tOfficial World Cup Open Thread

[Michchamp]

Kickoff today.

Here's a chart of predictions made by econometrics & Goldman Sachs...

Brazil is the overwhelming favorite to win (3-to-1), followed by Argentina (9/2), Germany (11/2), and Spain (13/2).

Our odds (250/1) are better than S.Korea, Greece, Cameroon, Algeria, Iran, Honduras, Australia, and Costa Rica, at least. We really got the shaft by the draw & the travel schedule.

Klinsmann pulled another RichRod move the other day, already conceded... saying it's "not realistic" for the U.S. to win the Cup. Of course, that's true... by why even go there as a coach?

Kickoff... 3 pm Eastern.

 

[Michchamp]

A lot of people are bitching about the refs in that first game.

I saw the PK awarded Brazil, and honestly I didn't think it was that bad of a call. Certainly not enough to make some of the assertions people are making.

It was a dive, but at least there was contact... you can't hook your arm around an attacker from behind, while he's going for the ball, in the box, and expect to get away with it.

Brazil's other two goals were good. no questions there.

 

[TheVictors]

Doesnt the host country/team always win the WC?

 

[Michchamp]

Doesnt the host country/team always win the WC?

funny you should mention that... i just read an article where they asserted based on pre-Cup rankings, the host country has never underperformed, and almost always over-performed.

e.g. the U.S. went through to the knockout round in '94, and only lost to eventual champion Brazil 1-0.

and actually, the last time the Cup was held in Brazil... they DID lose, to Uruguay, in a famous match you can read about here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguay_v_Brazil_(1950_FIFA_World_Cup)

allegedly, two Brazilian fans committed suicide in the stadium following the loss, and then FIFA president Jules Rimet described the eerie scene of 200,000 fans sitting there in silence.

 

[TheVictors]

I saw a documentary on that game a few weeks ago.

Futbol is crazy shit some places ...that 30/30 Doc on Colombian soccer and the drug cartels was insane -- and how that kid was murdered for scoring the own goal vs. USA in '94

I was actually in Europe (recall the OJ thread) in '94 during the WC and when in Italy or Germany and those teams playing, cities came to a complete halt. Streets emptied and businesses closed.

 

[mhughes0021]

Spain just got smashed...

 

[Michchamp]

Spain just got smashed...

Yeah I couldn't believe that. Wasn't watching very closely but it seemed like every time I looked up Netherlands was either threatening or actually scoring.

 

[lgolfer]

Chile looks very good on the attack, but had a lot of trouble getting back once they lost the ball to Australia. If they don't focus more on defense, the Netherlands will beat them as bad as or worse than Spain.

 

[spockmaster]

Stupid italy. I'm cheering for USA, England, and Germany.

 

[sggatecl]

Haha...Germany forward dives pretending he got hit in the face, Portugal defender headbutts him in frustration (for real) and get red card. Germany already up 2-0. Game over and it's only 35 minutes in.

*edit* 3-0

Portugal looks awful or Germany looks awesome (or both).

 

[spockmaster]

3-0 now. Portugal, you're drunk, go home! haha

 

[Michchamp]

Stupid italy. I'm cheering for USA, England, and Germany.

Italy's my 2nd team!

I don't understand the hate Italy gets... these days they don't dive any more than anyone else, and it's become pretty evident that soccer & big time sports in general are corrupt as all sin.

I never understood the appeal of English football.

I normally don't like Germany, but in this Cup I'm cheering for them over Brazil or Argentina. basically, I go... USA, Italy, and then anybody but Brazil or Argentina. or Spain, but they looked like crap, so whatever.

 

[Michchamp]

Haha...Germany forward dives pretending he got hit in the face, Portugal defender headbutts him in frustration (for real) and get red card. Germany already up 2-0. Game over and it's only 35 minutes in.

*edit* 3-0

Portugal looks awful or Germany looks awesome (or both).

I expected Germany to win, but it sounds like Portugal had a bit of a meltdown, and turned it into a disaster.

Hope the bad vibes follow Portugal against us. maybe we'll have a chance to advance (assuming we get past Ghana...)

Did you see that forward from Ghana guaranteeing a win?

 

[sggatecl]

I expected Germany to win, but it sounds like Portugal had a bit of a meltdown, and turned it into a disaster.

Hope the bad vibes follow Portugal against us. maybe we'll have a chance to advance (assuming we get past Ghana...)

Did you see that forward from Ghana guaranteeing a win?

Portugal had a couple injuries as well. If there was ever a time to beat Portugal, this is the year.

Didn't see the Ghana guarantee but with their previous track record vs USA, who can blame him?

 

[sggatecl]

Italy's my 2nd team!

I don't understand the hate Italy gets... these days they don't dive any more than anyone else, and it's become pretty evident that soccer & big time sports in general are corrupt as all sin.

I never understood the appeal of English football.

I normally don't like Germany, but in this Cup I'm cheering for them over Brazil or Argentina. basically, I go... USA, Italy, and then anybody but Brazil or Argentina. or Spain, but they looked like crap, so whatever.

My heritage is Irish and German. So outside of the US, I generally cheer for Germany and Ireland in international events.

 

[spockmaster]

Italy's my 2nd team!

I don't understand the hate Italy gets... these days they don't dive any more than anyone else, and it's become pretty evident that soccer & big time sports in general are corrupt as all sin.

I never understood the appeal of English football.

I normally don't like Germany, but in this Cup I'm cheering for them over Brazil or Argentina. basically, I go... USA, Italy, and then anybody but Brazil or Argentina. or Spain, but they looked like crap, so whatever.

I'm just not a fan of Italy itself, tbh, while I am a fan of England itself.

As far as Germany goes, I'm roughly 87.5% German heritage, so I always cheer for Germany. Except during World Wars.

 

[Michchamp]

I'm half Italian, half Polish (but 3 generations removed from anyone who lived in either place, so...) I guess I'd cheer for Poland as my 2nd team as well, but they've never been that great. not sure why, but I guess it shows how far a lot of money for training goes... less populated but wealthier Euro countries make the WC more consistently

 

[Michchamp]

Glad Mexico tied Brazil. I saw clips of some of Ochoa's saves online, and all I can say is damn.

 

[lgolfer]

Glad Mexico tied Brazil. I saw clips of some of Ochoa's saves online, and all I can say is damn.

He definitely played the game of his life. Now Mexico even has a chance to win that group if they can beat Brazil on goal differential.