5/18/06: Most Gratuitous use of the Word "Belgium" in a Serious Screenplay

[The Blind Pig]

Worry for Family tempers Noel's Success in MLS = Palm Beach Post (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2006/05/18/a1c_noel_0518.html)

Keeping the Dream Alive - Pasadena Star-News (http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/sports/ci_3835454)

World Cup cruel Reminder to RSL Trio - Salt Lake Tribune (http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_3835938)

Pro Soccer, albeit Second Tier, could return to South Bay - San Jose Mercury News (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/soccer/14606770.htm)

Nashville may miss Chance to see International Spectacle - Nashville City Paper (http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section_id=7&screen=news&news_id=49902)

RSL Striker named MLS Player of the Week - Deseret News (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635208311,00.html)

Soccer Ejection changes Flow - Houston Chronicle (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3871453.html)

Lalas backs Sampson after Unacceptable Losses - LA Daily News (http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_3835512)

Americans prepare for tough Opening Round - Worcester Telegram (http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060518/NEWS/605180725/1009/SPORTS)

Americans just don't take a Shine to World Cup - Virginia Pilot (http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=104643&ran=27704)

Soccer Mania mild in Sacramento - Sacramento Bee (http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14256722p-15071614c.html)

Respect for US growing - Denver Post (http://www.denverpost.com/rapids/ci_3834829)

Everton to Visit for Exhibition - Columbus Dispatch (http://www.dispatch.com/crew/crew.php?story=dispatch/2006/05/18/20060518-D8-00.html)

Barcelona rallies for Crown - NY Daily News (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/story/418653p-353606c.html)

Two late Goals propel Barcelona to Champions League Glory - NY Sun (http://www.nysun.com/article/32960)

Dynamite Shorts - Houston Chronicle (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/style/3871116.html)

Bull benches Guevara - NY POst (http://www.nypost.com/sports/66133.htm)

[Len]

"Americans just don't take a Shine to World Cup" - Virginia Pilot

Oh God......Here it comes.

Let's practice ignoring this stuff because it's just going to get worse.

[Flyin Ryan]

"A wooden stump signifying the death of English cricket"

^ His point is good though. Reminds me of the Gold Medal game at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City between the U.S. and Canada. An ESPN journalist after the game was kinda saying that maybe it's better that Canada won. If the U.S. had won he said, the majority of people would've said "Oh...yay" and then debated their favorite baseball team's spring training lineup. Canadians though had night-long parties and were in delirium.

[cdin]

Americans just don't take a Shine to World Cup - Virginia Pilot (http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=104643&ran=27704)
This article is that it's about how Americans will fake enthusiam for thw world cup but don't really care. The funny thing about it though is that he proves his point without using facts or examples. He proves his point because it is obvious that he knows very little about the game or competition and just felt that he need to write an article about the World Cup.

Here are a few quotes:

"If nothing else, the tournament is being played in a favorable location for American interests. When it comes to large, international skirmishes, the U.S. just doesn’t lose in Germany. You can look that up in your history books." - I know he is talking about war, but this is just silly.

"(The USA) is given a good chance of making noise in Germany"
"if luck is with them, and the red, white and blue leaps over Italy, France, Germany and Argentina to play, let’s say, Brazil in the World Cup final" - These last quotes seem to imply that we have good shot of winning the cup.

The article isn't really incorrect in it's general tone, but it is a bit of a joke.

[Etienne_72772]

"Americans just don't take a Shine to World Cup" - Virginia Pilot

Oh God......Here it comes.

Let's practice ignoring this stuff because it's just going to get worse.

I know I am supposed to ignore him. But I wrote anyways. I basically thanked him for his article, mentioned that I am an American, and am taking the World Cup very seriously (spending 10 days in Germany to follow the US team), that the US team's popularity is growing every year, and that I looked forward to reading a positive article about the WC and the US team in the future from him.

I thought I took the high road quite nicely...

(Gotta get me a thicker skin...)

[Pyro]

This article is that it's about how Americans will fake enthusiam for thw world cup but don't really care. The funny thing about it though is that he proves his point without using facts or examples. He proves his point because it is obvious that he knows very little about the game or competition and just felt that he need to write an article about the World Cup.

Here are a few quotes:

"If nothing else, the tournament is being played in a favorable location for American interests. When it comes to large, international skirmishes, the U.S. just doesn’t lose in Germany. You can look that up in your history books." - I know he is talking about war, but this is just silly.

"(The USA) is given a good chance of making noise in Germany"
"if luck is with them, and the red, white and blue leaps over Italy, France, Germany and Argentina to play, let’s say, Brazil in the World Cup final" - These last quotes seem to imply that we have good shot of winning the cup.

The article isn't really incorrect in it's general tone, but it is a bit of a joke.


I couldn't disagree more! I think this article hits the nail on the head and the writer seems to be a soccer fan! It is well written and the line about winning in Germany is just great. It is targeted to the non-soccer audience, but shows knowledge of our coach, FIFA rankings and our chances. I think it is written tounge in cheek.

[OldFanatic]

Americans just don't take a Shine to World Cup - Virginia Pilot (http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=104643&ran=27704)t

Dear Bob,

I would like to congratulate you for your article in today's paper: "Americans just don’t take a shine to World Cup". It was obvious you were asked to write a piece on the World Cup by your supervisors, a topic which you apparently know nothing about, but were faking sincerity of doing your job. Never mind the fact that you didn't attempt to use any facts to get in the way of presenting your opinions. That's immaterial to the exercise, and all that matters is your precious gold opinion.

If there was only 1 suggestion I had, it would be that I would have worded its title differently. In my opinion, titles such as "Mainstream American sports fans: Let's celebrate our ignorance and flaunt it proudly." OR "We need to export the great American apathy and ignorance to the rest of the world" would have been more appropriate. However, I do realize it is probably not your job to come up with titles for your articles. So I wouldn't take you to task on that.

[OldFanatic]

Aha, so this whole thing is a very clever tongue-in-cheek satirical exercise!!! Sorry Pyro, you said it but I couldn't take it at face value. But Bob came back himself with the following response:

I think the article’s headline was mild enough. But I actually enjoy top-level soccer. I’ll watch many WC games this summer. I wouldn’t disagree that many American sports fans are proud of their ignorance of other cultures and sports. No question.

[monster]

Bob is the furthest thing from a basher. He's a realist. He's my cousin by the way and is far from a hater. I really don't see what he did that was so bad - yeah, a lot of people don't care (he didn't say no one cared) and a lot of people aren't familiar with players from around that world or realize how good the U.S. is. But Idon't expect people to listen to facts, much less my biased opinion.

If you think he needs to be told to write a column about soccer, you're nuts. Just Google his name and soccer. He has been writing about the sport for more than a decade.

[monster]

Aha, so this whole thing is a very clever tongue-in-cheek satirical exercise!!! Sorry Pyro, you said it but I couldn't take it at face value. But Bob came back himself with the following response:

I think the article’s headline was mild enough. But I actually enjoy top-level soccer. I’ll watch many WC games this summer. I wouldn’t disagree that many American sports fans are proud of their ignorance of other cultures and sports. No question.
Bob has a dry sense of humor. I thought a few of the jokes didn't come off in print as well as they would in person.

[The Blind Pig]

c'mon monster


this is bigsoccer


we need something to rail on



:D

[MightyMouse]

BURN HIM!!! RACK HIM!!! SEND HIM TO THE DOGS!!!

Ok, I didn't bother to read it cause I don't want anything bringing me down on my crack high that is the US national team and its only purpose in life: TO PUT THE MOTHER LOVING SMACK DOWN ON THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND ITALY LIKE THEY WERE A PAIR OF CHEAP BERLIN HO'S!!!

[DSM1]

Don't worry! There's plenty to complain about! I have already noted this on another post, but ESPN national radio host Colin Cowherd (The Herd) had a short bit today on how soccer will never make it in the U.S. As proof he asked his young female producer what she thought of the sport and, big surprise, she said watching it was "Like watching paint dry." That's all the evidence Colin needed and I immediately changed the station. Gaack....

[The Blind Pig]

Don't worry! There's plenty to complain about! I have already noted this on another post, but ESPN national radio host Colin Cowherd (The Herd) had a short bit today on how soccer will never make it in the U.S. As proof he asked his young female producer what she thought of the sport and, big surprise, she said watching it was "Like watching paint dry." That's all the evidence Colin needed and I immediately changed the station. Gaack....


i see you don't get out much


you might want to learn about what entertainment is and how to enjoy life

[rocketeer22]

As proof he asked his young female producer what she thought of the sport and, big surprise, she said watching it was "Like watching paint dry." That's all the evidence Colin needed and I immediately changed the station. Gaack....

Well, you know, ICI paints is a corporate partner.:D

[guamster]

Meanwhile on the left coast...

The World Cup bandwagon revved and raring to go -
Soccer culture has arrived in Bay Area: Sports bars jammed (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/18/BAGHTITS0M1.DTL) (SF Chronicle)


But a lot of people still wonder when soccer will truly arrive on this side of the pond.

The truth is, it is already here. And with the World Cup starting in three weeks, you can either jump on the bandwagon or get run over. But if you're going to hop on, be there early.

...But what was surprising was the number of Giants jerseys and the strange, unexpected accent of some of those at the bar.

They sounded positively American.

[monster]

Don't worry! There's plenty to complain about! I have already noted this on another post, but ESPN national radio host Colin Cowherd (The Herd) had a short bit today on how soccer will never make it in the U.S. As proof he asked his young female producer what she thought of the sport and, big surprise, she said watching it was "Like watching paint dry." That's all the evidence Colin needed and I immediately changed the station. Gaack....
Dude, if it took that to convince you Cowherd is a hack, you have a much higher tolerance for crap than I do.

[Stan Collins]

i see you don't get out much


you might want to learn about what entertainment is and how to enjoy life Um, what?

[The Blind Pig]

Um, what?


it means relax


try having a thicker skin and not being hurt by any little thing that might be soccer bashing


it's a joke, have fun




i swear 90% of bigsoccer is being a support group to deal with anyone that ever hears anything close to being negative about soccer... heaven forbid

[The Blind Pig]

or more to the point... not 140% for soccer