Ireland asks to play in World Cup

[theexorcist]

soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=706016&sec=worldcup2010&cc=5901

I love international soccer - the pageantry, the way how many countries consider it a subtitute for actual war - but what an absolute cluster this story has become. Ireland may get in, Costa Rica may get in - eventually, East Timor is going to get in.

Even better when you consider this story is that some Chilean team is suing in the legal framework of Chile, and FIFA is threatening to expel Chile from FIFA for this (imagine if a DC United owner brought a suit against MLS, and FIFA threatened to kick the US out of the World Cup). Yet, in two cases where the games are two weeks old, FIFA still doesn't know what they're going to do. What a corrupt organization.

This is almost as bad as the BCS (though in the World Cup, if you win every match, you keep on progressing and never get relegated to the Gillette Charity Shield against Slovenia).

Oh, and I also love the quote - "The highest crime in football is touching the ball with the hands.'', but I'm not sure where to go with the follow-on joke. Reference to the opening of the Last Boy Scout and asking if that would be OK? Make a throwaway joke about the Redskins being World Cup material? So many options...

[Jack]

Ah, I think this a whole lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. Ireland is not getting in. Nor are the Ticos. They wuz robbed, we all know it, but nothing will be done, and at least for the Irish the next best thing to being able to play in the World Cup is being able to nurture a grudge, so really everyone is a winner. Unless of course the next round of sanctions against North Korea includes banning their participation in the World Cup, then I am sure the Green Army will be ready at a moment's notice.

[Boz]

Nov 30, 2009 10:06:58 GMT -5 Jack said:

....and at least for the Irish the next best thing to being able to play in the World Cup is being able to nurture a grudge, so really everyone is a winner.

It's funny because it's true.

....and that was REALLY funny.


On a side note, do you think EA Sports could have made FIFA 10 any MORE frickin' difficult to play? Jeezum Crow, I haven't yelled that much at a video game in years.

[theexorcist]

Nov 30, 2009 10:57:36 GMT -5 Boz said:

Nov 30, 2009 10:06:58 GMT -5 Jack said:

....and at least for the Irish the next best thing to being able to play in the World Cup is being able to nurture a grudge, so really everyone is a winner.

It's funny because it's true.

....and that was REALLY funny.


On a side note, do you think EA Sports could have made FIFA 10 any MORE frickin' difficult to play? Jeezum Crow, I haven't yelled that much at a video game in years.

I wouldn't know - I've kept with FIFA 2000, where games with two-minute halves regularly end 6-3 and where autoplaying a full 90-minute game with the computer ends with around 35 goals. It's glorious.

Oh, and which allows full customization of teams, allowing me to switch all the international teams to colleges (Germany is Virginia, Spain is UCLA, Brazil is SMU - and Georgetown, of course, is the USA).

[HometownHoya]

Is it that much more difficult then FIFA 09? I'm hoping to pick it up this week finally!

Too bad for Ireland b/c they definitely do deserve a replay of that game

[DanMcQ]

I am certain Jack has heard the joke about the definition of Irish Alzheimers: it's when all you can remember are the grudges.