The World Cup

[k_lubinski]

I am not English. But I hope for an English victory. Would be nice if a team wins that has not won so far.

Don't let the Germans know. They would lynch me

zai jian

-Spike

 

[sureshr]

Er, we have. (1966.)

Where are you from?

 

[PuertoricanChicktt]

I got Paraguay and Costa Rica.

 

[rook]

obviously that was in your imagination Johnno !!!! LOL!!!

 

[chaniki]

Mate, I'm probably one of the few MAP'ers old enough to have watched England win the World Cup!

I don't remember a thing about it, but I've been told that I sat through the whole game on my Dad's knee while he yelled his way through the match. (Which probably explains a lot of my childhood traumas. )

 

[BareButtBritney]

My mistake...It looks like I had the "fraudulent" figure in my mind. Thanks for correction

 

[frankiej45918]

On reflection, the numbers were actually a heck of a lot closer than I would have expected.

 

[bella94]

You mean people actually watch it?

Btw, as to the Super Bowl statistics, how many people actually watch it alone? Research is probably based on Tv ratings and such. Every time I've seen the Super Bowl it's always been in groups exceeding 15. Now while I don't really buy the 1 billion figure, the 93 million figure is also rather deviant.

Also consider the following:

 

[Online]

Sport isn't about the business, its about the sport, people dont travel to watch it to add to the local economy, they go to be part of the biggest international event in the world. A competition that the superbowl doesn't even qualify for.

 

[waltyeagan87]

I wish today there were players like King Pele. I miss the old style of playing soccer. Today they play like a bunch of fairies on grass. Remember Rivaldo's show against Turkey. Well I hate that kind of and it gives soccer a bad reputation).


Watch this clip:


http://www.metacafe.com/watch/114643/1001_ways_to_stop_pele/



Hell yeah! He was damn good that they obviously resorted to dirty play to stop him. He was far ahead from anyone else.

 

[socksrocks55]

Pele was the greatest player ever.

He's also the worst pundit ever!


I will always think of Rivaldo with contempt for that. Never mind whatever good things he achieved during his career - I will always remember him as a cheat.

That clown Ian Wright was saying the other day (in relation to Stevie Gerrard's dive against Hungary) that England players should cheat because "everyone else does". What a plonker!

 

[decepticons_rulez]

the Referees have been told to be very strict with diving, so we'll see if its better this time around.

 

[aleksl]

I reckon that England have a VERY good chance of winning it this year - We have the best squad I have seen for a long time, and a lot of different kinds of players, who can mix things up a bit. And with pretty much 2 Managers on the bench, we cant really go wrong, can we? Hope Aaron Lennon and that Arsenal guy do well (Does ANYONE know his name? )

 

[kitty_12skizto]

I think I can predict EXACTLY what will happen!

They will be totally OTT first two or three days, booking players every time they get tackled or trip over their own feet; and then they will relax, and normal diving-service will resume.

 

[AlexisInfectious®]

Yeh thats the guy/lad/boy....im sure he MIGHT be allowed to stay up and play football for all the early games, just not the 8pm kick off!

 

[jimmy871816]

People have said that at every major tournament since 1996, and guess what, they got diddly squat.

 

[piccolopete19]

Quick note on viewing figures:

they are often concocted by the broadcasting companies based on how many households their broadcast was available in, rather than how many actually watched.

Plus, they are often overinflated by the sporting bodies of course.

Plus, in affluent countries like the US, UK and Canada, there is often more than one tv per household and these are left on even while people are playing pc games or other such newfangled nonsense.

Including all the beer-monsters who've drunk themselves into a stupor before the players have even decorated the pitch, and all this means that the actual number of people in the world who saw the last World Cup Final was 27. The Superbowl, however, was one goat in Ohio.

But if you're interested in the lies damn lies and stats:

Top ten most popular sporting events in recent times.

1. 2002 FIFA World Cup Final (1.3 billion viewers)
2. Euro 2004 Soccer Final (153 million viewers)
3. 2004 Olympic Games: opening ceremony (127 million viewers)
4. 2004 Olympic Games: closing ceremony (96 million viewers)
5. 2004 Super Bowl (95 million viewers)
6. 2004 Olympic Games: men's 100m metres (87 million viewers)
7. 2003 Champions League (67 million viewers)
8. 2004 Olympic Games: men's 200m freestyle swimming (66 million viewers)
9. 2004 Formula One: Monaco Grand Prix (59 million viewers)
10. 2004 Basketball: NBA finals (25 million viewers) from this.

Obviously there's some variation: the NBA final in 03 got only 12 million, and the Rugby World Cup Final and Cricket World Cup Final got 23 and 20 respectively.

Incidentally, given historical precedent, managerial decisions, luck, metal pins in Owen's foot and Rooney's being dubious too I think that goat who watched the Superbowl has more chance of winning than England. I'd be happy to eat my words!

 

[fudge301]

Please watch your language on this thread. I don't want to have to do any more cleaning.

 

[AlexisInfectious®]

Whose that Britt thats like 6'9" and 160 lbs???? Man he needs to eat something;...

 

[TammyM]

would that be peter "the robot" crouch

I'm really looking forward to the world cup this year, first world cup where i can legally go to pubs and drink whilst i watch (although that didn't always stop me before )