Unofficial World Cup Thread de 2014

[Guiness]

Meh, I'm not sure I am buying the argument about different conditioning. Running 8-10 miles is no major accomplishment, even for amateur runners who aren't elite athletes. Granted, an NFL lineman isn't going to be able to dart and weave the way Lionel Messi can, but anyone can run 15k if they work up to it.

I think you're severely underestimating the fitness level required by the players. Yes, pretty much anyone can train up to running 10 miles in 90 minutes, a quick walk is 4.5mph, that's more than halfway there. It's more than just stamina, it's the ability to make those sprints after being out there for 88 minutes, push and shove, and as you said, dart and weave. It's far from 'meh'. You think all those guys pulling up with locked hamstrings were just out of shape??

[Guiness]

7 players on the German team coming down with flu-like symptoms

http://www.cbssports.com/world-cup/eye-on-world-cup/24606452/report-seven-german-players-including-muller-ill-ahead-of-quarters

This is a pretty good rivalry, as well. The Germans and French are not each other's biggest fans by any means.

[hoosier]

I think you're severely underestimating the fitness level required by the players. Yes, pretty much anyone can train up to running 10 miles in 90 minutes, a quick walk is 4.5mph, that's more than halfway there. It's more than just stamina, it's the ability to make those sprints after being out there for 88 minutes, push and shove, and as you said, dart and weave. It's far from 'meh'. You think all those guys pulling up with locked hamstrings were just out of shape??

No, I'm not comparing WC soccer players to your average runner, I am just saying that the "distance run" metric isn't a very good indicator of fitness--because even a 40-something slob like me can get up every morning and run 10k in 45 minutes with no problem. I have no doubt that world class soccer players are world class athletes, same or very similar to skill position players in football. I do doubt that there is a "conditioning" difference between the two sports. No doubt there are different skill sets involved but the underlying "conditioning" demands--which I'm assuming in this discussion means what it normally means, cardiovascular fitness--are approximately the same for players in either sport.*

* 375 lb. linemen not included

[wootah]

For a midfielder in average 1/4 of the distance covered is walking, 1/2 is jogging, 1/8 running and 1/8 sprinting. There is a huge difference with football IMO, just alone in the type of muscles that are trained. Football is power and fast twitch muscles. Soccer is a combination of endurance and interval sprinting. No doubt the NFL players will be faster and stronger, but I think that they wouldn't be able to run anymore in the 2nd half.

Football players don’t have a lot of time to travel very far. According to the Wall Street Journal, the average NFL game includes only 11 minutes of actual playing time. Receivers and cornerbacks run the most at just over one mile a game.

http://www.runnersworld.com/fun/distance-run-per-game-in-various-sports

[Guiness]

Football players don’t have a lot of time to travel very far. According to the Wall Street Journal, the average NFL game includes only 11 minutes of actual playing time. Receivers and cornerbacks run the most at just over one mile a game.

A mile a game...comprised of series of 20, 40 and 60 yards dashes spaced apart by a minute or so each.

I watched an NFL game with a rugby player who had recently arrived here from England, and he was astounded at a kick returner getting oxygen on the sidelines 5 minutes into the game (guy had just returned a kickoff for a TD). Couldn't wrap his head around that compared to other sports where substitutions are much more limited.

[Cheesehead Craig]

because even a 40-something slob like me can get up every morning and run 10k in 45 minutes with no problem.

False. Running a 7 minute mile pace over that distance is not something anyone can just do. That takes a lot of work. I think you're selling this short by quite a bit.

[red]

7 players on the German team coming down with flu-like symptoms

http://www.cbssports.com/world-cup/eye-on-world-cup/24606452/report-seven-german-players-including-muller-ill-ahead-of-quarters

This is a pretty good rivalry, as well. The Germans and French are not each other's biggest fans by any means.

the french have come up with a new way of defending the germans i heard. the french players will form an "Impenetrable line", comprised of all 11 players to the left of the goal, and hope the germans don't figure out that they can walk around the wall to the right and capture the goal with ease

[KYPack]

the french have come up with a new way of defending the germans i heard. the french players will form an "Impenetrable line", comprised of all 11 players to the left of the goal, and hope the germans don't figure out that they can walk around the wall to the right and capture the goal with ease

Funny, Red.

[Guiness]

Funny, Red.

Cringe worthy, really.

[Freak Out]

Belgium wasn't there to help them.

[wootah]

Great game going on at the moment!

[Cheesehead Craig]

Go Germany!

[Freak Out]

What kind of team will Brasil field on Tuesday? Wow...strange game. Way to much flopping. Germany is licking their chops right now.

[wootah]

And then such a horrible 2nd half. 55 fouls in 1 game :/

[pbmax]

Dear Brasil, you shouldn't have started to play defense only so early.