Well, I certainly didn't see it coming, but with Greece and the US in the knock out round of 16 I've got World Cup fever. How did I come to this diagnosis? Consider:
- the title for this blog post is in Portageez
- I'm wearing a Nederlands Robin Van Persie #9 tee shirt
- I'm listening to Jazz Samba, by Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz, as I blog
- I just emailed my παρεα about a Greece vs. Costa Rica viewing party at Public Tenley tomorrow
- I'm likely to watch Brazil versus Chile today at noon though I have no rooting interest in that game (outside of my friend Myke having done his Mormon mission there, and I want to vacation in Chile one day)
- and finally I filled out a new World Cup bracket!
Yes, I took out a pen and filled in the bracket in today's Post... for the World Cup. Though there are NO Tar Heels playing (that I know of) in the World Cup I filled out a bracket.
The bracket got me even more excited. There are some interested match ups, etc.
Host Brazil is still the favorite to win it all, and should make the final four after beating Chile and Uruguay, who I think will upset Colombia (insert Suarez joke here: take a bite our of the Cafeterios, etc.).
Germany and France will match up in the other bracket after relatively easy wins over Algeria and Nigeria, respectively. Though they have arguably ruined Europe 3 times in the last century I have to admit the Germans looked fantastic against us on Thursday. If they defeat France is a battle between the two founding nations of the European Union their final four match up against Brazil will be epic. Those two teams have been the class of the World Cup so far.
The other side of the bracket is intriguing, too, featuring three of the world's top four countries.
Greece, the number two country in the Athan Manuel Top Four Countries list, will have to take on Netherlands, the number three country on the AMT4, if both advance. I see Greece taking down Costa Rica, but the Dutch will be much tougher. Then again, no one saw us winning the 2004 Euro either, so you never know. If that happens, we could play us in the final four.
It's not that much easier for US, though. But bet on an upset of a very hot Belgium team. Our reward? Taking on Messi and Argentina. Though they wear Carolina blue, I see us upsetting them, too.
So out of a final four of Brazil, Germany, Netherlands and US, I see the US losing to Brazil in the final.
But I like OUR chances, too, and Brazil may choke on the pressure to win on their home soil. Either way, I have the fever.
USA USA USA
Ελλας clap clap clap Ελλας
