T1B

Winners: Argentina (Just have a feeling)

Runners-up: Brazil (too heavily favoured for my liking)

Player of the tournament: Ronaldinho (could step up to Pele/Maradona levels)

USA: Horrible draw, opposition wary of them, Czechs too good, Italy won't choke this time, Ghana will fancy their chances - out in group stage

England: Rooney returns, Country goes mad, they knock out Germany in 2nd round and roll over to a decent team in the quarter-finals

Surprise team: Mexico. Or Iran

Chokers: Portugal

Dark Horses: Czech Republic

Me: Pissed up all month.

Winners: Brazil (yeah, taking a real risk there)

Runners-up: England

Player of the Tournament: Wayne Rooney - he's apparently fit and I am sure well rested.

USA: I give us about a 1 out of 3 chance to make it out of the round. Don't Italy groups always end up with draws all around.

England: This team looks fit and ready to go, especially with Ronney. An easy march through the group stages will help.

Surpise Team: Ivory Coast (even though they are in the Group of Death)

Biggest Disappointment: Holland

Chokers: Spain, of course

Dark Horse: Sweden

Winners: Germany (I hope it's Holland)

Runners-up: Italy

Player of the tournament: Ronaldinho

USA: First game is absoluty HUGE -- should determine if they can get out of the first round. A loss to the Czechs and they're likely done. A win and they have a good shot of making it to the second round.

England: I'd love to see them win the whole thing. Weather should not be a factor like it was in the quarters in 2002. Semifinals this year.

Surprise team: Mexico

Chokers: Spain (again)

Dark Horses: Portugal, especially if they can keep their form as they did in Euro 2004, and Ronaldo doesn't get red-carded.

Me: On an early schedule all month, watching games at 8 a.m. CT.

Winners: Brasil(it's theirs to lose)(my tickets say holland or czech)

Runners-up: italy

Player of the tournament: Ronaldinho or Nedved

USA: Czech and italy too good. Nedved if healthy could be player of tourney

England: could see them finishing 2nd or 3rd in the group. overrated, no goaltending, plus the sven factor.

Surprise team: Swiss

Chokers: Spain/England

Dark Horses: Czech Republic

Me: working too many hours before cup to be able to watch every game while being pissed drunk

Winners: Germany

Runners-up: USA

Player of the tournament: Lukas Podolski (Germany)

USA: Escape group play and upset Brazil.

England: Lose to Germany in 2nd round.

Surprise teams: Poland, South Korea

Chokers: France, Mexico

Dark Horses: Ukraine, Serbia and Montenegro

Winners: Brazil (chalk pick, I know)

Runners-up: the Netherlands

Player of the tournament: Ronaldo (he'll become the all-time leading scoring in this tournament)

USA: Very tough group...don't know too much about the Czechs, very concerned about the Italy game but all they really need to do is beat the Czechs to get to the playoff. I don't expect them to make a really deep run...I'd just like to see one satisfying win much like the win over Mexico in 2002. They'll get hammered by Brazil in the round of 16 but those guys will be hammering everyone in this tournament. Hopefully in 4 years, they'll be a legit contender.

England: They look like a very talented and exciting squad and I imagine the pressure on them to win the whole thing. I've got them beating Italy in the consolation/third place game.

Surprise team: Iran

Chokers: Germany and of course, France

Dark Horses: South Korea (I was impressed by them in the last World Cup...I've got them in the round of 8)

Me: Gonna have to catch replays on Classic because the majority of the games on in the morning and the afternoon. This tournament is not working man-friendly for those in the States. I like the World Cup but it's not something I'll use vacation time to watch. I'll try to watch as many games as I can...especially on the weekends.

Winners: Holland. I just have a feeling about the angry orange

Runners-up: Brazil

Player of the tournament: Ronaldinho. He is the houdini of the soccer pitch. Best player in the world.

USA: We got the group of death. 4 years ago we beat a heavily favored Portugal team and I think we can do the same against an aging Czech team. We could draw with Italy and Ghana and make it out.

England: I always root for England. I think this is the tournament where they get it all together. Huge matches from Beckham, Rooney, Owen and the like get England to the quarters.

Surprise team: Ukraine

Chokers: Sweden

Dark Horses: Croatia

Me: Totally amped. I haven't missed a world cup since 1978. I have my US jersey and I am ready to go.

Team I want to win: Netherlands. ORANJEBAL! ORANJEBAL!

Team i think will win: Brazil

Runner-up: Italy

Player of the Tournament: Ronaldinho.

USA: Two excruciating one-goal losses and a firstround exit. In my head I can already see the 1-0 loss to Italy off a fluke set piece or some goal against the run of play. I hope i'm wrong.

Surprise team: Austrailia

Chokers: Spain always fits here

Story of the tournament: Ronaldinho will seize this tournament and make it his own.

Winners: Brazil. Boring pick I know.

Runners Up: THe Netherlands. I'm optimistic about this team. I've been a fan of this team for awhile like others in here. I was unsure about Van Basten ditching the studs like Davids and Kluivert et al in favor, er favour of younger guys but he's made a believer out of me with the consistency he's been able to get out of this team.

Other semifinalists: Czech Rep and England.

USA: Unlucky draw but I have a weird feeling they will use athleticism and effort to punk Italy for 2nd in the group. Which means Brazil in round of 16 . . .

Suprise Team: Tunisia

Chockers: Italy and Germany (I'm cheating a little because I've already seen Germany's first game. Exciting but they looked WAY too disorganized in the back. . . gonna get them punked.)

Why Brazil is so favored is because if you look at the major teams, Brazil is perhaps the only one who's got their best team in a decade. Perfect mix of talent and experience. Way better than the 2002 champs and more experienced and disciplined that the 1998 runners up.

England: Rooney's injury is a little chink in the armour. Their 2002 and Euro 2004 teams were maybe a little better. Both those teams were eliminated by teams they coulda shoulda beat (Brazil and Portugal).

France: Better than 2002 and 2004 but not as good as super teams of 1998-2000.

Netherlands: See France (but also see my discussion about the team above)

Germany: Maybe best team since Euro 1996 and at home, but German teams of late 90's earl 2000's were God Awful even though they made it to finals in 02 with luckiest draw ever.

Italy: Could make an argument that they are better than they've been in awhile but the team still lacks an identity and has since Baggio retired. I think USA may punk them.

Czech's: Still nice, but a notch below where they were in Euro 04 where they blew it cause they were the best team for most of the tournament.

Portugal: Similat to Czech's. Preverbial window is about to close.

Spain: Almost impossible to predict how this team will do. Actually, maybe not, something bad will undue them, whether their fault (1998, 2004) or the refs (2002).

Sweden: Experienced, disciplined, but getting a little old. Stuggled in pre-tourney friendlies. Are not quite as good as they were in 2002 and 04. Could still punk Germany in round of 16.

Argentina: I don't think as talented as they were in 02 but that 02 team were all-time tanks. I picked them to win it in 02, did not survive group stage. Could make a run this time. Tough group.

1. Switzerland 3 2 1 0 4 0 7

rack my pick for suprise team


the swiss have a quality side, basel has shown that the play in swissyland has improved

Nothing up front, though. Should do well in Euro 2008.

If Argentina beat Germany in the next round, I can't see anyone stopping 'em. I still can't see England beating Portugal, but whoever wins that will roll over in the semis.

Adelpiero wrote:

1. Switzerland 3 2 1 0 4 0 7

rack my pick for suprise team


the swiss have a quality side, basel has shown that the play in swissyland has improved

That's a pretty wild stat about how they're the first team to be eliminated without giving up a goal.

If I were a betting man, I would bet on Portugal to win it all now. They seem to have the right combination of mojo going for them. Plus two of their better players will be back from their one game suspensions.

Italy all the way!

Zyclone wrote:Italy all the way! I got 4 cousins and three close friends that play for the azzuri.

ftfy, nc.