Introduction—“The Undisputed ‘Group of Death’”
(USA, Germany, Portugal, Ghana)
Löw has assembled as squad every bit as questionable as the
one back in 2004: No natural striker, three players making slow recovery from
injury, highly uncertain tactical plans in midfield, and a mistake-prone back
four. And.....of course we had to be drawn into the “Group of Death”. Of course.
It’s one giant neurasthenia-inducing clusterfuck…just like
two years ago. Three world-class opponents can easily stake a Knockout Round
Spot. Cristiano Ronaldo is very much accustomed to performing against the
world’s best players. He just scored a record 16 Goals in the UEFA Champions
League (the toughest and highest caliber league of all time). Counting EM 2012,
the Mannschaft has now beaten the Navigators in three of the last four
international tournaments. How long can this endure? Nothing lasts forever, not
even the Syndicate.
The Krauts should also count themselves lucky for eking out
a victory against Ghana’s “Black Stars” in 2010. This year’s incarnation of the
“Gold Coast Playas” looks even scarier. Agyemang-Badu, Kwadwo Asamoah, and
Shelley Muntari look to have what it takes to neutralize the German midfield.
If all else fails they can send in Kevin Prince-Boateng to hurt someone. He’s
fairly experienced at that ; ( ; (
This brings us to my adopted “country of convenience”. The
Yanks are back. Don’t laugh. Many are tipping them to top this group, and with
good reason. Even without Landon Donovan, new kid Julian Green posses the speed
to carve up defenses. Beleaguered strikers Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore need
only to have the ball placed at their feet. They still know how to finish. All
it takes is one penetrating through-ball. Should the Fatherland lose to U.S. (a
very real possibility) it will be a national embarrassment on par with the
burning of the Reichstag. Many Krauts will stumble out of bed with the worst
hangover of their life, raise their iron shutters, and wonder why we even
bother having a country at all.
Oh man. It will easily take a whole pack of smokes to get
through this write-up. If only wasn’t so far away from the cozy confines of my
cherished university bar “Peer Review”. I could use a tall cold one and some
familiar faces right about now. ; (
Welcome to purgatory, gentlemen. Your friendly bookie
presents:
“The Group of Death”
Here comes the reaper..
USA—“Sam’s
Army”
You’ve waiting so long, Yanks. Welcome back. Here’s the
lowdown of your all-new “Stars and Stripes”:
The U.S. Soccer Association boldly demonstrated their firm
commitment to never again face mediocrity or obscurity on July 29th
2011 with the appointment of former German star-player and head trainer Jürgen
Klinsmann. Since leading the German National Team to a surprise third-place
finish in 2006, Klinsmann had a brief unsuccessful tenure as the head coach of
Bayern München, but mostly mucked about California with his American wife and
kids.
Much was made of the historic hiring of the U.S. Team’s
first foreign coach in over twenty years, but Klinsi might as well be a Yank at
this point. He continued to live in Cali whilst coaching the German side and
resigned from the team citing “home-sickness” after the 2006 tournament. What
isn’t insignificant is the strategy he and Austrian sidekick Andreas Herzog
embarked upon. They began by launching one of the most aggressive eras of
experimentation in international football history. The duo called up a
staggering SIXTY separate players to represent the country in various matches
over the course of two years. Practically everyone got a look. The U.S. Team
rapidly evolved into the most fluid anyone has ever seen. A clear message was
sent: We’re wiping the slate clean. Practically any player with a U.S. Passport
now has a chance to make this team. No sacred cows. No fixed eleven.
Heavy recruitment of “dual-heritage” players commenced
immediately. This is, after all, how the Germans roll. We seek out the best
players of Polish, Turkish, Spanish, African, and Eastern European heritage and
unapologetically steal them for our National Side. In spite of the fact that
the U.S. is THE country of immigrants, the U.S. Men’s Team all too rarely
utilizes this practice. After the Freddy Adu flop, it appeared that recruiting
players too early, then developing them in a country with an embryonic men’s
league was even a recipe for failure. Klinsi and Herzog still knew that the
U.S. couldn’t hope to compete without a better international recruitment
strategy. What better place to start than back in the Fatherland, where plenty
of kids spawned by U.S. Servicemen were just waiting to be snatched up?
The pair’s first major coup was then S.C Freiburg midfielder
Daniel Williams. Williams is the son of a German mother and a U.S. G.I.
stationed in Karlsruhe. He grew up in Germany and had played for the national
youth team as both a defensive midfielder and roaming right back. Williams
showed great speed, mobility, and technical heading ability. Nevertheless, he
simply wasn’t deemed good enough to continue with the U-17 team. The
Klinsi/Herzog machine saw their chance and pounced. They convinced him to
switch allegiances by promising him a tryout in midfield. A stellar debut gave
way to professional frustrations that ultimately kept Williams off the World
Cup squad. He transferred to 1899 Hoffenheim and failed to keep a spot on the
first team. He later got a chance with the Reading Royals in the English
Championship. Improved play earned him a call-up for the March 5th
friendly against Ukraine, but he ultimately didn’t even make the provisional
squad.
Their first major enlistment may have been a bust, but two
subsequent German defectors can be considered unequivocal successes.
Eighteen-year-old Bayern München prospect Julian Green has an American father
and German mother. Although he was born in Tampa, his family relocated to
Germany when he was two years old. He grew up an “aufrechter Deutscher”,
earning a combined 11 Caps for the German U16, U17, and U18 teams. Acutely
aware that they needed to shore up their midfield, Klinsi and Herzog spent
virtually all of last Autumn and Winter convincing him to bring his talents
stateside. Löw & Co. attempted to recruit him too, but they couldn’t
compete with the attention and promise that the Americans could offer him. He
finally chose the U.S. this Spring. The Götze-like prospect is one huge fish
reeled in by Team America. He’s an excellent dribbler and trickster who looks
to make a major impact this Summer.
They weren’t finished yet. Klinsi and Herzog lobbied oh so
very hard to get Herta BSC defender John Brooks to roll up. Brooks is yet
another son of a U.S. Servicemen. He grew up eating Currywurst and downing
Döner Kebabs in the greatest city in the universe, Berlin. After a sub par
tryout with the U.S. U20 side four years ago, he returned to the German ranks
and seemed intent on letting America fall by the wayside. The Germano-Austrian
Engine was having none of it. They hauled him in with the promise of starting
center-back position. He’s a tall, hulking, beanpole of a defender who exhibits
precision tackling and incredible aerial ability.
There are plenty of individuals out there of dual German and
American citizenship. Most of them are harmless rubes of mediocre talent…like
your friendly bookie. ; ) The new U.S. coaching tandem, however, just landed
themselves TWO PROJECTED STARTERS. Kudos, Yanks. Your boys targeted the right
guys and worked tirelessly to get them. Well done. They’ve also recruited you a
pair of promising subs from Norway (midfielder Mikkel Diskerud) and Iceland
(striker Aron Johannsson). Neither one of these guys calls the U.S. home. They
wouldn’t be representing your country unless they were heavily sold on the
experience.
With the character of this team so radically altered, it’s
aufwiedersehen to a whole cohort of familiar faces. Farewell to former captain
Carlos Bocanegra and his defensive partner Steve Cherundolo. Goodbye memorable
strikers Edson Buddle, Hercules Gomez, Robbie Findley, and Eddie Johnson. There
go all the recognizable names in the midfield. It’s bye-bye for Break Shea,
Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Stuart Holden, Jose Francisco, Torres, Sacha
Kljestan, and Ricardo Clark. No more Oguchi Onyewu, Jonathan Bornstein, Jay
Demerit, Jonathan Spector, Edgar Castillio, or Clarence Goodson at the back.
They’re ALL gone.
Klinsi kept us guessing until the very end. Many of the
above mentioned players were called up as late as April and almost as many made
the provisional squad. For better or worse, Klinsi opted for his favorite new
recruits and a few proven veterans. That’s what you’re working with. Here’s the
(perceived plan):
Jozy will be deployed alone up front. It’s been another
frustrating year for the especially talented big-target man. After his
lackluster spells warming the bench for Villarreal and Hull City, he appeared
to have finally found his footing with Dutch Club AZ Alkmaar. He put strung
together two very impressive campaigns. Then came this year’s debacle at the
Stadium of Light. Altidore found himself demoted to the reserves even as his
English Club fought relegation. How humiliating. He’s managed a paltry two
goals in 20 appearances for Sunderland. Your main striker thus finds himself in
a serious crisis of confidence. The tools haven’t gone anywhere. He just
appears to have run out of ideas.
He may not necessarily need ideas, however. The midfield
trio Dempsey, Green, and Alejandro Bedoya can handle business on that front
while Jozy simply executes. The aforementioned Green can work wonders in
possession. Dempsey got back into shape with a brief loan to his old English
club Fulham during the MLS offseason. It took him a few fixtures, but he looked
to regain his “faux number 9” prowess late on. Nantes winger Alejandro Bedoya
is the last-minute replacement for the injured Landon Donovan. He’s no slouch,
but he’s also no Donovan. Uncle Sam needs Dempsey to come up huge if Altidore
is to have any hope of getting adequate support.
Veterans Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley anchor in the
defensive midfield slots. Jones barely beat out Maurice Edu despite a rather
tepid year split between Schalke 04 and Turkish club Beskitas. He’s primarily
the “stay-at home” sort and will likely be tasked with keeping the left side
clogged. Michael Bradley, the son of previous U.S. Coach Bob, steadily worked
his way back into Klinsi’s good graces with some inspired performances for
Roma. He’s regarded as the more offensive minded of the duo, though he’s loyal
to tactics first.
With the back four relatively green, 32-year-old midfielder
Demarcus Beasley moves back into the defensive ranks. He’s better suited to
such positioning given his age, but could still constitute a scoring threat up
the left flank. Geoff Cameron will be his opposite number. He’s begun to
venture forward up the right flank for Premiership club Stoke. Tim Chandler of
Eintracht Frankfurt and Omar Gonzalez of the L.A. Galaxy close ranks in front
of Howard. This will be the 35-year-old Howard’s Swan Song. He’s finished. With
his form exhibiting observable decline, one half expected Klinsman to “pull a
Lehman” and give Aston Villa’s Brad Guzan the nod. In the end he stuck with
Howard. Don’t expect him to tolerate any howlers, though. He’ll yank Howard in
a heartbeat if it gives him a chance to escape this group.
Good Luck, Yanks. You will need it. It’s not your greatest
team and you really had some rotten luck with the Donovan injury. On the topic
of brutal injuries, Charlie Davies remains alive and kicking. That in itself
constitutes a miracle. He will probably never play for the National Team again,
but we wish him well. So glad you’re still here ; )
Projecting
the American Lineup (4-2-3-1) |
Jozy Altidore
|
|
Julian Green Alejandro Bedoya
|
|
Clint Dempsey
|
|
Jermaine
Jones Michael Bradley
|
|
D. Beasley T. Chandler O. Gonzalez G. Cameron
|
|
Tim Howard
|
The
Talisman—Clint Dempsey 
His ‘Golden Days’ may be way behind him, but he hopefully
still has something special up his sleeve. Something like this would be ideal: “A
Syndicate Classic”—USA
From FWM 2011—“Goodbyes and Championship Pick”
USA vs. Japan
vs. 
Often times in lesser tournaments, I declare that all
bets are off for the final. Finals are a time to lounge, drink, and
leisurely/passively while away a Sunday afternoon with the beautiful game. Some
may recall that I obstinately refused any bets during the Euro 2008
Spain-Germany Final. Why? Because I simply wanted to get blitzed, root for my
country against the odds, and not have to sit down with my black book after a
debilitating loss and do arithmetic of all things! Please consider my
experience and reflect on this reasoning.
It has come to my attention recently that I’ve created a
monstrous cadre of compulsive gamblers, totally unequipped for their team’s
presence in “The Big Game”. As a result, I’ve been besieged by requests from
anxious ogres, salivating at the chance to lay their wife’s sock-drawer money
on the invincibility of Uncle Sam. One can only hope that our creditors display
such zeal after we default on our debt in a few weeks. Look, I welcome your
enthusiasm. The fact that I’ve played some small role in helping form fervent
fanatics devoid of any common sense surely must be that “difference” my
Kindergarten teacher kept insisting I would make in the world. Very flattering.
Very touching. To remain aloof from this insanity would be in some ways
disingenuous of me. This is why I’ve elected to afford you an opportunity to
bet on your team whilst still doing everything in my power to discourage it.
You’ve already read my mini-lecture concerning the luxury
of simply enjoying the match. Think further about the perils of hyping yourself
up for a game, being improbably let down, and then realizing that the money you
lost will invariably ruin next week as well. Finally, take into account that
your bookie has to insist on a high line. This game is a VERY SKEWED mismatch
on paper. The Japanese have been known to pull miraculous 54,827 Hit Combos out
of their ass, but have about as much chance of winning here as poor Angurius
had against Mechagodzilla. (The knowledge of an insomniac occasionally extends
beyond C-Span)
YOUR TEAM WILL WIN! For your wife’s sake, for you
children’s sake, for the sake of whatever gluttonous addictions happen
regularly drain your wallet, DON’T SET YOURSELF UP TO LOSE! Choose life. Choose
a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a big television. Choose
washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers.
(Don’t you love how two of those are ludicrously dated?)
This looks to be a very exciting final! Samehima, Kinga,
and Kumagi were supposed to be more exhausted than Larry Flynt after the AVN
Awards. Instead they shocked us all by continually pressing forward in one the
most hawkish displays I’ve ever seen from a defending corps! The strategy of
this Japanese team is not difficult to discern: They are going full-blown
Kamikaze, throwing EVERYONE forward without the slightest twitch of fear or
regret. Following the conservative, disciplined approach to Germany Norio
Sasaki evidently told the Nadeshiko to play with reckless abandon. In a stage
of the tournament they have no business being in, against an unquestionably
stronger team, with nothing to lose and a cajoling media pumping them up, look
for them to encroach as many as nine players early. “Banzai, motherfuckers!” In
American parlance, “Kitchen Sink” will be the watchword. They won’t let up.
How long will this strategy work? Impossible to say. All indications are
that the Japs will boldly trot out the same starting eleven they’ve been using
for most of the tournament and deal with the fatigue issue only if it becomes a
visible disadvantage. Iwabuchi and Maruyama are almost guaranteed
substitutions, leaving them very little wiggle room should there be an injury.
Other than these two sparkplugs, there isn’t another bench player who has
logged significant minutes. Candidly, it will be up to the same squad that has
played the entire tournament to deliver another improbably all out, maximum
effort performance. They may well succeed in doing so, but let’s look at the
team they face.
“All the Right Moves” isn’t merely a movie staring a
maniacal midget with a one-inch penis, it also should be the headlines
detailing Pia Sundhage’s managerial approach to the last game. It began with
the brilliant decision to move Ali Krieger and start Becky Sauerbrunn in her
position. A certain amateur bookie directly called for that move and wondered
(as he often does) if he had finally attained the title of “complete moron”. As
it turns out, Sauerbrunn handled her rather demanding assignment with aplomb.
For an outfielder with only 11 international caps to step in late in a
tournament and provide such ideal miserly defending is no small feat. Another move advocated by a certain
rambling idiot happened to be flipping Wambach and Rodriguez’s advancing
assignments. This worked splendidly. Not playing as the lead striker appeared
to allow Wambach to find her rhythm at her own pace. After Rodriguez was
substituted, Wambach reclaimed the role and both her touch and timing were
immaculate.
Fatigue and a lack of imagination set in around the 54th
minute. Sundhage’s first move was to bring in Alex Morgan early and let her
adjust to the tempo. Ten minutes later it was time to tinker with the midfield.
Cheney switched sides, Boxx and O’Reilly were tasked with the central part of
the pitch, and Carli Lloyd was substituted for Rapinoe. All the maneuvering
enabled Rapinoe to work her preferred left flank. Three minutes after setting
up Wambach’s goal she made her dominance of that flank obvious, setting up
Morgan with an exquisite little through ball for goal number three. Marvelous.
This woman should be coaching the men’s team!
So there we have it. One coach has his team on a
suicide-mission; the other carefully calibrates the talent on the pitch with
all the meticulousness of a Formula One mechanic. If this fails to engender
enough optimism, consider that O’Reilly, Rodriguez, Rampone, Cheney, Buehler,
Krieger and Boxx are all in extraordinary form. Those are just your starters!
Rapinoe, Heath, and Cox will be the perfect substitution trio should you get
into trouble, but a possible blowout means you may see Lindsey, Mitts, and
O’Hara instead. Anything can happen, of course, but all signs point to a record
third U.S. Championship
A MESSAGE TO ALL MY AMERICAN FRIENDS:
What good is a World Championship in Women’s Sports? Were
it in Volleyball, Shuffleboard, Handball, Ice Hockey, Basketball, Table Tennis,
Golf, Softball………ANY OTHER SPORT BUT THIS ONE, you’re right! Who give a
hemorrhaging fuck? This happens to be not “a” sport, but “the” sport; the sport
than over 80 percent of the world holds in the highest esteem. In the
burgeoning world of Women’s Football, two countries are tied at two when it
comes to the most world championships. The U.S. won the inaugural tournament in
1991 and Brandi Chastain took off her shirt in 1999. Germany is the two time
defending world champions, winning in 2003 and 2007. A win on Sunday will make
you the UNCONTESTED ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS OF WORLD FOOTBALL (provided what happens
to be between your legs is irrelevant). Please treat this as a cause for great
celebration. A world champion is not crowned perfunctorily. This should ideally
be a special day for you.
Surround yourself with trusted friends. Cheer, shout, and
dance together. When it’s all over, remember to go kick a ball with a stranger
(no matter what happens to be between their legs J)
THE
LINE: USA + 3
Prop Bets (as always, feel free to offer your own):
Over/Under ---4 Goals
120 Minutes— 3 to 1
Penalty Shootout— 4 to 1
My Five Pledges to Syndicate Members:
1) No more Football Blogs until Euro 2012
(Bets on the final rounds of qualifying are of course
welcome)
2) No more “Election Books”
(We’ll stick to sports, I promise. Politics may resemble
sports, but it really shouldn’t)
3) I don’t care if Watson is coming back to Jeopardy!
(I’ve said all I’d care to about it. You’ll never hear
any more from me on the subject.)
4) “This Week in Obscure Scholarship” Belongs on the
Internet
(not in your inboxes. I’ve got it J.)
5) I will grow a pair and submit some things
(given present circumstances, I’ve officially run out of
excuses J)
FINAL GOODBYE TO FOOTBALL FANS EVERYWHERE:
(Reprinted from 2006, 2008, and 2010)
Goodbye to all syndicate members: old, new, and morbidly
curious. One day Karl Kasell will record this on my outgoing voicemail.
“Peace with the Metric System”
“I don’t know what to say really. Three minutes to the
biggest battle of our professional lives. All comes down to today. Either we
heal as a team, or we’re going to crumble. 2.54 centimeters by 2.54
centimeters…set piece by set piece….til we’re finished. We’re in hell right now
gentlemen. Believe me. And…….we can stay here, get the shit kicked out of us,
or………..we can fight our way back…….into the light…….we can climb our way out of
hell. 2.54 Centimeters at a time.
Now I can’t do it for you. I’m too old. I look around, I
see all of these young faces and think……..I mean……..I’ve made every wrong
choice a middle-aged man can make. I…ah…. pissed away all my money, believe it
or not. I chased off anyone who’s ever loved me. And lately, I can’t even stand
the face I see in the mirror. You know, when you get old in life, things get
taken from you…. I mean that’s…that’s…...that’s part of life. But, you only
learn that when you start losing stuff. You find out life’s this game of 2.54
centimeters. So is football. Because in either game, life or football, the
margin for error is so small…..I mean…one half a step too late or too early,
you don’t quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast, you don’t quite
kick it. The centimeters we need are everywhere around us! They’re in every
break of the game, every minute, every second.
On this team, we fight for those 2.54 centimeters. On
this team, we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for those
2.54 centimeters. We claw with our fingernails for those 2.54 centimeters!
Because, we know when we add up all those centimeters, that’s gonna make the
FUCKIN difference between winnin' and losin!!!!!!!! Between living and
dieing!!!
I’ll tell you this: In any fight, it’s the guy who’s
willin' to die, who’s gonna win that 2.54 centimeters. And I know, if I’m gonna
have any life anymore, it’s because I’m still willing to fight and die for
those 2.54 centimeters!!! Because….that’s what livin is!!! The 15.24
centimeters in front of your face!!
Now I can’t make you do it! You’ve gotta look at the guy
next to you. LOOK INTO HIS EYES!! Now I think you’re gonna see a guy who will
go those 2.54 centimeters with you. I think you’re gonna see a guy who will
sacrifice himself for this team because he knows, when it comes down to it,
you’re gonna do the same for him. That’s a team, gentlemen. And, either we
heal, NOW, as a team……..or we will die…as individuals. That’s football guys.
That’s all it is. Now………..WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?!?!?!?!”
Editor’s
retroactive notes:
RESULT:
Japan 3, USA 2. (3:1 PSO)
Er…….ooops. Yes, I genuinely felt horrible after pumping everyone up for this
one. I should have known that, had it come down to penalty kicks, the Japs
would have better scouting intelligence. For the first time in my life, I was
personally dismayed by a U.S. loss. It felt every bit as bad as a Fatherland
loss. Sure, I pocketed some coin, but it didn’t brighten my mood at all. Heavy
drinking following this one. I’m still rather sad about it. Oh well. The sooner
we finish dissecting it, the sooner I can forget about the whole sordid affair.
Sundhage
replaced Rodriguez with a brash attempt to slot in Cheney as an Anchoring
Forward. This enabled her to give Rapinoe the start she absolutely deserved as
Sam’s Angels deployed a reshuffled 4-4-2. Rapinoe was shot straight out of a
cannon yet again. She proved herself a world-class footballer worthy of a spot
on the grand stage, slashing all the way up the pitch past four defenders for a
stunning effort on goal in the 8th. One minute later she tore
through the Japanese ranks once again to set up Wambach, who fired over. Very
much the animated start for the U.S. side as they generated a dozen or so
decent chances in the first half. Cheney and Wambach shaved the woodwork while
Rapinoe smacked the post twice. Carli Lloyd fired barely over as well. To top
it all of, Cheney managed to find the top of the net at halftime.
Lacking
a goal, Sundhage was forced to concede that the Cheney experiment wasn’t
necessarily going to yield the desired results. Alex Morgan emerged from the
tunnel as her replacement and the hungry little hottie went straight to work.
She put the eighth U.S. post ball on frame in the 49th following a
delicious setup from Rapinoe. Morgan and Rapinoe would continue to push until
the lead was theirs. Rapinoe sprang Morgan on an up-tempo counter in the 69th.
After crowding out Kumagai with an impressive show of strength, the
Western New York Flash forward let fly with a rising drive that left Kaihori
with no chance. The contest persisted in its one-sidedness. It was truly a
shock to see the Nadeshiko equalize in the 81st.
The
Japs had gotten virtually nothing going all afternoon, and a mediocre Maruyama
cross didn’t seem set to alter matters. However, LePeilbet, Buehler, and
Krieger were all sixes and sevens. Krieger made an unbecomingly horrendous mistake,
feeding a diagonal clearance directly on the feet of Miyama, who then fired
home. Watching the replays, one remains at a loss to discern what in the hell
she was thinking. Terrible play from a magnificent player.
The
U.S. continued to reign supreme throughout the first period of extra time. Alex
Morgan played her heart out, finally making it count on the score sheet with a
precision cross that Wambach nailed in for a 104th minute lead.
Japan again improbably equalized from one of the only set pieces they had been
awarded all evening. The veteran Sawa knocked in Miyama’s corner in 117th
and this fucked up match was back to being tied. Morgan and fellow substitute
Heath were clear on goal, sure to score a dramatic late winner in the 121st
when Azusa Iwashimizu employed the so-called “professional foul”. As per the
rules, she was dismissed with a straight red for preventing a sure goal-scoring
opportunity. Somehow it just doesn’t seem fair enough. Given that the pair were
surely about to score, a penalty might have been awarded. Alas, the foul took
place outside the box.
To
penalties we went and the Japs had done their homework. Kaihori knew precisely
where the first three U.S. Shooters would go. Down they went in order: Boxx,
Lloyd, and Heath. Solo managed to save Nagasato and no one else. Interviewed in
the immediate aftermath of the debacle, an exchange between Pia Sundhage and a
reporter on the pitch went as follows:
Reporter:
How do you explain three straight penalty misses?
Sundhage:
You don’t.
Couldn't
agree more. What a devastating loss.
Well,
gentlemen. We come to the conclusion of nearly four months work, done in spare
time that might have been better spent…..ah hell….I probably would have just
spent it getting drunk and watching C-span. Glad I wrote all of this. Ecstatic
that it’s finally over. I can think of no better way to celebrate our return to
the present with some final hot girl rankings for the U.S. and Japan. In the
event that anyone considers me an insensitive asshole for ranking women based
on their looks, I’ll freely admit that I’m probably no better than a 4.2
myself…maybe a 6.0 when I was younger. It’s only one man’s opinion in any case.
If you
laughed out loud at any proportion of this over-scoped project, I’ve done as
well as can reasonably be expected. I’d be more elated to learn that you’re
still working on some of your own writing, breaking though whatever
self-imposed block happens to be haranguing you this time. As always, send your
stuff the Shadow Scholar’s way. For over ten years I’ve managed to make time
for it all and I’ve no plans to neglect any individual who works the keys.
Keep
assaulting those keys, my syndicate brethren. Never forget that you kick ass.
You wouldn’t have been invited if you were anything less than the finest minds
I’ve ever met. Drop by and hang with us anytime you like. The door remains open
no matter what foolishness I’m up to…
Japan
|
Rumi
Utsugi
|
9.6
|
|
Naihomi
Kawasumi
|
9.4
|
|
Homare
Sawa
|
9.2
|
|
Karina
Maruyama
|
8.9
|
|
Kozue
Ando
|
8.2
|
|
Aya
Sameshima
|
8.0
|
|
Mana
Iwabuchi
|
7.5
|
|
Asuna
Tanaka
|
6.6
|
|
Megumi
Kamionobe
|
5.9
|
|
Yukari
Kinga
|
5.5
|
|
Saki
Kumagai
|
5.3
|
|
Shinobu
Ohno
|
4.5
|
|
Aya
Miyama
|
4.2
|
|
Yuki
Nagasato
|
4.0
|
|
Ayumi
Kaihori
|
3.9
|
|
Kyoko
Yano
|
3.7
|
|
Megumi
Takese
|
3.3
|
|
Mizuho
Sakaguchi
|
3.2
|
|
Azusa
Iwashimizu
|
3.0
|
USA
|
Kelley
O’Hara
|
10.0
|
|
Ali
Krieger
|
10.0
|
|
Alex
Morgan
|
9.9
|
|
Hope
Solo
|
9.2
|
|
Meaghan
Rapinoe
|
8.9
|
|
Heather
Mitts
|
8.2
|
|
Carli
Lloyd
|
8.0
|
|
Tobin
Heath
|
7.9
|
|
Amy
Rodriguez
|
7.7
|
|
Lori
Lindsey
|
6.9
|
|
Heather
O’Reilly
|
6.8
|
|
Abby
Wambach
|
6.5
|
|
Becky
Sauerbrunn
|
6.4
|
|
Rachel
Buehler
|
5.8
|
|
Stephanie
Cox
|
5.6
|
|
Amy
Lepeilbet
|
5.3
|
|
Shannon
Boxx
|
5.1
|
|
Lauren
Cheney
|
5.0
|
|
Christine
Rampone
|
4.8
|
Deutschland—“The
Glorious Fatherland”
If anyone’s wondering where Mario Gomez is, he never fully
recovered from his ankle surgery back in July 2012. He staged a brilliant
comeback some nine months after undergoing the procedure, but by that time had
been supplanted by Bayern’s new signing Mario Mandzukic. He transferred to
Serie A Side Fiorentina the following Summer, only to re-aggravate his injury
early in the season. After he once again staged an improbable comeback, he tore
through most of the ligaments in his left knee this Spring. He was thus never a
serious contender to make this team.
Löw had other options in Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Max
Kruse and 1899 Hoffenheim’s Kevin Volland, but he ultimately decided that
neither one was ready to occupy a valuable roster spot. In a very surprising
move, Kruse wasn’t even called up to the Provisional Squad. That leaves us
with….35-year-old Miroslav Klose. Yes, he’s back. He obstinately refuses to go
away. He’s the little Polish Engine that could. He defied everyone’s
predictions by resurrecting his career with Italian Club Lazio Roma three years
ago. The man just won’t go gentle into that good night.
Klose himself has struggled with injury this season and
looked well past his prime when gifted a start in Euro 2012. This bookie
considers it highly unlikely that he’ll be part of the starting eleven when the
Mannschaft kicks off against Portugal on June 16th. That means that
Löw will be forced to trot out at least one midfielder who occasionally plays
as a forward. At first glance that doesn’t appear to be a problem. Thomas
Müller, Lukas Podolski, Marco Reus, and Andreas Schürrle can all play striker
if need be. Götze’s been deployed as a Center Forward as well.
I’m still nervous. Reus does better as a winger. So does
Schürrle. Podolski’s move back to central midfield is the primary reason he got
his career up and running again. Götze and Müller serve better further down the
pitch for the same reason: The can see more of the play develop and unleash
vicious long-range efforts when the mood strikes. We’ve got this kid Julian
Draxler, who’s improvisational attacking style will likely earn him a new
contract/club before the summer is over. He’ll probably mature into a top tier
striker at his new club. For the moment he’s nowhere near ready.
Projecting Löw’s lineup is an exceedingly difficult task,
but we’ll give it the old “college try” anyway. I’ll predict that he places
Müller and Reus up front. The former has the height while the latter has the
speed. Götze gets the nod in central midfield, backed up by Podolski. Meshut
Özil has just had too bad of a year at the Emirates, plagued by injury and some
genuinely stupid play. He regained his form late on, but Podolski remains the
safer bet. Another one of our exalted foreign-born heroes currently struggling
with adversity is Sami Khedira. Injury and inconsistent form have sidelined him
for most of the season over at Real. It doesn’t look like he’ll start.
The defensive midfield will be anchored by Schweine and Toni
Kroos. For once I’m not too worried about Schweine. His never-ending saga with
injury continues, but he’s had another fantastic year as Bayern’s “Flight
Director”. He couldn’t possibly hope to emulate the 2013 Campaign, but he still
looked good nonetheless. Kroos is another story. Again he appears not to be
utilizing his talent. With respect to international competition, his soft
performance had an awful lot to do with the loss to Italy in Euro 2012’s
semifinals. Man, do I ever wish Kehdira could get it together. ; (
In terms of the back four, Jerome “Bringschuld Baby” Boateng
retains his place at left back. Per Mertesacker has made the final squad, but
it looks like Matt Hummels still has his center-back position. Holger Badstuber
is hurt as is “sometimes” defender Ilkay Gündogan. Marcell Schmelzer and Marcel
Jansen didn’t make the final cut. With Großkreutz still untested, I pick
Benedict Höwedes as the most likely candidate to inherit Badstuber’s CB Spot.
That leaves us with our captain, the miracle-working
Leprechaun known as Phillip Lahm. Hard to believe, but weeks ago many were
speculating that he’d start as a midfielder. Bah-ha! We’ve got plenty of those!
Besides that, to start Lahm in midfield would be like given detailed scene
notes to a porn-star. Lahm does all the work of a midfielder from his fullback
position. He needs no further direction.
Of course it’s a very good team! I’ve still got my bed in
the Krankenhaus reserved. German elimination has never stopped the Syndicate
before. Your friendly bookie will keep writing regardless. Just don’t act
surprised if he files some very drunken dispatches after the Group Phase. Far
too many of you falsely assume I file ALL dispatches tipsy. Not so. Not even close
to true. If my Mannschaft get’s eliminated early…well…that's a different matter
entirely.
The fate of my liver is riding on Lahm’s ingenuity.
Projecting
the German Lineup (4-3-3) |
Marco
Reus Thomas Müller
|
|
Mario Götze
|
|
Lukas
Podolski
|
|
Toni Kroos Bastian
Schweinsteiger
|
|
J. Boateng M. Hummels B. Höwedes P. Lahm
|
|
Manuel Neuer
|
The
Talisman—Philip Lahm 
As much as we’ll rely upon Schweinsteiger to regulate mot of
the flow on the pitch, Lahm’s spontaneous play is the “X-Factor.” He has the
potential to make or break our prospects. I reiterate that which is written
above:
“The fate of my liver is riding on Lahm’s ingenuity”
Okay…once more
“The fate of my liver is riding on Lahm’s ingenuity”
“A
Syndicate Classic”—Deutschland
From FEM 2013—Semifinals
Deutschland (Projected third runners-up) Deutschland—2011
Rankings |
Fatmire
Bajramaj
|
10.0
|
|
Alexandra
Popp
|
9.7
|
|
Lena
Gößling
|
9.3
|
|
Simone
Laudehr
|
8.8
|
|
Linda
Bresonik
|
8.5
|
|
Kim
Kulig
|
7.9
|
|
Ariana
Hingst
|
7.8
|
|
Bianca
Schmidt
|
6.9
|
|
Celia
Oko da Mbabi
|
6.7
|
|
Inka
Grings
|
6.6
|
|
Babbet
Peter
|
5.8
|
|
Saskia
Bartusiak
|
5.3
|
|
Vereina
Faißt
|
5.1
|
|
Annike
Krahn
|
5.0
|
|
Martina
Müler
|
4.8
|
|
Birget
Prinz
|
4.4
|
|
Kirsten
Garefreckas
|
3.0
|
|
Melanie
Behringer
|
2.8
|
|
Nadine
Angerer
|
2.0
|
Deutschland—2013 INITIAL Rankings |
Fatmire
Bajramaj
|
10.0
|
|
Lena Gößling
|
9.5
|
|
Svenja Huth
|
9.4
|
|
Melanie Leupholz
|
9.4
|
|
Simone Laudehr
|
9.2
|
|
Nadine Keßler
|
9.0
|
|
Lena Lotzen
|
8.7
|
|
Isabelle Linden
|
8.5
|
|
Jenifer Cramer
|
8.3
|
|
Josephine Henning
|
8.0
|
|
Bianca
Schmidt
|
7.8
|
|
Celia
Oko da Mbabi
|
7.8
|
|
Dzenifer Marozsan
|
7.6
|
|
Leonie Meier
|
6.0
|
|
Saskia
Bartusiak
|
5.9
|
|
Annike
Krahn
|
5.8
|
|
Anja Mittag
|
4.5
|
|
Melanie
Behringer
|
3.8
|
|
Nadine
Angerer
|
2.0
|
Deutschland—2013 (Revised Page One Rewrite) |
Fatmire Bajramaj
|
10.0
|
|
Melanie Leupholz
|
9.9
|
|
Simone Laudehr
|
9.3
|
|
Nadine Keßler
|
9.3
|
|
Lena Gößling
|
9.0
|
|
Lena Lotzen
|
8.9
|
|
Dzsenifer Marzsan
|
8.8
|
|
Leonie Maier
|
8.8
|
|
Isabelle Linden
|
8.7
|
|
Svenja Huth
|
8.3
|
|
Josephine Henning
|
8.0
|
|
Jenifer Cramer
|
8.0
|
|
Bianca Schmidt
|
7.8
|
|
Celia Oko da Mbabi
|
7.8
|
|
Saskia Bartusiak
|
6.5
|
|
Annike Krahn
|
5.9
|
|
Anja Mittag
|
5.0
|
|
Melanie Behringer
|
5.0
|
|
Nadine Angerer
|
5.0
|
Slight demotions for Svenja Huth and Lena Gößling.
Perhaps I’m just tired of blondes. Promotion for Melanie Leupholz, another
performer who made me eat crow. Upgrades for Dzsenifer Marozsan and the
Lahm-like Leonie Maier, both of whom have done well. In Maier’s case it’s pure
Id. Anyone who excels at the role of a roving fullback attains my attention. I
would find myself captivated by a Llama if it could play like Lahm.
“Storia della bellaza – With Umberto Eco Peter Weis”
(Part XVIII)
Above you’ll find numerous references to my peculiar
predilection with Women’s noses. Hallbera’s Icelandic “bubble nose” gets me
excited for some reason. Veronica Boquete is said to be nearing “Jewess
Status”. What’s the deal, Vicey? Is this some sort of sick inculcated Aryan
fetish? Far from it, I will now argue. A young German man’s fascination with
noses traces back to Steffi Graf.
Yes indeed. This is what we had to watch and fantasize
about every weekend when our parents mercifully allowed us to watch a little
bit of Eurosport. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, this woman’s huge
honking schnauzer went from being a highly noticeable defect to a gleaming
object of desire. There wasn’t much else for a lonely, misbegotten, confused
boy who remained unsure of what language he was supposed to be speaking to
daydream about. I wanted that nose. I had to possess that nose. That was my
nose. Even as an adult I can recall wanting to fuck the everlasting hell out of
Brooke Shields, not because I found her attractive in any way, but to exact
revenge on Andre Agassi for stealing my Steffi.
It’s no small wonder then that when I look at Bianca
Schmidt,
That’s MY NOSE GODAMMIT! Whew. Okay. Calm down, Vicey.
Let her go. After all, I’ve still got Melanie Leupholz to venerate.
Awesome nose, baby doll. Sorry I doubted you. You’re a
wonderfully mousey Jewess if I ever saw one ; ) ; )
Portugal—“The
Navigators”
Oh, they’re good. As dangerous as ever. I believe I already
mentioned that Cristiano Ronaldo scored SIXTEEN GOALS in the Champion’s League
this season. I should also mention that Hugo Almeida netted a near-career-high
fifteen for his Turkish Club, and Helger Postiga managed to hold his own in a
broken season split between Valencia and Lazio Roma.
They haven’t lost much other than dead weight. Custodio
never had what it took. Neither did Rolando. The “dead weight” comment
notwithstanding, I was among many shocked that Ricardo Quaresma was left off
the final squad. Eh? The cat scored 10 goals in 24 appearances on his
triumphant return to Major European football. Strange stuff. Presumably Paulo
Bento thought himself deep enough at striker already…deep enough to forgive the
sliding form of Nani and Varela.
Other players on this team are showing signs of cooling too.
Veloso, Ricardo Costa, Alves, Moutinho, and Meireles all appear to have lost a
tick. I nevertheless label them dangerous, mostly because Pepe and Fabio
Coentrao had solid seasons. Pepe in particular should be capable of keeping
things tight at the back. In the final analysis it remains Ronaldo that lifts
this team up and carries them on his shoulders. I can muse about the importance
of defensive discipline all I like. Ronaldo is…..christ…he’s the football
Jesus. He can turn New Orleans tap water into wine. I’m scared.
Projecting
the Portuguese Lineup (4-3-3) |
C. Ronaldo
Nani
|
|
H. Postiga
|
|
Raul
Meireles J. Moutinho
|
|
Miguel Veloso
|
|
F. Coentrao B. Alves Pepe J. Periera
|
|
Rui Patricio
|
The
Talisman—Cristiano Ronaldo 
THE FOOTBALL JESUS I said. He’ll definitely miss Bale, but
watch him walk on water:
"A Syndicate Classic"--Portugal
From EM 2004—“Revenge of the Syndicate”:
Portugal
Hosts with the most? Undeniably. Luis Figo and Rui Costa
return to carve up opposing defenses and define the midfield flow. Cuoto and
Rui Jorges are fortress defenders that will form a stronghold not easily
toppled. The attack consists of players at the unquestioned peak of their
ability: Simao and Nuno Gomez. Should they fail to produce, a wild card sits on
Luis Felipe Scolari’s bench: Young prodigy Christiano Ronaldo. Did I mention
that former Brazil manager Luis Felipe Scolari? How can one bet against last
tournament’s Maestro? He literally speaks their language! Should you wish to
elicit my pick to win it all, look no further than the Navigators. They shall
rock the coast, all the way from Porto to Faro. The hosts with the most coasts
shall roast and boast all over the……fuck. Ever hate it when you come up with
one rhyme too few?
Editor’s
retroactive notes:
Despite a breakout performance from Christiano Ronaldo,
my pick for the overall winner fell flat for a second consecutive Sportsbook.
At least this time we got out of the group stage. J
Ghana—“The
Black Stars”
They’ve undergone few changes since we last encountered them
in the 2013 African Cup of Nations. Kevin Prince-Boateng returns to reprise his
role in central midfield. Andre Ayew is also back to take his spot kept warm by
Albert Adomoah. Wakaso Mubark moves to the bench. John Paintsil moves to a nice
Jewish retirement community. Perhaps he and Mohammed Idrissou can play some
Mahjong. ; )
Asamoah Gyan is currently playing in the U.A.E., but appears
to have overcome his fear of penalty kicks. Kwadwo Asamoah just had a kick-ass
season for Juventus-Turin, even if he didn’t find the back of the net as often
as one might expect. Daniel Opare takes over for Paintsil at right back. He’s a
versatile speedster with a brand-spanking new contract for FC Porto. Watch out
for him.
The Black Stars appear to have a new keeper. The Fatau Dauda
experiment looks to be over. Your friendly bookie hates wasting time on
keepers, but Adam Kwarasey has been handed a golden opportunity to bedazzle us
all with some adrenaline-based magic.
Projecting
the Ghanaian Lineup (4-3-2-1) |
Asamoah Gyan
|
|
Kwadwo Asamoah Andre Ayew
|
|
Kevin Prince-Boateng
|
|
Michael Essien Shelley
Muntari
|
|
H. Afful J. Boye J. Mensah D. Opare
|
|
Adam Kwarasey
|
The
Talisman—Kwadwo Asamoah
Before getting to the epic history of “The United States vs.
Ghana”, I’d like to introduce everyone to Kwadwo Asamoah. He had a great
African Cup of Nations and now it looks as if he’ll get a Premiership Contract.
His worth has increased every year. Wanna know why? I’ll show you:
“A
Syndicate Classic”—Ghana
From CAN 2013—“Syndicate: Dark Continent”
Settle down, Americans. I know full well of your hatred
for Jerry Rawling’s “Black Stars”. Calm and collected now, Yank bettors. I know
they eliminated your country in 2006 and then again in 2010. It’s okay, my poor
forlorn friends. Everything will be okay.
When one actually invests some time into reflecting on
the evolving fortunes of the Gold Coast Republic in international football,
it’s truly an awe-inspiring tale. These beasts were always dominant on the
African Stage, making it to a record nine-semifinals, winning four titles,
while finishing second another four times. (For those not necessarily well
versed in some quick tournament arithmetic, that’s four titles + four title
game losses + one third place match win = nine semifinals). Sorry. You know us
Germans. Always obsessed with the semi-finals.
Irrespective of their success, this continental behemoth
first popped up on my radar screen. Here’s what I wrote about them in 2006,
accompanied with retroactive notes from 2012:
From “ WM 2006--The Curse of the Syndicate--Into”:
Ghana
Hey…who
are these guys? Why it’s Jerry Rawling’s “Black Stars”, four-time African Cup
of Nations Champions qualifying for their FIRST EVER FIFA World Cup. They’re
situated in an extremely difficult group, but may turn a few heads with their
starpower. They’ve got Chelsea’s Michael Essien, Dortmund’s Matthew Amoah,
Rennes’ Johnny Mensah, and Udinese’s Asamoah Gyan, and Copenhagen’s Razak
Pimpong! This talented bunch looks to galvanize the African continent by
beating the U.S. for a place in the Round of Sixteen. West Africa rises!
Editor’s
retroactive notes:
Oh
man. This team assumed the mantle of “The Great African Hope”, eliminating the
U.S. both this time AND in 2010. Some players I neglected to mention included
future Fulham star John Paintsil. Juventus’s own Stephen Appiah, Non-German
related Derek Boateng, and soon-to-be Inter specialist Shelley Muntari. These
boys gave us quite a show, complete with Israeli Flags, improbable smackdowns,
and downright blatant straightforwardly entertaining football. Expect nothing
less from one of Africa’s finest democracies. Can’t wait to see my Black Stars
back in action!”
That year they would boot the Americans out during the
Group Stages after a controversial penalty. It was indeed a lousy call. I saw
fit to offer over two pages in detailed condolences. That was all well and
good. The rage subsided and I was able to write this glowing farewell to Ghana
one match later
From “WM 2006 --The Curse of the Syndicate—Quarterfinals”
Ghana
Give
it up for the “Black Stars”. Africa will rise again in no small part thanks to
this team. This 1982 African Cup of Nations Champion is back in a big way,
poised to claim some silverware in the coming years. Asamoah Gyan is only
twenty. How limitless the world is at that age! Other early Vicenarians include
Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah, John Mensah, Habib Mohammed, John Paintsil,
Razak Pimpong, and Shelley Muntari. We behold an extremely young team that will
return to go even further in subsequent tournaments.
Prospects for peace never appeared better. It was such
that I wrote this during the 2009 Qualifying Round.
From “WMQ 2009—“Syndicate with A Vengeance”
Ghana
Congratulations
to the Gold Coast Republic on what has been a spectacular year! Note to Cote
d’Ivoire: Now that you’ve been independent for some years, perhaps you might
consider ditching the name of your oppressive colonial exploiters?
Aesthetically, it rings somewhat cruel to name a country after an export that
has caused so much suffering. Should we also call Congo “Rubberland”, Guinea
“The People’s Republic of Bauxite”, and South Africa “The DeBeers Confederation”??
Returning
to Ghana, this country has surged up of the Rothberg, Ibrahim, and the HDI
Indexes! In addition to progress in alleviating poverty, Ghana has, over the
past year, replaced Kenya as Africa’s model for stability and good governance.
The new administration acknowledged as much, scheduling Ghana as Obama’s first
(and as of yet only) African stop.
So
what do we have to look forward to on the pitch? Michael Essien for starters.
Haven’t seem nearly enough of him on a packed “Chelski” Squad this season. My
boys from da “Dorf” (TSG Hoffenheim) Tagoe and Vorsah should also be available!
I’m also looking forward to the first cross directed at striker Junior Agogo.
“He’s going for Agogo!”
I owe
the Ghanaians a great debt of gratitude. U.S. Fans might recall the vast sums
of money I snatched from your prideful purses after that 2-1 defeat in 2006.
Hehehe.
Let’s
do it again boys!”
It was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Tongue-in-cheek for
chrissake! No one could have predicted that the Black Stars would once again
eliminate Sam’s Army in semi-controversial fashion the next summer. I tried my
best to ameliorate the situation. (Non-existent) Lord knows I tried.
From WM 2010—“Attack of the Syndicate”—Day 16 Recap:
“Two
teams I wish were still around have had their dream terminated. Nothing trite
to say today, U.S. fans. You proved yourselves worthy over the last two weeks.
I’ll even resolve to watch a minimum of two MLS Games this season. That goes
for the nascent K-League as well. We may have a blast poking fun at one another
over the last two weeks, but when it comes to the final heartbreak, the
fraternal order of football fans must share the tears and always be ready to
join in on a kitschy rendition of “You’ll never walk alone.”
To
illustrate how tight these matches are at this stage, barely better weather
might have helped the Koreans finish better. Likewise, had Bradley opted to
start Edu instead of Clark, or even Buddle instead of Findley, we might be
looking at a different result. Jozey, Hercules, and Feilhaber also missed
chances that strikers will ordinarily have the composure to take. Don’t give
up, American and Korean football fans!”
It was to no avail. A scant few days later, the Ghanaians
would be eliminated in that ridiculously epic Uruguayan match. Again, to no
avail. You may think I led you through this stroll down memory lane in a
narcissistic attempt to jerk myself off. You may even be correct to a very
minute degree. In sincere truth, I merely wished to emphasize that American
football fans bear a deep-seated hatred for Ghana….and it’s not going away. If
only the Americans could truly appreciate the power of this team…what the Black
Stars have meant to Africa over the past six years. Alas, you crushed their
hopes and you really can’t blame them for being bitter.
Very well. Enough about the past.
Very well. Enough about the past. Let’s discuss this
latest incarnation of the Black Stars. So many old friends are back for the
ride. Former Sunderland star Asamoah Gyan may be playing in the U.A.E, but he’s
in the best form of his life and perfectly suited to captain this team.
Juventus finally forked over the cash for Kwadwo Asamoah and he’s not spurned
the opportunity. John Paintsil returns! I’ll remind you no fewer than one
thousand times that he was the brave one who pulled the Israeli flag out of his
shorts in order to convey a blatant “fuck you” to Ahmadinejad during the 2006
World Cup Finals. I may not be the most pro-Israeli writer you’ll find on the
blogosphere, but I’m definitely pro “fuck you, Ahmadinejad”. Jonathan Mensah
returns as well, along with Derek Boateng, Isaac Vorsah and Emmanuel
Agyemang-Badu.
Some faces we shall miss include the displaced Sulley
Muntari, the retired Richard Kingson, the in-crisis Michael Essien, the retired
Eric Addo, the retired Matthew Amoah, the inexplicably omitted Andre Ayew, and
the equally inexplicably omitted Agyemang Opoku.
Hopes rest squarely on the shoulders of relative tyros
Albert Adomah, Christian Atsu Twasam, Mubarak Wakaso, Mohammed Rabiu, and John
Boye. It’s do or die time for midfielder Anthony Annan. Schalke has farmed him
out to clubs far and wide. Will he finally be prepared to step up?
Vicey’s
Fearless Group Prediction (4 to 1 Odds for bookie)
1)
Germany
2)
Portugal
3) Ghana
4) USA
Overall
Championship Odds
Germany
(NO BETS) Portugal
(NO BETS) USA (8
to 1) Ghana
(10 to 1)
Round
of 16 Odds
Germany
(NO BETS) Portugal
(NO BETS) USA
(Straight up) Ghana
(Straight Up)
Quarterfinal
Odds
Germany
(NO BETS) Portugal
(NO BETS) USA
(Straight Up) Ghana
(Straight Up)
Semifinal
Odds
Germany
(NO BETS) Portugal
(NO BETS) USA (3
to 1) Ghana (5
to 1)
