Sabres Fan in NS Posted March 11, 2014 Author Report Posted March 11, 2014 http://bleacherrepor...facing-long-ban That is a horrible tackle. Banned for life? Football is a potentially dangerous game. It's hard to tell if the tackler was actually going for the ball. I share your hope re FFP. I also hope something comes out of the investigation re Real and Barcelona. On the other hand, I have no confidence in FIFA. Go Gunners!!! (Today is going to be tough). I'm the president of that club. So, I am fully confident that FIFA will never, ever do the right thing. And if they actually commit to FFP then their favourite sides (FCB, RM, MU ...) will somehow be exempt.
Sabres Fan in NS Posted March 15, 2014 Author Report Posted March 15, 2014 MANCHESTER CITY!! http://stats.cbc.ca/epl/story.asp?i=20140315104238877372108
nfreeman Posted March 15, 2014 Report Posted March 15, 2014 OK -- I'm a total soccer novice but I find myself in Spain and about to go to an FC Barcelona game tomorrow with 99,000+ other dudes. (I read that for the World Cup there (which I think was in the 80s) they jammed 121,000 into the same stadium.) I'm kinda psyched because it seems like a similar experience to going to the Forum for a Habs game or to Kansas or Duke for an NCAA basketball game. Anyway, just wondering whether anyone has been to a game at Camp Nou and if so whether you have any suggestions/advice. Thanks.
Sabres Fan in NS Posted March 15, 2014 Author Report Posted March 15, 2014 (edited) OK -- I'm a total soccer novice but I find myself in Spain and about to go to an FC Barcelona game tomorrow with 99,000+ other dudes. (I read that for the World Cup there (which I think was in the 80s) they jammed 121,000 into the same stadium.) I'm kinda psyched because it seems like a similar experience to going to the Forum for a Habs game or to Kansas or Duke for an NCAA basketball game. Anyway, just wondering whether anyone has been to a game at Camp Nou and if so whether you have any suggestions/advice. Thanks. Wow. Never been to that particular venue, but have in England and in Sarajevo. Nothing like it. Advice ... just enjoy it and take it all in. There is nothing that compares with a live football match, especially in Europe. FCB have a rabid fan base. EDIT TO ADD: Just checked and they are playing a mid-lower level side tomorrow. Too bad they are not playing Real Madrid. Then you would be able to witness two of the best players in the world go head to head in Messi and CR7. Oh, well. Maybe next time. Say hello to Messi for me. Why are you in Spain? Abandoned the tank, have you? Edited March 15, 2014 by Sabres Fan In NS
Peter Posted March 15, 2014 Report Posted March 15, 2014 OK -- I'm a total soccer novice but I find myself in Spain and about to go to an FC Barcelona game tomorrow with 99,000+ other dudes. (I read that for the World Cup there (which I think was in the 80s) they jammed 121,000 into the same stadium.) I'm kinda psyched because it seems like a similar experience to going to the Forum for a Habs game or to Kansas or Duke for an NCAA basketball game. Anyway, just wondering whether anyone has been to a game at Camp Nou and if so whether you have any suggestions/advice. Thanks. I have not, but I have friends who have and said it was great. They also told me that, in addition to the talent on the pitch, there is a lot of "talent" in Barcelona in general. I am sure you are going to have a great time. FYI - One of my favorite players is Cesc Fabregas who used to play for my team (Arsenal), but left a couple of years back to play for his hometown team Barcelona.
DR HOLLIDAY Posted March 16, 2014 Report Posted March 16, 2014 http://bleacherrepor...facing-long-ban OMG, that was brutal, I have played soccer since I was 5 and I am still playing at the age of 43 and thankfully I have never seen anything like that……Yes he should be banned of at least 2 or 3 years. OK -- I'm a total soccer novice but I find myself in Spain and about to go to an FC Barcelona game tomorrow with 99,000+ other dudes. (I read that for the World Cup there (which I think was in the 80s) they jammed 121,000 into the same stadium.) I'm kinda psyched because it seems like a similar experience to going to the Forum for a Habs game or to Kansas or Duke for an NCAA basketball game. Anyway, just wondering whether anyone has been to a game at Camp Nou and if so whether you have any suggestions/advice. Thanks. Hope you had a good time man.
Sabres Fan in NS Posted March 17, 2014 Author Report Posted March 17, 2014 Well, nfreeman, how was it? I saw a 7 - 0 score with Messi getting a hat trick. Are you hooked?
darksabre Posted March 17, 2014 Report Posted March 17, 2014 I think it killed him. Even seeing games at the Aud couldn't prepare him for a crowd actually cheering.
nfreeman Posted March 17, 2014 Report Posted March 17, 2014 Thanks all. Here's my report on the game: - it was a great experience. Certainly it would have been better had the game been closer -- it was 3-0 by halftime and Osasuna only had a couple of scoring chances all game -- but it was still very worthwhile. - I really liked the stadium. It wasn't fancy -- e.g. no replays on the scoreboard -- but it was beautiful. - I don't mean to gloat, but it was 66 and sunny without a cloud in the sky. I wore shorts and needed sunglasses. Some sunblock would've been nice too. - it wasn't sold out -- I'd guess it was 75% - 80% full -- but that is still 75,000 to 80,000 people. - it was a civilized crowd. Plenty of older married couples respectably dressed. (And plenty of younger people wearing FC jerseys of course). No tailgating (at least none that I saw -- and I don't think there are any big stadium parking lots) -- and I didn't see any drunken meatheads. There was no sense of danger like you sometimes get at the Ralph. - it was also a very passionate and knowledgeable crowd -- plenty of oohs and aahs at the various nuances in the action -- much like a hockey crowd. There was lots of singing and chanting, which was cool. They also did the wave, which wasn't that cool, but they were enjoying it, so whatever. - Messi is awesome. Even an amateur like me could tell that he was the best player on the field. He had the hat trick (and they call it that in soccer too, btw) and he set the all time scoring record for FC (which had stood since 1929 or so). Two of his goals were highlight-reel material -- one a Vanek-like deflection in tight and the other a falling-down-sideways blast top shelf. It seemed like rule #1 for FC's offense was that if anyone had the ball on offense approaching the box -- make sure you look for Messi. - Something else I really liked: no artificial noise. No blasting "crazy train" or "I've got a feeling" or "sweet Caroline" every 30 seconds. Just the game and the crowd. Also -- almost no concessions in the building. No gouging for food or booze or souvenirs. - it was also really easy to take the subway to the game. - overall, it's not going to make me a soccer fan, but I would definitely go to another big game, either here or in the UK or pretty much anywhere if one was going on when I was in town, and I would recommend it to any sports fan as a cool experience. Barca!
Sabres Fan in NS Posted March 17, 2014 Author Report Posted March 17, 2014 Nice summary nfreeman. Glad you enjoyed it. If you are still in Spain next weekend you should venture to Madrid for ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Cl%C3%A1sico Now that is a match to see.
Sabres Fan in NS Posted March 18, 2014 Author Report Posted March 18, 2014 No kidding ... http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/fifa-official-received-2m-days-after-qatar-awarded-world-cup-report-1.2576956 Did I mention that I hate FIFA.
Peter Posted March 18, 2014 Report Posted March 18, 2014 Thanks all. Here's my report on the game: - it was a great experience. Certainly it would have been better had the game been closer -- it was 3-0 by halftime and Osasuna only had a couple of scoring chances all game -- but it was still very worthwhile. - I really liked the stadium. It wasn't fancy -- e.g. no replays on the scoreboard -- but it was beautiful. - I don't mean to gloat, but it was 66 and sunny without a cloud in the sky. I wore shorts and needed sunglasses. Some sunblock would've been nice too. - it wasn't sold out -- I'd guess it was 75% - 80% full -- but that is still 75,000 to 80,000 people. - it was a civilized crowd. Plenty of older married couples respectably dressed. (And plenty of younger people wearing FC jerseys of course). No tailgating (at least none that I saw -- and I don't think there are any big stadium parking lots) -- and I didn't see any drunken meatheads. There was no sense of danger like you sometimes get at the Ralph. - it was also a very passionate and knowledgeable crowd -- plenty of oohs and aahs at the various nuances in the action -- much like a hockey crowd. There was lots of singing and chanting, which was cool. They also did the wave, which wasn't that cool, but they were enjoying it, so whatever. - Messi is awesome. Even an amateur like me could tell that he was the best player on the field. He had the hat trick (and they call it that in soccer too, btw) and he set the all time scoring record for FC (which had stood since 1929 or so). Two of his goals were highlight-reel material -- one a Vanek-like deflection in tight and the other a falling-down-sideways blast top shelf. It seemed like rule #1 for FC's offense was that if anyone had the ball on offense approaching the box -- make sure you look for Messi. - Something else I really liked: no artificial noise. No blasting "crazy train" or "I've got a feeling" or "sweet Caroline" every 30 seconds. Just the game and the crowd. Also -- almost no concessions in the building. No gouging for food or booze or souvenirs. - it was also really easy to take the subway to the game. - overall, it's not going to make me a soccer fan, but I would definitely go to another big game, either here or in the UK or pretty much anywhere if one was going on when I was in town, and I would recommend it to any sports fan as a cool experience. Barca! I am glad you had a good time.
Sabres Fan in NS Posted March 30, 2014 Author Report Posted March 30, 2014 (edited) Liverpool on top of EPL table. City staying close, with 2 matches to be made up, after winning the battle of Manchester ... :flirt: Over 75,000 at Old Trafford to take in the spectacle. EDIT: That match between the Manchester sides was last week ... :blush: :doh: Edited March 30, 2014 by Sabres Fan In NS
Sabres Fan in NS Posted April 26, 2014 Author Report Posted April 26, 2014 RIP, "Tito". http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/former-barcelona-coach-tito-vilanova-dies-after-cancer-battle-1.2622507
WildCard Posted April 26, 2014 Report Posted April 26, 2014 So who else is getting geared up for the World Cup? I wasn't as into it last time as I was for the one in Germany, but Brazil should provide for one hell of an atmosphere. Anyone have picks/ how they think the US will do? Ill take Germany winning it, and the US pulling off one major upset but unable to survive the Pool of Death
Sabres Fan in NS Posted April 27, 2014 Author Report Posted April 27, 2014 So who else is getting geared up for the World Cup? I wasn't as into it last time as I was for the one in Germany, but Brazil should provide for one hell of an atmosphere. Anyone have picks/ how they think the US will do? Ill take Germany winning it, and the US pulling off one major upset but unable to survive the Pool of Death GO BiH!!
That Aud Smell Posted April 28, 2014 Report Posted April 28, 2014 Watched Liverpool-Chelsea yesterday. The game was a disappointment, since I cheer for the Reds (I chose them arbitrarily as my team several years back (I can't call myself a fan because I just don't have the history or intensity, but I'm getting there)). Even so, something really struck me during the game (sorry, match): Liverpool's heart and soul captain, Steven Gerrard, lost control of the ball around midfield and then slipped in 1st half stoppage time, thus allowing Chelsea's version of Christian Okoye to rumble down the field and deposit the winner behind the Liverpool goalie. Devastating. Here's what the home crowd did: They immediately began to sing in support of Gerrard. It was astonishing to me, and I'm still thinking about it. The stakes yesterday were on par with a pivotal game in the Stanley Cup Finals. Can you imagine something like that happening in the NHL? Or in any other major league sport in North America? I'm not sure I can. It's been said a lot around here, I know (and some have pointed out how annoying this can be in certain NHL markets (Columbus? Nashville?)) -- but we would do well to adopt some of the spirit that the Euro fans bring to their clubs (soccer and otherwise).
Sabres Fan in NS Posted April 28, 2014 Author Report Posted April 28, 2014 The team in Liverpool and their fans would go over the cliff for their "captain". The loyalty is never ending, no matter what happens on the pitch. I am not certain if he makes the squad, but if he does, IMO, Gerrard will be England captain at the upcoming WC. There could be no better choice, IMO.
chileanseabass Posted April 28, 2014 Report Posted April 28, 2014 The team in Liverpool and their fans would go over the cliff for their "captain". The loyalty is never ending, no matter what happens on the pitch. I am not certain if he makes the squad, but if he does, IMO, Gerrard will be England captain at the upcoming WC. There could be no better choice, IMO. Although I wouldn't consider myself a Liverpool "fan" (I prefer Arsenal), I've always had nothing but respect for Gerrard and would love to see Liverpool win this season, just for him.
Huckleberry Posted April 29, 2014 Report Posted April 29, 2014 Gerrard is one of few you can't but love, got offers from Real, barcelona and every other major team in europe when liverpool stunk it up in the premier leauge ( they did do surprisingly well in champions league for two years though). Yeah would love to see them win, same goes for Atletico, would love to see that team win the Spanish league as well.
I am Defecting Posted May 3, 2014 Report Posted May 3, 2014 Gerrard is one of few you can't but love, got offers from Real, barcelona and every other major team in europe when liverpool stunk it up in the premier leauge ( they did do surprisingly well in champions league for two years though). Yeah would love to see them win, same goes for Atletico, would love to see that team win the Spanish league as well. Gerard also had offers from Manchester United, when they were Champions. Suarez is also in contention for Best Player in the World. Speaking of which, there is something about Ronaldo that impresses me above Messi. I think that the comparison is Maradona vs. Pele Part 2. Ronaldo and Messi are making a strong case for being the best ever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBkQND72C4c
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