FIFA World Cup

[spencer]

I am just curious if anyone is interested in this tournament. I know it happens once every four years and here in the US, soccer (or football, everywhere else) is not a huge attraction, but interest is growing. I am going to pull for the US of course and was wondering whom everyone else is cheering for. I will also add that if the US bows out, I will pull for Spain.

[Lightwielder]

Well, my opinions for the FIFA World Cup are the same as other sport events, such as the Superbowl. I hear a lot about them, but I don't really participate, root for any teams, takes sides, or anything like that. Still, I like soccer overall, as a sport.

I'm not really into the official sport events.

[Badstench]

New Zealand is represented at the World Cup, but I have no illusions that we'll get any further than the 1st round. I think Spain are the favourites, but I'd like to see England do well... they're overdue.

By and large, kiwi's call it soccer, too, mainly because we also refer to rugby as football (or "footy"). It's also called "Union" to differentiate it from Rugby League, which is also called "football".

And now that I've cleared that up, I'm going back to bed... I've got a winter cold.

[spencer]

Feel better, Badstench. And, I noticed that New Zealand is the lowest ranked team to make the cup. That, in and of itself, is an accomplishment.

[texlaw1992]

The wife's family, being from Zimbabwe, are huge soccer / football fans, so I had no choice but to watch the US - Britain game. The British goalie's performance looked worse that many little league soccer games, much less World Cup. Anyway, it kept the US hopes alive.

[Doolipalally]

I have only two things to say at the moment:

1. I wish my other half liked watching sport.

2. I'm glad I'm not a certain goalkeeper...

[Badstench]

To support my country, I got out of bed at 11.30pm (a week night) to watch our team (world ranking #78) vs. Slovakia (world ranking #34), but went back to bed when Slovakia scored first early in the second half.

In my mind, I went all pessimistic, foreseeing Slovakia embarras us.

To my immense delight, I woke to the news that New Zealand had managed to achieve a draw, final score 1-1, with our goal coming in the dying minutes of the game

That is our first ever point achieved at the football world cup. Yay us!

The next two opponents are tougher... Paraguay and Italy (the current world champions!)

[spencer]

Congrats to the Kiwis, Badstench!! Great comeback!1

Which brings me to my next question...

I believe that you have mentioned that you are part Maori. I was wondering if Maoris or any other ethnic group in New Zealand not like being referred to as "kiwis" I hear it all the time and if it is insulting, I definitely do now want to offend anyone.

[Dariel]

I was watching the match a short while ago, Brazil vs North Korea. I had to leave though, and as I recall no one scored a goal yet. And oh man, Robert Green... They made a facebook group about him the minute he made that .. mistake.

Also, I can't help but mention this: BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[spencer]

I was watching the match a short while ago, Brazil vs North Korea. I had to leave though, and as I recall no one scored a goal yet. And oh man, Robert Green... They made a facebook group about him the minute he made that .. mistake.

Also, I can't help but mention this: BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ


LOL...I don't care who you are, that's funny!!

[Badstench]

Spencer asked of Badstench
I believe that you have mentioned that you are part Maori. I was wondering if Maoris, or any other ethnic group in New Zealand, do not like being referred to as "kiwis"? I hear it all the time and if it is insulting, I definitely do now want to offend anyone.

To the contrary, we are proud to be "Kiwi's". It is actually a term of national identity that is not racially specific. New Zealand is a relatively young country, the population of which is racially and culturally mixed, but being called a Kiwi does away with any of those differences. It simply means, "I live in New Zealand and consider myself to be a New Zealander". We can still retain our cultural identities (whether indigenous Maori, Pacific Islander, Asian, European, etc, etc) at the same time.

I've said this before, but I'll explain it again for anyone who doesn't know. "Kiwi", in regards to a citizen of New Zealand, is derived from the Kiwi bird, which is unique to this country, and not the furry little green fruit. The kiwi bird holds as much symbolic significance to us as the bald eagle does to the US.

[Young Ned]

I think the furry little fruit was named kiwi because it bore a slight resemblance to the furry-looking little bird, but I have no actual proof of it.

[Badstench]

Ha! no... the kiwifruit originated in China and was brought to New Zealand by immigrants. The climate suited this fruit, and it was the Kiwi's who first started growing it for export to the world market... hence the name, "kiwifruit".

[Young Ned]

Ah, interesting. I've also heard them referred to as "Chinese gooseberries", so I knew there was a connection with China, but I didn't know what exactly.

[Badstench]

Anyway, back to soccer-speak

I opened the morning newspaper to note that the first two pages are all about NZ's "miraculous" goal (against Slovakia).

But in particular, there are two columns which make for interesting comparisons.

The first column is titled, "What the World Said Then" [before the game]

Wall Street Journal, June 15
Does anybody in South Africa really want to go see 22 white, unknown players from a couple of small, lightweight soccer nations? The New Zealand-Slovakia game is looking like this World Cup's biggest dud.

The second column is titled "What the World says Now" [after the game]

Telegraph UK, June 16
They never stopped running, stuck to their game plan, challenged for every ball and left with a point. Could that be the goal that finally gets the World Cup going?

And beneath both columns was the headline from a very partisan Kiwi reporter, "Take That, You Doubting Thomas'!"

Ha! makes me glad to be a rugby supporter! ;) :rolleyes:

[Dariel]

Greece vs. Nigeria. Result= 2-1, Greece's win. WOOOOOH :cool:

[Badstench]

Hot off the presses... amazing!

it's 3.50am my time, and the New Zealand vs. Italy game has just finished with a 1-1 draw

We've just denied the current world champions!!!!

This means we're still in with a chance to qualify for round 2... bring it on, Paraguay!

[spencer]

Congrats to the Kiwis, again, Badstench, another heroic effort!!

I won't even try to think about how the US was robbed earlier in the week against Slovenia.

[Oldschool]

Congrats to the Kiwis, again, Badstench, another heroic effort!!

I won't even try to think about how the US was robbed earlier in the week against Slovenia.

Ditto on BOTH counts.

[Doolipalally]

Could be worse, guys. At least your team isn't playing like a bunch of half-hearted idiots who've forgotten what the ball's for...

[spencer]

Could be worse, guys. At least your team isn't playing like a bunch of half-hearted idiots who've forgotten what the ball's for...

LOL, tell us how you really feel, Dooli :)

[Badstench]

Congratulations Team USA... Woohoo!

You're through to the final 16!!!!!

New Zealand plays Paraguay in approximately 20hrs of me typing this... it will be an uphill battle, but I'll be awake at 2am watching the game!

[zmflavius]

Congratulations Team USA... Woohoo!

You're through to the final 16!!!!!

New Zealand plays Paraguay in approximately 20hrs of me typing this... it will be an uphill battle, but I'll be awake at 2am watching the game!

Yay 91 min!

I definitely was not shirking at my job to watch the match on a co-worker's computer.

[spencer]

Congratulations Team USA... Woohoo!

You're through to the final 16!!!!!

New Zealand plays Paraguay in approximately 20hrs of me typing this... it will be an uphill battle, but I'll be awake at 2am watching the game!

I did not see the game, but it seems to have been a very miraculous goal. Here's to New Zealand vs. US in the final, if they're not in the same bracket.

[Badstench]

What can I say?

final score, New Zealand vs. Paraguay - 0-0

The good news: New Zealand unbeaten.

The bad news: It wasn't quite good enough to go through to the next round.

The good news: New Zealand finished ahead of Italy on the points table.

The bad news: That still wasn't good enough.

The good news: No one expected us to even score a goal, let alone do as well as we did.

The bad news: I have to go to work in two hours, and I'm shattered!

[Young Ned]

Call in sick?

[scout1idf]

We (USA) got robbed!!!!!

How can the ref's just let players lay down on the field, take a nap and eat up time?

[texlaw1992]

The wife's family's from Zimbabwe, so they were cheering for the Ghanaian team. Good try Team USA - get them next year.

[Doolipalally]

At least your team isn't playing like a bunch of half-hearted idiots who've forgotten what the ball's for...

Needs saying again! Oh well.

[spencer]

Congratulations to Ghana...they survived a fierce US onslaught in the second half and came up big in the extra period. I will now pull for Ghana and Spain to win it all, though Germany and Argentina looked very, very good.

[taproot97]

I support Germany though I had my doubts after the first game.

[Badstench]

I'm backing Brazil

[scout1idf]

I'm going back to watching golf.....

[spencer]

Vamos, Espana!! Gana, Gana,Gana!!

[Badstench]

Oh, well, because Brazil is gone, I'll settle for whichever team the german octopus picks!

[Doolipalally]

Oh, well, because Brazil is gone, I'll settle for whichever team the german octopus picks!

I was completely baffled by that comment until I found this (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/10566287.stm)!

[Oldschool]

LOL! That one had me wondering too. Thanks for the explanation Dooli.

[Doolipalally]

You're welcome! I was just browsing the BBC news website - serendipity's a wonderful thing!

[Oldschool]

LOL! Nice word choice. It is indeed.

[thingirl]

That's cool. I don't care much of anything about football/soccer, but an octopus that can predict the future? Nice.

[texlaw1992]

Congrats to Scarbrow's Spain on winning the World Cup.

[scout1idf]

Congrats to Scarbrow's Spain on winning the World Cup.

Congrats...

[Oldschool]

Congrats Scarbrow.

[lalaxy]

i was expection germany to win