World Cup 2010 Blog: “Soundoff: What Would You Give for a World Cup Win?” plus 1 more |  |
| Soundoff: What Would You Give for a World Cup Win? Posted: 26 Apr 2010 05:33 AM PDT
However, turns out the results weren’t exactly scientific. The survey phrased the question thus: “If you had to choose, what would you give up to see your country win the World Cup?” and then gave five less than serious options. The answer “I want my team to win, but I don’t want to seriously damage my body” was not available. Yet this crucial fact was missing from news reports. Including the one from Reuters. The mediawatching part of me was interested to see how a joke in a survey managed to mutate into a humourous but semi-serious news story. The other part of me wondered… What would you really give for your team to win the World Cup? I’m really asking for something that’s realistic. The biggest sacrifice that you could comfortably live with, in exchange for World Cup glory. For example, I’m kind of attached to my body parts (because they’re currently attahched to me and I want to keep it that way). So that’s a no no. But the laptop I’m typing this on? It’s my only computer and I’d struggle to afford to replace it. But I’d genuinely trade it for an England or USA World Cup 2010 win. What would (or even what wouldn’t) you trade?
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| The Oldest Football Videos on YouTube Posted: 25 Apr 2010 05:13 PM PDT
I recently read up a bit on the history of YouTube and learned, that the first ever YouTube video (”Me at the Zoo“) was uploaded by founder Jawed Karimi on April 23rd, 2005. The public beta test started only a week later in May and the official launch of the site was in November 2005. I started to wonder what the first – or rather oldest still available – football related videos on YouTube are. I started with the basic search term “football/soccer” and both words yield the same result. A skills compilation featuring illustrious has beens like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry. Fort Minor’s Remember the Name wasn’t leaked onto the Internet until August 20th, 2005. The corresponding album didn’t hit the shelves until November 22nd, 2005, so the oldest still available football skills highlight reel has to make do with The Roots’ Guns are Drawn instead. The oldest video for the search term “world cup” brings up this goal by Iran’s Vahid Hashemian, from an Asian World Cup 2006 qualifier against Japan (2-1, March 25th, 2005). Iran went on to finish second in their group, behind Japan, and qualified for only their third World Cup. A slightly anti-climactic result. The Oldest Champions League Video The 2005 final between Liverpool and AC Milan is the oldest available Champions League video. Liverpool’s epic comeback victory is made even more epic with the help of cheesy dance music. But Liverpool and Milan fans are probably desperate enough by now, that they’ll gladly sit through this video nonetheless, to reminisce about what it was like being teams at the top of their game. The Oldest Lionel Messi Video In December 2005, Lionel Messi was 18 years old and on his way to establish himself in Barcelona’s senior team. By then, his exploits on youth football level had apparently already earned him a Japanese fanbase, that would dedicate the above video to him. Compilado Messi 2, uploaded on the same day, then kicks into full gear with the Flashdance soundtrack. The Oldest Jens Lehmann Videos
No YouTube history session would be complete without an eccentric mad German goalkeeper. Searching for Jens Lehmann yields two results, which do an outstandingly accurate job of depicting the essence of Jens Lehmann. So, that’s what general highlight reels, the World Cup, the Champions League, Lionel Messi and mad German goalkeepers were like during the early YouTube days.
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So with the World Cup coming up, many of you will be looking for a team to follow either as a second team when your team inevitably gets knocked out in the Quarter Finals on Penalties (perhaps that one is just me) or because your team didn’t make it to South Africa. Either way, at some point you are going to need someone to follow. Often this is irrational and you just like a team. Sometimes you need a reason, sometimes you just inexplicably hate someone, or maybe they have a player you like from the club you follow. 
Love them Because: Messi. Simply he’s the best player on the planet, and a nice lad. 
Love them Because: This beautiful game (and its spread all over the world) is an English invention. 
Love them Because: They invented Total Football and gave us, Cruyff, Neeskens, Van Basten, Guillit, Rykaard, Bergkamp. And they’ve still never won it. About time eh?
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