World Cup Day One Open Thread
How about an open thread for the first day of the World Cup to get us through a Friday afternoon?
Mexico vs South Africa
Odds to win
Mexico +150
South Africa +175
Draw +215
Uruguay vs France
Odds to win
France Even
Uruguay +255
Draw +220
I have Mexico and Uruguay to win in a Group A preview-like post at the JCB. Its interesting because the stat crunchers and the oddsmakers have two divergent opinion on how this group will shake out. Maybe the most competitve group from top to bottom?
We also have a roundtable World Cup discussion posted at the JCB, hopefully the first of many. You may recognize some MGoPosters at the table, so be sure to check it ou.
Enjoy the games.
Edit: Just to lay out my plays, I have mexico and uruguay to win straight up, but I also have both to win on a parlay to pays 8/1 and a mexico/south africa draw parlayed with a uruguay win at 13/1 odds. Futbol Fever at the JCB, yo!
Crowd is looking nuts for the opening game!
Getting chills already. This is easily the most colorful world cup I have seen so far (2002, 2006). Crowd is insane right now.
What do you think the chances are of the U.S. team having a loud red, white, and blue turnout? Last I heard we bought the most tickets of any country. I hope we show up to rep!
It's going to be hard to get more fans in that stadium tomorrow than England. Plus they are going to be louder and better coordinated with signing and trumpets and all that crap. English people are very good at singing in large groups of people
Wow I did not realize Mexico had those odds to win. I would have been on that. Still think Mexico and South Africa advance from the group though. I base South Africa's advance on nothing other than history.
No ESPN3 at work!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
damn thing is down
This link has worked well for me so far instead!
POS THIS MAN
calls going there way early
in thinking that the adjective talismanic is awesome?
That was a really good chance for Mexico after South Africa's missed free kick. I thought that was going to be a goal for sure.
site is just not loading links/pop-ups, etc
very choppy
and it just stalls out before i can even authenticate my account. they must be getting slammed. way to go ESPN!
they clearly have a talent advantage early ....
however still tied, s. africa could make this special
Man, this ball really seems light. A lot of balls going high.
Has anyone had the privilege to play with a match ball yet?
I have not had a chance to play with one; however, it has been said it tends to sail. Elevation makes it even worse
great stop by the keeper to slow that down.
I really like the announcing crew for the match
That was the correct call. Offside is when the offensive player is behind the second to last defender when the ball is played to him. It doesn't matter if the second to last defender becomes the goalkeeper or a defender, it is second to last defender. In that situation the second to last defender was the goalkeeper, and the man who scored was clearly behind him when the ball was played. Awful announcing not to know that rule. I have been reffing soccer for 15 years and anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of the game knows that.
There is no way that was offsides. Did the ref see a hand ball or something? If not, that should have been a goal.
Just saw a replay, Mexico definitely got robbed.
I stand corrected. I used to ref too, should have remembered that.
Wow Mexico got robbed. lol
good call ... he was behind the keeper
offside is being behind the second to last defender, and he was behind the kepper so it didnt matter that the defender was there
Definitely a good call. Someone should explain the offside rule to the commentators.
As long as the commentator has a british accent the American soccer eurosnobs are satisfied. They've been bitching about American ESPN commentators for years. A few weeks ago I noticed Max Bratos (formerly FSC play by play) working for ESPNEWS. Not sure why ESPN didn't consider him good enough to call these games for them. Unless they hired him to work on Deportes which I don't have so IDK?
Could you imagine Max Bratos(Bretos) and Ray Hudson calling a game together? That would be some fun stuff right there.
You're totally right, but never again say anything bad about Martin Tyler. NEVER!!!
and plain stupid (since it is blown without regard to the action on the field) African horn is being blown at full roar already. I am praying that we won't hear much of it in our game against England tomorrow. Call me picky, but it really dampens my enjoyment of the game, you cannot even hear the roar of the crowd. Awful.
Called the vuvuzela. The PC argument is that it's a huge part of SA's cultural heritage -WTF IS CHRIS FOWLER the halftime commetator
WHAT
THE
FUCK
REALLY, ESPN? REALLY?
oh just wait you'll hear it every game way way too much.
...accomplish that, it would be a true miracle. Brace yourself for the drone of the vuvuzela at every match. Yes, they're awful, but they're not going away.
South Africa bring to Mexico now!
mexico was much better ...
should of scored at least twice .... but again it was the right call on offside
s. africa had a little flurry there at the end
i could se this game being one were s. africa gets a cheap goal, and finds away to win .... it would make a great story, of course mexico would go into full riot mode
Yeah. I know some stations wanted the African horn banned from all WC games. Its all you can hear on tv.
CHRIS FOWLER MAN? REALLY? THIS ISN'T COLLEGE FOOTBALL LIVE
OMG ALL CAPS FOWLER FOOTBALL FUTBOL GRAAAGGHHH
he does a majority of the big international events for espn. In tennis he does the French and Australian Open, not sure of his soccer prowess, but he seems to know enough to survive.
After the first five minutes I was expecting Mexico to pummel South Africa. That goalkeeper looks amazing for South Africa. GREAT call on the offsides.
South Africa needs to watch out though. I'm thinking Mexico comes out strong here and scores quickly in the second half.
How do the announcers not know that rule? Sure, I had completely forgotten about it, but I'm just some dude sitting on a couch in America. You'd think if you were paid to comment on the game, you'd at least brush up on the rule book.
I know, if I were ESPN i'd be very embarrassed right now. That was pretty pitiful imo
Especially because he's supposed to be the best of the English play-by-play men. I wished they would have acknowleged it, at least, after the fact.
That's the weird part. He probably didn't think the keeper was past the striker, but he was. It's ok guys, people mess up sometimes. Doesn't mean they're terrible.
As annoying as they are, I love the sound and the fact that it is so pronounced at this first game. Can't wait to have the sounded turned up way higher than it should be for the US game tomorrow!
I swear he called Maradona Madonna.
C'mon Fowler lock it up.
on these Adidas jerseys?
Not with the sports bra on the back...