NFL Week Four Picks

Welcome to the third week of predictions for which I pick both a winner and the margin of victory. I count them separately, so if I picked Cincinnati over Pittsburgh by 10, and Cincinnati won by eight, I'm 1-0 picking the winner, 0-1 picking the score. Simple enough, right?

Before we get into the picks, I was watching Laguna Beach yesterday after reading Bill Simmons little rant about the sheer lack of personality of the male characters in the show. I mean, it's a new season, so it's funny to see the new characters, especially guys like Cameron -- a Jason impersonator -- try to act (yeah, I said act. So what, big deal, wanna fight about it?).

But I just wanted to mention the gradual increase in ridiculously hot female cast members since season one. The first season we had LC and Kristin. They battled for hot-girl supremacy. Then in season two, Kristin held the top spot easily, but Jessica, Alex H., Alex M. and even Taylor made some noise. And now in the third season, there's Tessa, Kyndra, Lexie and Breanna, with scores of other girls making cameos.

Sure, most of those girls pale in comparison to one or two of the ridiculously hot girls in the show. But think about it, if these girls went to your high school, they would easily be the hottest girl. I don't know about you, but that bothers me. I can't quite figure out why, but it does. Kind of like Regis Philbin -- no one really likes him, but we can't figure out why. Is it the annoying voice? The overexuberant chatter? Who knows. But he just isn't an enjoyable figure.

But more to the point, do they even go to school? Someone should look into this. Has anyone ever seen them doing homework or essays? Or even complaining about school work or getting into college? I want to know. And I want to know now. Someone call the creepy dude who always looks mad on Law and Order: Criminal Intent (I think his name is Vincent D'Onorfio -- don't count on it though).

Also, I highly recommend you go on Wikipedia and read the "Controversy" section at the end of the article. It has inside information on the reality of the show. Apparently Jason smashed Alex's head into a locker at school and that's why they broke up. How hilarious is that? I knew the kid was terrible, but not that bad. So check it out. Right after you research Mario Lopez and Jaleel White.

Anyway, I have NFL picks to make. This week just isn't quite there in terms of contests like last week, but we'll go with it.

Arizona at ATLANTA --The Falcons ran into the gauntlet Monday and had no chance of escaping. No way were the Saints going to lose their first game back at the Superdome. But the Falcons are still good, and with the controversy stewing already in Arizona, the cards are stacked against Kurt Warner and company (pun intended). Falcons by seven.

DALLAS at Tennessee -- In spite of all the T.O. business going on this week, something about which I don't think I should opine, the Cowboys will be ready to play after the bye week. Give Bill Parcells two weeks against a lowly team like the Titans, who are suffering the same problems as the Cardinals with a far less talented team, and the Cowboys are easy favorites. Dallas by 10.

INDIANAPOLIS at New York Jets -- This could be an interesting contest if the Jets play well. They've looked pretty decent so far. But the Colts are too good for me to pick against them. It'll either be a close one or a brutal beatdown, but I say Colts pull away in the end by eight.

MIAMI at Houston -- You won't see me picking this many road teams unless the host clubs are terrible. And this week, they are. Miami isn't better than Houston by more than a running back, but the fact that every analyst second-guesses any move made in Houston makes me question the confidence in the locker room. Dolphins by three.

MINNESOTA at Buffalo -- The Vikes should've won last week. The Bills should've won last week. The difference? The Vikings played the Bears; the Bills played the Jets. The Bears are a Super Bowl contender; the Jets are a snow ball's prayer of a wild card contender. Minnesota recharged its batteries when Brad Johnson took over last season and boating is now illegal in Minneapolis. Vikings by three.

New Orleans at CAROLINA -- The dream start to the Saints' season will end this weekend. Not that I'm ready to hop back on the Panthers bandwagon after they squeaked out a win over Tampa Bay, but just because the Saints will be in serious letdown mode after their inspirational performance Monday night. Carolina by seven.

SAN DIEGO at Baltimore -- This will be the first test of the season for both of these clubs. San Diego beat up on Oakland and Tennessee; Baltimore crushed Tampa Bay, Oakland and Cleveland. Call me crazy, but I like the Chargers on the road. It should be close, with a good offense meeting a good defense, so I'll say San Diego by two. Why? Because offense wins games (I know, I know, "But defense wins championships.").

San Francisco at KANSAS CITY -- The Chiefs have had two long weeks to lick their wounds after an 0-2 start under new coach Herm Edwards. If Brian Westbrook torched San Fran on the ground, then Larry Johnson will literally restart the gold rush against the 49ers. Even without Trent Green, the Chiefs should be the favorites. KC by six.

Detroit at ST. LOUIS -- The Rams are a tough team. Detroit can't buy a win. Rule #368 in picking winners of NFL games: Never pick a team that loses -- at home -- to the Packers. Rams by seven.

CLEVELAND at Oakland -- The Raiders are terrible. And so are the Browns. Cleveland by 10.

JACKSONVILLE at Washington -- The Jags will be hungry after their tough loss last weekend. There is no chance that Mark Brunell will repeat his performance from last week. Jacksonville by seven.

New England at CINCINNATI -- Both of these teams have yet to look good. But Cincy is more likely to get things going. Tom Brady is quietly furious and the Pats' offense couldn't look worse. Keep an eye out for Carson Palmer -- can he hold on to the football and keep his composure in the pocket? He played rather poorly against Pittsburgh last week and still won, but the Pats are a tougher opponent that will make Cincy pay for its mistakes. And yet, I still like the Bengals by six.

Seattle at CHICAGO -- What a fantastic match up. But on Sunday night, the Seahawks will be running that spread, four-receiver offense without much of a running game. Give the Bears only one thing to defend against and your offense is more doomed than trout swimming in a barrel in a grizzly's lair (what, bad joke?). Bears by four.

Green Bay at PHILADELPHIA -- In the worst Monday Night Football contest so far, the Eagles will feast on the Pack. D-Mac looks great so far and Donte' "Why the Apostrophe?" Stallworth is back this week. The Packers can't beat anyone on the road except for the Lions. Eagles by 13.

OK, so at this point, I'm 22-8 picking the winners of games and 14-16 picking the right margin of victory.

As always, tune in on Monday morning at 9 for the Water Cooler Conversation with Matt Bolks, Ken Lynch and me. Catch it streaming at www.wpts.org/live. And also keep an eye out for The Pitt News sports section, it always has good stuff from a great staff. Take 'er easy.

NFL Week Three Picks

I had a great first pick week after Week Two: 13-3 picking winners and losers, 11-5 covering my own spreads. Anyway, as usual, there's a plethora of exciting games this weekend. Let's git dahn to it (that's my typed Pittsburgh accent).

Tennessee at MIAMI -- I will keep picking Miami, and they will keep disappointing me. Basically for this game, it came down to which team was more likely to beat themselves. Dolphins by a touchdown (if they can score one).

Jacksonville at INDIANAPOLIS -- The game of the week in my opinion, although there's another one in Pittsburgh at the same time. Jacksonville's defense might be one of the few in the league capable of slowing down Peyton Manning. And they'll do that in Jacksonville. But the Colts are at home and home is where the heart is. Colts by three.

WASHINGTON at Houston -- Wow. Two of the first three games are awful. I feel weird, especially after saying how great the week was going to be. Anyway, I will pick against Houston every game and let them beat me once or twice. Same with Oakland. I can't wait to see how bad Mark Brunell is this week, but it won't be bad enough to lose to the lowly Texans. 'Skins by seven.

Green Bay at DETROIT -- Finally, an easy win for the Lions. Wait, what? Roy Williams, anyone? This continues the trend of terrible games at a 75% clip. Another team I'll pick against all year? The Packers. Detroit by six.

New York Jets at BUFFALO -- The Bills look like the surprise team in the AFC East -- surprise in a good way. At home against the Jets should be a game the Bills can win. Buffalo by three.

CAROLINA at Tampa Bay -- The Bucs just don't have it together. And with a gun pointed to my head, I'm calling the Panthers by four.

CINCINNATI at Pittsburgh -- The Bengals, along with the Chargers. are my favorites to make the AFC Title game. The Steelers aren't going to make the playoffs. The Bengals begin their quest to drive Pittsburgh into a summer-long depression with a 10-point win.

CHICAGO at Minnesota -- I keep picking teams on the road, but Chicago looks like a top tier team in the NFL. Defensively, they make plays. Offensively, they don't mess anything up. The Vikes are good, but da Bears are better. Chitown by seven.

BALTIMORE at Cleveland -- It doesn't get any easier for the Browns. Their first three games are against opponents with a combined 6-0 record. How fun. Baltimore will either win the AFC North or get a wild card bid to the playoffs. This game will be in their win column, Ravens by 10.

NEW YORK GIANTS at Seattle -- Remember last year's game? It won't happen this year, but it was quite the finish. This is where the we-lost-the-Super-Bowl-and-we-are-going-to-disappoint slump kicks in. Giants by six.

PHILADELPHIA at San Francisco -- I'm sorry, but the 49ers beating the Rams at home isn't going to convince me that they are a surprise team. Give me 10 weeks and a 7-5 record and maybe we'll talk. Iggles by seven.

St. Louis at ARIZONA -- The Cardinals will tough to compete with at home, and this game is going to be a great shootout. I like the Cardinals' receivers better, but I hope there are 65-70 points scored in this game. 'Zona by seven.

Denver at NEW ENGLAND -- Revenge. Denver stumbles into New England with 19 points scored in two games. Jake Plummer is already on the hot seat in Denver. The Pats haven't looked great so far, in fact, they've looked flat and relatively unorganized. But at home, against a lesser opponent, with a week with new receivers under his belt, Tom Brady will have his game together. Pats by 10.

Atlanta at NEW ORLEANS -- I think the Falcons are better than people thought they'd be, but on this emotional night, at this emotional stadium, with this emotional crowd, no way am I picking against the Saints. New Orleans 3-0?! REGGIE! REGGIE! REGGIE! Saints by three.

There you have it. I hope to continue my pick 'em streak.

Overall: 13-3 Against my spread: 11-5

NFL Week Two picks

After a long vacation from the blog, I've decided to try doing quick blurbs about each NFL game over the upcoming weekend and pick the winner. Let's have a go, shall we?

Buffalo at MIAMI -- The Bills put up a surprising performance against the Pats last weekend, nearly snatching a victory from the highly-touted Pats in Foxboro. But this weekend the Dolphins will be on a mission and I think last weekend was a fluke for Buffalo. They are still one of the five worst teams in the NFL. Dolphins by a touchdown.

Carolina at MINNESOTA -- I think the Panthers were cursed by the "This team is definitely going to the Super Bowl" chatter before the season even kicked off. The Vikings looked good AT Washington on Monday night, and I think they'll be just as good at home. Call it Vikings by three.

Cleveland at CINCINNATI -- Even though I liked Charlie Frye's performance for the Browns last weekend, everything else looked awful. The Bengals dominated Kansas City despite a mediocre performance statistic-wise by Carson Palmer. Cincinnati wins by two touchdowns.

Detroit at CHICAGO -- Did ya see Chicago's defense last week? Sure, it was against Brett "I still think I'm a gunslinger even though I should've retired in 2004" Favre, but the Bears suffocated them. Detroit struggled a bit on the offensive side of the ball, so they'll need to improve if they think they can even touch the Bears. They can't. Bears by 10.

Houston at INDIANAPOLIS -- Has there ever been a more unappealing game than this one? Houston is terrible and already regretting their drafting Mario Williams (who?) over Reggie Bush (Reggie! Reggie! Reggie!). The Colts will steamroll for points and win easily. Let's say Colts by 14.

NEW ORLEANS at Green Bay -- The Saints looked OK at Cleveland. Now put them at Lambeau against the worst QB in the NFL, and what do we have? Another Saints victory. 2-0! Reggie! Reggie! Reggie! OK, OK, Saints by a couple of field goals.

New York Giants at PHILLY -- I'm taking Philly at home. The Giants are good and they will win between 10-12 games, but playing in Philly is never easy -- especially when the Eagles are riding high. The Giants will beat Philly at Giants Stadium, but Philly beats the Giants at Lincoln Financial by three.

Oakland at BALTIMORE -- I am going to pick against Oakland every week and take the one or two wrong picks. Any team with Aaron Brooks as their quarterback is in trouble, but did you see them on Monday night? Worst team ever. And I mean ever. Meanwhile Baltimore was busy Sunday killing the Bucs at Tampa Bay. Call me crazy, but I think the Ravens will be even better at home. Baltimore by 24.

Tampa Bay at ATLANTA -- Did you see the Falcons' running game last week against the Panthers? It was dominant to say the least. I think the Bucs are in troublee and this week will prove so. Atlanta wins by a touchdown.

Arizona at SEATTLE -- I don't get why everyone thinks Arizona is some big sleeper team that will shock everyone and make the playoffs. Kurt Warner is not the second coming of Christ. And everytime a team is touted as a sleeper pick by everyone and their kid brother, they turn out disappointing. I'm taking Seattle at home (even with Deion Branch in jeans) by a touchdown.

ST. LOUIS at San Francisco -- The Rams looked good last week despite only scoring field goals. How crazy is that? The 49ers are in for another tough year. Call it a 10-point win for the Rams.

Kansas City at DENVER -- Let's see: You lose your franchise quarterback in the first week thanks to a blistering hit, then spend the whole week wondering how the hell you are going to win. Add your most bitter rival. Mix in some road trip. And what do you get? Denver wins by 10.

NEW ENGLAND at the New York Jets -- The Jets pumped out a decent performance last week before almost blowing the game. The Pats barely beat the Bills. But I fully expect the Pats to recover and win on the road against the weak Jets running game. Chad Pennington can't beat Belichick if Peyton Manning can't. Pats by three.

Tennessee at SAN DIEGO -- Duh. The Chargers might be my sleeper pick for Super Bowl Champs. We'll see. In the meantime, LT will run all over the Titans. Vince Young and Kerry Collins aren't going to win many games this early in the season. Chargers by two touchdowns.

Washington at DALLAS -- As much as I want to take the Redskins in this game, I gotta go with the home team. I hate picking anything that involves my trusting of Drew Bledsoe or T.O., but at home I think they can take care of business. Let's see how the Redskins bounce back after a tough loss Monday night. 'Boys by three.

Pittsburgh at JACKSONVILLE -- Remember when these guys played two years ago? It was incredible. It was physical, smash-mouth, take-no-prisoners football. But the Jaguars are good, and they're at home. Jags by three.

That's it for this week. If you get a chance, check out www.pittsburghpanthers.com and look over Pitt basketball's schedule, you will shout for joy. Also, check out www.pittnews.com for great sports coverage of Pitt sports. Take 'er easy.

World Cup Final Preview

Well, tomorrow's kick-off will be the last of a great World Cup. Card-showing records aside, this has been a memorable Cup for so many reasons. After I preview the Championship game, I will give some awards for different feats. Anyway, let's break down tomorrow's matchup.

Italy will start a lineup that shapes out like this:

Buffon (GK)

Cannavaro (centerback) Materazzi (centerback)
Zambrotta (rightback) Grosso (leftback)

Gattuso (defensive/holding midfield) Pirlo (holding midfield)

Camoranesi (right attacking midfield) Perrotta (left attacking midfield)

Totti (attacking/free role midfield)

Toni (lone striker)


And the French will put out the same exact formation, looking like this:

Barthez (GK)

Thuram (centerback) Gallas (centerback)
Sagnol (right wingback) Abidal (left wingback)

Vieira (holding midfield) Makelele (holding midfield)

Ribery (right attacking midfield) Malouda (left attacking midfield)

Zidane (central attacking midfield)

Henry (lone striker)

These teams are very similar in their styles, with both preferring possession and free-flowing soccer. They will provide us with an exciting final in that there will be no shortage of action and attacking.

For Italy, their strengths begin with fantastic goalkeeping. Gianliugi Buffon has allowed one goal the entire tournament -- an own goal against the Americans -- and has solidified his spot atop the heap of goalkeepers in the world. The Italian defense is equally incredible, using depth, awareness, organization and great decision-making to provide an impenetrable wall in front of Buffon. Centerback Fabio Cannavaro is my Player of the Tournament, which we'll get to later on.

In attacking, Italy possesses loads of talent. From the overlapping wingbacks, dangerous attacking midfielders and free-rolling Francesco Totti to the captivating striker Luca Toni, they have a chance to score everytime they possess the ball. The key in this match will be getting Zambrotta and Grosso up the flanks, overlapping with Perrotta and Camoranesi, delivering service into the box and wreaking havoc on the French defense.

But Italy can be beaten, provided the French attack floods the box with players and pecks away at the iron wall that is the Italian defense. If the French score early or first, the Italians might be in trouble, as they haven't played from behind yet in this tournament and may be forced to take on a different style that exposes their defense if they over-attack.

For France, the strengths are as plentiful and, in fact, very similar. The only difference is really in their goalkeeping. Fabien Barthez frightens me as a goalkeeper. Sure, he's played well enough to allow just two goals in the entire tournament, but he has had lapses for which the Italians, more so than any other French opponent so far, will punish him. But if he is playing well, good luck scoring against France's balanced defense. Thuram and Gallas really hold down the back, with defensive midfielders Vieira and Makelele making attack out of the midfield virtually impossible.

The midfield plays a great, free-flowing form, letting Ribery, Malouda and Zidane run freely to any spot on the pitch. Ribery can be spotted on the right, in the middle or even off to the left throughout the course of the game. Malouda will usually stick to the left, but drift into the middle when Abidal comes up the flank from the wingback position. Sagnol attacks well from the right, overlapping with Ribery and Zidane while providing top-notch service to world-class striker Thierry Henry.

The French really struggle when Henry doesn't receive much service or any help up front. They've been a lot better with their helping Henry of late, allowing them to make this heroic run to the final. But they can be exposed by their risky goalkeeping, so look for Italy to challenge Barthez early and often from distance.

Matchups to watch for:

Pirlo and Gattuso enforcing the center of the pitch against Zidane and Ribery. They will need to nullify Zidane and shut him down if they want to prevent him from starting trouble. They shut down Michael Essien, Landon Donovan, Michael Ballack, Sergiy Rebrov and others throughout the Cup, but this matchup is the toughest of them all.

Cannavaro marking Henry will be one of the best matchups of the entire tournament. Cannavaro has marked Miroslav Klose, Lukas Podolski, Andriy Shevchenko and Mark Viduka in the knockout stages, nullifying all of them while anchoring a fantastic defense.

Thuram and Gallas marking Luca Toni will be critical for France. Toni is dangerous in the air and on the floor, so they will have to be at their best. These two shut down Ronaldo, Pauleta, Fernando Torres and Sebastian Frei, so they have proven their worth in this Cup.

Makelele and Vieira against Francesco Totti is alarmingly similar to Pirlo and Gattuso marking Zidane. Totti is a world-class talent with skills identical to Zidane. He hurt his reputation after spitting on a Danish player in the Euro 2004 tournament, but still has the highest level of ability in the world. But Makelele is the best defensive midfielder in the world, making him more than capable of marking Totti. And with the help of world-class Vieira, the French defensive midfield should be hard to beat.

The French are riding a great run by aging stars Zidane, Thuram, Makelele and Vieira, hoping to make one last splash before they ride off into the sunset. After a scoreless, embarrassing 2002 World Cup, they are searching for the ultimate redemption.

The Italians are playing for former teammate and Italian soccer celebrity Gianluca Pessotto, who is in critical condition in a Turin, Italy hospital. They are also seeking revenge after losing the Euro 2000 final to the French. The Italians are battling a major betting and match-fixing scandal back home, making their run to the final a breath of fresh air for many Italian soccer supporters.

I like the French in this match, if only because it's the romantic choice. They have the story of Zidane riding off as a legend, etc. But I think the match will go to penalties, and the Italians just don't have the luck or the experienced players to win a penalty shootout on this stage.

France wins in penalties after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.

THE JEFF GREER WORLD CUP 2006 AWARDS

Best Player-- Fabio Cannavaro: Central defender for Italy led the best defense in the Cup, all while playing without his partner in crime, Alessandro Nesta.

Best Young Player-- Robin Van Persie: Attacking midfielder for Holland made a serious case for some new money after igniting the Dutch attack in the group stages. His free-kick goal against the Ivory Coast was one of the goals of the tournament.

All-Cup Team:
GK Gianliugi Buffon (Italy)
D Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
D Lilian Thuram (France)
D Fabio Grosso (Italy)
D Philip Lahm (Germany)
M Zinedine Zidane (France)
M Andrea Pirlo (Italy)
M Robin Van Persie (Holland)
M Steven Gerrard (England)
M Franck Ribery (France)
F Miroslav Klose (Germany)

La Copa Mundial: Knockout Stages!

Sixteen teams. Knockout stage: Win or go home. Ninety minutes. If scoreless, 30 more minutes. If still tied, five penalty shots each, winner takes all.

Two teams. Two goals. One ball. One chance. This is it.

Eight matches occupy the computer screen. It's time to break down the 16 teams, their matchups and their chances.

First things first:

June 24 -- Kickoff 11 a.m. EST
Germany vs. Sweden
This match will be free-flowing and exciting. Both teams showed their preference to push the envelope, attacking the majority of the game while putting constant pressure defensively on their opponents. Both teams like to stiffle counterattacks in their opponents' half of the field; in other words, they will try to force their game on the other team, maintaining possession and a consistent potency.

If we break down each team statistically, this match's prediction would be easy to figure out: Germany won all three of their Group Stage matches; Sweden was just 1-0-2. Germany scored eight goals while conceding just two. In fact, they shut out their last two opponents. Sweden scored a meager three goals after tallying 30 goals in 10 matches in qualifying. The Swedes allowed two goals.

Players to Watch: Whenever Germany plays, it's always Klose and Ballack. For Sweden, see if Ibrahimovic has any impact in his return. Also, watch Larsson and Ljungberg.

Styles of Play: Germany -- Possession with great technical skill; attacking; height and power in attack as well as defense; attacks come from wings or up the middle, they are quite potent.
Sweden -- Possession team with flair and excitable speed; lots of fancy movement, runs and passing; attacking at all times; speed and skill are main attributes of Swedes.

Germany wins this game, 2-1. What gave it away? Germany will be at home, in extremely hot weather and they are on fire, figuratively of course.

June 24 -- Kickoff 3 p.m. EST
Argentina vs. Mexico
This match, on the cover, appears to be a formidable one -- pitting two quality Latin teams against each other on the world's biggest stage.

But Mexico has played very poorly in this World Cup, exposing their bloated world ranking. They barely made the second round in a group that featured two 99-percent-positive-they-should-walk-through-this-game-and-win type matches against Angola and Iran.

It's hard to really gauge Argentina after they played two odd matches. Against Serbia & Montenegro, S & M just gave up. Argentina had a training match and a field day against them. So that wasn't really a challenge. The Holland match featured two teams already in the next round, cautiously playing for first place in the group.

Players to Watch: Juan Roman Riquelme and Javior Saviola for Argentina. For Mexico, Rafael Marquez and Raul Bravo.

Styles of Play: Argentina -- Possession with flair, determination and persistent attacking; lots of diagonal runs into space, good through balls, plenty of goals from passes on the ground; tons of individual, on-ball skill; lots of dribbling; smart defending.
Mexico -- Long ball attacks; quick counterattacks; height on free kicks and corners; good running ability, plenty of stamina; comfortable knocking the ball around midfield to control game's pace; great defending.

Argentina wins 2-0. What gave it away? The Mexicans just haven't played very well at the World Cup and Argentina is more explosive than ever. They will possess the ball and assault the Mexican defense.

June 25 -- Kickoff 11 a.m. EST
England vs. Ecuador
England will have Wayne Rooney playing full tilt, without Michael Owen competing for the title of "The Man." David Beckham expressed his frustration over his performance in the Sweden match and should show up guns ablaze in this match.

Ecuador sat their two on-fire strikers and will be looking to rectify their surprise image after their 3-0 destruction by the Germans. This might be a better match than people think.

Players to Watch: Of course Wayne Rooney, but also Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard in the midfield. For Ecuador, Carlos Tenorio and Agustin Delgado.

Styles of Play: England -- Possession with technical preference; strong midfield, probably the best at the World Cup; solid in defense; mixture of service passing, lofting long, high balls or short passes into the box.
Ecuador -- Attacking style with over-the-top balls to their dynamic forwards; shaky in defense; great speed; can score from the air or from the ground; lots of flair and creativity in attack.

England wins 2-1. What gave it away? England has a strong midfield and a better defense than any of Ecuador's opponents in the first round. Rooney should get a goal in this match.

June 25 -- Kickoff 3 p.m. EST
Portugal vs. Holland
Portugal hasn't played any good teams yet, and they don't have the defense to deal with Holland's three-headed monster of Robben, Van Nistelrooy and Van Persie.

Holland looked great the whole Group Stage, playing poorly only for about 20 minutes in the Ivory Coast match (remember, at the end when Ivory Coast pounded the Dutch to no avail?).

Players to Watch: The wingers for Holland: Robben and Van Persie. Cristiano Ronaldo and Simao for Portugal.

Holland in penalties. What gave it away? This will be a good match. But Holland looked better in the first round, even though the Portuguese were two points better. In penalties, I like Edwin van Der Sar over Ricardo.

So, to recap: Germany over Sweden 2-1, Argentina over Mexico 2-0, England over Ecuador 2-0 and Holland over Portugal in penalties. The rest of the previews will come Sunday.

La Copa Mundial: Owen Injury a Blessing in Disguise

England striker Michael Owen tore his anterior cruciate ligament, or as sports fans more knowingly refer to it, his ACL. Just minutes into England's third and final Group Stage match, Owen lost his footing under his cleat, slid awkwardly and buckled his knee. Sure, it looked painful, but it might actually be a blessing for the English.

Owen will probably be out for six months, effectively missing the English Premiership's opening month or two at the least, but more likely missing all action until 2007. Now, Owen's injury is just a new development on a string of bad ones since Dec. 2005. I feel bad for the guy -- he's a competitor, works hard and never complains.

But Owen looked uncomfortable in the first two matches against Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago, respectively. He didn't have his usual pace, quickness or great first touch. At times, Owen drifted out of the match, completely disappearing at critical moments. Owen wouldn't want to be seen as a drifter, a guy who lacks that competitive flame, so maybe this injury will help him more than hurt him, at least figuratively.

At just 18, Owen stepped onto the global stage at World Cup '98, dazzling supporters with his lightning-quick speed and blistering shots. He even scored the goal of the World Cup in England's loss to Argentina, collecting a clearance at midfield, dribbling through several Argentine defenders and finishing with beauty and grace -- a classic Owen goal.

Four years ago at World Cup '02, Owen scored a magnificent goal against Brazil before his teammates wilted under the hot heat of the Japanese sun. The goal came one year after he won the European Footballer of the Year award for the 2000-2001 season, making Owen the first Englishman to win the award in 20 years.

In total, the striker collected 80 caps for England after starting Tuesday's game. In those appearances, he scored 36 times. He is a legend and a staple of English soccer.

And that's where it gets complicated.

Owen assumes the striker slot remains open for him until he retires from international play. He deserves that respect, being the only English player to ever play in three World Cups for England.

But there comes a time when respect loses meaning, and results -- or in this case, a new wonderboy -- take the spotlight. Again, Owen is hurt now, was hurt before the World Cup and looked quite sluggish in the first two matches.

In other terms, Michael Owen became a liability, a problem. He became the awkward, 5th-year senior at the party. The guy everyone used to love but slowly lost his status as "The Guy Everyone Likes" because he tried to force too many good times.

He brought England's scoring chances down a little bit with every gimpy run, with every frustrating touch. He just wasn't the Michael Owen that earned every ounce of respect the world held for him.

It's sad when stars and legends struggle. Even worse, Owen is just 26. He looked 36 at World Cup '06 in Germany. And now with the new knee injury, his promising career might be in jeopardy.

Owen will never stop fighting to return to international soccer. But for this World Cup, he will watch with frustration, disappointment and agony.

England might be better off. Now Wayne Rooney is alone in the spotlight. And the English are ready for a new wonderkid.

La Copa Mundial: Day 10

Approaching the final three games of Matchday 2, the Round of 16 gained a new member, while one more team all but solidified their chances of moving through as well. It was a great day of exciting soccer, so why don't we talk about the games?

Croatia missed a HUGE chance to get some critical points, tying Japan 0-0. It was a good match with plenty of excitement, but both teams needed the three points. Japan is practically finished, needing to win their final match. Unfortunately, that match is against Brazil. Croatia, on the other hand, has to play well and beat the Australians to advance. We'll see how that all goes.

Brazil beat Australia in a great match, plotting skill and flair against physicality and toughness. Brazil won 2-0, but Australia made a major case for my Surprise Team of the Tournament after their gritty effort. They showed a way to challenge Brazil, using their strength and a little bit of rough play to keep Brazil at bay for most of the match. The Aussies had a few chances to equalize, including Harry Kewell's heartbreaking miss that cost them the game. But don't fear, the Aussies are still in great position. The team they must focus on as their main contention for that second place spot is Croatia, the team they play on Thursday. So everything comes down to that match.

--This is how Group F breaks down:

Brazil is in and has won the group, with two wins and six points.

Australia goes through if they beat Croatia, simple as that. Croatia must beat Australia and hope that Japan either loses, ties or wins by just a goal against Brazil. Japan needs to beat Brazil by at least two goals and hope Croatia only wins by a goal -- if they beat Australia.

In my opinion, the Aussies and Croats will tie and Brazil will beat Japan. Therefore, Australia will move through with four points.

France fell apart in the final 15-20 minutes of their match with South Korea, exposing their lack of team unity. True, the French were robbed of a goal in the first half when South Korea goalkeeper Woon-Jae Lee stopped a shot that clearly passed completely over the goal-line. In other words, the save meant nothing and the French should've gone up 2-0. Instead, the save was validated and the South Koreans came back with a late goal after a flurry of attacks on the French back line. It was a gritty South Korean effort and it should pay off. Now, the French are in trouble, as the Swiss take on a dilapidated Togolese side tomorrow morning with a chance to grab four points after two matches.

Group G is interesting right now:

South Korea has four points at 1-0-1. France has drawn twice, holding a 0-0-2 record and two points. The Swiss have a golden opportunity, as I said before, to get three points against Togo. If they do, they will be 1-0-1. Togo is 0-1-0 and they only need a point to stay in contention for second place. But France gets Togo in their final match while the Swiss and Koreans play each other on the same day. That means that France can still get in easily with a win over the Togolese and a victory for either Switzerland or South Korea in that final match.

Teams that are in so far:

Ecuador, Germany, England, Argentina, Holland, Portugal and Brazil. South Korea, Sweden, Mexico and Australia are in great positions to qualify while Trinidad & Tobago, Angola, the Czech Republic, Ghana, the U.S., Japan, Croatia and France all hold a chance to get in. Stay tuned for more updates on the daily!