04/20/24
June 13, 2010
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
This Serbia v Ghana game is so boring I'm resorting to making fun of Serbian surnames like Yankovic and Pantelic and Stankovic ... Waitaminute, did you know Stankovic is the first player to play for three countries in the World Cup? My God, this is excruciating.
posted by worldcup2002 at 11:01 AM on June 13, 2010
Serbia v. Ghana is head and shoulders above Algeria v. Slovakia though. Fell asleep trying to watch that one in the first half. Didn't miss anything.
posted by ursus_comiter at 11:08 AM on June 13, 2010
Ghana's making some good chances in the 2nd half, too.
posted by ursus_comiter at 11:15 AM on June 13, 2010
Dumb way for Algeria to lose too. Oh well. Germany v. Australia should be worth the wait.
(now if I could only find a bar that's showing it)
posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:16 AM on June 13, 2010
Go Socceroos!
posted by worldcup2002 at 11:17 AM on June 13, 2010
I like the World Cup team names. You don't get that in a lot of sports -- it's just "France" or "Nigeria" or whatever. Votes for best team name, anyone?
(my votes for least imaginative: "gli Azzuri" and "Oranje". Well, duh.)
(edit: list here)
posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:26 AM on June 13, 2010
Handball against Serbia!
posted by ursus_comiter at 11:42 AM on June 13, 2010
GOAL!
posted by ursus_comiter at 11:42 AM on June 13, 2010
omg pipe save!
posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:49 AM on June 13, 2010
On the topic of team names, France's les Bleus and NZ's All-Whites continue in the boring obvious color trend. I think Serbia is the Amazing Yankovices.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:07 PM on June 13, 2010
The Schweizer Nati?
Oh, Switzerland, you crazy imagineers.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 12:09 PM on June 13, 2010
It would be lovely to have a whole stadium full of droning didgeridoos. For a little change. C'mon, Australia!
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:29 PM on June 13, 2010
Commentary during Ghana vs Serbia seemed to indicate that the French are blaming the ball and the vuvuzuelas for their showing against Honduras. It's nice to know that France has imported its usual quantity of whine.
Another comment about the ball was that the teams have had several weeks to practice with it. If true, then somebody needs to just "shut up and deal".
posted by Howard_T at 01:04 PM on June 13, 2010
I have noticed that other keepers (besides the British keeper) having to make possession saves off the turf have had trouble handling the ball. And some of the balls were not struck all that sharply, with the keepers generally exhibiting good form initially and being in good position to make the save.
With all the prior reports about how many hookers were flooding into SA for the Cup, it's just not prudent for a country to send a team nicknamed "Manschaft" to the tournament.
posted by beaverboard at 01:18 PM on June 13, 2010
Two stupid hand balls lead to the results in both of the early games (although it is worth noting that the red card for Serbia a few minutes earlier seemed to inspire them to their most lively play of the day). Will Germany or Australia continue the trend?
posted by bender at 01:29 PM on June 13, 2010
According to the NY Times, ESPN 3 will be streaming all 64 games.
Kinda looks like not. In the US, Australia vs. Germany is being broadcast on ABC, and it doesn't seem to be showing up on ESPN3. Dammitall.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 02:33 PM on June 13, 2010
Serbia v. Ghana is head and shoulders above Algeria v. Slovakia Slovenia though. Fell asleep trying to watch that one in the first half. Didn't miss anything.
I made that mistake at least twice when talking to my parents over the phone about the games today.
I was disappointed that Ghana was in their whites, but happy to see Serbia in their awesome reds.
posted by grum@work at 02:36 PM on June 13, 2010
lil_brown_bat: Univision's streaming all 64 matches.
posted by etagloh at 03:34 PM on June 13, 2010
Holy shit. Germany looks REALLY good.
posted by grum@work at 04:40 PM on June 13, 2010
As a friend noted during the match, there must be tremendous reassurance in watching the World Cup as a German. Even before penalties.
Cahill's red card was undeserved, and the Mexican ref has a reputation back home as a camera-hogging card-flasher... i.e. the Howard Webb of his league.
posted by etagloh at 04:42 PM on June 13, 2010
Two stupid hand balls lead to the results in both of the early games (although it is worth noting that the red card for Serbia a few minutes earlier seemed to inspire them to their most lively play of the day). Will Germany or Australia continue the trend?
YES! But the damn refs didn't call it. And that red card was bullshit. And the diving from the German non-German players was annoying, glad they got carded. And as a Pole, I'm conflicted about the first two opening German goals being scored by, er, Polish born players.
posted by mkn at 06:18 PM on June 13, 2010
Welcome to the major leagues, rookie!
Carlos Santana gets steamrolled after blocking Adam Dunn's path to home plate in today's game.
posted by grum@work at 07:00 PM on June 13, 2010
Oh well. That means we have to win the next two.
Mood: varies between severe disappointment and mild disappointment.
posted by owlhouse at 07:08 PM on June 13, 2010
Is anyone watching this? As of right now, neither team in the Cubs/White Sox game have allowed a hit through 5.
I understand if it makes it through the 7th wihout a hit, Jim Joyce is on standby to step in as the 1st base umpire for the final two innings.
posted by hincandenza at 09:35 PM on June 13, 2010
It's now through six. Tense! I imagine it'll be on MLB network soon.
Someone's getting their heart broken tonight which is kind of sad.
posted by hincandenza at 09:41 PM on June 13, 2010
Silly me; it's the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball game. Ted Lilly just got through the top of the 7th. Gavin Floyd is now pitching the bottom of the 7th at Wrigley. Both pitchers are (naturally) looking sharp.
If god help us they both go 9 without a hit, will either manager pull their starter at any reasonable pitch count?
posted by hincandenza at 09:51 PM on June 13, 2010
Well, Floyd just lost the no-hitter on a 3-2, 2-out double by Soriano. It'd have scored Derrek Lee but he'd run into the 2nd out trying to steal second. Floyd then promptly gave up the game's first run with a single to Tracy, then K'ed the third out.
Ted Lilly still has the no-no with six-outs to go. I'm kind of glad one of them blinked as it'd have been tough to watch a 9th inning with two no-hitters on the line.
posted by hincandenza at 10:01 PM on June 13, 2010
Lilly is now perfect through eight. Let's see if he can close it out.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 10:07 PM on June 13, 2010
Lilly through 8, looking sharp. Still a 1-0 game, and the announcers mentioned that Lilly threw 7 1/3 no-hit against Seattle only to be dealt a heartbreaker with a complete game one-hit 1-0 loss.
The rain is now coming down HARD. Has anyone lost a no-hitter because they couldn't come back after a rain delay?
posted by hincandenza at 10:11 PM on June 13, 2010
Lilly is now perfect through eight. Let's see if he can close it out.
Not quite perfect, he's given up one walk.
posted by tommybiden at 10:12 PM on June 13, 2010
He's not perfect- two hit batsmen and a walk to the *pitcher*.
It might be to Lilly's benefit that the runner just got caught stealing, so he can get back to the mound soon.
posted by hincandenza at 10:13 PM on June 13, 2010
And there it goes. Juan Pierre? Pfft. Lilly looked sharp, but I'm not sure if the rain made a difference in his grip.
And Piniella pulls him! Crazy, let the guy finish and win/lose on his merits. Who wants to be the reliever who blows the lead here? Although maybe it was done to prevent Lilly from getting a loss.
Edit: and the reliever walks the next hitter, which will set up the bunt- wait a fucking BALK!?!? Poor Lilly, he's going to get a no decision!!!
posted by hincandenza at 10:19 PM on June 13, 2010
Wait- so Floyd could still get the win since he pitched through 8- crazy! What a weird 9th inning this has been.
posted by hincandenza at 10:25 PM on June 13, 2010
Phew- crazy 9th inning, crazy save.
posted by hincandenza at 10:30 PM on June 13, 2010
Fuck me gently with a chainsaw. I decided not to listen to the Cubs last night. bah.
posted by ursus_comiter at 04:17 AM on June 14, 2010
Not quite perfect, he's given up one walk.
It was a slip up. After all the perfect games this year (and close calls) I'd almost forgotten what a no hitter was.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 10:16 AM on June 14, 2010
The great thing about the Dunn/Santana meeting was that Dunn wasn't even trying to plant him -- he's just such a mountain he sent Santana flying while pulling up.
posted by wfrazerjr at 01:07 PM on June 14, 2010
Cahill's red was ridonkulous. And supposedly this ref is higher rated than any from the US?
posted by billsaysthis at 05:08 PM on June 14, 2010
A breakdown of some of the places you can stream World Cup matches.