** 2014 World Cup Thread **

[|Zach|]

Final: Germany vs Argentina

3rd Place: Brazil vs Netherlands




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/standings/

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

I don't think I posted it, but I thought at the initial seeding of the elimination stage that it was a shame that;

ONLY one of NE/MEX could go forward
EITHER one of CR/GRC will go forward as well.

Agreed.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

I don't think I posted it, but I thought at the initial seeding of the elimination stage that it was a shame that;

ONLY one of NE/MEX could go forward
EITHER one of CR/GRC will go forward as well.

Originally Posted by |Zach|

Agreed.

Why y'all hating on the Ticos?

[aturnis]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

Going down before anything even happens. I get why it's a penalty for sure but...it's a dive.

This. He intentionally flopped.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Why y'all hating on the Ticos?

I just had GRC/CR/NIG as the 3 weakest in the elimination stage, and 2 of the 3 faced each other 1st rnd. Both NED/MEX can beat all 3 handily.

Nothing personal.

The remainder of the field are all fully worthy.

[aturnis]

Originally Posted by Old Dog

Glad to see Mexico gone. They're like Oakland for me. I don't give a damn who they're playing, I'm not necessarily for the other team, but I'm sure as hell against them.

Now c'mon Ticos.

Would rather meet Mexico later than Netherlands...

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by aturnis

This. He intentionally flopped.

There is an exceedingly fine line between flopping and playing a style that can only be defeated by fouling, or a style that entices fouls, a semantic difference that can often demonstrate substance, but neither of which is dirty play.

I am certain a lot of people see it differently, but in my view Robben plays an attacking style that, were the fouls not committed that he 'flops' on once committed, would smoke the defenders standing. He envisions an intricate but doable path through defenders in close quarters and goes for it. If he's not fouled, he's created a scoring chance, if he's fouled he's created a free kick.

It's no different than a savvy QB seeing single WR coverage and forcing it, counting on either a reception or PI. Or a PG in BB driving the lane aggressively every time he sees the much slower center singled up, counting on a layup or a foul and trip to the line.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Why y'all hating on the Ticos?

Cambell.

This kept Matt Besler from playng against Mexico at home in WCQ.

[aturnis]

Originally Posted by Cochise

Clear contact below the knees getting none of the ball. From the side angle you can see that the defender basically stepped on his foot causing him to go down the way he did. It wasn't even a flop

https://vine.co/v/MFgBWT7j03K

Dude barely catches his toe. What makes this a clear flop is his other foot. Instead of bringing it down to the ground to continue running, he intentionally flails to the ground. Flop.

If he had continued running, like he easily could and should have, the foul wouldn't have been called at all.

This also has nothing to do with preconceptions of Robben, I like the guy for the most part, just really disappointed with the result there.

[Eleazar]

Definitely being tripped foot to foot on the left leg

[aturnis]

Originally Posted by penguinz

He should have had a PK in the first half so I am good with this one being called.

This is where I get conflicted. Make up calls are so iffy. Would have been a completely different game if it had been called earlier.

[Eleazar]

Definite contact here

[blaise]

It was a flop, but the sport accepts it and rewards it, so why shouldn't players do it?

[aturnis]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Attacker - Defender - Keeper.

Instead of pk's? I'd be open to it, basically go back and forth until one cannot match?

[aturnis]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

I don't think I posted it, but I thought at the initial seeding of the elimination stage that it was a shame that;

ONLY one of NE/MEX could go forward
EITHER one of CR/GRC will go forward as well.

Yup.

[Baby Lee]

I might add, my view of flopping when fouls have already actually occurred is doubtless colored by Hali's refusal to flop, resulting in him being the most held, least benefiting from holding calls OLB in all of football.

That is ALTOGETHER different from flopping that doesn't extend from a foul or the nature of the foul, like Campbell above, or this