Who is going to win the World Cup 2010?

[alexandral]

With only 4 teams left and 3 out of four are big European countries:

Germany: The Killing machine. Are the other 3 teams shaking in their boots after the horrendous Argentina defeat? Most likely. Germany is on the roll: the machine had a couple of blips in this tournament, easily explainable away by the newness of the mechanism and the parts. Have all the bugs been fixed by now?

Spain : Last Season’s favourite. A pale shadow of it’s own 2008 self, Spain seems to be stumbling from one match to another, pulling a rabbit out of the hat at the last minute. Will they be able to do the trick with Germany or will we see some ugly temper displays?

Uruguay: The dark horse. The only non-European country, representing a tiny nation and containing the Goldilocks of the World Cup 2010, Forlan. Do they have what it takes? Or will the karma of the Ghana match go after them?

Netherlands : The nerves of steel. Have you seen a team losing 0:1 to Brazil and capable of turning the tables in 15 minutes? Are these guys for real?

Semi-finals: My personal wishes:

Germany/Spain: Germany, the lesser of two evils. I have few friends supporting Germany , and although I have realised that for my shallow self everything is about hotness or un-hotness of certain teams and their style, largely regardless of their footballing prowess, I like my friends to be happy.

Netherlands/Uruguay: Netherlands. It should have been Ghana, not Uruguay, plus Netherlands has some attractive players and bright orange uniform.

[Poll #1588116]

PS: one most amusing article recommended by awesome arathesane, The name of the game: Do Americans hate football?. Jack Kemp, the former Buffalo Bills quarterback turned Republican congressman : "Our football embodies "democratic capitalism"; their football is "European socialist"." : hahahaha!

Comments

[intermezzo]

Have you heard about Lee Jun-hyuk? The cute surgeon on Worlds Within and the awesome PA in City hall? I'm SO happy for him

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't! What has happened? I am so sorry, I have been mostly about football recently - but this is going to end soon!

[intermezzo]

He landed the role of leading man in I am legend. Wheee. Guess someone heard our prayers to see him as the lead in a romcom. \o/

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

EEEEEEEE! The "three brothers" guy? YAY! I am finally getting in the mood for "I am legend"!

[intermezzo]

Yep, him! And I'm excited, too, even though I don't really like the leading lady. but nvm, he's cool enough as it is and the his character sounds really, really awesome!

oh hey, more good news for you: withs2 released the subs for Dong-yi 30. \o/

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

EEEEEEEE! On both accounts. I will be gulping the new episode down today!

[intermezzo]

That was a really good ep! \o/

[blanqa.livejournal.com]

I'd like to see Netherlands-Germany final. And well... Germany has been pretty convincing during the WC... I think they're going to win. :]

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Yes, I thin Germany have been more than convincing. I just out Netherlands because I thought everyone will be voting for Germany and the Oranjie need some loving too. :D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am rooting for Uruguay because they are the underdogs, the only Latin America country left, because I like that they beat Ghana (US fan here), and because I loved Uruguay when I went there, but I don't think they have any chance at all.

I think it's all Germany's.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I semi-root for Uruguay for almost the same reasons (apart from USA-bitterness), but they are in a way of netherlands and I like Netherlands a tiny bit more.

But yea, it is Germany all the way , and shallow me doesn't particular root for Ballack-less Germany - no-one to ogle!

[arathesane.livejournal.com]

Hee, Kemp was joking but there are some on the extreme right who talk about it being a "socialist" sport seriously. Well, I doubt that they really believe it, I think they just do it to fill air and because it sells to a certain small number of Americans.

I like that in that article Hertzberg points one of the reasons why I believe the sport hasn't caught on here, in the national consciousness so-to-speak, even though it's quite popular: branding. Branding a sport, making money off of it is huge business in the States(of course, it also a huge business worldwide but branding is especially strong here) and I don't think the executives at companies like Nike or the ones who run the sports divisions at the major TV networks know how to capitalize on it.

That article also jogged my memory about the '94 World Cup. My cousin and I went to Orlando to a Star Trek convention that summer, there was also match being held that weekend there, it was Ireland-Mexico. There were many people who were in town to watch the match staying at the hotel where the con was being held. It was a big con, too, as the guest was Leonard Nimoy. Anyway, one of my favourite memories is the surreal, hilarious moment when I was downstairs in the lounge relaxing. There was a "Klingon" playing jazz on the piano, there were many other Trek "races" about and there was a confused-looking group of Irishmen. I know Star Trek is big worldwide but I don't think these guys were familiar with sci-fi conventions!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I realised that was a joke, but of the kind "every joke has a pinch of truth"

I was actually puzzled by the branding being one of the reasons. Ok, Nike may be doesn't sell too many football t-shirts in USA, but this doesn't stop them from successfully selling them in UK, Europe, and other parts of the world. Nike is a global company. The statement that Nike doesn't have a football department is incorrect - they just may be it doesn't cater for USA.

However, I agree with the fact that for the networks it is a catch 22 - USA doesn't do too well, less people want to watch it, there is less interest. But even here it is all rooted in in the cultural traditions, IMHO. Russia have never done well, but the World Cup is extremely popular there and people just tend to "adopt" other teams.

Sci-fi conventions is certainly something I have only became familiar with after I joined the LJ.

Sorry this got so long!

[arathesane.livejournal.com]

Yes, definitely. Kemp's a bit of a right-wing blowhard so he was sending himself up. Oh, another post I found interesting (http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2010/07/how-soccer-crazed-is-the-world/) on the World Cup, popularity of the game in the US and the "socialist" thing. I think some of Matt's points are well taken, though he does leave off Africa which is weird and unlike him. He's also asserts that ice hockey is more popular than football in Russia which someone takes him to task for in the comments. There are some great comments in there, I recommend reading them when you have the time. I particularly like how many point out that if you are going to be ridiculous and label a sport "socialist" that American football is much more socialist/collectivist than football/soccer. Oh, I wouldn't bother reading to the blog post Yglesias links to, it's garbage, though it is good for a laugh. People pretty much destroy it in the comments.

Oh, I specifically meant that they don't know how to market it to the US. There's only like 16 clubs in the MLS(or 18, I think, now, with some expansion teams) which is a small number compared to the other major sports. And there aren't that many "stars". So much of the marketing is the branding of an individual person. Which, personally, I loathe, the fact that a person is a brand but that's just reality. I think prior to this world cup the most famous soccer players(in that they have recognition beyond the people who follow the game) were the women who were on the team that won the Women's World Cup. Ha, unless you count Beckham. Which you shouldn't because he built his brand long before he came to LA! And he's currently on loan to Madrid, anyway.

The problem, I think, for the major networks is what was talked about in the article, commercials. The broadcasters have to run a specific amount of advertising to make something profitable for them and it is a game where it's harder to find "natural" points for commercial breaks, at least compared to the other sports they broadcast. But I'm sure they could figure it out if they were motivated enough. Sometimes when a network will present some type of "special" programming they will have limited commercial breaks. This is possible because the show is sponsored by a sole sponsor. I don't know if something like that could work for sports, though.

IMHO. Russia have never done well, but the World Cup is extremely popular there and people just tend to "adopt" other teams.

People do that here, too. I mean, not just in the World Cup, I know people here who root for Manchester United and other clubs that aren't in the US. I think the game is "big" here, I mean, those high ratings for ESPN weren't just for the matches that the US played in. It's just that the major networks haven't caught up with the people yet.

[teh-haley.livejournal.com]

I think the main point with Germany is that they chose to engage young players since the European Championship in 2008, and that works pretty well right now.
I'm totally taking a look at that article :D

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Yes, seems to be the same as with Spain in 2008. I wonder who is going to win!

[stabbim.livejournal.com]

I'm biased. :-)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Hee! Of course! (I wish I had my country's team in the last 4 :D)

[doublethink101.livejournal.com]

Germany is scary good and will probably take home the Cup. And of course Netherlands has to avenge Ghana. I have to disagree with you on the hotness of Germany, they are one of the best looking team in this WC.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Everything is going to happen so soon!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

Pretty sure Germany will take it and I think it'll be a Germany/Netherlands final.
I wish Uruguay would go to the finals because they are the only Latin American country left but I don't think so.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

It seems that the general consensus is that Germany is going to win!

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

At this point every team I supported is out, so I'm going for the Dutch by default as my sister used to live there. Plus they have lovely art, canals and cheese. :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

All my favourite teams are out too. I adopted Dutch too - I like their uniform and the players. :D