Brasil used to be so much in the shadow of their men's team that the women were just an afterthought, while Norway's womens team was on top of the world. Since I missed most of the game, does anyone who DID watch have an evaluation? Has Brasil really improved that much, or has Norway fallen on hard times?

What little I saw, the Norwegians looked like they didn't CARE about the outcome, while Brasil had the attitude "We're going to win whatever it takes".

I am a little biased...but Brasil is really peaking right now. I taped the game and have only watched the first half, but they totally controlled the possesion. That being said..the announcers for the game said that is Norway's style..not a lot of possesion time, but long ball's through for the goal. Doesn't seem like a great strategy to me...but in their ONE goal..that is how they scored. What impressed me the most about Brasil was some of the fancy passes and dribbling they were doing on the field. I am dead serious when I say they really played the "Beautiful game" as the Brasil men's team does. Heal passes, multiple step overs...really impressive. I went to the USA vs Brasil (sorry..I alwasy spell it with an "s" as Brasilians do) game here in New Orleans in July and they gave the US team all it could handle. The game ended with the good guys scoring in the last couple of minutes! USA 1 - Brazil 0. I actually got to meet and talk (I speak a little Portuguese) with the Brasil team at their practice at Tulane University. Wonderful girls!

I hope they win their group so the USA team will not have to play them so early in the tournament...Brasil is really young and they might not be so good towards the end of the tournament.

All that being said... HOW ABOUT MIA HAMM?? Is she just being the most awesome player right now? I am soooooo happy that she is doing great in the this tournament. Actually, at that Brasil vs USA game in NO..I was so impressed watching Mia live. She is all over the place..hustling..defense, offense...she is more impressive to watch live than on tv. What a wonderful, athlete and role model.

"Can I ask you a question?
What is it?
It's an interrogative form of sentence, used to test knowledge. But that's not important right now."

Randy ... I certainly appreciate the flair of the Brasilians, too. I just remember that not too long ago their women's national team looked like a mid-road Texas highschool team (probably from comparison to their men's team). They've come a LLLOOONNNGGG ways in a short time.

About 6 or 7 years ago I got to go to Sao Paulo to visit a production site we've got in Guaruja (couple of hours by car up the coast). On the way from the airport to the hotel, I rode with several Brasilian colleagues who pointed out all the football stadiums along the way. On my return trip from hotel to airport, the driver spoke no English and my Portuguese is limited to ordering an Antarctica (their version of Shiner). We passed the Corinthians stadium, and I pointed to it (a game was in progress) and said something like "I wish I were in there". The driver lit up like a neon sign and babbled about football for the next 30 minutes. I have no idea what he was saying, but apparently Corinthians was HIS team, and Brasilians live and die for THEIR teams even more than we do for college sports.

SWOSU -
Isso...Corinthians!! Muito bom, mas eu gosto de SPFC!!! At least until they let Kaka sign with AC Milan! Bummer!

I supported our offices in SP and Rio for two years while I was working for the crooked E. I was about to go down there to train a lot of new employees when the E fell. :-(

I am sure your friends showed you Morumbi? I want to go there at least once in my life to watch either a SPFC game or a Brasil national team game!

In a few hours Brasil's women play Sweden..and if they win and the USA team beats Norway, Brasil and USA will play each other in the semifinal!

I keep in contact daily with my friends in Brasil and none of them even know what is going on with their women's team..and they don't care. That is so sad! Did you see that they even tried getting attention by signing Ronaldo's wife to the team? She is supposed to be good..but not that good..and the coach did not want her on the team, but allowed it because they knew that the team needed something to get in the news. I hope it works for them. They really have a great team.

Hey..you are an Alchemist? Cool! Did you get a chance to read Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist"? He is a famous Brasilian author...kind of strange..but I liked "The Alchemist".

Boa sorte e abraço,
Randy

"Can I ask you a question?
What is it?
It's an interrogative form of sentence, used to test knowledge. But that's not important right now."

damn corinthians. im all about Flamingo. Got to watch a few games this summer while i was there. Ever been to a game at the huge stadium in Rio? I cant spell it but it starts with an M and has lots of a's.

When leaving Sao Paulo to return to the states, I stopped in a store selling futbol souvenirs. I asked a clerk for something from the BEST team in Brasil, and something from the WORST team in Brasil.

A fight promptly ensued between the two clerks, arguing over whose team was best. At the time, Corinthians had the best record, so they allowed me to buy one of their caps. They both agreed that the worst team was Fluminense. Fortunately, the Fluminense cap was very colorful (green and red), since Corinthians was generic white and black.

Since I wear one or the other to most all highschool matches around here, I've found that when I wear Fluminense's colors, we tend to win. Maybe it puts a curse on the opponent?

Yeah, the folks in Guaruja (where we've got a production plant) don't even know that Brasil's got a women's team.

SWOSU edit: forgot to reply to your alchemy question. I'm a failed alchemist ... tried my hand at turning lead to gold, but all I got was aluminum. Due to conservation of mass, when I converted a lead fishing weight, I got 800 sq ft of Reynolds Wrap!

Actually, polyurethanes chemistry is akin to alchemy sometimes. Take two liquids, react them, and make foams (seating & mattresses), structures (wood-like boards from wheat straw), elastomers (gaskets), and adhesives (polyisocyanurates).

Second SWOSU edit: The only book titled "The Alchemist" I've read lately was by Geary Gravel.

[This message has been edited by SWOSU (edited 10/9/2003 9:27a).]

The Rio stadium is Maracanã.

Speaking of hats...I have the Brasil national team hat that I got signed by all the girls on the Brasil team when they were here in July.

I prefer the Tri-colors of SPFC! Red, black, and white.

Good post on alchemy!! Risos!!

Homewrecker - Nossa! You live in Brasilia now? What are you doing posting on the A&M board? Are you a Aggie?

Oops..reading some of your posts I see that you are a student now at A&M...unless you made a REALLY serious road trip up to Vtech! hehehehe...

Are your from Brasilia?