World Cup 2006

[Stephen Luft]

In looking at the groups and how they are set up, I can see the following getting through to the next round:

Group A - Germany
Group B - England
Group C - Argentina
Group D - Mexico
Group E - Italy
Group F - Brazil
Group G - France
Group H - Spain

I know...no big surprises. There will probably be at least one upset.

I am always excited when Brazil plays and usually pull for them to win.

On another note...Jimmie, Montreal has had some very good teams. The early 80s with the likes of Andre Dawson and Steve Rogers, were a competitive team.

Then there was 1994, when if it hadn't been for the strike had an extrememly good opportunity to win it all with the likes of Pedro Martinez, John Whettland, Larry Walker, Marquis Grissom, etc... They were 34 games above .500.

There downfall was that they never recovered from the strike year and without the fan support and budget, were unable to retain their developed tallent.

It doesn't help when you have to compete with the equivilant to the Yankees of Hockey in the Canadiens.

 

[PLucas]

Stephen

I will have to dissagree with your choice for group D, I tend to think that Portugal will get through as group winners rather than Mexico.

The other thing to take into account is that the top two from each group go through to the next round.

Ken,

I expected nothing less, I wouldn't support Scotland either if they were there. The reason I cheered Archie's goal againgst the Dutch was because it was a superb goal, no other reason, as a football fan, I like to see good football, regardless of who is playing, just so long as it's not againgst England. During the Champions League I always give my 'support' to the English teams (and Rangers), I have no problem with this temporary swap of allegiance, after all it is only for one night. I have got more chance of meeting the Queen than seeing my team (Gillingham) in the Champions League.

Paul

 

[Operaghost]

I hate to go with a favorite, but I always find myself rooting for two teams (excluding my first choice, the US of course): England and Brazil.

As a lifelong supportor of Arsenal, I am used to being let down. (shaking head and muttering ill words toward Barcelona). But Brazil rarely lets me down. I was a huge Pele fan growing up so I have always had an affinity for Sao Paulo and Brazil for their great gift to the football world.

Rant alert:

Sadly, here in the U.S., "soccer" does not get the respect it deserves. We have been advertised and promoted into believing baseball, American football, and now the horrid NASCAR are the only true sports. Of course all of these sports have been promoted as they are so easily adaptable to television advertising. American football actually takes TV timeouts.

When I was growing up, the U.S. had the North American Soccer League (NASL). Here in Seattle, we regularly sold 30,000 seats to see our team play and the big games would draw over 50,000. I remember going to games, they were on local television, they were on the radio, and pictures from the games would be on the front page of the local sports section. We had the occasional "friendlies" matches were I got to see Glasgow and a few other teams. Our local public television station ran highlighted versions of English and German league matches which led me to my Arsenal affliction.

But "soccer" does not lend itself to all the commercials that we Americans require. Without those commericals how would we know what products to fill our houses with, what cars to drive, and what pills to take for that (ahem) little problem?

Don't get me wrong though, I do love American football, baseball, basketball. But I still don't get the attraction to NASCAR. I shouldn't have called it horrid. I just don't get it. Sponsers have found out that it is a great tool for promoting their companies and they wrap themelves in the American flag while they do so. So while they are off-shoring and out-sourcing they get fans to cheer for them. Great marketing!

Recently HBO has been replaying a documentary on the U.S. Women's World Cup victory in 1999. There are moments in there that just amaze me. How they had to sell people on the sport and the disbelieving media. It's amazing how they were ambassadors for the sport before they won anything. To see them filling stadiums and energizing a fan base was incredible. Young girls had sports role models they could look up to and dream to be like Mia (Hamm). Unfortunately, the media could not find a way to advertise the sport and virtually all traces of womens pro sports evaporated. That is, until the created a women's basketball league which is easily promoted through tie-ins and an advertising friendly sport.

End Rant

OG

 

[Paulus]

Back when i lived on that side of the pond i was a Liverpool supporter..Our local team (Pompey) sucked.. I hear they are now quite good are in the premiere division..when i left they were in the bottom half of Division 4..

Hello darren,
I wouldn't say 'quite good' in the Premiership, but we did pull off the most miraculous survival run to avoid relegation this year (Sorry KidBlue!).
PUP

 

[TimothyMoulder]

But I still don't get the attraction to NASCAR

You and me both. Living in Tampa, I can truly attest that if I wanted to watch people driving in circles at outlandish speeds, crashing into stationary objects and each other, I can do it on the drive home.


TM