The Slippery Soapbox

[alienmem]

Brazil is by far the best team but I'd love Argentina to win because Messi is the greatest player I've ever seen.

[jamshedt]

Well Germany is out, Argentina still look a shade blue of themselves. I would not go that far to say Brazil is the best team either in the world or in this tournament, they are starting to click, but a tough road ahead, if they cross Mexico (potential semi clash with either Uruguay, Portugal, France or Argentina. Uruguay have been in classic form & their defense has been tough to break. Barring that they and only one other team so far have gone 3 for 3 & that is Croatia, who humbled Argentina 3-0.
France is coming together well & showing reminiscence of a world cup winning team. Portugal is still playing a one-man army team (which you really cant do, well not in football anyway).

The latter half looks also to be quite open for now, England, Belgium, Spain & Russia the strong contenders, But the Swedes are starting to show their colors...This could possibly be a fairy-tale cup for one of the dark horses of the game.. Here's hoping England go all the way.

[ctaulbee]

[ctaulbee]

Well Lebron just got new colors will be wearing the purple and gold next season, now he will be out west and that leaves Boston in the drivers seat of the east... *smiling like the cat that ate the canary*

[alienmem]

Well Lebron just got new colors will be wearing the purple and gold next season, now he will be out west and that leaves Boston in the drivers seat of the east... *smiling like the cat that ate the canary*

+ Lebron's streak of trips to the final is over!!!

[stampe]

[ctaulbee]

Well Lebron just got new colors will be wearing the purple and gold next season, now he will be out west and that leaves Boston in the drivers seat of the east... *smiling like the cat that ate the canary*

+ Lebron's streak of trips to the final is over!!!

Yup I think so too.

I also think this is him cashing in while he can as he moves into the final phase of his career.

I mean seriously the reality of it is he is headed downhill now, no way to avoid time it always wins.

[ctaulbee]

I know he is the favorite and the #1 seed, the question is "do you think he has enough still in the tank to take a 9th title at Wimbledon?" he is getting up in years now (36 to be exact).

[alienmem]

Skill he has. Skill is never lost. The question is if he's fit enough and has no porblems with injuries. I see him winning especially with his favorite surface. The only other opponent I give a slight chance is Nadal in a h2h situation but for that to happen Nadal can't be eliminated by lower seeds, which has been a constant in grass for many years now. I mean he last won Wmbledon like 7 or so years ago or more.

[ctaulbee]

I agree, I was just curious what others thought, I think that is a good summary.

[ctaulbee]

[alienmem]

That's a funny meme.

[topmeasure]

I put my money on Brasil right now, but Belgium could pull an upset.

[jamshedt]

and Brazil are OUT !!! Sorry Tony    

[ctaulbee]

After that comeback from 0-2 to put Japan out, I suspected they might be a handful for Brazil but I did expect Brazil to pull it out, so it was a bit of a surprise they lost.

Roger continues his quest.

[alienmem]

Brazil are out but they were the best team by far. Belgium had a whole lot of luck. Sometimes you need that.
Brazil had chances to win easily

[topmeasure]

Brasil was from the best team of the tournament, Neymar was worthless, Croatia in my opinion is the best team and the Belgians were showing signs that they are not to be taken lightly.

[alienmem]

So England lost as I suspected. they don-t have a good enough team to win a major competition.

Besides that and the real news of the day was what we were talking about. Federer is almost 37 years old...and everything comes to an end. In his prime winning 2-0 he would never let anyone come back on grass.

The end is near. I think the the winner of Nadal x Djokovic will go on to win. I think Isner will go to the final. I-d love for him to finally win a grand slam but agains tany of those two, best of 5 sets he has to be fit and never faluter on his serve games.

[ctaulbee]

Agreed.

That Del Potro match was wicked, he really gives top players fits, Nadal showed a lot of heart and stamina to fight back and win that one.

I expect France to take the Cup but you never know they could have a bad day or the Croatians could have a really good day...

[alienmem]

Yeah, Del Potro always puts up a fight against anyone. One could only imagine the player he could have been if he didnt have all those operations on his wrists.

World Cup is a pickle man. Brazil was the best team and were eliminated. Spain was a favorite and lost to Russia on penalty kicks. This world cup is the strangest ever with teams not really called big being in the semis and in the final. France is the favorite, no doubt but a final is a final as they say.

[ctaulbee]

[alienmem]

...and Djokovic virtually wins Wimbledon. The final is only going to be protocol. He's going to smash Anderson is straight sets.

Also World Cup final is tomorrow. Hope Croatia wins. France already has on title.

[ctaulbee]

Just think only three days until NFL Pre-season kicks off, the first exhibition games of the season will be going on thru Aug to get us ready for the real deal come Sep only 37 days until the official start of the new season, the excitement is killing me!

[alienmem]

Just think only three days until NFL Pre-season kicks off, the first exhibition games of the season will be going on thru Aug to get us ready for the real deal come Sep only 37 days until the official start of the new season, the excitement is killing me!

But are friendly games relevant?

[ctaulbee]

Well they are serious games but they don't play the first string much it's mostly to try out newly acquired players to see how they do, before the real games start.