Teams I Plan to Root For:
Poland (my Dad spent time there on business)
Ecuador (I used to work with a DBA from Ecuador)
Germany (I spent two summers there - but only after they advance from Group A)
Anyone who plays against England (take a stand against hooligans)
Anyone who plays against Iran
United States
Anyone who plays against Brazil
Australia
Anyone who plays against France
Korea (the only person I know who'll attend games in person is Korean)
Ukraine (Julia's family is from Odessa)
Anyone who plays against Saudi Arabia
African countries in general (despite expecting them to lose)
Teams Julia Plans to Root For:
United States
When it comes to sports, Julia is a much better American than I am.
UPDATE: No need for me to root for Germany since so many locals will be. Re Nate, yes, my anti-Brazil sentiment is almost entirely rooting against the dominant power. (Note also that Germany is my first choice among the longterm WC superpowers.)
Oh, and my office roommate is from Italy (and I used to have a roommate roommate from Italy), so I should probably add them. (Hey, another reason to root against Brazil! Darn that Baggio...) Then again another office colleague claims Dutch heritage, yet I don't feel like going out of my way to cheer on The Netherlands.
Posted by Matt Bruce at June 7, 2006 04:15 PMI'll be rooting for, in order:
-United States
-South Korea
-Anyone from Africa
And against:
-Mexico
-England
-France
A close friend of mine in high school was born in Iran and rooted for Iranian soccer. It rubbed off on me enough that I'm not exactly a fan but I enjoy seeing them win.
Why the anti-Brazilness? Just rooting against the favorites?
Posted by: Nate at June 7, 2006 05:50 PMAfter the U.S., I'm going with Latin American teams, especially Mexico, mainly to cheer on the neighbors and annoy Tom Tancredo. I'm not sure if I can stomach adding Brazil to that. I'll also root for Poland.
Posted by: Brian Ulrich at June 7, 2006 07:39 PMWhy oh why oh why oh why oh why did the US have to be drawn in the same group as the Czech Republic, esp. when their contest (the opening game) is nearly a de facto elimination game (given that Italy not taking up one of the two spots would be a almost unprecendented)?
Otherwise, I'll root for mostly underdogs and Brazil. I am afraid that there is no way South Korea will be as good or as entertaining England, Germany, Italy would top my list of teams not to root for.
Posted by: Kubi at June 7, 2006 08:34 PMOh, and I'll root esp. hard for Trinidad & Tobago, given that the U.S. broke their hearts during the '90 qualifiers. Great to see them finally make it.
Posted by: Kubi at June 7, 2006 08:36 PMLiving a heavily Brazilian community, I would like the Brazilian team and fandom to dissolve as quickly and quietly as possible.
I don't have to watch the games to know when they win. It's the car horns from all directions at random times that tell me.
Posted by: M.S. at June 8, 2006 05:51 AMWait, you live in a largely Brazilian community and you *don't* want them to do well? I, for one, would love to be in such a situation for the Cup. (Then again, I'm moving to Vegas in four days, so maybe I'll find the excitement I'm looking for.)
Posted by: Nate at June 8, 2006 07:43 AMThere aren't too many hooligans in England anymore.
Posted by: Ted Stratton at June 8, 2006 07:50 AMKubi, France and Argentina failing to advance in '02 show anything possible. If the U.S. ties Italy, they've got a legit shot because I don't think it's a given they beat the Czechs.
But anyway,
1. U.S.
2. England (hooligans be damned)
----
3. Portugal (around here, it's more or less necessary at some level)
My family has always purposely never rooted for Ukrainian or Russian teams.
Posted by: Julia at June 8, 2006 12:25 PMFrance and Argentina failing to advance in '02 show anything possible
Maybe, but Italy usually waits a while to choke it away....
Posted by: Kubi at June 8, 2006 05:07 PMFor:
USA
Paraguay, because it's Paraguay, and I must.
England for the badger animation when they're not playing Paraguay.
Cote d'Ivoire, because I already have the flag.
Against:
Not much really, I have enough German ancestry I should root for them, but I won't. Maybe I'll get raged up against the Swiss, because this is the only time I'll get that opportunity for four years.
I'm rooting for:
The United States
England (only for the defeat to be more spectacular and thus, better fodder for comedy in the British press.)
Trinidad and Tobago (does any other country have a starting netminder who was an intern for NASA?)
I'm rooting against:
Really no one. I'd root against the French, but I mean 2002 really was a smackdown.