The 2002 World Cup Draw was held this morning.

Group A: France, Denmark, Uruguay, Senegal
Group B: SPain, Slovenia, Paraguay, South Africa
Group C: Brazil, Turkey, China, Costa Rica
Group D: South Korea, Portugal, Poland, United States
Group E: Germany, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Cameroon
Group G: Italy, Croatia, Ecuador, Mexico

There are, I suspect, a few people willing to discuss this all the way until
France and Senegal kick it off in Soeul.

23 responses total.

I saved Group F for last.  In this case, F stands for "F***!", which is what
people in England, Sweden, and Nigeria are saying right now.  Fans in
ARgentina, the groups other team, might be saying it too, but they at least
have a solid chance of advancing (and winning!).  This is the much-dreaded
group of death, with four teams that are in other circumstances easily capable
of advancing to the second round.  ONly two can.  The two that are left out
will spend the second half of the cup watching from the stands and getting
lambasted by their fans.  Look out, England.  

The group will give us yet another match between Argentina and England, a
rivalry gaining legends with every Cup.  

More notes:  This is a good draw for the United States, which is only
outclassed in its group by Portugal and has a good chance to advance to the
second round.  Portugal has, among other people, Luis Figo and Rui Costa
dominating midfield, and nobody in the group has an answer for that.  You
never know what will happen, though.

France gets young teams from Senegal and Uruguay and a Denmark team they
easily bested at Euro 2000 to feast on before starting the real games in the
second round.  They should have no trouble.  Actually, none of the groups look
dangerous for the favorites except for F.

What are teh prospects for media coverage here?  Esp. of matches not involving
the US?

Good question.  Matches are being held in South Korea and Japan.  I believe
ABC/ESPN still intends to show all of the games, and probably to show them
live.  This actually works in the favor of the networks, because they can show
important games live and still have most of their primetime programming free.
I'm not sure what they've decided to do for US games, though.

I'd imagine that those of us willing to stay up late enough will get to watch
live World Cup games.  

Did anyone see that FIFA lifted the automatic berth for the home country? 
Surprised me . . .

Gary is stoked for Ireland's draw.  And as for the US, they should plan on
losing to Portugal, because Portugal will win the group, but should beat
everyone on else.

Group F - I agree - the most interesting group.  Sweden is probably wetting
their pants.  I can't wait to watch England play.  I am secretly pulling for
Nigeria, as much as I admire the England squad.

Nigeria wound up being a choatic disappointment in '98, and this draw is a
blow to a team that could use some encouraging results.  I'm not sure why they
lifted the auto-berth, because I thought that was one of the nice rewards in
sports.

Steve,
You seem to forget how easy Poland made it to the finals.
They are bound to be strong outsiders.

The Dutch team isn't there.
It serves them right, spoilt brats.

Actually, it works out as Dennis Bergkamp won't fly.

He had already determined not to go, but he's on the downside of his career.
Holland has a lot more going for it (you've presumably seen Ruud van
Nistelrooy now that he's playing on the island) than him this year.  Or they
would have if they had made it and kept their drinks clean.

It's a qustion of attitude.
See, in contrary to other national teams there is no such thing among 
the players as the 'good cause'or national pride.
It all comes down to me, me, me.
I'll support the USA and the Irish.

Don't waste your time supporting the US.  I am pulling for Ireland and
Nigeria.

This item is linked as #169 in the winter 2001 agora, and #116 in 
sports.

Might not be a waste of time.  Watch some US players play.

And give up watching the EPL, Italian and French leagues?  Not to mention the
quality hockey games I get to watch.

some of them are actually in the EPL.  Keep those eyes open.  Why are you
watching the French First division?

Yes, all ze Frenz ar playiing in ozer cuntriis

Including Zinedine Zidane, long held to be the best, who plays in Spain. 
Spain is a pretty good league. :)   Thierry Henry continues to produce in vast
quantities, and if Arsenal can actually get him some decent rest, he will:
1. give them an excellent chance of season success, particularly with the huge
falloff in Manchester, and  2. Sniff at the golden boot all the way to what
would be a cracking match between France and Argentina.

Did you see the goals he got by Barthez at the last Arsenal-Man U game?  It
cracked me up - there was speculation that Barthez let them in.

Drift:  U-Santa Clara (Brandy Chastaine is the coach's wife) women's soccer
team beat previously undefeated U-North Carolina 1-0 for the NCAA
championship.

It's not a new pattern.  Barthez has been making huge mistakes all year.  Out
of curiosity, where are you watching all this Calcio Italiano?

Someone other than UNC won it.  How nice, for a change.

Fox Sports World.  And I don't watch the Italian Leagues - I pretty much just
catch one or two games of the EPL and any Celtic games.  But I like to watch
Sky Sports News.  It keeps you up to date on a lot of stuff (ok, mainly
british stuff - but stuff none the less).

That's funny, I thought you mentioned Italy.  Fox Sports World is not
broadcasting Italian soccer this year.  It doesn't have an EPL highlights
show, either, but BBC America's coverage and the PPV game now available make
up for that.  Doesn't hurt that I don't have to look at Max Bretos anymore,
either.  I miss my monday night Italian Football, though.

I am pretty sure they show Copa Italia - they are always advertising it.  And
the EPL show is gone, much to Gary's dismay - he thought Bretos was an ass,
but he liked the show.

Monday nights on FSW is the Scottish league.

BBC America has games?  Yay!!  Up to date Eastenders AND more football.

Not games, just a highlight show, which is only one hour.  It is still a
highlight show, though, and more importantly it is made by people who are
familiar with the game.  Copa Italia is broadcast on FSW, but that is a poor,
poor excuse for Italian football.  The only meaningful cups are either
pan-European or English.

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