Olham

You are one of the aviators who changed it for good in the last seconds - and lived. Great shots, Duce, and great landing!

Yes, the US are good in all sorts of sport, and they will try to get to the top in football (soccer). So it will get harder among the top ranks surely. As a school boy, I didn't like soccer, cause the sports teacher didn't even bother to explain the rules; he must have thought, that every German boy knew them already - but I didn't. So it came to the event, that I got the ball, all alone in the opponent's half; I took it and ran, wondering why no one attacked me, and why the goal keeper pretended to be so bored; and then I placed it in the goal wonderfully! I looked around, only to find the others near the mid line, laughing; and my teacher, shouting, if I hadn't heard the whistling (I was miles offside!) I was quite annoyed and said "No, I had more important things to do!" After that, I was never interested in this "sport for insiders" anymore. Only much later, I played it with friends, who took the time to explain the rules to me before.

Baseball is a great sport, Rickitycrate; a friend of mine (native American) used to play it, and they had a tournament in Hamburg many years ago, which I watched. Fortunetely he had explained the rules to me before. So I found it very thrilling. And you're right about the non-playing of some teams so far - I wonder what's the matter there (France, England). Perhaps it is really so, that no player really likes to play the World Cup after a season of straining matches - that they only go there, cause they were called by their country, but with no real energy?

That fits under the rubric: "Difficult sports friendships - the Golfer and the Football Team"! I will let John Cleese of "Monty Python" explain here, why only our European game can be called "football":

Carrick, as Cameljockey said - there's where it is now. But you can go to "controls" and assign a different key to make it easier - like the "space bar". What's that D VII from - Jasta 6 ?

Yeah, indeed, von Paulus! Sometimes we must explain the copyrights to the newbies over the pond.

Just checked, who won the World Cup when, and how often. This is for all, who are new to the World Cup or football in general, and want to know. Click for your language in the left side bar. (It shows clearly, that the saying: "Football is a game of 90 minutes, and in the end Germany wins" should be changed for "...Brasil wins") http://en.wikipedia..../FIFA_World_Cup

Yes, I know that one, Widowmaker; you had posted it some time ago - very good! The whole idea to make comedy of the "competitive dad" is great; I enjoyed it.

Well, I think it was a big shock for all, when Klose had to leave the field. Loew must have gone through tactical variants with them, and Klose must have played an important role in them. Next match, they know beforehand, that Klose won't be there, and can build new tactics. The German team stands or falls with great team play; there are no solo stars. It will be a nervewrecking match for me, cause when I see African teams play with great joy, enrgy and enthusiasm, I also grant them the victory.

You wonder what's going on in the european National Teams - in the French team, there must have been a war on, between the trainer and Thierry, or trainer and whole team - absolutely not normal what I saw. Pol, I saw Klose's tackles in replay - it was not calling for a yellow/red ticket. If that referee would have been in the England match yesterday, England would have got at least 4 yellow, and maybe one red even. In the European Championship two years ago, we had a similar "event". One game was "whistled" like that, then the FIFA grandmasters must have talked to the refs again, and after that it was fine. This time, Germany was the unlucky team to get such a ref. In the next play, they will have the chance to prove that they can do it. But it must hit Loew and the team hard, that after Ballack being injured, now Klose will be out too. Does anyone know, how good the Ghana team is?

Here is some material, how NOT to do it, Widow - watch and follow! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lge3hyQt-Nc&feature=related

My god - I see, it hit you hard. Tell yer what: is Friday evening, and the pup must be open for two more hours your end. Why not go and have a pint or two? And banter with the others and let it all out?

There, there, Widow! Klinsmann was on German TV as one of the commentators, and he said, it is still not lost for England. But this team is quite old, compared to the very young Algerians - those youngsters just can run faster and longer. And we mustn't forget: the grand football nations are not the only shareholders of football wisdom anymore - these teams from all over the world have players in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany and England - and they learn!

Yes, I see parallels between these two plays and the expectations. The Englishmen are luckier - the ref doesn't pull out yellow cards for each and every tackling, although there were scenes enough, were the other would have done so.

You should have watched the second half - the German team was actually fighting until the very end. With only 10 players, they didn' collect a second goal in their half. It was just that little chance, that the keeper of Serbia held that 11-Meter (very good!). The ref should perhaps get some more teaching. If they give yellow card for just trying to get at the ball, and red for a little tackling, then we are in for very boring matches in future.

Better not! If South Korea would win, the NK Top Nut would possibly use his bomb! Surprising results, for Switzerland winning their match (theeeyyy aaarrre uuuuusuaaaallllyy veeeerrrry sloooow peeeeeople ), and Mexico winning, when the French where the clear favourite. There must have been a big trouble in the French team; either just between the trainer and Thierry, or even the whole team. To leave Thierry on the bench after the first half, was everything but understandable. I hold my thumbs for the US Team!

British_eh: Ha , 66 meter's on my second go ....... Shows the "professionals" ! Yes, the last was "all together" or "all at once".

Thanks a lot for the info and warning, Morris! So I'll better keep the previous version.

Here is a page of a British test report about the Mercedes 180 hp engine of the Albatros D.Va Great stuff, Pips - thank you again! http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1918/1918%20-%200683.html

Pips, this is a wonderful find - it does contain pages about the Albatros! Here is about the Albatros D.I - a captured craft, with photos. http://www.flightglo...batros%20D%20II

The newbies often have to fight many things, like awe for the veteran football nations, an understandable semi-professional insecurity, less professional training etc. They will have their big time one day, but now they must first get into the roll, which is hard, when the expectations of your whole nation ly on your shoulders and minds, cause you are the host for the very first time. I wish your team lots of good luck, and that they may keep their morale high - it's not lost yet!

I could become a murderer, if I met a person like that, who closed this young dog into a shack and would have let it starve. I would at least beat a broomstick into a hundred handtall pieces on his back and whereever I hit him!

Seems England has no lucky hand when choosing goal keepers. Why is that? There must be a dozen of good men in a football nation as yours, I'd bet?

Hmmm - from the German viewpoint, it doesn't seem to have been THAT often.

Wasn't that a Dutch saying?