TR Forums

Let's give ESPN a try for once.

[TR] Does Pele

http://games.espn.go.com/world-cup-brac ... upID=38989

Open group, no logins required (I think).

I joined. Since I know nothing about World Cup team strengths, my picks will probably do well.

In. I follow just a little bit, enough to know that the US got hosed in the draw.

Well, that was gruesome. Picked Spain to win it all and they're not even going to get out of their group.

"Past performance is no guarantee of future results."

Painful, painful, painful. Within 30 seconds of punching their ticket to the knockout round and they let Ronaldo make that cross. Now to get in without help they need to beat or draw Germany. Yeah.

Oi, talk about mixed emotions. Italy gone, and it wasn't even Balotelli who picked up the red, though I'm not complaining that that bunch of floppers is going home. OTOH, why does Luis Suarez, who has skills beyond belief, feel the need to chomp down? I've seen his attempt at reaction; it's useless. That was a full-on intentional bite. If Blatter lets him play on the uproar will be universal and justified. The real question is the proper punishment. Lifetime's too strong (make it clear that the next one means that, though), but he should sit in anything FIFA-sanctioned (which includes the Premiere League) from today through at least 12 months.

I hope Liverpool wrote sufficient contract terms to avoid paying him when his inner cannibal came back out.

My rooting-for picks are USA, Netherlands, and Brasil. I was hoping Japan would work some magic against Colombia today, but wow, they are pretty dang good.

Now, if Suarez can keep from biting people, that'd be nice.

I''ll wait until Thursday for the full knockout bracket, but Uruguay needs to find another striker as Suarez is done for some time. Hurts, because I always pick Uruguay as the small-country sneaky side that takes out big sides. Worked for most of '10 but in that one Suarez must have confined his biting to a sadly-abused towel.

In my pidgin of Quebecois and Anglais, QQF?

Since I have no Cable TV, I watch games (legal & free, no registration is even required) on my iPad using the Univision Deportes app. Commentary is in Spanish, but I can't imagine it would be quite as good without the "Goooo....ooooaaaalllll" calls

Oh, Belgium.

Find the source.

Germany v. France this coming Friday. World wars have been started by less.

Captain Ned wrote:

Germany v. France this coming Friday. World wars have been started by less.

I'm an Englishman living in France and I can tell you that the people I know here aren't holding out too much hope.

Germany look far too strong on paper, but the way both teams have been playing I reckon the French might just nick it.
Not sure they'll get any further if they do win though...

Wow. I was pretty sure Germany would beat Brazil with Neymar out but I sure didn't think that a 7-1 humiliation (and that 1 coming in the last minute) on home turf was possible. I think we have a favorite for the final.

Captain Ned wrote:

Wow. I was pretty sure Germany would beat Brazil with Neymar out but I sure didn't think that a 7-1 humiliation (and that 1 coming in the last minute) on home turf was possible. I think we have a favorite for the final.

Germany had very limited bribing budget, barely enough for Spain and Brazil's teams

But seriously, it wasn't really surprising considering that Brasil weren't very "entertaining" in all previous games.

Wow... I'm not shocked Brazil lost but wow... By when it was 0-3 my jaw was dropped, when it was 0-4 I nearly fell out of my chair... ...and then it kept going...

What happen?

Someone set Brazil up the bomb!

I cannot believe what I witnessed today. I'm beyond gobsmacked

Germany gets a touchdown!

From Ricky Gervais: This won't be the first time that thousands of Germans will have to lie low in Brazil for a while for their own safety.

Google's front page doodle for today:

JohnC wrote:

Google's front page doodle for today:

Hah. A friend of mine whose living is graphic design for websites sent me this, except his had flames coming from the boot of the Brazilian Beetle. I assumed it was something he whipped up at work having nothing much to do for the second half (He sends our group stuff like this all the time).

For the record, yours was not the doodle I got just now. I got one of an ant measuring whether or not the ball crossed the line.

Something tells me the next Brazil/Germany friendly won't be. Pretty sure no one has ever been taken to the shed like this in a Cup semi-final.

Brazil quit, plain and simple. Even a soccer stupe like me can tell when a defense isn't defending

idchafee wrote:

Brazil quit, plain and simple

Yea, but question is, why did they do that? And why couldn't they find/hire better players before the qualifying games, considering such extreme importance of this type of sport in their country and that they were hosting it?

P.S: Poor Clovis... He gave away his copy of a trophy to a German fan at the end of the game... I hope he survives until next World Cup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmGfLZxbEJA

JohnC wrote:

Yea, but question is, why did they do that? And why couldn't they find/hire better players before the qualifying games, considering such extreme importance of this type of sport in their country and that they were hosting it?

It doesn't work that way in soccer. You can only play for the country you are eligible for (normally by birthright but there are other possibilities) and the rules on this are VERY strict. Eligible players are selected from across professional football, worldwide.

The Brazil squad has players who play for clubs in Brazil, Spain, France, England, Russia, Canada, Germany, Italy, and Ukraine. They are who they are, and although there are other eligible players, the squad that was selected by the coach are judged to be the best in the country.

They just lost their minds!

JohnC wrote:

P.S: Poor Clovis... He gave away his copy of a trophy to a German fan at the end of the game... I hope he survives until next World Cup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmGfLZxbEJA

He's been doing this a long time. He'll be alright. (Considering how photogenic that German fan is, he may already be doing alright).

That was one very lovely goal. I've not seen many better.