6/20    Please to be speaking up now if you do not want me to post the World
        Cup results for Iran-Angola and Mexico-Portugal. Thank you.
        \_ Can we institute a 24 hour moratorium on discussion of the games?
           Feel free to talk about the England game or something. Weekend games
           are excepted.
           Feel free to talk about the England game or something.
           Weekends excepted.
           \_ Okay, no problem.
           \_ I won't mention the team names, but when two teams play to
              a scoreless draw and the articles about the game say things
              like how "fast and furious" the play was and how it was a
              classic I realize that even though I like (and played)
              soccer, the game kind of sucks. How does the rest of the
              world get so into a game where a scoreless draw is not only
              a possibility, but seen as a good sign of two team's abilities?
              \_ What article said that? Neither team particularly cared to
                 win that match since it didn't matter.
                 \_ Yes, meaningless games are what makes the World Cup
                    so great!
              \_ If two really good teams work really hard at scoring and
                 yet simultaneously prevent each other from scoring, how is
                 that not incredibly exciting? Frankly, I find this much more
                 exciting than the NBA, where the game comes down to who
                 messed up and didn't make the matching goal; it's almost as
                 bad as bowling.
                 \_ I can appreciate good defense. A no hitter in baseball
                    is exciting. What is not exciting is that it's a
                    scoreless *tie*. Please play until someone scores. Hockey
                    can get away with ties, because 1) at least they have
                    the concept of overtime, 2) the ties are rarely
                    scoreless, and 3) even if they are there are usually
                    more shots on goal that the goalkeeper actually has
                    to save. In soccer, one team scores a goal and then
                    plays defense the rest of the game. That's a
                    disservice to the phenomenal athletes.
                    \_ This is the first round. Each teams plays three matches
                       and scores match points based on how they do; the
                       teams with the most match points in their groups move
                       the second round. From the second round forward, the
                       rules change:
                       "If, after 90 minutes, a match ends in a draw, extra
                        time of twice 15 minutes will be played. If the score
                        is level after extra time, penalty kicks will be
                        taken to determine the winner (cf. Art. 17, par. 2,
                        and 3 of these Regulations)."
                       Now, if you want to argue over the fairness (or sanity)
                       of ending a match through PKs, brother, you're preaching
                       to the choir. If you really want to know why people
                       riot after WC matches, look no farther.
                       \_ I think they should decide it based on corner kick
                          differential over the course of the match.
                    \_ The first round is odd in the respect that it
                       actaully encourages scoreless ties.  In the
                       tiebrakeing process, a scoreless tie is worth more
                       that a scoring tie.
                       \_ How so?