FIFA World Cup 2014

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Flopping is to be expected, I suppose, but there are more big floppers in the World Cup than there are in a Las Vegas cosmetic surgery clinic. There should be some kind of after the fact penalty for blatant flops like some of these guys take. I caught snippets of Belgium/South Korea and there were several really obvious instances of Korean players swooning in an attempt to draw a penalty. The ref was having none of it, good for him, but the BS attempts to draw penalties is cheap and should have consequences. I suggest breaking a few of their bones so they have something to whine about for real, but that might be a little harsh.

Pick a new sport?

Link Removed


With all the fuss being kicked up about FIFA being 'unfair' to Suarez, I can't help but draw more comparisons. In rugby, a contact sport where people will get hit, they will get trampled, that kind of behaviour would merit much stronger punishment. Incidents which have involved a player biting another player have landed the culprit with year+ bans, some getting on towards 18 month. Yet people think 9 internationals + 4 months is excessive?!

I enjoy football as a sport, but man, I get sick of some of the behaviour (players and administrators alike).

 

[MartinG1957]

OK here are my predictions for the last part of the last 16:
53. 3-1
54. 4-1
55. 3-0
56. 1-1

All players are now in the game with the exception of Revolver and Titus - no scores for any of the last 16 from either, get 'em in lads!

 

[icks]

56. 1-1
A tie is not possible, after the additionnal time, there are penalties and after that, sudden death game.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

56. 1-1
A tie is not possible, after the additionnal time, there are penalties and after that, sudden death game.

I had raised the same question (in regards to it being a full time score or a final score) the other day, Martin clarified a few pages back:

To be clear on the rules for predictions from this point:
the score we will use is the score after extra time and before penalties - do if you think it will go to a penalty shoot out, then enter your score as a draw!
Hope that makes sense - draws can happen but you can't predict a score based on a penalty shoot out.
So result is taken as score after extra time, before penalties.

 

[cheezewiz]

After reading news reports and listening to talk radio, I'm beginning to think the term Uruguayan is synonymous with delusional
. It is sickening how they are trying to defend that bitey turd with feet

 

[jrthebassguy]

Let's take a look at my predictions from page 3:

Finalists: Germany and Brazil
Winner: Germany
Surprise team of the tournament: Switzerland (have an easy group, should have no trouble getting out)
Player to watch for: Luis Suarez - He will be the difference for Uruguay if England or Italy somehow miss out on getting past the group stages.

1. Germany/Brazil are on the same side of the bracket, and thus can't be the two finalists. I still see Germany winning the whole thing.
2. Switzerland - Boom.
3. Luis Suarez - Couldn't have predicted the bite, but I'm technically not wrong here. (Not to take anything away from Costa Rica!)

 

[Unprofessional]

After reading news reports and listening to talk radio, I'm beginning to think the term Uruguayan is synonymous with delusional
. It is sickening how they are trying to defend that bitey turd with feet

It's like some sort of mass hysteria thing. Actually, it's a little scary.

 

[Darth Handsome]

After reading news reports and listening to talk radio, I'm beginning to think the term Uruguayan is synonymous with delusional
. It is sickening how they are trying to defend that bitey turd with feet

Maybe the biting habit is a cultural thing: ever seen the movie Alive!?

 

[MartinG1957]

OK lads, never mind the FIFA/UEFA/Brazil/England/Media/EU/NATO/UN/Axis Of Evil conspiracy to deprive Uruguay of the most gentlemanly sportsman to ever grace a football pitch,
Here is the real headline news, the TBOT WC Prediction Game Offeeeshul League Table at the end of the Group Stages.
If the US can perform as well on the pitch as they are doing here, we are in for an upset!!

Get your predictions in for the rest of the Last 16 - you know who you are!

 

[MartinG1957]

Chuck, finally, in answer to "pics or no wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen" herewith, The Little Mermaid...or her bum anyway, I was in a boat!

 

[Darth Handsome]

OK lads, never mind the FIFA/UEFA/Brazil/England/Media/EU/NATO/UN/Axis Of Evil conspiracy to deprive Uruguay of the most gentlemanly sportsman to ever grace a football pitch,
Here is the real headline news, the TBOT WC Prediction Game Offeeeshul League Table at the end of the Group Stages.
If the US can perform as well on the pitch as they are doing here, we are in for an upset!!

View attachment 438586

Get your predictions in for the rest of the Last 16 - you know who you are!

Not saying anything. Just quoting.

 

[BassyBill]

Martin - good call on the vocabulary front. Authenticity is seriously undervalued at times.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

1. Germany/Brazil are on the same side of the bracket, and thus can't be the two finalists. I still see Germany winning the whole thing.

I'm holding out for a Germany - Netherlands final, when on form they've played some damned inspiring football. Would have the potential for a lot of attacking play and a reasonably high scoring final.

 

[MartinG1957]

^^What Mohawk said.^^

 

[matante]

I'm hoping for a Mexico v USA final. OR Costa Rica v Algeria.

 

[Darkstrike]

Let's take a look at my predictions from page 3:






1. Germany/Brazil are on the same side of the bracket, and thus can't be the two finalists. I still see Germany winning the whole thing.
2. Switzerland - Boom.
3. Luis Suarez - Couldn't have predicted the bite, but I'm technically not wrong here. (Not to take anything away from Costa Rica!)

A slight edit to 3. makes it spot on.

Player to watch for: Luis Suarez - He will be the difference for Uruguay or somehow miss out on getting past the group stages.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I'm hoping for a Mexico v Algeria final.

If Mexico can beat the Netherlands, they should also make it through the QF, though I think they'd face off against Argentina in the semi, which could be a tricky bet.

Algeria on the other hand, they're definite underdogs in that half, they'd have to punch above their weight the whole way through to the final.

 

[matante]

If Mexico can beat the Netherlands, they should also make it through the QF, though I think they'd face off against Argentina in the semi, which could be a tricky bet.

Algeria on the other hand, they're definite underdogs in that half, they'd have to punch above their weight the whole way through to the final.

That's why it's something to hope for. I don't understand why a neutral would hope for Germany, Holland, Brazil, etc... The same teams always making it to the final.

 

[jrthebassguy]

I'm holding out for a Germany - Netherlands final, when on form they've played some damned inspiring football. Would have the potential for a lot of attacking play and a reasonably high scoring final.

Not sure how I feel about a 100% Germanic final. I can absolutely see it happening though, both have been the best sides thus far.


I wouldn't put it past France to make a deep run either.

 

[matante]

It's like some sort of mass hysteria thing. Actually, it's a little scary.

You have to keep in mind that Uruguay is a country of only 3 million people. It is essentially a city-state, with only a handful of newspapers and TV stations. It is very easy for the powers at be to shape public opinion. I heard the president of Uruguay being interviewed on TV yesterday and he sounded exactly like Roger de Flor, like some guy off the street whining against FIFA and the press.