2456 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

ESPN: Soccer Power Index - A guide
http://espn.go.com/s...7078/GuideToSPI

 

Soccer Power Index
http://espnfc.com/spi/rankings?cc=5901

[Icterus galbula]

SPI based projections-

 

http://espnfc.com/ne...ections?cc=5901

 

 

 

Team Win Pct. Advance Pct.

Germany 75.2% 91.8%

Portugal 9.5% 39.3%

USA 9.5% 39.3%

Ghana 5.6% 28.8%

http://espnfc.com/ne...-groups?cc=5901

 

 

Not as pessimistic as I imagined.

[Atomtastic]

I am not a conspiracy theorist (but with FIFA come corruption- please check where the next 2 World Cups are being played....) but the 3 English speaking countries in the World Cup, being England the USA, and Australia got the three worst groups in the World Cup, and all the South American teams came out licking their chops.  One thing that makes no sense to me, how can teams that struggled in qualifying (Mexico, France, etc) get drawn into more favorable groups than teams that steamrolled people in qualifying.  Also, how Italy and Netherlands were not #1 seeds over the likes of Switzerland and Belgium is crazy. 

[Don Quixote]

Everything is fine.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk...merica-25383023

[DJ MC]

[DJ MC]

http://prosoccertalk...stiano-ronaldo/

 

That's SIR Cristiano to you!

[DJ MC]

Obese Fans Will Get Discounts, Special Wider Seats At The World Cup

 

I'm on my way now!

[Oriole85]

World Cup schedule (ESPN Press Release)

 

Mon 6/16 5:30 p.m. ESPN Ghana vs. USA Estadio das Dunas (Natal)
Sun 6/22 5:30 p.m. ESPN USA vs. Portugal Arena Amazonia (Manaus)
Thu 6/26 11:30 a.m. ESPN USA vs. Germany Arena Pernambuco (Recife)

Pretty favorable TV schedule other than that last match, but that could be a "long lunch."

[DJ MC]

World Cup schedule (ESPN Press Release)

 

Pretty favorable TV schedule other than that last match, but that could be a "long lunch."

Dammit, they're going to pre-empt PTI!

[Pedro Cerrano]

World Cup schedule (ESPN Press Release)

 

Pretty favorable TV schedule other than that last match, but that could be a "long lunch."

 

I hate to say it, but I'm predicting 0-3...

[Don Quixote]

I hate to say it, but I'm predicting 0-3...

 

Not that unlikely, agreed.

[DuffMan]

World Cup schedule (ESPN Press Release)

 

Pretty favorable TV schedule other than that last match, but that could be a "long lunch."

I think I'm coming down with a cough that may peak on June 26th *cough*

[DuffMan]

And I predict the US makes it out of group play.   They will beat Ghana in the opener.  After that they will do enough in their final two games to advance to the knockout stage.

[Pedro Cerrano]

It's nice to have an international competition in the Western Hemisphere again.  After the Beijing and London games and the last World Cup in South Africa and the Sochi Olympics, I've about had it with weird start times.

[glenn__davis]

Agree with Pedro.  The last few major international sporting events have been tough to follow.  Looking forward to the WC and Olympics in Brazil (pretty convinced that Brazil is totally going to screw up the Olympics, but we'll see.) 

[DJ MC]

Agree with Pedro.  The last few major international sporting events have been tough to follow.  Looking forward to the WC and Olympics in Brazil (pretty convinced that Brazil is totally going to screw up the Olympics, but we'll see.) 

 

If Russia couldn't screw up the Winter Olympics in any meaningful fashion, I can't see it happening in Brazil.

[glenn__davis]

Say what you want about the Russians, but I had little doubt they'd pull off a great Olympics, and they did.  Can't say I feel the same about Brazil.  They'll at least get a nice trial run for the Olympics with the World Cup.

[DuffMan]

Say what you want about the Russians, but I had little doubt they'd pull off a great Olympics, and they did.  Can't say I feel the same about Brazil.  They'll at least get a nice trial run for the Olympics with the World Cup.

I would argue that they care more about the World Cup than they do the olympics.

[glenn__davis]

I would argue that they care more about the World Cup than they do the olympics.

 

Oh, I would certainly agree with that.  But the Olympics is more difficult to pull off, so it's good that they'll get a bit of a logistical "dry run".

[Oriole85]

ESPN: Brazil scrambles to finish work

 

World Cup organizers will mark 100 days to go on Tuesday with work still to be done on stadiums and infrastructure in the 12 host cities.

 

There are four stadiums still under construction, and work outside many venues is far from over. Airports likely won't have all the work completed, and many urban projects initially expected to be ready for the World Cup won't be finished until after the event.