Thursday, March 16, 2006
Wish List
Bostrom writes: Here's my soccer wish list for 2006.
It's a partial list as the full monty would take up too much space, but this is what I've been coveting...
*European Soccer Games via iTunes. It may come to no surprise to many of you that I love Apple products. Yes, it's a blind love that holds no critical eye...except for the terrible mouse that shipped with the original iMacs. Since iTunes (misnamed at this point) also now offers a host of video downloads that can be watched on a computer or a video iPod or a TV hooked up to an iPod (you get the idea), I would happily pay $2 - $5 for full games or highlights of European matches. Tomorrow, Apple begins selling just such a service for March Madness. Here's hoping the content deals are in the works for European soccer.
*More credit given to Wikipedia as the solution of all knowledge not already encompassed by Google. I just visited the wiki for the English Premier League. I wondered when their endless season would actually end. While I didn't find that out directly from the Wikipedia entry, I did find an incredible compendium of EPL facts and figures. Minutiae such as all teams who have ever played in the EPL and the years of their tenure flow freely. I have to keep training my brain to look to Wikipedia for information as I'm seldom disappointed. It's getting to the point where I first go to Wikipedia, then go to Google.
*Indoor soccer facilities from coast to coast I've been incredibly impressed with the advances in field turf and cheap, large indoor facilities that don't require the players to the ball off the wall. These facilities offer 5 on 5 soccer that really feels like soccer and the injuries seem less pervasive as the conditions are near perfect night in and night out. And the best part of the experience is that players get more time on the ball. At a young age, I'd rather have players developing their feel for the ball than learning about how 11 players can play total football. There's time for that development later. The more our country, or any other for that matter, builds these indoor facilities, the better they will become as a soccer nation.
*Our #5 FIFA World Ranking With Italy coming in at #12, and the Czech Republic at #2, the average ranking of three of the four participants in our group in Germany is #6. Has there ever been a group in WC play that has a more top-loaded group? Of course, the FIFA world rankings aren't perfect, but it shows that WC draw process leaves much to be desired. We clearly have three top teams in the group. Two top teams is inevitable in many groups, but three is proof the system is broken.
What's your wish list?
Comments:
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My wishlist would be to remove any kind of rankings from the World Cup draw and the Champions League draws for that matter.
Why should the top ranked teams not play each other? What valid reason is there to separate them (except greed and selfishness)? If they are good teams they will still progress from their section.
It doesn't guarantee enjoyment or entertainment for later rounds if the 'big teams' meet because usually in most competitions the games get cagier and more defensive the closer to the finals they get - remember Germany in the last WC. They're results went 8-0, 1-1, 2-0, 1-0, 1-0, 1,0, 0-2. Just because they are the top teams, doesn't guarantee a good spectacle.
Make it random, make it fun, make it happen!
Why should the top ranked teams not play each other? What valid reason is there to separate them (except greed and selfishness)? If they are good teams they will still progress from their section.
It doesn't guarantee enjoyment or entertainment for later rounds if the 'big teams' meet because usually in most competitions the games get cagier and more defensive the closer to the finals they get - remember Germany in the last WC. They're results went 8-0, 1-1, 2-0, 1-0, 1-0, 1,0, 0-2. Just because they are the top teams, doesn't guarantee a good spectacle.
Make it random, make it fun, make it happen!
Offtheboard, good point about Germany. They didn't exactly play themselves into the final but that'a another point entirely. I'll have to stew a bit about getting rid of the rankings altogether. For sure I would be in favor of that instead of the current system which is weighted so much towards the historical results of a team. (Bostrom)
My wish list:
1) That MLS would be on the same schedule as the rest of the world. Now this would be pretty brutal in the winter, but why not take a long winter break from late Dec through early Feb? They could start their season in August when nothing is going on sports-wise and play all the way through the fall. At the very least, let's have MLS respect any FIFA international dates on the calendar. I know that it has to do with stadium committments, but there's enough SSS now to do this.
2) Modify the offside rule to eliminate the passive offside player which is now allowed. It's so interpretive that it's just easier to make everyone have to stay onside rather than having official determining who's passive.
3) When someone gets hurt and has to be carried off the field, make them stay off a little bit longer (1-2 minutes) when they're finally ready to come back. This always drives me nuts when a player seems like he's near death until he gets to the sideline and then he miraculously recovers. This should eliminate players "making a meal" out of getting fouled. (George)
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1) That MLS would be on the same schedule as the rest of the world. Now this would be pretty brutal in the winter, but why not take a long winter break from late Dec through early Feb? They could start their season in August when nothing is going on sports-wise and play all the way through the fall. At the very least, let's have MLS respect any FIFA international dates on the calendar. I know that it has to do with stadium committments, but there's enough SSS now to do this.
2) Modify the offside rule to eliminate the passive offside player which is now allowed. It's so interpretive that it's just easier to make everyone have to stay onside rather than having official determining who's passive.
3) When someone gets hurt and has to be carried off the field, make them stay off a little bit longer (1-2 minutes) when they're finally ready to come back. This always drives me nuts when a player seems like he's near death until he gets to the sideline and then he miraculously recovers. This should eliminate players "making a meal" out of getting fouled. (George)
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