Who Are Ya! Who Are Ya! ...Cheering For?

Missed Ms FootyNut's first post? Find it here.

Photo: Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

I have officially been bitten by the World Cup bug and I'm infecting several people I work with. Huzzah!

Like World Cup die-hard fans I've been trying to keep up with all the games. I can't watch them at work, but I do scan the news feeds for updates and once I know what their uniforms look like, I'm pretty good at playing the game in my head - Pass, pass, pass, pass, tackle, ball out of play, throw in, pass, pass...you get it. You may ask, "How is that satisfying?" Usually I just keep hoping anyone and everyone will score. I think that stems from growing up in Hockey Town where games are relatively "high scoring".

But now that I know a little bit more about this game, and the teams, I keep myself interested by always picking a side. I am one of those people that if I don't have an allegience, I always root for the underdog. For me this is also true in politics - I voted for Nader in '08.

This most recent round for Group B, I was rooting for South Korea because Park Ji-Sung is on that team, but also plays for Manchester United - Mr. FootyNut's Premireship team. And in Group A I was rooting for Mexico because, well, no one should be rooting for those dirty cheating French.

During the Greece/Nigeria game there was a short discussion on The Guardian's Minute By Minute about how South African fans are rooting for any African team because to them, a win for that team equals win for the continent (according to the comments on the Guardian). This is not a phenom that we've seen elsewhere, particularly Europe. A win for Germany wouldn't necessarily be highly celebrated in Spain or even England. Would we be happy if Mexico won? What about Canada (if they'd made it)? I haven't noticed this African bias with the Algerian game, anyone else?

While Mr. FootyNut and I are on a media black-out today (so we can watch the Group C games uninterrupted later tonight) debate these questions with us.

What do you think about the African bias? Are there other allegiances out there I don't know about? Who do you vote for when "your team" isn't playing? OR, is that tempting fate and you secretly wish there was a lose-lose option for everyone else?

World Cup Predictions: Group B

Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea, Greece

Players to Watch:
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Nigeria)
Chu-Young Park (South Korea)
Theofanis Gekas (Greece)


Match to Watch:
Argentina vs. Nigeria
June 12, 10:00 A.M. (ESPN)


Predicitions:

Argentina vs. Nigeria
June 12, 10 A.M. EDT (ESPN)
One word: Messi. If the little man is to live up to his super-hyped premature title of "The Greatest. Ever. Period." then he'll need to bring the World Cup home to Argentina. On the other hand, many have pinpointed this year's World Cup as the debutante party for African Soccer. Argentina wins, despite Maradona.
Result: ARG 2 - 1 NIG

South Korea vs. Greece
June 12, 7:30 A.M. EDT (ESPN)
The past two months have seen Greece become the economic laughing stock of the world. South Korea has lead East Asia's assault on global soccer powers. In the end, Greece's defensive-minded game which saw it scrape through qualification with little to spare, will not be enough for Korea's lightening pace.
Result: KOR 1 - 0 GRE

Greece vs. Nigeria
June 16, 10:00 A.M. EDT (ESPN)
No matter what happens in Nigeria's opening game, they will be in the ascendancy for the rest of their group games. Greece's lineup and past performances - which have seen them win a UEFA Championship in 2004 only to dramatically fail to qualify for the 2006 World Cup - lack the spark needed to succeed in South Africa.
Result: GRE 1 - 2 NIG

Argentina vs. South Korea
June 17, 7:30 A.M. EDT (ESPN)
Some might say that I'm becoming drunk on the Argentinian cool-aid, but the pre-Cup camps will be the longest time the team has spent together and talent the likes of Messi, Tevez, Aguero, Higuain, Di Maria, Mascherano and Heinze will find a way to gel despite Maradona's managerial incompetence. Korea is just unlucky.
Result: ARG 3 - 1 KOR

Nigeria vs. South Korea
June 22, 2:30 P.M. EDT (ESPN)
Going into the final day of the group stage, both Nigeria and Korea will need the points. Both will need the win to edge out the other into the group stage. Nigeria's de facto home field advantage will prove decisive.
Result: NIG 2 - 1 KOR

Greece vs. Argentina
June 22, 2:30 P.M. EDT (ESPN 2)
Momentum or resilience? The answer to that question gives you the result of this game. Either Messi's inspired performance will render Argentina's momentum will be unstoppable or Greece will summon some national pride and stonewall La Albiceleste. But in my world, there is no way out of it for Greece. They might dampen Messi's sparkle, but Tevez will wear them down.
Result: ARG 1 - 0 GRE


Final standings: