[Lefty Noob]

So today is the finals of the 2006 World Cup, with Italy battling France.

"Well my friends here we are...the morning of the World Cup final," writes Left Midfield over at Global Futbol :: Italy v France - the WORLD CUP FINAL IS HERE! "It is funny that this is always a time of mixed feelings for me - I find myself both looking forward to the game and dreading the end because it means that the World Cup is over for another 4 years."

Any predictions or thoughts about the finals?

Or, if you're reading this after the match, any postgame reactions?

[blueandwhite]

We are here just east of toronto getting set for our world cup party. heavy Italian population (husband, neighbour, kids) so i'm being a bit of a sh-t disturber and suggesting it might be welcome to have the French win the cup.
Like I said before, my heart left with the Brits.
According to those in the know here, there is NO WAY the Italians can lose.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

We are here just east of toronto getting set for our world cup party. heavy Italian population (husband, neighbour, kids) so i'm being a bit of a sh-t disturber and suggesting it might me welcome to have the French win the cup.
Like I said before, my heart left with the Brits.
According to those in the know here, there is NO WAY the Italians can lose.

I dislike them both...but I can't stomach the French at all...got to go with Italy in the best of the two evils should take it.

[blueandwhite]

how come you don't like either?

[Lefty Noob]

France jumped out to an early lead, but Italy has come back to tie the game up. It's 1-1 at the half. Details: Italy and France drawing 1-1 at halftime - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports

[Gotham Dark Knight]

It went to penalty kicks and Italy takes it...ugly overtime match with the French captain drawing a red card. Worse yet, France takes Henry out of play with a late substitution. Two of their best penalty takers gone...Italy 5-3 on kicks. Not a pretty way to end it.

[legend]

A bighorn ram couldn't hit a human being in the chest and knock him over the way that Italian guy took that fall! I found the soccer games hilarious for their acting and crying. The nation that is being investigated for throwing games or whatever they are being looked into for wins the whole thing. Thank God this thing is over with now. Now all the countries that "stopped wars to watch the games" can go back to fighting. Please.

[Peterborough]

Yes it's horrible when there's any sort of lull in killing, maiming and raping. I shudder to think that nations might be able to put aside their differences, and maybe find some common ground watching a positive, creative human endeavor.

The horror....the horror...

[blueandwhite]

hint of sarcasm. touche.

the world cup was a wonderful break from ugly world tensions. There is no sport that makes the world sit and watch, after the Olympics.

[legend]

Show me the sport that ends the wars and then I'll get excited. Who here is even remotely naive enough to think that a war is stopped in reality so the participants can watch a soccer game. How was an event that basically paralled world tensions with its incompetent refereeing, riots, politically charged remarks, and players faking injuires to gain an advantage a "break from world tensions'?

[blueandwhite]

Well gee I'm not some grinning fool. And there were some people who did enjoy a break in the world tensions (thanks for quoting me). Like me. Does soccer end wars? of course not. But where I'm from, the World Cup seems to be about a celebration of all countries, and the pride that goes with that, especially in the sport of soccer.
We talked alot about the faking injury thing around my house because I hate it. It makes them look like sissies. But it happens in all sports, i realized. Is a hockey player going to make a hook look worse than it really was? yeah. Does a goalie fly forward just by the mere touch of the opposing team player's skate? oh yeah. Is a tennis player going to call for the trainer when he's down a set to take away the opposing player's momentum? Most definitely.
Maybe some people didn't enjoy the skill of these players who have to be the greatest athletes on the planet. That's okay. So watch something else. No body is saying it ends world crises. they just think it's a heck of alot of fun.

[AmbroseVB]

GO FRANCE!!!!!!!!

[Kasey Kahne 9 fan]

I still think that Germany and England should of been the final but they just couldn't get past a couple lucky teams but I think England should of been the best team

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by legend

Show me the sport that ends the wars and then I'll get excited. Who here is even remotely naive enough to think that a war is stopped in reality so the participants can watch a soccer game. How was an event that basically paralled world tensions with its incompetent refereeing, riots, politically charged remarks, and players faking injuires to gain an advantage a "break from world tensions'?

Well the rumor has always been it started one between Honduras and El Salvador.

But hey now Legend, sounds like you don't like the game.

[legend]

I always enjoyed playing soccer when I was younger, I just don't like the attitude that it is a "purer sport" than, say, baseball. The team that won the World Cup is full of players being investigated for throwing games or whatever they did, the guy that was named the outstanding player of the tourney left in disgrace, and the most important game for the next four years was decided by penalty kicks. That would be like shooting free throws to decide an NBA championship game rather than go to overtime.