I think we jinxed them.

So, Germany's U-17s have to be the favorites right? They've been unfailingly dominant in the almost 2.5 matches of theirs I've seen.

Same could be said for Camaronesi. They were both out of control, though De Jong was probably worse.

Impressive performance from Rochester in the first half, when they notched both of their goals. Energy let down in the 2nd half, but Dayton couldn't capitalize. I'm hoping with another win, an MLS side might travel to Upstate NY.

Barry playing for England is a great sign for the Three Lions, and he makes an ideal candidate to sub out if they get a lead. And as TimN said, he puts the midfield back to their more comfortable spot. To my knowledge Capello didn't cite illness / injury as a factor in pulling Milner, just that he didn't want him to pick up another card trying to deal with Cherundolo? Correct me if I'm wrong here. As for Cahill, I hope the suspension is shortened. Seeing him that decimated after the red after the game (for a questionable red at that) really made me think he deserved to end his World Cup career better than that. And Serbia will probably be out of it by then anyway (assuming they lose to Germany), so it won't have a bearing on the group. I don't see a reason why he shouldn't be granted leniency here.

There's something to be said for quality players from winning traditions coming to the MLS to finish their careers. He has shown he's far from done, and if he can impart some of his wisdom on the young players in Seattle, good for them. The MLS is not a premier league, and I don't hear anyone arguing that it is. But having quality players like this come in and improve the quality of play while passing on good habits to younger, impressionable players can only be good. And don't forget, Seattle is in the Concacaf Champions League, where his experience will be even more valuable.

There's a lot of things that MLS players aren't as good at as Bundesliga players :)

Elia looks like he'll be a great weapon for the Dutch side as a 2nd half sub for one of the big attacking names. His skill and speed really added a spark to an already exciting offense. I wasn't sure that the Dutch defense would be able to hold up (and I'm still not, I guess), but now I'm less convinced that it will matter. Spain isn't rock solid at the back either, but it's so hard to get the ball off them that it doesn't matter. If Nigel De Jong doesn't get a red at some point in this tournament I'll be stunned. He and Camoranesi both deserved about 4 yellows each today.

And, like it or not, the ball is affecting play. It's not "bad," but it's more lively and takes some getting used to. The Germans used it in the Bundesliga after the winter break, and I don't think it's coincidence that they've looked the best thus far. And as the others have said, we still haven't seen some of the more technically proficient teams yet.

Agreed completely. The South Koreans problems have always been offense and set piece defense. They have the skill in attack now, but there's not much they're going to do on set pieces against teams like Greece. As long as they don't give up a weak goal to the Greeks and can take 3 there, I like them against Nigeria.

I don't think Huntelaar will make his mark in Italy, but I like the guts in not leaving for another league after one bad year. The additions of he and Joe Cole would make Tottenham a very interesting team next year, especially given how weak (in comparison to recent years) the top of the EPL was this year.

Who else on Portugal scares you now, other than Ronaldo? There are other good players, but Nani and Ronaldo were the two sharp, incisive players that create for others. Now it's just Ronaldo, and he didn't do much during qualifying. They were poised to take advantage of the Drogba injury just a few days ago, and now things have changed. A loss in that one (I know, not at all a given) would end their chances early.

Minnesota didn't really attack on the counter, so much as send 3-4 guys forward and take the first open shot inside 40 yards. That Rochester couldn't score was just sad; Lilley said after the game that the Rhinos bored him. He wasn't alone.

Vancouver makes a great addition to the MLS, as does Montreal. Expanding into a fervent Canadian market makes a lot of sense, especially when the organizations are as established and well run as those two are. Now, St. Louis on the other hand...

The subscription channels are in the 700s (NBA League Pass, MLB Extra Innings, etc.).

Keita didn't score, but hit the post twice in the last 20 minutes and looked dangerous. He and Pore are going to be fun to watch.