I see some hands over here...
If I were Polish, I'd be wary of facing Germany yet again. Hasn't worked out so well in world history.
Are Arriga and Arriaga II planning to play for Portugal?
"Oh, I'll kill myself if Portugal doesn't win."
On the other hand, the other game in that group, Angola v. Iran, is a game that won't matter between two teams that nobody cares about and that would never have met each other were it not for this tournament. In any case, this group is too easy and made me mad.
Also too easy are groups G and H.
Though group E is tough.. I think C is worse. I feel that the rankings are shaky at best, and the Dutch are better than both the USA and Czechs, and the Ivory Coast is Africa's strongest team.
USA's best chance to get out is to get draws vs. Czech Republic and Italy, and a big win v. Ghana. Then we're pretty much guaranteed to go through, unless the Czechs and Italy tie and have both beaten Ghana by more. It'll be tough though. I don't think the Czechs are all that fantastic, though, despite their ranking.
It was all rather game-showy. What're the chances we draw the brackets at ABD live on the spot with ping-pong balls and big bowls and everything?
We did a live drawing of brackets for the first-ever Burns singles tournament using envelopes and a pillow case.
Roughly speaking, it turned up being all the trashy veterans who had come in from out of town in one bracket, with Craig, Rebecca and a bunch of Michigan students in the other.
I don't get the Sweden thing.
Well, England will likely somehow find a way to choke and lose to both Sweden and Paraguay - someone remind me why I cheer for them again?
Teams that I think got screwed in the draw: Ivory Coast, USA, Japan.
Mexico's going to lose in the Round of 16 to whoever wins that war in Group C between Argentina and the Netherlands.
Semifinals: Germany over Portugal, Brazil over France
Finals: Brazil over Germany
Ryan,
England is coached by Sven-Goren Erikkson, a native of Sweden.
CDB
We definitely got the toughest group...but I gotta say, I think we can hang with any of those teams. I'm not saying our advancing is a lock, but although we're not the favorites we have a non-trivial chance of winning it.
And Jesus, what the hell kind of group is Group H? Spain hasn't had this easy a draw since Pizzaro played Atahualapa.
Noel
I will say that if Bariaga isn't playing, then the Mexico-Portugal match isn't for crap.
(FWIW, Mexico has never played Portugal in the World Cup. In fact, they don't seem to have ever faced each other in major tournament play.)
Why do I get the feeling that group H is going to be the NL West/AFC East of the tournament? I can see the second team getting through with three points.
It seems that there could even be a third group of death (F, but it's not quite as strong as the other two). There will be lots of entertaining matchups to be had.
The U.S. has its hands full, certainly... I think they'll even have to bear down just to beat Ghana, who might have the best individual player in the group in Michael Essien. I guess they could have Cote d'Ivoire's position in Group C, though.
Some other thoughts:
- Watch England pull out its Northern Ireland form and lose to a well-organized T&T, thus costing them a berth in the next round... I may just have to paint my face to look like T&T's flag.
- Group C really is harder than Group E, really.
- Group G could end up with all four teams on three points in a tie that can only be resolved by a coin flip... And Togo and South Korea have made the next round!
Thanks, Noel. With all due respect to Dan Blake, whoever you are, you sound a lot like those folks in 2002 who were talking about how we should try to squeak out a 0-0 tie with Portugal and then hope for the best. C'mon. Not that it'll be easy, but you know.
So just how much snow does it take to close school in Michigan, anyway? 
Not saying we should play for a tie, just that it might end up being the easiest way. I agree though, always play for the win.
Kris,
When I was a student, back in the day, it took about a foot to close school. It never happened. But sometime around 1999, the superintendents of seven local school districts decided to get together and conference call on big snow days. So they call each other around 3:00 AM and if a majority say no school, they all cancel it, thus providing political cover for one another. So this time it took a grand total of about four inches.
Not a fan of the U.S. bracket. That said, one of the seeds is going to miss - it just has to happen. I can't see who else it would be, and Italy was the lowest of the eight... could be ripe for an upset. Going in with no expectations probably won't hurt either, nor will having what should be the easiest match (Ghana) last. Of course, unless we miraculously top the group, even going through means a probable date with Brazil. Woof.
Still, watching Mexico draw the group they did just makes me hate them even more.
Commenting by HaloScan
