World Cup 2010

[thrill]

The secret history of American Soccer:
http://www.slate.com/id/2256165/
Great article on how soccer almost became our second past time in the early 1900's.

[Leroy]

Just a note from my friend in Madrid on Spain's chances:

And about World Cup, here in Spain we are very sure about our team. I think that we can get to the final. We´ll see.
I hope USA make a good World Cup.
You nkow that Spain has lost only one match in the last 48. An d it was agains USA in SouthAfrica.

Here in Madrid, all the bars has a big TV screen (even 3D TV) and people gets crazy, going out, having beers sittieng in the sidewalk cafe or terrace.

[TabascoElvis]

Let's be careful out there people.

A study in the International Journal of Cardiology compared incidents of sudden cardiac death in Switzerland during the 2002 World Cup compared to the same period one year earlier. It reported a 77 percent increase in such fatalities among men and a 33 percent increase among women. And a paper [PDF] published in the New England Journal of Medicine found the number of cardiac emergencies in metropolitan Munich was 2.66 times greater during the 2006 World Cup than compared to the weeks just before and after the event.

LINK

[jim]

Where are thrills predictions?

[thrill]

Where are thrills predictions?

Group A - 1 Mexico, 2 France
Group B - 1 Argentina, 2 Nigeria
Group C - 1 England, 2 United States
Group D - 1 Germany, 2 Serbia
Group E - 1 Netherlands, 2 Cameroon
Group F - 1 Itlay, 2 Paraguay
Group G - 1 Brazil, 2 Portugal
Group H - 1 Spain, 2 Chile

Sweet 16 - Mexico over Nigeria, England over Serbia, Germany over US, Argentina over France, Netherlands over Paraguay, Brazil over Chile, Cameroon over Italy, Spain over Portugal.

Elite 8 - England over Mexico, Brazil over Netherlands, Argentina over Germany, Spain over Cameroon.

Final 4 - Brazil over England, Argentina over Spain.

3rd place - Spain over England

Final - Argentina over Brazil

I'm operating on the axiom of "this is so crazy it just might work" by picking Argentina. Maradona is a mad man but a genius when it comes to soccer, specifically the World Cup. I'm hoping some of that magic as a player will translate to coaching.

[Lesson]

thrill, do you think there is any possibility of the U.S advancing past the Sweet 16 like you predicted?

[Fat Strat]

thrill, do you think there is any possibility of the U.S advancing past the Sweet 16 like you predicted?

I'll let Thrill answer for himself, but yes, there is a possibility that we advance to the quarters. At that point it's single elimination and would most likely be against Germany. But you never know what can happen. We would be longshots against the Germans, but probably no more so than we are against England on Saturday. Other suprises could happen. We could win the group (a tie against England would help make that happen) and we have a sweet 16 match against an opponent more in our class.

None of that is likely, but it's all possible. It's equally possible (if not more possible) that the US doen't make it out of the group. One bad loss or a tie agains the weakest team in the Group and we'll be heading home early.

[thrill]

thrill, do you think there is any possibility of the U.S advancing past the Sweet 16 like you predicted?

What Fat Strat said nails it. Getting eliminated in the round of 16 is what I think the most likely outcome is. That doesn't mean there isn't a good chance that we get further or don't even make it out of the group at all.

This German team is a little bit of a mystery. They're missing their captain, their strikers are suspect and they're playing a lot of young players. The axiom of "never count out the Germans" holds though. They've made it out of the group stage every World Cup since 1934 (iirc). They are as consistent as you can find. They always make it to at least the last 8. That doesn't mean they're too good for us to have a reasonable chance to beat them. I don't rate them as highly as England and I think we have an outside shot of beating them, so why not?

This is what the March Madness comparison is the closest in Sport. Especially once you get out of the group, anything can happen. That's weird to say about a tournament that only 8 teams have won, but in the sweet 16 and elite 8, it holds true. After that, history takes over and one of the traditional powers will win out.

[InvincibleCakeEater]

South Africa up 1-0 on Mexico!

[StL Dan]

South Africa up 1-0 on Mexico!

i'm watching it on the flat screen at work! one of the perks of working here