Even 'Canes Fans Have World Cup Fever

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this important public service announcement: It appears that even Miami Hurricane fans have caught what appears to be the highly contagious World Cup fever.

In fact, we have heard many UM fans proudly shouting out loud: USA, USA, USA!

So let us all give a proud shout out to the United States men's soccer team that is currently participating in the World Cup tournament in Brazil.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last month or so leading up to this event you know that in spite of seemingly low expectations the team has started to exceed those expectations and has a very good chance to advance even further after today's match.

Assuming that you, like many Americans, know very little about the World Cup and its history and organization, here is a brief primer from Wikipedia:

The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the seniormen's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War. The current champions are Spain, who won the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

The current format of the tournament involves 32 teams competing for the title at venues within the host nation(s) over a period of about a month; this phase is often called the World Cup Finals. A qualification phase, which currently takes place over the preceding three years, is used to determine which teams qualify for the tournament together with the host nation(s).

The 19 World Cup tournaments have been won by eight different national teams. Brazil have won five times, and they are the only team to have played in every tournament (Brazil automatically qualified for the 2014 tournament, as the host nation). The other World Cup winners are Italy, with four titles; West Germany, with three titles; Argentina and inaugural winners Uruguay, with two titles each; and England, France, and Spain, with one title each.

The World Cup is the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world, exceeding even the Olympic Games; the cumulative audience of all matches of the 2006 FIFA World Cup was estimated to be 26.29 billion with an estimated 715.1 million people watching the final match, a ninth of the entire population of the planet.

The U.S. team will face a real heavyweight in heavily favored Germany in a critical game today to see if they will advance out of the first round of group play and get into the knockout round of 16. Here is more for you on the World Cup tournament format again from the always helpful Wikipedia:

The current final tournament features 32 national teams competing over a month in the host nation(s). There are two stages: the group stage followed by the knockout stage.

In the group stage, teams compete within eight groups of four teams each. Eight teams are seeded, including the hosts, with the other seeded teams selected using a formula based on the FIFA World Rankings and/or performances in recent World Cups, and drawn to separate groups.

Each group plays a round-robin tournament, in which each team is scheduled for three matches against other teams in the same group. This means that a total of six matches are played within a group. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage. 

The knockout stage is a single-elimination tournament in which teams play each other in one-off matches, with extra time and penalty shootouts used to decide the winner if necessary. It begins with the round of 16 (or the second round) in which the winner of each group plays against the runner-up of another group. This is followed by the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, the third-place match (contested by the losing semi-finalists), and the final.

The scenarios by which the the good guys can advance are many but the simplest way to continue their quest for the World Cup is to get a win or tie against the bad guys today at noon (ESPN). If they can accomplish that lofty goal then the U.S is in the next round of competition.

If the U.S. loses then there are a few other formulas by which they can still advance, but that is by far a much riskier proposition in itself. It then comes down to such random things as goal differential, the color of the jerseys of the other team, which country has a stronger military, which one has better food and music, and of course, which country has the better looking women.

Many of these criteria are so subjective that we dare to say that we should not complicate the situation any more than necessary. And, since here at Canespace we like to keep it simple let's just stick with this formula:

Win and U are in!

Now, I need you to shout it out loud with me: USA, USA, USA!!!

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Team USA-Germany matchup at World Cup offers several subplots

Comments

[Old Skool]

Goooooo al

[Terrance Sullivan]

USA, USA, USA!

[SOUP]

Skool...that right there is CLASSIC!

[VA Cane]

GO USA!!!!!! Time to Shine!!!!!

[UpNorthCane27]

I BELIEVE

I BELIEVE THAT

I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL

I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LETS GO USA!!!!!! Time to put in that work boys hit the germans right in the mouth!!!

[UpNorthCane27]

Soup love to see a soccer blog on the space!! hopefully some of this world cup fever will stay with all those who don't like soccer!!!

GO USA GO USA GO CANESPACE GO CANESPACE

[BEERicane]

Could you imagine how dominant USA would be in soccer if we did to put our 4th tier athletes out there?

[BEERicane]

*Did to = did not (damn autocorrect)

[thirstybuzzardcane]

Is there a live feed on the internet for the soccer game? I need something to do at work:)

[UpNorthCane27]

Thirsty just click on where it says EN VIVO when it's 12

http://deportesenvivo.univision.com/?ftloc=HomepageMainMenu&ftpos=HomepageMainMenu:Deportes:Futbol:LiveStreaming

[Ohio_Cane]

ESPN 3 is carrying the game too

[Ohio_Cane]

Could you imagine how dominant USA would be in soccer if we did to put our 4th tier athletes out there?

Posted by: BEERicane | June 26, 2014 at 11:27 AM
-------------------------------------------------

The other athletes aren't smart enough to play our game.

[30CINCO]

USA, USA, USA!

[UpNorthCane27]

4th Tier athletes? As always beericane make one of those ridiculous comments he's used to making.

[BEERicane]

So you think that soccer players are:
As athletic as:
basketball players
skilled position players in football (bar QB)
The elite baseball players (mike trout, Stanton)
I'd even throw in a good number of track and swimmers

So, yeah, if the USA paid the kind of $$$ to soccer as the above sports (track, swimming aside), the current USMNT wouldn't have the same guys on the squad. They would be best out by the above groups handily (they would have trained for it). Therefore, they are in tiers below those guys. 4th tier.

Before you just make ridiculous assertions about my positions, how about having a few points to bring to the table UNC.

[UMike]

I think espn3 just crashed lol

[SOUP]

4th Tier athletes? As always beericane make one of those ridiculous comments he's used to making.

Posted by: UpNorthCane | June 26, 2014 at 11:43 AM

Face it, he is right. In Countries like Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, England, Italy and Germany, their BEST athletes play soccer and ONLY soccer.

Here in the USA? Well NOT so much!

[Ohio_Cane]

I've got news for U "best athletes" argument holders. Being an athlete doesn't make U good at soccer. Game requires tons of skill. Skill that a lot of "athletes" don't have or could not have.

Look at Kobe. He's an exceptional athlete. He's mediocre at soccer.

[UMike]

Ohio... that can both ways... and I am NOT trying to argue the athletic part.. just that the point of one sport player being bad at another goes both ways lol

[SOUP]

Oh here we go again with all of these soccer types and their "inferiority complexes" defending their cute little sport again.

OK, to nip this in the bud, everyone please repeat after me:

"Soccer is the BEST sport in the world. They have the MOST talented athletes and the most fans. Yes, there is no doubt that soccer is the BEST sport in the whole world."

[VA Cane]

OK kids, this is about the USA, lets all wipe our asses wipe our noses stop sniveling and pull for USA!!!!

[SOUP]

Look at Kobe. He's an exceptional athlete. He's mediocre at soccer.

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | June 26, 2014 at 12:41 PM

Oh yeah that proves the point. I am sure that Reynaldo can dunk and hit the three, that Dempsey could block Ray Lewis and that Messi can hit a 95 mph fast ball, right?

[Ohio_Cane]

Please don't patronize me, SOUP, because that's not what I'm saying.

My response in most part is to this quote from BEER, which I find ridiculous.

"the current USMNT wouldn't have the same guys on the squad. They would be beat out by the above groups handily"

That's hilarious right there ^^

Here's BEER assuming players of a sport who uses only their hands could switch to a sport that uses only their feet and dominate to the point they replace an entire current men's national team. A team who has representatives in leagues across the globe.

[Ohio_Cane]

Oh yeah that proves the point. I am sure that Reynaldo can dunk and hit the three, that Dempsey could block Ray Lewis and that Messi can hit a 95 mph fast ball, right?

Posted by: SOUP | June 26, 2014 at 12:53 PM
--------------------------------------

It's just an example.

Oh, and yes, Ronaldo can dunk. He has a 44" vertical.

[CaneRock]

The other athletes aren't smart enough to play our game.

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | June 26, 2014 at 11:33 AM

Really?

Do you call biting another player..."smart"? And you were the same one ranting about the player/trainer strategy in the Portugal game...

[Ohio_Cane]

Really?

Do you call biting another player..."smart"?

And you were the same one ranting about the player/trainer strategy in the Portugal game...

Posted by: CaneRock | June 26, 2014 at 12:58 PM
---------------------------------------

1. LOLWUT?

2. I don't even know what player/trainer strategy is?

[SOUP]

Ohio...how many 4.25-4.35 players are on the US soccer team?

[UMike]

Come on fellas... lets just root our USA boys on....

[CaneRock]

2. I don't even know what player/trainer strategy is?

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | June 26, 2014 at 01:00 PM

Ohio_Cane:

Awful, AWFUL soccer by Michael Bradley in crunch time. All U gotta do is put the ball into their corner and the game is over. Instead, he tries to be fancy, turns the ball over, and they score. Terrible. That's what he does tho... turnovers at horrible times. Not to mention missing a basically wide open net from the 6...

[Ohio_Cane]

Soccer players don't run the 40, so I have no idea. Fabian Johnson is prob real close tho.

[SOUP]

What I don't get is why soccer has not really found those FREAK athletes for their sport like football, basketball and baseball have.

U know the 6-6 guy who can run and jump through the roof for corners/headers. Or the guy who runs a 4.3 just to blow by everybody. Put those two guys on MY team and get me a few st-up guys (point guards) who can distribute the ball and just play to set them up and I bet U win a LOT!

[SOUP]

USA, USA, USA!!!

[Ohio_Cane]

Ohio_Cane:

Awful, AWFUL soccer by Michael Bradley in crunch time. All U gotta do is put the ball into their corner and the game is over. Instead, he tries to be fancy, turns the ball over, and they score. Terrible. That's what he does tho... turnovers at horrible times. Not to mention missing a basically wide open net from the 6...

Posted by: CaneRock | June 26, 2014 at 01:04 PM
--------------------------------------

Oh, yeah. Didn't know what U were talking about....

And? Players in every sport make bonehead plays. Is it any different than Lebron having 6 turnovers with the game on the line? INT by Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl to lose it to New Orleans?

I'm failing to see the point.

[VA Cane]

Instead, he tries to be fancy, turns the ball over, and they score. Terrible. That's what he does tho... turnovers at horrible times.

For some reason, this sounds like someone "sampled" turnovers at horrible times from the Record "UM since 2003." Am I right? LOL

[Ohio_Cane]

Or the guy who runs a 4.3 just to blow by everybody.

Posted by: SOUP | June 26, 2014 at 01:05 PM
--------------------------------------

His name is Jozy Altidore, and he's dealing with a pulled hamstring.

[VA Cane]

Can you say J12 SM17? Turf Face? Little Kirby? Baby James? etc etc ......I can...Kings of Leon Hell!!!!!

Kings of Turnovers....and I do not mean Apple!!!!!!!

[Meast]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QMTnnBUnqM

You mean this kind of speed? You don't find guys using 4.3 speed because soccer is constantly moving. Nobody really stays still except the goalie. Whether it is jogging or fighting for the ball. If anything, you need more endurance than elite speed. Offense plays defense and vice versa.

[CaneRock]

Ohio_Cane...maybe I misinterpreted your "aren't smart enough" comment. Maybe you meant, not SKILLED enough?

And I thought coaches in soccer, were called trainers...no?

[SOUP]

Braunschweiger (named after Braunschweig, Germany) is a type of liverwurst (pork liver sausage) which, if stuffed in natural casings, is nearly always smoked. Commercial products often contain smoked bacon, and are stuffed into fibrous casings.

The USDA requires that the product contain a minimum of 30% liver (pork, calf, veal, beef, etc.), lean meat (can include mechanically separated poultry), fat meat, binders and seasonings.[1] A typical commercial formula is about 40% pork liver or scalded beef liver, 30% scalded pork jowl, 20% lean pork trimmings and 10% bacon ends and pieces. Added seasonings include salt and often include white pepper, onion powder or chopped onion, and mace. Curing ingredients (sodium erythorbate and sodium nitrite) are optional.

Braunschweiger has a very high amount of vitamin A, iron, protein and fat. The meat has a very soft, spread-like texture and a distinctive spicy liver-based flavor, very similar to the Nordic leverpastej. It is usually used as a spread for toast, but can also be used as a filling for sandwiches, often paired with stone-ground mustard, sliced tomato, onion and cheese. In the Midwestern United States, braunschweiger is typically enjoyed in a sandwich with various condiments such as ketchup, mustard, and dill pickles, or simply spread on crackers.

[CaneRock]

Face it, he is right. In Countries like Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Spain, England, Italy and Germany, their BEST athletes play soccer and ONLY soccer.

Here in the USA? Well NOT so much!

Posted by: SOUP | June 26, 2014 at 12:34 PM

I think SOUP's post nailed it on the head, soccer is just not embedded in the American sports culture. Not very many were paying attention to soccer several days ago, but NOW!, soccer is as American as apple pie LMBO!

[SOUP]

Wiener Schnitzel (Viennese schnitzel) is a very thin, breaded and deep fried schnitzel from veal. It belongs to the best known specialties of Viennese cuisine. The Wiener Schnitzel is the national dish of Austria.

The dish is prepared from butterfly cut, about 4 mm thin and lightly hammered veal slices, slightly salted, and rolled in flour, whipped eggs and bread crumbs. The bread crumbs must not be pressed into the meat, so that they stay dry and can be "souffled". Finally the Schnitzel is fried in a good proportion of lard or clarified butter at a temperature from 160 to 170 °C[9] until it is golden yellow. The Schnitzel must swim in the fat, otherwise it will not cook evenly: the fat cools too much and intrudes into the bread crumbs, moistening them. During the frying the Schnitzel is repeatedly slightly tossed around the pan. Also during the frying, fat can be scooped from the pan with a spoon and poured onto the meat. The Schnitzel is done after it turns golden yellow or brown.[10]

The dish is traditionally served in Austria with Kopfsalat (lettuce tossed with a sweetened vinaigrette dressing, optionally with chopped chives or onions), potato salad, cucumber salad, or parsley potatoes. Currently it is also served with rice, french fries or roasted potatoes. It is common to serve it with a slice of lemon, to give the bread crumbs more taste, and a sprout of parsley. "It has however become common in Northern Germany to serve it with lemon, cucumber slices, sardines and capers, to achieve a pleasant appearance".

[SOUP]

A bratwurst (German: [ˈbʁaːtvʊɐ̯st], also known as a brat in American English, is a sausage usually composed of veal, pork or beef. The name is derived from Old High German Brätwurst, from brät-, which is finely chopped meat and Wurst, or sausage. Though the brat in bratwurst described the way the sausages are made, modern Germans associate it with the German verb “braten”, which means to pan fry or roast.[1] Bratwurst is usually grilled or pan fried, and sometimes cooked in broth or beer.

Recipes for the sausage vary by region and even locality; some sources list over 40 different varieties of German bratwurst,[4][5] many of the best known originating in Franconia (today for the most part situated in northern Bavaria, but still culturally quite distinct), its northern neighbour Thuringia and adjacent areas. How the sausages are served is also locally different, but most commonly they are regarded as a snack served with or in a Brötchen (white bread roll made from wheat flour) and eaten with hot German mustard. As a pub dish, it is often accompanied by sauerkraut or potato salad and sometimes served with dark, crusty country bread made predominantly from rye flour, less commonly with a Brezel (pretzel).

[BEERicane]

US soccer team needs to improve their passing and ball handling skills.

[SOUP]

Warsteiner beer is brewed in the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park outside of Warstein, North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany. Warsteiner has been a product of the Cramer family since 1753. Warsteiner is Germany's largest privately owned brewery; its most popular beer is 'Warsteiner Premium Verum'. Catharina Cramer (* 1978) is the owner of Warsteiner.[1][citation needed]

Warsteiner makes a seasonal beer entitled "Oktoberfest" for the Bavarian celebrations each year.

Warsteiner Owner Albert Cramer has been a staunch advocate of competitive ballooning and Warsteiner is the sponsor of the German Hot Air Balloon National Team. Cramer and Warsteiner received the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, Air Sports Federation Award in 2001 and continue to be involved in Air Sports sponsorships and activities.

Warsteiner participated in the popular Newton Beerfest in October 2006, in which the company showcased its lemon-flavored Hefeweizen beer, as well as other popular beers. In the past, the company has sponsored Austrian racing driver Harald Ertl.

The Warsteiner slogan, found on each bottle reads, "Eine Königin unter den Bieren" which literally translates into English as "A Queen amongst Beers", referring to the queen's crown on each beer bottle.

Warsteiner ranks number 4 among Germany's best selling breweries.

[BEERicane]

Soccer has more flopping than the NBA as well as whining to the officials.

Also there is a lot of walking in soccer as well.

[Ohio_Cane]

USA WILL ADVANCE!! Ronaldo makes it 2-1 Portugal!

[SOUP]

OH NO! OGV just ran onto the field!!!

[SOUP]

GOD BLESS THE USA!

[UpNorthCane27]

It's a debate that's going to go nowhere people will have there opinion what are you going to do. I've comet o realize here in the U.S either you love soccer or you hate it very little in between.

[UpNorthCane27]

But the idea that athletes from other sports such as basketball, football, or baseball are more athletic then soccer players is just not true.