I am so giddy. We are less than 24 hours from the start of it and the excitement is setting in. My work schedule has been arranged to make watching the matches live a reality, chairs put into right spots and a trip to HEB for noms is in the future. It's here, peoples, it's freaking here! Now to just get to bed earlier tonight to get up earlier as well. Wanna know how I know that the WC and soccer in general is bigger in the U.S. than ever before? Okay, I will tell you. In the past I could go all day without having to worry about somebody spoiling a score for me. I could record it and watch later with no worries. Not any longer. I truly know that I could not go a day without hearing somebody somewhere talk about it and ruin it. It has happened with regularity regarding Champion's League matches and U.S. National team matches as well as other games around the world. I am stoked at this. I am also sad at this as games are not played in our time zone. Edit: A couple of posts down there is a listing of games and tv schedule/channels. Also there is a link to the brackets without the tv times but still maybe helpful.. Expect spoilers. I suspect it will be hard to avoid them and remember to put SPOILER and leave spaces this go round, we'll see.
I hear ya!! The watering hole I hang out at, which is one of your national casual chain restaurants as opposed to a place like Fado or Flying Saucer, has already auto-tuned the main tv in the bar for every game that is on during thier open hours. Any conflicts automatically go on one of the smaller tv's. And for someone like me who started playing this game as a little kid in 1971, when most kids my age did not even know what soccer was, it does my heart good to see it getting more popular with each passing year. Now....lets get it started.
Here is a TV schedule for anybody who does not have one already. Group A June 11 in Johannesburg, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision South Africa vs. Mexico June 11 in Cape Town, 2:30 p.m. ESPN/Univision Uruguay vs. France June 16 in Pretoria, 2:30 p.m. ESPN/Univision South Africa vs. Uruguay June 17 in Polokwane, 2:30 p.m. ESPN2/Univision France vs. Mexico June 22 in Rustenburg, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision Mexico vs. Uruguay June 22 in Bloemfontein, 10 a.m. ESPN2/TeleFutura France vs. South Africa ---------------------------------------------------- Group B June 12 in Johannesburg, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision Argentina vs. Nigeria June 12 in Port Elizabeth, 7:30 a.m. ESPN/Univision South Korea vs. Greece June 17 in Bloemfontein, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision Greece vs. Nigeria June 17 in Johannesburg, 7:30 a.m. ESPN/Univision Argentina vs. South Korea June 22 in Durban, 2:30 p.m. ESPN2/TeleFutura Nigeria vs. South Korea June 22 in Polokwane, 2:30 p.m. ESPN/Univision Greece vs. Argentina ----------------------------------------------------- Group C June 12 in Rustenburg, 2:30 pm. ABC/Univision England vs. USA June 13 in Polokwane, 7:30 a.m. ESPN/Univision Algeria vs. Slovenia June 18 in Johannesburg, 10 am. ESPN/Univision Slovenia vs. USA June 18 in Cape Town, 2:30 p.m. ESPN2/Univision England vs. Algeria June 23 in Port Elizabeth, 10 a.m. ESPN2/TeleFutura Slovenia vs. England June 23 in Pretoria, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision USA vs. Algeria ------------------------------------------------ Group D June 13 in Durban, 2:30 p.m. ABC/Univision Germany vs. Australia June 13 in Pretoria, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision Serbia vs. Ghana June 18 in Port Elizabeth, 7:30 a.m. ESPN/Univision Germany vs. Serbia June 19 in Rustenburg, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision Ghana vs. Australia June 23 in Johannesburg, 2:30 p.m. ESPN/Univision Ghana vs. Germany June 23 in Nelspruit, 2:30 p.m. ESPN2/TeleFutura Australia vs. Serbia ------------------------------------------------- Group E June 14 in Johannesburg, 7:30 a.m. ESPN/Univision Netherlands vs. Denmark June 14 in Bloemfontein, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision Japan vs. Cameroon June 19 in Durban, 7:30 a.m. ESPN/Univision Netherlands vs. Japan June 19 in Pretoria, 2:30 p.m. ABC/Univision Cameroon vs. Denmark June 24 in Rustenburg, 2:30 p.m. ESPN/TeleFutura Denmark vs. Japan June 24 in Cape Town, 2:30 p.m. ESPN2/Univision Cameroon vs. Netherlands ------------------------------------------------- Group F June 14 in Cape Town, 2:30 pm. ESPN/Univision Italy vs. Paraguay June 15 in Rustenburg, 7:30 a.m. ESPN/Univision New Zealand vs. Slovakia June 20 in Bloemfontein, 7:30 a.m. ESPN/Univision Slovakia vs. Paraguay June 20 in Nelspruit, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision Italy vs. New Zealand June 24 in Johannesburg, 10 a.m. ESPN/TeleFutura Slovakia vs. Italy June 24 in Polokwane, 10 a.m. ESPN2/Univision Paraguay vs. New Zealand ----------------------------------------------------- Group G June 15 in Port Elizabeth, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision Ivory Coast vs. Portugal June 15 in Johannesburg, 2:30 pm. ESPN/Univision Brazil vs. North Korea June 20 in Johannesburg, 2:30 p.m. ABC/Univision Brazil vs. Ivory Coast June 21 in Cape Town, 7:30 a.m. ESPN/Univision Portugal vs. North Korea June 25 in Durban, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision Portugal vs. Brazil June 25 in Nelspruit, 10 a.m. ESPN2/TeleFutura North Korea vs. Ivory Coast --------------------------------------------------- Group H June 16 in Nelspruit, 7:30 a.m. ESPN/Univision Honduras vs. Chile June 16 in Durban, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision Spain vs. Switzerland June 21 in Port Elizabeth, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision Chile vs. Switzerland June 21 in Johannesburg, 2:30 p.m. ESPN/Univision Spain vs. Honduras June 25 in Pretoria, 2:30 p.m. ESPN/Univision Chile vs. Spain June 25 in Bloemfontein, 2:30 p.m. ESPN2/TeleFutura Switzerland vs. Honduras ------------------------------------------ Second Round (Game 49): June 26 in Port Elizabeth, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision 1A vs. 2B (Game 50): June 26 in Rustenburg, 2:30 pm. ABC/Univision 1C vs. 2D (Game 51): June 27 in Bloemfontein, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision 1D vs. 2C (Game 52): June 27 in Johannesburg, 2:30 pm. ABC/Univision 1B vs. 2A (Game 53): June 28 in Durban, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision 1E vs. 2F Game 54): June 28 in Johannesburg, 2:30 pm. ESPN/Univision 1G vs. 2H (Game 55): June 29 in Pretoria, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision 1F vs. 2E (Game 56): June 29 in Cape Town, 2:30 pm. ESPN/Univision 1H vs. 2G ------------------------------------------------------- Quarterfinals (Game 57): July 2 in Port Elizabeth, 10 a.m. ESPN/Univision W53 vs. W54 (Game 58): July 2 in Johannesburg, 2:30 pm. ESPN/Univision W49 vs. W50 (Game 59): July 3 in Cape Town, 10 a.m. ABC/Univision W52 vs. W51 (Game 60): July 3 in Johannesburg, 2:30 pm. ABC/Univision W55 vs. W56 --------------------------------------------------- Semifinals (Game 61): July 6 in Cape Town, 2:30 pm. ESPN/Univision W58 vs. W57 (Game 62): July 7 in Johannesburg, 2:30 pm. ESPN/Univision W59 vs. W60 -------------------------------------------------- Third-Place Game July 10 in Port Elizabeth, 2:30 pm. ABC/Univision L61 vs. L62 ---------------------------------------------------- Final July 11 in Johannesburg, 2:30 pm. ABC/Univision W61 vs. W62 Here is the link of the site it was taken from: The Link Here is a bracket of the teams and the time they play if you remember to click to select your time zone. The Link Hope this helps.
This is my 9th world cup. I am very excited. I only wish all the teams were at full strength, but oh well. I have a feeling that a team that has never done so before will lift the cup on July 11. And it won't be Spain.
Very fired up. We have a month of World Cup action ahead. Look forward to sharing opinions with you as we move through the next 30 days.
I am excited, too, damnit! Fortunately, I am a home-office slacker, so I have a flexible-enough schedule to be able to watch virtually all of the games live (the side effect is, it's going to be very difficult to get much done). Though neither team qualifies as a first-rate side, the opener holds a great deal of interest. I generally root for all CONCACAF teams at the Cup, and Mexico always seems to advance, but El Tri will have its hands full today. South Africa can't match Mexico for history or talent, but it has been red hot of late and should be extremely motivated. On that note, Mexico really got a tough draw. Much has been said of G being the "Group of Death," but A seems the toughest from top to bottom. Here's to a great Cup! Hopefully, our 'Nats can get a result versus England and scrounge enough points to advance. Anything beyond that would be gravy.
I have not looked it up but supposedly the host team has not lost a match in a long time. One person told me never but I don't know about that. Would S. Africa make the cut if they were not hosting? No, right? S. Korea would have in their region the year they hosted so they were not a slouch. Home crowd can surely have an affect but I don't know if that will be enough in LESS THAN SIX HOURS!!! I am picking Mexico to win 3-1 but I am not typing this from a Holiday Inn. History is not with Mexico though as mentioned above. I too root for CONCACAF teams in the World Cup. Here we goooooo.
Less than two hours from first touch, *******! Who here will be watching the Mexicants take on Bafana Bafana? Join me, won't you, in celebration of all that is the World Cup 2010!
Here's the best schedule format I've found. No TV times on it, unfortunately, but I think CST is sevn hours behind the local SA times.
Watching El Tri on ESPN3 on puter now. Nice picture. Loud buzz. Literal buzz. They show UT baseball as well later today. Stay away boss.
SPOILER: Ragged first half. The hosts should count themselves fortunate to be even, as Mexico could've easily netted two or three goals if its target man were anyone other than Guillermo Franco. Seriously, as poorly as the U.S. often finishes, I believe Mexico might be worse. El Tri have have wasted several quality chances as Bafana Bafana doesn't look like it's ever practiced defending a set piece. One would think that a nation of 100 million-plus could field a better (or at least taller) keeper than Oscar Perez, who stands a mere 5-feet-8. On the bright side, corner kicks toward his goal seldom fail to entertain. Still, got to expect Mexico will finally capitalize early in the second.
SPOILER: Amazing. First quality chance South Africa has seen all game and Tshabalala makes good on it with an absolute thunderbolt.
ESPN3.com also has a multi screen option. Which would allow one to watch UT baseball and Uruguay-France at same time, if one were so inclined.
SPOILER: And THERE'S the equalizer as South Africa once again forgets to defend a set piece. Three players could've scored that goal for El Tri, but the glory goes to Rafa Marquez at the 78th minute.
SPOILER: Excellent first match to kick off the 2010 World Cup ends in a 1-1 draw. Mexico was the better side but squandered too many first-half chances. Conversely, South Africa was an entirely different team in the second half, passing with precision and finishing with authority. That first goal from Tshabalala will probably stand as one of the tournament's top 10 scores. Ultimately, Bafana Bafana's distracted defending cost them and allowed Mexico to save face with a draw. NEXT UP: Uruguay vs. France. I'm going out on a limb and predicting an Uru-upset!
Just back from the dentist. Funny thing, as various drills and dental instruments made hideous noises on my teeth, the word I couldn't get out of my head was "vuvuzela". France/Uru should be interesting; notorious floppers -vs- the world's dirtiest team. What's the over/under on red cards?
Uruguay is the Italy of South America. Go France!!! S. Africa played well enough but it was more Mexico not capitalizing on their opportunities and not S. Africa taking them away. This could have been a dog stomping if Mexico knew how to finish or actually did. I love the excitement that S. Africa brings which is sort of typical for African teams. They are so fun to watch. It's here, it's here!
Now that Zizou has retired, I have no reason to cheer for France**. **I reserve the right to change my mind if Forlan & Co. start flopping.
SURVEY OF THE DAY: In the buildup to the World Cup, the media was fond of claiming that a win for host South Africa would be a win for all of Africa. Could the same be said of a French victory?
SPOILER! Very tactical, defensive match so far between France and Uruguay. Neither side is given much time or space in the final third. As a result, we're still scoreless 35 minutes in.
SPOILER: It's halftime between Urugay and France and neither team has managed to find the back of the net. France has enjoyed the majority of possession and the bulk of the chances, but most have been optimistic, long-range efforts without much hope of finding goal. Uruguay's Diego Forlan had the best chance of the half but his 16- to 17-meter shot wasn't quite wide enough and was easily saved. Neither team seems able to string more than five or six consecutive passes before turning it over. This could very well end in scoreless draw unless Forlan and Suarez combine for a moment of brilliance or France scores on a free kick.
