# Brasil 2014 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 6, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840 "2014-05-06T21:19:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 49
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/961 "2014-06-19T12:25:18Z")
Actually, having the defending champion knocked-out at the group stage seems to have become frequent recently: it happened to France in 2002, Italy in 2010 and now Spain. 3 out of the last 4 World Cups. Before that, you have to go back to 1966 (Brazil) and 1950 (Italy again) to find other examples. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/962 "2014-06-19T13:48:50Z")
Any predictions on Uruguay v England? Will Uruguay miss Lugano and Pereira? ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/963 "2014-06-19T13:58:52Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > Actually, having the defending champion knocked-out at the group stage seems to have become frequent recently: it happened to France in 2002, Italy in 2010 and now Spain. 3 out of the last 4 World Cups. > > Before that, you have to go back to 1966 (Brazil) and 1950 (Italy again) to find other examples. Thanks for this info. Is uppose with a winning team there is always a tendency to remain loyal to aging players, overly loyal perhaps. Then again Spain were always a funny lot. The brief period they were at their best they competed handily, however when the going gets tough the Spanish national team invariably fails. It has happened to the national team throughout its competative history. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/964 "2014-06-19T14:07:30Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > Any predictions on Uruguay v England? Will Uruguay miss Lugano and Pereira? God I hope so. Luckily my hangover is just starting wear off in time to go to the pub. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/965 "2014-06-19T14:15:36Z")
On paper we should have a good chance against a team for whom the likes of Lugano, who could hardly get a game at West Brom, is in the first eleven. Of course, England don’t tend to play so well on grass. A draw won’t be the end of the world, if my arithmetic is correct, and Costa Rica don’t beat Italy tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/966 "2014-06-19T14:17:15Z")
It would be nice to have something more than a scrappy qualification on goal difference, though. I hear the temperature will be in the teens today. That’s certainly good for England. ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/967 "2014-06-19T15:11:54Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Germany led from a legit but somewhat soft penalty. But now 2-0 off a corner! Terrific header. > > ETA: Germany have kept Ronaldo relatively quiet. From what I’ve observed over the years the “great” C. Ronaldo is ALWAYS quiet whenever he dons a jersey and plays the German national team. ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/968 "2014-06-19T15:20:51Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > While I would never write them off, I don’t think Portugal have such great mental fortitude that one can entirely count on them to pull it together for the next match, either. > > That much is clear. I also feel that France looked very good, and Italy were solid against England (unfortunately). Netherlands’ having destroyed the defending champs opened many eyes as well, mine included. But Germany were just so polished and confident. I know saying so risks **racepug** coming back in here to call me a “d\*cklicker” again, even though I didn’t cheer for a single German goal, but I call it as I see it. Hardly controversial sentiment, anyway. As usual, people misinterpret why I call others “Germany nuthuggers.” The reason I do that is for the people who rave about the German team without acknowledging that all its appearances in Finals, semifinals, and quarterfinals are NOT all due to its “consistency,” and its “great” defending and just general “superior” soccer. There have been times (MANY times) that the German team has been the beneficiary of SOMETHING in getting as far as it has in World Cups: shoddy refereeing that benefited it, a lucky draw that saw it not have to play any teams of any real substance until late in the tournament, you name it. If you or any other nuthuggers don’t want to acknowledge any of that that’s your business but don’t expect people like me to just buy into “the Germans are just better at soccer than everybody else” line of thinking 'cause I’m not going to do that. EVER. They seem to have a strong team right now and even I (as much as I hate to) acknowledge that, as of right now, they look like a VERY good bet to win this tournament. But it’s not a sure thing, even if all the Germany nuthuggers are thinking that it is right now. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/969 "2014-06-19T15:37:41Z")
Do you think the Germans get more luck, on average, than others? Doesn’t everyone rely on luck, to some extent, to get to the later stages? ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/970 "2014-06-19T16:14:30Z")
Kind of bummed I’m in the office for Columbia vs. Ivory Coast. Would have liked to see it live, as it seems like it’ll be a fun one. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/971 "2014-06-19T16:19:07Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Of course, England don’t tend to play so well on grass. snort ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/972 "2014-06-19T16:54:26Z")
> [@racepug](#): > > If you or any other nuthuggers don’t want to acknowledge any of that that’s your business but don’t expect people like me to just buy into “the Germans are just better at soccer than everybody else” line of thinking 'cause I’m not going to do that. Regardless of how you mean it, it seems to be an insulting-like term. Let’s avoid calling anyone any kinds of names in here. Use the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/973 "2014-06-19T17:10:01Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > snort Ha! I missed that nugget of brilliance. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/974 "2014-06-19T17:32:57Z")
They’ve updated the textbook. The “counterattacking” entry is now just a video of Colombia’s second. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/975 "2014-06-19T17:37:56Z")
This game suddenly got good. Columbia’s first goal was good, and Ivory Coast’s to pull back within one was better. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/976 "2014-06-19T17:37:57Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Kind of bummed I’m in the office for Columbia vs. Ivory Coast. Would have liked to see it live, as it seems like it’ll be a fun one. Certainly got interesting in the last five minutes or so. That Gervinho goal was very impressive. ---
**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/977 "2014-06-19T17:53:12Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Regardless of how you mean it, it seems to be an insulting-like term. Let’s avoid calling anyone any kinds of names in here. Use the Pit. You people have proven to be just as thin-skinned as those at other message boards. I remember reading from somebody once that “every time I go to a message board I’m reminded why I don’t like going to message boards” which is exactly how I feel about it. I was hoping those at the SDMB would be a little more lenient about things but apparently I was wrong. You people go on and have your senseless fun. I’m out. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/978 "2014-06-19T18:09:39Z")
… is it because you don’t like following rules? Because that is probably going to be an issue outside the message board arena, too. Just saying. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/979 "2014-06-19T18:09:44Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > Any predictions on Uruguay v England? Will Uruguay miss Lugano and Pereira? England should be able to win this, even with Suarez starting for Uruguay. So I hope. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/980 "2014-06-19T18:49:53Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Go Cameroon! I hereby retract the above statement. Gawd, that was embarrassing. I saw only part of the first half of Colombia vs. Cote D’Ivorie. Wish I had seen the second. I was impressed with both teams. Different styles but good play all around. I’m hoping for them both to make it out of the group stage. > [@racepug](#): > > You people have proven to be just as thin-skinned as those at other message boards. I remember reading from somebody once that “every time I go to a message board I’m reminded why I don’t like going to message boards” which is exactly how I feel about it. I was hoping those at the SDMB would be a little more lenient about things but apparently I was wrong. You people go on and have your senseless fun. I’m out. Auf wiedersehen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840.md?page=48) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840.md?page=50)