The Official HR Olympic Thread - It wouldn't happen in China...

[redskin_rich]

Originally Posted by cal_junior

In recent years our women's team has always been a fantastic set piece side. We are never going to surgically take apart a defense with 12-15 passes.

Exactly. We have to rely on superior athleticism and physicality. But I do think we are technically, just as talented as anyone else, on the women's side that is.
At least, give our team credit, we don't stall and/or bunker down to protect a lead. We play direct and attack to the final whistle.

[RedskinsDave]

And we're the best team in the world.

[cal_junior]

Originally Posted by RedskinsDave

And we're the best team in the world.

And as we saw last week, even the best can be outplayed on a given day.

Actually the best got outplayed twice last week if you count the Canada match. If not for one of the worst calls I've ever seen in international soccer the US is playing for Bronze.

[GeneralDisorder]

Originally Posted by RedskinsDave

And we're the best team in the world.

No you're not. You're Olympic Champions (no mean feat in itself...).

As winners of the World Cup, the best team in the world are Japan. And before them it was Germany twice.

Granted, you could argue a case for the US being the most talented - but not the best in the world. That title falls to the winners of the World Cup - it's why the tournament is held.

[cal_junior]

Originally Posted by GeneralDisorder

No you're not. You're Olympic Champions (no mean feat in itself...).

As winners of the World Cup, the best team in the world are Japan. And before them it was Germany twice.

Granted, you could argue a case for the US being the most talented - but not the best in the world. That title falls to the winners of the World Cup - it's why the tournament is held.

I always thought the winner of the World Cup was world champion. Which doesn't necessarily make them the best team in the world, particularly if at some point during the next few years their form slipped dramatically.

In both cases we're talking about the winner of one specific tournament.

[GeneralDisorder]

Originally Posted by cal_junior

I always thought the winner of the World Cup was world champion. Which doesn't necessarily make them the best team in the world, particularly if at some point during the next few years their form slipped dramatically.

In both cases we're talking about the winner of one specific tournament.

If it's consistency of results you want then that leaves you at the mercy of the FIFA rankings. England are currently third in the men's rankings - which shows just how reliable they are.

Still more inclined to go with the winner of a tournament designed to determine the best in the world than one that determines the winner of a gold medal. Especially a tournament that didn't even include the winner of two of the last three World Cups.

Taking your point to extremes - Let's not recognise the winner of the Superbowl as the best in the NFL. It's a one-off game. Anyone can win one those...

[cal_junior]

Originally Posted by GeneralDisorder

Taking your point to extremes - Let's not recognise the winner of the Superbowl as the best in the NFL. It's a one-off game. Anyone can win one those...

I don't think the Super Bowl champion is necessarily considered the best team in the NFL. They are simply champions of that year's postseason tournament, meaning they were the best over one particular month.

Here's the way I've always viewed it: The World Cup winner is the world champion. But the 'Best Team in the World' moniker is a subjective one based on a combination of rankings and recent results.

There was a period of time around 2007 or 2008 when Spain was just about unbeatable. And even though Italy had won the 2006 World Cup, I'm guessing nobody thought they were the best team in the world during that stretch.

[RedskinsDave]

At least the NFL only has one championship game. Soccer has like 30. Every other week some team is playing for some title.

[GeneralDisorder]

So, that Oscar Pretorius, eh...?

Didn't really pay much attention to the Paralympics in 2004 & 2008 but there's been some incredible performances.

[RedskinsDave]

It's funny that his complaints about his loss is part of my concern in the future for paraplegics against able bodied people in the future. At some point they could have an edge and not a disadvantage. Granted, that is way off but it still is a concern.