Soccer help... (world cup)

[lakesbison]

Can someone give me a paragraph about the upcoming World Cup???

When does it start.. where, does USA has a Shot?? DO i have to get up at 3:30-4 AM to watch it this year??

I really dislike soccer.. but for some reason.. I can watch World Cup.... maybe it's my fascination with how obsessed the rest of this world is with it...

peace out!!

[02Bison]

Can someone give me a paragraph about the upcoming World Cup???

When does it start.. where, does USA has a Shot?? *DO i have to get up at 3:30-4 AM to watch it this year??

I really dislike soccer.. but for some reason.. I can watch World Cup.... maybe it's my fascination with how obsessed the rest of this world is with it...

peace out!!

Why didn't you just use google or another browser to quickly find this? http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/

[lakesbison]

Guess. I was looking for someone to explain it in layman's terms to me SOCCER STYLE!!! ha ha..

like what will USA look like?? any chance of getting to Round 2?? etc etc.

Thought maybe a soccer nut would take and run with it.. sorry.

[cabis]

The world cup starts June 9 and runs to July 9. It is in Germany which is Fargo time +7. All games will be between 8AM and 2PM Fargo time.
The tournament format is 32 countries in 8 groups of four teams. The opening round has each group playing a single round robin with the top two teams from each group advancing tp the round of 16. The tournament is a straight single knockout from that point onward.
The USA is in, arguably, the toughest group of the bunch. Their group has Italy, Czech Republic and Ghana. Italy is probably 2nd or 3rd favorite to win it all. The Czech's are a great team and are generally considered the USA's main threat to advance. Ghana is in their first World Cup, but in recent history an African country no-one has ever heard of has done exceptionally well in the tournament.
IMHO soccer is won and lost in the midfield, and Ghana has one of the best midfielders in the world in Micheal Essien, surrounded by ???.
On that same topic, the US midfield general and captain Claudio Reyna just went down with a hamstring injury in a tune up game with Morroco. They are reporting it as day to day but if he is not able to go at 100% it will be a big blow to our chances.
I expect Italy and the USA to advance to the second round where anything can happen on any given day...

The USA first round games are:
Vs. Czech Republic Monday June 12 @ 11AM Fargo - huge game
Vs. Italy Saturday June 17 @ 2PM Fargo
Vs. Ghana Thursday June 22 @ 9AM Fargo

Enjoy

[lakesbison]

CLAPS CLAPS!!

thanks!!.. helps me out!!

last time. i was getting up at 4 am. and i was all confuzzled about that sport..

I travel to Mexico and Jamaica every year and everyone down there is CRAZY over it... ...

[D_One_here_we_come]

If the USA finishes second in their group of 4 they would more than likely have to play Brazil in the 1st round of the knock out round. So it is cruicial that they end up first to avoid Brazil and be on the opposite side of the bracket from the Brazilians.

[cabis]

Good point. Brazil is in one of the "softer" groups with Austrailia, Croatia and Japan and are about as close to a lock to win their group as anyone. If USA can win the group we would likely get Croatia or Austrailia in the round of 16 which is a significantly lighter task than Brazil!

[OCBison]

There really aren't any "soft" groups when one gets to the WC. All of the groups are going to be very competitive. If you think Brazil is in a "soft" group it's probably just because they are that good.

Does the US stand a chance of advancing? It will be a difficult task that's for sure, especially with Reyna and O'Brien having suffered little knocks that have dropped them below 100% fitness.

The game with the Czechs is HUGE. The equivalent of opening play in the old NCC with the Sioux. Except in this case the Czechs are a little old and their #2 world ranking is a little over-rated.

Thankfully the games are going to be on at a reasonable hour this time.

Anyway, a little less than 3 months until the Bison open their 2006 season.

[sambini]

GO USA+++++++++++++

[WYOBISONMAN]

My Daughter is doing a High School exchange for 6 mothns in Ecuador. They cancelled all school in the country when Ecuador played Costa Rica last Tuesday. I guess all the kids went to this sports bar to watch, and when Ecuador upset Costa Rica 3-0, it was total pandamonium.......Sounds like a blast!