World Cup 2014 Prediction Competition

@Blake

You should be able to do picks now - apart from the first game hopefully.

In light of Holy Father Bergoglio’s blessing on all football fans this morning, it could be instructive to look at what’s unfolded at the first World Cup which followed the election of a new Pontiff, since they recommenced electing non-Italians to the Holy See in October 1978.

Germany finished 3rd in 2006 the year after Holy Father Ratzinger’s elevation in 2005. Holy Father Wojtyla’s tenure commenced in October 1978 so Poland had to wait nearly four years for World Cup action but when it did come around in 1982, Poland finished 3rd. So the omens look good for Argentina to advance to the semi finals for the first time since 1990.

The most important modern day trend around a new Pontiff and the World Cup though is to look at the identity of who lifted the trophy in 1982 & 2006 in the first World Cup after the election of a new Pontiff. They do say these things happen in threes.

@Rocko my picks are in now. You can close it again.

Why are there three threads on the soccerball competition and only one on Limerick hurling? Could management not put the entire lot together?

I got to near the end of my picks when I realised I hadn’t done any draws so I went back and did a rake of draws just to balance it out:rolleyes:

Like the old Drumcondra tests in primary school

When does this cunt of a soccerball tournament end and how long more do we have to suffer waiting for the sunday game to be discommoded so that soccerball fans can find out who played best between korea and japan, or some such pairing?

Check www.fifa.com, pal.

Who won/is winning this. Is there a second round of the competition?

No second round. I’ll let everyone know the outcome presently.

I guess I should have put in scores as we went along to build up suspense so I’ll do that artificially now instead.

The first 16 games are in.

@manusboyle[/USER] shares the lead with an impressive 11/16 despite being 1 from the first 3. [USER=180]@myboyblue is level on the same score (obviously).

There is a group on 10 including @NJ Cat[/USER] [USER=1572]@corner back[/USER] [USER=1]@Rocko[/USER] [USER=1406]@maroonandwhite[/USER] [USER=178]@mick jones[/USER] and perennial cheat [USER=112]@Gman.

@Crutches[/USER] and [USER=706]@Fagan ODowd bring up the rear with an astonishingly poor 5/16.

Full table a quarter of the way through:

@manusboyle 11
@myboyblue 11
@corner back 10
@Gman 10
@maroonandwhite 10
@mick jones 10
@NJ Cat 10
@Rocko 10
@artfoley 9
@croppy_boy 9
@Dirty Hands Walter 9
@Elvis Brandenberg Kremmen 9
@Jimmy Mc Nulty 9
@Midshipman Asha 9
@puckitout 9
@Watchyourtoes 9
@Anto 8
@ciarancareyshurlingarmy 8
@Gary Birtles Lovechild 8
@Il Bomber Destro 8
@Joe Player 8
@Kid Curry 8
@Lazarus 8
@Mark Renton 8
@Martinhan 8
@Mullach Ide 8
@Spikey 8
@TreatyStones 8
@balbec 7
@Blake 7
@dodgy-keeper 7
@Ebeneezer Goode 7
@Faldo 7
@Fran 7
@Mac 7
@Monkey Allen 7
@Scrunchie 7
@Esteban de la Sexface 6
@Bisto 6
@TheUlteriorMotive 6
@Crutches 5
@Fagan ODowd 5

@Rocko - I entered this too. No sign of my score?

Sure if there’s no second round is that it then?

This is just the first match for each team.

Please ignore this query. I forgot my username has changed.

:eek:

[QUOTE=“Rocko, post: 972368, member: 1”]I guess I should have put in scores as we went along to build up suspense so I’ll do that artificially now instead.

The first 16 games are in.

@manusboyle[/USER] shares the lead with an impressive 11/16 despite being 1 from the first 3. [USER=180]@myboyblue is level on the same score (obviously).

There is a group on 10 including @NJ Cat[/USER] [USER=1572]@corner back[/USER] [USER=1]@Rocko[/USER] [USER=1406]@maroonandwhite[/USER] [USER=178]@mick jones[/USER] and perennial cheat [USER=112]@Gman.

@Crutches[/USER] and [USER=706]@Fagan ODowd bring up the rear with an astonishingly poor 5/16.

Full table a quarter of the way through:

@manusboyle 11
@myboyblue 11
@corner back 10
@Gman 10
@maroonandwhite 10
@mick jones 10
@NJ Cat 10
@Rocko 10
@artfoley 9
@croppy_boy 9
@Dirty Hands Walter 9
@Elvis Brandenberg Kremmen 9
@Jimmy Mc Nulty 9
@Midshipman Asha 9
@puckitout 9
@Watchyourtoes 9
@Anto 8
@ciarancareyshurlingarmy 8
@Gary Birtles Lovechild 8
@Il Bomber Destro 8
@Joe Player 8
@Kid Curry 8
@Lazarus 8
@Mark Renton 8
@Martinhan 8
@Mullach Ide 8
@Spikey 8
@TreatyStones 8
@balbec 7
@Blake 7
@dodgy-keeper 7
@Ebeneezer Goode 7
@Faldo 7
@Fran 7
@Mac 7
@Monkey Allen 7
@Scrunchie 7
@Esteban de la Sexface 6
@Bisto 6
@TheUlteriorMotive 6
@Crutches 5
@Fagan ODowd 5[/QUOTE]
@manusboyle Men have been separated from the boys here

Heading into Croke Park with @Dirty Hands Walter[/USER] and [USER=80]@Young Ned of the Hill shortly so will have to do more updates later.

I have also decided to back no first half goals at 13/8 in the Holland and Mexico match given the heat. Reckon the Dutch will keep it tight and slow for the first 60 minutes

Meant to post this in the round of 16 thread. Cool as mustard:clap::pint:

Ah hear … I missed it… What are we on here, pal?