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World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 1:28 pm
by Captain Ned
The US got hosed. Germany, Portugal, and Ghana. Ugh.

Oh, and we have the longest travel schedule of anyone in the group stage. I know FIFA doesn't like us, but let's not make it so obvious.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 2:00 pm
by Hawkwing74
I know Germany is very strong. Are Ghana and Portugal also strong?
I'm strictly a bandwagon US soccer fan. I need help knowing why this is bad.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 2:07 pm
by Captain Ned
Hawkwing74 wrote:
I know Germany is very strong. Are Ghana and Portugal also strong?
I'm strictly a bandwagon US soccer fan. I need help knowing why this is bad.

Ghana has taken us out in the last 2 World Cups. Portugal is traditionally strong at Cup time and they're playing in a Portuguese-speaking nation. Oh, and some guy named Cristiano Ronaldo plays for them. If he's having a good day, no one is beating Portugal.

No Timmy, we got hosed.

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/usnationa ... 23?cc=5901

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 2:44 pm
by ahmedabdo
I think if USA can beat Ghana, and get something from Portugal match, then they may have a chance of advancing to the next round. Klinsmann is good, he did very well in the qualifications. I also think that no team in the group can get points against the Germans. So, two matches that US team need to concentrate on to advance.
However, It is harder to be done than to be said.

*I'm not from any country in the world cup.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 3:03 pm
by derFunkenstein
I was amused by all the whining about the "group of death" on Twitter. Like the US has a chance of winning a World Cup. :lol:

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 3:05 pm
by Captain Ned
derFunkenstein wrote:
I was amused by all the whining about the "group of death" on Twitter. Like the US has a chance of winning a World Cup. :lol:

Winning? No. FIFA would find a way to stop that if it were about to happen. Instead, I'd like to get past the second round once in a while.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 3:34 pm
by morphine
Captain Ned wrote:
Ghana has taken us out in the last 2 World Cups. Portugal is traditionally strong at Cup time and they're playing in a Portuguese-speaking nation. Oh, and some guy named Cristiano Ronaldo plays for them. If he's having a good day, no one is beating Portugal.

In the past (5-6 years ago), I've hated CR7 because he'd do pretty things but end up losing the ball. Then he got truly good. Then much to his chagrin, Messi appeared, which is 1% better than him (but still better).

Right now at this moment, I believe that CR7 is the world's best player. I just hope it lasts or stays close to that for more than one season.

The problem is, despite us having a good team, we don't have a great team, as the average is way below CR7's level. Pains me to say so, but that's the brutal truth. And not all teams will play like the Swedes (last big game), whose defenders seem to have forgotten that CR7 is probably the fastest player in the history of soccer (considering speed+ball control) . He goes "meep meep" and *POW*, he's gone in a puff of smoke. See here.

So yeah, of course I'm hoping for the best, but realistically, it's probably Germany. And the US shouldn't sell themselves short, I personally believe you guys play better than you're given credit for. Hell, you even eliminated us once.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 3:49 pm
by windwalker
Whoa, this is some high level paranoia here.

Germany is the only team in the group with consistently good results.
All of the rest have on occasion did OK, but that doesn't mean much for a competition that happens only every four years.
Most of the teams that have qualified more than once did that.

USA sucks at football because it's not popular there. It's not even known by the correct name.
There are not a lot of players, teams, viewers and money compared to European countries.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 3:57 pm
by Captain Ned
windwalker wrote:
Whoa, this is some high level paranoia here.

No, just friendly cynicism. The US winning the World Cup is orthogonal to reality.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 4:01 pm
by Game_boy
I'm excited for England's group because we have a great chance of going Loss, Loss, Draw and then some serious reforms of the system happening. Like actually having an intensive training schedule as a team. Like only picking players who will actually work hard. Like an effective youth programme. Like hiring Harry Redknapp that EVERYONE except the FA want.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 4:02 pm
by Captain Ned
Game_boy wrote:
I'm excited for England's group because we have a great chance of going Loss, Loss, Draw and then some serious reforms of the system happening. Like actually having an intensive training schedule as a team. Like only picking players who will actually work hard. Like an effective youth programme. Like hiring Harry Redknapp that EVERYONE except the FA want.

Yeah, England got stuck in Group of Death 2nd Class.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 4:09 pm
by morphine
Captain Ned wrote:
windwalker wrote:
Whoa, this is some high level paranoia here.

No, just friendly cynicism. The US winning the World Cup is orthogonal to reality.

Would you believe me if I told you that I would love to see that happen, if only to prove to the rest of the world that the US can play soccer just like anyone else and end the "racism"?

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 4:17 pm
by superjawes
morphine wrote:
Captain Ned wrote:
windwalker wrote:
Whoa, this is some high level paranoia here.

No, just friendly cynicism. The US winning the World Cup is orthogonal to reality.

Would you believe me if I told you that I would love to see that happen, if only to prove to the rest of the world that the US can play soccer just like anyone else and end the "racism"?

That would be awesome, but highly unlikely. American football has been known to recruit soccer players as kickers, and young athletes can expect more lucrative careers through American football than soccer because of the higher profile (possibly professional, but definitely for university scholarships).

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 4:19 pm
by Captain Ned
morphine wrote:
Would you believe me if I told you that I would love to see that happen, if only to prove to the rest of the world that the US can play soccer just like anyone else and end the "racism"?

I do. The issue never really comes up in the Euro leagues with US players (ask Everton fans); it seems restricted to the management levels of FIFA for what are most likely R&P reasons having nothing to do with how well the US plays football.

FTR, since this thread is likely to go on for several months, it'll be football from me here on out.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 4:36 pm
by Captain Ned
superjawes wrote:
That would be awesome, but highly unlikely. American football has been known to recruit soccer players as kickers, and young athletes can expect more lucrative careers through American football than soccer because of the higher profile (possibly professional, but definitely for university scholarships).

Yet in a small state like Vermont the expensive sport of US football in high schools is slowly dying due to budget issues and declining school enrollments, to the point where there might soon be only the dozen largest high schools in the state playing it. Within a 5 mile radius of my house I can count about 30 outdoor and 12 indoor football fields that are rarely vacant.

I know it's been called several times, starting with Pele, Chinaglia, and Beckenbauer (bit of a surprise there) in the glory days of the NASL and the New York Cosmos back in the late '70s, but I think this time it's really the wave of the future. My guess is that in the next 20 years or so, American football will be on an abrupt decline in the high school ranks outside of the South and Midwest and football will be on a major rise. The timing depends on how ugly the American football concussion scandal gets. It will soon be possible to reliably test for CTE in living individuals and when parents of kids playing Pop Warner are shown that their kids are already taking damage, American football is toast.

So, Europe, our best will soon be on the field ready to show you what we've got.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 6:30 pm
by toastie
You can't make the claim that the US is a strong contender at the same time you complain they got a bad draw. If Ghana, Germany and Portugal are all strong, and the US is as well, then only 2 of 4 good teams will move on, so at least one good team won't advance. And if the US isn't a strong team, or was in a weak group, would it be satisfactory to move on to the 2nd round and get crushed?

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 6:33 pm
by morphine
Captain Ned wrote:
it seems restricted to the management levels of FIFA for what are most likely R&P reasons having nothing to do with how well the US plays football.

I understand. Those are the same old farts that refuse to implement electronic goal control and a host of other improvements just because they still like their buggy-carts.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 7:18 pm
by Captain Ned
toastie wrote:
You can't make the claim that the US is a strong contender at the same time you complain they got a bad draw. If Ghana, Germany and Portugal are all strong, and the US is as well, then only 2 of 4 good teams will move on, so at least one good team won't advance. And if the US isn't a strong team, or was in a weak group, would it be satisfactory to move on to the 2nd round and get crushed?

And this is the first time you've ever kvetched at your team's Cup draw? The games don't start for 6 months so what else are we to talk about?

For those teams stuck playing group games in the equatorial belt: If Cup rules allow it, I'd have them practicing hard in the steamy local heat as much as possible.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 7:31 pm
by Captain Ned
morphine wrote:
Those are the same old farts that refuse to implement electronic goal control and a host of other improvements just because they still like their buggy-carts.

When it comes to active rejection of modern technology that could improve refs'/umps' calls, FIFA and Major League Baseball must have spent an expensive weekend in some grand hotel on the Med getting their stories straight before saying no.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 7:32 pm
by BoBzeBuilder
Go Iran. Kick ass.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 7:36 pm
by morphine
Captain Ned wrote:
morphine wrote:
Those are the same old farts that refuse to implement electronic goal control and a host of other improvements just because they still like their buggy-carts.

When it comes to active rejection of modern technology that could improve refs'/umps' calls, FIFA and Major League Baseball must have spent an expensive weekend in some grand hotel on the Med getting their stories straight before saying no.

With hookers and booze, I'm sure.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 7:39 pm
by Captain Ned
morphine wrote:
With hookers and booze, I'm sure.

Say no more. :D

Oh, and England still got hosed on that one.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2013 10:10 pm
by JohnC
"Everything is FIFA's fault, guys!" Image

Meanwhile, at USA national team's training camp...
Image

:lol:

Fact #1: The only place that matters in 2014 (or any other year's) World Cup is the first one.
Fact #2: USA's team will not reach it, regardless of the pairings with other teams. They are still pretty bad. Not as awful as Russia's team but not as good as top Euro or SA teams.
Fact #3: The team that will reach first place will be from Europe (Germany/Italy/England/Spain/Portugal/Netherlands) or South America (Brasil/Argentina/Uruguay). Most likely Brasil, considering that they will be a host country and they did very well during latest FIFA Confederations Cup.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:43 am
by Usacomp2k3
Soccer is definitely up-and-coming. We're even getting a MLS team here starting in 2015. Maybe my son will be have the attention span to go watch.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 9:33 am
by Hawkwing74
Captain Ned wrote:
The timing depends on how ugly the American football concussion scandal gets. It will soon be possible to reliably test for CTE in living individuals and when parents of kids playing Pop Warner are shown that their kids are already taking damage, American football is toast.

Very interesting thing to watch in the near future. I also wondered about the concussion scandal and long-term effects on the NFL.

Re: World Cup 2014 draw

Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2013 10:04 pm
by 2x4
Captain Ned wrote:
The US got hosed. Germany, Portugal, and Ghana. Ugh.

Oh, and we have the longest travel schedule of anyone in the group stage. I know FIFA doesn't like us, but let's not make it so obvious.


the only reason us showed up at recent world cups casue they have nobody but 3rd world countries to face in qualifications.