FIFA...It's Not An Accounting Term
Following soccer in the U.S. is a bit like a cult membership (along with hockey). I suppose like all cults, we try our best to evangelize outsiders to the cause. In that vein, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) just completed its grouping selections for World Cup 2010 in South Africa. The US will play in Group C along with England, Algeria, and Slovenia. [Bonus points if you can name the capital of Slovenia or the first NHL player to emerge from the country, without looking either up.] Not to knock either of the other two teams, but I think U.S. and England should emerge from the group to go on to the elimination round.
Also, in years past, one group has been dubbed the Group of Death because of the high concentration of top quality teams. This year, I think Group G is a possible contender. Three teams are really good--leaving North Korea. I guess they'll be playing for their lives, so they at least bring something to the moniker. [Max Power's alternate suggestion was that DPRK is the country of death...there's a lot of room to play with here.]
Thoughts? Just dying to come out of the closet as a fan of the sport? Will the current 2Ls have the audacity to take a week off as summer associates to travel to South Africa to watch the matches as co-blogger Disco Stu did?
Also, in years past, one group has been dubbed the Group of Death because of the high concentration of top quality teams. This year, I think Group G is a possible contender. Three teams are really good--leaving North Korea. I guess they'll be playing for their lives, so they at least bring something to the moniker. [Max Power's alternate suggestion was that DPRK is the country of death...there's a lot of room to play with here.]
Thoughts? Just dying to come out of the closet as a fan of the sport? Will the current 2Ls have the audacity to take a week off as summer associates to travel to South Africa to watch the matches as co-blogger Disco Stu did?
Labels: Sports
posted by Armen Adzhemyan at 10:46 AM
7 Comments:
Will the current 2Ls have the audacity to take a week off as summer associates to travel to South Africa to watch the matches as co-blogger Disco Stu did?
Ha. Haha. Hahahahahaha. In this economy?
It seems more likely that current 2Ls will take a week out of a summer of unemployment to travel to South Africa, no?
By the way, Brazil and Portugal are too good to not come out of Group G. I like either Group D or Group H for some major dying.
I actually think A will be the toughest group to come out of. France's lackluster qualifying performance combined with the hosts and a decent Mexican and Uruguayan side just seems to shout toss up.
a) New Zealand-Bahrain was a play-in game....really? REALLY? Asia should only get 4 teams period (w/o a 5th getting to play Oceania) until they start performing better. Let an extra South American team play against the Oceania winner (which will now be New Zealand until eternity) so that New Zealand can be rightfully excluded from the Cup and we get another entertaining side from South America.
b) As an Italy fan, I'm absolutely thrilled that New Zealand is in the tournament.
c) Ivory Coast got screwed. I blame it on Portugal not being seeded. Host nation shouldn't be automatically seeded. The homefield edge DOES make a difference that should be factored into whether or not you're seeded but it shouldn't be determinative. So if, say, a borderline seed like Mexico hosts, that might be enough to push them to being a seed, but if a shitty team like SA hosts, that shouldn't be enough.
"By the way, Brazil and Portugal are too good to not come out of Group G."
I don't know how true this is. Portugal struggled to come out of one of UEFA's weakest groups. And Ivory Coast is an extremely good team (Drogba, Yaya and Kolo Toure, Kalou, Eboue, etc.). I wouldn't be all that surprised if Portugal v. Ivory Coast ended up as a pick 'em.
Ivory Coast has horrible luck, though. Two group of deaths in a row. Although, this one probably isn't as rough as 2006's.
I'd also guess Portugal doesn't succeed.
I will never forget sitting in my living room at 430am and watching the U.S score 3 goals in the first game of the 02 world cup.
Just an editorial note that I accidentally deleted the comments of someone named David while getting rid of spam. So I apologize.
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