Tag: Soccer

World Cup 2022–WTF?

Tomorrow the US will play Iran in the group stage…..and the news is the antics by the US team….

In a move well beyond posting a cliche quote in the locker room, the US Soccer Federation angered Iran by publicly airing its support for Iranian protesters—two days before the nations’ teams meet in the World Cup. The US federation posted Iran’s flag on social media in a graphic without the emblem of the Islamic Republic—four curves with a sword between them—which means, “There is no God but Allah,” the Wall Street Journal reports. The US federation confirmed Sunday that the alteration was intentional, per Yahoo Sports, made to show “support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights.” Iran’s supreme leader told the country Saturday that the protesters are being used by the US.

Iran’s soccer federation complained to FIFA’s ethics committee, quoting what it said is a rule calling for anyone “who offends the dignity or integrity of a country” to be suspended for at least 10 days or face other discipline, per the Guardian. After reactions began surfacing, from Iran and other places, US soccer officials discussed the matter and decided Sunday evening to delete the posts. They had consulted Iranian American experts before posting the altered flag but not the US team or government, per Yahoo. A spokesman said the US federation nonetheless stands by its support of the protesters.

At a press conference Sunday, the US players fielded as many questions about the flag as they did about soccer. The Americans said repeatedly that they empathize with the people of Iran but are focusing on preparing for their next match. The protests have been an issue at the World Cup for Iranians, as well. Players didn’t sing the national anthem before their first match in Qatar, and Iranian fans in the stands booed as it played. Some Iran fans have displayed flags with the emblem of a previous ruler, the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and have carried signs reading “Women, Life, Freedom” at the tournament. FIFA and Qatari officials have declined to provide assurances that fans wearing T-shirts with the slogan will not be kept out of the stadium Tuesday.

This was stupidity…..where was the team captain or the coach?

If it was the American flag that was so defiled there would be a great uproar…..

Even more stupidity arising from the World Cup….this time in Belgium…..There has been many clubs that were not suppose to move on….teams like Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Senegal and Morocco….and this is the game in question.

Riots broke out in several Belgian and Dutch cities after Morocco’s 2-0 upset win over Belgium at the World Cup on Sunday. Police detained about a dozen people after they deployed water cannons and fire tear gas to disperse crowds in Brussels and eight more in the Northern city of Antwerp. Dozens of rioters overturned and torched cars, set electric scooters on fire, and pelted cars with bricks. Two police officials were injured in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. By late evening Sunday, an uneasy calm had returned to most of the cities involved, the AP reports.

Brussels Mayor Philippe Close urged people to stay away from the city center. Even subway and tram traffic had to be interrupted on police orders. “Those are not fans, they are rioters. Moroccan fans are there to celebrate,” Close said. There were also disturbances in the cities of Antwerp and Liege. “Sad to see how a few individuals abuse a situation to run amok,” said Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden. Police in the neighboring Netherlands said violence erupted in Rotterdam, with riot officers attempting to break up a group of 500 soccer supporters who pelted police with fireworks and glass. Media reported unrest in the capital of Amsterdam and in The Hague. Morocco’s victory was a major World Cup upset and was enthusiastically celebrated by fans with Moroccan immigrant roots in many Belgian and Dutch cities.

What part of this incident is a way to celebrate or protest the score?

It is a game…..if people cannot accept that then maybe it is time to re-think priorities.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Big Show Returns

It is Saturday and the World Cup is in full swing….we Americans call it soccer the rest of the world it is Football.  This is when the world’s nations meet and slug it out on the pitch to see which will become the world champion.

The venue is a different country every 4 years….the US last held the Cup play offs in 1994….and the Big Show will return to the US in 2026……

North American soccer fans have something to look forward to beyond Thursday’s kickoff of the World Cup in Russia. FIFA announced Wednesday that the US, Canada, and Mexico had beat out Morocco to play host to the 2026 sporting event, the first to be awarded to three countries and the first featuring Canada as host. The US will see the majority of the action, however, hosting 60 of 80 matches, including the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, per the New York Times. President Trump promised athletes would be able to enter the US “without discrimination” ahead of the decision, per CNN. The US last hosted the World Cup in 1994. Mexico hasn’t hosted the tournament since 1986.

Hopefully I will still be above ground to watch the games…..

I have stocked up on good beer and lots of snacks…..I will be watching…..go Iceland!

I have written about the game in the past…..it is one of the few sports that I can tolerate…..Formula One and Handball are the others that I can stomach.

https://lobotero.com/2010/07/11/this-is-why-soccer-rules/

Have a wonderful Saturday…..I hope you enjoy your day as much as I shall…..beer, snacks, and football….be well, be safe…..chuq

FIFA: Say Good-Bye To An Era

Once again I feel it necessary for me to post on sports…..something I seldom do…..but this is just too big to ignore.

The big story around the world has been the corruption indictments against FIFA, the world football organization……ever since the story broke there have been calls for Sepp Blatter the Prez of FIFA to resign….not because he was involved but there are those that believe he had knowledge of what was happening around him.

Blatter was up for re-election to the presidency of FIFA and after a couple of rounds he won……I believe it was Jordan’s Prince Ali that was the runner up…….maybe he will get his chance at the spotlight now……..why now?

Sepp Blatter’s triumphant fifth term as president of FIFA is crashing to a halt after all of four days. Blatter today announced that he will resign as president of soccer’s governing body as soon as a successor is named in special elections, reports the BBC. In an almost comical understatement amid the growing corruption scandal, Blatter said, “My mandate does not appear to be supported by everybody.” While Blatter has avoided any criminal charges so far, the New York Times reports that his top lieutenant, Jerome Valcke, has now been linked to $10 million in bribes, suggesting that charges against Blatter himself are possible.

In case anyone is interested in what Blatter had to say in his resignation………

“I have been reflecting deeply about my presidency and about the forty years in which my life has been inextricably bound to FIFA and the great sport of football. I cherish FIFA more than anything and I want to do only what is best for FIFA and for football. I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I believed that this was the best thing for the organisation. That election is over but FIFA?s challenges are not. FIFA needs a profound overhaul.

While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football ? the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA.

Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as FIFA President until that election.

That chapter is closed and now we can open a whole new line of pay to play…….

FIFA: The Conspiracy

From the fleeting thoughts of Chuq

Since the mid 90’s conspiracy theories have been spread around like peanut butter in grade school……today we have them on just about anything you can think of……coming from Far Right to Far Left…….and they all somehow make the 6 o’clock news…..

After these couple of days of non-stop reporting on the FIFA scandal……could there be a conspiracy going on behind the scenes?

I know Americans are not too keen on football (soccer to them) but this story is too big even for those small minds to ignore.

It appears the the Department of Justice, after an exhausted investigation, has issued indictments against several within the FIFA organization……..from simple bribery to money laundering to coercion to corruption….a total of 13 people and/or institutions……..

I know….I know…..where’s the conspiracy?

There is to be a vote and NO I am not talking about the vote for the president of FIFA……there is another vote that the world may not be aware of coming up…….that is the vote to sanction Israel……HUH?

a dramatic shift in focus for the FIFA conference, and the planned vote on suspending Israel for the mistreatment of Palestinian footballers seems almost certain to be delayed.

The indictments have been issued by the US…….is this the US doing what it always does…….protect Israel?

I question the timing of the indictments.  Were they issued to do as much damage as possible to stop the vote against Israel?

When the issue came up Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu was crowing about this, and bragged of telling FIFA president Sepp Blatter that a vote of the suspension of Israel would mean the destruction of FIFA outright.

A bit odd if you ask me……..is it possible that the timing was not necessarily about justice but rather to protect Israel from a possible suspension from football?

I am not a big conspiracist….but I also do not believe in coincidences……

Just a final thought on a Friday afternoon……

P.S.  CRAP!  I had a perfectly good conspiracy theory going and then the news hit……..

The Palestine Football Association (PFA) on Friday dropped its motion to have FIFA suspend Israel from international football, with the Jewish state saying the decision helped it avoid “an absurd situation”.

Better luck next time, Chuq…..this is why I do not like conspiracy theories…..they can bite you in the ass…..

What kind of unholy deal was made for this to happen?

Enjoy your weekend and a good night…….

Later

The World’s Game

I do not normally post much on sports…..but this story is too big too ignore……

Football, soccer to Americans, is the most popular sport in the world…..and unless you are asleep you have noticed that this is a major international story……..all the corruption and pay to play stuff…….but how many know what to look for or what they are talking about?

In case you would like to be better informed then here is your source….

(Newser) – It’s FIFA corruption scandal, day two. Here’s a guide to what you should know, watch, and read:

  • Vladimir Putin had strong words for the US regarding yesterday’s FIFA arrests, which he framed as “yet another blatant attempt [by the United States] to extend its jurisdiction to other states.” Among his comments, per the Guardian: “I suppose that someone broke some rules, I don’t know. But definitely, it’s got nothing to do with the USA. Those officials are not US citizens.”
  • The AP notes that in fact, of the 14 people charged (nine current and former FIFA officials, four sports marketing execs and an accused intermediary), at least two hold American citizenship.
  • Jon Stewart last night translated the scandal for a US audience in a segment flavored like this: “FIFA is so bad, they got arrested by the Swiss, a country whose official policy on Nazi gold was, and I quote, ‘we’ll allow it.'” Watch.
  • As for FIFA leader Sepp Blatter, the AP reports he today missed a scheduled speech—his third skipped appearance in 24 hours as many clamor for his resignation and for tomorrow’s election (he’s up for a fifth term) to be delayed. What he has done, per the BBC: chaired an emergency meeting. The New York Times takes a look at Blatter, who “has been dodging scandals almost from the moment he was elected president … in 1998” in a piece worth reading.
  • Another New York Times piece worth a read: “Chuck Blazer, a Soccer Bon Vivant Laid Low.” He’s the former FIFA executive committee member who appears to have become a “cooperating witness.” When indictments were unsealed yesterday, the feds revealed Blazer pleaded guilty a year and a half ago.
  • The AP looks at American and Swiss investigators’ months-long preparations for the raids’ dramatic end point: FIFA’s annual congress in Zurich. The AP puts it dramatically: “Any leak could have given the game away, allowing international soccer officials to scramble out of Switzerland or time to destroy important evidence.” Read more.
  • At Politico, Josh Gerstein zeroes in on Loretta Lynch, who has gone from being “known mostly as the woman who couldn’t get an up-or-down vote on her nomination as attorney general” to making a “stunning debut” as the world watched. Read.
  • What’s next, in terms of extradition, additional arrests, and the Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 World Cups? This CNN guide has you covered. Read.
  • Still confused? John Oliver broke down FIFA’s corruption … last year. Watch.

Now you can talk like a pro……you are welcome!

 

Hope Solo and the domestic violence case no one is talking about – The Washington Post

The NFL is running around trying to salvage its rep….after all it is a multi-billion dollar enterprise…..repeat…MULTI-BILLION Dollar…….

It seems that the big story is the domestic violence is killing the NFL……but why does it not matter elsewhere?

 

Hope Solo and the domestic violence case no one is talking about – The Washington Post.

The Reason Futbol Is A Great Sport

The weekend and time for some relaxation and just plain fun……..

The world is watching the World Cup….the very essence of what we Americans call soccer and the rest of the world calls futbol.  A great sport if one takes the time to learn a few things about it and gets over the fact that they cannot touch the ball with the arms or hands……we Americans cannot understand the concept of a tie in sports….we are programed to understand wins and loses……but ties are beyond our comprehension.everyone was all tingly because the USA v Portugal was the most watched soccer game in US history…….but let’s be honest….it was all sports nuts had….football over…hockey over……NBA done…..all that is left is B/ball and you can watch soccer and go back to b/ball and not miss much…..it was not a preview of more interest in soccer……

I watch futbol as often as I can…..my team in pro soccer in the US is DC United……UEFA it is Barcelona….English premier league it is Swansea….and now the World Cup…of course I am pulling for the US of A….if not them then Espana or France….so far this Cup Spain is out and US and France are still hanging in there.

But one of the benefits of watching the World Cup is just one thing……the action on the field is amazing once you understand what is happening….but there is another benefit……..I could go on esoterically about the beauty or the purity or the explosiveness…….but……

 

 

 

 

Okay, you may think me a dirty old man and maybe I am……but these young women are far superior to some hairy fat guy painted green with a foam cheese wedge on his head……

Think of me as you wish but with fans like these I will take Futbol over any other sport 1000 times over.

GO USA….USA…..USA!

PS……..USA lost to Germany 1-0 but they still qualified for the knockout round thanx to Portugal beating Ghana 2-1….next opponent…. Belgium on 01 July……..

World Cup Best Celebration?

For if you are one of all but a handful of people that are unaware that the World Cup is going on……….it is and the US is still alive but they have a powerhouse coming up next week, Germany……..

Last World Cup I reported on what a Dutch porn star was doing to celebrate their wins…….and now with this World Cup there is another person willing to have sex for each win…….

Are you wondering why Chile is going so bonkers at the World Cup? Fans flocked to Brazil by the thousands, even though they didn’t have tickets. They stormed the stadium fences prior to today’s win over Spain, and were arrested by the dozens.

Seems that they’ve been worked up by one of the country’s biggest porn stars: Marlen Doll (above). Ms. Doll, in a moment of brilliant strategy, promised to engage select Chilean residents in an eight-hour “sex marathon” if her country defeated Australia in its first World Cup match. That of course happened, and she, reportedly, made good on the promise, even increasing the duration to 12 hours.

Then, she upped her game prior to Chile-Spain today. (Photo link NSFW).

And according to Doll, that is now also going to happen.

Keep an eye on it, because if Chile makes waves in the knockout stage, things could get more X-rated than they’ve ever been before.

Soccer fans re just so much better at celebrating than say Baseball fans……makes you want to be more of a fan….for oh so many reasons…….

Losing Has Its Consequences

Last month we had the World Cup…lots of great futbol and some great sideshows also….like the Dutch porn star that would have broken a record if her team had won…..and the model from Paraguay that was gonna run naked……and then there was the North Korean team that the coach had a mental link with Lil Kim…….but that is not the end of that story…..

North Korea, who lost all three of their group games, have been subjected to a six-hour excoriation for “betraying” the communist nation’s ideological struggle, according to reports.There are even fears for the safety of the team coach, Kim Jung-hun, who was accused of betraying the son and heir of the regime’s “dear leader,” Kim Jong-il.

Early this month the players were summoned to an auditorium at the working people’s culture palace in Pyongyang, forced onstage and subjected to a six-hour barrage of criticism for their poor performances in South Africa, according to the US-based Radio Free Asia.

The coach was reportedly accused of betraying the leader’s son, Kim Jong-un, who is expected to take over from his ailing father as leader of the world’s only communist dynasty.

You gotta love this stuff!  I was thinking that maybe England and France should chastise their players for being dicks and prima donas…….Damn!  American football be a lot more interesting if this type of stuff would go on…….Oh well…..we got 4 more years before the next shot…..

This Is Why Soccer Rules!

I have been a soccer fan, futbol to the rest of the world, for a long time and there is a perfectly good reason why.

You will never see stuff like this with Baseball or Basketball or American football.  In American football we get guys with painted faces and large wedges of cheese of their heads or we get fat guys with no shirts and bodies painted the team colors….all in all too damn boring.  We NEVER get stuff like this:

A porn star from the Netherlands named Bobbi Eden has promised oral sex for all of her Twitter followers if the Netherlands win the World Cup. Fun!

Eden’s number of followers has gone from just over 4,000 on Tuesday when she first made her courageous promise, to 66,163 as of right now.

Or stuff like this……

Remember Paraguayan model Larissa Riquelme, and her courageous promise of naked street-running should her countrymen reach the World Cup Final? Well, they didn’t quite make it that far, but she still got quite nude.

Yes, still eager to thank her team for all of their hard work and dedication following their loss to Spain, Riquelme didn’t really run anywhere naked – she just stood still and allowed a professional photographer take pictures of her naked.

Here are the (NSFW) photos, courtesy of the Daily Mail. Should you try to go to the website that is watermarked on these bad boys, you will be faced with a whole lot of load time – apparently they’ve seen a small surge in traffic since publishing said photos.

[Larissa Riquelme sports best strip of the tournament] Daily Mail

This is why soccer RULES!  I had much rather see these two than some drunk fat guy without his shirt….but then I am a bit more rational than most American sports fans….

Americans could learn a thing or two from our international brothers and sisters….Go Espana!