Australia's into the World Cup

[Timosity]

I'm not a big Soccer fan, but Australia has finally made it into the world cup. They lost the first game 1-0 to Uruguay in Uruguay and won the home game 1-0. So it went to 30 mins extra time. Australia dominated the game almost completely but couldn't finish it off.

Pity it came down to a penalty shoot out, but who cares, Australia is in.

[Nacho]

We are too, well, unless Slovenia defeat us 4-0, and everything is possible... Anyway we won't reach further than 1/4, as usual. 

[SSH]

As long as the Aussies dont expect to play on oval-shaped cricket pitches or have a rugby ball...Ã, 

[Las Naranjas]

Before a qualifying match way back in the 70's against Cameroon in "neutral" Mozambique a witch doctor put a curse on Australia.

Since then the football team has qualified, then been forced by FIFA to play more matches and end up not qualifying, been forced to travel to odd corners of the world to play politically tricky countrys that were too difficult for other federations, like Iran or Israel and in 1997 was the only team out of over 200 competing teams who did not lose a single match but failed to qualify on the away goal rule [no repechage, sudden death no matter what].

Last year a comedian went to Mozambique and had the curse lifted.

It looks like it paid off.

[Nacho]

No, no football... We're talking of soccer...

   

[Las Naranjas]

Funnily enough, the old administration, Soccer Australia, with all it's corruptness and incompetence, collapsed two years ago was was replaced by the Football Federation of Australia, who asked all the media to start saying "football" rather than "soccer" (which worked both because the other sports with that name are all played in winter, whilst soccer is played in summer to be in line wtih most seasons in the Northern Hemisphere).
They wanted to get rid of the traditional nickname for the Australian team, the Socceroos....but this victory has put paid to that concept.

[DGMacphee]

I had a stand-up gig tonight with a bunch of other comedians at a local pub. Only thing was, they didn't turn off the TVs while we were performing (and why would they? It's the fucking soccer! Even the comics wanted a win!) and all of us had to fight and struggle to get the audience's attention. And we did damn well, scored a shitload of laughs while Australia scored a win!

Stand-up comics vs Soccer... Tough call!

[Privateer Puddin']

Does Foxe play for Australia these days?

[Las Naranjas]

Last time I saw Foxe playing for Australia was in 1999.

[Privateer Puddin']

Hmm, coulda sworn he went away on internation duty while with Portsmouth, perhaps he just got into the squad (2002/3ish?)

[Timosity]

I heard an interesting story today about a Witch Doctor that put a curse on the Australian Soccer team, I think it was in 1970.

Apparently the Australian team got a witch doctor in Mozambique to put a curse on Rhodesia (the team we had to beat to make the 1974 world cup)
The Australians won the game, and didn't or couldn't pay the witch doctor, so he put a curse on the Austrain Team.

Ever since then the team hasn't made the World Cup, even not losing a single match in Qualifying and not making it. They've had some very strange results and bad luck which almost seems like they were cursed.

This is where it gets interesting, A semi underground famous guy in Australia John Safran, went to Mozambique during a tv series he made for SBS ' John Safran vs God' (very interesting series) and got the curse reversed during some ritual thing with a witch doctor, So the team is no longer cursed.


Anyway, it's an interesting story, I don't believe in curses (except fictional ones in adventure games)

I still think Australia will only be making up the numbers, but it'll be interesting to see if they take any scalps with them (maybe to create a new curse)

[Babar]

* Babar is very confused at Timosity's post. Even if it is more descriptive than Las Naranjas's

On a completely unrelated note, Pakistan beat England in cricket here yesterday! Take that!

[Revan]

hi

[Helm]

hello

[Gord10]

asl?

[DGMacphee]

 

[modgeulator]

Apparently the Australian team got a witch doctor in Mozambique to put a curse on Rhodesia (the team we had to beat to make the 1974 world cup)
The Australians won the game, and didn't or couldn't pay the witch doctor, so he put a curse on the Austrain Team.

Ever since then the team hasn't made the World Cup, even not losing a single match in Qualifying and not making it. They've had some very strange results and bad luck which almost seems like they were cursed.

This is where it gets interesting, A semi underground famous guy in Australia John Safran, went to Mozambique during a tv series he made for SBS ' John Safran vs God' (very interesting series) and got the curse reversed during some ritual thing with a witch doctor, So the team is no longer cursed.

Holy crap, I'd forgotten all about that! Now I remember watching that episode last year. It's quite a coincidence, that the team should suddenly be doing so well you gotta admit  :o

There's a brief episode guide here for anyone unfamiliar with the show (the curse was in episode 7):
http://www20.sbs.com.au/johnsafranvsgod/index.php?action=about

As I recall he seemed to be quite thorough in the curse breaking ceremonies, I think there was an animal sacrifice and everything.

[Kinoko]

Everywhere I've seen people mention that Aust. is in the world cup, John Saffron has come up.

He's gotta be feeling smug right now ^_^