Group D will be interesting (my actual pick for Group of Death). It was a tossup for me between Serbia and Ghana for the 2nd spot. I gave a slight edge to Ghana due to their power, speed and sort of, home continent advantage.

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that's easy...
first should be USA
second Italy because of your strong italian background
third Ireland because of your kids (could've been second but because of you ex-wife it went down a point...)
fourth France

this is where it gets complicated

USA > Italy + Ireland + France
Italy > Ireland + France
Ireland > France

so USA = 55%
Italy = 25%
France = 15%
Ireland = 5%

hope this helps...

Although "homer" posts are always welcome, the topic is "what's your prediction" (hopefully backed by analysis, knowledge of the game etc) and not who you're rooting for.....

Deffinition of "Homer":

to support a team so blindly as to defy conventional wisdom……..

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Very helpful thanks

Your wife should be very happy then!!

Although they did not impress during the qualifying games of CONMEBOL (losing to Bolivia in LaPaz and tying them at home), they did win the key games needed to qualify. They have one of the deepest roosters I know. In fact, they could easily form a B & C team to compete and contend in a world stage. I have them, along with Spain, as the favorites to win. I give Brasil the edge because they only get better as the tournament progresses whereas Spain has choked in key games (i.e Sydney 2000, last year's Confederations Cup).

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Wouldn't be surprised to see Brazil take home the Cup (again) and it'd be nice if Australia sneek through to 2nd spot in their division.

Here we go again, alarm clock set at some ungodly time to catch our home (and other preferred) teams have a crack. Can't wait.

It would be nice though if some teams (I'm not going to mention who at this stage) stop with the nancy boy stuff and just man up. Maybe I watch and follow too much rugby league and rugby union.
Can't stand it when some dudes roll around on the ground holding their face as if someone punched them when they just got kicked in the shins, sheesh. Yeah, yeah I know, a kick to the shins would hurt, but hey.

The hand ball incident with France should've been decided on via instant replay, reviewed by video ref(s) and over ruled. How hard would that've been??

Enjoy everyone and GL

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I wouldn't count out Ivory Coast in group G, they have too good of a team not to make it to the round of 16.

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I think it makes a good case for it. I told y'all im neutral, I'm American, completely Irish family and living in France. I watched them both play like shit and I watched a lot of drunk Irish and French making asses out of themselves. I like another team than those four, and my schools got alumni playing for USA.

What people don't understand is that they both played like shit the ENTIRE game, and that if the goal had been discounted they would have continuted the same amount of time, there had been another discounted goal so energy was up (2 minutes) and then taken penalty kicks for it. It was a barrage match and they were 1-1 up until that point.

I'm just glad because nobody burned my train home or jumped in front of the tracks as a result

Here,here!I may agree with you!I think they may go through at the expense of Portugal ,who played terrible in qualifying and dont deserve to be there!
Portugal have their weakest team and specially coach ,in years, and the fact that they have the "named" best player in the world.....,he is not playing very well..All those 94 millions euros with the Real transfer have gone to his head