spend most of their adult life training to play soccer for a living, did NOT give up almost everything else in their life to try to make a national soccer team, did NOT finally realize a life-long dream of playing in and scoring in a World Cup game, arguably the most intense and scrutinized competition they will ever participate in.

But sure, offer judgment on something you have absolutely no perspective on.

Boudreaux wrote:

I suspect that almost all of these people did NOT spend most of their adult life training to play soccer for a living, did NOT give up almost everything else in their life to try to make a national soccer team, did NOT finally realize a life-long dream of playing in and scoring in a World Cup game, arguably the most intense and scrutinized competition they will ever participate in.

Your list precludes almost everyone on the planet, so I'm going to say you don't need to use the word "suspect."

Hope Solo also said maybe chill a bit but she didn't score in a World cup either, so whatevs.

I didn't read all of them, so I didn't want to make blanket assumptions.

I have zero issues with running up the score in that situation. Claiming goal advantage like that almost forces Sweden to play to win against you, which is an advantage to getting out of the pool first. So yeah, go for it.

The late-game celebrations leave a bitter taste in my mouth though. Compared to a typical big goal celebration they were less, but still, "Really? Maybe chill a bit?" was my general reaction too. Which might be the first time I've agreed with Hope Solo about anything.

Boudreaux wrote:

I suspect that almost all of these people did NOT spend most of their adult life training to play soccer for a living, did NOT give up almost everything else in their life to try to make a national soccer team, did NOT finally realize a life-long dream of playing in and scoring in a World Cup game, arguably the most intense and scrutinized competition they will ever participate in.

Well said, but the same applies to the Thai players. Showing restraint is empathy for how awful it must feel to be the other side.

The third part of this is the stuff that is harder to gather from watching on television. What was the interaction between the two teams like during the game, and what was said and done after the game? Apparently Alex Morgan went out of her way to console a distraught Thai player after the match, and things like that are super important, and go a long way in treating your opponents with respect.

So yeah, not a huge deal for me and lots of unknowns, but slightly disappointed by the celebrations.

A point I saw on reddit: In a men's match, this kind of blowout would have been likely to turn into a sh*tfest of hard fouls by the losing team. Fair play to Thailand for playing the game the right way.

Don't turn off tethering right after you hit send.

While I'm also loath to make blanket statements, I also couldn't help but notice how often the tut-tuting inevitably got real condescending and patronizing towards Thailand. Lot's of equating them to children's teams and whatnot, which is bullsh*t. Their team was outclassed, but they are still in the World Cup, they still beat plenty of other teams to get here, they are by our best objective measure a world class team in 2019, and they deserved to be treated as such, including running around and cheering and smiling and hugging when you score on them.

I just breezed through the comments.
So let me get this straight, people complained about a team celebrating their goals?

Edit:

Ok, just watched it. I don't see anything wrong with it. People always have to complain about something.
That Thai defense was really awful. The keeper also. Doesn't help that she's so small.

The deluge of criticism coming largely from male sports news types was depressingly typical.. don't ever hear much about it when major college or other pro teams run up the score.

Let's get back on track here, thread...

USA USA USA!

Sounds like Australia-Brazil is the match of the tournament so far.

2-0 down, to a 3-2 win between two teams that clearly don't like each other, with some offside rule confusion thrown in to boot!

Australia-Brazil was good with both sides competitive and evenly matched the whole way.

VAR needs some work as it feels it impacts the game way more than it was designed.

I wish the officiating in women's footy had kept pace with the quality of play.

Some shocking decisions this tournament.

I'm loving the Argentinians holding firm and England's increasing bafflement.

The first time Argentina push forward significantly... leads to an English goal.