That sums it up for me

This.

that's what they do anyway, it's called "ducking" and pushes the crowd noise to the background when the commentator talks into the mic.

What they should be doing is using X-crackle to remove the noise and phase inverting what's left to drop the level of it as much as possible.

i wouldn't say 'not by a long shot' but it's certainly not as exciting as i thought, obviously with the shortage of goals contributing. only an average of 2.2 goals a game so far which is quite low

It means also that teams that are less than adequate defensively like Argentina or Germany look better than they have done previously. Germany's defence is the best is has looked in many years.

Teams like Portugal have lost that edge they gained from having a tidy defence and their lack of a talented striker was their undoing.

Yep, for me it definitely has...

It comes around once every 4 years! If you aren't getting excited by it, check your pulse... Sure, teams maybe defensive, refereeing questionable and atmosphere somewhat down, BUT its the World Cup - be happy we get a chance to watch it...

+1.

ffs can't fifa just come up with some shit like the "vuvuzela can be used as a weapon"... just 'coz it's a south african "instrument" doesn't mean we must cringe through a-tonal droning.

or they could at least put a compressor/limiter on the crowd mics and have it shelved WAY lower than the commentary.

There is something missing at this WC
Last eight W Cups (that is how far I remember) there was something so special about them (my country did not win in none of them)controversy yes but also adrenelyn in most of the matches.
This WC cheesed me off and will remember for the following:
1/ Atmosphere at grounds (Vuvuzwelas)-10
2/ Adidas ball hope thay loose mozza in bad advertisment becouse of it -10
3/ Reffereeng( we do not need video cameras just add a ref at each goal line like in UEFA Cup. Was there a match without blunders?
4/ Diving and injury pretending especialy Italians
5/ Les Murry, Fozzzz and Foodball comentary.
6/ Blatter and his football croney's -20
Positives:
1/ Santos, Sam and Ed's cup fever +10
2/ Portugal v NKR 7:0
3/ Diego Forlan form at this WC
4/ Kids taking interest in games

I'm a football fanatic but this is just too much bad publicity and it comes right from the top of FIFA

Good point on the weather, I might be wrong but when teams are playing in heat you seem to get a few that crumble in the last 20 min but that hasnt happened here apart from Nth Korea and that wasnt a physical meltdown.

As far as I'm aware SBS and the BBC aren't using it.

The have actually installed filters to filter out as much of the vuvuzela noise as possible.

I think the Vuvuzela's are probably louder on tv because of how much they compress the sound for broadcast.

The Cup so far has been all that I expected. Some good games, some bad games. The Group stage is always more cautious as teams are playing for points. The Knockout stage is always more exciting.

My understanding is that the atmosphere live is fantastic but certainly the vuva's make TV watching poorer than normal. I would much rather hear the oohs and aahs of the crowd than that racket.

The grounds are fantastic. Wish our bid had only 2 ovals and even they are much smaller than the ones in our bid.

It has been defensive though. Teams are able to sit back and close opponents down for 90 minutes because of the cooler conditions, as shown by Switzerland or Ghana and it's making for some excruciatingly dull matches.

The Diving will be a massive talking point after the cup too. I think FIFA needs to address it, it's making things hard for the referees and making them look bad.

I don't think the competition is overly defensive. South americans are showing that attacking is where its at and the amount of goals have steadily climbed since the first couple of days in the group stages. Otherwise, the lower teams might be defensive (but haven't they always?)

The ball has been bad, the crowds are good but the vuvuzelas piss me off, the standard of play has been good except players seem to have stepped up with their acting skils (it feels worse than ever - anyone see maicon the other night LOL) and my expectations started off bad but have improved (only because I've overlooked all the bad points I've listed)

so to a point it may not be the most memorable world cup thus far but it certainly has had its entertaining moments, Argentina, Germany and some shocks like slovakia, france, NZ, italy but thats the great thing about football :D

The refs have been atrocious unfortunately but this shouldn't take away the fine teams that have made it to the round 16 and the ones that have so far made the quarter finals.

One thing I feel is that the group stages were also marred by some questionable cards and far too many of them but the round of 16 has allowed for a more free flowing game and the refs were less incline to enforce cards out? I believe fifa had a say in this esp with the cards not resetting until after the quarter finals.

Yeah, I laughed when I heard it...

The matches so far in the KO phase have been really good to watch. Teams are actually looking to attack now. But I expect that to go out the window as the stakes get higher.

.:bp:. =d> =d>

lol just heard that joke....

Why did the chicken cross the road?
Well according to fifa, it didnt...

lol

Edited by .:bp:.: 29/6/2010 10:53:50 PM

Group stage was pretty average but the knock out phase has been quaility baring Holland last night all the matches have been great in this phase.

The ball - Poor
The refs - Fucking shocking
The crowds - woeful
The atmosphere - akin to the moon's
The standard of play - very defensive

Is it meeting my expectations? Yes.

Were those expectations positive? No.

The ball - poor
The refs - poor
The crowds - poor
the atmosphere - poor
The standard of play - up and down

World Cup 2010 - love it.

i have to say that the standard of the refs has been poor ad messed up the cup for me.

Barely at all, unfortunately - the group games were mostly turgid, unwatchable dross, the atmosphere has been near uniformly terrible, and Australia got knocked out.

Thank god France & Italy failed, and England got knocked out early...

Being a youngen and only seeing the 2 previous school I'd say yes. Maybe not quite as good but still great and met my expectations. Been different which in a way is
good

is it just me or is there a real lack of atmosphere in the games? i suppose it could have something to do with openess of the stadiums and those fukn zuzuzzlaphones making all the racket.

Yes, and more.

:-k