Anybody Following the Football World Cup?

[banmate6]

We all love the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Which includes football...I mean the real football, aka soccer! Notre Dame has good men and women's soccer teams.



I root for Croatia and the USA.

Croatia is an interesting example of proper player development and production. Croatia has many leagues and puts development of talent over age group game results. The USA in contrast is the opposite, where pay to play clubs and academies have long dominated.

In Croatia, you get cradle to pro coverage. If you are too small or weak, they will wait for you to get stronger if you have talent. But you have to basically give up an academic path, even in HS, opting for a weaker curriculum. No college. But Croatia will give any player who can't make it a non-college oriented job and career.

Funny, because this is what the NCAA is becoming with college football. Academic accommodation hiding giving up the academic path. Which I have no issue with. Just saying.

Anyways, Brazil is my #1 to win the FIFA WC this year.

 

[NDblitz]

I'm pissed it's on during FOOTBALL season. Never shoulda given that neck of the woods a World Cup. Now they bend over backwards and move it? Nah! Hard pass. If it happens to be on and I'm desperate for sports I'll watch. The USA game is on Monday. If that's on Monday Night I doubt people tune in. If it's Monday Day, we are all at work this time of year.

 

[savvyandsassier]

Of course, I'm a huge soccer fan. But this WC sucks. It's supposed to be in the summer time, that's when it's fun and awesome. This is the middle of the season for the professional leagues. And the whole thing's going to be weird and anticlimactic.....

 

[banmate6]

Good point guys.

For me it's the height of my sports passions.

There are several teams I live for:

1) The Croatia NT football team.

2) The Notre Dame Fighting Irish...minor rooting for Stanford because I now live in the Bay Area and have standards.

3) Any Croatian League club team in form.

It's going to be something else watching a World Cup game and the Fighting Irish on the same day!

 

[banmate6]

Some trivia.

Bill Belichick, Nick Saban, and Pete Carroll have Croatian heritage.

Their 1st two have last names respectively: Biličić and Šaban.

Pronounced Beel-eee-chich and Sha-bahn.



The Notre Dame has had Croatians like the Jurkovic brothers.

8 things we learned from HBO's Bill Belichick and Nick Saban documentary

“It was a grind, day after day after week after week, year after year. It was a lot of blood sweat and tears. Nick was right there too doing it […]

www.boston.com

Both Belichick and Saban are proud of their Croatian roots and share that connection with each other. Belichick’s father is Croatian, and he’s visited the country multiple times. He feels that he and Saban are so similar, they could be related.

“There aren’t that many Croatians around so, somewhere along the lines we’re probably related distantly,” Belichick said. “There’s gotta be a brotherhood there somewhere, at least cousins.”

“I think there’s a lot of similarities,” Saban added. “Whether it’s coming from lineage or something else, I always thought we thought a little bit alike.”

 

[Golson5]

I'll watch the Soccer World Cup

 

[BGI User 1596]

Some trivia.

Bill Belichick, Nick Saban, and Pete Carroll have Croatian heritage.

Their 1st two have last names respectively: Biličić and Šaban.

Pronounced Beel-eee-chich and Sha-bahn.



The Notre Dame has had Croatians like the Jurkovic brothers.

8 things we learned from HBO's Bill Belichick and Nick Saban documentary

“It was a grind, day after day after week after week, year after year. It was a lot of blood sweat and tears. Nick was right there too doing it […]

www.boston.com

Both Belichick and Saban are proud of their Croatian roots and share that connection with each other. Belichick’s father is Croatian, and he’s visited the country multiple times. He feels that he and Saban are so similar, they could be related.

“There aren’t that many Croatians around so, somewhere along the lines we’re probably related distantly,” Belichick said. “There’s gotta be a brotherhood there somewhere, at least cousins.”

“I think there’s a lot of similarities,” Saban added. “Whether it’s coming from lineage or something else, I always thought we thought a little bit alike.”

Lots of Ustase had to flee West when Tito cleaned house!

 

[savvyandsassier]

Good point guys.

For me it's the height of my sports passions.

There are several teams I live for:

1) The Croatia NT football team.

2) The Notre Dame Fighting Irish...minor rooting for Stanford because I now live in the Bay Area and have standards.

3) Any Croatian League club team in form.

It's going to be something else watching a World Cup game and the Fighting Irish on the same day!

So you're Croatian then, I guess.....

They're definitely an awesome sporting nation or culture, or whatnot. Pretty much great at every sport they put their hand to.....

 

[NDDadx3]

Allez Les Bleus!

 

[savvyandsassier]

I'm kind of curious to see how good USA will be. I like to see us do well of course, but I'm not some sort of 'ultra' fan of the USMNT. But now we have some guys who play regularly in Europe for good or even real good clubs, I'll be curious to see how evident that will be in our overall level of play as a team....

 

[banmate6]

USA definitely has gotten more players into Europe, which matters. Unfortunately many are not getting key roles or enough playing time. I hone in especially on the midfield, as McKennie, Musah, and Adams are supposed to bring this and cutting edge talent to bear...midfield being where games are won and lost.

But Team USA has had trouble controlling midfield. Even in possession, we do a lot of running. The good thing is we have a doable group. England is probably too strong...but Iran and Wales we can beat, facing an even chance.

A lot will depend on Pulisic coming into better form. I think it's now or never for him breaking out. If he's as good as he's supposed to be, he will score and lead USA to the 2nd round.

 

[banmate6]

Lots of Ustase had to flee West when Tito cleaned house!

Let me guess: you're part of a tribe that doesn't like Croatia for various reasons...not least superior Croatian sporting success.

 

[NIN Irish]

When does it start? What channels?
I'll probably watch occasionally.

 

[banmate6]

When does it start? What channels?
I'll probably watch occasionally.

Type the following into google search: world cup schedule. Or follow the link.

It should give you schedule in your local time.

 

[NIN Irish]

Type the following into google search: world cup schedule. Or follow the link.

It should give you schedule in your local time.

Thanks. I was trying to save time, really not too interested in soccer at all.

 

[savvyandsassier]

USA definitely has gotten more players into Europe, which matters. Unfortunately many are not getting key roles or enough playing time. I hone in especially on the midfield, as McKennie, Musah, and Adams are supposed to bring this and cutting edge talent to bear...midfield being where games are won and lost.

But Team USA has had trouble controlling midfield. Even in possession, we do a lot of running. The good thing is we have a doable group. England is probably too strong...but Iran and Wales we can beat, facing an even chance.

A lot will depend on Pulisic coming into better form. I think it's now or never for him breaking out. If he's as good as he's supposed to be, he will score and lead USA to the 2nd round.

I haven't watched a USMNT game in a while, so I don't really know what the pulse of the team is. I guess as always just getting out of the round robin will be the big achievement.....

Landon Donovan was wrong about Pulisic though. He plays regularly for Chelsea and wears the #10 jersey. And I figured he would do well, and he wouldn't be some forgotten player and transfer to a lesser club. I think his career is going great!

 

[BGI User 756]

Just saw the documentary on the corruption of FIFA choosing Qatar this year…the fraud ran deep

 

[ajcgn]

It’s Canada 3, Wales 0 in the final.
No point in wasting your time watching it now.

 

[graceh90]

No Azzurri, no interest for me. if the US makes through the round of 16 it would get my attention

 

[sjb75]

Thanks. I was trying to save time, really not too interested in soccer at all.

The Works Cup is an event with soccer as a backdrop.

 

[Pennick4]

I would rather watch Biden try to find his way off the stage after a press conference.

 

[NDblitz]

Just saw the documentary on the corruption of FIFA choosing Qatar this year…the fraud ran deep

Old news. I was railing about it 5 years ago.

 

[banmate6]

I would rather watch Biden try to find his way off the stage after a press conference.

Man, tell ya: you don't know what you are missing!

It's like saying no thanks to sex.

 

[BGI User 1596]

Rugby yes……leave soccer for the commoners!

 

[NDinNJ]

So you're Croatian then, I guess.....

They're definitely an awesome sporting nation or culture, or whatnot. Pretty much great at every sport they put their hand to.....

As a fellow Croat, I'll accept your compliment.

 

[BGI User 756]

Old news. I was railing about it 5 years ago.

Yeh. I didn’t know the depth of the scam until recently.

 

[NDblitz]

Just another in the many examples of the placating that goes on today.

 

[BGI User 756]

Just another in the many examples of the placating that goes on today.

Yup

 

[savvyandsassier]

As a fellow Croat, I'll accept your compliment.

You ain't no Croat. You're just American, dude. Just like all the rest of us....

 

[banmate6]

You ain't no Croat. You're just American, dude. Just like all the rest of us....

Like Bill, Nick, and Pete!

 

[NDinNJ]

You ain't no Croat. You're just American, dude. Just like all the rest of us....

I am American, born in the United States, but my heritage and ancestry is Croatian. My parents, like many Croatians after WWII through the 1960's escaped communist Yugoslavia for a better life.

 

[savvyandsassier]

I am American, born in the United States, but my heritage and ancestry is Croatian. My parents, like many Croatians after WWII through the 1960's escaped communist Yugoslavia for a better life.

Oh wow, cool story! You're American, buddy....

 

[banmate6]

I am an immigrant to the USA. But consider myself Croatian and American. And Catholic...and a Fighting Irish Subway fan.

Identity is malleable, stratified, and yet enveloped by a common human identity.

 

[NDblitz]

I am an immigrant to the USA. But consider myself Croatian and American. And Catholic...and a Fighting Irish Subway fan.

Identity is malleable, stratified, and yet enveloped by a common human identity.

Lots of Catholic Croatians

 

[sjb75]

Oh wow, cool story! You're American, buddy....

“I am American.” He said that.

 

[NDblitz]

Why does this matter? Why are we debating how American someone is? At some point everyone’s tree had a guy/girl who immigrated here. My wife’s grandparents all immigrated.

 

[savvyandsassier]

I am an immigrant to the USA. But consider myself Croatian and American. And Catholic...and a Fighting Irish Subway fan.

Identity is malleable, stratified, and yet enveloped by a common human identity.

I'm Polish, Hungarian, German, and Irish/English. Or so I'm told. But my great grandpa, the polish strain of my personal bloodline or whatnot, apparently hated the old country, and when he got to America never wanted to go back or even think about the world he left behind. I'm not really that patriotic, but that makes me burn with pride to be an American. In this country we take pleasure and pride in what we're not.....

We're all just Americans now....

 

[banmate6]

I'm Polish, Hungarian, German, and Irish/English. Or so I'm told. But my great grandpa, the polish strain of my personal bloodline or whatnot, apparently hated the old country, and when he got to America never wanted to go back or even think about the world he left behind. I'm not really that patriotic, but that makes me burn with pride to be an American. In this country we take pleasure and pride in what we're not.....

We're all just Americans now....

Fair enough.

But like I said, people have varied perspectives. And much of it amounts to merely being words.

Like I said, I consider myself Croatian and American. I'll root for both teams at the World Cup as an action. I also was a US Army officer, as an action...a retort to anybody saying I am compromised if I don't say I'm only American.

After all, I root for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, bringing my kit sometimes even to Croatia national team games.

😉

I've never seen any event bring out tribalism like the FIFA football World Cup. In a good way in the USA too, as people honor their heritage while cheering for the USA. Fun stuff.

 

[NDblitz]

The only thing that bugs me is when I watch a USA game and people, who I assume live here, are wearing and cheering for the foreign country we are playing. cough-cough Mexico.

 

[savvyandsassier]

Fair enough.

But like I said, people have varied perspectives. And much of it amounts to merely being words.

Like I said, I consider myself Croatian and American. I'll root for both teams at the World Cup as an action. I also was a US Army officer, as an action...a retort to anybody saying I am compromised if I don't say I'm only American.

After all, I root for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, bringing my kit sometimes even to Croatia national team games.

😉

I've never seen any event bring out tribalism like the FIFA football World Cup. In a good way in the USA too, as people honor their heritage while cheering for the USA. Fun stuff.

Yeah, I guess if you're European, that's their world. A lot of good it's done them, with all the endless bloodshed and rivalry and 'tribalism'. But I never met my great grandpa, or I was like 2 when he died or something. But I found that very inspiring, when my mom told me that about him just in passing, and I always remembered it. He never wanted to go back to Poland, didn't give a shit about it. And I'm like, this dude gets it!

I will admit it I do pull for Hungary a little bit, when they made the Euros. But that's really more because they're a scrappy underdog in general. I don't have any special affinity for the nation or culture of Hungary in the slightest. And just like my great gramps, I don't want any.....