It's On

So the US got England, Slovenia, and Algeria. No excuses if they don't get out of that group. ESPN called it a tough group, and of course there aren't any really easy games at this point, but I don't know. You have a potential powerhouse that typically underachieves in England, a second-tier African team and a third or fourth-tier European team that did play really well against Russia. They should pass.

Mexico drew host South Africa, a limping-along, possibly karma-cursed French squad, and the Western Hemisphere's last team in Uruguay. I wouldn't be too surprised by any outcome there, and Mexican fans should be disappointed if they don't get out of the first round, but I like my chances in the US-Mexico bet. (Update: I now realize that those three clauses don't work particularly well together in the previous sentence. Independently, they are fine; in pairs, they still get by; as a trio, horrible. Perhaps a bit like Aguero, Messi, and Tévez. Anyway: sorry, it was my gut reaction talking, and my gut contradicts itself quite frequently.)

The Group of Death would seem to be Portugal, Brazil, the Ivory Coast, and North Korea.

Only a few months away, let's start the gambling pools!