[Beat]

I know most of you aren't interested in soccer....but i don't care.....we are through to the quarter finals of the European Championships.....and Germany isn't! :lol:

[chris]

The rivalry is probably lost on most North Americans. For Toronto Maple Leaf fans - this is as good as beating out the Ottawa Senators... again.

Only they have a much more serious history/rivalry between their nations.

[Beat]

That's right Chris......we don't really like the germans, in soccer at least. They beat us in the final of the world championships of 1974, when Holland probably had the best team ever. We still hold that against them. Germany always has a team that likes to defend, while Holland likes to attack. A lot of times Holland was the better team but Germany won because of a gola in the last few minutes. Revenge came in 1988, in the semi final of the EC, when we won 2-1, and later won the final as well. And of course there's the rivalry going all the way back to world war 2.

[Stephen Dame]

For the first time in my life, I actually find myself interested in soccer. I've watched some of the games on TV, and I'll be watching England-Portugal today. GO BRITS!

In my old age, I've noticed that I'm gaining a greater appreciation for the pasture games. Nothing beats sitting in the sun watching a baseball game unfold, and I think the same can be said for soccer.

I just hope that whoever wins or loses today, some holliganism goes down. I come for the "football," but I stay for the hooligans.

[Kim]

Go Portugal!!

Nothing would please me more tonight than seeing the English team kicked out of the championship so if there's a god out there, I hope he reads this post.

(p.s. its not holland, its the netherlands :nooooo :nooooo :wink: )

[Stephen Dame]

Go Portugal!!

Nothing would please me more tonight than seeing the English team kicked out of the championship so if there's a god out there, I hope he reads this post.

(p.s. its not holland, its the netherlands :nooooo :nooooo :wink: )

Isn't it like "Britain" and "England?" I thought the two terms were interchangable since one nation (Holland) became a larger nation knwon as The Netherlands.

And hey, how the hell does Offside work in soccer?... I'm lost.

[MikeS]

Go Portugal!!

Nothing would please me more tonight than seeing the English team kicked out of the championship so if there's a god out there, I hope he reads this post.

(p.s. its not holland, its the netherlands :nooooo :nooooo :wink: )

Hey Kim...Nothing? I would have thought seeing the Oranje put my English boys out themselves would have been more pleasing to Dutch fans... :wink:

Hopefully, they'll get their chance next Wednesday...I'm personally hoping for England-Netherlands and France-Czechs semifinals...

First thing's first however...Rule Britannia!!! :thumb:

M.

[Kim]

Yeah the terms are interchangeable, my comment was more a joke than anything else. Although I do prefer people calling it the Netherlands. Holland is only a part of The Netherlands (2 of 12 provinces) - why exclude the rest of the country?

As for offside - although I DO know what it is, its kinda hard to explain so I found a site which explains it better than i ever could.
This is what it said:

*Basically a player is in offside when he is closer to the goal of the opponent than the ball or the second last opponent. Number 10 is in an offside position.



A player is not in an offside position if:
*he is in his own half of the field of play
*he is level with the second last opponent
*he is level with the last two opponents

A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:
*interfering with play
*interfering with an opponent
*gaining an advantage by being in that position

There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
*a goal kick
*a throw-in
*a corner kick

For any offside offence, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.


Now you'll never forget :mrgreen:

[Stephen Dame]

Ah... THAT'S what was confusing me! You can have two forwards up front, but they must be on equal ground (One can't be ahead of the other)

Gotcha, thanks Kim!

And now when the Brits go all the way, I'll have a better understanding of what the hell is going on.

[Beat]

The only fans that are making trouble are the English ones....as usual.

[Kim]

Ah... THAT'S what was confusing me! You can have two forwards up front, but they must be on equal ground (One can't be ahead of the other)

Gotcha, thanks Kim!

And now when the Brits go all the way, I'll have a better understanding of what the hell is going on.

I'm not sure you got it.

Its not about the forwards being on equal ground with each other, but about the forward being on equal ground with the defenders of the opposing team.

The only fans that are making trouble are the English ones....as usual.

True, I fear what will happen tonight when Portugal kicks England's ass.

[Beat]

Not exactly Stephen, at the moment the ball is being played to a forward, there have to be at least two players of the opponent (or a player and the keeper) between the forward and the backline.

[Stephen Dame]

Wha??!!

Okay... just pick it up with yer friggin' hands already!!

Did anybody else notice this announcing screw up at the start of the game: "Player A has gone home to be with his father who is due to give birth today." :lol:

Hey, England just scored.

[Kim]

Portugal just scored :mrgreen:

edit: they just scored again...Go Portugal!! :jump


aaggghhh 2-2!! :censored

[prz]

I am cheering for Sweden. I wish I was in Stockholm when they are playing.