2018 World Cup Bracket Challenge

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

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blooter442

There's no D3soccer/EPL/La Liga, but I thought it might be fun to do a World Cup bracket challenge. This will be a bit different since — instead of the NCAA challenge where you just pick teams to advance based on the rounds — there will be points awarded for the correct group winner. Also, since the top two from each group are not pre-determined, there will likely be big misses on points as well as gluts. Go big or go home!

Here is a bracket with the groups listed as well.

1 point per Round of 16 participant
2 points per correct group winner
4 points per quarterfinalist
8 points per semifinalist
12 points for correct third-place finisher
16 points per finalist
32 points for correct champion

Note: You cannot "double-dip" in terms of points for picking the correct group winners, third-place finisher, or champion. So, if you pick the correct group winner, you get a maximum of two points. If you pick the correct third-place finisher, you get a maximum of 12 points. And, if you pick the correct champion, you get a maximum of 32 points.

Edited to post corrected bracket (Australia is not winning the group) below.

Ejay

Quote from: blooter442 on June 08, 2018, 12:57:56 PM
Round of 16 (group winners underlined): Uruguay, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, France, Denmark, Australia???, Iceland, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico,

blooter442

Quote from: EB2319 on June 08, 2018, 03:53:29 PMUruguay, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, France, Denmark, Australia???, Iceland, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico,

Good catch on the brain fart — Argentina. With that in mind, here's my corrected bracket below.

Round of 16 (group winners underlined): Uruguay, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, France, Denmark, Argentina, Iceland, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, Belgium, England, Senegal, Colombia.
Quarterfinals: Portugal, France, Brazil, Belgium, Spain, Argentina, Germany, England
Semifinals (third-place finisher underlined): Spain, France, Brazil, Germany
Finalists: Germany, Brazil
Champion: Brazil

Now, are you going to join in, or just make snarky comments about other people's brackets? ;)

Ejay

Round of 16 (group winners underlined): Uruguay, Russia, Spain, Portugal, France, Denmark, Argentina, Croatia, Brazil, Serbia, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, England, Colombia, Poland
Quarterfinals: Uruguay, France, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Belgium, Germany, England
Semifinals (third-place finisher underlined): France, Brazil, Spain, Germany
Finalists: France, Germany
Champion: Germany

FCGrizzliesGrad

Round of 16 (group winners underlined):
Group A: Uruguay (9), Egypt (4)... Russia (2), Saudi Arabia (1) [I think Uruguay cruises, the other three will all be close but Egypt will get a win somewhere and take 2nd]
Group B: Spain (7), Morocco (5)... Portugal (4), Iran (0) [Tough group... I can see any of the four advancing. I'm picking Morocco and Spain to open with wins]
Group C: France (5), Peru (4)... Australia (3), Denmark (2) [Going with a lot of draws in this group. Peru wins/losses will decide the group]
Group D: Argentina (9), Croatia (6)... Iceland (1), Nigeria (1) [Argentina should easily advance... the others are all struggling a bit. Heart wants Iceland but I think Croatia gets 2nd]
Group E: Brazil (9), Switzerland (6)... Serbia (3), Costa Rica (0) [Fairly straightforward group. Serbia-Costa Rica opener decides 3rd place]
Group F: Germany (7), Mexico (7)... Sweden (3), South Korea (0) [Goal difference will decide the winner here. Germany finishes with SK while Mexico will have Swedish trying to advance]
Group G: Belgium (9), Tunisia (4)... England (4), Panama (0) [A win in the opener between Tunisia and England would see them through. Otherwise it's who beats up on Panama and keeps it close with Belgium]
Group H: Colombia(7), Poland (7)... Senegal (1), Japan (1) [I don't see Senegal or Japan troubling Colombia and Poland]

Quarterfinals: Uruguay, France, Brazil, Belgium, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Colombia [All the group winners advancing... I'm sure at least one will lose]
Semifinals (third-place finisher underlined): Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Germany [I've ended up with 4 UEFA-CONMEBOL games in the QF with S America winning 3]
Finalists: Brazil, Germany [The media frenzy over 7-1 will be unbearable]
Champion: Brazil 2-1 a.e.t.
Football picker extraordinaire
5 titles: CCIW, NJAC
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3x: ASC, IIAC, MIAA:S, NACC:S, NCAC, OAC:P, Nat'l
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1x: Bracket, OAC:S

Basketball
2013 WIAC Pickem Co-champ
2015 Nat'l Pickem
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Soccer
2023: Mens Pickem

JFPIV

Round of Sixteen (group winners underlined): Uruguay Russia Spain Portugal France Peru Argentina Nigeria Brazil Serbia Germany Mexico Belgium England Columbia Poland

Quarterfinals: Uruguay France Brazil Belgium Spain Peru Germany Columbia

Semifinals (third place underlined) France Brazil Spain Germany

Finals: Brazil v. Germany

Winner: Brazil (3-0)

truenorth


Round of Sixteen (group winners underlined):  Uruguay, Portugal, France, Croatia, Brazil, Sweden, Belgium, Colombia, Spain, Egypt, Argentina, Peru, Germany, Costa Rica, Poland, England

Quarters: Uruguay, France, Brazil, Belgium, Spain, Argentina, Germany, England

Semis: Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Germany

Finals: Brazil, Germany

Champion: Brazil

EasyGoer27

Round of 16 (group winners underlined): Uruguay, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, France, Denmark, Argentina, Nigeria, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, Belgium, England, Poland, Colombia.[/u]
Quarterfinals: Portugal, France, Brazil, England, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Poland
Semifinals (third-place finisher underlined): Argentina, Portugal, Brazil, Germany
Finalists: Germany, Brazil
Champion: Germany


Mr.Right


Good work Bloots...Before getting started TWO THUMBS DOWN to FOX for only sending 2 of 6 commentating teams to Russia. John Strong and Stu Holden which is their #1 team so get used to Holden's voice all the way up to the final and JP Dellacamera and Tony Meola their #2. Here is the Deadspin article going into how Fox is doing this on the cheap. I like John Strong and Holden is decent but not of JP. Meola is ehh. Cannot stand Derek Rae...Just some really bad announcing teams...Will miss Darke and McManaman and John Champion...I do give Fox credit for bringing along a solid studio team especially Guus Hiddink.

My favorite quote of the article and possibly the funniest thing I have read in a couple days..."Fox Sports is essentially punting on the World Cup, its entire broadcast plan a limp clusterf*ck, and I for one will be watching the tournament on Telemundo."

https://deadspin.com/fox-sports-is-half-assing-the-world-cup-1825544146






Group Winners in Bold and Underlined with 2nd place Bold.

Group A-----Uruguay and Russia-----Russia is one of the weakest hosting nations ever but I cannot remember a host nation not advancing except for South Africa in 2010. 1986 Mexico was not a contender but they won a decent group with Belgium, Paraguay and Iraq. 1994 USA got out of the group of death with Romania with one of the best players in the world at the time in Hagi and quite possibly the most talented team in the world at the time in Colombia and a decent Switzerland team. In 2002, I think Japan got through as well. So whether its the Home Field or a corrupt ref / player or 2 Russia will get through this group. Uruguay is everyone's sleeper pick and I agree they are mighty talented with the 2 CB's and Suarez / Cavani and company. BUT there is ALWAYS one talented team at every World Cup that absolutely SELF-DESTRUCTS. Think France in 2010. I think Uruguay is primed for this role especially if they lose their 1st game. Tons of talent / A manager on his last leg / possible in-fighting and like the USA in 1998 all you need is one player sleeping with another's wife and there you have it. 50/50 Uruguay either cruises or self destructs.

Group B-----Spain and Morocco------Interesting Group dynamics here. You have Portugal and every Portuguese favorite coach Carlos Queiroz coaching Iran. I actually am a fan of Queiroz and will not count Iran out just yet. Spain v Portugal matchup as the 1st game is fantastic for the neutral. The defending Euro 2016 Champs run out of luck in this group. I think the upstart Morrocains snag 2nd.

Group C-----Peru and France------The French have so so much talent but if they play like they did at Home against the US on Saturday against a side with an average of Caps of 6 they are not going far. This is a difficult group IMO. Peru just got fantastic news that their top striker is ok'd to play and their Argentine Coach Ricardo Gareca is a solid manager. When they defeated Brazil in the Copa Am in 2016 at Gillette to end Dunga's run and get to the quarters they proved they belonged. A real slow start in COMMEBOL looked ominous but they went on a tear to qualify with a little help from others. First WC since 1982 and they will be busting. They play defensive against better competition but counter well. Ever since their amazing run to the 1992 Euro Title in Sweden when they did not even qualify but were admitted because of the brewing Yugoslav Wars in the former Yugoslavia forced them to drop out after qualifying. Denmark proceeded to advance out of their group on the final day and defeat Germany and Holland on their way to the title. Amazing story. Anyway, I will not count out Erickson and company but their match against Peru should decide who advances. Australia I do not see moving on with a 38 year old Tim Cahill an company but I have seen more shocking things before. Decent Group for sure with different styles.

Group D-----Argentina and Croatia-----This group will go as planned. This is not Nigeria of 1994. Everyone's favorite team Iceland could possibly get blown out of Russia by Argentina 6-0. Winner of Croatia / Nigeria gets 2nd but Croatia is the better side with better talent.

Group E-----Brazil and Costa Rica-----Brazil is just loaded and breezed through a tough COMMEBOL. They will go 3-0-0 to win the group. I was impressed with Costa Rica in qualifying and think they could snag 2nd but Serbia has more talent and Switzerland will play a tedious style that could get them through. A total toss-up honestly for 2nd.

Group F-----Germany and Mexico----See Group E...Germany cruises to 3-0-0 and a total battle for 2nd. This is not Guus Hiddink's South Korea of 2002 or Sweden of 1994 but they both still have talent.

Group G----Belgium and England-----Belgium has SO MUCH talent that they will win this group if they could defend they would be my sleeper to win it all but they cannot defend. Secretly every American's team to root against England will snag 2nd. I do think Gareth Southgate was a good choice and they have the talent to get to the Quarters but they will screw it up somehow. I know nothing about Tunisia and while I was impressed with Panama in qualifying I do not see them getting a result against either Belgium or England.

Group H----Colombia and Senegal----Colombia just to much talent to not win this group even though I wish they would sack Pekerman as I am not a fan of his conservative tendencies especially with the quality that Colombia has. Still they are mighty tough to break down. Senegal is my upset pick as I think Poland crashes and burns. The Japanese will bust ass but it will not be enough to qualify BUT if there is a Group(which there always is) that gets turned on its head and defy's all predictions this would be my Group to pick.




Round of 16---Winners underlined and in bold.

Germany v Costa Rica

Colombia v England

Spain v Russia

Argentina v France-----Hope my predictions are right and we get this R16 matchup.

Brazil v Mexico

Belgium v Senegal

Uruguay v Morocco

Croatia v Peru

Quarters----Winners underlined and in bold

Germany v Colombia
Spain v Argentina
Brazil v Belgium
Uruguay v Croatia---I know I said Uruguay would self destruct but jesus the winner of Group A has the absolute easiest route to the Semi's.

Semi's-----Wilnners underlined and in bold with score

Germany v Spain  2-0
Brazil v Uruguay   3-1

3rd Place

Spain v Uruguay   5-4

Final

Brazil v Germany  1-1 PK's

Off Pitch

Round of 16:
Group A:   1. Uruguay         2. Russia
Group B:   1. Spain             2. Portugal
Group C:   1. France           2. Denmark
Group D:   1. Argentina       2. Croatia
Group E:   1. Brazil             2. Switzerland
Group F:    1. Germany       2. Mexico
Group G:   1. Belgium         2. England
Group H:   1. Colombia       2. Poland

Quarterfinals: Portugal, France, Brazil, Belgium, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Colombia

Semifinals: France, Brazil, Spain, Germany

Finalists: Brazil, Germany

Champion: Germany

JFPIV

Are we going to get the opportunity to re-do our Spain selections? 

Kidding! 

What a mess!

blooter442

Quote from: JFPIV on June 13, 2018, 02:04:16 PM
Are we going to get the opportunity to re-do our Spain selections? 

Kidding! 

What a mess!

A mess indeed. I have been a Spain fan since before Euro 2008 — I started following Liverpool closely in 2007 and pretty much half of Liverpool (Torres, Garcia, Alonso, etc.) played for Spain — but they have really gone off the boil in the last few years. Though they fully deserved to win Euro 2008 and WC 2010, they were running on fumes at Euro 2012 and lucky to win that tournament. 2014 WC was a disaster and while they have rebounded OK since then I would have assumed they'd do whatever in order to not rock the boat, as they have (perhaps "have" should be changed to "had") a decent shot this year with a lack of a clear-cut favorite. The news came as a shock yesterday, but van Gaal was appointed Man Utd manager in 2014 before the World Cup with the understanding that he'd lead the team through the WC finals. Obviously the timing here was perhaps not as good, but I would still think the best decision would be to keep things as normal as possible. Clearly that is out the window here.

Regarding Zidane's sudden resignation that set this whole thing in motion, I personally think it was a wise choice on Zidane's part to leave Madrid, as — while I think he made some good tweaks that helped Madrid to its unprecedented UCL success — I am not sure he is a managerial great. That may sound ludicrous given that no other manager has won two, let alone three, UCL titles in a row, but it's my opinion that he might not have the same success at a club without similar riches, both on and off the field. Also counterintuitive (but still my opinion), it would appear that sometimes it's easier to be a "tinkerer" of established teams — Ancelotti/Guardiola/etc. — rather than someone who is focused on building a dynasty like Ferguson did. With Ronaldo and Bale potentially leaving, as well as key players like Modric and Ramos aging, as well as a goalkeeper who is absolute pants in Keylor Navas (to be fair, he didn't pull a Karius in the UCL final), he may have found it difficult to keep up that level of success. Go out while you're on top!

truenorth

I completely agree with this assessment.  It's a rare athlete or coach who has the vision and the will to go out on top rather than wait for the inevitable decline...

blooter442



Think we may have already peaked in terms of tournament entertainment with this reaction to Russia's fifth goal. (4th and 5th goals were bangers, btw.)

JFPIV

The one thing that I heard that at least gave some justification to letting Lopetegui go comes from the Wahl-Strauss SI podcast.  Strauss got this spin on the decision from a Spanish writer that covers La Coruna.  The essence of it is this: by taking the Real job every decision he would make during the competition would be called into question and judged against the Real-Barca dynamic.  Who he started.  Who he benched.  Who he pulled out.  Everything he did would be called into question.  Both Wahl & Strauss indicated that, according to Spanish writers, this created a firestorm.

I'm not a Spaniard or a supporter of either Real or Barca but that's at least one explanation coming out of Spain.