REVIEW - World Cup Predictions from US TV

Football, er, Soccer coverage here in the USA is how I imagine bullfighting coverage in Finland.

That's somewhat of a disservice to ESPN, Fox Soccer Channel et al, because now there is a lot more time devoted to the "beautiful game" than there was 12 years ago when I moved to California from England.

But it still grates when I hear American announcers refer to it as the "Prem" league, or say "offsides" instead of "offside" or show ANY Manchester United game (but that last bit is a personal peeve, as a proud member of EBMU - Everyone But Manchester United).

Anyhow, here's what US TV is saying about the draw progression:

Top 2 teams (in red) to qualify:

Group A

1. Uruguay

2. France

3. Mexico
4. South Africa

Group B

1. Argentina

2. South Korea
3. Nigeria
4. Greece

Group C

1. England (on goal difference)

2. USA

3. Algeria
4. Slovenia

Group D

1. Germany

2. Ghana

3. Serbia
4. Australia

Group E

1. Netherlands

2. Denmark

3. Japan
4. Cameroon

Group F

1. Italy

2. Paraguay

3. Slovakia
4. New Zealand

Group G

1. Brazil

2. Ivory Coast

3. Portugal
4. Democratic People's Republic (yeah, right) of North Korea

Group H

1. Spain

2. Chile

3. Switzerland
4. Honduras

Again, team in red to qualify:

Round of 16
1. Urguay vs South Korea
2. Argentina vs France
3. England vs Ghana
4. Germany vs United States
5. Netherlands vs Paraguay
6. Italy vs Denmark
7. Brazil vs Chile
8. Spain vs Ivory Coast

Quarter Finals
1. Urugay vs England (ex Liverpool and England player Steve McManaman was on the panel, and disagreed vociferously with this American prediction)
2. Netherlands vs Brazil
3. Argentina vs Germany
4. Italy vs Spain

Semi-finals
1. Uruguay vs Brazil
2. Germany vs Spain

Final
Brazil vs Spain

We shall see, or attempt to (seeing as most games are live at 3am here on the West Coast).