every 4 years my "national pride" overtakes me -

[surf]

I put a flag on my deck on gameday, wear a red t-shirt, and think horrible thoughts about nations like Ghana, Algeria, England, Germany, Slovenia, Portugal, etc.

it's the world cup. anyone else share this? for any reason other than soccer?

there is a new (German-American) Johnny Futbol: John Anthony Brooks. Dempsey's a total badass - and he's ours.

and f#ck those Iberian punks and pretty CR7.

- the other 47 months I tend to be ashamed of my country, but for one month (and during qualifying) i'm glad we have servicemen spreading seeds across Germany.

[Petar]

No way man, this World Cup shit is retarded...

[Snew]

I dislike the ultra-nationalism that the World Cup brings. I just want to see some good football.

[angelatc]

We're Americans. We outgrow soccer about the time we hit middle school. And for good reason.

But note that the experts are now telling us how dangerous football is. I'm guessing that they'll eventually outlaw it and make us settle for soccer. Because that's the way they do it in Europe, you know.

[jllundqu]

I played soccer for 13 years and loved it. I've been to a few world cup games. I don't have any national pride towards "my team." If anything, I root for Sweden as this is my ancestral origin.

[luctor-et-emergo]

I don't like the whole organization, ads and the whole frenzy surrounding the world cup but I do watch some games. I don't care about nationalism but it's nice when the Netherlands wins. Although I'm satisfied when they get kicked out and people here start acting normal again.

[jkob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asTgXMFoZ-s

Simpsons got it right lol

[Snew]

I played soccer for 13 years and loved it. I've been to a few world cup games. I don't have any national pride towards "my team." If anything, I root for Sweden as this is my ancestral origin.

I wish they made it this year so we could see Ibrahimovic play. Dude's a beast.

[mczerone]

I'd rather see a "World Cup" where the top teams are selected from professional leagues.

Tell the clubs that they have 4 years to build an awesome team through free-market principles - players can follow the money, or play or a team that they think has the best chance of winning, or choose a team based in their country of origin out of nationalistic reasons.

Just like I'd be much more into the Olympics if it were about individuals, "teams" based on trainers/coaches/sponsors, and finding the best athletes, not the "best nations."

[dannno]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZCR4ChLG8s

[cajuncocoa]

I never played soccer as a kid. I don't even think I knew what soccer was until I was an adult. Sure I'll jump on the bandwagon if the US team can get past a round or two. But I absolutely prefer football the way these guys play it:

http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/wp-content/slideshow/2013/07/5-irreplaceable-players-for-the-dallas-cowboys-during-the-2013-nfl-season/medium/DeMarcus-Ware.jpg

[Philhelm]

I get pumped with national pride every time a patriot missile kills a group of soulless, brown children from worthless, impoverished continents that begin and end with the letter "A." Screw kicking a ball through a net. USA! USA! USA!

[Barrex]

This year there was biggest flood in last 500-1000 years in our region (think New Orleans after Katrina in 3 countries). It took governments 10-25 days to do something. On the other hand people organized food, shelter, medical care and everything else for those in need within first 24 hours. Bus owners would pick up food and supplies and deliver them, volunteers would organize in every town to collect supplies and many went in devastated region and helped with cleaning, rebuilding etc. Government tried to stop them because of fear from epidemic outbreak! They delayed people for one day and then allowed them to go in.
Society, people that I live among-love, admire for what they showed in those weeks
Governments-hate, fuck off

World Cup:
People voluntarily, peacefully, enjoying relaxed and friendly atmosphere- love, admire
Government- hate, fuck off
FIFA-corrupt fucks, hate
Referees- blind(only humans but thanks to corrupt FIFA not allowing modern technology things get corrupt)

There is difference between loving your society and loving your government!



http://img.fifa.com/mm/photo/worldfootball/nationalteams/01/64/99/60/1649960_full-lnd.jpg

These things bring people closer to one another. It makes communities closer. Entire villages, neighborhoods travel many miles together and have good times. A way to prepare for bad times.

Man is by nature a social animal - Aristotle

[Barrex]

I wish they made it this year so we could see Ibrahimovic play. Dude's a beast.

He is. To me he also acts like complete dick.

[surf]

kinda knew i'd be on an island here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hrt0tWJohw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iLnvXB43uI

[Snew]

I'd rather see a "World Cup" where the top teams are selected from professional leagues.

Tell the clubs that they have 4 years to build an awesome team through free-market principles - players can follow the money, or play or a team that they think has the best chance of winning, or choose a team based in their country of origin out of nationalistic reasons.


That's effectively the way the Champions League works (except on a yearly basis).

And I always thought it interesting that the European leagues are far more similar to a free market than the socialist-like American sports leagues.

NFL, MLB, NHL, etc.:
Closed to a certain number of teams; plenty of spending caps and limits; directly connected to the corrupt college athletics system (complete with rules about how long athletes must stay in school for some sports)

Europe:
Open to all clubs; clubs can work their way up the ladder through the promotion and relegation system; little to no spending rules; players begin in club academies and if you're good enough, you're old enough.

[Tywysog Cymru]

Well, Obama, Clinton, McCain, Graham, Cheney, etc. don't have anything to do with the team, so I can comfortably cheer on my nation's team. If Wales had qualified I'd be watching their games as well.

[RonPaulMall]

I root Germany and Uruguay. Am rooting for Russia to do well this time too just to piss off American government and media. You can enjoy world cup without being blindly patriotic. Maybe helps that I am in Miami where nobody roots for America anyway and many different teams have large contingents of fans.

[Anti Federalist]

I get pumped with national pride every time a patriot missile kills a group of soulless, brown children from worthless, impoverished continents that begin and end with the letter "A." Screw kicking a ball through a net. USA! USA! USA!

Hoo Rah!!!

[Anti Federalist]

Is this the sport where they all blow those stupid horns that sound like buzzing bees?

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

I enjoy watching soccer when fans beat the crap out of some pig or security guard.

[surf]

Is this the sport where they all blow those stupid horns that sound like buzzing bees?vuvuzelas outlawed at the World Cup :)

[Henry Rogue]

We're Americans. We outgrow soccer about the time we hit middle school. And for good reason.

But note that the experts are now telling us how dangerous football is. I'm guessing that they'll eventually outlaw it and make us settle for soccer. Because that's the way they do it in Europe, you know.
I don't recall playing soccer in middle school. I do remember playing kickball and dodge ball, if I did play soccer it was with the same red rubber ball used in those other two activities. Kickball, for those unfamiliar, is like baseball, but you kick a red rubber ball rolled to you by the pitcher and then run around the bases and try to not get beaned with the fielded ball.

[James Madison]

I wanna like soccer -- a sport that isn't just about being bigger than everyone else (re: genetics more than skill) -- but then I realize I'm not gay.

[PierzStyx]

I never played soccer as a kid. I don't even think I knew what soccer was until I was an adult. Sure I'll jump on the bandwagon if the US team can get past a round or two. But I absolutely prefer football the way these guys play it:

http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/wp-content/slideshow/2013/07/5-irreplaceable-players-for-the-dallas-cowboys-during-the-2013-nfl-season/medium/DeMarcus-Ware.jpg

Those guys are pusses compared to the game American football game from-RUGBY.

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01510/rugby-tackle_1510341a.jpg

All the pain, none of the pads.

[PierzStyx]

I put a flag on my deck on gameday, wear a red t-shirt, and think horrible thoughts about nations like Ghana, Algeria, England, Germany, Slovenia, Portugal, etc.

it's the world cup. anyone else share this? for any reason other than soccer?

there is a new (German-American) Johnny Futbol: John Anthony Brooks. Dempsey's a total badass - and he's ours.

and f#ck those Iberian punks and pretty CR7.

- the other 47 months I tend to be ashamed of my country, but for one month (and during qualifying) i'm glad we have servicemen spreading seeds across Germany.



I cheer for these guys in everything except for World Wars (and even then I feel like they got shafted in the first one for acting just all the other kids on the block.)

http://image-load-balancer.worldsportshops.com/Datafeeds/Graphics/Products/ImageCache/600x600/60435.jpg


I'm also partial to the old imperial flag, though I understand why they changed it. If a kid can't draw your flag by the time they're ten, its overly complicated.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xVFknoTAqT4/UDO-P-LmGpI/AAAAAAAAGQE/6-VL37j9sko/s1600/Flag_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire.png

[AngryCanadian]

This year there was biggest flood in last 500-1000 years in our region (think New Orleans after Katrina in 3 countries). It took governments 10-25 days to do something. On the other hand people organized food, shelter, medical care and everything else for those in need within first 24 hours. Bus owners would pick up food and supplies and deliver them, volunteers would organize in every town to collect supplies and many went in devastated region and helped with cleaning, rebuilding etc. Government tried to stop them because of fear from epidemic outbreak! They delayed people for one day and then allowed them to go in.
Society, people that I live among-love, admire for what they showed in those weeks
Governments-hate, fuck off

World Cup:
People voluntarily, peacefully, enjoying relaxed and friendly atmosphere- love, admire
Government- hate, fuck off
FIFA-corrupt fucks, hate
Referees- blind(only humans but thanks to corrupt FIFA not allowing modern technology things get corrupt)

There is difference between loving your society and loving your government!



http://img.fifa.com/mm/photo/worldfootball/nationalteams/01/64/99/60/1649960_full-lnd.jpg

These things bring people closer to one another. It makes communities closer. Entire villages, neighborhoods travel many miles together and have good times. A way to prepare for bad times.

Man is by nature a social animal - Aristotle

Croatians played very dirty and of course the fans got back to there old WW2 roots flags.

[The Bavarian]

I don't know why the hate is needed.

Let's just enjoy the games (or not if you don't like it), stfu crack a beer and get on with our lives.

[Constitutional Paulicy]

I never played soccer as a kid. I don't even think I knew what soccer was until I was an adult. Sure I'll jump on the bandwagon if the US team can get past a round or two. But I absolutely prefer football the way these guys play it:

http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/wp-content/slideshow/2013/07/5-irreplaceable-players-for-the-dallas-cowboys-during-the-2013-nfl-season/medium/DeMarcus-Ware.jpg

What he said. ^^

[Constitutional Paulicy]

Those guys are pusses compared to the game American football game from-RUGBY.

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01510/rugby-tackle_1510341a.jpg

All the pain, none of the pads.

Although there are similarities to the sports, it's like comparing apples to oranges, particularly with regard to injury. The velocity of impact in the NFL could never occur in Rugby. So the brutality of the sport must be gauged differently. I would say they are equally brutal in their own way.

[Occam's Banana]

Bah! "Football" ... "soccer" ... whatever - you can keep 'em all.
If it ain't Calvinball, it ain't worth playin' (let alone watchin') ...

http://gusandcodotnet.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/calvinball1.gif

http://danfromsquirrelhill.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/calvinball-1.jpg

[Spikender]

The only time I ever swell up with National pride is when I listen to the National Anthem, but then afterwards it turns to sorrow and I curl up into a ball in the corner of the room.

[JohnGalt1225]

I love soccer and the World Cup. I cheer for America, Norway, and, Germany (the homes of my ancestral roots).

[Barrex]

Croatians played very dirty and of course the fans got back to there old WW2 roots flags.

Great, this retarded shit that some Serbians tried to disseminate to justify genocide they committed on Croatian people. Just like Nazis portrait Jews like not-humans Serbs tried to portrait us like we are all Nazi criminals.
Before 14th century:
http://www.croatianhistory.net/gif/grb/grb1499cro_bosnia.jpghttp://www.croatianhistory.net/gif/grb/croatian_coat_of_arms_freiburg_Historisches_Kaufha us_%28Freiburg_im_Breisgau%29.jpg
http://www.croatianhistory.net/gif/zelh.jpg
http://www.croatianhistory.net/gif/waptdd.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/St_Marks_Church_Zagreb.jpg/300px-St_Marks_Church_Zagreb.jpg

Of course it is common knowledge that WW2 lasted from 1350-1945.

Why do you fucking have to come to every thread where I post anything about Croatia and start with this shit? Get a life.

What a dick.

[heavenlyboy34]

I have no national pride. There are only a few team sports I like-olympic games like volleyball, speed skating relay, etc. Even then I only think in terms of the teams rather than their nationality. IJF (International Judo Federation), IBJJF (International Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu Federation), MMA, and other such things are preferable. It's always 2 people competing against each other and the players are always referred to by their proper names rather than nationalities.

[heavenlyboy34]

We're Americans. We outgrow soccer about the time we hit middle school. And for good reason.

But note that the experts are now telling us how dangerous football is. I'm guessing that they'll eventually outlaw it and make us settle for soccer. Because that's the way they do it in Europe, you know.
Low blow to the soccer people. :P I don't see how it's any less a sport than basketball. (I find them both incredibly boring, though)