[matmat]

Hanoi5, on Jun 25 2010, 05:29 PM, said:

This is the reason for ejecting the Chilean:

http://img13.abload....6422531i1sy.gif

yes. it looked suspicious, but there was an earlier infraction involving the same player that certainly deserved a second yellow, so maybe things were evened out there.

[Aberlour10]

Codo, on Jun 25 2010, 04:58 PM, said:

And if it is not too late, I want to change my bid for the first four:
Ghana wins....

OK, done

[bb79]

53) 1
54) 1
55) 2
56) 1

[skorchev]

49) 1
50) 2
51) 2
52) 1
53) 1
54) 1
55) 1
56) 1

[cherdanno]

matmat, on Jun 25 2010, 05:46 PM, said:

Hanoi5, on Jun 25 2010, 05:29 PM, said:

This is the reason for ejecting the Chilean:

http://img13.abload....6422531i1sy.gif

yes. it looked suspicious, but there was an earlier infraction involving the same player that certainly deserved a second yellow, so maybe things were evened out there.

No way this was a flop.
- The defenders leg hit Torres right foot while it was stretched out back, causing him to hit his left foot on the following step. (This is very hard to see on the picture sequence because the hit is almost at the beginning of the sequence.)
- Nobody would be so silly to try a flop there - it would be highly unlikely to work, it would only give a free kick, while he was ahead of all the other central defenders and in GREAT position to score on the cross.

If you want to convince me that Torres stumbled you may have a case, but a flop - not in a million years.

[cherdanno]

53) 1
54) 1
55) 1
56) 1

Really the only two close calls seem to be Germany-England and USA-Ghana.

[dicklont]

53) 1
54) 1
55) 2
56) 1

[jdonn]

cherdanno, on Jun 26 2010, 02:44 AM, said:

Really the only two close calls seem to be Germany-England and USA-Ghana.

The difference in FIFA world rankings between the matchups:

Uruguay 16, South Korea 47 = 31
Netherlands 4, Slovakia 34 = 30
USA 14, Ghana 32 = 18
Brazil 1, Chile 18 = 17
Paraguay 31, Japan 45 = 14
Argentina 7, Mexico 17 =10
Germany 6, England 8 = 2
Spain 2, Portugal 3 = 1

Maybe I'm being defensive, but what makes the USA against Ghana matchup closer than the other 5 out of 7 matches where the teams are closer in rank? I understand I have oversimplified and there are other factors such as the gap from the top teams being greater than the gap between middle teams (ie 11 beating 1 is a greater upset than 40 beating 30 so likely Brazil is a much greater favorite than the USA) but surely USA are clear favorites against Ghana with some other matches being much closer to call.

Maybe part of it is that I don't give much credit to the "advantage" of Ghana being an African team. That perceived advantage didn't seem to do much for African teams in the first round.

Of course there is nothing wrong with picking an upset in any match, but I take the most favored teams in order to be Netherlands, Brazil, Uruguay, USA, Paraguay, Spain, Argentina, Germany. Something like that.

[gwnn]

USA always have a higher world ranking than they deserve. They play against Jamaica and Honduras and Costa Rica usually.

[jdonn]

I confess to not having any idea how it's calculated, but wouldn't you think it takes strength of schedule into account?

Besides, Confederation Cup

[gwnn]

It does but not enough. When Romania was in a glorious group with
Ireland
Iceland
Macedonia
Lithuania
Liechtenstein
for the 98 world cup, they got 9 victories and 1 draw. They got ranked as #3 on the world rankings.

Anyway where did cherdanno say that? I can't find that post.

[jdonn]

I thought you were the king of searching for posts and threads, yet can't find the one 2 posts prior to the reply? Your ranking seems inflated too!

Anyway all of USA, Korea, Uruguay, and Ghana should be happy to be in what is clearly the weakest section of the draw. Yay USA!

[gwnn]

touché

[hanp]

jdonn, on Jun 26 2010, 04:33 AM, said:

cherdanno, on Jun 26 2010, 02:44 AM, said:

Really the only two close calls seem to be Germany-England and USA-Ghana.

The difference in FIFA world rankings between the matchups:

Uruguay 16, South Korea 47 = 31
Netherlands 4, Slovakia 34 = 30
USA 14, Ghana 32 = 18
Brazil 1, Chile 18 = 17
Paraguay 31, Japan 45 = 14
Argentina 7, Mexico 17 =10
Germany 6, England 8 = 2
Spain 2, Portugal 3 = 1

Maybe I'm being defensive, but what makes the USA against Ghana matchup closer than the other 5 out of 7 matches where the teams are closer in rank? I understand I have oversimplified and there are other factors such as the gap from the top teams being greater than the gap between middle teams (ie 11 beating 1 is a greater upset than 40 beating 30 so likely Brazil is a much greater favorite than the USA) but surely USA are clear favorites against Ghana with some other matches being much closer to call.

Maybe part of it is that I don't give much credit to the "advantage" of Ghana being an African team. That perceived advantage didn't seem to do much for African teams in the first round.

Of course there is nothing wrong with picking an upset in any match, but I take the most favored teams in order to be Netherlands, Brazil, Uruguay, USA, Paraguay, Spain, Argentina, Germany. Something like that.

lol @ Josh and FIFA ranking.

[Aberlour10]

[gwnn]

May I change 52 to 2?

[Aberlour10]

gwnn, on Jun 26 2010, 07:47 AM, said:

May I change 52 to 2?

OK done

[gwnn]

pooltuna-gwnn vs the world then.

[pooltuna]

gwnn, on Jun 26 2010, 07:47 AM, said:

May I change 52 to 2?

sorry but I am using my Tantō already and so it is not available

[cherdanno]

Josh wanna bet? You pick USA and one out of Slovakia, Mexico, Japan and Chile, I pick Ghana and the opponent of the other team you pick. If both your teams advance, you win, if both my teams advance, I win. 50 Dollars?