Tuesday, June 8, 2010

2010 World Cup Preview

You're thinking.... huh? Don't you hate soccer?... Well, that's a little true... but hear me out...
  1. For some reason, there's been clamoring for me to write a World Cup Preview...
  2. It's a gigantic world-wide sporting event that, by nature of how I live my life, is pretty unavoidable considering it's on ESPN/ABC, I read blogs, etc.
  3. USA! USA! USA!
So let's get to it... as a natural disclaimer... I know absolutely nothing soccer apart from what I've researched specifically for this...

GROUP FAVORITES
Group A: France & Uruguay (This may be the tightest group with Mexico also highly thought of)
Group B: Argentina is the clear leader, Greece and Nigeria to battle for 2nd
Group C: England is the front-runner; Most consider US at #2 followed by Algeria
Group D: Germany is the front-runner; Serbia considered #2
Group E: Netherlands are the front-runner; Cameroon and Denmark battling for #2
Group F: Italy #1, Paraguay #2
Group G: Brazil is Brazil... Portugal considered #2, but hearing/reading alot of Ivory Coast buzz
Group H: Spain #1, Chile #2

What is that based upon? Reading and rankings... Because, again, I know nothing...

Legit Candidates to win this Thing
  • I consistently hear Brazil as the best team in the world... that seems to be in line with their talent level (apparently absurd across the board), and their pedigree as the soccer power dating back decades...
  • Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, England, and Argentina are the other teams that are in high regard for various reasons....
Other themes
  • The best player in the world (apparently unanimously) is Lionel Messi of Argentina... he's the only guy capable of a Pele/Maradona performance that would carry his team on his back to the Cup title... but apparently his coach (Diego Maradona, the famous and CRAZY former player for Argentina) is the wild card and the reason most don't think they will win...
  • England is sending their best team in recent memory led by Wayne Rooney (a consensus top-5 player in the world), but it seems like English soccer is like the city of Cleveland/Chicago Cubs/Phoenix Suns ... something always goes wrong and the fans know it... add in the sex scandal thing from earlier in the year... yea....
  • Apparently northern hemisphere teams don't win in the southern hemisphere and vice versa... taking that into account blindly... the favorites become Brazil and Argentina...
  • 11 of the last 13 world cup finals have involved Brazil (not shocking) or Germany... the Germans are considered a "grind-it-out" team... winning 50-50 balls, and being generally gritty and strong... seems like my kind of thing
The United States
  • Clearly my only allegiance is with the US... because well, I'm not invested in soccer, but I can name 10+ guys on this team, and I know who's good and who isn't...
  • I've literally read the gamut of predictions/info on the US chances... they range from not making out of the group by losing to Algeria and England both... to possibly making a run as far as the semi-finals... Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey (along with goalkeeper Tim Howard) are the best players... Donovan has been a disappointment in the last 2 world cups... Jozy Altidore is widely discussed, but hasn't fulfilled his athletic potential, and only had 1 goal in the premier league...
  • Realistic winner? No... Vegas has them at around 50-to-1 to win the whole thing, but getting out of the group (an easy draw) seems to be a reasonable expectation when they are the 2nd ranked team in their 4 team group with 2 teams per group advancing....
Games To Watch
  • I can't watch bottom-feeders play soccer... so I'm going to try this plan....
  • Every game the US plays that my schedule allows me to watch is in... Saturday June 12 at 2:30 vs. England; June 18 10:00 am vs. Slovenia, and June 23 10:00 vs. Algeria...
  • June 15 at 10:00 am; Ivory Coast vs. Portugal... I think I'm rooting for Ivory Coast for some reason...
  • Brazil/Ivory Coast June 20th, 2:30 pm
  • Spain/Chile June 25th, 2:30 pm
  • That's just a smattering of games that caught my eye... I'm in blindly from the semi-finals on regardless of who is playing...
Am I in on soccer? Ehh... hardly... but I've succumbed to the fact that the World Cup is unavoidable to me... and there is certainly a mystique about the event from a worldly perspective that draws you in... Coolest part for me? How wide open the event is... once you get past the group stage (3 games per team), it is basically a single elimination 16-team tournament march madness style where ANYTHING can happen... it's hard to predict... and that's actually a good thing from an American viewpoint both because our team isn't a favorite AND from a ratings bonanza point of view (i.e. march madness) because the Public wants suspense/drama...

You win soccer... I'll try my best

1 comment:

Nick said...

Okay. Good preview Brad - and mostly on the money.
US soccer fan virgins...stick with it. The first round of games are always incredibly cagey, 2nd round opens up as we saw today and yesterday. So France are in trouble early, Spain (joint favorites) have lost,. Germany lost after romping to the only goal fest in round one, and England are struggling.

The US should have won today - very poor refereeing, but don't let that color your opinion of the beautiful game. Show me a sport where the refs don't negatively impact the play: basketball is classic for this, as well baseball and football. Hockey too come to think of it.. Only golf and tennis are somewhat exempt - and they are not team sports.

The US will qualify for round two. Not so sure about lackluster England - they were simply awful. Too many over-paid superstars who don't care about their country. Give me a hard working US or Slovenian team any day.

By the way...I am still backing Netherlands. Argies will implode, France to go home in a matter of days, Germany to make the semis (and God-willing go out on penalties..) Spain should make the finals, but they will probably face Brazil in the last 16 - great game.

ronaldo (port) also considered to be the best footballer around. As a thorough Englishman I must support anyone who plays Germany, France, Argentina, Scotland (not involved) and anyone else we have faced in a war...except the US.
I want them to do well. If they do well, and the fans stick with it - it will have a massive impact on soccer here.

Two questions:

#1 Can any of you yanks name the last three world cup winners? (without looking it up?) Ask me who won the last 21 years of the "World" series...I Gotcha...

#2: Name the three most popular world wide sports...
Ans: Football (Soccer), Cricket, Rugby...

No World Series comps for those....