Call It Soccer, Call It Futbol: The 2006 World Cup Thread for the Western Hemisphere

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This is the thread for Costa Rica, Ecuador, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, and the United States.

― jergins (jergins), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

Also cuz the other thread moves so fast and I don't usually know what the Britishes are talking about.

― jergins (jergins), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

So is the 'group of death' the one the US is in?

― jergins (jergins), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, although I've seen worse.

Italy (all bets are off with them at the moment -- corruption scandal has marred preparations)
Czech Republic (just kick Nedved, he'll get sent off responding)
Ghana (presumably beatable, although I know nothing about them)

Officially the Czech Republic are 2 in the world based on FIFA rankings, but officially the US are 5, which goes to show how much those rankings mean.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the US get out of their group. No way they'll get much further though.

― caek (caek), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:07 (nineteen years ago)

I'm glad ABC is showing some games because I refuse to get cable TV-

I can root on Paraguay and Trinidad/Tobago this Saturday. These games are live right? Not taped?

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:10 (nineteen years ago)

In Bruce Arena We Trust!!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

I got my high hopes.

Anyway, Haikunym and M. White to thread.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

Real groups of death are Argentina, Cote d'Ivoire, Serbia and Holland; and Brazil, Australia, Croatia, Japan.

― caek (caek), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:13 (nineteen years ago)

http://worldcup.blogs.nytimes.com/?p=103 offers more reasons why the US's group may not be Of Death.

― caek (caek), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

agree about Arg/Cd'I/Neth/Serb, not so much the other one. U.S. might have second-hardest group originally, plus add in additional drama for Italy and some (minor) injury things for Czech Rep and it's looking a bit easier now.

easiest way to get in for U.S.: WIN OR TIE ALL MATCHES

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:21 (nineteen years ago)

Group of Life:

Spain
Tunisia
Ukraine
Saudi Arabia

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:21 (nineteen years ago)

Is Saudi Arabia the worst (or lowest-ranked) team in the tournament, going in?

― jergins (jergins), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:23 (nineteen years ago)

Either them or Iran I would say.

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:25 (nineteen years ago)

The Saudis are ranked #34 - I think Togo are the lowest-ranked qualifiers at #61.

(Can us Brits pop our collective head in here occasionally? I'm practically a septic anyway - wife's from Arkansas, etc. Aside from 18 months living 100m east of the meridian in Greenwich, I've always been a Westerner...)

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:28 (nineteen years ago)

Please please to explain offsides and group dynamics

― jergins (jergins), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

In terms of "worst" teams at the world cup, I'd say there are three teams going who have absolutely no chance of getting out of the first round: the Saudis, Angola, and Trinidad.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

I'm sure this is feeling very like 1982 for Italy - triumph through adversity and so on. Back then they had the shamed Paolo Rossi [coming off a 2-year ban] in the squad and there were even rumours of a pay-off to Cameroon to allow Italy to progress from the group stage, where they'd been mainly dreadful. Everyone loves the number sequences too - Italy: finalists '70, champions '82, finalists '94...

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, me too, I'm from west of the meridian, and I'm not supporting anyone. Trinidad & Tobago has the highest representation of Scottish-based players, so I shall be regarding them with a bit more affection than usual.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 8 June 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

Angola! I completely forgot about them.

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 17:39 (nineteen years ago)

Angola v. Portugal -- COLONIAL HISTORY REENACTED. Kinda.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 June 2006 17:57 (nineteen years ago)

Angola v. Portugal -- COLONIAL HISTORY REENACTED. Kinda.

See also: England vs Trinidad, potential 2nd round clash between Tunisia and France.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:06 (nineteen years ago)

also Germany vs. Poland! (okay, not colonial, but still)

― jergins (jergins), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:09 (nineteen years ago)

Sweden wants no part in that fight.

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:14 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, we've got to get the World Cup back into a decent time zone. It's murderous to begin drinking at 9am.

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:16 (nineteen years ago)

Living the UK during the last World Cup meant games kicking off at 7.30 am. You don't know you're born.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:18 (nineteen years ago)

I'm sure this is feeling very like 1982 for Italy

It feels more like 1943 before the Allies arrived, to be honest.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

Collaboratin' much, Dom?

― Crimea River (Mark C), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:37 (nineteen years ago)

That "joke" doesn't actualy work, please ignore.

Not only Western Hemisphere but West London, so I am totally on this thread. The USA has Brian McBride who can be extremely effective - is he in form right now?

― Crimea River (Mark C), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

FIFA rankings < 40.

Angola 63
Australia 48
Cote d'Ivoire 42
Ecuador 38
Ghana 50
Serbia 47
Togo 56
T&T 50

― caek (caek), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:41 (nineteen years ago)

Never qualified

Angola
Cote d'Ivoire
Ghana
Togo
T&T
Ukraine

Longest odds

T&T - 1000/1
Saudi Arabai -750/1
Iran, C d'Ivoire - 500/1
Angola, Togo - 400/1
Serbia, Tunisia - 300/1
Ghana - 250/1
Paraguay, Japan - 150/1
Ecuador - 125/1
USA, Switzerland, Serbia - 100/1

― caek (caek), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

Where are you getting those odds from caek? Ivory Coast at 500/1 is insane, they're around 66/1 with most UK bookmakers, with Ukraine and Croatia.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:53 (nineteen years ago)

From a book. So they are at least a couple of months old, yes. Surely T&T are shorter now too.

― caek (caek), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:58 (nineteen years ago)

I used these odds to help fill in my pool bracket.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 8 June 2006 19:03 (nineteen years ago)

I think the rankings might be out of date too; see here.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 8 June 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

How can Iraq be ranked above teams like Austria, Belgium or Chile?

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

Iraq:UAE::USA:El Salvador

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Thursday, 8 June 2006 20:01 (nineteen years ago)

Same way the US are ranked above France, Argentina, and England. Their regular matches are against crap opposition.

xpost

― caek (caek), Thursday, 8 June 2006 20:02 (nineteen years ago)

Because instead of playing Holland, France, and Argentina in qualifying tournaments, they play Bangladesh and Cambodia, so they rack up easier wins.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 8 June 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

Love how this thread inevitably just fills up with British people anyway.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 21:07 (nineteen years ago)

It seems to me that the weighting system just isn't weighty enough, like FIFA are shying away from deliberately slashing the tariff associated with CONCACAF or Oceania matches. Inevitably (and sensibly) friendly matches carry the least weight of all, but they're the only times you get intercontinental competition outside of WC finals, so some middling European team thrashing a leading CONCACAF team doesn't count for as much as that CONCACAF team beating a neighbour. Also, FIFA Confederations Cup matches are second only to the World Cup! Who can even remember who won the last FIFA Confederations nonsense?

It's a fudge between a truly even-handed system and one that admits that some continents are just better than others. I'm not sure I could come up with a better one though. There is no annual global league.

I wonder if Australia are still surfing some kind of points blip from that 31-0 win over American Samoa in a WC qualifier a few years ago?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 8 June 2006 21:21 (nineteen years ago)

Well I noticed that American Samoa is currently ranked dead last, so maybe it wouldn't be a shockah.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Thursday, 8 June 2006 21:26 (nineteen years ago)

Who can even remember who won the last FIFA Confederations nonsense?

It was Brazil. The last one looked really good, loads of goals and I wish I could see the games!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 21:32 (nineteen years ago)

England will always be ranked 9th/10th in the world regardless of results.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 21:34 (nineteen years ago)

American Samoa's 2006 WC campaign began and ended with four thumping defeats in the space of eight days in May 2004 in the Oceania prelim stage. 1-9 vs Vanuatu? I mean, that's just rubbish.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 8 June 2006 21:36 (nineteen years ago)

Does FIFA ranking actually affect anything, or is it just bragging rights?

― caek (caek), Thursday, 8 June 2006 21:37 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think it has any bearing on seedings for any competitions, no. It is so widely derided than foregrounding it in that way would be a terrible move by FIFA. Or very brave. I'd be curious to see a straight 32-team knockout based on the rankings, tho'. Brazil-Ivory Coast first-round!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 8 June 2006 21:43 (nineteen years ago)

Costa Rica, Ecuador, Paraguay, Argentina, Mexico.

These are the teams I've decided to "root" for in the World Cup, plus Spain.

"Rooting" will not consist of much, though.

People hoping to watch the World Cup in Spain: you will need some kind of new channel called "La Sexta" and (PPV) Canal Plus.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 9 June 2006 06:47 (nineteen years ago)

There is no annual global league

surely THIS is what is at the root of all football's problems ;)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 9 June 2006 08:12 (nineteen years ago)

Aww, I quite liked the idea of lots of Americans sticking their head round the door of the other World Cup thread. Like Tracer Hand's "I thought David Beckham was supposed to be good?" from Euro 2004.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 08:21 (nineteen years ago)

yeah it's a shame to have such segregation on a global outlet.

maybe this thread will be more active in the evenings and the other more in the daytimes (BST).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 9 June 2006 08:23 (nineteen years ago)

I'm happy to have another sport to follow for a month so I don't have to think about the fucking Atlanta Braves.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

Okay, so -- I've got the Soccernet gamecast thing running, figuring it might be the most reliable source on the Net (aside from, y'know, AN ACTUAL BROADCAST grr). But is there better?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry Ned I don't know, for me the only question remaining is-

Sangria or Bloody Mary for the noon shootout (t%t vs Sweden)

― laurence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:30 (nineteen years ago)

What, no cable? That's unamerican, Ned.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

Sir, I am referring to being at work. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

I mean, I'd love it if I could get live English-language radio coverage on the Net, at least, but I suspect given broadcasting hoohah I don't have that option. (I am quite happy to be corrected.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:35 (nineteen years ago)

I need someone to explain me this concept of "being at work."

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

It looks like the BBC is only allowing UK listeners this time.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:43 (nineteen years ago)

Count yourselves lucky

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:46 (nineteen years ago)

I'm seeing nothing on FSC, DW, or anywhere else, Ned. >:(

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:52 (nineteen years ago)

Ah well. ESPN Gamecast it is. At least with the noontime games I'll be able to catch the first half during lunch.

DAEREST CRUMP: I was strongly tempted to take vacation time for at least these next three weeks and just zone at home, trust me. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:55 (nineteen years ago)

And I'm not paying $8.00 for a month's subscription to XM. I have no idea who their commentators are.

Luckily, one of our conference rooms has a TV, so I can occasionally peek in to see how all is going.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:56 (nineteen years ago)

I'm super excited that the Cup is about to start, but I don't know if I can put up with an entire month of Bono.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:59 (nineteen years ago)

Eurgh.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:01 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, IT BEGINS.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:02 (nineteen years ago)

Lahm's goal was one hell of a way to start the World Cup. What a strike!

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

And now Wanchope! Bring it on.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

Damn, I go in the house for a cup of coffee and THREE GOALS ALREADY.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

See, sometimes being at work has an advantage. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

Gamecast dudes just called Costa Rica "the Caribbean side" -- uh? (I mean, yeah, KINDA.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:23 (nineteen years ago)

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