Official 2010 World Cup Thread

[GGGG]

How about predictions?

Quarters:

England over France
Brazil over Netherlands
Argentina over Germany (Germany beats US in Round of 16)
Italy over Spain

Semis:

Brazil over England
Italy over Argentina

1st: Brazil
3rd: Argentina

[reinko]

How about predictions?

Quarters:

England over France
Brazil over Netherlands
Argentina over Germany (Germany beats US in Round of 16)
Italy over Spain

Semis:

Brazil over England
Italy over Argentina

1st: Brazil
3rd: Argentina

Are you the guy picks all the #1 seeds in the NCAA tourney too?   

[GGGG]

Yeah...well...I did have Spain losing to Italy.   

But I just don't see how France, the Netherlands or Germany will beat their possible opponents.  And then England v. Brazil???

It's kind of a top heavy sport.

[MU B2002]

Yeah...well...I did have Spain losing to Italy.   

But I just don't see how France, the Netherlands or Germany will beat their possible opponents.  And then England v. Brazil???

It's kind of a top heavy sport.

Germany I agree with(esp w/out Ballack), but I think Netherlands gets to the final.

[brewcity77]

Winner: Brazil
Runner-up: Ivory Coast
Third Place: England

Other predictions...

USA make deepest ever run to semis, then lose to Drogba and Ivory Coast.

France, Portugal, and Argentina fail to get out of their respective groups.

Spain and Italy both lose in the second round.

[PaintTouches]

Winner: Netherlands
Runner Up: Spain
Third Place: Brazil

Not so fearless predictions: South Africa becomes the first host country to not make it out of the group stage and North Korea becomes the first country to win the world cup without scoring one goal (at least Kim Jong Il will make it seem like they won).

[Blackhat]

Don't get sucked into the Netherland hype.   

They have talent to be sure, but they always disappoint come WC time.

[reinko]

Dos Santos thinking about quitting the Mexican squad because his brother was cut.

Color me shocked, a Mexican soccer player crying and complaining about something.

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/sow_experts/post/Walking-away-from-the-World-Cup?urn=sow,244952

[PaintTouches]

Don't get sucked into the Netherland hype.   

They have talent to be sure, but they always disappoint come WC time.

I understand where you're coming from. In the opening games of Euro 08 they were world beaters, only to fizzle out against Russia. BUT, I have a nagging feeling that this is their year. They beat down on my Mexico with ease with half of their starters and then recently dismantled Ghana 4-1. Robben and Sneijder on the wings is too much for any team to handle. This is their year.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Go Netherlands, my homeland!  Go USA, my home

[Henry Sugar]

Couple of good articles about youth development.

Andy Najar and MLS academies (ESPN)

How a Soccer Star is Made (NYTimes)  Very long, but well worth reading

[Mayor McCheese]

Argentina (Non-European Team)
Netherlands (European Team)


http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/sow_experts/post/American-born-Giuseppe-Rossi-won-t-be-playing-fo?urn=sow,245193

[GoldenWarrior]

This sucks!!!!  I love Drogba, but I'm sure some people will be happy...

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-ivorycoast-japan

[brewcity77]

Wow, the injuries are piling up now. Didier Drogba joins Michael Essien, Rio Ferdinand, Jose Bosingwa, and Michael Ballack as players all likely to miss the World Cup due to injury. Good thing I saw the Drogba report before I went to Stefan's Soccer Supply today...headed in to turn in my World Cup bracket (and pick up a new Donovan kit) and I had Ivory Coast going to the final. Now I can't see them getting out of the groups...Portugal advances to group stage, loses to Spain, who goes on to the final against Brazil.

[reinko]

This sucks!!!!  I love Drogba, but I'm sure some people will be happy...

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-ivorycoast-japan

Drogba is a bitch, as evidenced by this rock and roll montage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAATMG91KUU

[GGGG]

Couple of good articles about youth development.

Andy Najar and MLS academies (ESPN)

How a Soccer Star is Made (NYTimes)  Very long, but well worth reading

After reading that NYT article, I have my doubts that the US will ever be at this level.  Soccer is just not ingrained enough in our culture to operate like that.  I guess we may get there just because we have so many people, but it's just not a sport that is all that relevant to many Americans.

[GoldenWarrior]

Drogba is a bitch, as evidenced by this rock and roll montage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAATMG91KUU

Hahaha yeah dude soccer players always over react to little shoves and crap like that though

[reinko]

Oh yeah, most do, not just Drogba.  But the dong grab     

[wyoMUfan]

drogba scored 29 in 32
at age 32
what is bitchy about that?
the IC is done in my book / I bet there is a chance he plays though can you wear a cast in international matches?

[reinko]

drogba scored 29 in 32
at age 32
what is bitchy about that?
the IC is done in my book / I bet there is a chance he plays though can you wear a cast in international matches?

Nothing about his skill, but he is one of if not the biggest egotistical crybaby floppers in the Premiership.

[wyoMUfan]

Nothing about his skill, but he is one of if not the biggest egotistical crybaby floppers in the Premiership.

at least he keeps good company

[damuts222]

 The Premiership is the essence of flopping...not. If you think their is flopping in the English league wait to you see Spain, Portugal or Italy play in the World Cup.

[Hards Alumni]

The Premiership is the essence of flopping...not. If you think their is flopping in the English league wait to you see Spain, Portugal or Italy play in the World Cup.

This is what really bothers me about soccer.

I would call people out on it in the media, and say if you flop in a game against us, the next time we will make sure it isn't a flop.

[brewcity77]

This is what really bothers me about soccer.

I would call people out on it in the media, and say if you flop in a game against us, the next time we will make sure it isn't a flop.

Yeah, but the danger of it is that if you say you'll target floppers, then you target floppers, you'll get handed a card by the ref, and may miss out on the next match.

Diving used to bother me, but the more I've watched the sport, the more I've accepted that it is part of the game. There is a skill to diving, and if a ref suspects you are diving, that is also a bookable offense. I don't really see it as any different than basketball players selling a hard foul or a charge. When you see someone sliding backwards on their butt after a charge, yet with enough composure to still pump their fist as they see they earned the charge call in the lane, it's the same thing as a dive in football.

[wyoMUfan]

I've gotta agree w/ Brew
If ronaldo didn't go down as much as he does his goal total would be cut in 1/3'd he earns those free kicks...IMO