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Figure I can't be the only soccer nut on here.....

Any thoughts on who's going to win, who's going to crash and burn, etc?

Chime in if you're counting down to June 11th like I am!!

In a previous life, long ago and far away, I had to learn soccer and then coached youth soccer in B'Ham, Alabama when youth soccer was in its infancy in the South and Bear Bryant was still alive and coaching at "Roll Tide U" and "Shug" Jordan was coaching at "War Eagle U". Oftentimes, it was difficult to get the parents to think that their kid's "Red Team" games on Saturday were as important as that what was going on in Tuscaloosa or Auburn.

Like I said, that was a long time ago {SIGH} and yes, I still think soccer is a beautiful dance. Please enjoy the matches and may your team prevail by a score of 3-2.

Yes, I am getting ready for the World Cup....England all the way! (Well I was born there and lived there for nearly 40 years.

With the scant soccer coverage over here I really haven't heard enough about any of the other teams (or seen them play) but the German and Brazil teams are usually very difficult to bet against.....but my heart will always be with the team with 3 lions on the shirt.

Just as a preliminary guess, I have Brazil vs Spain in the final, with Span winning.

I do have England making it to the semis, only to lose to Brazil.

I am definitely counting down to June 11th...but for a different reason. We close on our first house that day.

I don't know how much of it I will watch this year but I found I enjoyed watching the matches I did during the 2006 World Cup. I grew up playing baseball and football though and those are still my favorites.

Of course Brazil will always be a bookies favorite (and justifibly so, they play some awesome football) but I figure that if England can hassle and harry and simply out 'heart' them, then it will be a great result to beat them. The trouble with England teams in the past is that they tend to let the other team play their game instead of throwing them off their game. They seem to stand and admire the skills of the other team rather than try and kick the snot out of them! lol.

I am interested in seeing how South Africa does as a host nation too, This must be the biggest sporting event to be held in SA for decades, certainly since aparthied was 'beaten'. I just hope no terror attacks are made, that is a fear I have about the whole deal.

Should be fun!

SQLGeek: Congrats on the new homestead.

Is this the one where they sail those really fast sailing boat things???

Eh... there's a reason why I haven't been back to visit the country of my birth for several years.

The comment at the end of this article relates to the topic:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37270935/ns/world_news/

Some quotes in the article below ARE NOT 10-year-old friendly (language):
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atla ... ites-.html

Can't wait, I'm going to be back in England when they play their first match - against the USA no less, the atmosphere in the UK during the World Cup is something else. I hope the US team does well as it might garner some interest in the game here.

Sorry, it was fun to play soccer when I was younger, but it is a snoozer to watch. It is just too long between goals for me. Need to cut the length of the field in half or something.

What was fun was that in 1992 I hitched a ride with one of our NATO AWACS to Denmark for the Skrydstrup Air Show. That weekend the Danes were playing Germany for, I think, the European Championship. David vs Goliath thing, I guess. Since our AWACS crew was mostly European, they were all glued to the TV in the motel. My American buddy and I decided to walk downtown and find a bar to watch the game.

Walking downtown was eerie. There was absolutely NO ONE on the streets -- not a soul. No Danes, no tourists, no cops, not even a dog. All the businesses seemed to be closed. It was like one of those Steven King or end-times stories where everyone just disappears. As we walked past some private residences, we could see the glow from the TVs. Everyone was staying home to watch the game. Finally we did find a bar that was open, and there was only one person in it -- the bartender. And of course he had the game on the tube. So my buddy and ordered some Danish beer and watched the game with the bartender.

At the end of the game, Denmark beat Germany. Approximately one-half second later, the streets and the bar were absolutely packed with berserk Danes. They were screaming and drinking and most had their faces painted red and white. Everyone was shouting, "WE ARE RED, WE ARE WHITE, WE ARE DANISH DYNAMITE!!" In English of course. Guess it doesn't rhyme in Danish.

Despite the mob and a huge amount of drinking, there were no problems. Everyone stayed deliriously happy until dawn, when we finally all went home. Both of us being single at the time, my buddy and I kept ourselves busy meeting as many Danish girls as possible. He and I both have the same first name, which makes for some interesting conversations in a group.

It was quite a party, and is the most soccer fun I have ever had.

I played a lot of soccer during the first 40 years of my life. I quit playing after I came to the US (1998), now if only my aching joints would start to releasize I mean them no further harm! My ankles and knees are terribly vengeful it would appear!

I have watched some real 'yawners' of games, but I have also watched games that I have been on the edge of my seat watching....trust me I have watched lots and lots of games, both televised and live, the game fun to watch, better to play, and great when your team wins!

I'm rooting for US but I think we'll lose the first game to England.

Hehe, just got this in an e-mail.

England will probably beat the US in our opening game, but I figure we can take Algeria and Slovenia and at least get out of the group state. What happens from there is anyones guess...