This is a huge reason why soccer is making no headway as a spectator sport in the US. The only other "sport" that has the same homer disparity in officiating is professional wrestling. As a bonus the acting is about the same in both sports--the flops in soccer are nauseating. Until that garbage gets cleaned up or they give the players chairs to hit each other over their heads with soccer isn't going to draw more viewers. At least in wrestling pretty much everyone knows its rigged. :thumb:

 

That is probably my least favorite part of soccer. It seems as if there are no rules. There are times when a team obviously kicks the ball out of bounds and the ref will give possession to the wrong team. Then, especially in CONCACAF, the players flop all over the place to try to draw a card on the other team. If there's no card given, they magically recover and pop right back up. When Americans go down they are actually hurt - then Mexicans try to pick the injured player up and force him to play? That stuff really gets on my nerves.

 

Something else that is just crazy - yesterday, they handed out yellow cards left and right on the U.S. players. There were several crazy tackles by Mexican players that were nothing more than common fouls. :idunno:

Is there perhaps a sense of "the U.S. hasn't earned good calls" around the soccer globe? Just curious. Perhaps in the way we play on in basketball at the Olympics, but other teams are called for a foul? It's silly, but it might be the case.

 

It very well could be. It's generally on borderline yellows. The refs seem to always give the US yellows, where the other side gets warned.

The USA is in trouble for seeding (I believe that they will make it in.) I could see them getting into the group of death again. Last World Cup was ridiculous, and this one could be worse, unless they are miraculously drawn into South Africa's group.

The USA is in trouble for seeding (I believe that they will make it in.) I could see them getting into the group of death again. Last World Cup was ridiculous, and this one could be worse, unless they are miraculously drawn into South Africa's group.

 

I really don't think it will be as bad as last time. In 2006, both Italy and the Czech Republic were ranked in the FIFA top 10. That was just a terrible draw and I would hope that sheer dumb luck would prevent it from happening to us again.

I really don't think it will be as bad as last time. In 2006, both Italy and the Czech Republic were ranked in the FIFA top 10. That was just a terrible draw and I would hope that sheer dumb luck would prevent it from happening to us again.

 

Keep in mind that the U.S. is currently ranked #12 in the FIFA rankings. They should get a favorable draw, barring a collapse.

What are the dates for the next qualifiers?

Keep in mind that the U.S. is currently ranked #12 in the FIFA rankings. They should get a favorable draw, barring a collapse.

Weren't they ranked #5 when they got put in the "Group of Death"?

Weren't they ranked #5 when they got put in the "Group of Death"?

 

That is correct.

 

They have shown that they can play with anyone in the world, but also can get beat by teams that they shouldn't.

 

I'm hoping for a World Cup like 2002... how fun was that?

Weren't they ranked #5 when they got put in the "Group of Death"?

 

I've never known of the USA being ranked in the top 5, but I have only been following closely for about 2 years now.

I've never known of the USA being ranked in the top 5, but I have only been following closely for about 2 years now.

The US actually has been as high as 4th, which was in April of 2006, a couple of months prior to the World Cup. They fell to 5th at the time of the drawings.

 

The rankings have some bearing on seeding the top 8 seeds, but after that point, they're not a part of the process as I understand it. In 2006, Italy was the top seed in Group E despite being lower than both the U.S. and the Czech Republic in the current rankings. This was due to strong showings at both of the previous two World Cups. From that point, it becomes a draw from other pots. Pot A is the seeds, Pot B was unseeded qualifiers from South America, Africa and Oceania (and Ghana was chosen), Pot C was comprised of eight of the nine remaining European teams (Czech Republic chosen) and Pot D was the CONCACAF and Asia teams, and that's where the US came from obviously. So a lot of the draw is luck, and it wasn't with the US that year. The Czechs were ranked #2 at the time, the US #5, and Italy #14.

 

But ultimately, what killed the US there was the loss to Ghana. Had they beaten Ghana, they'd have advanced to the next round.

So, basically the FIFA rankings and World Cup placement are on the same level as soccer officiating :lol:

The US actually has been as high as 4th, which was in April of 2006, a couple of months prior to the World Cup. They fell to 5th at the time of the drawings.

 

The rankings have some bearing on seeding the top 8 seeds, but after that point, they're not a part of the process as I understand it. In 2006, Italy was the top seed in Group E despite being lower than both the U.S. and the Czech Republic in the current rankings. This was due to strong showings at both of the previous two World Cups. From that point, it becomes a draw from other pots. Pot A is the seeds, Pot B was unseeded qualifiers from South America, Africa and Oceania (and Ghana was chosen), Pot C was comprised of eight of the nine remaining European teams (Czech Republic chosen) and Pot D was the CONCACAF and Asia teams, and that's where the US came from obviously. So a lot of the draw is luck, and it wasn't with the US that year. The Czechs were ranked #2 at the time, the US #5, and Italy #14.

 

But ultimately, what killed the US there was the loss to Ghana. Had they beaten Ghana, they'd have advanced to the next round.

 

I've never known of the USA being ranked in the top 5, but I have only been following closely for about 2 years now.

 

So, basically the FIFA rankings and World Cup placement are on the same level as soccer officiating :lol:

 

The US had attained a very high ranking a few years ago. With that said, anyone that somewhat follows soccer knows the FIFA rankings mean little to nothing. Just as the US was nowhere near a top 5 team, the Czechs were nowhere near the #2 team.

The only thing I know for sure is that Leo Messi and Kaka are really good :lol:

The US had attained a very high ranking a few years ago. With that said, anyone that somewhat follows soccer knows the FIFA rankings mean little to nothing. Just as the US was nowhere near a top 5 team, the Czechs were nowhere near the #2 team.

:thumb:

 

Two of the top five in the world were in the same group and neither advanced.

Is it me, or does the US seem like they can not control the ball. When you watch good teams, Spain and Brazil for instance, they can control the pass and then quickly move it. I understand that US is built to be a counter-attacking team, but at some point you have to create some offense.