OT: World Cup 2018

[BigErnMcCracken]

I've met over 100 and they've all been cool.

What are you, five? Well I've met 300!!

I was tending bar in London during the '98 World Cup. There is no worse sports fan than a chav.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I didn’t think it was that clear. England couldn’t even score a legitimate goal against a team without its best player.

Really? Did you watch it? Dominated every aspect of the game except getting yellow cards. Columbia had no real threat until they finally scored. I admit they'd be much better with James. Today the strategy was "foul early and often, play defense and hope to get to PKs". I hate to see that rewarded.

 

[HuskyHawk]

What are you, five? Well I've met 300!!

I was tending bar in London during the '98 World Cup. There is no worse sports fan than a chav.

No worse sports fan except you perhaps. You appear to be #1 on that list.

I've worked with many people in the UK for the last 30 years. Got to know a lot of them, and had one of them working for me for a few years. Yes, it was a random number just like the "20".

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I've met over 100 and they've all been cool.

Well, I've interacted socially and professionally with well over 100 English. So there, nah nah nah nah nah ... 100 vs 20, advantage HuskyHawk.

Well more than average English I've worked with socialized with, and know have been comparably cool versus many other nationalities. However, the real English tools are among the worst western Europeans. On average, it sure helps to generally interact with quality people than wankahs, chavs, etc of any nationality.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Well, I've interacted socially and professionally with well over 100 English. So there, nah nah nah nah nah Well more than average have been comparably cool versus many other nationalities, yet the real English tools are among the worst western Europeans. On average, it sure helps to generally interact with quality people than wankahs, chavs, etc of any nationality.

Honestly, I'm on board with that. But that's not what Phil said. Certainly the El Tri fans throwing stuff on U.S. fans at our home games provide an example of those quality people. There are dirtbag, over the top, low class people rooting for every team. I'll even concede that many of my English friends and colleagues preferred Rugby due to the class of people involved.

 

[UConnSwag11]

And with questionable pk.

 

[Waquoit]

I wouldn't want to judged as a Husky fan based on some dopes in the red lot.

 

[intlzncster]

I was tending bar in London during the '98 World Cup. There is no worse sports fan than a chav.

All around not great human beings in general tbh

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Honestly, I'm on board with that. But that's not what Phil said. Certainly the El Tri fans throwing stuff on U.S. fans at our home games provide an example of those quality people. There are dirtbag, over the top, low class people rooting for every team. I'll even concede that many of my English friends and colleagues preferred Rugby due to the class of people involved.

Well, generalizations such as Phil's based on only interacting with maybe 20 people, others bartending in pubs catering to chavs, etc may lean on limited merit. Exceptions clearly exist with all groups of people including El Tri supporters, e.g., a Mexican colleague who is among my best friends in Hong Kong. We each appear to have interacted with and worked with English people who typically support rugby more than football in England and globally. Generally, English rugby fans appear to be somewhat higher educated than the average English footy supporter. Not that there's anything wrong with all lesser educated English footy fans ...

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I wouldn't want to judged as a Husky fan based on some dopes in the red lot.

Or, more than a few in any lot!

 

[HuskyHawk]

All around not great human beings in general tbh

I just think it’s absurd to root for World Cup teams based on the lowest common denominator people in each country. We’ve all got them.

Top Gear alone would get England some votes from me. Not to mention the Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin and The Who. D-Day counts too. And Simon Pegg!

 

[HuskyHawk]

Or, more than a few in any lot!

I can’t imagine UConn being judged (as it was) by the kids at the Yale games back in the 80s. I was one of them. It was not a shining moment for any of us.

 

[intlzncster]

I just think it’s absurd to root for World Cup teams based on the lowest common denominator people in each country. We’ve all got them.

Top Gear alone would get England some votes from me. Not to mention the Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin and The Who. D-Day counts too. And Simon Pegg!

I don't give a lick either way about the English national team, but I will say that the majority of their hardcore football supporters tend to be louts. Just a cultural thing.

There's a reason every World Cup host seems to specifically prepare to manage drunk English hooligans.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Moving on from all that.

Four matches on tap Friday and Saturday. Three should be very competitive and compelling. I don’t see any of those six teams sitting back. One, hopefully will see Croatia stomp Russia and end the misery of watching them play.

Predictions?

 

[intlzncster]

Moving on from all that.

Four matches on tap Friday and Saturday. Three should be very competitive and compelling. I don’t see any of those six teams sitting back. One, hopefully will see Croatia stomp Russia and end the misery of watching them play.

Predictions?

Almost feels like chalk to me: Croatia, Brazil, France, and....actually, I think I'll go with Sweden. I'm not as sold on the English as everyone else appears to be.

Something about Uruguay intrigues me. They might be able to beat France. But if the French are on, forget it.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Almost feels like chalk to me: Croatia, Brazil, France, and....actually, I think I'll go with Sweden. I'm not as sold on the English as everyone else appears to be.

Something about Uruguay intrigues me. They might be able to beat France. But if the French are on, forget it.

I feel like Uruguay is the most underrated team in the tournament. Can beat France. But Belgium can beat Brazil as well. Brazil gets into it’s sloppy play mode and Belgium can be lights out. Lukaku is very tough for them. I’ll go with on Euro and one South American team, but I don’t know which.

England vs Sweden is a toss up.

 

[uconnphil2016]

I've met over 100 and they've all been cool.

Really? Huh. I’ve just always gotten an arrogant vibe. I know my sample size probably doesn’t represent most folks there, but it’s really the one country I’ve had really poor experiences with

 

[HuskyHawk]

Really? Huh. I’ve just always gotten an arrogant vibe. I know my sample size probably doesn’t represent most folks there, but it’s really the one country I’ve had really poor experiences with

Like anything, depends on the people I guess. I have found them funny as hell, with a dry sarcastic sense of humor. It’s no coincidence that some of the funniest people in entertainment are English. Monty Python, Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry, Pegg and Frost, Jeremy Clarkson and the guys, now James Corden.

 

[Riga Ben]

if Spain loses in PK's it will serve them right

Let me see. The better team possesses the ball for most of the game. It ends up tied. Then they get snakebite on PKs and lose. Hmmm. Oh, now I see. Look behind the Spain bench ... it's Ray Reid!

 

[auror]

I feel like Uruguay is the most underrated team in the tournament. Can beat France. But Belgium can beat Brazil as well. Brazil gets into it’s sloppy play mode and Belgium can be lights out. Lukaku is very tough for them. I’ll go with on Euro and one South American team, but I don’t know which.

England vs Sweden is a toss up.

Uruguay has some dudes, that's for sure. But do they have enough? Unfortunately I don't think their defense can hold up. They'll need an early lead so they can bunker and not let France get in behind them. But by being aggressive early they open themselves to counter attacks all the same. France is a problem.

Belgium can beat Brazil. I'd make it 40/60 in Brazil's favor.

Let's all hope Croatia can find a way through that Russia 11-man no attack Iron Curtain.

England 55/45.

 

[Waquoit]

France is a team of superstars with a superstar fixer in Kante. I put them as the current favorite.

 

[Jaker]

Uruguay has some dudes, that's for sure. But do they have enough? Unfortunately I don't think their defense can hold up. They'll need an early lead so they can bunker and not let France get in behind them. But by being aggressive early they open themselves to counter attacks all the same. France is a problem.

Belgium can beat Brazil. I'd make it 40/60 in Brazil's favor.

Let's all hope Croatia can find a way through that Russia 11-man no attack Iron Curtain.

England 55/45.

Uruguay has probably the best D in the entire tourney, have they even given up a goal in 4 games yet?

 

[Jaker]

my quarter final prediction:.. winners:

Uruguay
Sweden
Belgium
Croatia

 

[auror]

Uruguay has probably the best D in the entire tourney, have they even given up a goal in 4 games yet?

They played Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Egypt in the group stages. Literally the easiest group of all time. (From the 32 teams, all 3 were in the bottom 13 of offense and SA/Egypt were both bottom 3 overall).

They gave up 1 to Portugal.

Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez are 2 of the dudes I was referring to. But defending Ronaldo (and not much else) is not the same as defending France, unfortunately.

 

[intlzncster]

my quarter final prediction:.. winners:

Uruguay
Sweden
Belgium
Croatia

Knocking off the two favorites. That's a bold strategy Cotton.