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#1
12-09-2005, 11:54 AM
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Link to World Cup Draw information
A decent introduction to today's World Cup draw in Leipzig, which will be televised on ESPN2 in the USA, I believe. Written by an English author, and has an interesting analysis of England's "dream group" and "group of death".
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns...up&cc=5901 From the US point of view, I think the "Dream Group" would be Spain (the only seeded team we can play that's never won the World Cup...Mexico is also seeded but we can't play them in the first round since we're from the same federation), Switzerland (Poland is probably the weakest team in Pot Three, but we historically have not played them very well, especially at the last World Cup) and Togo (Angola has had a few somewhat decent international results, and had a tougher group to qualify out of in Africa than the Togolese...neither one exactly inspire fear though). The US "Group of Death", IMHO? Brazil, Australia (one of the world's most underrated teams and my darkhorse choice to reach the quarterfinals) and Holland (one of the strongest non-seeded teams in WC history). Anyway you slice it, it's gonna be interesting. --Scott 
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#2
12-09-2005, 12:40 PM
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Re: Link to World Cup Draw information
Here's a quote from England:
[ QUOTE ] "What would be the worst draw? Holland, Australia and the United States, I think," Eriksson said. [/ QUOTE ] I guess the US is the laughing stock still!
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#3
12-09-2005, 12:48 PM
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Re: Link to World Cup Draw information
[ QUOTE ]
Here's a quote from England: [ QUOTE ] "What would be the worst draw? Holland, Australia and the United States, I think," Eriksson said. [/ QUOTE ] I guess the US is the laughing stock still! [/ QUOTE ] Perhaps my sarcasm meter is broken, but Sven is saying here that he DOESN'T want to play the US in the first round. We may quite be up to "contenders to win the World Cup" level yet, but NO ONE is going to look past us to their next opponent anymore. Not with our #8 world ranking and a quarterfinal appearance in the last World Cup (which would have been at least a semifinal appearance if Hugh Dallas had seen the German defender handball the US equalizer off the line). Well, maybe Brazil. They can still laugh at us. No one else is though. --Scott
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#4
12-09-2005, 12:50 PM
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Re: Link to World Cup Draw information
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] Here's a quote from England: [ QUOTE ] "What would be the worst draw? Holland, Australia and the United States, I think," Eriksson said. [/ QUOTE ] I guess the US is the laughing stock still! [/ QUOTE ] Perhaps my sarcasm meter is broken, but Sven is saying here that he DOESN'T want to play the US in the first round. We may quite be up to "contenders to win the World Cup" level yet, but NO ONE is going to look past us to their next opponent anymore. Not with our #8 world ranking and a quarterfinal appearance in the last World Cup (which would have been at least a semifinal appearance if Hugh Dallas had seen the German defender handball the US equalizer off the line). Well, maybe Brazil. They can still laugh at us. No one else is though. --Scott [/ QUOTE ] That's my point. But the loudmouth Aussie/Ukriane guy was stating that US was the laughing stock of the soccer world. Apparently that is not the case.
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#6
12-09-2005, 01:05 PM
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Re: Link to World Cup Draw information
[ QUOTE ]
But the loudmouth Aussie/Ukriane guy was stating that US was the laughing stock of the soccer world. [/ QUOTE ] It didn't bother me that he was a loudmouth. it bothered me that he was an idiot incapable of intelligent discussion re: the draft time, there is a "pre-draft" show, which is probably why there is a discrpency between the times. the show starts at 19:30 GMT I believe, and the selections some time after that.
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#7
12-09-2005, 01:06 PM
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Re: Link to World Cup Draw information
[ QUOTE ]
Here's a quote from England: [ QUOTE ] "What would be the worst draw? Holland, Australia and the United States, I think," Eriksson said. [/ QUOTE ] I guess the US is the laughing stock still! [/ QUOTE ] that quote is referring to the pot system which is how the draw is done. the US is the best team out of the 8 in its pot, its not as big a compliment to the US as people might think.
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#8
12-09-2005, 01:08 PM
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Re: Link to World Cup Draw information
ESPN2's telecast definitely starts at 3 pm. Don't know why they'd broadcast it on delay, but I suppose it's not out of the realm of possibility. I'm just going to play some 6-max until it starts anyway, and already have my TV tuned to the Deuce. This is always one of my favorite events to watch in sports.
Incidentally, please God, please God, please God, DON'T put us in a group with Brazil. --Scott
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#9
12-09-2005, 01:10 PM
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Re: Link to World Cup Draw information
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] Here's a quote from England: [ QUOTE ] "What would be the worst draw? Holland, Australia and the United States, I think," Eriksson said. [/ QUOTE ] I guess the US is the laughing stock still! [/ QUOTE ] that quote is referring to the pot system which is how the draw is done. the US is the best team out of the 8 in its pot, its not as big a compliment to the US as people might think. [/ QUOTE ] When I think of laughing stocks of the NFL, I think of the Texans, the Packers, the 49ers. Not the Redskins, Falcons, or Dolphins.
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#10
12-09-2005, 01:11 PM
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Re: Link to World Cup Draw information
[ QUOTE ]
ESPN2's telecast definitely starts at 3 pm. Don't know why they'd broadcast it on delay, but I suppose it's not out of the realm of possibility. I'm just going to play some 6-max until it starts anyway, and already have my TV tuned to the Deuce. This is always one of my favorite events to watch in sports. Incidentally, please God, please God, please God, DON'T put us in a group with Brazil. --Scott [/ QUOTE ] It doesn't matter *that* much if we get one really good team. Just make sure there are enough crappy teams from the other pots. Beat them and you are in the next round.
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