USA women vs Japan today! FINAL!

USA women's soccer team plays Japan today. Olympic final 1:30 on NBC/sports channel. This is a rematch from World Cup final. Japan beat the US on PK's.

Excellent rematch. I was hoping our girls would get Japan in the finals.

GO USA!!!

USA Wins 2 to 1 over Japan for the GOLD

Another good match. This one could have gone either way. In the end, Solo was a hero and the US put in one more goal than Japan. That may sound simplistic, but Japan blew it one too many times when facing open-net situations. Overall, the US players were bigger, faster, and stronger. Our defense looked completely lost at times, but Japan could not keep up with our forwards on the other end. Contratulations to the US Women's Team.

Luckily the match wasn't played in San Diego where ball to hand in the box is a PK every time.

So what means more, World Cup or Olympics?

On the men's side, are the Olympics U23 or something?

I would say on the womens side they mean the same. And yes the early first half handball in the box was a nasty one but hey it's the refs job to call it and it's not a handball if the ref don't call it

Blank77 wrote:So what means more, World Cup or Olympics?

On the men's side, are the Olympics U23 or something?

Men's side is U23 teams with each team allowed to select three "overaged" players to add to the roster.

For instance England added Micah Richards(24), Ryan Giggs (38)and Craig Bellamy(33)to the team.

I wouldn't mind seeing basketball go that way as well..

go99 wrote:I would say on the womens side they mean the same. And yes the early first half handball in the box was a nasty one but hey it's the refs job to call it and it's not a handball if the ref don't call it

Definitely a handball. But Japan had their chances. Hope was awesome.

grassyknoll wrote:

go99 wrote:I would say on the womens side they mean the same. And yes the early first half handball in the box was a nasty one but hey it's the refs job to call it and it's not a handball if the ref don't call it

Definitely a handball. But Japan had their chances. Hope was awesome.

Other than that call the ref was stellar. Managed that game exceptionally well.

Contrasting styles but the U.S. kept the ball just long enough win it. That's the difference PIA has made. We can play direct AND we can keep the ball depending on our opponent. We're still a very direct, aerial long ball team, but that's what they should be when you have the most prolific header in the game AND one of the fastest forwards in your strike force. Japan looked like Spain w/o David Villa or Barca without Messi...beautiful build up but no finishing strikers to close the deal.

Slakemoth wrote:
Men's side is U23 teams with each team allowed to select three "overaged" players to add to the roster.

For instance England added Micah Richards(24), Ryan Giggs (38)and Craig Bellamy(33)to the team.

I wouldn't mind seeing basketball go that way as well..

Slake, I'm gonna pull out my NERD card and point out that "England" is not competing in the Olympics, it is Great Britain, which explains why Ryan Giggs can play with them, even though his country is Wales. GB means England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales.

Extra points if someone can explain the difference between "Great Britain" and "United Kingdom".

Slakemoth wrote:

Blank77 wrote:So what means more, World Cup or Olympics?

On the men's side, are the Olympics U23 or something?

Men's side is U23 teams with each team allowed to select three "overaged" players to add to the roster.

For instance England added Micah Richards(24), Ryan Giggs (38)and Craig Bellamy(33)to the team.

I wouldn't mind seeing basketball go that way as well..

Why?? That would be ridiculous. Soccer does it because if not the Olympics would just be World Cup lite. Olympic Basketball is the the basketball world cup. It would not change much anyway. Instead of foriegn teams full of NBA players you would have foreign teams full of US college players.

my2cents wrote:

Slakemoth wrote:

Blank77 wrote:So what means more, World Cup or Olympics?

On the men's side, are the Olympics U23 or something?

Men's side is U23 teams with each team allowed to select three "overaged" players to add to the roster.

For instance England added Micah Richards(24), Ryan Giggs (38)and Craig Bellamy(33)to the team.

I wouldn't mind seeing basketball go that way as well..

Why?? That would be ridiculous. Soccer does it because if not the Olympics would just be World Cup lite. Olympic Basketball is the the basketball world cup. It would not change much anyway. Instead of foriegn teams full of NBA players you would have foreign teams full of US college players.

Anyone know why they do U23 for the men's competition, but not for the women's?

santos.l.halper wrote:
Slake, I'm gonna pull out my NERD card and point out that "England" is not competing in the Olympics, it is Great Britain, which explains why Ryan Giggs can play with them, even though his country is Wales. GB means England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales.

Extra points if someone can explain the difference between "Great Britain" and "United Kingdom".

Guilty as charged....no excuse. ( my High School geography teacher would be ashamed.)

santos.l.halper wrote:

Slakemoth wrote:
Men's side is U23 teams with each team allowed to select three "overaged" players to add to the roster.

For instance England added Micah Richards(24), Ryan Giggs (38)and Craig Bellamy(33)to the team.

I wouldn't mind seeing basketball go that way as well..

Slake, I'm gonna pull out my NERD card and point out that "England" is not competing in the Olympics, it is Great Britain, which explains why Ryan Giggs can play with them, even though his country is Wales. GB means England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales.

Extra points if someone can explain the difference between "Great Britain" and "United Kingdom".

the United Kingdom also includes Canada, Australia, Gondor, Rohan and the Shire - where all the little Hobbits live.

santos.l.halper wrote:

Slake, I'm gonna pull out my NERD card and point out that "England" is not competing in the Olympics, it is Great Britain, which explains why Ryan Giggs can play with them, even though his country is Wales. GB means England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales.

Extra points if someone can explain the difference between "Great Britain" and "United Kingdom".

Ireland is not part of Great Britain or the UK.

my2cents wrote:
Why?? That would be ridiculous. Soccer does it because if not the Olympics would just be World Cup lite. Olympic Basketball is the the basketball world cup. It would not change much anyway. Instead of foriegn teams full of NBA players you would have foreign teams full of US college players.

I dunno... I come from the generation that remembers the Olympics as "amateur" athletes competing. I know.. a long out-dated concept and everyone always complained about how our poor US amateurs had to compete against the Soviet "professionals".... but there was something special about the unknown athletes that worked their butts off and had their moment to shine every four years before going on to professional careers or obscurity. To me the US men's basketball team represents the most glaring leap away from this ideal. Don't get me wrong, the US basketball players are excited and respectful of what the Olympics mean, and what it means to represent their country... but is it really a competition? There is a great article here on why the NBA players were allowed to play in the Olympics after 1988, and it makes a lot of sense and you can't really argue with the logic.... I just have a different version of the Olympics in my head.
http://www.usabasketball.com/history/why_can_pros_compete.html

The greatest US Olympic moment to this day is with out a doubt the 1980 "Miracle on Ice"... I can still remember the feeling of watching that match (I was 13). That is what the Olympics always represented to me... and yes, these types of athletes and stories can still be found all over the Olympics so I have plenty to love.

Things are different now, and I'm not saying its all bad, and I'm also sure my "opinion" can be torn apart from many different angles... but hey... Eddie the Eagle was great right??!!

P.S. did everyone catch the crowd booing the heck out of Sepp Blatter during the medal ceremony... ouch!

Speaking of "Olympic Moments"... Let's give it up for Manteo Mitchell?

http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/trackandfield/story/_/id/8251820/2012-london-olympics-us-runner-manteo-mitchell-finishes-4x400-meter-relay-broken-leg

Gunner9 wrote:

santos.l.halper wrote:

Slake, I'm gonna pull out my NERD card and point out that "England" is not competing in the Olympics, it is Great Britain, which explains why Ryan Giggs can play with them, even though his country is Wales. GB means England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales.

Extra points if someone can explain the difference between "Great Britain" and "United Kingdom".

Ireland is not part of Great Britain or the UK.

D'oh! Now I got out-nerded. I sit in front of my mom's iPad corrected.

Slakemoth wrote:P.S. did everyone catch the crowd booing the heck out of Sepp Blatter during the medal ceremony... ouch!

Yep, and the FIFA/Blatter boos disabused me of my prejudice that Wembley was full of "quadrennial USWNT soccer fans". At least they are paying enough attention to know about Blatter and FIFA problems. Another sign that soccer is growing in this country - we are sophisticated enough to criticize the governing body.

santos.l.halper wrote:

Gunner9 wrote:

santos.l.halper wrote:

Slake, I'm gonna pull out my NERD card and point out that "England" is not competing in the Olympics, it is Great Britain, which explains why Ryan Giggs can play with them, even though his country is Wales. GB means England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales.

Extra points if someone can explain the difference between "Great Britain" and "United Kingdom".

Ireland is not part of Great Britain or the UK.

D'oh! Now I got out-nerded. I sit in front of my mom's iPad corrected.

The Republic of Ireland is not, but Northern Ireland is part of the UK.

Gunner9 wrote:

santos.l.halper wrote:

Slake, I'm gonna pull out my NERD card and point out that "England" is not competing in the Olympics, it is Great Britain, which explains why Ryan Giggs can play with them, even though his country is Wales. GB means England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales.

Extra points if someone can explain the difference between "Great Britain" and "United Kingdom".

Ireland is not part of Great Britain or the UK.

England = England
Great Britain = England, Wales, Scotland
United Kingdom = England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

bwgophers wrote:Speaking of "Olympic Moments"... Let's give it up for Manteo Mitchell?

http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/trackandfield/story/_/id/8251820/2012-london-olympics-us-runner-manteo-mitchell-finishes-4x400-meter-relay-broken-leg

yeah, I saw that yesterday... friggin insane! Can you imagine how that felt by the end of the race?

Really gonna date myself here.. but anyone remember the '76 Olympics when the Japanese gymnast broke his knee in a fall on the floor routine... He then continued, did the pommel horse without saying anything, and then the rings !! His dismount dislocated the already broken kneecap and tore ligaments... he couldn't continue after that, but the Japanese went on to beat the Soviets...

parodied here by the Simpsons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kW4uYInAFE&feature=related