Iraqis thrash U.S. Marines in soccer match

Reuters Via CNN ^ | 04/29/2003

[Phlap]

NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) -- U.S. Marines may consider themselves an elite fighting force, but they were no match for an Iraqi soccer side who thrashed them 7-0 in the southern town of Najaf.

The Najaf Poets devastated a side drawn from 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, their yellow jerseys flashing past Americans who took to the field in combat boots and camouflaged trousers.

[Sam's Army]

Ah, my nemesis......

Did you not learn from the thrashing I gave you last summer in regards to the USA's particpation in the World Cup? I knocked every one of your opinionated points into the goal with amazing authority and accuracy.

Don't make me do this again, Dude.

[AmishDude]

Did you not learn from the thrashing I gave you last summer in regards to the USA's particpation in the World Cup? I knocked every one of your opinionated points into the goal with amazing authority and accuracy.

I think you've been taking too many headers. I kept offering you a penalty shot, and you kept kicking it over the crossbar.

[LearnsFromMistakes]

Soccer players are the toughest in the world. I will flip by a game and see a guy all-but-dead on the turf, agonizing over a vicious hit he just took. Flip back in a few minutes, and he is up and running. Not just one or two guys, but every team seems to be filled with guys just as tough.

Amazing...

[Sam's Army]

Nice analogy, and my short-term memory has been a little off lately due to......other factors.

True story: I've never missed a penalty kick in my life or had one saved. That record could remain fixed in time, as I'm now basically retired from the sport.(as if anyone cared)

[safeasthebanks]

Your post about soccer not catching on was very well thought-out and clearly written.

You made it perfectly clear you have no idea what you are talking about and, on a forum with more soccer fans, you would have just made a complete FOOL of yourself.

Don't waste your time Sam's Army.

[Edit35]

Soccer, from a fans point of view, is the most boring sport in existance, maybe except for bowling.

Who wants to watch the action go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, for two hours just to see the game end up 1-0.

If they could figure a way to increase the scoring aspect, it could attract more fans in America.

[neither-nor]

First things first. Your picture makes you look better looking than me, you handsome dog you, so what does that say for me( er, or, for that matter, both of us)?

"Black, cold place in my heart for cricket", indeed, "easy to hit the ball with that incredibly wide paddle!", infidel!

Father, forgive him, for he knows not what he says.

[Sam's Army]

All in good fun.....

There were some amazing battles on the threads last summer. It was fun to explain that if soccer were such a "commie sport" as more than a few were suggesting----that Cuba would be playing it (and be good, likely) and not baseball.

[AmishDude]

on a forum with more soccer fans, you would have just made a complete FOOL of yourself.

Not likely. Oh, sure, I would have been shouted at by the barely coherent and the less-than-sober as well as threatened with bodily harm. The brawl would have lead to the forum being burned to the ground, but at least I would have suffered a better fate than had I been a player on a national team who accidentally deflected the ball into my own goal.

[AmishDude]

Actually, I always was interested in playing cricket but I felt a little out of place as the Indian and/or Pakistani students were so fanatical about it and the rules are about as arcane as those of baseball. They certainly don't want an amateur mucking up their perfectly nice outing.

[Sam's Army]

"If they could figure a way to increase the scoring aspect, it could attract more fans in America."

One small college division about 10-12 years ago experimented with bigger goals---I am a soccer entusiast and purist and to tell you the truth it's OK with me if it never takes off here as has been predicted for years.

It just makes victory that much sweeter whenever the US defeats other teams.

[LearnsFromMistakes]

It isn't just the scoring. Hockey has similar scores, yet it is exciting.

[neither-nor]

Hey safeasthebanks,

AmishDude was expressing his opinion, mildly ( as wrong as he was!). I'm a soccer fanatic who hopes he will roast in hell for his trespasses against soccer... but he MORE THAN KNOWS THE GAME dude and therefore his (humorous) opinions are to be respected!

[AmishDude]

The Mutiny is no more? Really? A friend of mine had a TBM shirt. It was cool -- made of one of those "Dri-fit" materials. I forget where he said he got it. Did they move?

[neither-nor]

Please,
if ever you come to India I insist in initiating you into this great game

[FeliciaCat]

Hockey is a low scoring game, but not boring. And whats the big deal with high scoring games anyway? Basketball is a complete waste of time to watch, except for the last 3 minutes.

[AmishDude]

Hockey suffers from similar problems. If there weren't the history, I think soccer would have a much better chance than hockey in the US, simply because pick-up games are more feasible. It's a niche sport, but it will always be played professionally in North America because of the Canadians.

[alnitak]

It's the tension guys, it's the tension. Plus the moments of individual brilliance.

Compare basketball:

"Team A gets the ball, they run down the other end, they score!"

"Team B gets the ball, they run down the other end, they score!"

"Team A gets the ball - oh my god it's an interception - Team B runs down the other end, they score!"

and so an ad infinitum.

Now ice hockey, saw some of that in the winter olympics, looks very exciting. Virtually never televised here in the UK though. Sigh.

[tophat9000]

In the brief window of visibility, they said that some of the fans jumped up in their seats and could be seen giving the "Banzai" salute (both arms in the air.)

The start of "The Wave"?

[AmishDude]

It's the tension guys, it's the tension.

The problem is, the tension doesn't really build. More often than not, it dissipates. In basketball, you have the clock running out. With soccer, you don't even know when the game's going to end because of that idiotic stoppage time.

There's also a problem (at the professional and international levels) with defensive play. If a team scores, they can go on the defensive and hold off the other team with relatively good success.