December 02, 2009

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:

A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 22 comments

Sepp has announced how his balls will look on Friday :

Pots for Friday's draw: eight groups of four countries to be drawn, each group containing one country from each pot.

Pot 1 (seeds): South Africa, Brazil, Spain, Holland, Italy, Germany, Argentina, England

Pot 2 :(Asia, Oceania and North/Central America): Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Mexico, Honduras

Pot 3 (Africa and South America): Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Algeria, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay

Pot 4 (Europe): France, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Greece, Serbia, Denmark, Slovakia

Pot 5 : Ireland

There'll be some dancing and back and forth going on at some point as South Africa aren't allowed to have an African team in their group, so they'll get Paraguay, Chile or Uruguay from Pot 3 while Brazil and Argentina can't have a South American from Pot 3.

The seeding means we could end up with Italy - Ghana - USA as at the last cup, although the Czech Republic didn't make it this time.

posted by Mr Bismarck at 06:49 AM on December 02, 2009

And you avoid us, too.

Are you watching, Bruce Arena?

posted by owlhouse at 09:12 AM on December 02, 2009

England
France
Ivory Coast
USA

You heard it here first.

posted by JJ at 09:39 AM on December 02, 2009

Looks like Friday at 12pm EST...Does anyone know if the draw will be televised in the US?

posted by mikemacman at 10:14 AM on December 02, 2009

Time Lapse of the 2009 Yankees World Series win consisting of 12,000 photos.

posted by BoKnows at 10:18 AM on December 02, 2009

Looks like Friday at 12pm EST...Does anyone know if the draw will be televised in the US?

ESPN2 is showing it.

posted by goddam at 10:25 AM on December 02, 2009

It's official; Allen Iverson is a 76er once more.

posted by dfleming at 10:30 AM on December 02, 2009

Wow, that's an incredibly stupid pick-up for all the reasons enumerated in the article.

Chris Webber's probably available, too.

posted by wfrazerjr at 11:15 AM on December 02, 2009

Somewhere, Eric Snow and Aaron McKie perch near a window, hoping to hear that familiar call:

'99 TEAM! ASSEMMMMMMMBLE!

posted by dfleming at 11:21 AM on December 02, 2009

Highlights of the Blackhawks vs. Blue Jackets game including 11 rounds of a shoot-out.

Great first goal by Versteeg.

posted by BoKnows at 11:25 AM on December 02, 2009

Argentina nearly didn't qualify and they get a seed. Yargh. I'd like to look at the seeds from the last few WC's to see exactly how self-perpetuating the top 7 teams are.

I'd guess the best case scenario for the USA would be something like South Africa, Algeria, Slovenia?

Worst case is Brazil, Cameroon, France/Portugal?

posted by mbd1 at 12:15 PM on December 02, 2009

Ian-terestingly, in the FM10 game I'm playing at the moment, England won their group over Mexico, Egypt and Denmark, beat Paraguay in the second round and then went out on penalties in the Quarter finals.

Video games getting more realistic all the time.

posted by Mr Bismarck at 12:43 PM on December 02, 2009

Whoops.

posted by BoKnows at 01:05 PM on December 02, 2009

The audio in that "whoops" video reminds me of listening to AFC Wimbledon games. Sometimes you hear people in the stands talking over the announcers. I wish we had more levels of pro soccer in the U.S. going all the way down to glorified beer leagues.

posted by rcade at 01:08 PM on December 02, 2009

I'd guess the best case scenario for the USA would be something like South Africa, Algeria, Slovenia?

Two African teams cannot be in the same group. So replace Algeria with Chile, Uruguay, or Paraguay.

posted by goddam at 01:17 PM on December 02, 2009

One of the most storied franchises in professional sport (yes, I'm speaking with a fan bias, but they do have the longest streak of consecutive playoff appearances (34 from 1972-2006) in pro sport), the Edmonton Eskimos are auctioning off items from their locker room that is undergoing its first major renovation since it was built in 1978. I don't know how many CFL junkies there are, but a piece of Warren Moon's history might be of interest to some.

posted by Spitztengle at 01:38 PM on December 02, 2009

Rajon Rondo said yesterday that he could beat Chris Johnson(Titans) in a foot race and that he ran a 3.9 in the 40 yard dash in college. He said he would bet 2 grand on it. When asked about it, Johnson said "bring it on". Put it on ESPN. I would be glad to take your money.

Is Rondo high? 3.9 in the 40. thats faster the Usain Bolt from Jamica.

Who you got?

I would bet as much money as i could pull together on Johnson with this one unless it involves dribbling a basketball around a court

posted by Debo270 at 02:09 PM on December 02, 2009

Chris Johnson is playing incredible football right now. Against the Jags, he scored a second-half touchdown that looked like he was shot out of a cannon.

posted by rcade at 02:11 PM on December 02, 2009

I would bet as much money as i could pull together on Johnson with this one unless it involves dribbling a basketball around a court

That's exactly what Michael Wilbon said on yesterdays episode of PTI.

posted by BornIcon at 02:17 PM on December 02, 2009

That's exactly what Michael Wilbon said on yesterdays episode of PTI.

I am disgusted with myself for thinking the same as Wilbon, but he is right and I guess smarter then I have previously thought. I missed PTI yesterday. Had a friend tell me about it today.

posted by Debo270 at 02:21 PM on December 02, 2009

JJ, I could see Portugal instead of France in that group. Guardian did an article today about how Portugal are the non-seed to be most feared, and another article mentioned the most difficult group England could face being Portugal/France, Ivory Coast, and USA, as you said.

posted by boredom_08 at 06:33 PM on December 02, 2009

Rocky Baptiste now has The Miss of the Century.

posted by dusted at 12:04 AM on December 03, 2009

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.