2014 World Cup

[Michael_ Gee]

Don't get a seat under the second deck. Wear sunscreen instead.

 

[Batman]

Don't get a seat under the second deck. Wear sunscreen instead.

Lower deck seats in Brazil are ****ty in more ways than one.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/soccer/brazilian-soccer-fan-killed-toilet-bowl-thrown-stands-article-1.1778364

 

[HanSenSE]

Was it a case of Mexico being Mexico on Tuesday?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/ct-mexico-bosnia-spt-0604-20140604,0,5234745.story

 

[kingcreole]

A few European powerhouses have **** the bed in recent World Cups.

Italy in 2010.
France in 2002 and 2010.
Spain in 1998.
Portugal in 2002.

Maybe this is Germany's year to **** the bed. Or not. Can't hurt to be wishful.

 

[Webster]

I think it is more likely for Spain to dip than for Germany.

 

[deskslave]

Friendly result from this evening: Italy 1-1 Luxembourg.

 

[deskslave]

Also, Gibraltar 1-0 Malta.

 

[rmanfredi]

Let's assume the first two rounds of Group G games go like this:

US def. Ghana
Germany def. Portugal

US draw Ghana
Germany def. Ghana

...would there be any motivation for the US (needing a point to advance) and Germany (needing a point to secure the group) to do anything other than kick the ball around the midfield for 90 minutes and exchange jerseys at the end? To me, that's the most realistic "good" scenario for the US, and one that would make me giggle a bit since it would send Sepp Blatter into conniptions.

 

[da man]

Let's assume the first two rounds of Group G games go like this:

US def. Ghana
Germany def. Portugal

US draw Ghana
Germany def. Ghana

...would there be any motivation for the US (needing a point to advance) and Germany (needing a point to secure the group) to do anything other than kick the ball around the midfield for 90 minutes and exchange jerseys at the end? To me, that's the most realistic "good" scenario for the US, and one that would make me giggle a bit since it would send Sepp Blatter into conniptions.

Good draw for the U.S., getting to play Ghana twice.

 

[spikechiquet]

No thought put into picking...I have Spain (beats Argentina in semis) over Brazil (Germany)

 

[poindexter]

Let's assume the first two rounds of Group G games go like this:

US def. Ghana
Germany def. Portugal

US draw Ghana
Germany def. Ghana

...would there be any motivation for the US (needing a point to advance) and Germany (needing a point to secure the group) to do anything other than kick the ball around the midfield for 90 minutes and exchange jerseys at the end? To me, that's the most realistic "good" scenario for the US, and one that would make me giggle a bit since it would send Sepp Blatter into conniptions.

Good draw for the U.S., getting to play Ghana twice.

Ghana played three out of the first four games. They are going to be tired.

 

[cjericho]

Let's assume the first two rounds of Group G games go like this:

US def. Ghana
Germany def. Portugal

US draw Ghana
Germany def. Ghana

...would there be any motivation for the US (needing a point to advance) and Germany (needing a point to secure the group) to do anything other than kick the ball around the midfield for 90 minutes and exchange jerseys at the end? To me, that's the most realistic "good" scenario for the US, and one that would make me giggle a bit since it would send Sepp Blatter into conniptions.

Good draw for the U.S., getting to play Ghana twice.

Ghana played three out of the first four games. They are going to be tired.

Yup, the US gets to avoid playing Portugal and needs only a draw vs. Germany. They'll sign for that in a heartbeat.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

All times Eastern, of course.

Thurs. June 12
Group A: Brazil vs. Croatia 4 p.m. Sao Paulo ESPN
Fri. June 13
Group A: Mexico vs. Cameroon noon Natal ESPN2
Group B: Spain vs. Netherlands 3 p.m. Salvador ESPN
Group B: Chile vs. Australia 6 p.m. Cuiaba ESPN2
Sat. June 14
Group C: Colombia vs. Greece noon Belo Horizonte ABC
Group D: Uruguay vs. Costa Rica 3 p.m. Fortaleza ABC
Group D: England vs. Italy 6 p.m. Manaus ESPN
Group C: Ivory Coast vs. Japan 9 p.m. Recife ESPN
Sun. June 15
Group E: Switzerland vs. Ecuador noon Brasilia ABC
Group E: France vs. Honduras 3 p.m. Porto Alegre ABC
Group F: Argentina vs. Bosnia 6 p.m. Rio de Janeiro ESPN
Mon. June 16
Group G: Germany vs. Portugal noon Salvador ESPN
Group F: Iran vs. Nigeria 3 p.m. Curitiba ESPN
Group G: United States vs. Ghana 6 p.m. Natal ESPN
Tues. June 17
Group H: Belgium vs. Algeria noon Belo Horizonte ESPN
Group A: Brazil vs. Mexico 3 p.m. Fortaleza ESPN
Group H: Russia vs. South Korea 6 p.m. Cuiaba ESPN
Wed. June 18
Group B: Australia vs. Netherlands noon Porto Alegre ESPN
Group B: Spain vs. Chile 3 p.m. Rio de Janeiro ESPN
Group A: Cameroon vs. Croatia 6 p.m. Manaus ESPN
Thurs. June 19
Group C: Colombia vs. Ivory Coast noon Brasilia ESPN
Group D: Uruguay vs. England 3 p.m. Sao Paulo ESPN
Group C: Japan vs. Greece 6 p.m. Natal ESPN
Fri. June 20
Group D: Italy vs. Costa Rica noon Recife ESPN
Group E: Switzerland vs. France 3 p.m. Salvador ESPN
Group E: Honduras vs. Ecuador 6 p.m. Curitiba ESPN
Sat. June 21
Group F: Argentina vs. Iran noon Belo Horizonte ESPN
Group G: Germany vs. Ghana 3 p.m. Fortaleza ESPN
Group F: Nigeria vs. Bosnia 6 p.m. Cuiaba ESPN
Sun. June 22
Group H: Belgium vs. Russia noon Rio de Janeiro ABC
Group H: South Korea vs. Algeria 3 p.m. Porto Alegre ABC
Group G: United States vs. Portugal 6 p.m. Manaus ESPN
Mon. June 23
Group B: Netherlands vs. Chile noon Sao Paulo ESPN
Group B: Australia vs. Spain noon Curitiba ESPN2
Group A: Cameroon vs. Brazil 4 p.m. Brasilia ESPN
Group A: Croatia vs. Mexico 4 p.m. Recife ESPN2
Tues. June 24
Group D: Italy vs. Uruguay noon Natal ESPN
Group D: Costa Rica vs. England noon Belo Horizonte ESPN
Group C: Japan vs. Colombia 4 p.m. Curitiba ESPN
Group C: Greece vs. Ivory Coast 4 p.m. Fortaleza ESPN2
Wed. June 25
Group F: Nigeria vs. Argentina noon Porto Alegre ESPN
Group F: Bosnia vs. Iran noon Salvador ESPN2
Group E: Honduras vs. Switzerland 4 p.m. Manaus ESPN
Group E: Ecuador vs. France 4 p.m. Rio de Janeiro ESPN2
Thurs. June 26
Group G: Portugal vs. Ghana noon Brasilia ESPN2
Group G: United States vs. Germany noon Recife ESPN
Group H: South Korea vs. Belgium 4 p.m. Sao Paulo ESPN
Group H: Algeria vs. Russia 4 p.m. Curitiba ESPN2
Fri. June 27
Rest day Rest day
Knockout Stage
GAME TIME TV
Sat. June 28
Match 49: Group A winner vs. Group B runner-up noon ABC
Match 50: Group C winner vs. Group D runner-up 4 p.m. ABC
Sun. June 29
Match 51: Group B winner vs. Group A runner-up noon ESPN
Match 52: Group D winner vs. Group A runner-up 4 p.m. ESPN
Mon. June 30
Match 53: Group E winner vs. Group F runner-up noon ESPN
Match 54: Group G winner vs. Group H runner-up 4 p.m. ESPN
Tues. July 1
Match 55: Group F winner vs. Group E runner-up noon ESPN
Match 56: Group H winner vs. Group G runner-up 4 p.m. ESPN
Quarterfinals
GAME TIME TV
Fri. July 4
Match 58: Match 53 & 54 winners noon ESPN2
Match 57: Match 49 & 50 winners 4 p.m. ESPN
Sat. July 5
Match 60: Match 55 & 56 winners noon ABC
Match 59: Match 51 & 52 winners 4 p.m. ESPN
Sun. July 6 – Mon. July 7
Rest days Rest days
Semifinals
GAME TIME TV
Tues. July 8
Match 61: Match 57 & 58 winners 4 p.m. ESPN
Wed. July 9
Match 62: Match 59 & 60 winners 4 p.m. ESPN
Thurs. July 11
Third place game
GAME TIME TV
Sat. July 12 4 p.m. ESPN
Final
GAME TIME TV
Sun. July 12 3 p.m. ABC

 

[Football_Bat]

A few European powerhouses have **** the bed in recent World Cups.

Italy in 2010.
France in 2002 and 2010.
Spain in 1998.
Portugal in 2002.

Maybe this is Germany's year to **** the bed. Or not. Can't hurt to be wishful.

England just about every year except in 1966, when it hosted and won, and 1990, when it placed third.

 

[deskslave]

A few European powerhouses have **** the bed in recent World Cups.

Italy in 2010.
France in 2002 and 2010.
Spain in 1998.
Portugal in 2002.

Maybe this is Germany's year to **** the bed. Or not. Can't hurt to be wishful.

England just about every year except in 1966, when it hosted and won, and 1990, when it placed third.

Fourth, actually. And 74, 78 and 94, when they didn't qualify.

Of course, that relies on accepting the premise that England is a European powerhouse.

 

[cjericho]

A few European powerhouses have **** the bed in recent World Cups.

Italy in 2010.
France in 2002 and 2010.
Spain in 1998.
Portugal in 2002.

Maybe this is Germany's year to **** the bed. Or not. Can't hurt to be wishful.

England just about every year except in 1966, when it hosted and won, and 1990, when it placed third.

Fourth, actually. And 74, 78 and 94, when they didn't qualify.

Of course, that relies on accepting the premise that England is a European powerhouse.

Definitely don't think they're a European powerhouse, but does 86 count as them ****ting the bed when they lose on a hand ball goal to the eventual champs.

 

[Key]

Plus, England has made it out of the Group stage (1st group stage in 1982) in every Cup it's qualified. Quite different than France's goalless Group-stage bouncing in 2002.

Now, penalty shootout bed-****ting...

 

[deskslave]

A few European powerhouses have **** the bed in recent World Cups.

Italy in 2010.
France in 2002 and 2010.
Spain in 1998.
Portugal in 2002.

Maybe this is Germany's year to **** the bed. Or not. Can't hurt to be wishful.

England just about every year except in 1966, when it hosted and won, and 1990, when it placed third.

Fourth, actually. And 74, 78 and 94, when they didn't qualify.

Of course, that relies on accepting the premise that England is a European powerhouse.

Definitely don't think they're a European powerhouse, but does 86 count as them ****ting the bed when they lose on a hand ball goal to the eventual champs.

For all England's failures at the highest levels, it's worth noting the relatively thin margins between them and possibly winning in both 86 and 90. Although 86 was before I knew anything about the World Cup, everything I've seen suggests that that quarterfinal matched two of the best, if not the two best, teams in that World Cup. And in 90, they were every bit the equal of West Germany and indeed hit the (inside of the) post in extra time. If they do win that game, they almost certainly beat a depleted Argentina in the final.

And of course, if that shot goes in, England don't lose on penalties, the shootout curse at least doesn't begin then and who knows what happens. (Of course you can go a long way with that -- they also qualify for 94 automatically, as the defending champ did in those days, so Graham Taylor doesn't get sacked for failing to qualify.)

 

[deskslave]

Also, in re: bed-****ting by powerhouse teams, I'd suggest there's probably a link to the expansion to 32 teams in 1998. I'm not sure France in 2010 would have qualified for a 24-team World Cup, for example.

(And yes, there were fewer UEFA teams in 1994 -- but a large proportion of what got added in the interim was the likes of Azerbaijan and Macedonia.)

 

[kingcreole]

A few European powerhouses have **** the bed in recent World Cups.

Italy in 2010.
France in 2002 and 2010.
Spain in 1998.
Portugal in 2002.

Maybe this is Germany's year to **** the bed. Or not. Can't hurt to be wishful.

England just about every year except in 1966, when it hosted and won, and 1990, when it placed third.

Fourth, actually. And 74, 78 and 94, when they didn't qualify.

Of course, that relies on accepting the premise that England is a European powerhouse.

Definitely don't think they're a European powerhouse, but does 86 count as them ****ting the bed when they lose on a hand ball goal to the eventual champs.

For all England's failures at the highest levels, it's worth noting the relatively thin margins between them and possibly winning in both 86 and 90. Although 86 was before I knew anything about the World Cup, everything I've seen suggests that that quarterfinal matched two of the best, if not the two best, teams in that World Cup. And in 90, they were every bit the equal of West Germany and indeed hit the (inside of the) post in extra time. If they do win that game, they almost certainly beat a depleted Argentina in the final.

And of course, if that shot goes in, England don't lose on penalties, the shootout curse at least doesn't begin then and who knows what happens. (Of course you can go a long way with that -- they also qualify for 94 automatically, as the defending champ did in those days, so Graham Taylor doesn't get sacked for failing to qualify.)

Gary Lineker was a bad mother****er. While I find England easy to root against, Gary Lineker is one of my all-time favorite players.

I would, however, like to bring up something about 1990. Cameroon was better than England and had it not been for some of the dumbest defending this side of 2002 Jeff Agoos, Cameroon wins the quarterfinal and maybe the World Cup.