2010 World Cup Running Thread.

Ronaldinho (not selected) and Ribery (underaged prosititute issues) probably aren't the best choices. But still a great ad.

 

Slovenia topped Russia to advance. That doesn’t make for a team that “isn’t very good.”

Algeria might be a bad team but this World Cup is in Africa. If you don’t think they’ll receive favorable calls then I don’t what you are thinking.

That’s some pretty good stuff right there.

 

Oh, I'm well aware they beat Russia. They're still not very good.

And I see your point about Algeria, but I wonder whether as a North African team, they'll benefit quite as much from that.

 

Sure they will. How many African teams have realistic chances? It's an easy prop for the official to call against the USA when they know there will be minimal outrage. The same would go for Slovenia. Giving England the group and Algeria a two seed would do well.

 

Well, the other three probably have a better chance, and the last one is South Africa. So if any African side isn't getting the help, it's probably gonna be Algeria.

But, dang, you guys are paranoid!

 

Well, FIFA is involved. So we have every right to be.

 

Weak group?

Huh?

Uruguay, France and the hosts will be a very difficult task. I've seen a lot of projections that have the Mexicans not making it out of the group stages.

 

I wouldn’t say “paranoid.” I prefer pragmatic!

The USA has two games this week, Czech Republic and Turkey. I consider them both to be fairly important games for the US despite their tag as “friendlies.”

 

How could the Grant Wahl piece omit such Drogba gems as:

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/article?contentId=1917159

 

England v Mexico in a couple minutes. Wondering whose side you folks are on. And it's a wonderfully clear night, so you can't wish for a bolt of lightning to strike down both sides.

Also wondering if people in places like Brazil actually look forward to World Cups, rather than approaching them with that peculiar tremulous anticipation of the horror that inevitably lurks around one corner or another.

 

Mexico are outplaying England by some margin, but England lead 1-0 from a Ledley King goal from a cheap corner. Rob Green just had to make a tremendous save, then got lucky when a shot hit the post and bounced away.