This will probably be me talking to myself like Mike in the NASCAR forum, but I don't care. WORLD CUP, BABY!!! The Mexico team is already getting ready. They had an orgy a couple of days ago. They got caught. The press here has gone insane. This is so much fun, especially since this time I'm not expecting anything from them, anyway. My favorites are Germany, Spain, France and Brazil. In that order. By the way, is Russia vs. Saudi Arabia the worst opening match ever, or is it just me?
Giving away a prize in a World Cup contest. Free to enter. http://sportschump.net/2018/06/07/world-cup-contest-enter/20085/ I wonder if this is the year Messi gets the monkey off his back.
Messi will never win a World Cup and will eventually go down as the most overrated player ever, and the biggest lie of the century. Those championships and awards he won in the past? They belong to Xavi, Iniesta, and the original Barcelona teams of last decade. Anyway, sorry for the rant...This is Germany's cup to lose. There's an old saying that goes "football is a sport in which there are 11 players on each team, there's a ball, and the germans always win". Brazil will fall short of redemption, losing in the final against the same team that kicked their butts at home 4 years ago.
Opening day tomorrow. I'm picking Russia at -225 odds only because Putin bought them the easiest group in World Cup history, and the arabs might as well be one of the worst teams to ever qualilfy. Probably also the worst opening match ever (and the rest of the world had to sit through that insufferable South Africa vs. Mexico match 8 years ago). I don't care. It's the World Cup, baby!!! Friday will get better.
Smart wager on the -225. Russia should (and is) handle their opening match. Nothing like some Spanish drama to kick the Cup off nicely. We'll see how that all plays out.
And I'm 1-0 in the World Cup!! I might as well retire now and go undefeated . I knew the Arabs were bad, but...not that bad. I wouldn't be surprised if Uruguay scores 10 on them. Anyway, of course I'm not retiring. I'm on a roll!! Tomorrow's picks are Uruguay -182 over Egypt (although it should be a little closer), a tie at +210 between Morocco and Iran (I know nothing about either team...I think they'll cancel each other out) and in probably the best game of the first round, I'm picking Portugal at +300 over Spain because of the drama with Lopetegui, and that ever since Catalonia has started with this independence thing, the spanish locker room has been divided. Also, Portugal are still European champions. Also, I couldn't resist those odds. I'm thinking about picking an over/under for the amount of goals Germany will score against Mexico, but can't find that bet in my local casinos. Oh, well. If it were to me, I'd place it at 3.5 and I would take the over.
I lost my perfect record in the 95th minute of the third game. With an awesome own goal. I hate football sometimes. Time for my upset special. Portugal over Spain!!
My good luck was over rather quickly after the last minute victory by Iran, and CR7 saving Portugal all by himself against Spain. What an awesome game that was. Tomorrow we have four games!! Starting at 5am CT. Yikes. I'm leaving picks for saturday, sunday and monday because I might not go online during the weekend. Here we go: Saturday: France -400 over Australia. Just too much for the aussies. Tie +425 between Argentina and Iceland. Can't wait to see Messi choke again. It might be in this game Denmark +137 over Peru. If CR7 and Messi didn't exist, the tastefully named Christian Erikssen would be the best player in the world. Croatia -134 over Nigeria. The africans always disappear in the big tournaments. Sunday: Serbia -110 over Costa Rica. That performance by the ticos in 2014? It was a mirage. They're usually a weak squad. Germany -223 over Mexico. It hurts even to type it. It will be ugly. I don't want to watch, but I don't want to miss it either. Brazil -225 over Switzerland. The Brazilians are on a mission. They're really scary and I think they will get their revenge against Germany in the final. Monday: Tie +225 between Sweeden and South Korea. It helps Mexico in our second place quest. Belgium -550 over Panama. Yes, Americans. This (Panama) is the team that left you out of the World Cup. They suck. Shame on you. Tie +350 between England and Tunisia. The English always struggle against lesser teams in world cups. This will be no exception. Of course, you shouldn't take me seriously. I'm 2-2 after four games. Have a great weekend...
A perfect saturday, and an even better sunday. I still can't believe we beat Germany. I still think I'll wake up any minute now. After 30+ years being let down by this team in the biggest stage, they finally brought a victory over a football super power. The world champion, no less. I just wish Ollysj was still here. Anyway, a perfect saturday!! I told you Argentina would choke, and guess what...they'll keep choking. They won't win a single game. So after going 6-4 over the weekend and 8-6 overall, I'm still making a profit and have a better idea of how the next games will be. Now for the tuesday picks: Colombia -138 over Japan. James (pronounced "HA-MESS") and the gang are the dark horse in this tournament. They shouldn't have any problems here. Tie +210 between Poland and Senegal because where is Senegal, anyway? Egypt +333 over Russia. My upset special. I just hope Salah doesn't have a sad "accident" before the game...
Yikes. 0 for 3 on tuesday. Don't worry...now I know where Senegal is. Thanks, Wikipedia. Now at 6-7 I'm starting to lose...time to regroup, remember my training and go for the surest thing...on to wednesday picks: Portugal -150 over Morocco. It's the Cristiano Ronaldo show in Russia. Uruguay -600 over Saui Arabia. Doesn't it make you sad that Saudi Arabia qualified for the World Cup and the U.S. didn't? Spain -500 over Iran. Again...not trying to be a hero, here. I just want to break even.
I totally forgot about this. Here are some round of 16 picks: France +145 over Argentina. F Messi and F Argentina. Portugal +195 over Uruguay. I'm picking CR7 until he losses. Spain -167 over Russia. No way Putin bought the World Cup for Russia, right? RIGHT?!?!?! Croatia -125 over Denmark. The Croatians have been a pleasant surprise. Brazil -209 over Mexico. We crashed and burned pretty fast after beating Germany and starting dreaming about semifinals. I don't see us pulling this one out. Belgium -250 over Japan. The Japanese will be happy just to have made it out of the group stage. Sweeden +210 over Switzerland. Zlatan who? Colombia +300 over England. This is my upset special. I picked Colombia to be the dark horse before the Cup started, and I'm sticking with them.
5-3 in the round of 16. Not bad, but not great either. I'm still in shock after watching England win a penalty shootout for the first time ever. Quarterfinals picks!! France +100 over Uruguay. France has become my favorite to win this thing. Mbappe is ridiculous. He'll be next decade's Messi/Ronaldo. Hopefully, Real Madrid will sign him soon. Belgium +260 over Brazil. Semi-upset special from me. Mexico has lost in the round of 16 in the past 7 straight World Cups. No team that eliminated him was champion of that cup. I call it the soccer version of Moctezuma's Revenge. England -110 over Sweden. The English finally took the monkey off their back, and they should start a roll. I see them in the final against France. Croatia +120 over Russia. I expect a full refund when years from now the FBI discovers Putin bought the World Cup for his country.
4 for 4 in the quarter finals!! It must be a new personal record. Too bad I don't keep track. Semifinals picks!! France +150 over Belgium. I love Belgium. I really do. But this French team is INSANE. It will be a hell of a game, though. England +130 over Croatia. I also love this England team. First semifinal in 28 years (that's 7 World Cups!!). They could be my favorites from now for Qatar 2022 (or whetever it ends up being played) as they're a really young team. France vs. England is my final. One expected team, the other not so much.
It's been pretty entertaining so far. Nobody had England. I mean nobody. You have to figure they're going nuts over there right now.
Let's put it this way, Teej. 8 people entered my World Cup contest. Only one of them, Milhouse, has his winning team alive.
I don't even know how many contests I entered. At least 4. All with different picks. Germany, Spain, Brazil...only France remains in one of those.
Funny piece of trivia only I find amusing: the last time England played in a World Cup semifinals, Croatia didn't exist as a country yet
