What sports teams do you support?

[Lianachan]

There are only so many African and Asian teams there in the first place because of the way qualification works. Bin that system, I say, and just have the top 32 teams in the world at the time competing - wherever they happen to come from. The way the rankings are calculated would need to be tweaked slightly, so that teams weren't effectively shut out of being able to improve, but I reckon that would be a much better system.

[Lance]

I am going to eat a Belgian waffle this morning to demonstrate our superiority over all things Belgian.

I've also heard the referred to as "Freedom Waffles".

[Мастер]

I've also heard the referred to as "Freedom Waffles".

Get with the times. It would be "Security Waffles" now.

[MM_Dandy]

New World Order! Argentina over Heidiland.
I listen to a sports talk radio show on my way to work. It was shameful (or shameless, depending on your POV) how much of a chance they were giving the Americans today. I'd love for the US to sneak past Belgium as much as anybody, but that's exactly what it would be - sneaking past.

[MM_Dandy]

Get with the times. It would be "Security Waffles" now.

Mmm, security waffles - so nice and fluffy. It's a shame they won't let you have more than an once of syrup to add to them.

[Мастер]

Switzerland out.

So, since the African teams bit the dust, it's been only Latin American or European countries.

[Arneb]

I'd love for the US to sneak past Belgium as much as anybody, but that's exactly what it would be - sneaking past.

Hey, we've made threeo World Championships three European championships and multiple at-leas-semifinal appearances out of sneaking past. Don't be ashamed, sneaking past is as much part of football as the glorious magic nights are.

[Heid the Ba]

Pfff I'll see your sneaking past and raise you a solid defensive display and a dodgy late winner as our standard modus operandi.

[Мастер]

Well I don't much care for this.

[Мастер]

Incredibly disappointing performance by Belgium.

[MM_Dandy]

Howard's in double-digit saves, and Belgium is spending a lot of time on the offensive side of the pitch. And...:(

[Мастер]

[Мастер]

And again!

[Мастер]

Uh oh. The Forces of Darkness aren't out of this yet.

[Lance]

Fuck Belgium.

[Мастер]

Dignes enfants de la Belgique
Qu’un beau délire a soulevé,
À votre élan patriotique
De grand succès sont réservés.
Restons armés que rien ne change !
Gardons la même volonté,
Et nous verrons refleurir l’Orange
Sur l’arbre de la Liberté.

OK, time to head downstairs for breakfast.

[Мастер]

I am going to eat a Belgian waffle this morning to demonstrate our superiority over all things Belgian.

I've also heard the referred to as "Freedom Waffles".

I'm headed down to breakfast, but I've been at this place five nights already, and they haven't had them yet.

This does follow the general principle, though, that the more a country names things after something, the less of that thing they have. The official name of North Korea is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. And in the US, they love to name things after freedom . . .

[MM_Dandy]

I dunno, the DPRK has more than just a few people - and they are mostly Korean. 2 out of 4 ain't bad. I wonder how their waffles taste, though.

[Мастер]

I dunno, the DPRK has more than just a few people - and they are mostly Korean. 2 out of 4 ain't bad. I wonder how their waffles taste, though.

They've got security waffles for sure.

[Arneb]

I dunno, the DPRK has more than just a few people - and they are mostly Korean. 2 out of 4 ain't bad. I wonder how their waffles taste, though.

They've got security waffles for sure.

Lots of.

So, off to the States for Klinsi's boys. I didn't watch it (too tired), but the papaer writes it was the most exciting 0:0 at 90 min that this World Cup brought about. 34 shots at goal in regular time, 29 of those by Belgium. Sounds like our American participants here had to suffer yesterday night.

[Lance]

Meh

There is an benefit to not really caring.

[MM_Dandy]

I can't say that I didn't care, but I suppose that's true enough. But - we did well not to have lost 5-0; a testament to Howard and the US defense. But, a question to those who would likely know better than I - was the lack of US offense a planned thing, a lack of skill, or a lack of execution, or some combination thereof? Personally, I have some misgivings about relying so heavily on any defense - if you let a team hammer on you enough, something will eventually go through. But maybe it was the lack of skill that necessitated it?

Looking ahead, Germany squares off against France (ooh! more World War II references!) and it's Brazil v Columbia on Friday.

[Мастер]

But - we did well not to have lost 5-0; a testament to Howard and the US defines.

That guy was getting hammered.

But, a question to those who would likely know better than I - was the lack of US offense a planned thing, a lack of skill, or a lack of execution, or some combination thereof?

Couldn't say, but the US team barely showed up for the second half, until the last few minutes, when they came to life.

[Мастер]

So 'Schland did their job yesterday.

[Мастер]

And HD's team advances in the penalty shootout.

So each semifinal will be a European time against a South American team.