The World Cup is a cool idea. It’s like the World Baseball Classic, but with motivated American players. However, after seeing this U.S. team play four games all of which were tied at the 90 minute mark, I have to say I’m not impressed. You people who were so thrilled by the U.S. performance need to explain it to me because I just don’t get it. Fifty percent of their games ended with NO winner. Do you know the only way that happens in baseball? If the game is cancelled due to rain (or snow… stupid Colorado). Those games are later made up… and someone WINS. Because that’s what is supposed to happen at the end of a competitive sporting event.

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Editor’s note: Since Ryan is the only one around here that knows a thing about soccer, we’ve enlisted him to keep us all up to speed on the World Cup. Teams are broken into groups of four and they play each other once. Wins are worth 3 points, ties 1, losses 0. The two teams with the most points (ties are settled by goal differential) in each group move on to a single elimination tournament, which does not feature ties (at least I hope not) and leads to a 2010 World Cup Champion. –ptb

Friday, June 11, 2010

GROUP A – FIFA Rankings (#)

France (9), Uruguay (16), Mexico (17), South Africa (83)

Game 1 – 10 AM

Mexico 1 – 1 South Africa

In terms of finding out what happened, you can read a match recap.

What I took from this match was that there is such a thing as home field advantage, or at least for one game the crowd can cause a team like Mexico fits. South Africa played about 8 men tight in the back (near the net) and left Mexico little space to take shots. It is a strategy that works if you score first or maintain a tie. If the opposing team scores first, then it makes a team like South Africa take chances. Do not expect a result like this against France or Uruguay. They will push hard for an early goal. Once South Africa gives up one expect more to follow. Their defense is not talented enough to play the opposing team when down a goal. I would bet that this is the only point South Africa gets in this group.

France 0 – 0 Uruguay

This match started off with so much promise. It was back and forth with more scoring chances in the first twenty minutes than the first game. You can tell that France has the most talent in the group, though Uruguay is quite good and comparable to Mexico in terms of scoring talent and passing. Anyway, back to the game: After halftime, both teams appeared to play for a tie. They would rather get one point and take their chances that they could beat South Africa and tie Mexico. First place could come down to which team beats South Africa by more goals. It is pure conjecture, but I see Mexico with a tie in all three games. There is no way France or Uruguay will play to win when all they have to do is beat South Africa and move on.

So, yeah.  Mexico is in trouble.

Something called the 2010 FIFA World Cup began yesterday… with both games ending in ties. The team representing the United States has their first… game? match? contest? (I’m sure there’s a proper term) today at 2:30PM EST against England. The World Cup is a global phenomenon that often goes unnoticed here at home. I know less about this stuff than I do about the NHL, so I’ve been doing some research online.

Here are some things you can do to get involved:

• Download the ESPN FIFA 2010 World Cup iPhone App
• Figure out what some of these three letter abbreviations mean
• Learn to chant
• Decide if you’re going to call it football or soccer
• Actually watch a game sometime in the next month

I’m sure we’ll be talking about the World Cup a lot more, but today we’ll be back at the Philadelphia Comic Con. Say hello if you find yourself there.