The World Cup Draw!!!!

montgjules · 12-09-2005, 03:49 PM

I love it when soccer makes the top stories on CNN:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/grant_wahl/12/09/cup.draw/index.html?cnn=yes

prk166 · 12-09-2005, 04:31 PM

I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself!

beaveman · 12-09-2005, 11:52 PM

I'm not a big fan of conspiracy theory, but doesn't it seem like crap that after falling flat on their faces in the last cup, France has such an easy draw for this one? Even their round of 16 matchup wouldn't be too tough.

Czar Jake · 12-10-2005, 04:59 AM

NOOOOO!!!!

USA and Italy in the same group is bad enough.. then with the Czech thrown in... we're in for a tough one.

I was watching the draw with about 15 Italian dudes, they all started trash talking immediately... good times

AreliusIII · 12-10-2005, 12:45 PM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/soccer/wires/12/10/2050.ap.soc.wcup.on.soccer.us.0738/index.html

AreliusIII · 12-10-2005, 12:47 PM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/soccer/wires/12/09/2050.ap.soc.world.cup.us.1st.ld.writethru.0938/index.html

AreliusIII · 12-10-2005, 12:53 PM

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=351740&root=worldcup&cc=5901

prk166 · 12-10-2005, 02:47 PM

It's the World Cup, of course it was going to be a tough draw. Short of having Saudi Arabia or Togo, there aren't going to be any easy teams to play.

Any any given day, we can beat Italy. It'll be tough but it's a winnable and definitely very draw-able match. And a loss to Italy wouldn't mean not advancing. Everyone's gotta play everyone. We can beat the Czechs. Baros is a two-bit punk more concerned about eating pies than practicing and being in shape. Koeller's been injured. Berger's career may be over. Rosicky and Nedved will be dangerous on offense but how much will old man Nedved have left in his tank? Their key to defense is organization because they don't have a lot of clear talent other than Cech. Cech may stop a few but if plays like he did at Euro04 more than plenty of crosses will get in the box that he won't make a play for or will just plain out miss. And apart from a couple people, Ghana doesn't have a lot in terms of clear talent. And part of the talent they do have, Kuffor, got booted off the team during qualifies. Maybe he'll be back, maybe not. Depends on what the coach decides in the end.

People really shouldn't have their undies in a bunch over the draw. If you were expecting anything else, sorry to be blunt, you don't know jack about the World Cup.

clarette · 12-10-2005, 09:28 PM

My opinion of the World Cup draw = meh.

Except for that I think it's a good thing we're not playing Iran again.

BetterThanChivas · 12-10-2005, 09:53 PM

Check this out, the average world ranking in each group. This shows that USA's group is obviously the group of death.

Group A: 24.25<-------Germany
Group B: 26.00<----England
Group C: 23.75<---Supposed Group of Death with Argentina and Netherlands
Group D: 24.50<---Mexico and Portugal will go through easy.
Group E: 18.00 <----Group of death, second place most likely plays Brazil.
Group F: 21.25<---Second hardest group, but they have Brazil.
Group G: 31.50<-----France must've cheated
Group H: 26.50<----Spain has nobody ranked higher than 29 in their group.