World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

[jmh]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Japan's going to play the World Cup with holograms. Just to show that they can make better quality knockoffs than the Chinese.

It's like Billy Beane's dreams from when he wrote Moneyball are coming true!

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

They're all pretty strong I think. Though I think I'd go with A being slightly tougher than C.


In 2015, they're expanding to 24 teams. Can't help but think that's a little too much too fast.

How are they going to go to 24? 4 groups of 6 teams, or 8 groups of 3 teams, I would think the 4X6 model would work better. And its not like they couldn't also just go with 4x5 for a 20 team WWC.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Too bad Israel doesn't typically qualify (though they would likely qualify if they could play in their own geographical region, Asia of course) or it'd be almost worth it for Qatar to get it and to see the whole Muslim world squirm at having to let Israel be a part of things.

Yeah, but would Isreal really want to play in their region? I mean, we think its pretty bad when the USA has to go down to the Azteca or some other Central American stadium and deal with their fans and such. But just imagine just how much worse it would be for Isreal to go to say Tehran, or anywhere else in the Middle East.

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Yeah, but would Israel really want to play in their region? I mean, we think its pretty bad when the USA has to go down to the Azteca or some other Central American stadium and deal with their fans and such. But just imagine just how much worse it would be for Israel to go to say Tehran, or anywhere else in the Middle East.

Since they all refuse to play Israel, just have their games played at neutral sites in Europe. Oh wait, no one would want to host those games.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

I'm rewatching the US presentation as I missed it live, Clinton is killing it.

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Since they all refuse to play Israel, just have their games played at neutral sites in Europe. Oh wait, no one would want to host those games.

Tie them to tickets of another game. You can't go see Spain vs Portugal unless you also pay extra for this Israel vs Iran match. Screwing over the consumer is always the way to go!

 

[jmh]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

How are they going to go to 24? 4 groups of 6 teams, or 8 groups of 3 teams, I would think the 4X6 model would work better. And its not like they couldn't also just go with 4x5 for a 20 team WWC.

I presume they'd structure it the same as the 1994 Men's World Cup (also as Euro 2016 will be once they expand to 24), with six groups of four teams, top two advance from each group plus the four best third-place teams to start single-elimination with a round of 16. (If you wanted, you could also take the winner of each group plus the top two second-place teams to start at quarterfinals.)

 

[JF_Gophers]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

I presume they'd structure it the same as the 1994 Men's World Cup (also as Euro 2016 will be once they expand to 24), with six groups of four teams, top two advance from each group plus the four best third-place teams to start single-elimination with a round of 16. (If you wanted, you could also take the winner of each group plus the top two second-place teams to start at quarterfinals.)

They could change it a a year long event, having everyone play home-and-home with everyone else (46 matches per team) and then the top 8 go to the WC Finals site to play the QF, SF, and Final.

Of course that is ridiculous, but thats why I said it.

 

[unofan]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

So this Reuters guy thinks Qatar is the favorite for the 2022 bid (and Japan and S. Korea are essentially toast). Really?
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B051820101201

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

So this Reuters guy thinks Qatar is the favorite for the 2022 bid (and Japan and S. Korea are essentially toast). Really?
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B051820101201

I don't think that's the Reuters guy saying he thinks Qatar is the favorite. The odds he cites there are from Ladbrokes I believe. (Or some other London oddsmaker).

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

So this Reuters guy thinks Qatar is the favorite for the 2022 bid (and Japan and S. Korea are essentially toast). Really?
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B051820101201

The NCAA has already lost all credibility, why doesn't FIFA lose their credibility too. The security is going to be a nightmare and the stadiums and climate are horrid.

 

[bronconick]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

You've got to be ballsy to be willing to take bets on what FIFA will do.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

The NCAA has already lost all credibility, why doesn't FIFA lose their credibility too. The security is going to be a nightmare and the stadiums and climate are horrid.

Qatar's terrible, but of the three things you mention, I only really agree with one of them. The security concerns are different, sure, but is Qatar really less dangerous than Rio in 2014? The climate is terrible, agreed there. On the stadiums though, have you seen the stadiums? Some of them are pretty **** cool.

 

[unofan]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

I don't think that's the Reuters guy saying he thinks Qatar is the favorite. The odds he cites there are from Ladbrokes I believe. (Or some other London oddsmaker).

Well, regardless, Qatar at 4/6 is the favorite over Aussie and the USA (each at 5/2). I find that shocking. Who the **** wants to play or watch soccer in 120 degree heat, a/c not withstanding.

 

[unofan]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Qatar's terrible, but of the three things you mention, I only really agree with one of them. The security concerns are different, sure, but is Qatar really less dangerous than Rio in 2014? The climate is terrible, agreed there. On the stadiums though, have you seen the stadiums? Some of them are pretty **** cool.

Of course, the stadiums haven't been built, and (though extremely unlikely) god knows how they'd pay for them if the oil market collapses in 10 years.

 

[bronconick]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

So, what I'm gathering is that the US is likely to lose out on its bid to a hot desert country the size of Connecticut that is willing to build pretty plastic erector set stadiums in the most volatile region in the world.

 

[Terrierbyassociation]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Cash money, bronconick. Cash money.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

So, what I'm gathering is that the US is likely to lose out on its bid to a hot desert country the size of Connecticut that is willing to build pretty plastic erector set stadiums in the most volatile region in the world.

Such is the world we live in. Oh, and they hired Zidane to promote them.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

Of course, the stadiums haven't been built, and (though extremely unlikely) god knows how they'd pay for them if the oil market collapses in 10 years.

Sure, but that's a lot different than saying "stadiums" as a problem.

So, what I'm gathering is that the US is likely to lose out on its bid to a hot desert country the size of Connecticut that is willing to build pretty plastic erector set stadiums in the most volatile region in the world.

If it makes you feel better, we're second most likely to lose out on our bid to an Asian peninsula that just hosted the Cup 8 years ago in the hope that a sport played for a few weeks in June will reunite 60+ years of differences.

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: World Soccer XIX- Full of Pomp-ey and Circumstance

On the other hand though, people on the ground in Zurich seem to favor the US slightly more than the oddsmakers do. Oliver Kay of the Times of London says US is a slight favorite, Grant Wahl concurs. Really do think it's too close to call.