In addition to heritage and such, sometimes it's just fun to root for a team that has a shot in hell of actually winning the thing.
My basic rule is that I'll root for any country I've actually been to over one that I haven't. My heart is rooting for Spain - I got into soccer basically because I was in Spain during the last World Cup. My head, however, is rooting for the Czech Republic, as 33-1 'dogs for the #2 ranked FIFA team with a World-Class striker and the world's best goalkeeper was by far the odds given on anyone.
Man's most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe. - Euripides
Originally posted by MoeGatesMy head, however, is rooting for the Czech Republic, as 33-1 'dogs for the #2 ranked FIFA team with a World-Class striker and the world's best goalkeeper was by far the odds given on anyone.
Although Koller (who is not only 6'8" but actually has skills--he's amazing) has to be out for the tournament and it's only one game, that bet has to be looking good. The Czechs were just incredible today. More disheartening, the U.S. looked like they were either tired or just gave up. This result is also bad because of goal differential and its importance in any potential tiebreakers.
Of course, if the U.S. plays like this against Italy, tiebreakers will be the least of anyone's concerns. I'm also curious to see how Italy plays today given their injuries and the bribery scandal. And, Ghana has a solid team as well. Should be interesting...
EDIT: Italy looks real strong. And, more importantly, they are not playing like the Italians of recent vintage. They are actually attacking and pushing the ball. After Italy beating Ghana, the U.S. has to win on Saturday in order to advance. It'll be difficult.
(edited by Corajudo on 12.6.06 1559) "Teach children that they have great potential because they are human." -Warrior
Originally posted by thecubsfanAussies took a while to get going, but they sure got going.
edit: and I typed that before they scored the third goal! Japan just died after the first goal, that's a remarkable turn of events.
(edited by thecubsfan on 12.6.06 0954)
I went to bed after Arrested Development, about the 60th minute of the game, when we were still 1-0 down. I knew the score as it happened because the people across the road went absolutely bananas every goal.
If the score had stayed 1-0, I can imagine all the papers would have been talking about the non call for the possible foul on our keeper when Japan scored.
Head to head is only the first tiebreaker in the qualifyiers. It's the more traditional goal difference, then goals scored in the finals. Head to (to head, if necessary) is the third tiebreaker
Thanks. I think I miss heard the studio talking about the tie breakers.
This is taken from the PDF. Tie breakers:
1) Goal difference in all group matches. 2) Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches. 3) Greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned. (Head to head) 4) Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned. 5) Greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned. 6) Drawing of lots by the Organising Committee for the FIFA World Cup.
Group B 1st place: England (6 pts, +3 GD) secures 1st place with a win or tie vs Sweden Sweden (4 pts, +1 GD) secures 1st place only with a win over England
2nd place: England (6 pts, +3 GD) has secured at least 2nd place Sweden (4 pts, +1 GD) will secure 2nd place with a tie vs England or Trinidad and Tobago loss; or a loss with a T&T loss with a better GD. Trinidad and Tobago (1 pt, -2 GD) will secure 2nd place with a win over Paraguay AND a Sweden loss to England AND T&T making up the -3 GD they have to Sweden. Example: T&T wins 3-1 and Sweden loses 0-2; IF T&T and Sweden have the same GD. IF they both have the same GD, then goals scored will decide it. IF they have have the same amount of goals scored, they tied so head-to-head won't work, or goal difference or goal scored in their game because it was a 0-0 tie, so it will be broken by drawing lots.
(edited by Zeruel on 15.6.06 1739)
"EUUUUGGHHHHHH... UUUHHHH... UUUHHHHHHH... OOOOOHHHUHHH..." -- The Zombie
Just once I'd like to see a World Cup group have nothing but 0-0 draws. It would be funny to see the collective heart attacks of the countries that lose the random draws.
"You know what the fellow said: In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love. They had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock." --- Harry Lime (Orson Welles) in The Third Man
There's been a drawing of lots in a World Cup before, though it was only to decide who finished 2nd and who finished 3rd (4 third placed teams qualified for the second round in 1986, 1990 and 1994, as there were only 6 groups in the first round). In Group H of the 1990 World Cup, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands both finished on exactly the same number of points, goal difference, goals scored, and drew their match. So lots had to be drawn. Before penalty shoot-outs were introduced, european competitions (European Cup, UEFA Cup, etc.) used to toss a coin in the event of no winner being found, even after a replay. Liverpool once won a Cup Winners Cup tie this way.
Just like with group A, two teams have two wins Argentina (6 pts, +7 GD) will take 1st place with a win over or tie with The Netherlands (6 pts, +2 GD)
Group D is looking like group B
Portugal (6 pts, +3 GD) has secured at least 2nd place. They will secure 1st place with a win or tie with Mexico Mexico (4 pts, +2 GD) will secure 2nd place with a tie with Portugal or an Angola loss. They will secure 1st place with a win over Portugal. Angola (1 pt, -1 GD) will secure 2nd place with a Mexico loss and a win over Iran with a better GD than Mexico. If they both have the same GD, Angola needs to have scored more goals (their 0 to Mexico's 3) to advance. Angola is looking to win by at least a 3-0 margin. If that is still tied, time to draw lots.
(edited by Zeruel on 17.6.06 1256)
"EUUUUGGHHHHHH... UUUHHHH... UUUHHHHHHH... OOOOOHHHUHHH..." -- The Zombie
Group E (I hope I have these right, everyone is still alive)
Italy (4 pts, +2 GD) secures 2nd place with loss to The Czech Republic and a USA victory over Ghana w/o making the GD or a USA Ghana tie. Italy secures 1st place with a win or tie with The Czech Republic .
The Czech Republic (3 pts, +1 GD) secures 2nd place with a tie with Italy and and a Ghana tie or USA win w/o overcoming the GD. The Czech Republic secures 1st place with a win over Italy and a USA victory or tie, or Ghana wining and not overcoming the GD.
Ghana (3 pts, Even GD) secures 2nd place with a win or tie and Italy win. If both games end in a tie, Italy and The Czech Republic advance. Ghana secures 1st place with a win and a Czech tie with Italy, or a Czech win over Italy and Ghana overcomes the GD.
The United States of America (1 pt, -3 GD) can secure 2nd place with a win and a Czech win and having a better GD than Italy, or a win and a Italy-Czech tie with a better GD than The Czech Republic, or a Win and a Czech loss. The United States of America have been eliminated from 1st place.
"EUUUUGGHHHHHH... UUUHHHH... UUUHHHHHHH... OOOOOHHHUHHH..." -- The Zombie
That was a great game between Ghana and the Czechs today. Group E is acting like a real 'group of death' should -- going into the final games, nobody has any clue who's moving onto the next round. Whomever is second in E faces the first-place team of Group F (a.k.a. Brazil) in the next round, so it'll get really interesting.
"You know what the fellow said: In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love. They had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock." --- Harry Lime (Orson Welles) in The Third Man
Brazil (6 pts, +3 GD) can only lose 1st place with a loss and Australia win and covering the GD or having more goals scored. Brazil will take 1st with a win or tie.
Australia (3 pts, even GD) can take 1st place as described above. They can take 2nd with a win or tie and Japan doesn't win and cover the GD.
Croatia (1 pt, -1 GD) can take 2nd place with a win and a Japan loss or tie, or a win and a Japan win and Japan not covering the GD.
Japan (1 pt, -2 GD) can take 2nd place with a win and covering Australia's GD and Australia getting a tie with Croatia or a Croatia win and Japan covering Croatia's GD. A loss or a Australia or Croatia win (with a better GD) can knock them out.
Group G is very complicated:
Switzerland (4 pts, +2 GD) Korea (4 pts, +1 GD) France (2 pts, even GD) Togo (0 pts, -3 GD)
Togo is eliminated Korea vs Switzerland & France vs Togo Scenarios: Korea wins & France wins -- Korea 1st (7 pts), France 2nd (5 pts) Korea wins & Togo win/Draw -- Korea 1st (7 pts), Switzerland 2nd (4 pts) Switzerland wins & France wins -- Switzerland 1st (7 pts), France 2nd (5 pts) Switzerland wins & Togo win/Draw -- Switzerland 1st (7 pts), Korea 2nd (4 pts) Draw & Togo win/Draw -- Switzerland 1st (5 pts, +2 GD), Korea 2nd (5 pts, +1 GD)
Draw & France wins -- France, Switzerland, Korea tie for 1st place(5 pts each). Goes to tie breakers. Switzerland has better GD over Korea, Korea eliminated from 1st place. If France wins by three or more (which would be better than Switzerland's +2 GD) then France wins 1st with +3 or more GD and Switzerland wins 2nd, Korea eliminated. If France wins by two goals, France and Switzerland are tied with GD over Korea, Korea eliminated. If France scores two or more goals than Switzerland (2-0 vs 0-0) than France takes 1st on Goals Scored. If France only scores one more than Switzerland (4-2 vs 3-3) then lots will be drawn. If France and Switzerland score the same amount of goals (2-0 vs 2-2) then Switzerland takes 1st on goals scores, France takes 2nd. If France wins by one goal, France and Korea will tie on GD. Switzerland takes 1st on GD. If France wins by three or more, France takes 2nd on goals scored. If France wins by two, they draw lots. If France scores one goal, or doesn't score more than Korea, Korea takes 2nd on goals scored.
PHEW!
Group H: Spain (6 pts, +6 GD) takes 1st with a win or tie; a Ukraine loss or tie; or a loss and a Ukraine win w/o covering the GD. Spain can do no worse than 2nd.
Ukraine (3 pts, even GD) can only take 1st with a win, Spain loss, and covering the GD. Spain has three more goals scored, so if they tie in GD, Ukraine will have to score at least three goals to win that way. They can take 2nd with a win or tie and having a better GD than the Saudis if they win.
Tunisia (1 pt, -2 GD) can take 2nd with a win over Ukraine and Saudi win by less than two goals (plus any Tunisia scored), or Saudi loss or tie. Tunisia has one more goal scored than the Saudis
Saudi Arabia (1 pt, -4 GD) can take 2nd with a win over Spain and an Ukraine tie and covering their GD; win and Tunisia win and covering their GD, or a win and a Ukraine-Tunisia tie and covering Ukraine's GD.
"EUUUUGGHHHHHH... UUUHHHH... UUUHHHHHHH... OOOOOHHHUHHH..." -- The Zombie
Keep on, keepin' on. Finish first in the group and avoid Brazil in the round of 16.
Spain's group isn't matched up with Brazil's group in the Round of 16. A team from the US' group will face Brazil in the first round of the knockout stage.
Keep on, keepin' on. Finish first in the group and avoid Brazil in the round of 16.
Spain's group isn't matched up with Brazil's group in the Round of 16. A team from the US' group will face Brazil in the first round of the knockout stage.
Thread ahead: UFC vs. Pride: Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva this November Next thread: American in Yellow once again! Previous thread: Kobayashi Breaks Record but has Closest Finish in Nathan's Contest
The Web Archive DID come through for me, so I updated the 2/25 rankings (The W) (which I mislabeled as "2/24") if you still care about that. Unlike last time, most everybody ranked 10 or 11 women this time.