What sports teams do you support?

[Arneb]

Now they actually played decent football.

Believe me, that's Berti's late triumph!

[MM_Dandy]

USA's defense is slipping, allowing Slovenia to score 76 today, five more than in the preliminary game just two weeks ago. Unfortunately for Slovenia, their defense also slipped, allowing USA an extra 18 points for 119 total; their highest total for the tournament so far (likely to stay that way with Lithuania and very likely Spain ahead).

Tomorrow is Serbia v Brazil (ought to be a good game) and France v Spain: part deux (probably not a good game).

Update: Bah! Serbia showed up to play and Brazil didn't - Serbia toying with a 30-point lead in the middle of the 4th quarter. Maybe France will give Spain more trouble then the last time, but I'm not holding my breath.

Update: Sacré bleu! That's what I get for prognostication - not just wrong, but dead wrong. Anyway, Spain doesn't even get to play for third - something that wasn't even in the thoughts of anybody following the event.

[Lianachan]

Now they actually played decent football. Given that Germany will probably carry the group, don't you think they could beat Poland for second?

Yes they are playing decent football these days and I don't see any reason we can't come second.

I wholeheartedly endorse that view.

[MM_Dandy]

USA proceeds to the gold medal game after what appears to have been a very physical affair, and awaits the winner of tomorrow evening's Serbia v France.

[Мастер]

Go Serbia!

[MM_Dandy]

Go Serbia!

The French, down by 14 at the half, got as close as 2 points in the last minute or so, but couldn't quite get over the hump. Serbia wins!

[Мастер]

Argentina mathematically eliminated.

New Zealand triumphs over South Africa. It is still theoretically possible for either Australia or South Africa to win the tournament, but New Zealand is currently way ahead, and will be tough to beat.

[tubeswell]

Yeah satisfying result.

[Arneb]

Hertha 1 - 3 Mainz.

Auld Auntie back to a relegation place with 1 point from three matches, this last one against a team that is itself mired in crisis and probably a direct competititor for a place in the Liga. So the nightmare is back to haunt me for the upcoming months. Can't I have some time to enjoy our post World Championship season?

[MM_Dandy]

France 95 - Lithuania 93. France trailed again most of the way, but made the comeback count this time for the bronze medal.

[Мастер]

France 95 - Lithuania 93. France trailed again most of the way, but made the comeback count this time for the bronze medal.

Bloody Lithuanians let me down.

[Мастер]

So New Zealand can lock up the Rugby Championship two weeks from now by defeating Argentina and winning the bonus point. If they do that, they have the tournament.

[MM_Dandy]

USA v Serbia underway. Serbia led 14-7 in the early going, but now trail 35-21 at the end of the first.

[MM_Dandy]

Update: I won't be able to give a half-time update, but USA just went ahead 56-30 with 3:40 remaining in the 2nd. Timeout, Serbia.
Update: They're scheduled to play another quarter, but the game is over; 105-67 USA at the end of the 3rd.

[Arneb]

I followed the FIBA World Cup only superficially. In the end, it seems always to come down to, we'll play for the right to be pummeled by the U.S. in the Final.

[MM_Dandy]

I followed the FIBA World Cup only superficially. In the end, it seems always to come down to, we'll play for the right to be pummeled by the U.S. in the Final.

Not necessarily - this is the first time that the US has successfully defended a FIBA title, and Brazil is the only other country to have done so (in '59 and '63). As recently as 2002, the US finished 6th (in the US, even!), and missed the title game again in 2006, finishing third. This US team was considered the weakest since that 2006 team, and there were plenty of questions going in to the tournament - especially about our young centers and forwards. It so happened that those positions played well beyond expectations, and that our reserves were able to pick up the slack when any of the starters weren't playing well - which happened often enough to be concerning, especially going into the last two or three games. Also, both Lithuania and Serbia shot well below their tournament average from three-point range. And, as vaunted as the US guards were, they were not above average defensively - that is on Lithuania and Serbia. Serbia made a huge tactical mistake by using a 2-3 zone, which gave far too many open outside looks to the US guards, compounded by the fact that the US essentially played 3 guards most of the time. Despite having capable man-to-man options (Teodosic is no slouch, and Bogdanovic is super quick), they stuck with the zone nearly the entire game, and the US made them pay for it.

Besides, we only have to look as far as Spain to see that, even though the results aren't as random as soccer/futbol, upsets can and do happen. Until Spain was beat, there were nearly as many people saying that this was their tournament to lose as those saying the US was going to win.

[Arneb]

Hmm. It almost seems this would have been worth following more closely...

[MM_Dandy]

Or perhaps I should paid closer attention myself: Yugoslavia also repeated as champions in 1998 and 2002.

At any rate, it's over now, and I'll just go sit quietly in my corner until 2016 - perhaps Germany can make one last push with Dirk Nowitzki.

[Heid the Ba]

Rangers in the Wee Cup against some form of Sheepshaggers, 0-0 at halftime.

I am, completely unconnectedly, drunk in a spanish beach bar. The White Madrids appear to be playing tonight.

[tubeswell]

Go the sheepshaggers!

[Мастер]

Which particular sheepshaggers are these? (I assume that's not the actual name of the team.)

[Heid the Ba]

Inverness Caley Thistle. We won.

[Мастер]

Rugby Championship this weekend. Two matches; then the next weekend, there will be two more.

First match is South Africa v Australia. If Australia loses, they cannot win the tournament; it would be either South Africa or New Zealand. If South Africa loses but gets at least one bonus point, or draws, then Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa could all still win the tournament.

But, seven hours later, New Zealand will play Argentina. If New Zealand wins and gets the bonus point, then they will win the tournament - it doesn't matter what anyone else does in any of the three other remaining matches.

[Мастер]

South Africa takes an early lead over Australia, scoring a try about 12 minutes in, but, possibly due to very poor field position, misses the kick. 5-0.

This is week 5 of the Rugby Championship - there is one more match a few hours from now, and then two more next week. There is no scenario in which Australia loses the match today but wins the tournament. South Africa can lose today and still win the tournament, but it's a rather convoluted and unlikely scenario. New Zealand has a big advantage at this point, and might lock up the tournament within nine hours or so, regardless of the outcome of this match or next week's matches.

[Мастер]

Wow. Australia made a penalty kick, and then didn't take long to score a try after that. 5-8. Very poor field position for the kick though.

But, despite the poor position, Australia makes the kick. 5-10.