RIPPA Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 The SPI Group Stage Projections This is some of the work that Nate Silver is doing for ESPN now so I trust it a little more than some other stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.K.o.S. Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Some fellow on the internet is saying that based on average SPI ranking, USA's group is the 334th hardest out of the 650 unique groups they could have gotten. Average SPI B 81.80 D 80.75 G 80.55 F 79.33 E 79.13 C 78.65 A 78.30 H 73.43 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 Oh yeah and the meme has already started with NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED!!! As Mexico only gets Brazil and the US got their group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggulator Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 So who is another country I should root for? Early contenders: 1) England. If I watch any soccer, it's when Premier League games are on at whatever bar I'm at so I assume they will have some people I know. I love British punk and have fond memories of Brit-pop. My friend James is British and a huge Arsenal fan and a good guy. I just became an Episcopalian which has its roots from the Anglican church. I can read the Guardian football section and laugh when they lose. 2) Ghana. I guess I can't really do that until the US loses since they're some weird arch-rival. But one of my roommates from college was from Ghana. The assistant pastor at my church is Ghanian but I have no idea if he likes soccer. 3) Japan/Korea -- I assume they'll have some dudes with dyed blonde hair who play with a certain flair? And is it South Korea or North Korea? If it's North Korea, them in a landslide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 And on the travel front again - Italy has the same shitty distance as the US - just in a different order Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death From Above Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Look at it this way, G. No matter what happens they get three games against three great teams, which isn't really a guarantee always. Even if it's three and out, the three games will all be marquee. Yeah, as much shit as I'm slinging, that whole group will be must watch. US losing is the most obvious answer but anything could really happen. It's probably the most interesting group of the bunch. Lots of drama to be had. Also looking forward to Spain/Netherlands and some of the random small fry pairings. Really fucking excited. World Cup starts tomorrow right? I just hope the schedule works out to allow most of the prime matchups to actually be so. Remember that Portugal/Brazil game last world cup where a draw would suit both teams just fine? Yikes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranesi Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 If Ghana is what they were four years ago, then you can't be disappointed with as few as 2 points for USA. A draw with them and a draw with Portugal would not be at all a bad showing, and yet it will look bad in the US press. "2 measly points!!!! No wins!!!! Fire that guy whatever his name is!" A win against Ghana and a draw with Portugal would be over the moon great and might still not be enough to advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChesterCopperpot Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 We got England? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 What's funny is that if the US advances - they then play someone from Group H and suddenly it is all WE CAN MAKE THE QUARTERS!!! Of course - the US could also be playing a Germany side that has already advanced so you never know. I HAVE SIX MONTHS TO TALK MYSELF INTO THIS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 USA matches are 6 pm ET on a Monday, 3 pm ET on a Sunday, noon ET on a Thursday So that means US/Portugal is in a perfect sports viewing window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 If Ghana is what they were four years ago, then you can't be disappointed with as few as 2 points for USA. A draw with them and a draw with Portugal would not be at all a bad showing, and yet it will look bad in the US press. "2 measly points!!!! No wins!!!! Fire that guy whatever his name is!" The New York Post headline after the US got eliminated was "This Sport is Stupid Anyway." I wish I was kidding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaedmc Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 3) Japan/Korea -- I assume they'll have some dudes with dyed blonde hair who play with a certain flair? And is it South Korea or North Korea? If it's North Korea, them in a landslide. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlOrPzpSJTA You know you wanna get with this. I'll make room for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 I love Japan but they very much have that hipster vibe behind them now of all these people who are all I LOVED THEM BEFORE YOU!!! YOU CAN'T ROOT FOR THEM!!! (jae not included) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranesi Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 I love Japan but they very much have that hipster vibe behind them now of all these people who are all I LOVED THEM BEFORE YOU!!! YOU CAN'T ROOT FOR THEM!!! (jae not included) I have to give props to anyone who stuck with them all the way from 2002. Yeah, we were all into them then...but for how long did anyone hang on? If you are streaming J-League matches in 2013...then you are the real deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Spanish Waiter Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 If Ghana is what they were four years ago, then you can't be disappointed with as few as 2 points for USA. A draw with them and a draw with Portugal would not be at all a bad showing, and yet it will look bad in the US press. "2 measly points!!!! No wins!!!! Fire that guy whatever his name is!"The New York Post headline after the US got eliminated was "This Sport is Stupid Anyway." I wish I was kidding. I thought that was almost as tremendous as winning 1-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChesterCopperpot Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Chairman of the English FA after the draw https://vine.co/v/hxEedVgJdlQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 Chairman of the English FA after the draw https://vine.co/v/hxEedVgJdlQ Oooh... you having FSW on ignore means I can make my Dick Cheney joke again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranesi Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Rippa getting double likes for that joke is Sepp-level corrupt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChesterCopperpot Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Chairman of the English FA after the draw https://vine.co/v/hxEedVgJdlQ Oooh... you having FSW on ignore means I can make my Dick Cheney joke again! I don't have him on ignore - I just avoid his links Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LooseCannon Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 What is the bigger factor in determining which group most deserves the "Group of Death" moniker: best third-best team (so, likely to have the best team left out of the knockout rounds) or best fourth-best team (so, most difficult "easy" game)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranesi Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 It seems if you have two unbeatables with at least one other team that people had high hopes for, that's enough. Group D doesn't qualify on either of those. England are suck and Italy and Uruguay can both shit the bed on any given week. It could be the group-of-3-points-each maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Spanish Waiter Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Usually third best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tele-Viper Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Group G... words fail as Ronaldo continues to haunt me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted December 6, 2013 Author Share Posted December 6, 2013 So the US/Portugal game is the one being played out in the Amazon (ie: Manaus, which really is in the middle of fucking nowhere) My naive question since I am only got the basic grasp of European geography - would Portugal have played in something as hot and humid back home or can I throw this into my silver lining column for the US? (Not that the US is all WHOO-HOO!!! WE LOVE NOT BEING ABLE TO BREATHE!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 From what I understand from my Portuguese friend, it's roughly the same climate as Florida, only no hurricanes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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