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It's that time again, only this time it's Brazil.
ESPN Coverage: Loads of Messi commercials. Glad to see Martinez (Everton coach) as a halftime analyst. Ian Darke and Macca doing the coverage.
Besides Uncle Sam's Army, I'll root for teams with Liverpool players.
It should be Spain and Brazil in the finals, but that's why they play the games. Expect the unexpected.

NOTE: Brazil starts against Croatia this afternoon. Brazil features Fred, Oscar, Neymar, and HULK.

The Rev Lawgrad would be ok with being in the hospital at least until the match is over. We have a flat screen tv in Mom's room, with ESPN. Mom doesn't have cable and since we have Directv we don't have watch ESPN.

The Brazil-Croatia referee will have the best hotel in all of Sao Paolo after handing an utterly bogus penalty shot to Brazil.

lawgrad91 wrote:The Rev Lawgrad would be ok with being in the hospital at least until the match is over. We have a flat screen tv in Mom's room, with ESPN. Mom doesn't have cable and since we have Directv we don't have watch ESPN.

The Univision Deportes app will have streaming for everyone through the first knockout stage.

awhom111 wrote:

lawgrad91 wrote:The Rev Lawgrad would be ok with being in the hospital at least until the match is over. We have a flat screen tv in Mom's room, with ESPN. Mom doesn't have cable and since we have Directv we don't have watch ESPN.

The Univision Deportes app will have streaming for everyone through the first knockout stage.

Thanks, awhom! He will probably avail himself of it.

Mexico just got hosed on the offside call.

Although I am rooting for Cameroon over Mexico, I have just one thing to say:

DEAR FIFA,
Why don't you just tell us in advance which teams you want to win?
Lavabe

Brazil's penalty vs. Croatia, and this offside call... truly bizarre!!

What happened to Spain? We were on the road so didn't get to see, but what a stunner.

The Rev Lawgrad, who only remembers he is half-Dutch during World Cup, was grinning from ear to ear.

lawgrad91 wrote:What happened to Spain? We were on the road so didn't get to see, but what a stunner.

The Rev Lawgrad, who only remembers he is half-Dutch during World Cup, was grinning from ear to ear.

I saw it.
Wow...
All was going well for Spain, and then RVP made a freakin' AWESOME header from just inside the box. The momentum changed with that. Robben turned it on for a brace, as did RVP. Spain's defense was about four steps slow, and their lone striker, Diego Costa, was inept (and may not play the next game, as it looks like he head-butted someone). Spain needs Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea's new signing) to start.

It was sort of like watching the Gas-House Gorillas playing the Tea Totallers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdhftriXIrk

Lavabe wrote:

lawgrad91 wrote:What happened to Spain? We were on the road so didn't get to see, but what a stunner.

The Rev Lawgrad, who only remembers he is half-Dutch during World Cup, was grinning from ear to ear.

I saw it.
Wow...
All was going well for Spain, and then RVP made a freakin' AWESOME header from just inside the box. The momentum changed with that. Robben turned it on for a brace, as did RVP. Spain's defense was about four steps slow, and their lone striker, Diego Costa, was inept (and may not play the next game, as it looks like he head-butted someone). Spain needs Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea's new signing) to start.

It was sort of like watching the Gas-House Gorillas playing the Tea Totallers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdhftriXIrk

Just watched it on replay. Dang. Wow.

Looks like Colombia will hang on and win 2-0 against Greece. All offense, no defense in this game.
Luis Suarez won't start for Uruguay against the Ticos.
Italy's Buffon (G) will not goalkeep against the English. This will be the rumble in the jungle.

Anyone who thinks "The Star Spangled Banner" is long needs to hear the national anthem of Uruguay. I've tried contested cases that didn't last that long.

Which is worse: World Cup vuvuzelas or World Cup stadium waves?

Lavabe wrote:Which is worse: World Cup vuvuzelas or World Cup stadium waves?

Trick question, they are equally bad.

YmoBeThere wrote:

Lavabe wrote:Which is worse: World Cup vuvuzelas or World Cup stadium waves?

Trick question, they are equally bad.

Trick question: England is worse.

Lavabe wrote:

YmoBeThere wrote:

Lavabe wrote:Which is worse: World Cup vuvuzelas or World Cup stadium waves?

Trick question, they are equally bad.

Trick question: England is worse.

True that. Ugh.

England possesses Wayne Rooney, who, without question, fired a gem of an assist to Sturridge for England's lone goal. But there was a stretch near the end when the humidity/heat conditions got to everyone on England (and not Italy). Witness this horrid corner kick by Wayne Rooney:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt2ya8uXiN4

Here are my initial thoughts about the first three days, and the teams that allegedly played in them:
Netherlands: OH MY!! What an offense. They were the Gas House Gorillas. You don't win a World Cup on your first game... or do you?
Colombia: Umm... this was a team without their best player. OMG. They were that good.
Brazil: Yeah, it's Neymar and the rest of them (at least, that's how they seem to be portrayed on ABC/ESPN). Fun to watch. I want to see more HULK.
Chile: Umm, they may be for real, but they were playing Australia. Need to see more.
Ivory Coast: Disjointed first half vs. Japan. Then within a few minutes of putting in an aged Didier Drogba, magically they connect and score two goals to win their game. Would like to see more defense from them, and just a little better teamwork.
Japan: Even though they lost to Ivory Coast, they sure played very well in the first half. I have no explanation for why they just blew it... other than Ivory Coast just started to click.
Mexico: Could El Tri be a team that has somehow figured out how to enjoy playing soccer? They may be a team to watch.
Italy: Truly despise this team. If you get a lead, just pack all ten men back in the penalty box, and see what happens. BORING. Oh, and it hasn't changed in how long?
Costa Rica: Icky play, until their first goal, which was highlighted by the goal scorer mimicking being pregnant with a soccer ball. Seriously. Just get rid of this team. http://www.highlighthub.com/joel-campbe ... tion-vine/
Greece: They are the enigma, wrapped around a mystery, covered in a burrito. They play well, and then they F*** up.
Croatia: See my comments about Greece.
Spain: Losing 5-1 should make you the worst team in the tourney, but remember that Spain lost their first game of the last World Cup, and look what happened. Then again, back in 2010, they didnt lose 5-1, have a goalkeep who suffered from terminal brain fart disease, and simply have no attack.
Cameroon: How did they lose to Mexico? I mean, they had the ref in the pocket on that one. They had better show more.
England: Underwhelming is an understatement.
Uruguay: Without Suarez, what an underwhelming team! They have now lost a starting defensemen because one of the dumbest red cards I have ever seen. The player got it in stoppage, and deserves like maybe a 10 match ban.
Australia: Awful.

Regarding Italy's defense: at some points in the second half, I felt that it wasn't even classic catenaccio defense they have been known to use. It was more like what Chelsea did to Liverpool at Anfield late in the season this year, in which the Chelsea coach, Jose Mourinho, packed the defense: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... aster.html

Considering how many Liverpool players are on the England team, it was a wise tactic for Italy.

Italy will have a fun time against Costa Rica.

Expect more of Italy's defensive mentality against Uruguay, assuming that Suarez (Liverpool player) starts.

I do not watch a lot of soccer but I have been watching the WC. I have concluded that Ivory Latta played the wrong sport. Her ability to flop on the ground and writhe in agony as though a limb had been severed (and the miraculous recovery seconds later) would fit right in.