The Goon
Boudin blanc
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|  #2 Posted on 9.12.05 1533.29 | Instant Rating: 8.08 | That was quite possibly the most boring then captivating couple of hours on TV I've seen.
The match I'm most looking forward to in the first round is Argentina vs. The Netherlands.
Group E seems to be the "Group of Death" as you have the Czech Republic, the United States of America, and Italy battling it out, all countries ranked in FIFA's top 12. As I cheer for whoever is playing Italy, I really hope the United States team can get through their whining and diving and make it through to the knockout round.
| Bullitt
Shot in the dark
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| #3 Posted on 9.12.05 1554.26 | Instant Rating: 6.83 | Will Spain continue to underachieve? Doesn't look like there's much in Group H to stop them from reaching the knockout stage.
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| Corajudo
Frankfurter
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|  #4 Posted on 9.12.05 1632.54 | Instant Rating: 5.81 | That was quite possibly the most boring then captivating couple of hours on TV I've seen.
No kidding. It was excruciating for a long time, then absolutety riveting. I could either listen to the insipid analysis on ESPN2, which included two analysts asserting that the U.S. is a contender to win. I'm thinking/hoping they had a liquid lunch. My other option was watch it on Univision, which included a discussion of Brazil's World Cup success accompanied by scenes of gorgeous, scantily clad Brazilian women supporting their national team. Guess which option I chose...
As far as the draw, the U.S. got a tough draw, but at least we're not in Group C; I think that's the most brutal draw in the Cup. And, to be honest, the U.S. was the best team in their pool of teams (by a good bit), so I figured they'd end up in one of the hardest groups.
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| thecubsfan
Scrapple
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| #5 Posted on 9.12.05 1649.47 | Instant Rating: 10.00 | So even if the US squeezes a second place out, they likely go up against Brazil in the second round. This...is not going to work out so well. They either have to win their group or get really lucky and hope for a Brazil stumble.
thecubsfan.com - CMLLBlog | MoeGates
Andouille
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| #6 Posted on 9.12.05 2231.15 | Instant Rating: 6.14 | Wow - England and Germany basically look to have pretty much a free pass to the Quarters. Count on England (and Spain) to blow it there though.
Predictions:
A1 - Germany
A2 - Poland
B1 - England
B2 - Sweden
C1 - Netherlands
C2 - Argentina
D1 - Portugal
D2 - Mexico
E1 - Czech Republic
E2 - USA (no, that's not the new way to spell "Italy")
F1 - Brazil
F2 - Japan
G1 - Korea
G2 - France
H1 - Spain
H2 - Ukraine
Round of 16:
Germany over Sweden
Netherlands over Mexico
England over Poland
Argentina over Portugal
Czech Republic over Japan
Korea over Ukraine
Brazil over USA
Spain over France
Quarters:
Netherlands over Germany
Czech Republic over Korea
Argentina over England
Brazil over Spain
Semis:
Czech Republic over Netherlands
Brazil over Argentina
Final:
Brazil over Czech Republic: 3-1.
Did I just have the Czech Republic make a run to the finals?
Man's most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe.
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| Big Bad
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| #7 Posted on 11.12.05 2357.14 | Instant Rating: 4.95 | As a half-Ukrainian living in a soccer wasteland, it'll be fun to actually have someone to cheer for during the World Cup. I think Ukraine looks like they have a really good shot to at least make the second round, and if they end up against Korea like MoeGates projected, well, I always thought the Koreans got a little lucky with the homefield advantage in the last Cup. Go Ukraine!
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| Deputy Marshall
Liverwurst
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| #8 Posted on 12.12.05 0005.37 | Instant Rating: 5.70 | Originally posted by Big Bad
As a half-Ukrainian living in a soccer wasteland, it'll be fun to actually have someone to cheer for during the World Cup. I think Ukraine looks like they have a really good shot to at least make the second round, and if they end up against Korea like MoeGates projected, well, I always thought the Koreans got a little lucky with the homefield advantage in the last Cup. Go Ukraine!
Definitely a nice sentimental pick, and I have no doubt they'll be able to handle Korea.
I agree that the home field advantage was the only thing keeping that team going in 2002. I just wanted to note that host countries automatically qualify for the finals, since I'm unsure if you were implying they were lucky because they were the host team or that they qualified the year it was held in their country.
Live long and
be fabulous. | BigSteve
Pepperoni
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| #9 Posted on 12.12.05 0007.14 | Instant Rating: 5.34 | The US draw isn't *that* bad in the first round. We should beat Ghana, and I could definately see at least winning one of two (or at worst a tie and a loss) against Italy and the Czech Republic. Italy din't fair too well in '02 if I recall. Of course that looming matchup with Brazil is where it gets ugly.
I'll go out on a "limb" and say Brazil edges Germany 2-1 in the final on a golden goal. But then, as much as I love watching the cup my knowledge of international (or domestic) soccer is almost nil. | ManiacalClown
Landjager
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| #10 Posted on 12.12.05 1553.24 | Instant Rating: 10.00 | Originally posted by BigSteve
The US draw isn't *that* bad in the first round. We should beat Ghana, and I could definately see at least winning one of two (or at worst a tie and a loss) against Italy and the Czech Republic. Italy din't fair too well in '02 if I recall. Of course that looming matchup with Brazil is where it gets ugly.
I'll go out on a "limb" and say Brazil edges Germany 2-1 in the final on a golden goal. But then, as much as I love watching the cup my knowledge of international (or domestic) soccer is almost nil.
Obviously, since there isn't a golden goal rule any longer. 
But seriously, our draw SUCKED HARD, but I think we're good enough to overcome it. We didn't have a particularly favorable draw in 2002, either, if you remember, playing both supposed contender Portugal and the hosts South Korea, with Poland (the only team in the opening round to beat us) also a solid European representative. Only thing left to do now is wait and see.
 | MoeGates
Andouille
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| #11 Posted on 12.12.05 1632.24 | Instant Rating: 6.14 | But then, as much as I love watching the cup my knowledge of international (or domestic) soccer is almost nil.
This is all you need to know about international soccer:
England and Spain always choke.
Never pick against Brazil.
(edited by MoeGates on 12.12.05 1733)
Man's most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe.
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Euripides
| Merc
Potato korv
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|  #12 Posted on 13.12.05 0052.31 | Instant Rating: 6.61 | Originally posted by MoeGates
Never pick against Brazil.
You can scratch that one this year though. They face the might of Australia, with the genius of Guus Hiddink to guide us. 
Acutally, the number of people in this country who think Australia have a chance over Brazil, because we beat them in a 3rd/4th playoff in the 2001 Confederations Cup (?) is quite frightening. Masterful tactician coach or no, we simply don't have the football freaks that Brazil does. | Canard
Cotechino
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|  #13 Posted on 13.12.05 1605.31 | Originally posted by The Goon
That was quite possibly the most boring then captivating couple of hours on TV I've seen.
Thankfully over here the BBC decided to ignored all the 'show' beforehand and started their programme just 10 minutes before the first ball was drawn. I remember sitting through all that crap waiting for the 2002 WC draw and didn't want to do that again.
As for the draw itself England finally get a favourable draw - now go and watch us crash out at the first hurdle! | ManiacalClown
Landjager
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| #14 Posted on 13.12.05 1914.08 | Instant Rating: 10.00 | Originally posted by Merc
Originally posted by MoeGates
Never pick against Brazil.
You can scratch that one this year though. They face the might of Australia, with the genius of Guus Hiddink to guide us.
Acutally, the number of people in this country who think Australia have a chance over Brazil, because we beat them in a 3rd/4th playoff in the 2001 Confederations Cup (?) is quite frightening. Masterful tactician coach or no, we simply don't have the football freaks that Brazil does.
It amazes me the number of fans who completely forget that Brazil tends to send youth teams to any international tournament that isn't the World Cup. It's this exact reason why Mexico beating us in Olympic qualifying didn't mean a damn thing.
| dMp
Banger
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|  #15 Posted on 14.12.05 1412.45 | Instant Rating: 5.74 | But there MUST be one world cup where Brazil chokes and does not make the finals, right? (Actually I am sure this has happened in the past 2-3 championships but it should happen again this time)
The German team has been called weak a lot of times in the past three years, but this is in their home country and they are the Germans. I am sure they will get far.
For once, The Netherlands is claiming to not be going far. A hard group added to that feeling. 'We' have a youthful team of guys that want to fight for things and coach Marco van Basten has explained that this is a building stage.
So I predict they go deeper than usual, since the players seem more like a team than ever and are willing to fight for it.
Brazil-Netherlands in the finals, with Brazil winning 3-1. ;)
*sigh* Why bother? | spf
Scrapple
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| #16 Posted on 14.12.05 1519.59 | Instant Rating: 5.57 | Originally posted by dMp
But there MUST be one world cup where Brazil chokes and does not make the finals, right? (Actually I am sure this has happened in the past 2-3 championships but it should happen again this time
Last non-Brazil final was 1990, West Germany 1-0 over Argentina. That was the end of West Germany's time, in which by 1990 they had made 5 of the last 7 finals, going 2-3 in them.
edit: to JJD: I rule. ;)
(edited by spf on 14.12.05 1612) | JayJayDean
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| #17 Posted on 14.12.05 1523.23 | Instant Rating: 6.59 | Originally posted by dMp
But there MUST be one world cup where Brazil chokes and does not make the finals, right? (Actually I am sure this has happened in the past 2-3 championships but it should happen again this time)
PAST WORLD CUP FINALS RESULTS
2002 - Brazil 2, Germany 0
1998 - France 3, Brazil 0
1994 - Brazil 0, Italy 0 - Brazil wins 3-2 on penalty kicks
In 1990, Brazil lost to eventual finalist Argentina on the round of sixteen.
EDIT: Damn you, spf...DAMN...YOU!
(edited by JayJayDean on 14.12.05 1323)
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| Canard
Cotechino
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| #18 Posted on 14.12.05 1753.24 | Brazil and Germany pretty much do rule whenever the World Cup comes round not matter how bad their form may or may not have been in the lead up to the tournament.
I remember one commentator saying that there has been only one post-WW2 World Cup final in which one of those two teams was not involved (1978 Argentina v Holland I believe). Just goes to show their dominance over the years.
(edited by Canard on 14.12.05 2354) | richcon
Linguica
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| #19 Posted on 14.12.05 1808.13 | Instant Rating: 8.08 | Man that is a tough group for the Americans.
England vs Sweden is a match up I am really looking forward to watching. Poland vs Germany should be very interesting. There are a lot of Polish players playing in Germany, and I imagine there will be a decent amount of Polish fans in attendance. | Zeruel
Thirty Millionth Hit
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| #20 Posted on 15.12.05 2013.14 | Instant Rating: 4.05 | Originally posted by Deputy Marshall
I just wanted to note that host countries automatically qualify for the finals
True for now.
For those that haven't heard, FIFA is making the host qualify for the 2010 cup and on.
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