South Africa/USA/Paraguay/Slovenia please

That would be tight

Even money on US into Group of Death

Who are the Millions People?

The chances the US will be in the group of death is approximately 96.78448%

Best team in the shait pot = Grupo de la muerte

My hope is Mexico gets screwed instead of the US of A.

luken8r: Even money on US into Group of Death

Only even?

America, fark yeah?

YoungSwedishBlonde: luken8r: Even money on US into Group of Death

Only even?

Im being optimistic

GypsyJoker: Who are the Millions People?

More like hundreds of millions and they don't live in the US.

What qualifies as a group of death anyways? Is it 3 top tier teams or 4 in the same group?

YoungSwedishBlonde: South Africa/USA/Paraguay/Slovenia please

*chuckle* Yeah, that would be nice but we're not that lucky. I don't think there's any way we won't have at least one of Spain/Italy/Germany/Brazil in our group.

I'm wearing my Ajax jersey in honour of this day.

Xlr8urfark: YoungSwedishBlonde: South Africa/USA/Paraguay/Slovenia please

*chuckle* Yeah, that would be nice but we're not that lucky. I don't think there's any way we won't have at least one of Spain/Italy/Germany/Brazil in our group.

It doesn't matter as long as we don't have 2 of them in our group. The top two teams from each group stage qualify for the next round.

As if the US would qualify from the groups whatever the draw...

GoD - Im calling it now

Oranje
USA
Drogbas
Portugal

I will be surprised if anything different.
Orange get #1 with a clean slate and Drogbas eek through with US and Portugal flaming out

Salacious Salad: What qualifies as a group of death anyways? Is it 3 top tier teams or 4 in the same group?

Per wiki: (new window)

The key element is that any team could plausibly qualify and any could plausibly be eliminated, or at the very least, that at least one strong team will not advance. It is, in other words, the most unpredictable group of the tournament.

We're (USA) absolutely getting Spain.

I only know the basics of the draw (whose going to play who), but can anyone explain how people get into different pots, what those mean, etc? Or point me somewhere that has it? I haven't been able to find an explanation yet:/

Mr_H: I only know the basics of the draw (whose going to play who), but can anyone explain how people get into different pots, what those mean, etc? Or point me somewhere that has it? I haven't been able to find an explanation yet:/

All the best teams get into the first pot so they dont have to play each other until the knockout rounds. The other pots are aligned mostly by confederation so teams in the same confederation dont have to play each other in the first round.
ie, US and Mexico play each other enough already. No sense in pitting them against each other in the first round

OtherLittleGuy: Ireland got screwed over already.

/kick out France, just aim nukes to deter retaliation

the luck of the irish is a great thing ain't it?

Since Canada hasn't been to the big show since '86, I'm either cheering for America or England.

And do I have to do everything around here re: Charlize Theron

80% chance that US Draws France and Spain/Brazil.

luken8r:
All the best teams get into the first pot so they dont have to play each other until the knockout rounds. The other pots are aligned mostly by confederation so teams in the same confederation dont have to play each other in the first round.
ie, US and Mexico play each other enough already. No sense in pitting them against each other in the first round

Thanks. I did eventually find a video (new window) where they do a mock draw and explain a bit as they go. Nice for a newbie like me.

For those of us who like a little statistical goodness along with the hot pics, here's what Nate Silver has to say about the draw.

Link (new window)

Zombie Hitler: We're (USA) absolutely getting Spain.

Oh the agony of playing against a world class team once in a while...

/ CONCACAF is a joke
// We (Chile) have to play Brazil and Argentina... twice... just to qualify to the WC.

hugram: We (Chile) have to play Brazil and Argentina... twice... just to qualify to the WC.

Yeah but you're a bunch of land-stealing losers!

Just me who thinks it's bullshiat that Paraguay, Chile and Uruguay can't draw an African team (apart from South Africa)? It gives them an unfair advantage, especially as African teams are exactly the kind of teams those three would probably struggle against.

Would also have liked to have seen USA vs N.Korea or USA vs Australia but those combinations can't happen because of the random nature of pots 2 and 3.

Should have just had 3 pots - 1. the seeds, 2. the euros, 3. everyone else.

Draw pots 1 and 2 first, then just have a free draw from everyone else.

France will end up with cupcakes and the US will end up with a South American buzzsaw.

Salacious Salad: Xlr8urfark: YoungSwedishBlonde: South Africa/USA/Paraguay/Slovenia please

*chuckle* Yeah, that would be nice but we're not that lucky. I don't think there's any way we won't have at least one of Spain/Italy/Germany/Brazil in our group.

It doesn't matter as long as we don't have 2 of them in our group. The top two teams from each group stage qualify for the next round.

I'm aware of that. Whether or not we will make it out of the group stages is tough to say, A lot will depend on Gooch's health and our group draw. We should be planning to replace Davies with Findley.

MugzyBrown: hugram: We (Chile) have to play Brazil and Argentina... twice... just to qualify to the WC.

Yeah but you're a bunch of land-stealing losers!

Ocean too...

brapbrapbrap: Just me who thinks it's bullshiat that Paraguay, Chile and Uruguay can't draw an African team (apart from South Africa)? It gives them an unfair advantage, especially as African teams are exactly the kind of teams those three would probably struggle against.

Yes... it is only you. Chile has been successful against African teams in the past.

mainstreet62: What time is the drawing Eastern Standard Time?

/Go USA!
//Go Greece!

12 noon. It looks like ESPN360 will be covering it...if you get that. (I'm predicting US will get England, Brazil, and Italy, even though it's impossible. We just have that bad of luck)

hugram: brapbrapbrap: Just me who thinks it's bullshiat that Paraguay, Chile and Uruguay can't draw an African team (apart from South Africa)? It gives them an unfair advantage, especially as African teams are exactly the kind of teams those three would probably struggle against.

Yes... it is only you. Chile has been successful against African teams in the past.

Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria would bulldoze their way past Chile, Paraguay or Uruguay in the World Cup these days. Those three South American teams would struggle big time against the physicality of the African teams. Of course we'll probably never know for sure as FIFA have conspired to keep them apart.

they should just take the FIFA rankings of the qualified teams as of Jan 1 and distribute them in the groups.

#1 Group A
#2 Group B
#3 Group C
etc
#9 Group A
etc

RminusQ: MugzyBrown: they should just take the FIFA rankings of the qualified teams as of Jan 1 and distribute them in the groups.

#1 Group A
#2 Group B
#3 Group C
etc
#9 Group A
etc

One, that'd be less fun. Two, that'd make Group A stronger than Group B stronger than Group C, etc.

I slept too late, I was going to try to submit a headline about Charlize Theron holding the fate of many in her hands and balls, but I'll +1 this one.

I'd add that you could end up with three teams from one region in the same group, which would be boring.

SomebodyElsesShoes: I'd add that you could end up with three teams from one region in the same group, which would be boring very exciting.


I'd much rather watch England battle France for the final spot to advance to the knockout stage than England battle Chile.

I am goin' to S. Africa for the tournament next summer and holy shiat it's gonna be awesome.

Anyway my thoughts on the draw: it sucks to be in pot 2. Unless they get drawn into group A the US is almost certain to get a tough group. Then again the whole thing is rigged...

MugzyBrown: SomebodyElsesShoes: I'd add that you could end up with three teams from one region in the same group, which would be boring very exciting.


I'd much rather watch England battle France for the final spot to advance to the knockout stage than England battle Chile.

I'd much rather England play France for a spot in the semis than in group play, where it may well not matter who wins.