REALITY: This is not a 'you should watch soccer' or 'soccer will take over america' type post. This is just a moment where I get to look forward to a sport's spectacle that makes march madness look like a a playground pick-up game. I understand soccer is a niche sport in the US and that's fine. I just want to offer some thoughts/suggestions if you should choose to try a game on for size.
* The game is about momentum, energy. Consider it much like a game of risk. Do you bunker down in Australia, play it safe, only to hope the other attackers wear themselves thin and you have a chance for taking it at the end. Or, rather, do you try to conquer europe and show your power claiming the momentum that comes from the bonus armies you receive each round.
* U.S. has a very good squad (as evidenced form the last cup) but their chances of getting out of group (a 4 team round robin to start the tourny) are slim. They have the proverbial death group with Italy (world powerhouse smarting from a point shaving scandal) The Czech's who have one of the world's best Keepers (next to Italy's Buffin and U.S.'s Keller its a stacked group for GK). Finally the best African team is in the group. For the first time the US squad will play an offensive oriented game as their strength in is in their attack (and goalkeeping of course).
* Traditional powers reign. Again, you will see Brazil, England, Italy, Spain, France and host Germany in the final rounds.
Hope the Cup goes well and the ball bounces the US's way so they can get out of group (only to have to face brazil in the second round....gulp!)
FANTASY: I am playing fantasy World Cup but I don't have near the knowledge to compete. I'll keep you posted. My thoughts today have been around the NL only baseball league I play in. What do you do with Alfonso Soriano. Soriano is gold in the world of fantasy. He is putting up offensive numbers second only to Albert PUjols. Soriano, however, is second base eligible (note the difference between fantasy and reality). There are only 2 other second basemen that are even reliable fantasy hitters let alone the stud Alfonso is. However, Soriano is playing out a contract for a mediocre to bad baseball squad. There also happens to be a team that has a few pinstripes on their uniform in need of an extra outfielder.
You can not get value for Soriano in a NL only league. There is no trade that could be done. The only one would be Pujols and even with the injury that owner wouldn't pull the trigger. So do you take less than value for the corner of your franchise. Or risk waiting it out and losing him outright with a trade to the AL in a few weeks.
My vote. You ask for Jake Peavy, Pedro or Chris Carpenter and pull the trigger.
No comments:
Post a Comment