Man, does this feel strange. I feel like a bandwagon fan or something, posting for the first time because the World Cup is about to start again. It's been a really strange four years away. I think Italy winning the World Cup simply topped off my experience as a soccer fan soooo much that I actually lost interest in anything that happened afterward. It's like I might as well have died. Well, not right away, of course. It was only somewhere during the course of the following year and the whole ugly Calciopoli scandal that I gave up the ghost. I actually went back to following *gasp* American sports again for a while. I know! Anyway, I've still been marginally following the game, but there is just something about the World Cup. In 1994, it inspired me to drop my normal life and be a full-time soccer fan. And in 2006, I guess it inspired me to drop soccer and live a normal life again, for a while. Who knows what this one will bring? We shall see. Many apologies to anybody who has no recollection of me. I used to moderate the Italy board on BigSoccer, for many years. Thought I'd never quit. And then I just did. This place has changed a lot, but I hope some of the old posters from those days are still around. Stop by and say hi if you are. I wasn't sure where to post this. There are so many discussions going on. So I just decided to be bold and make my own thread. Forza Italia! I really don't expect lightning to strike two times in a row, but you never know. And ... USA USA USA!!
Oh, and jeez, how rude can I be. Hi, Phillips10. Good to see you here. I think you were on a "leave" of your own when I stopped posting. How's things?
doing well, thanks! Kinda of drifted away for a bit/pushed away by my club's ineptness...but always get fired up before the WC. Whatever happens it will be entertaining.
Thanks for the welcome. I doubt I'll be able to contribute much in the way of intelligent posts because I just haven't been following everything that closely. Lippi's selections seem to me to be a little too old and uninspiring, but I guess nobody can argue with him until he fails. But, who knows .... maybe he won't fail. About a year ago, we took our kids to Italy for 16 days. How great that was. We were actually flying over there on the "black Sunday" when Italy was KO'd from the Confed Cup and the US moved on. We didn't find out about that for a couple of days, when I finally got my hands on a very gloomy Gazzetta. Anyway, it was still fun to watch the US games on RAI. And it was just great to be there - we traveled from Rome to the south and Sicily. How beautiful. And perfect weather. I wish I was there again right now. Looking forward to watching this first game in a few minutes. Would be nice if South Africa gets off to a winning start.
Good 'ol Sue B! Get the old Juventino's back on here a.k.a Dante and those guys. I'll see if I can locate Spartak although I think he's long gone.
Great to see you back, Sue B! It's been too long. Great to see some old faces return. The posting has gone downhill in recent months. The fact that DDR is a moderator says a lot in my book. canzano55, don't bring Spartak back! I thought he was a cynical prick! He's probably licking Nesta's balls!
Hahaha!! Hey, it's great to see some of the old names. retnicf! A begrudging congrats re Inter's recent success. You were always a reasonable fan. One reason I've hesitated coming back here was because I imagine a lot of intolerable Inter fans have popped up out of nowhere when there used to be hardly any. But who knows, maybe I'm wrong. Doubt it. I've just gotten caught up on yesterday's World Cup action because we went up to the Canadian GP yesterday in Montreal. I can't stand that friggin' Hamilton. Fun time though, hearing all the different languages and seeing all the national team jerseys and of course still tons and tons of Ferrari red. Working at home today and looking forward to the game! Eee-taalll-ya!
haha, hey spartak is still around, it's always good to have a doubting thomas to keep ya grounded I miss those nesta versus canna debates, they were fun. what about chiellini versus ranocchia...
I detested them! Needless to say, it was because he was all "Nesta this" and "Nesta that" and he never game Canna enough recognition. Canna can be criticised for his recent form but when he was doing good, Spartak showed too much Nesta love! Chiellini v Ranocchia? Chiellini! Ranocchia has only had one impressive half-season! Mind you, if he was fit for the whole season, Bari might have done better in the Serie A standings and he too could have got a call-up from Lippi.
haha nice to see you back. I myself took a break after you left (not from soccer, just from BigSoccer) and resigned my moderator duties. But the World Cup bug hit me and I found myself back here.