cabiness42

It's taking a while to get used to seeing Mexico in red.

Yeah, you could give the 17 best teams (using the rankings at the time the last qualification cycle started, everybody from Spain to Serbia) a bye. The other 36 teams (Slovakia to San Marino) play home-and-home matches to advance.

Croatia and Serbia aren't bad, but not great. Scotland, Wales, and Macedonia make for a very weak bottom half of the group. I know UEFA doesn't like to change much, but they should really change their qualification. Have the bottom 1/2 or so of the teams home-and-home each other to advance, then put teams into 7 groups of 5 for qualifying. All group winners and 5 second place teams qualify directly. Two worst second place teams home-and-home for the last spot.

I missed seeing the foul, but Algeria just scored on a PK. 1-0.

That wasn't a very impressive qualifying group.

I've lost documentation on the thousands of dollars worth of deductions I'm claiming, but they'll take my word for it, right?

Thought-provoking question: Going all the way back to August 2, 1990, what thing(s) should the US have done differently and what would Iraq look like today if the US had followed that course?

I would rank him second behind Howard. The US doesn't win s*** without Howard.

Yeah, he won't be coming back to campus. Probably can start for Florida State this Fall though.

1) Yes, that was a terrible game from Bradley, but I'm more confident about his ability to bounce back than if it had been a bad game from one of the newer players 2) Portugal has to play desperate against the US because a draw doesn't do them any good and they have to win. I think that is going to leave a lot of good opportunities for US counter attacks. If Germany beats Ghana, then they are going to play pretty conservatively against the US with the group already wrapped up, so I don't see any chance of Germany helping Portugal make up that goal deficit. It really was a bad draw for Portugal in a way to get Germany first when the US gets them last. You always want the strongest team in the group last because there's a chance they have the group already wrapped up and take it easy that last game.

Got some air time on ESPN.

US plays Portugal next. Best case scenario is US beats Portugal and Germany beats Ghana, then everything is decided before the last match and the US and Germany can just sit down and have a nice picnic next week.

If only they had another guy on the roster who has experience scoring lots of goals.

US: GK - Howard; D - F Johnson, Cameron, Besler*, Beasley; MF - Beckerman, J Jones, Dempsey, Bradley, Bedoya; F - Altidore * - First ever appearance by an ND alum in the World Cup!

I don't think it matters. The other people at this place don't know that this is a domestic thing and that he's only targeting two people. For all they know, he's going to keep shooting up the place. I'm OK with anybody who happens to be carrying taking this guy out.

Nigeria-Iran. You either have to be very, very, very into soccer or very, very, very bored at work to watch this one.

I guess using that rule then for the US England gets 30% credit, France 15%, and Spain 5%, or something like that?

Yes, and if you're keeping track, Central Europe now leads the Iberian Peninsula 9-1.

https://twitter.com/TeyePrince/status/478588589845250048 Official. #GHA XI vs #USA: Kwarasey, Opare Kwadwo Asamoah, Jonathan Mensah, Boye, Rabiu, Atsu, Muntari, Jordan Ayew, Gyan and Andre Ayew.

I like Germany more than Portugal, but a draw is the best outcome for the US.

He had cancer.

A 15th round college senior doesn't have much leverage.

So Iran, who hates us, is going to defend Iraq, who at least tolerates us, from Al Qaeda, who really hates us. I'm confused.

Through 11 matches: S America 4-2 N/C America 2-1 Africa 1-1 Europe 4-5 Asia 0-2 Still no draws.

6pm can't get here fast enough. GO USA!!!