I'm no betting man, so I can't relate to your sickening feeling. As to the US-Jamaica games, I think we will get 4 points and top the group with 8, and then probably clinch advancement to the Hex by defeating Antigua in the 5th game. The Jamaica-Guatemala game in the 5th round will be for the second advancement spot.
Does he mean he already has reservations for Brazil? Even if the US doesn't make it (perish the thought), it should still be a good time
Yeah I'll be headed to Brazil in 2014, and I love soccer, but the USMNT comes first in all of sports. It would be absolutely disastrous if we didn't qualify.
It would indeed be disastrous, although pardon me if I think that disaster has nothing to do with your travel plans.
This reminded me, in 1998 I had tickets for only USA-Yugoslavia (group game 3) and my flight to Europe left the day after the US lost to Iran and was eliminated. Definitely a sucky feeling to board a flight for Europe to watch your team play in the WC knowing they're already eliminated. It was still nice to go to see Europe and everything, but man did that suck.
I agree with that. It's easy to point to games like Italy and Scotland, but I wonder where Brazil would be.
To me, a minnow would be below the top 20. on second thought we are one of the two biggest guppies in our little pond.
Just outside the top 20 is not a "minnow." Most particularly since these are sides you would favor to qualify for the World Cup. In fact, the quality difference between #20 and #40 or so is generally razor-thin. We're talking the same caliber of talent overall. When you get to #70 or 80, then you generally notice a real quality drop off. And then again in the hundreds. The team that makes the World Cup relatively regularly is not the minnow. The team that has never qualified (and there are a lot of those) is.
When you bring up the issue of 20-40 I agree. I was thinking of the "minnow" term within the context of having a chance against the top tier teams.