Paris 2024

Baloney · Post by **Baloney** » Wed Jul 24, 2024 4:06 pm

Rex wrote: Wed Jul 24, 2024 6:54 am Look out for under-inflated balls in the women’s soccer tournament:

A play straight out of the Marcelo Bielsa playbook.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 10:13 am

handball is fun, would not want to be a handball goalie

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 10:22 am

The three steps after picking up the dribble always throws me off. My mind is constantly calling a travel for the first few minutes of a game.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 12:04 pm

L-Jam3 wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 10:22 am The three steps after picking up the dribble always throws me off. My mind is constantly calling a travel for the first few minutes of a game.

it also throws me off that you can just grab someone and it's a foul but possessions just continues.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 12:33 pm

Interesting that France got Geno Auriema to coach their women’s handball team.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 1:04 pm

Check it up

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 2:08 pm

L-Jam3 wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 10:22 am The three steps after picking up the dribble always throws me off. My mind is constantly calling a travel for the first few minutes of a game.

I’m like that when I watch the NBA.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 2:50 pm

Steve of phpBB wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 2:08 pm
L-Jam3 wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 10:22 am The three steps after picking up the dribble always throws me off. My mind is constantly calling a travel for the first few minutes of a game.
I’m like that when I watch the NBA.

That checks out.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 2:53 pm

Yeah, its against Zambia, but I'm pretty sure the USWNT had more shots in that first half than they did in the entire World Cup last summer.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:17 pm

Exactly right. I REALLY like what the new manager is doing offensively. I could go back and look, but i'm pretty sure I blasted that team from the jump at the last WC. And I was primarily bitching about their naive tactics and playing Alex Morgan like it was 1980 era soccer. Seeing a striker facing forward like she's on the starting block of a race was embarrassing.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:18 pm

Alright. I know I’m barely an hour in, but our women look like they have this pretty locked down. I’m switching to Sevens to see us in the quarters vs. the Ruggeroos at 4:30.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:28 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: Thu Jul 25, 2024 3:17 pm Exactly right. I REALLY like what the new manager is doing offensively. I could go back and look, but i'm pretty sure I blasted that team from the jump at the last WC. And I was primarily bitching about their naive tactics and playing Alex Morgan like it was 1980 era soccer. Seeing a striker facing forward like she's on the starting block of a race was embarrassing.

Yeah, I was on a heater. First post was after Vietnam, second right after the Netherlands.

Nonlinear FC wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2023 10:40 am
Nonlinear FC wrote: Sat Jul 22, 2023 1:21 pm
govmentchedda wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2023 9:40 pm US lacking sharpness.
I'm going to withold a scalding review until I see them against Holland, but... They looked like hot garbage for most of that match. WAY too direct, way too many individuals trying to take on the bulk of the Viet defense. Set pieces, against a team the generally had huge height advantage, very rarely looked dangerous.

I understand the comparison with Thailand (mentally) probably made this game difficult to get up for. So, again, not going to make some big judgement... but that level and style of play isn't going to cut it past this group stage.
Alright, now it's go time... This team is not set up to beat decent opponents. The 433, with the way they are instructed to play (super direct, barely any switching the point of attack, relying on athleticism/pace and 1v1) is just a naive way to play at this level.

The US has reverted back to a style that the rest of the quality women's teams have moved beyond. Brazil, Spain, Germany and England, in particular, are playing a fluid, possession style that the US is simply not set-up to play.

This is 1000 percent on this coach. We have the technical ability to play any number of formations to encourage more possession and to be more creative in the attack.

This team is EXTREMELY frustrating to watch. Probably the best thing for the Federation would be to crash out in the group stage to expose how fucking stupid this coach is and to encourage a true introspection into the style of play they are currently so locked into.

It's embarrassing.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 12:32 pm

Zidane!

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 12:41 pm

Okay, this opening ceremony is going to pretty fucking amazing.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 12:53 pm

With the Athletes on boats, the parade will go much faster than each country moseying on in.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 12:59 pm

I bet that's Sebastien Foucoult. (He was the guy who invented parkour, and he was in that scene in Casino Royale where he and Bond were chasing around the construction site).

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 1:04 pm

Kelly Clarkson and Peyton Manning are terrible...especially Clarkson...

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 1:16 pm

I never knew French metal was a thing.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 1:19 pm

Wait, are they going to have a menage a trois in the library?

tennbengal · Post by **tennbengal** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 1:22 pm

L-Jam3 wrote: Fri Jul 26, 2024 1:19 pm Wait, are they going to have a menage a trois in the library?

Is that a medal event now? Feels like that would do some ratings.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 1:39 pm

they gave Gabon a rowboat and said good luck

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 1:41 pm

That's "THE Gambia", Hoda.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 2:05 pm

What's the order they're doing the countries? Because if it's in French we should've gone by now (Etats-Unis). Or are we going next to last because we have the 2028 Games?

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 2:06 pm

L-Jam3 wrote: Fri Jul 26, 2024 2:05 pm What's the order they're doing the countries? Because if it's in French we should've gone by now (Etats-Unis). Or are we going next to last because we have the 2028 Games?

Yes, next to last.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 4:00 pm

Did NBC just decide to skip the torch arrival?

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 4:39 pm

I'm at work so I watched a BBC stream I found on my phone. The commentators were great because they just let moments breathe. Plus there's were zero commercials and I could watch everything in its entirety.

Anyhoo, my favorite part was Papa Smurf looking like a snack. And I'm bummed that America didn't float in on an aircraft carrier. We're America, dammit!

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 4:47 pm

Straight up, that was fucking amazing.

So I’ve been watching the Olympics since 1984. And at least for the Summer Games, each have been held in some iconic global cities. But I hadn’t thought before when I heard what they were going to do tonight to incorporate the city itself into the ceremony as much as they did. Just a real spectacle. And the fact that they couldn’t really have a rehearsal makes it even more impressive to me.

And yeah. Celine fucking slayed.

Post by **brian** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 4:56 pm

TIL Gojira are French.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:05 pm

France not giving Germany its own boat must have felt good

Post by **brian** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:09 pm

Rex wrote: Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:05 pm France not giving Germany its own boat must have felt good

If you can’t beat them, troll them.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:21 pm

463 athletes and they don’t get their own boat? Did they make them pick and choose who was on the boat (and in the ceremony)?

Post by **brian** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:23 pm

rass wrote: Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:21 pm 463 athletes and they don’t get their own boat? Did they make them pick and choose who was on the boat (and in the ceremony)?

China has 400 and didn’t either. And not to threadjack but good lord the anti-China content in the MO GOP gov ads.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:27 pm

Huh. Hope the made for TV-ness of having this on the water didn’t ruin someone’s chance of taking part in the opening ceremony.

Post by **brian** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:41 pm

The Gojira part kicked some serious ass.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:43 pm

Someone get Kelly Clarkson a copy of the Judgement Night soundtrack. It’ll blow her mind.

Post by **brian** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:50 pm

rass wrote: Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:43 pm Someone get Kelly Clarkson a copy of the Judgement Night soundtrack. It’ll blow her mind.

Or just a Deafheaven album.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 7:57 pm

I liked the variety. We all thought the big countries would get their own boats and the little countries would have to share and all boats were alike. But it was different boats and little countries got their own!

EdRomero · Post by **EdRomero** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 8:24 pm

I either drank too much or didn't drink enough to follow this Olympic torch storyline ....ok I drank too much...Now there's fucking minions. what is going on?

EdRomero · Post by **EdRomero** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 8:26 pm

Well now the Mosa Lisa is floating in the river and Manning and Tirico are having a good laugh (probably in between discussions about the women they sexually harassed). At least the music is pretty good.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Fri Jul 26, 2024 8:35 pm

I like this. Awesome call by NBC:

Military, veterans can stream Paris Olympics coverage for free