Grab Your Abacus: World Cup Edition!

[The Silken Knot]

It's ALMOST time for...


With much gratitude to paranoiarodeo for the dazzling logo!


This one couldn't be simpler. Just tell me how many goals each of the Last 16 teams will score in the entire tournament*. That's it. Easy peasy.

On Thursday, I'll post the Last 16 teams, and the number of goals they've each scored to date.

If you'd like to play, just PM me or post here:

• ☻ the total number of goals you predict for each team (including goals to date). Yes, you must give a number for each team... because we all want to point and laugh when you say Germany won't score in the next rounds.
  ☻ your prediction for Cup Winner. This will be used as tiebreaker.
  ☻ all predictions must be posted or sent to me before Saturday's games begin (4pm GMT, noon US Eastern)

Scoring, also easy peasy:

• ☻ the differential between your prediction and actual goals for each team is calculated.
  ☻ the sum nearest to zero (or zed, if you insist) wins.
  ☻ final standing of your predicted Winner will be used in the event of a tie.

Current schedules and results from FIFA are here.


Click here for a larger bracket.

Please come play! Match wits with your fellow Luxers... and maybe have a few laughs in the process.




* Tournament refers to matches beginning June 12, 2014. Qualifiers don't count.

[paranoiarodeo]

(I assume penalty shootouts won't be included in goal counts?)

[The Silken Knot]

Scoring goals. Smartypants.

[Milltycoon]

This actually does not clarify Para's question. Most games end something like 2-1. But if a game is 1-1 in the knockout rounds, the teams shoot 5 penalty kicks apiece, and then however many more (if still tied) until the tie is broken. Players usually score on penalty kicks at about a rate of 400% better than they do in the course of a game, so that 1-1 tie might easily have 8 goals scored during the penalty kick tiebreakers. But the game goes into the standings as 1-1 (with penalty kicks deciding the winner), rather than as 6-4 (the actual number of goals scored). Obviously, this would skew the total goal count by quite a bit.

[The Silken Knot]

Sorry, Millty- I certainly wasn't very clear about that.

I was planning to use "standings" goals only. If a consensus of those interested in playing would rather include penalty shootouts, I'm willing to change that AS LONG AS I KNOW BEFORE THURSDAY NIGHT.

Also, guillerme kindly pointed out that the Dash-Hudson bracket I borrowed/stole was flawed. I'd send a strongly worded letter of complaint, but, you know... "stole". My fault for not checking the merchandise. A correct Last 16 bracket will be posted Thursday night, and I'll replace D-H with something closer to the truth. I hope this didn't throw anyone off their game already. *cough*kude*cough*

[guillerme]

Argentina in!

[paranoiarodeo]

(Entries due before kickoff on Saturday; click for enlargement.)

[paranoiarodeo]

Brazil: 7
Chile: 5
Colombia: 9
Uruguay: 4
France: 8
Nigeria: 3
Germany: 7
Algeria: 6
Netherlands: 10
Mexico: 4
Costa Rica: 4
Greece: 2
Argentina: 6
Switzerland: 7
Belgium: 4
United States: 4

2014 World Cup Champions: ?

That's from top left to bottom right in the bracket; minimum goals included.

(Might save TSK some time and trouble if you copy, paste and change the above when submitting your guesses.)

[The Silken Knot]

Thank you, lovely, er, everything! That bracket absolutely makes me drool. Argentina should be bigger, though, I think.


Please post your guesses carefully calculated predictions BEFORE the next matches begin on Saturday. That's TOTAL scoring goals, including goals to date... and NOT including penalty shoot-outs. Also, please tell us which team you think will win the trophy.

Good luck, all!




BIG SHINY! OOOO!

[mnemosyne]

quarters: brz v. col, fra v. ger; ned v. crc, arg v. bel

semis: brz v. ger; ned v. arg

finals: ger v. ned

world cup champions 2014: nederland! (hup, hup). i will be there through semis again this cup . . . maybe, if i am lucky, i will see royalion (if only lincoln could go! ah, the stories he would tell!).

/me will be back to collect my shiny in a couple weeks!

m

p.s. the number of goals thing just confuses the old titaness

[The Silken Knot]

Have a wonderful time! If you do see royyy, give him a big smooch from me.

[The King]

Nice Silken, real nice
let me be the first to do this

Brazil: 8
Chile: 8
Colombia: 10
Uruguay: 10 (11 including game for 3rd)
France: 9
Nigeria: 5
Germany: 17
Algeria: 7
Netherlands: 17
Mexico: 6
Costa Rica: 7
Greece: 3
Argentina: 8
Switzerland: 13 (15 including game for 3rd)
Belgium: 5
United States: 7

2014 World Cup Champions: Germany

(please note. I wasnt sure if the game for 3rd / 4th counts. Please use the goal count for whichever it is.

Good luck all

[paranoiarodeo]

(Third place game should count.)

[The Silken Knot]

Yes, third place game counts Thanks, King, and good luck!

[WhirlPlaid]

[guillerme]

Ok guys, this will happen:
Brazil 15
Chile 6
Colombia 12
Uruguay 5
Francia 13
Nigeria 5
Alemania 18
Argelia 8
Holanda 19
Mexico 4
Costa rica 8
Grecia 3
Argentina 16
Suiza 8
Belgica 6
EE.UU. 4

[Milltycoon]

See my PM, TSK.

I am going to pick the ARGENTINES to win the Cup (using the term from the Billy Joel song "That's Not Her Style," instead of "Argentinians.")

Brazil will end with 16 goals (and lose in the final to Argentina).
Chile with 7.
Colombia with 14, but lose in a shoot-out.
Uruguay with 5.
France with 12.
Nigeria won't score again and will end with 3.
Germany with 18 (and win the 3rd place match)
Algeria won't score again and will end with 6.
The Netherlands will end with 11.
Mexico with 9 (and lose in the consolation game).
Costa Rica with 7.
Greece will not score again and will end with 2.
Argentina will end with 18 goals and WIN the World Cup.
Switzerland will end with 8.
Belgium with 5, but lose in a shoot-out.
The US will finish with 5 goals, beating Belgium in a 1-1 game with a shootout, but will get crushed by Argentina.

[The King]

Is everyone here from Argentina?
Hehe

Let the games begin !

[paranoiarodeo]

∞ paranoiarodeo predicts an outrageous US upset of the Argentinians in the quarterfinals ∞

(Go big or go home? Umm, yeah.)

[The Silken Knot]

Okay, I am so in!

Brazil 18
Chile 6
Colombia 12
Uruguay 5
France 13
Nigeria 5
Germany 16
Algeria 8
Netherlands 19
Mexico 4
Costa Rica 8
Greece 3
Argentina 15
Switzerland 9
Belgium 5 (That may be wishful thinking. I want to see that USA-Argentina quarterfinal.)
USA 7 (see above)

WINNER: Argentina. I think.

Good luck, all!

[The Silken Knot]

Standings after Day 1:



We may have underestimated Colombia and James...

[The King]

Ohhh yeah...
a lot can happen from here on out...
Just imagine Mexico and Switzerland winning their games for example...

This is a fun format

Thanks for the effort Silken

[The Silken Knot]

My pleasure!

[The Silken Knot]

Blast you, Memo. My bracket needed every one of those goals you blocked.

[The Silken Knot]

After Sunday's games:

[Milltycoon]

I feel slightly embarrassed, but I don't have the foggiest idea how to read these standings. Does this mean I am in third place, or that I joined the competition third, or that I am tied for 2nd place? Why is the Germany box highlighted for The King? Germany hasn't even played its game yet. I am totally confused.

[Milltycoon]

Ok. I have already answered two of the questions I had. So....I guess I can probably figure the rest out.

[The King]

Highlights are who we predicted to win the WC
Score closest to zero wins in the end. You are 2nd at the moment.
You joined 3rd thats why you are 3rd position in the grid
Grey fields show eliminated teams so those "results" wont change anymore

Hope that helps

[The Silken Knot]

Thanks, King! All correct.

• • Players are listed in the order they signed up.
  • The top row for each player is their prediction for the total number of goals each team will score.
  • The bottom row for each player is their differential from the current number of goals each team has scored.
  • Total differential closest to zero at the end of the tournament wins.

So The King is in the lead right now... subject to change

[The King]

And change it will!!!

I was gambling on a couple of upsets.
But being Swiss the biggest upset is still to come and with all ya having Argentina hold the cup this might give me a slight chance still.

Anyway good luck !