World Cup Predictions?

[Corvette]

Like the title says, who yall think will be in the finals, and who do you think will come ahead as the victor? I personally think it will be Brazil over all, although I hope not, I hope USA will. But USA has a though bracket with Italy. And I think the winner of their bracket has to go on to play the winner of Brazil's bracket in the future. None the less, we got a month of outstanding soccer to watch!!!

[Fairplay]

USA? win soccer? hahaha. hahaha.

thats like saying canada has a chance. are we even in it?

[Gheltire]

when i had my shop in Austin, I loved watching the World Cup. So many people would come through and hang out to watch their country's team....when i try to watch it and not be the WC it's just unfun (probably like baseball is to some others I suppose)

The US is supposed to have its best team ever. Even landed the big commercial deal and stole baseball's anthem (take me out to the ballgame). But I think it's worth it, since our sports fans are globalizing, they need something to keep Americans interested in soccer, and giving it something familiar helps the transition for nonfans.

I'll watch it. But it's not the same where I am now:) If it doesn't have a Cowboys star on the helmet, it's tough to find other fans. (cept for Mavs, since every johnny come lately is suddenly a basketball fan with a Dirk shirt)

[Eomer]

I predict Canada will not qualify!

Woo, I win!

[VonPenn]

I don't want to spoil anything, but I've had a Sports ticker going on my comp all day, and "watched" a very incredible opening match between Costa Rica and Germany today.

I don't know who will end up on top, but if the opening match was any indication, we're in for a hell of a good show!

VP

[Corvette]

LOL - Canada? they have a soccer team? haha jk. Brazil is a likly team just b/c of Ranaldoinho or how ever you spell it. The world's best player today. England is always a likly contender every WC even though they have only won 1 WC. They always have outstanding players. Germany has the homecourt advantage and with new coach and they hired American trainers and have been viewing American sports history in coaching/training/and tactics - can't go wrong with that since America is very well with sports talent in MANY sports.

Italy probably won't do too well because of Totti's recent broken leg. France just has Henry. Portugal only has Figo.

Germany's game today was an awsome start to the WC! Ecuador shutting down Poland was a good physical game! Shame tomorrow's England game is early early...

[math]

Australia pwns u all.

[Dakyras]

Australia pwns u all.

Umm math... they are ranked pretty terribly... and they will probably lose to Japan and Brazil in group play... not sure about croatia.

[Gwaar]

I predict I wont be watching!

[Karendra]

your loss!!!!

[KripDiggler]

Hometown advantage.

Germany FTW.

[Dakyras]

Hoping USA gets their shit together and has a miracle decimation of Italy... If tied it would take a loss to Czech by italy and about 5 goals by the US against ghana without allowing any to win the point draw through GF/GA decision ... If US loses its good night and good luck ><

Atleast England and Germany have been making good showings... so even if US bows out in group play I still have a couple teams to cheer for.

[VonPenn]

Atleast England and Germany have been making good showings... so even if US bows out in group play I still have a couple teams to cheer for.

England made a shitty showing last night. They won against a 1000-1 underdog (for the world cup), Trinidad, by 2 goals scored LATE in the game (83rd minute and 91+).

Englad will be a dominant force if they can make their crossovers count for anything.

They were missing opportunites like MAD last night. Fully dissapointing. Beckham did a great job of setting up about 12 perfect shots, the other strikers just couldn't deliver - too many shots went wide or high.

England has a solid shot IF they can work as a team - they had over 15 solid goal-line shots compared to about 5 from Trinidad.

VP

PS - I heard a rumor that every player on the Trinidad team was promised a barrel (64 gallons) of RUM from the President if they won any games ;-). The last thing you want to do is give your athletes a nigh-unlimited source of alcohol on the eve of a victory. I can see the headlines - 40% of Team Trinidad Dead from Alcohol Poisoning after Stunning Victory over England! ;-D

[Dakyras]

Aye but England is usually not the highest scoring squad as they stack their backfield playing the defensive game.

That being said I would like to see them take advantage of Owen's speed more by matching him up with Wayne Rooney up front. Having 2 speed demon strikers can create a lot of opprotunities.

Crouch is good and having a 6'7" dood in the fray for those aerial crossovers is potentially dangerous, I just have not seen enough out of him yet to make me decide the Owens::Crouch matchup is the correct striker selection.

[VonPenn]

Crouch is good and having a 6'7" dood in the fray for those aerial crossovers is potentially dangerous, I just have not seen enough out of him yet to make me decide the Owens::Crouch matchup is the correct striker selection.

Crouch is a freak of nature.

Owens severly dissapointed last night.

I hope Owen's does better next match...and I hope Crouch stops growing - he's a monster.

[Varran]

Definitely have to disregard the ranking system tho, don't count teams based on any ranks you've seen... for example, mexico and the US are ranked 4 and 5 in the world respectively and most serious pundits wouldn't put them in top 15.

That being said they've played well up to this point and I'd really like to see them progress at least to the next round.

Argentina has played ok, same with the dutch. I've definitely liked this World cup much more than prior years, but the officiating is still utter shit.

[Varran]

Forgot this story about the US first loss:

<big>Devastated By U.S. World Cup Team's First-Round Loss, Nation Grinds To Halt</big>

June 15, 2006
NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, and WASHINGTON, DC—With the Dow Jones average down over 600 points, factory productivity in a downward spiral, and workplace attendance down by nearly a third, experts say the U.S. World Cup team's heartbreaking 3-0 defeat at the hands of Czech Republic on Monday has brought life across the soccer-crazed nation to a virtual standstill.


http://www.theonion.com/content/files/images/US-Daily.article.jpg


"What happened in Gelsenkirchen has indeed dealt a grievous blow to the morale of the American people," said President Bush, who had promised his constituency a swift and speedy victory in the World Cup this year and whose popularity has taken a 9 percent hit since the U.S. team's loss. "I want the citizens of this great nation, the world's only remaining superpower, to know that I grieve alongside them and urge them to be strong in our hour of darkness, and urge them to return to their jobs and schools despite their heavy hearts."
Mere days ago, the feeling across the nation was one of great joy, eager anticipation, and optimism for the prospects of the most talented American team to ever take the field. It is estimated that over 85 percent of U.S. households were watching the USA–Czech Republic matchup. And going into the game that most Americans have been waiting for, analyzing, and all but living for during the past four years, schools, offices, shopping centers—everything, in fact, except vital services—closed their doors as the game began.
Now, days after the end of penalty time, many of those doors are still closed.
"I take full responsibility for losing the game," said Claudio Reyna, whose shot off the crossbar of the Czech goal as the U.S. trailed 1-0 in the opening half of play has been shown to coincide with a significant bump in the suicide rate, a momentary increase in reports of domestic violence, and a $0.45 increase in the per-gallon price of gasoline. "But we still have games to play in this opening round. I realize that the United States, more than any other country, loves this game. But that is no reason for so many people to cancel their weddings."
The general feeling of hopelessness may be felt across the United States, the nation the rest of the world thinks of as Pelé's adopted home, the land that popularized the term "soccer," and Americans are finding many different ways to voice their despair.
Hundreds of yards of black bunting hung over the head and arms of the Statue of Liberty has yet to be removed by the New York City Parks Department; similar shrouds have appeared on Mount Rushmore, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Hawaii's Pearl Harbor Memorial. Las Vegas casinos are running skeleton staffs at the tables and doubling the size of security shifts, at once worrying over their empty floors and fearing retribution at the hands of World Cup gamblers who bet on the U.S. out of loyalty. And the House of Representatives, which traditionally remains closed throughout the World Cup, called a special session for the specific purpose of introducing a bipartisan bill that would change America's national sport back to baseball.
"This cannot last," said Bruce Arena, coach of the U.S. World Cup team and by extension effectively the second-most powerful man in America, in an address televised simultaneously on every national channel Wednesday night. "We cannot have crops unharvested in the fields, the doors of our churches sealed shut, the Stars and Stripes fixed at half-mast, all because of our dishonorable standard of play. We cannot ask you to forgive our loss to the Czechs, as that must be left to the wisdom of the God of our fathers. We have always been a nation blessed with strength, not only in our love for our soccer teams, but in our love for one another, and we must call on both now if we are to endure these dark days."
At press time, the U.S. team is scheduled to play Italy on Saturday and Ghana the following Thursday, and the National Guard has reported moderate casualties while attempting to contain hooligan activity in the nine largest U.S. cities.

[math]

Umm math... they are ranked pretty terribly... and they will probably lose to Japan and Brazil in group play... not sure about croatia.


Australia beat Japan onto Brazil!

[Aelia]

Hoping USA gets their shit together and has a miracle decimation of Italy... If tied it would take a loss to Czech by italy and about 5 goals by the US against ghana without allowing any to win the point draw through GF/GA decision ... If US loses its good night and good luck ><

Atleast England and Germany have been making good showings... so even if US bows out in group play I still have a couple teams to cheer for.

Group
Italy 4pts
Czeck 3pts
Ghana 3pts
US 1pt

for the US to advance, all that has to happen is the US beats ghana, and italy beats the czecks, scores dont matter, because then the points will be:

Italy 9pts
US 4pts
czeck 3pts
Ghana 3pts

Now, if the Czecks win, THEN, the US needs to win by 4 goals to advance, because the scores will be, the numbers in the () are the current goal differentials

Czeck 6pts (+1)
US 4pts (-3)
Italy 4pts (+2)
Ghana 3pts (0)

[Dakyras]

Aye.. I am considering sending McBride hate mail for getting goal 2 called back. :D

[Fairplay]

Argentina will win the World Cup, you heard it here first.

[Varran]

That italy/USA match was horrid. It has been such a long time since I have watched italy play so awfully for the majority of a game. Usually at some point they get their heads together and remember they are playing a game but it just never seemed to happen.

Good on the US for getting a point off that game and getting a chance to move through. I expected the game to go very differently than it had and they certainly played better than I have seen them play before.

[diabloruff]

I personally would rather have anyone other than France win the world cup. Go Italy

[Dakyras]

I personally would rather have anyone other than France win the world cup. Go Italy


While normally I would be forced to agree with you... France has played with a lot of heart the past 3 games and have won my affections. They beat brazil which makes me a fan... I hate brazil >:D

[Gheltire]

is it just me or does everyone else want to beat the shit out of players with a crowbar who lay on the ground holding their shin after a challenge? Then look around to see what color of the rainbow the ref will hand to the opponent?

If I wanted to watch falls I'd go rent Manu Ginobli tapes. I don't think I have seen a WC with this much whining and this is the 4th that I've paid attention to, and might as well toss in Olympics in there too.



OW MY LIVER!

/hands out black cards

[Dakyras]

is it just me or does everyone else want to beat the shit out of players with a crowbar who lay on the ground holding their shin after a challenge? Then look around to see what color of the rainbow the ref will hand to the opponent?

If I wanted to watch falls I'd go rent Manu Ginobli tapes. I don't think I have seen a WC with this much whining and this is the 4th that I've paid attention to, and might as well toss in Olympics in there too.



OW MY LIVER!

/hands out black cards


I think the overzealous refs in group play inspired players to take a lot more dives. ><

[Gheltire]

well the headbutt I will grant deserved a card:)

[Vinilaa]

well the headbutt I will grant deserved a card:)

I can't believe I missed it!!!!!!!!! :eek: :rolleyes:

Zidane is damn hawt! (Hot tempered too!)

[Syana]

Vini wants a headbutt to the boobies from Zidane.

[Vinilaa]

Vini wants a headbutt to the boobies from Zidane.

I do NOT!!!!!! :p

He won't need his soccer skills for what I want him for... :eek: :rolleyes: ;)

[Karendra]

hmm Housework?

[Vinilaa]

hmm Housework?

I suppose you could call it that... :eek: