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World Cup Soccer - 2014! (1 Viewer)

FoxyMulder

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The World Cup kicks off tonight and i can't see a dedicated thread to it, is there one. ?

Is anyone interested in it, i'm looking forward to three games a day for the next few weeks, i think the heat will favour Brazil and teams like Argentina and Uruguay. European teams will suffer and not do so well, Spain is not going to win this one.
 

Keith Cobby

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Although not a regular football fan I have been watching the World Cup since the 1970's. I don't have an opinion on who will win but the Latin American teams must be favourite. Although you don't think Spain will win, their performance during the last World Cup was the best I have seen in all the time I have been watching.
 

Jacinto

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Just finished upgrading my cable lineup to something with ESPN HD. I installed an OTA HD antenna a few months ago, but maintained a basic cable account just so I could watch the World Cup. After the Cup, I will officially drop cable – I believe Fox has the broadcast rights to the next World Cup, so I will have no need for ESPN!

Very excited for some excellent futbol! It's times like this that I'm the envy of many of my friends for being self-employed, working from home. The money's not always as good, but I have the flexibility to watch almost all of these games during the week. Can't wait! As a huge fan of the sport, I'm just looking forward to a month of soccer played at the highest level; I don't really care who wins yet, but maybe some team along the way will pull my interest due to an interesting player or story.
 

Walter C

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I was just about to start a thread on the World Cup, but had to take care of something else at the time. Looks like FoxyMulder beat me to the kick. :P

Anyway, this will be the only time that I am heavily into soccer. I will more likely watch most of the games online, since I will be going through the moving process shortly. Any predictions that I would make, is basically throwing darts at the wall.

Opening ceremony starting in less than an hour, followed by the opening match between host nation Brazil and Croatia.

Jacinto said:
Just finished upgrading my cable lineup to something with ESPN HD. I installed an OTA HD antenna a few months ago, but maintained a basic cable account just so I could watch the World Cup. After the Cup, I will officially drop cable – I believe Fox has the broadcast rights to the next World Cup, so I will have no need for ESPN!
Yes, Fox has the next 2 World Cups, though I think most of the games will be on Fox Sports 1 and 2. Have to admit, I was not happy to hear that ESPN/ABC lost the rights, though no need to worry about Joe Buck being involved, since it will happen during baseball season (though that may not be the case with 2022 in Qatar).
 

FoxyMulder

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Walter C said:
Looks like FoxyMulder beat me to the kick. :P
It's okay, i'm sure if it went to penalties you would win. :D

I'm looking forward to the opening ceremony, i hope they have the Brazilian carnival girls in attendance.
 

Walter C

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FoxyMulder said:
It's okay, i'm sure if it went to penalties you would win. :D
Ha, which would only happen, had I used the actual expression and got called for hand ball. :lol:

I will be rooting for the US and South Korea, though I can only see both teams making it to the Round of 16, and that's it! Brazil will probably take it all, as they are the home team.
 

Scott Merryfield

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The World Cup is the only time I really watch the sport anymore, although I did play all the way through high school back in the '70's, and was also a USSF certified referee. Like others here, I would expect the Latin/South American teams to do well. With the group they are in, I would be surprised to see the U.S. get past the preliminary round.
 

RolandL

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US is in the toughest group. Ghana nocked the US out of the last two world cups. Portugal has the best player Ronaldo. Germany is probably the best team in the world next to Spain.
 

FoxyMulder

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RolandL said:
US is in the toughest group. Ghana nocked the US out of the last two world cups. Portugal has the best player Ronaldo. Germany is probably the best team in the world next to Spain.
Lionel Messi might have something to say about that.

I can't see the USA getting out of that group unless they get off to a flying start but you never know, i wonder about Germany's firepower this tournament, i'm just annoyed that Scotland had a very negative manger ( Craig Levein ) that cost us several early qualifying games and an opportunity to get to the World Cup and get knocked out in the group stages again.
 

Ockeghem

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Brazil was having quite a time with Croatia, but after the penalty shot they settled down. I have Germany winning it all. I don't think the USA will get out of their group either. Portugal is quite good too, but I still think the Germans (even without a star player being able to play) is so much better than the rest of the field.
 

Jacinto

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To my eyes, that penalty was a terrible call, and changed the whole game. Not saying Croatia would have won without that call being made, but the game surely would have been quite different. Spain vs. Netherlands tomorrow should be an excellent game, but I'll be watching all three games anyway...
 

FoxyMulder

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RolandL said:
This is my favorite soccer video.
It was a good goal but i'm going to have to go over to the aspect ratio thread and complain because that video is not being shown in the correct ratio. :lol:

The Brazil penalty was a little harsh but then again he did have his arm on him so technically it was the correct call.
 

Walter C

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Yeah, I questioned the yellow card that resulted in a penalty kick for Brazil. Croatia gave it its all, but I guess Brazil is too good (assuming they don't sleepwalk throughout the competition ever again).

The opening ceremony was more like a school play. Then again, I should remember that World Cup ceremonies will never be at the level of the Olympics, as it is very short.
 

FoxyMulder

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Walter C said:
The opening ceremony was more like a school play. Then again, I should remember that World Cup ceremonies will never be at the level of the Olympics, as it is very short.
I was very disappointed in the opening ceremony, the Olympics was spectacular and this was just ordinary, part of the problem is the opening ceremony was daytime, you can't really have a good fireworks or light display of any kind that works during the day.
 

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Richard Travale

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There are 3 Euro teams that have good chances at taking it all. Reigning Champs Spain as well as Germany and Italy. Portugal and The Netherlands can be extremely strong too. People are favouring Brazil and Argentina. I don’t think Argentina will do as well as people expect. I think Brazil has a very good shot, and being the home side doesn’t hurt either. That said, Spain has won the last 3 major World tourneys, and I would be surprised if they aren’t on the winning end again…or at least in the finals.My heart is with Italy though. Let’s see a repeat of 2006…without the headbutt to the chest :)Forza Italia!
 

FoxyMulder

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Mexico won a hard fought battle, should have got a goal that was poorly disallowed, i hope referees and linesmen are not going to be the talk of this tournament, they should really be invisible, when you don't notice the referee it means they are doing a good job and letting the game flow. Looking forward to the Spain versus Holland match later, i think Spain will win.
 

Walter C

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FoxyMulder said:
Mexico won a hard fought battle, should have got a goal that was poorly disallowed, i hope referees and linesmen are not going to be the talk of this tournament, they should really be invisible, when you don't notice the referee it means they are doing a good job and letting the game flow. Looking forward to the Spain versus Holland match later, i think Spain will win.
And only after 2 games played, and officiating being glaringly bad this early. Mexico has to be relieved after scoring a goal that did count. A tie would have been almost as bad as a loss.While I did wish that I was there at some of the games, this one would not have been one of them. Only because the weather was just terrible.
 

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