>>I'm sure you're all broken up about it ;-) Anong others here. Metin is probably in his back yard turning handsprings [lol].
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>Not at all. One always likes to see the underdog get on. USA did well to even qualify for the tournament (just think how such footballing nations like Scotland didn't). As for Metin, after what he said to me today, oh will he get his eye wiped when Beckham holds aloft that golden cup!
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>>What's a by-line? I know it only as a reporter's name on a news story. I just pulled "Laws of the Game" out of my ref bag and don't see it mentioned there. Goal line? Touch line?
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>I understand you do reff'ing yourself. Not that I've ever read the rules of the gamne, but I've heard the term from match commentators. The goal line I understand to be that part of the by line that's between the posts. Maybe it's an antiquated expression, but I mean the line at the ends of the pitch AOT that at the sides (the touch line). Maybe I've only heard rugby commentators refer to it?
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Did well to even qualify for the tournament? It doesn't seem like a great miracle to me that the fifth ranked team in the world makes a field of 32. In retrospect that #5 ranking may have been a bit high but that was where the U.S. team was ranked when the World Cup field was announced.

The end lines run behind the goals for the full length, from one corner circle to the other. You're right, the touch lines are the ones that run the long way. Maybe by-line is a rugby term or an English colloquialism.