World Cup 2010, Ultimate Edition

It's June 10th and we're just one day away from the biggest event in world sports, the World Cup.


I'll be watching as many of the 64 games this year as I reasonably can before driving everybody around me insane. Despite the slew of big name injuries that have occurred in the last few weeks I remain confident that this is going to be an explosive and exciting tournament. The wait is over and tomorrow the World Cup begins. So I'm going to do a predictions post and show my start to finish predictions. I've had some time to think about it and look at the rosters and here's my last minute predictions.

GROUP A
1. France
2. Mexico
3. South Africa
4. Uruguay
That's right I don't think the hosts will even make it out of the group stage, but I do think they'll one up the Uruguay squad. France for sure and Mexico are always strong.

GROUP B
1. Argentina
2. South Korea
3. Greece
4. Nigeria
Argentina are too damn strong to even drop a single point in this group and will go top with three wins. Korea are always overlooked but play a hardworking team. They've got more to prove than the other two teams.

GROUP C
1. England
2. USA
3. Slovenia
4. Algeria
England are a strong team up front and in the middle and will only really be challenged by the US. The bottom two teams are fairly weak and won't show too much fight I think.

GROUP D
1. Germany
2. Ghana
3. Australia
4. Serbia
Not a weak group by any means so the Germans will be slightly challenged but will definitely get through. Ghana are one of the stronger African sides and will benefit strongly from being on their own continent, enough to just get past the likes of Australia and Serbia.

GROUP E
1. Netherlands
2. Cameroon
3. Denmark
4. Japan
Despite loving Japan and really wanting them to do well, they don't stand a chance based on recent performances. Okazaki aside they've got nothing. Netherlands are so strong they shouldn't lose a single game. Cameroon and Denmark was a toss up as the Danes have a history of upsets, but Cameroon is better and on their own continent.

GROUP F
1. Paraguay
2. Italy
3. Slovakia
4. New Zealand
This group shouldn't be much of a challenge for the Italians, but for some reason I see them slipping up against the Paraguayan squad. They've got enough to get through this round, though. New Zealand are too weak to do anything and I don't expect much from Slovakia.

GROUP G
1. Brazil
2. Portugal
3. Ivory Coast
4. North Korea
The group of death. Before Didier Drogba's injury a few days ago I would've had them going top, but without the figurehead I don't believe they have the fight. He wasn't the whole team, but he was the glue and the gun... or something. So it'll be the two Portuguese speaking sides to go through over the corpse of the unfortunate Kim Jong-il worshipers.

GROUP H
1. Spain
2. Chile
3. Switzerland
4. Honduras
Spain are one of the best teams in the world right now and will score freely against the other three teams. Chile appears to be a good enough squad to get past the Swiss and Hondurans.

ROUND OF 16
France beats South Korea - I don't want it to happen, but it will
England beats Ghana - Home continent advantage falls out from under them here
Netherlands beats Italy - Italians can't contend with Dutch scorers
Brazil beats Chile - Chile aren't in the same league right now
Argentina beats Mexico - Repeat of 2006, Messi messes up Mexico
Germany beats USA - Let's be realistic people
Cameroon beats Paraguay - One last upset for the African continent
Spain beats Portugal - Battle of the Iberian Peninsula ends with Spain's victory

QUARTERFINALS
England beats France - Just barely, maybe on penalties for some redemption
Brazil beats Netherlands - In a free scoring match of the tournament
Argentina beats Germany - The quality of the Argentinians will frustrate Germany
Spain beats Cameroon - It's just inevitable

SEMIFINALS
England beats Brazil - It'll be a hell of a fight for sure, but England have the heart
Argentina beats Spain - Spain's World Cup Curse continues

THIRD PLACE
Spain beats Brazil - The lack of quality backups will be the end of Brazil by this point

FINAL
England beats Argentina

THE World Cup

Now that the soccer season is winding down it's finally time to talk about the big one. The greatest sporting event in the world. The World Cup in South Africa. It's less than two months away and my excitement is already building. I know that every game of this tournament will be available to watch from Honduras vs Switzerland to Brazil vs Portugal. I'm definitely going to take advantage of this and watch as many of the 64 matches as I can. This will do much to annoy my girlfriend, alas this is a small sacrifice in the name of football watching glory! Last time around I managed to catch probably 20-30 of the matches, skipping many of the less interesting group stage matches but watching many of the big knockout matches. Argentina vs Mexico, Portugal vs Netherlands, and the final Italy vs France were probably my favorite matches of the 2006 tournament. I remember watching that last match outside with my father as he watched soccer for the first time. I used that tournament to pull in many new fans!

There is perhaps no game I am anticipating more in the 2010 tournament than England vs USA. The battle of the English anglonations, and the best way to introduce doubters in our country to the beautiful game. My country vs my favorite footballing nation. This campaign is going to be one to remember for England, with the phenomenal Fabio Capello as the teams manager. I'm sure that the United States are going to be slaughtered by this impressively strong English side. We'll be the first step on their vault to glory.

Of course this tournament will feature the traditional powerhouse nations as the favorites:
SPAIN, BRAZIL, ARGENTINA (featuring Lionel Messi), ITALY, FRANCE, ENGLAND, GERMANY, NETHERLANDS

But there are also some underdog teams that I have a strong feeling will make a very good showing out there this year. It's the first time in Africa and teams from that continent will be looking to make a big impact. Of those African teams qualified I think Ghana and Ivory Coast will be the most likely to get into the knockout stages, and Drogba's Ivory Coast team will have a damn good shot at taking the whole thing. Here's a list of teams to keep an eye on:
NORTH KOREA, IVORY COAST, GHANA, MEXICO, UNITED STATES

Even so I really think this is England's year to take the world by storm. Capello has managed to turn this team around from their failure to qualify for Euro 08. Wayne Rooney is in fabulous form as are Gerrard, Lampard, Ferdinand, Heskey, and Terry. This is the year for the Three Lions, mark my words.

The excitement begins June 11th. I can barely wait for this tournament to get going. 2010 World Cup South Africa, COME ON YEAH BITCHES!

Got Nothing to Say? Fix it Bastardo!

So what the fux is going on with me you might ask?  Well nothing of course.  I'm stuck in yet another dead end job.  I've been upgraded to useless electronics peddler.  I must admit I rather enjoy answering questions about video games (even if I can barely get myself to play them lately), though most of the questions are of the very basic variety.  Most often asked? "Do you have Wiis?"  No fuck off you white trash wanker.

Before this becomes yet another post in which I constantly bitch about my shitty, dead end job I'll change the pace.

I still can't write.  I don't know why I can't write.  When I have a good idea, or am in a creative mood I don't get going.  Sadly it's very easy for me to lose my creative or productive moods.  I simply don't seem to have enough time.  It's all about perception, however.  I don't think I have time, so in the end I don't do shit.  I either have ADD or I'm just a dumbshit.  And I don't think I'm a dumbshit.

Changing the subject yet again, let's talk about soccer!

The Good - Liverpool remain on top of the Premiership despite opening the door for Chelsea so many times.  Thank god for Chelsea botching the job at every opportunity.  It's been damn near TWENTY years since the last English championship for one of the greatest teams of all time.  And with a team so epicly amazing, there's no reason that they should screw this up.  Liverpool needs to keep form through the second half of the season!  This is a championship caliber team, it CAN be done.  Let's pray Chelsea fumbles and Man United don't quite hit their stride.  And FUCK Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Bad -Manchester United wins the Club World Cup.  Let me just say, blah.  It should've been Gamba.  Eventually it UEFA or CONMEBOL won't win this damn thing, but sadly this wasn't the year.  Adelaide or Gamba would've been cool to win.  I wouldn't have even complained about Pachuca.  It's single elimination, one game, and so few teams.  One of these years, the underdogs will win.  Kashima Antlers in 09?  I certainly think so!

The Whatever - David Beckham going to AC Milan.  Who cares?  AC Milan have a powerhouse team, despite underperforming at the moment.  I don't think that Beckham going to AC will do much more than increasea revenues.  If the man can fill out the stadiums in the US, then he can certainly do that much in Italy.  Will he rise to the challenge and help AC get to the top of the table?  Probably not.  Will he make an impact on a star studded roster?  Probably not.  Will he bring in some money and wayward Italian fans? More than likely.