2018 World Cup Bracket Challenge

Started by blooter442, June 08, 2018, 12:57:56 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

FCGrizzliesGrad

England actually win a shootout. ???
They're still tied with Italy and Spain with 3 shootout losses at the World Cup... and now join them with 1 win as well. Mexico and Romania are now the only ones who are winless in multiple shootouts at 0-2.
Football picker extraordinaire
5 titles: CCIW, NJAC
4x: ODAC:S
3x: ASC, IIAC, MIAA:S, NACC:S, NCAC, OAC:P, Nat'l
2x: HCAC, MIAC, ODAC:P, WIAC
1x: Bracket, OAC:S

Basketball
2013 WIAC Pickem Co-champ
2015 Nat'l Pickem
2017: LEC and MIAA Pickem
2019: MIAA and WIAC Pickem

Soccer
2023: Mens Pickem

FCGrizzliesGrad

On one side of the bracket are #2 vs 3, 7 vs 14... on the other side is #12 vs 24, 20 vs 70. The only way the right side would be ranked higher in the final is if it's England vs Uruguay
Football picker extraordinaire
5 titles: CCIW, NJAC
4x: ODAC:S
3x: ASC, IIAC, MIAA:S, NACC:S, NCAC, OAC:P, Nat'l
2x: HCAC, MIAC, ODAC:P, WIAC
1x: Bracket, OAC:S

Basketball
2013 WIAC Pickem Co-champ
2015 Nat'l Pickem
2017: LEC and MIAA Pickem
2019: MIAA and WIAC Pickem

Soccer
2023: Mens Pickem

truenorth

Yeah...simply based on the quality of the teams and their play, you could make a very strong case that one side of the bracket (France, Uruguay, Belgium and Brazil) are all more deserving of being semi-finalists than any of the teams on the other side...

Falconer

Anyone who wants to read an interesting story about religion, culture, and the Brazilian team can do so here: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/july-web-only/brazil-soccer-world-cup-christian-neymar.html?utm_source=ctweekly-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=23600828&utm_content=592784213&utm_campaign=email

I will not add commentary, but perhaps FW will have some insights. I hope that link works for all, but I can't test it fairly b/c I get those stories on a server.

JFPIV

Brazil, Out!  No one gets any points in the final.

Every single member of the English sporting press is having a kitten right now!

FCGrizzliesGrad

So... who will win Euro 2018?
With Uruguay and Brazil both losing today that leaves us with all 6 remaining teams coming from Europe.
Football picker extraordinaire
5 titles: CCIW, NJAC
4x: ODAC:S
3x: ASC, IIAC, MIAA:S, NACC:S, NCAC, OAC:P, Nat'l
2x: HCAC, MIAC, ODAC:P, WIAC
1x: Bracket, OAC:S

Basketball
2013 WIAC Pickem Co-champ
2015 Nat'l Pickem
2017: LEC and MIAA Pickem
2019: MIAA and WIAC Pickem

Soccer
2023: Mens Pickem

1970s NESCAC Player

Quote from: FCGrizzliesGrad on July 06, 2018, 04:12:08 PM
So... who will win Euro 2018?
With Uruguay and Brazil both losing today that leaves us with all 6 remaining teams coming from Europe.

France and Belgium have so much firepower, it would appear the winner will come from that semifinal.

FCGrizzliesGrad

Croatia is just the 2nd team to win shootouts in back to back rounds, the first being Argentina in 1990. They are also now one of two teams with a 100% record after multiple shootouts (Germany 4 for 4).
Football picker extraordinaire
5 titles: CCIW, NJAC
4x: ODAC:S
3x: ASC, IIAC, MIAA:S, NACC:S, NCAC, OAC:P, Nat'l
2x: HCAC, MIAC, ODAC:P, WIAC
1x: Bracket, OAC:S

Basketball
2013 WIAC Pickem Co-champ
2015 Nat'l Pickem
2017: LEC and MIAA Pickem
2019: MIAA and WIAC Pickem

Soccer
2023: Mens Pickem

JFPIV

#83
France v. Belgium will be a shootout.  France wins: 4-2.

Croatia v. England.  If Croatia were fully healthy I would pick them to win this, as it stands: England wins: 1-0.

France v. England.  Too much French firepower:  France wins: 3-1.

Il rentre à la maison

(BTW, it would appear that none of us should attempt to pick international football matches for a living.)

lastguyoffthebench

#84
If Belgium rolls out in a 3-4-3, I don't expect them to advance.   I'm expecting Verma to start in a 4-3-3.  You can talk all you want about the Belgium front 3, but if you have side show bob holding the midfield vs the likes of Griezmann and Mbappe, GOOD LUCK.  Japan was able to exploit the spaces, so I expect the pace of France to wreak havoc.  Add the fact that Les Bleus have the best holding mid duo in the world, that will break up most of the counter attacks.

I'd like to see Belgium start Januzaj at RW and KDB as the #10 in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3   

                       Courtois

Alderweireld Vertoghen Kompany Verma

                   Fellani  Witsel
                                       
   Chadli             KDB         Hazard

                        Lukaku       

OR

Courtois

Alderweireld  Vert  Kompany  Verma

                      Fellaini
    Witsel                          Chadli

  KDB            Lukaku         Hazard


The only bad news is that I have futures plays on France and England...   I have the worst luck in the world.

blooter442

Since none of us selected a champion from the two teams in the final (or the 3rd place team from teams playing in that match), I was able to tabulate the final scores, as the one person who had France in the final — EB2319 — will get 16 points from that game, regardless of outcome, while none of us will be getting points for the 3rd place match.

With that:

EB2319: 63
Bloots, JFPIV: 41
OffPitch: 40
truenorth: 36
Mr.Right: 32
Grizzly: 31
Easygoer: 27

Obviously the tournament has been a wild one. All eight of us had Germany at least in the Final, and they didn't even make it out of their group. Meanwhile, only Mr.Right had Croatia making it past the first knockout round, and that was only as far as the quarters. Bring on Sunday!

Ejay

First, I'd like to acknowledge all the other competitors and congratulate you on a job well done.  Second, I'd like to thank Blooter for creating this fantastic opportunity, not only for me, but for all the D3 soccer community.  I'd be remiss if I didn't also thank my wife, who I'd publicly like to ask for forgiveness as I haven't done crap around the house in the last month.  Until we meet again in 2022.... Vive la France!

truenorth

Thanks Blooter for making the effort to create the bracket challenge and to update the scores.  Although my bracket was busted very early on, I have found this to be a thoroughly entertaining and inspiring World Cup tournament...with an endless number of great story lines!  I'd now love to see Croatia complete their Cinderella story!

JFPIV

Thanks, Blooter!  Good Times!

A bit of trivia: every twenty years since 1958 we've had a first time winner of the World Cup.

FCGrizzliesGrad

#89
I'm just happy to avoid last. I can pick D3 basketball and football, but international soccer I tend to struggle with :-\

At the last 7 tournaments, the final went to extra time 4x and went to a shootout twice. There were a combined 10 goals. The only one of those games where both teams scored was 2006 which was 1-1.
In the third place games, none went to extra time but there were 27 goals scored. You have to go back to 1974 to find a 3rd place game that didn't have at least 3 goals scored.
So while Sunday will have the drama and pressure (and likely the first team to score wins), Saturday's rematch of the group stage should see more fireworks. Unless Belgium and England decide to sit everyone again.
Football picker extraordinaire
5 titles: CCIW, NJAC
4x: ODAC:S
3x: ASC, IIAC, MIAA:S, NACC:S, NCAC, OAC:P, Nat'l
2x: HCAC, MIAC, ODAC:P, WIAC
1x: Bracket, OAC:S

Basketball
2013 WIAC Pickem Co-champ
2015 Nat'l Pickem
2017: LEC and MIAA Pickem
2019: MIAA and WIAC Pickem

Soccer
2023: Mens Pickem