December 6th, 2013 at 8:50 AM ^
December 6th, 2013 at 8:52 AM ^
The Ukraine is weak.
December 6th, 2013 at 9:05 AM ^
UKRAINE IS GAME TO YOU?!??!!
December 6th, 2013 at 9:12 AM ^
December 6th, 2013 at 11:11 AM ^
Seinfeld is a terrible show. And I don't think he is funny.
IMO!
December 6th, 2013 at 10:52 AM ^
Ukraine. You not say Ukraine weak
December 6th, 2013 at 12:07 PM ^
A buddy of mine spent two years in Ukraine with the Peace Corps. Ukrainians despise "THE Ukraine." The country is just Ukraine, no "the" needed. Reminds them of when they were in the USSR and not independent, plus they hate Ohio.
December 6th, 2013 at 9:59 AM ^
Of course, this year every group will be one- there are no weak teams.
There are, but most of them are in our pot.
I think we'll be alright as long as we don't have to deal with the Netherlands or Italy, although it would help also if we got someone from Africa that isn't Ghana.
December 6th, 2013 at 10:28 AM ^
EDIT: I commented before looking at the pots.
All the teams I wanted to be seeded with are in our pot. Yikes.
Nightmare: Brazil, NED, USA and...gulp...Ghana.
December 6th, 2013 at 11:00 AM ^
Mwuahahahahaha!!!
<----------
December 6th, 2013 at 10:30 AM ^
I think the "nightmare" scendario Yahoo suggests isn't possible because NED is in pot #4. Maybe I'm not understanding how this works.
December 6th, 2013 at 10:43 AM ^
There are actually nine teams in Pot 4 and seven in Pot 2; the first thing they'll do in the draw is to move a random European team from 4 to 2 and then they have a fancy procedure to make sure that team is with a South American team from 1 so as not to have a group of three European teams. So if Italy or the Netherlands is moved over to 2, then they could be drawn with Brazil and us to create a disaster. From Pot 2 I'd say there are three African teams we don't want plus the European team if it's someone really good.
The flip side of course is that teams will be looking to Pot 3 as their potential minnow pot and praying they don't get the US. Italy had such a rotten showing in 2010 and I think our nightmare scenario is the same as theirs.
December 6th, 2013 at 10:46 AM ^
Thanks, it makes sense now.
December 6th, 2013 at 11:04 AM ^
This is the strongest the World cup field has been since.....EVER.
I was looking at the seeding, I think the top 18 teams in the world all made the field, and 23 or the top 24 teams.
December 6th, 2013 at 9:15 AM ^
The home team tends to get more than their share of the calls on the field (or "pitch", if you must), FIFA has shown that they don't mind assigning the most incompetent on-field officials available for World Cup matches featuring the USA.
Brazil is still good enough to beat us on skill alone (probably), but they are not up their usual standards talent-wise and FIFA will want to make sure they're playing as long as possible to keep the home fans involved in a positive manner.
December 6th, 2013 at 9:59 AM ^
the nightmare scenario would be gawdawful. and to think I was half considering going to South America next year hahaha
December 6th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^
the US is rightly worried.. but think of the teams that draw the US or mexico from our Pot?
Have lots of chances for one easy game and get us instead... that would suck.
December 6th, 2013 at 10:42 AM ^
December 6th, 2013 at 10:58 AM ^
FIFA is European biased so the draw design favors the European teams heavily because Pot 4 is essentially a de facto second seeded pot, it contains the top ranked teams outside of Pot A minus Chile and the US. This draw design hurts the US the most of all of the teams, as the USA's group is the group with the lowest average rank on average if you simulated this thing a zillion times.
You just have to embrace the group of death thing and realize it'd be fine to get in a tough group. If we lose to some big teams, that would be expected. If we beat some and advance to the knockouts, that'd be considered a super sucessful world cup.The other option is getting a relatively easier draw and then we'd be in the camp of needing to advance to knockouts in order to make the World Cup at all sucessful. I also think the group of death thing could drive TV ratings, as many more Americans would tune in for USA-England or USA-Brazil vs. USA-Nigeria or USA-Greece.
December 6th, 2013 at 10:58 AM ^
I am not worried about the Germany, Brazil or Argentina teams being in the USA's group since the top 2 teams advance and as long as USA advances they could avoid a top top team for a few knockout rounds (having been in the same group stage). I just hope the other 2 teams in the group do not have the ability to beat USA and the other teams making it harder to get 1st or 2nd in the group stage. Switzerland would be easier for the USA to beat than Germany, but it would be easier for Bosnia or any other weaker team as well.
December 6th, 2013 at 11:00 AM ^
I want to see France-Brazil. Allez les bleus
December 6th, 2013 at 11:14 AM ^
My first go at the WC simulator: Swiss, Cameroon, USA, England. I'll take it.
December 6th, 2013 at 11:22 AM ^
My first go at WC simulator: Argentina, France, USA, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
So not terrible!
December 6th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^
December 6th, 2013 at 11:30 AM ^
December 6th, 2013 at 11:33 AM ^
I think so.
I think it was Chuck Klosterman, but he thinks the concussion issues in sports like football are going to push kids into soccer in the future.
December 6th, 2013 at 1:46 PM ^
December 6th, 2013 at 12:49 PM ^
I don't think it will happen as long as we are in CONCACAF. The level of competition in this confederation is just too low to offer the U.S. (or Mexico for that matter) good preparation.
December 6th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^
This WC will not be the same without Zlatan
December 6th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^
So it's 11:54 am EST. What freaking time zone was it supposed to be drawn at 11am? Cuz nothing has happened thus far.
December 6th, 2013 at 12:05 PM ^
2 opening music/dance acts
December 6th, 2013 at 12:06 PM ^
Group D for Death. Italy, Uraguay.... Ballotelli vs. Suarez. Oh yeah.
Group E! We want group E.
December 6th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ^
Honduras...
December 6th, 2013 at 12:07 PM ^
Damn. Wanted to see Mexico lose to Brazil in the opening game
December 6th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^
Mexico draws group A with Brazil & Cameroon
December 6th, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^
United states draws Germany and Ghana, group G
December 6th, 2013 at 12:12 PM ^
Germany is number 2....
USA 14
Ghana 24.
Ghana has eliminated us from the past 2 world cups. So I say its time for redemtion!
December 6th, 2013 at 12:23 PM ^
don't forget they're with Portugal...good luck trying to get out of that group...
December 6th, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^
WTF Ghana and Germany
December 6th, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^
Crap. G. Ghana and Germany.
December 6th, 2013 at 12:12 PM ^
Being grouped with Germany was way too predictable. Too obvious of a story line to pass up.
December 6th, 2013 at 12:15 PM ^
France gets the luckiest draw.
December 6th, 2013 at 12:56 PM ^
No kidding - although everyone said that four years ago as well. France seems to play to its competition.
December 6th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^
December 6th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^
portugal, germany, ghana, usa
UGHHHHHHHHHH
December 6th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^
Fack. That is a really tough group
December 6th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^
Holy shit this is a nightmare for the U.S.