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Post by jhar26 on Jun 10, 2014 17:04:16 GMT -5
Kinda inevitable, ain't it? Ok, which team will win the entire thing?
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Post by erik on Jun 10, 2014 17:17:53 GMT -5
I'd like to say the U.S., but that's considered nationalistic and chauvinistic of me; and anyway, by dropping Landon Donovan from the team, Team USA may have just blown it (IMHO).
I must reluctantly go with the host nation, Brazil.
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Post by arjan on Jun 10, 2014 17:32:42 GMT -5
If everything plays out as expected there will be some exciting semi finals. And because in games that matter Germany always can do something extra I'm saying Germany. Besides it's been a while.
I would have said Spain except I doubt they are going to be WC 2 times in a row.
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Post by jhar26 on Jun 10, 2014 17:36:06 GMT -5
The usual suspects - Brazil, Argentina, Spain or Germany. But Brazil have home advantage, so I gotta go with them.
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Post by erik on Jun 10, 2014 17:42:54 GMT -5
Quote by jhar26:
Provided their main soccer stadium is complete. I know they want to "bring down the house", so to speak, but, um, not that way (LOL).
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Post by jhar26 on Jun 10, 2014 18:00:03 GMT -5
Quote by jhar26: Provided their main soccer stadium is complete. I know they want to "bring down the house", so to speak, but, um, not that way (LOL).  |
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Post by profblues on Jun 10, 2014 20:55:03 GMT -5
Pass. it's baseball season here in the States Football won't start here until August when training camps open and college teams start practicing |
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Post by erik on Jun 11, 2014 8:43:45 GMT -5
The thing about soccer (which is football everywhere else but here) is that it is not a sport that allows for bathroom or beer breaks for TV, except at halftime. This and the fact that not a whole lot of scoring happens. But that, to me, is the whole point; it is non-stop, it's a game of strategy, and thus anything can happen.
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Post by egoodstein on Jun 11, 2014 10:31:53 GMT -5
The obvious/prohibitive fave is Brazil. But I'm going w. Germany just coz I think it's time for a Euro country to win in South America & they may have best chance. Though if they do, it may cause rioting, gvt. overthrow and nasty situation in Brazil. I mean nastier than the mess there already is. . I'd actually love to see a longshot outsider win for a change, but that very rarely happens it seems in WC soccer. |
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Post by profblues on Jun 11, 2014 14:52:24 GMT -5
The thing about soccer (which is football everywhere else but here) is that it is not a sport that allows for bathroom or beer breaks for TV, except at halftime. This and the fact that not a whole lot of scoring happens. But that, to me, is the whole point; it is non-stop, it's a game of strategy, and thus anything can happen. of course, since most of the scoring seems to happen mainly by accident or at least judging by the reaction of the fans and announcers, you wouldn't want to get up to go to the restroom or the concession stand for a beer and miss it. but a upturn in popularity in soccer in this country would give the hockey fans something to watch in the off season besides professional wrasslin |
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Post by jhar26 on Jun 13, 2014 6:24:19 GMT -5
I'd like to say the U.S., but that's considered nationalistic and chauvinistic of me; and anyway, by dropping Landon Donovan from the team, Team USA may have just blown it (IMHO). I must reluctantly go with the host nation, Brazil.Especially since they can count on a lot of help from the umpire.  |
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Post by erik on Jun 13, 2014 9:07:02 GMT -5
Well, it was kind of addle-brained for their guy to kick the thing into their net.
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Post by jhar26 on Jun 13, 2014 16:17:16 GMT -5
If everything plays out as expected there will be some exciting semi finals. And because in games that matter Germany always can do something extra I'm saying Germany. Besides it's been a while. I would have said Spain except I doubt they are going to be WC 2 times in a row. I don't think it will be Spain, Arjan.  You guys really are funny saying for months that Holland doesn't have a good team this time. Seem to me that beating the defending champion 5-1 is pretty good. |
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Post by profblues on Jun 13, 2014 16:44:28 GMT -5
If everything plays out as expected there will be some exciting semi finals. And because in games that matter Germany always can do something extra I'm saying Germany. Besides it's been a while. I would have said Spain except I doubt they are going to be WC 2 times in a row. I don't think it will be Spain, Arjan. You guys really are funny saying for months that Holland doesn't have a good team this time. Seem to me that beating the defending champion 5-1 is pretty good. in the card game of "hearts" or "spades" we'd call that "sandbagging" |
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Post by arjan on Jun 14, 2014 10:35:00 GMT -5
If everything plays out as expected there will be some exciting semi finals. And because in games that matter Germany always can do something extra I'm saying Germany. Besides it's been a while. I would have said Spain except I doubt they are going to be WC 2 times in a row. I don't think it will be Spain, Arjan. You guys really are funny saying for months that Holland doesn't have a good team this time. Seem to me that beating the defending champion 5-1 is pretty good. No one was more surprised than the Dutch (fans/press) themselves The last matches were not really good. When van Gaal announced he would play a different system people were sceptic but after yesterday he's the big hero Though let's not forget it's only the first match. Won't be the first time Netherlands plays a good poule only to be kicked ot the very next round. However, if 'we' get 1st in the poule we probably avoid playing Brazil in the 2nd round. |
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Post by robertaxel on Jun 14, 2014 12:38:27 GMT -5
I guess I am an iconoclast here, I have to side with those Brazilians protesting spending millions on hosting the cup while so many leave in dire poverty.... questionable priorities, to say the least...
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Post by egoodstein on Jun 14, 2014 14:08:48 GMT -5
I guess I am an iconoclast here, I have to side with those Brazilians protesting spending millions on hosting the cup while so many leave in dire poverty.... questionable priorities, to say the least... **I agree with you on that. And everything seems as though it wasn't even done very well. I think Brazil will be 'paying' for this circus for a long time. But of course I'm not much a fan either it's true. |
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Post by erik on Jun 14, 2014 17:57:53 GMT -5
Quote by egoodstein:
Quite a long time, I think, since Rio hosts the 2016 Summer Olympics, which probably cost them quite a few billion dollars more.
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Post by jhar26 on Jun 15, 2014 4:52:55 GMT -5
I guess I am an iconoclast here, I have to side with those Brazilians protesting spending millions on hosting the cup while so many leave in dire poverty.... questionable priorities, to say the least... **I agree with you on that. And everything seems as though it wasn't even done very well. I think Brazil will be 'paying' for this circus for a long time. But of course I'm not much a fan either it's true. The thing is that I don't understand WHY this has to cost so much. Brazil is the most soccer-nuts country on the planet. They had countless huge soccer stadiums as it was. There really was no need for them to build new ones. And there are plenty of hotels where players can stay as well. So what's with all these costs? Just come together and play your soccer matches like they do all year round. It's not like the olympics where you have to build infrastructure for events that will never be used again once those two weeks are over. It's just a bunch of soccer matches. |
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Post by egoodstein on Jun 15, 2014 10:56:08 GMT -5
**I agree with you on that. And everything seems as though it wasn't even done very well. I think Brazil will be 'paying' for this circus for a long time. But of course I'm not much a fan either it's true. The thing is that I don't understand WHY this has to cost so much. Brazil is the most soccer-nuts country on the planet. They had countless huge soccer stadiums as it was. There really was no need for them to build new ones. And there are plenty of hotels where players can stay as well. So what's with all these costs? Just come together and play your soccer matches like they do all year round. It's not like the olympics where you have to build infrastructure for events that will never be used again once those two weeks are over. It's just a bunch of soccer matches. Your point is sensible and well-considered. Which has nothing to do I think with the political/economic calculus that went on I suspect. I think (as usual in these cases-- see Russia recent Olympics and many others), the government didn't want to miss getting photo op w. sports heros, etc. & tout their 'constructive' policies, econ progress and that whole ball of wax. But backfired here as the economy was turning south when construction began, & corruption a bit too rampant. And less efficient than Russian security forces, or maybe the experience of quelling unrest and dissension. But if Brazil wins, that WILL probably dominate the headlines for awhile anyway. |
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Post by erik on Jun 15, 2014 12:18:04 GMT -5
Well, folks, we here in America hosted the World Cup in 1994, using stadiums already built for NFL or college football that could easily seat the kinds of crowds that soccer attracts. I hope the people at FIFA consider us again in the future.
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Post by arjan on Jun 17, 2014 13:11:55 GMT -5
Go Belgium Great victory over Algeria. |
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Post by erik on Jun 17, 2014 13:45:49 GMT -5
Well, Team USA beat Ghana 2-1.
Short and sarcastic comment: HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD.
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Post by egoodstein on Jun 17, 2014 15:41:04 GMT -5
Well, Team USA beat Ghana 2-1. Short and sarcastic comment: HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD. Hahaha. They should enjoy it while they can. A very tough group USA is in. . . |
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Post by erik on Jun 17, 2014 18:15:56 GMT -5
Quote by egoodstein:
Well, the truth is that I really don't have a whole lot of faith in Team USA. We've never been a soccer powerhouse.
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You guys really are funny saying for months that Holland doesn't have a good team this time. Seem to me that beating the defending champion 5-1 is pretty good. 