I noticed. I am stoked, of course there have been injuries since the Confederations Cup and England is a tough draw. I'm not entirely sure USA can make it out of pool play.
Well, we're talking about France. Considering that they needed help from the refs just to make it to the WC finals, and we clinched with 1 game to spare, I kind of like our chances. I think Mexico and France will advance on that group, making South Africa the first host country in World Cup history to be eliminated in the first round. I just love being the bad guy :icon_twisted:
*Cringe* American's treat soccer like we treat Curling, no one cares until it's a major tournament, then completely ignore it once they are knocked out; Which will be in the group stages, if Landon Donovan is the best player the country can produce, then the team is up crap creek without a paddle.
Copied from the niners board... I posted these predictions on Dec 5th last year. It shows that I posted it on .com because I'm taking a shot or two at posters there. Bear with me.
Will we ever make it past the round of 16? Apparently, not this time. 5 cups in a row with an exit in the second round :icon_sad: Oh, but I'm gonna have a blast :icon_cheesygrin:
Are you going to call the winner of the Mexican league "World Champion"? :icon_cheesygrin: tbh, I would like to see the Mexicans going deeper into the tournament
They call the american champions in basketball and baseball "World Champions", so why not? I really want to play Germany in the Quarterfinals. I still have nightmares about that 1998 game :icon_frown:
Funny how the last 4 world cups we've been eliminated in such bitter ways. USA 94: PK shootout. Mexico's achiles heel. FRA 98: Beating Germany 1-0, end up losing 1-2 on a dumb play by a dumb player owned by a dumber team. I freaking hate you, Raul Rodrigo Lara. SK/JAP 02: USA. Nuff said. GER 06: On a lucky shot after a long, excruciating game vs ARG. We had no FWs and used up 2 substitutions because of injuries. ARG OTOH had the luxury to renew their attack in extra time.
About '98, in all fairness, I still blame Coach Lapuente. You can't play a midfielder as a central defender. Not against Germany. Not when your GK is shorter than Mini-Me. In 2002 I was in disbelief for a whole week. I even ditched the final week of my freshman year in college. I'll never EVER get over that one. And in 2006, MEX-ARG was considered one of the better games of the whole tournament, if not the best. The fact that a fluke goal was needed to knock us out kind of is something to be proud of. But yes, I drank that night again. Heavily. I love soccer...but at the same time, I hate it.
I drank heavily during the game. :icon_cheesygrin: It's a good thing that neither youtube or cell phones with video cameras were very common here back then, otherwise the drunk interview I gave to the local broadcasting company immediately after the game would've made me famous, and not in a good way. :icon_redface:
55 days to go and South Africa really got the job done. All constructions are done, just one stadium need a little more care from the dutch ground keeping crew.
