Maybe there's some common criteria we could use here... Does anyone know when FIFA introduced the world ranking system and, if so, what England's rank was in 1950? I just checked the ranking Web page because I thought they listed some history of the ranking system in the introduction but no luck. I think 3-2 over the fifth-ranked team in the world might be better than 1-0 over the fourth-ranked team, for example. And then you have to take into account the fact that Figo was FIFA world player of the year, etc., etc. Did England have a World Player of the year in 1950? Did such a title exist? I also hear that in 1950, many of the US players were in fact British ex-pats. Not the case in 2002!! At any rate, the jerseys were pretty cool.
5-1 It was 5-1 for the Czech's I was witness to it at Italia 90. Took a ton of stick for it too , wish I could rub it back in all those eurosnobs faces now! (www.jomfuanegade.com best party place in Danmark)
The ranking system didn't come in until the 90s. Anyway, the rankings are ridiculous, so who cares who's ranked where? 1991 was the 1st year for the FIFA player of the year. The European player of the year is considerably older, having begun in 1956.
Was the 1950 USA-England match filmed? Is there any way to see it? If not, my best guess is that 3-2 over portugal in 2002 is better than 1-0 over England in 1950...
Forever NO WAY At my funeral, when someone comments on the serene smile on handsome corpse, tell them it is there because the USA beat Portugal 3-2 and the Green Rats 2-0. I will never cease to enjoy those memories, no matter what successes the future holds.
drat... That's the first time I heard the Mexicans called "the green rats..." ouch. orgullo puro indeed.
That sure means "the green rats," alright... However, one could take that epithet the wrong way...I hope everyone realizes that "rat" is simply a term of oblique and general denegration.
I thought the reference was to the quote in the AP article from Mexico City: "First they treat us like rats, now this!" or something like that. Sachin
Not true. Remember Jack's paean to Frank Borghi from Da Hill? You also may have heard once or twice that Ty's dad was on that team.
em... it seems I was mistaken. I meant the 1930 US world cup team (the other one that made it to the quarter-finals... and the semis). Here's an article at the American Soccer History Archives Web site that debunks that myth, too: http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/myth1930.html
Unfortunately, I can no longer find the linked article. But right after the USA beat Mexico a published AP article quoted a Mexican as saying about the United States: "First they treat us like rats. Now this." Sachin
That's the problem with translation, especially from a figurative language like French to a literal language like English. Your explanation of what he meant by realism is certainly on the money, and the translation's a pretty damn good one as well, but I doubt an anglo-writer would ever say that a team 'found realism' when he meant to say something more along the lines of your explanation. It wasn't a bad translation, but the sense gets 'lost' in the translation without an explanation.
From the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/low/matches_wallchart/mexico_v_usa/newsid_2049000/2049229 I propose at the next US-Mexico game here in the states, we make a big banner someplace where t.v. picks it up saying: JOSE LUIS LUVIANO IS A RAT AND IDIOT!
I completely agree. Another language isn't simply another vocabulary but a separate way of thinkning. The realism bit may also be particular to that reporter. But this hasn't got much to do with soccer.... however it reminds me of a joke somebody once told me in Paris about Lady Di. The word for a certain kind of pass in the offenseive half is called a "petit pont" or little bridge. As we all know, Diana left the Ritz with her drunken escorts chased by a phalanx of press. They got on the cross town high-way by the seine in which there are tunnels that go under small bridges. She made past two and the car slammed into a pylon in the third. So the joke goes: What's the difference between Lady Di and Zidane (Zizou)? Zidane goes: little bridge, little bridge... goal!! and Diana goes, little bridge, little bridge... poll!!
All sick jokes come from France?? How many Marvin Gay jokes did people in this country tell: "this is the last 45 you'll ever hear." etc., etc., etc...
LOL Hey, that shouldn't surprise anyone. I was watching the games at Nathan Hales (driving in from Jersey then driving straight to work.) And I didn't go cuz of a boyfriend either. The three guy friends my sis and I asked to tag along wimped out...