Well, the initial eight groups in World Cup "football" have only one match left for each team to decide who's advancing and who's going home. Now seems as good a time as ever to see how the teams I chose to root for in each group are doing.
A - Poland. Done. Alas, Germany and Ecuador will go forward.
B - England. In great shape, they'll advance.
C - Argentina. Looking good as well.
D - Portugal. Ditto.
E - USA. Still barely alive, but they do not, as they say, control their own destiny. The USA side needs to beat Ghana, and most likely for Italy to beat the Czechs.
F - Brazil. They're a lock to advance.
G - Togo. Maybe next Cup.
H - Spain. They're also going to the next level.
In sum, my only faves who are out of it so far are the Poles and Togo, with USA teetering and five of my teams going forward. I felt good about that, until I realized that a completely random selection, by a chimp, of one team from each group would result, on average, in four teams advancing. But hey, if USA makes it, I'll feel pretty good with six out of eight. Go, USA! Go, Italy!
Starting tomorrow and for the next four days, there will be two sets of two matches each being played simultaneously. Tomorrow, the first matches (7 a.m. PDT) are Poland vs. Costa Rica (yawn, both their farewells) and Ecuador vs. Germany (for the top of Group A). The second matches (noon) are Paraguay vs. Trinidad-Tobago (likely, farewells for both) and Sweden vs. England (for the top of Group B). Trinidad-Tobago could still theoretically squeak ahead of Sweden, but Tri-To would need to beat Paraguay, Sweden would have to lose, and one or both of those results would have to be lopsided enough that Tri-To makes up a three-goal deficit compared to Sweden's goal differential.
Barring the latter set of events, the winner of the high-end game in Group A will play the loser of the high-end game in Group B, and vice versa, this weekend in the "round of 16." And so with the exception of the possibility of Trinidad-Tobago nosing out Sweden, no one will be eliminated tomorrow.
Comments (2)
It's not impossible that a Trinidad-Tobago/Sweden tie in the standings could be resolved by a coin flip!
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
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14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
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Espiral, Vinho Rose
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14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
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Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
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La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
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Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
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Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
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Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
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J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
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Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
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Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
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Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
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Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
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Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
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Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
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Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
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Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
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David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
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Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (2)
It's not impossible that a Trinidad-Tobago/Sweden tie in the standings could be resolved by a coin flip!
Posted by Jack Bog | June 19, 2006 2:44 PM
You're doing good Jack—I follow this sport and I'm getting creamed in my fantasy WC competition. C'mon USA!
Posted by Libertas | June 19, 2006 9:36 PM