Life In 19x19

An excellent schedule of when the games are played can be found here.

I'm just wondering if anyone here will be watching/rooting for a particular team? Any predictions on the winner?

Here's mine. No bashing please, a Korean can't dream?

I plan on watching what I can, but I don't cheer for any particular team.

Araban wrote:I'm just wondering if anyone here will be watching/rooting for a particular team? Any predictions on the winner

I'm more of an ice-hockey person (if somebody wonders why, look left for my location), but in this World Cup I'm rooting for New Zealand. I don't predict they will win though.

Go Portugal!
I don't expect them to win, though.

Edit: Nice calendar, btw.

I wonder if the US will ever be good at the sport being played in the World Cup...

Soccer bores me. Fortunately, I'm in France, where the national team looks like they won't make it past the first round, so things will calm down quickly (aside from the recriminations, blaming the coach for the fact that the team sucks).

Nevertheless, I'll probably watch the final at least... My son's due back from school at the end of the month, and he'll probably want to watch the last few games.

Kirby wrote:I wonder if the US will ever be good at the sport being played in the World Cup...

It's odd, because so many kids in the US play soccer. There are a fair number of Americans who play internationally, I'm told.

Kirby wrote:I wonder if the US will ever be good at the sport being played in the World Cup...

What's your definition of good? They are coming in considered the 14th best team in FIFA standings. I think that's fairly decent. It will take a long time to build up a base with how much other sports are popular here.

I can't figure out how North Korea gets in with a ranking of 105.

oren wrote:

Kirby wrote:I wonder if the US will ever be good at the sport being played in the World Cup...

What's your definition of good? They are coming in considered the 14th best team in FIFA standings. I think that's fairly decent. It will take a long time to build up a base with how much other sports are popular here.

I can't figure out how North Korea gets in with a ranking of 105.

Doesn't it have something to do with a certain number of teams getting selected per region? That's why, as I understand, there aren't more European or South American teams. Kind of fair, when you consider, letting the smaller countries play.

kirkmc wrote:
Doesn't it have something to do with a certain number of teams getting selected per region? That's why, as I understand, there aren't more European or South American teams. Kind of fair, when you consider, letting the smaller countries play.

Yeah, it's more obvious when you see the group North Korea played in.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminar ... index.html

Not exactly powerhouses of soccer.

I am a huge football fan. Of course, I will support the U.S., but my real team is Holland. I really hope they can win it this year.

An interesting video I saw on the US's "Project 2010" for this WC which gives me some hope for them this year:

I'm going with Argentina. Why not?

Solomon, I see you took USA to take first in Group C, essentially picking us to beat England on Saturday. Bold! I like it.

zinger wrote:I'm going with Argentina. Why not?

Solomon, I see you took USA to take first in Group C, essentially picking us to beat England on Saturday. Bold! I like it.

Not as bold as picking South Africa to advance and his dream South Korea picks. But hey, anyone who picks my Dutch to beat Brazil is ok by me!

Here in germany soccer is THE sport - so ofc I'm going to watch
I think the USA - Soccer team isn't as bad as most of you think, I think we'll see some surprises.
My personal predition isnt completely ready yet, I'll think about it tomorrow.
But I think the german team is able to make it into the halffinal, even if many top players are dropping out because of injury

P.S.: Sol I really like your prediction *g