<p>Tony - TWC package in my area is crazy. I can get Turbo Internet (20MB) with the lowest number of TV channels but I only get 15 MB internet with the higher number of TV channels. I can get 30MB internet but I have to pay $150/month. Univision is included in the lowest TV package. I sacrify TV for internet so that I can get good download from Netflix and other streaming activities. I still have all ESPNs all my Surface.</p>
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<p>Every year many NFL teams lose the 16th game of the regular season and advance to the playoff round. And some teams win the 16th game but cannot advance to the playoff. There is no difference here. </p>
<p>It’s one thing not to understand how team sports work, but before tweeting your ignorance for all to see, and then doubling down, you should probably get an 8-year-old to explain the concept of round robin to you.</p>
<p>I will surprised if Fox does a better job then ESPN. If nothing else, we’re going probably end up with Gus Johnson’s shouting about every long range shot like it has chance as opposed to Ian Darke and John Champion</p>
<p>^. Really. It’s not that difficult a concept. </p>
<p>“He tried to link it to American politics, which is also bizarre. Does he think American politicians get to pick the rules for the World Cup?”</p>
<p>Ann Coulter wrote a column in which said our growing interest in soccer is a sign of our country’s moral decay! I’d like to believe this is just Ann being her usual attention whore self and throwing her fans some red meat on top of it, but a part of me thinks she is being serious. </p>
<p>Possibly, but on the other hand, what would the WC coverage by ESPN be with their … regular commentators. The good coverage and comments come from the experts who cover the EPL and other international games. Just think how horrendous the CONCACAF coverage has been, and especially games involving Mexico.</p>
<p>It is also a mistake to think that all of ESPN has been good. They are still saddled with the likes of Fernando Palomo and Alejandro Moreno. And what is there to say about Gilberrto Silva, who has added even less than the puzzling (and painful) interviews of Landon Donovan.</p>
<p>Lastly, while ESPN has been very good, except for rare exceptions, there are no reasons that Fox could not do even better. After all, they will have access to the same images, will be able to hire even better commentators for the event, and offer a more dedicated channel. ESPN covers the WC but is hardly dedicated to soccer. </p>
<p>Fwiw, here are the lineups. Time to watch the Holland game on a different channel :)</p>
<p>Saturday, June 28
Round of 16 — Brazil vs Chile, Noon ET, ABC and Watch ABC; Ian Darke & Steve McManaman
Round of 16 — Colombia vs Uruguay, 4pm ET, ABC and Watch ABC; Jon Champion & Stewart Robson</p>
<p>Sunday, June 29
Round of 16 — Mexico vs Netherlands, Noon ET, ESPN and WatchESPN; Fernando Palomo & Alejandro Moreno
Round of 16 — Costa Rica vs Greece, 4pm ET, ESPN and WatchESPN; Daniel Mann & Kasey Keller</p>
<p>Monday, June 30
Round of 16 — France vs Nigeria, Noon ET, ESPN and WatchESPN; Derek Rae & Efan Ekoku
Round of 16 — Germany vs Algeria, 4pm ET, ESPN and WatchESPN; Jon Champion & Stewart Robson </p>
<p>Tuesday, July 1
Round of 16 — Argentina vs Switzerland, Noon ET, ESPN and WatchESPN; Adrian Healey & Alejandro Moreno
Round of 16 — USA vs Belgium, ESPN and WatchESPN; Ian Darke & Taylor Twellman</p>
<p>I’ve been interested in soccer for many years, but don’t know the game near as well as most of you here. But my favorite commentators from the list above are Ian Darke & Steve McManaman. Do they pass muster for knowing their stuff?</p>
<p>I agree with those saying the scoring/round-robin stuff just isn’t that difficult. Maybe it’s because ds2 was a soccer player and ref that it’s not at all unusual to me. </p>
<p>While it’s no longer that cool to criticize soccer, as xiggi said, I think it is still cool to act perplexed by it all. I do have friends who didn’t want to work out the scenarios themselves and asked for help, and that’s fine because they know I’m a sports nut and they aren’t so much around soccer, but the newscasters acting so clueless did get old. </p>
<p>Ian and Steve know their stuff. At times, they get a tad too critical, but they form a nice pair. They also tend to focus on the game while others get sidetracked with trivial or personal details. </p>
<p>Coolweather - TWC has had a monopoly in my small town for 30 years. I have no idea what internet speed comes with my bundle. They just raised our rates another $10 per month. I keep saying we are removing the landline and get the cheapest internet and Netflix service and only use cell phones.</p>
<p>I actually like Fernando Palomo, I think he calls a decent game. I’ll take Gilberto Silva in the studio over Eric Wynalda or many of the folks that Fox through at us in the Champion League.</p>
<p>I’d take any of the ESPN announcers over Gus Johnson. I’d take almost any MLS announcing crew over Gus (the exceptions being Columbus and San Jose).</p>
<p>Hey, I heard Altidore might be good to go for the game.</p>
<p>Experienced fans, what should we be watching for in the US/Belgium game?</p>
<p>Twitter is excited about the Belgian girl wearing the devil ears. ;)</p>
<p>Belgium has a few problems in defense. They might miss their world-class central defender as well as his sub. Their most talented right back suffered a broken leg with that savage tackle by the Koreans when the game was all but over. </p>
<p>They have a real deep team, but those are serious losses and problems as several players are on yellow cards. </p>
<p>Coach Ted Lasso explains soccer to American football fans.</p>
<p><a href=“An American Coach in London: NBC Sports Premier League Film featuring Jason Sudeikis - YouTube”>An American Coach in London: NBC Sports Premier League Film featuring Jason Sudeikis - YouTube;
<p>In these games, it’s always a question of which team shows up, just like in other sports. You just don’t know until they play. </p>
<p>Example: I was impressed that the US defended the German offense so well. Germany runs tons of plays - think of plays in basketball, all based on give and go, triangle passing, etc. - but the US attacked the playmakers outside the box and forced Germany to the wings and to crossing attempts. So far, Germany’s offense has been the most sophisticated, perhaps because nearly all the players are from the same league and several are from Bayern. So I’d watch to see how Belgium attacks.</p>
<p>Germany is very good at shifting from their zone to the attacking zone. The US was terrible at it against them. Some teams move the ball from defense to midfield and then tap it around the edges of the box. The US was unable to move the ball up except by longer passes. (Some teams pass more to the outside speed guys and I’d be interested to see if the US does this more.) Germany did it differently: they’d pass it around the defense and then when the US would draw near, they’d break upfield at pace, sort of a manufactured counter-attack. Very dangerous. Need real teamwork for this because it needs 3 or 4 guys to act as one. </p>
<p>I’d look to see if Belgium tries more possession style or more counter-attack style. That likely drives the US style but you can’t predict how. Will they be going up the middle or to the wings? And so on.</p>
<p>A critical analysis of USA v. Belgium: <a href=“USA Vs. Belgium: If The World Cup Were Played In Beer : The Two-Way : NPR”>USA Vs. Belgium: If The World Cup Were Played In Beer : The Two-Way : NPR;
<p>Did anyone see the first goal for Brazil? It looked like the Chile player kicked it in not the BRA player but he acted like he kicked it in. Who kicked it in?</p>