World Cup Wednesday- The Basics!

If you haven't heard, the World Cup is finally here!  Well, almost here.  Officially, the games kick off on June 12 but football (yes, the REAL football) fans have been delighted with lots of international friendlies.  The friendlies feature teams in and out of the World Cup.  For instance, the United States vs. Azerbaijan.  USA in, Azerbaijan out.  The friendlies have been a good preview of certain teams as the players you see are likely the ones you'll see in the games.  To get you ready for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, here are some basics:

2014 location: Brasil
How many teams participate: 32
How are they split: Into groups of 4 for a total of 8 groups
When do the games begin: June 12, 2014
When is the championship: July 13, 2014
Which countries are in each group:  see below

Official Groups:
Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon
Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia
Group C: Colombia, Greece, Côte D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Japan
Group D:  Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy
Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras
Group F: Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria
Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA
Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic (South Korea)

How do teams advance?
During the group stage, each team plays each other for a total of 4 games and a maximum of 12 points.  A win= 3 points, a draw (tie)= 1 point, and a loss=0 points.  The 2 teams with the most points will advance to the knock out stage, which decreases the pool to 16 teams.  If teams have the same amount of points, goal difference will be taken into account.  During the group stage, it is possible for both teams to have a scoreless draw (a 0-0 scoreline).

During the second stage (also known as the knockout stage), the 16 teams go head to head.  For example, the top team in Group A (1A) will play the second team in Group B (2B) and so forth.  Check out FIFA's website to see the pairings: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/index.html    .  Obviously, the teams are TBD :-)

Where can I watch the games:  In the USA, you can watch on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2.  You can also go to your local bar for some spirited banter, especially if there are other footy fans around!

What's your prediction?
Well...I'm only doing this for the group stage and there are ALWAYS surprise wins and disappointing play and suspense. However, you've gotta make predictions, so here are mine:

Group A: Brazil, Cameroon
- potential surprise team: Croatia over Cameroon (Cameroon has always been off-on in their World Cup appearances but I think they will advance, though Croatia has been looking strong)

Group B: Spain, Netherlands
-potential surprise team: Chile over Netherlands

Group C: Colombia, Japan
-potential surprise team: Cote D'Ivoire over Colombia (this is a toss up, both teams are loaded with talented superstars but Colombia is missing their biggest (and one of my favorites)--Radamel Falcao)

Group D:  England, Italy
-potential surprise team: Uruguay (Uruguay did make it to the quarterfinals in 2010)

Group E: France, Ecuador
-potential surprise team: Honduras over Ecuador (these teams are fairly similar, though I give the advantage to Ecuador)


Group F: Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- potential surprise: I don't think there will be any. I haven't seen Iran play yet, to be honest, but Nigeria did not impress in their friendly match against Greece yesterday (June 3, 2014).  Nigeria's 2010 showing was not good and while that's been 4 years ago, I have seen Bosnia play and they look good.  Argentina are the definite favorites and I don't see the second place team from this group advancing far.

Group G: Germany, Portugal
-potential surprise: It's a toss up between Portugal and Ghana, I think. Portugual's biggest asset is they have one of the top 5 footballers in  the world right now in Cristiano Ronaldo.  This group has been dubbed the Group of Death and this is a tough table.  Germany is heavily favored and Portugal likely is too.  I'd love to see Ghana advance and while national pride has me rooting for USA, their squad just doesn't look on par with a squad like Germany for instance. 

Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, Korea Republic (South Korea)
-potential surprise: None.  I see Belgium sailing through along with Algeria.

If you want to learn more about the World Cup, check out FIFA's official website: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/

Happy30: Kids love a Footballer!

Today's smile moment comes courtesy of Liverpool F.C.'s star striker Daniel Sturridge.  For my non-sports fanatics, he's an English soccer player and a rising star of the game.  His team is currently contending for the English Premier League title and he's awesome.  Off the field, he seems to be a stand up, class guy.  Watch as he gives surprises students in a prank they won't soon forget :-)

Well done, mate!

So I'm writing this while...

So I'm actually writing this blog post during the Superbowl. Crazy!  For an NFL fan, this is game is literally painful to watch.  Coming into this particular game, I was pretty disinterested as I'm not a fan of the Seattle Seahawks or the Denver Broncos (Baltimore Ravens for life!) but hey, it's the Superbowl and you have to cheer for a team.  So I chose the Broncos because I think Peyton's a great guy and athlete and I'd have loved to see him get championship ring # 2 and be the first to do so with two different teams.  Well as I'm writing, the score is 36-7 at the end of the 3rd quarter.  I want to hold out hope that the Broncos can make this competitive.  After all, anything is possible but man, oh man, they're going to need to WORK.

 As for the other part of the Superbowl event, the halftime show and commercials, I was absolutely impressed by Bruno Mars and his whole set.  With so many viewers of this game, it's refreshing to see an entertaining set that's clean and actually just fun.  Bruno's vocals, band, and artistry were on point. I was jamming to my favorite song "Treasure" and was so touched when he performed "Just the Way You Are" in dedication to military personnel and their loved ones.   To quote the kids, HE DID THAT!  He held his own without needing the Red Hot Chili Peppers, like some doubters thought.  True artist!  The commercials, on the other hand, are pretty lackluster.  To be fair, I typically tune out of commercials anyway but I just don't find these that interesting.  Combined with this game, you can see why I'm writing blogs instead of being enthusiastic about the game.

Now that the Superbowl is here (and basically gone)...bring on Brazil and the World Cup!!!  Granted some Superbowl games have been very entertaining (ahem, last year when the Baltimore Ravens took care of business and won) but absolutely nothing compares to seeing athletes represent their country. That's why I also love the Olympics!  Besides, soccer is just so beautiful to watch.  If you don't believe me, just wait until the World Cup comes on.  You'll see :-)  I'll write a future post breaking it all down, sharing my favorite teams, and predictions. 

Update (last one because I'm signing off of this blog and this game), the score is 43-8.  Most lopsided Superbowl score in history?  Maybe not, but I'd say it's getting close. 

Oh well, you win some, you lose some.  I'm going to get ready for the week... I'll be back soon!