Smart money os on the European teams, in my humble opinion. What’s your opinion, humble or otherwise?
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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.”
Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.
Weird. Rome has an American Pope and America has a Russian President.
Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?
If America since Jan 2025 hasn’t broken your heart, you haven’t loved her enough.
The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.
Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.
Every one of the “Roberts Six” lied to get on the court.
Text STOP to opt out of updates on war plans.
She burned that motherfucker down, and I am so here for it. Thank you, Caroline Kennedy.
Dear media: perhaps we ought to let Donald Trump speak for himself!
Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.
“Alexa, change the president.”
Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.
If ‘weird’ was the finish line, they ran through the tape and kept running.
Tide comes in. Tide goes out. You can’t explain that.
Roe is not about choice. It is about freedom.
Every decision we make has lots of baggage with it, known or unknown.
Tick tock motherfuckers!
Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?
Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.
If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!
The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.
Nothing says ‘pro-life’ like letting children go hungry.
Punchy
Any holes in the Swiss defense? Do the French want to fry, kiss, or go easy? Is Ecua shown the Dor? So many questions….
Alex S.
Another Europe vs Latin America situation. But yes, I would bet on Europe.
negative 1
“Smart money is on the Euro teams.” I disagree (tears up Spain To Win The Cup betting ticket).
Face
Does the Ecuadorian team train at altitude? Could be an advange over the the Frogs.
Punchy
And the Swiss waste no time with that goal. Like clockwork, they play.
You can bank on them winning this game.
SRW1
@negative 1:
France is three points and six goals ahead of the Swiss or Ecuador. France is through.
Ecuador has to match in points whatever the Swiss achieve against Honduras. That might work if the Swiss only manage a draw, if they win, I suspect that would be too much for Ecuador.
I go with the Swiss joining France for the next round. Honduras just doesn’t look like an unsurmountable obstacle.
And Shakiri opens the scoring.
beer time somewhere
@Punchy:
LOL. Jaysus, Punchy.
Have you been saving the puns up all week?
Randinho
@negative 1: In this group, yes.
MikeJ
@negative 1: Don’t you wish you’d had this betting slip?
https://twitter.com/Syvers11/status/481494764987371520/photo/1
Onkel Fritze
@beer time somewhere: Although the day for some biting comment should have been yesterday.
Gin & Tonic
@Onkel Fritze: I know, right? That’s been gnawing at me all night.
Punchy
@SRW1: I think the Swiss account for the South American style of play, although they’ve been quite secretive about it, despite all the interest.
As for Ecuador, they’re just a middling team, although their play seems to show no Quit-o.
beer time somewhere
That’s it, someone show Punchy a yellow card.
gnomedad
What, again, is the distinction between “Topic X”, “Topic X Open Thread”, and “Open Thread”?
negative 1
@SRW1: The next time you mention Switzerland and France in the same sentence after their game you may want to include a trigger warning.
raven
@gnomedad: Don’t over think the room.
scav
@Punchy: How could Ecuador be other than a team in the middle? Despite the latitude in options, they’re simply not attracted to the existing polar opposites of play.
pseudonymous in nc
I think this one will go down to the wire. Honduras are poor and deserve to go home; Switzerland aren’t great but have showed up today and are trying to get a hatful to close up the goal difference; I’d like to see Ecuador accompany France with a cheeky goal.
raven
That dude ain’t fakin.
Punchy
Hold on a sec…this Swiss game is getting out of hand. This may wind up being a blowout. Franc-ly, I dont care to watch.
MattR
@Punchy: The Swiss still need one more goal to advance if Ecuador wins 1-0
Gin & Tonic
@MattR: I think that comment was more about the game in this thread than the game on the pitch.
scav
@Punchy: A Swiss game getting out of hand? Cover your face, no need to watch.
MattR
@Gin & Tonic: Ahhh, apparently I can’t follow three things at once.
Alex S.
Come on, Switzerland! Five more goals and France is out (if Ecuador wins by one goal).
SRW1
@Punchy:
It’s just that I think the Swiss can engineer a way out of this valley.
MattR
@Alex S.: France would still advance over Ecuador, but they would have to face Argentina in the next round. The only way France can be eliminated is to lose by 4 or more to Ecuador while the Swiss score 3 more.
Alex S.
@Punchy:
You put the pun in Punchy.
Onkel Fritze
Time is ticking for Ecuador.
Bjacques
Noboa is wearing that sock to hold his brains in like Peter Jackson in “Bad Taste.” Hardcore.
Punchy
@SRW1: The Swiss dont Miss. It’s a convention in Geneva that all their teams learn to play the ticky-tock passing style, similar to the Spainards.
SRW1
And for a bit of entertainment during halftime:
Country music a la Switzerland
WaterGirl
@Punchy: Are you secretly my sister?
Bob In Portland
Why is the US fighting Russia’s southern stream pipeline? The only reason Russia needs any kind of relationship with Ukraine is to get its product to market. When the pipeline is finished the US can own Ukraine, except for that naval port that they wanted in Crimea.
scav
@Punchy: Well, in terms of their peak performance, all that can alp as the eastenders say, if not bring the other team to a complete arête, but when they go flat, they can be left hanging or it’s a complete cirque. Worse, things can drift to a complete loess. I’m on needles myself.
dmsilev
@Bob In Portland: I’m pretty sure Ukraine didn’t qualify for the World Cup this year.
Amir Khalid
@Bob In Portland:
Yes, it’s very sad that Russia look like they’re going out of the World Cup.
SRW1
@Punchy:
I think the tell of why they don’t miss goes back further than that. Something about a Willhelm and an apple.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@SRW1: Never mind. You already used it.
raven
I don’t get that red card?
Cacti
@Amir Khalid:
Yes, it’s very sad that Russia look like they’re going out of the World Cup.
I blame fascism and the CIA for the Russian side’s poor showing.
Amir Khalid
France might score one goal just for the heck of it.
pseudonymous in nc
@raven:
Follow-through scraping up and down the shin. Anything above the shinpad is in dangerous play territory.
SRW1
@raven:
The refs are a bit sensitive when a player hits an opponent with his studs. I think the Ecuador player should have pulled back because he was late, but red was a bit harsh.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
Wow. It looks like we’re actually going to have a group where the Europeans advance and the Americans go home.
Punchy
The French seem to know something about resistance.
raven
@pseudonymous in nc: Seemed like his foot came off the ball but thanks, I’m sure you are right.
raven
@SRW1: Show’s what I know.
SRW1
@Punchy:
If only they were better at sniping. Franc-tireur they ain’t.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@Amir Khalid: They certainly looking like they are trying for one.
Amir Khalid
@Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name):
They don’t really need a goal. Should I let them score one?
Cacti
Did the French surrender in the first half?
Sorry, had to. :-)
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@Amir Khalid: France is my pick for overall winner. I would, of course, prefer the USA, but I am realistic.
raven
Shows
SRW1
@Cacti:
No, they held the Maginot line.
Amir Khalid
And reputed Liverpool target Xherdan Shaqiri bags a hattrick for Switzerland.
scav
@SRW1: The mimes were guarding the imaginot line.
Punchy
Can the Ecuadorians beat the French? They can Nantes.
scav
@Punchy: Why not Caen France afford Toulouse to Ecuador? They Caen Nantes.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@Punchy:
FTFY
SRW1
Swiss up by three, Ecuador nees to find two goals. Time for Hail Mary crosses into the French box.
scav
@Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name): Our thoughts Rennes along similar lines.
Punchy
@Punchy: on second thought, maybe they Cannes.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@Punchy: I’ll have to check my statistical Chartres
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name): This game needs a Marseilles rule.
scav
@Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name): Stats, they don’t be Lyon.
Punchy
@SRW1: So for Ecuador goals, a Paris good for them to move on?
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): Yes, they should be NIce.
dmsilev
@scav: Be Nice.
Edit: Drat, too slow.
scav
@Punchy: Yes, a Perigueux.
SRW1
@Punchy:
Indeed, Paris worth a mess.
scav
@SRW1: But is it worth a Messi?
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@scav: Yes, Paris can be quite Messi.
Amir Khalid
A heroic performance from the Ecuadorian keeper, keeping a clean sheet against France, but not matched by his teammates in the forward line.
Punchy
The French are toast if they play like this in the next round. The French arent maid to win low scoring games. The French arent worth a quarter to bet on to win it all.
scav
So, at the Quito of Ecuador-France, Par is.
Amir Khalid
And it’s the plane home for Ecuador and Honduras.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@Punchy: The French should be fine in the next round and you can put that in your next letter home.
SRW1
@Punchy:
Marianne wasn’t in the mood today to bare it all.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
Lord have Marseilles and put an end to these puns.
Uncle Cosmo
@SRW1: Do tell.
Randinho
Lets go Metz – oops wrong sport. I guess it took a lot of Gaul to say that. This is driving me inSeine.
scav
@Randinho: Perhaps it did Garonne a bit too long, It did Rhone on and on and on and on….
David Koch
I hate to interrupt, but Lincenum throwing No-hitter in the 9th!
Randinho
@scav: I think it’s time to baguette. I’m trying not to be crepey
scav
@Randinho: Rye not? They’re falling as flat as falafel and there’s naan more to pull out of the pocket. I know when I’m pita. Don’t take any wooden pumpernickels.