Archive through June 06, 2002
MoveCloseDeleteAdmin

TV ClubHouse: archives: World Cup 2002 : Archive through June 06, 2002

Flint

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 06:17 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Who do you think will win the cup? Who will do well? Who will tank?

Group A has France, Senegal, Uruguay, and Denmark.

The game I see saturday will be a Group A game. Denmark vs Uruguay.

France is seen as a shoe in from the group. Second place will go to either Uruguay or Denmark.


Group B is Spain, Slovenia, Paraguay, and SOuth Africa.

Spain is the overall favourite to win.


Group C is Brazil, Turkey, Costa Rica, and China

Brazil is expected to walk through the group without breaking a sweat.

The Chinese have ALREADY issued a written apology to their country for their poor performance at the World Cup. You think they might have at least waited until it started. I suppose they will have to fly Air China home.


Group D is Portugal, South Korea, Poland, and the U.S.A.

Portugal is the favourite to win the pool. While it isn't as much a mismatch as Group B, none of the others really comes close to them. I will be hoping South Korea comes in second place in the group.


Group E is Germany, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Cameroon.

Germany should be able to take the group even with all the injuries they have sustained. Most people don't expect them to get much further though. Ireland isn't expected to do very well now either since they lost the best player they had, Keane. Even Irish fans I know don't believe they have a shot at going far without Keane.


Group F aka The Group of Death is England, Argentina, Sweden, and Nigeria. England and Argentina are favoured to move on, BUT all of the teams are very good. There could easily be an upset or two in this group. If B is a walk in the park for Brasil, this group is a walk in he!l for all involved. Believe it or not the Falklands War is still a bone of contention, and reason to win, for Enland and Argentina. I will be cheering on England.


Group G is Italy, Ecuador, Croatia, and Mexico.

Italy is the favourite for most people.


Group H is Japan, Belgium, Russia, and Tunisia.

Russia is expected to take this group. It is a toss up who will come in second.

Flint

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 06:17 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Here are some of the odds for winning the cup. Most people I have talked to seem to agree that France and Italy have the best chance. The odds seem to agree with them, however, upsets do happen.

odds FIFA ranking
---- ------------
France 3/1 1
Argentina 9/2 2
Italy 5/1 6
Brazil 11/2 2
Spain 13/2 8
England 11/1 12
Portugal 14/1 5
Germany 16/1 11
Cameroon 25/1 17
Russia 66/1 27

Grooch

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 06:37 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Group A - I would have to agree with France.

Group B - I disagree and I say Paraguay will win.

Group C - Brazil, and if they don't win, it will be really embarrassing for them.

Group D - USA all the way! :)

Group E - Germany and Cameroon second.

Group F - This is the hardest and why are they all together? Argentina and England do hate each other and I agree about the Falkland thing. I believe Argentina will take it. England will be second and poor Nigeria. I always liked their style of playing. A cross between South America and Europe.

Group G - Italy

Group H - I don't know any of these teams so it is a wild guess. I will say Russia and Belgium second.

Flint

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 07:00 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
One sports writer said that if Brazil doesn't win their group they should plan on living in Korea or Japan because they would never be able to go home again.

Grooch

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 07:05 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh, come on. This is Brazil they are talking about, not Columbia.

Flint

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - 09:53 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Heh, finally someone who remembers what happened to that poor Colombian schlep who scored on his own net. :)

I think when talking about Brazil the writer meant the humiliation of losing to THAT group. Not that anyone would kill them. Mind you, it is coup season in South America.

Micknrc

Thursday, May 30, 2002 - 05:24 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I remember! I was lucky enough to attend a match or two here in the U.S. in '94. My stepfather is a Brazilian immigrant (and you're right--if they lose, they might consider emigration as a viable option) and he and my mom spent half that summer traveling all over to the different venues to catch the games. I adore Fifa soccer, as much as the traditional "American" major league sports and actually, more than most of them. I remember friends, coworkers, etc. in '94 who were suprised that I would actually drive 11 hours on a weekend to DC to catch one of the games at RFK stadium. "Like what for?" was their attitude. And I'd patiently try to make the analogy that if they had a chance to go to the Superbowl, World Series, etc. and with so many games and tickets readily available, it would be a crime to miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime opporunity. They still didn't get it. Then I would trot out my "American sports vs. Soccer is actually analogous to American sex vs. European sex" theory (some other time...) and they would KNOW I was nuts!

Flint! I'm so happy for you to be able to go to some games this summer. I've been following your exploits in your folder with great interest. I'm glad you'll be able to give us some first-hand updates on the Cup.

Claim to (quasi-)fame: I rode in Pele's limo when I was about 14. (Pele wasn't in it at the time unfortunately)

Zeyna

Thursday, May 30, 2002 - 07:41 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I'd like to see Croatia and Slovenia go far.

The time difference here is quite exteme. I wonder if the interest will be the same as the last World Cup. Watching taped matches is just not the same, and I'm not sure many will stay up all night to see them live.

Micknrc

Friday, May 31, 2002 - 08:10 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Senegal beats France!?!!??!

1-0

Grooch

Friday, May 31, 2002 - 08:54 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :)

Wink

Friday, May 31, 2002 - 09:02 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I'm rooting for Spain. I caught part of a quick news blurb this morning that said the Spanish team had rescued/paid for/adopted (not sure which), a beautiful puppy that was about to become an item on a dinner menu. He is now their team mascot. Ole.

Flint

Friday, May 31, 2002 - 04:32 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
That news story sounds like BS.

Puppy is not an item on any menu. Those shops that do serve dog, and they are not THAT common, use mature dogs. They don't usually buy puppies and raise them themselves. Breeders do it for them. Just like the way puppy mills breed dogs in the U.S. for pet stores. The stores themselves don't usually do it. It is a nice story if true, I just doubt its veracity.

It was a GREAT game. We were outside drinking beer and soju watching it on TV. EVERY shop had a TV on. Where we were sitting outside we could see into three different shops, one had a big screen TV. WHen Korea plays there wil be huge outdoor TV's set up all over Korea. One will be close to my apartment. :) So, ya know where I will be those days, if I can't be at the game.

I still can't believe Senegal won. I guess France REALLY misses Zindane.

Great opener for the World Cup.

Time to get ready and head for the bus terminal so I can see my game tonight. :)

One of my friends who is coming to the game ran into the Brazilian soccer team in Seoul yesterday. I got a text message from him saying: I am with the Brazil team!!!!! He didn't have a camera, but did get autographs. Poland is staying in Chongju, I might see if I can find them later in the week. Spain is staying in Ulsan, some of their players will be at the game tonight as spectators. :)

See ya in a day! I might check in from a PC Bong after the game in Ulsan. :)

Grooch

Saturday, June 01, 2002 - 07:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Who's bright idea was it to hold these games in Korea?

My husband woke up at 4:30 this morning to watch the Uraguay/Denmark game in bed. Never mind that I was sleeping there!

He was not very quiet while watching it either and he had all the animals awake, and I had to get up at 5 to walk the dog since he was awake.

Plus the only channel showing them live is Univision, which is in Spanish, so as I tries to sleep, I couldn't listen to them and understand, and fall asleep, so when I watched, i couldn't understand what they were saying. Why doesn't the US ever show them live?

Anyway, it was a great game! Denmark 2 - Uraguay 1. :(

They were both great teams and this is a great group to be watching.

We are now trying to stay up and watch the Argentina/Nigeria game that comes on at 1 am.

This is one of the games that I wanted to watch the most and I doubt I can stay awake for it. :(

Kstme

Saturday, June 01, 2002 - 10:16 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Grooch...Fox Sports is showing the games live. TheKid is taping on three tape machines tonight so she can watch the games in the morning! At least, we're getting better coverage than the Olympics!! LOL

Kstme

Sunday, June 02, 2002 - 07:29 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Grooch...I have been told "WRONG STATION" OOPS!! It's ESPN that is showing the games LIVE during the middle of the night! So sorry!

Grooch

Sunday, June 02, 2002 - 12:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks. I ended up falling asleep after 15 minutes. :(

I am so incredibly cranky and I have a full month to make it through these "night" games.

God help my husband.

And until July 1, my spelling is worth sh*t.

Flint

Sunday, June 02, 2002 - 01:28 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Man oh man, there isn't anything quite like being at a World Cup Football Game. Watching them on TV can be exciting, but the atmosphere at a game, the sights and sounds. The only thing better would be a Stanley Cup game, especially if it was the Habs playing.

They have large screen TV's set up in at least 1 park in most cities in Korea so you can watch the games. Add to that just about every shop has a TV of some size on the game. I got home from Ulsan in time to watch the England-Sweden match. Tomorrow night I go to the park with some friends to watch Korea-Poland.

The game Saturday night was great. Denmark and Uruguay were evenly matched and both sides had some great plays. Our seats were almost behind the net at one end, so we had a great view. Mind you it was sometimes more interesting to watch the linesman at our end. I have heard of blind officials but this guy took the cake. He ignored several blatant and nasty hits by both sides. One of the Uruguayan players nailed a Dane in the face with an elbow several times in front of the guy, then got the ball from him while he was reeling. The whole crowd was sure it was penalty time, the ref just looked at the Dane, shrugged, and told him to go play. He blew a few calls like that. Other than that the officiating wasn't that bad.

If ya ever have a chance to go to a World Cup Game, GO! It is a great time. Words don't can't do it justice.

Wink

Sunday, June 02, 2002 - 01:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Flint with regards to the "puppy" story, I call all dogs puppies no matter the age. Hell I have even been known to call Juju "sweet puppy" and goodness knows she wasn't born yesterday. At least I don't think she was.

Buttercup

Sunday, June 02, 2002 - 04:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Roflol, Wink! Juju is going to love that comment

Buttercup falls off chair laughing and laughing

Flint

Sunday, June 02, 2002 - 08:51 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Ah ok, I was taking you literally Wink. :)

Mind you it still does sound contrived. Usually the English language papers are quick to pick up on stuff like that here and there has been NO mention of it.

I am trying to get tickets to some more games now. :)

Micknrc

Tuesday, June 04, 2002 - 09:13 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Wow, great games so far! I told my boss I can't be in until 10:00 tomorrow. If he only knew it's so I can stay home and watch the Ireland/Germany match!

For you Survivor and/or Ethan Zohn fans:

Ethan's doing web/multimedia reportage for US Soccer

US Soccer

Just look for Ethan Zohn Zone in upper right corner.


Also, an interview with Ethan about this gig and soccer at:
Ethan interview

The interview just reminded me what a sweet, grounded young man he is....

Micknrc

Wednesday, June 05, 2002 - 04:20 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Woo Hoo!

US upsets Portugal 3-2!!!!


U.S.A.!U.S.A.!U.S.A.!U.S.A.!U.S.A.!U.S.A.!

Sing with me people....


Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole! Ole, Ole!
Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole! Ole, Ole!

Grooch

Wednesday, June 05, 2002 - 06:34 am EditMoveDeleteIP
:)

Micknrc

Wednesday, June 05, 2002 - 07:15 am EditMoveDeleteIP
AWESOME last minute goal by Ireland to tie Germany 1-1!


Slainte! (cheers! in Irish)

Flint

Thursday, June 06, 2002 - 01:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
France is on the verge of elimination? Isn't this the same team every pundit said would do a repeat?