Old Random Thoughts Thread or OT Chit Chat Thread :) • Page 48 • Collecting General • The Acaeum

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Old Random Thoughts Thread or OT Chit Chat Thread :)
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faro
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Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2006 8:15 pm

obiter wrote:I come from a rugby family (although I'm not a rugby player). Rugby, like cricket is one of those colonial games that didn't go global. Soccer did so the historical anomalies stand out.

*g*. American football is a direct offshoot of college rugby football and certainly less global than cricket.

The Afghan national cricket team is currently over here on tour ( BBC SPORT | Cricket | Afghans make England tour debut ) and there are around 90 countries with ICC status.
I doubt the Kabul Khalifas will be over to play Harvard any time soon.

"It [cricket] is now the third most popular sport in Afghanistan behind football and buzkashi - a sport in which competitors on horseback drag a dead calf over a scoreline". Heh, heh...

Xaxaxe
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Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2006 8:21 pm

^^^^ Ka-CHING! 1,000 posts! LOL, LOL, LOL

+++++

No argument here on the American football angle. It is a sport played by ... well, Americans. Some Canadians, too, but that's it.

It requires too much equipment, is very expensive, and has too many arcane rules to ever go much beyond the colonies.

Mars
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Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:12 pm

Xaxaxe wrote:^^^^ Ka-CHING! 1,000 posts! LOL, LOL, LOL

+++++

No argument here on the American football angle. It is a sport played by ... well, Americans. Some Canadians, too, but that's it.

It requires too much equipment, is very expensive, and has too many arcane rules to ever go much beyond the colonies.

Can you imagine what American football would be like if it was a worldwide phenomenon? Picture a team from Japan with a front line of Sumo wrestlers. They may choose not to wear the full equipment and keep it simple with the diapers.

killjoy32
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 2:39 am

obiter wrote:On Scotland ......

Archie Gemmil's goal in '78 ... awesome but best ever Scottish player ??? What about Jimmy Johnstone, Dennis Law or Kenny Dalglish?

fair point there bri, but at international level....what do you remember them for? i dont...

but that archie gemmill goal...well there you go.

same relates to George Best and NI. sure he was one of the best talents ever, but on a world level, he didnt do anything so the experts dont rate him even in the top 10...so go figure....

Al

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killjoy32
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 2:43 am

Mars wrote:Can you imagine what American football would be like if it was a worldwide phenomenon? Picture a team from Japan with a front line of Sumo wrestlers. They may choose not to wear the full equipment and keep it simple with the diapers.

yeah shouting BANZAI! and then half-killing the opposition before noticing the penalty flag

i have to say i have enjoyed watching the americans, the australians too. they've added a nice feel to the world cup this time round. i admire them for their total gusy performances. i'd like to see them grab a win and if they go out, then so be it, but it would be nice to have something like that on the world stage to take away with em for a boost for next time.

definately improving thats for sure.

think that donovan lad has definately got enough to play for a good club.

Al

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killjoy32
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 10:56 am

Togo 0 - 2 Switzerland

sounded like a pretty exciting game and both teams looked pretty good.

doesnt bode well for france atm imo....

Al

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AdderMcOne
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:16 am

...we'll win the next one and still qualify (we hope

) - gotta aim high in our first cup appearance in a while.

people going crazy about international events at the moment;
soccer tickets, Ashes tour at Christmas, Rugby match coming up...it's great!!

killjoy32
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:26 am

i hope the aussies go through too. not cos i have them in the work pool

but just cos they are a breath of fresh air in the tournament imo

Al

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Lordan
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:40 am

Didn't see it posted but figured most people know about this, but just incase you didn't, Tim Hildebrandt passed away this past week

Mars
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:01 pm

I was looking at the FIFA world rankings and I have to say that I do not understand how they come up with their rankings. The one that shocked me the most is that the US is ranked 5th in the world.

How can they be ahead of countries such as England, Spain, France, Germany, Argentina, etc

Admittedly I don't watch a lot of football but I can't even name a single US player and I watched the US - Italy match the other day too.

killjoy32
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:11 pm

hay mars

where did you get that?

try 2006 Football World Cup Venues

it states: The seeding of the team is based on - previous two World Cup (2002 & 1998) results & World Ranking positions for year end 2003, 2004 and as of on November 23, 2005.

some of the "big teams" such as italy, holland etc, have performed very poorly at world level etc in the past 8 years and hence their rankings have suffered. USA have done pretty well in internationals, hence their decent ranking - they have gone from rank 33 in france 98 to their current rank of 9th..... very impressive!

how the hell they rank england 2nd is beyond me, but hey there you go

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killjoy32
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:14 pm

ah yes, i just checked here : FIFA.com

well there ya go

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killjoy32
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:18 pm

whats even crazier tho, is mexico ranked 4th!!!

WTF IS THAT ALL ABOUT??!!!

a team who hasnt done hardly anything of notice in the last 20 years....

well there we are!

Al

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Lewisexi
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:20 pm

Mars wrote:I was looking at the FIFA world rankings and I have to say that I do not understand how they come up with their rankings. The one that shocked me the most is that the US is ranked 5th in the world.

How can they be ahead of countries such as England, Spain, France, Germany, Argentina, etc

Admittedly I don't watch a lot of football but I can't even name a single US player and I watched the US - Italy match the other day too.

Actually the States are ranked 5th because the are by far the best team in a consistently poor qualifying group. They have a high ranking for making every World Cup with comparative ease. If they had better opposition they'd be ranked alot lower. They do have some decent players e.g. McBride is quite good upfront at Fulham but their rating is artifical really.

killjoy32
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:25 pm

Lewisexi wrote:Actually the States are ranked 5th because the are by far the best team in a consistently poor qualifying group. They have a high ranking for making every World Cup with comparative ease. If they had better opposition they'd be ranked alot lower. They do have some decent players e.g. McBride is quite good upfront at Fulham but their rating is artifical really.

yeah youre quite right there. mexico though is an absolute laugh! how the hell are they ranked 4th. there should be some levying factor related to the ranked teams that they are actually playing.

ie. scotland are 59th and are prb just as good if not better than USA.... go figure!

Al

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obiter
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 5:28 pm

Probably the most accurate football rankings are calculated using the Elo system (similar to that used in chess) based on all internationals from 1872 to date. it also gives an idea of the relative strength of each team

World Football Elo Ratings

At present (up to Brazil 2 Australia 0) they give:

1    Brazil    2047
2    Holland    1989
3    Spain    1966
3    England    1966
5    Argentina    1954
6    Portugal    1924
7    Italy    1914
8    France    1913
9    Germany    1899
10    Czechia    1893
11    Denmark    1866
12    Mexico    1838
13    Sweden    1836
14    Uruguay    1818
15    Romania    1816
16    Australia    1812
17    Rep of Ireland    1794
18    United States    1793
19    Croatia    1788
20    Switzerland    1781

Spain will be clear 3rd after tonight's win, leaving England on 1966 (Hmmm what does that remind you of ???)

deimos3428
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 5:54 pm

obiter wrote:Probably the most accurate football rankings are calculated using the Elo system (similar to that used in chess) based on all internationals from 1872 to date. it also gives an idea of the relative strength of each team

I don't understand that at all. Why would the team's performance in 1872 (or even 2-3 years ago, really) have any relevance on the same team today? They aren't the same players! Unless you're raising the dead, which I wouldn't put past some of you... :lol:

obiter
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 6:08 pm

The system is built on the strength of teams at the time they play. Every ranking system is built on historical strength. Each country has a running total for its strength which changes or at least has the potential to change with each match.

The historical data is really useful if you want to see who were the strongest teams at any stage between 1872 and now. It also allows some vaugue comparison of the strength between say the 1958 Brazilian team, and the 1970 side.

Effectively any team which has performed exceptionally well during any period will build up a higher score. That score and the score of the opposition determine (in a broad sense) the points at stake in any match.

It's all explained much more clearly at the Elo site if you follow the link.

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