World Cup 2014

The draw's gone kind of lopsided, it's cleared up nicely for Argentina and Holland.

Brazil Germany Netherlands Argentina ah well craziness had a good run

is germany v netherlands likely to happen?

only possible as the final

I wouldn't call anything likely beyond the four above tbh France and the Dutch up and down Argentina dire but messi and Germany strolling.

It seems unlikely that this Brazil team will get past Chile and Colombia but then it's also completely inevitable

http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2014/06/26/325789510/latinos-pledge-allegiance-to-more-than-one-soccer-team

wouldn't it be great if Algeria beat Germany though?

http://i.imgur.com/y9ar9Uq.jpg

third shot is him dropkicking a grizzly

What the hell is that from, their engagement photos?

idk but he's made shit of the transformer deer in first pic

pre-tournament training. The woman is a leading sports psychologist/spirit guide

http://www.saltlakebrideandgroom.com/2013/10/engaged-kate-pappas-kyle-beckerman-photos-by-matt-clayton-photography/

if only they'd sent Suarez there...

Have you guys heard Beckerman's klezmer band?

I gotta give Beckerman this much -- this interview a while back:

http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=4693214

...has him express disinterest in Phish while the three favorite Marley tunes he names are fairly untypical.

Also he knew about 'Nesta,' which is something, I guess.

until he denies playing hackeysack I will continue giving him side-eye

Ha

The Algerian crowd IS all-male, I've been looking for women in every crowd shot and I'm pretty sure the ones I've seen have been Brazilians adopting the fan base.

And that was today, I don't remember seeing any in previous games.

just spent 5 minutes wondering why there were pictures of Federer in this thread

Hadn't realised the Ghana team was such a mess. They refused to train on Tuesday over a pay dispute and KPB and Muntari have been kicked out of the squad for allegedly verbally (KPB) and physically (Muntari) attacking coaching staff.

Not that many women in the traveling Algeria support but usually one or two in the crowd pics I've seen. Their social media support, in French and English at least, seems to be about 50/50 though.

we doing a second round thread?

i vote yea

No football today, and back to work tmrw after 2 weeks off :( A glorious 2 weeks where I didn't speak to a single other person. Roll on the knockout got a lot to live up to although Saturday's matches look particularly tasty.

already looking forward to beckerman kicking chunks out of fellaini

A rest day? What do I want with a rest day?

I'm already eyeing the break between the last 16 games and the q-finals with extreme distaste.

I have just one huge bit of work between now and the end of the World Cup, which has had the grace to fall squarely into that gap.

a slight feeling of melancholy always sets in when the group games finish. It's never quite the same after

Loved the 1st phase - I want to call the best ever but the defending has been so poor with no outstanding back line.

What I loved about the Uruguay - Italy game -- Suarez bite aside, although it ends up as the ultimate expression of it -- was the cynicism, not so much negativity as a kind of negation of all that smiley rainbow vibe which has no backbone. Too many set pieces have been pathetically defended.

The first ten mins were basically challenge after challenge. I remember the challenge on Suarez (maybe a bit after that). Was the Italian defender testing his knee (as Ray Wilkins urged eng to do)? Was Suarez overdoing the facial expressions and pain he felt? It was all those things. Sadly for me it was all these things and more.

My first wc was Italia 90. Don't remember a ton of it. By all accounts it was a violent tournament. Maybe its embedded in my subconscious or something.

I see the last 50 posts. As I am about to hit submit this post will consign that Belgium blonde girl fan.gif to the 'load all' option. Yeah.

In the airplane over the .CSS (Le Bateau Ivre)
Posted: June 26, 2014 at 8:36:39 PM
You know you've had it with a football thread if people barge in questioning the most basic game rules that have been around for ages. Jesus Christ.

ha no this is the best form of conversation for everything

#footideas

a kind of negation of all that smiley rainbow vibe which has no backbone

yes yes yes

i'm happy for beautiful football to triumph over all but it has to be earned ffs

I've the games I missed all saved, break what break

missed games, what do you mean?

https://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/large/858275498.gif

man

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BrH7or8CUAAwomj.jpg

Chiellini calls Suarez ban 'excessive'

Chiellini and Maradona otm

srsly tho what is she doing with her face

is the growling idgi

idgi is it just that shes k fragrant?

Hehe, plz update us! You can beat those bloody Moors!

― In the airplane over the .CSS (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, June 23, 2014 11:58 AM (4 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

LBI on australia/spain. looking back, my favourite moment of the group stage.

scimitar berbatov

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02956/Wenger7_2956567k.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNCuz6ymihA

lol caek

http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/4/blog/post/1916330/worst-world-cup-players-at-brazil-2014

GK: Stipe Pletikosa, Croatia
LB: Leighton Baines, England
CB: Gerard Pique, Spain
CB: Philippe Senderos, Switzerland
RB: Glen Johnson, England
DM: Steven Gerrard, England
DM: Xavi, Spain
AM: Kevin-Prince Boateng, Ghana
FW: Fred, Brazil
FW: Sergio Aguero, Argentina
FW: Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon
Manager: Fabio Capello, Russia