The Red White and Blues Brothers' Guide to the 2*14 W*rld Cup

THE RED WHITE & BLUES BROTHERS’

by Danny Donuts Raudonis & Rodney ‘Chip’ Daly

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Lexographic Press

* A humorous and informative, essential can’t-live-without-it manual to this World Cup Footsoccer thing.

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ALL THE TEAMS ALL THE GAMES ALL THE RULES ALL THE SHIRTS ALL THE VENUES ALL THE STARS ALL THE BALLS drama

THE RED, WHITE & BLUES BROTHERS’ GUIDE TO THE 2014 WORLD CUP DANIEL RAUDONIS & RODNEY DALY

Lexographic Press 1555 N Astor St, 15NE Chicago, Illinois 60610, US © 2014 by Daniel Raudonis & Rodney Daly. All Rights Reserved ISBN: 978-0-9847142-3-0 Cover design and production: James Sparling, Lexographic Text design and production: Lexographic, London Printed in the United States of America Chip and Danny cartoons: Daniel Raudonis

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We give a big thanks to James Sparling, U.S. Soccer, the people of Brazil, Indiana and members of The P.E.A.C.E. PARTY. Additionally, Danny thanks: my wife Barb and my parents “Coach” Bob and Jean Raudonis. Chip thanks: all my friends and family who support soccer in general as well as Pelé for his early inspiration, Landon for his exciting representation of U.S. Soccer and all of my former teammates for their supporting roles in my soccer development.

WELCOME TO THE RED, WHITE & BLUES BROTHERS’

Guide To Brazil

2014 [ed: just in case you’ve picked this up by mistake, this is not Fodor’s]

Note from your doctor. Fill in the blanks and make a copy to give to your boss.

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Dr. Gedda Hoffmibach, M.D eases Dis s iou tag Con Center For 442 te Sui ghoff@cfcd.org June 11, 2014 ___

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orm you that This letter intends to inf cted a rare and _______________ has contra known as Jules e eas highly contagious dis the heart, the cts affe JRS Rimet Syndrome. nervous system. circulatory system and the that _________ ers ord ict It is under my str rest for 4-6 weeks must be on mandatory bed k at all. Also, and will be unable to wor ting, working mmu eco tel there can be no ls or webinars. from home, conference cal detrimental the of Furthermore, because worry, it is and ess str ed effects from add tinue to con ts important that JRS patien are cases re The . ary sal receive their full g the prescribed where patients undergoin plete recovery in treatment have made a com th. mon as little as a

Sincerely, .

Dr. Gedda Hoffmibach, M.D 2

FIRST THINGS FIRST

WHAT’S INSIDE FIRST THINGS FIRST 1: THE GUIDE TO THE GUIDE ........................................................................

2: READY TO START .....................................................................................

3: GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD CUP POP QUIZ ................................

4: THE START OF YOUR SOCCER SEASON .......................................................

THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT? 5: SO WHAT IS THIS WORLD CUP THING ALL ABOUT ANYWAY? .......................

6: AMERICAN SPORTS COMPARED TO SOCCER ..............................................

7: AN EXPLANATION OF THE OFFSIDE RULE .................................................

8: CHIP AND DANNY EXPLAIN FOULS AND FREE KICKS ..................................

9: SO, THIS ‘PITCH’ THING. .........................................................................

10: ‘WHAT JUST HAPPENED?’ .....................................................................

11: WORLD CUP HISTORY (SO THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE?) .....................

12: SO WHAT DID HAPPEN LAST TIME? 2010 WORLD CUP RECAP ..................

13: HOW DID WE GET HERE? WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION .............................

4 4 6 8

12 14 18 21 23 25 29 31 34

THE 2014 TOURNAMENT 14: WORLD CUP STADIUMS ......................................................................... 37 THE TEAMS ............................................................................................... 41 THE WORLD CUP POOL ............................................................................... 59 THE COMPLETE ESSENTIAL DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE ............................................. 61 USEFUL END BITS 15: HOW TO CARRY ON A WORLD CUP CONVERSATION DOWN THE PUB .......... 79 16: THE RED WHITE AND BLUES BROTHERS’ GUIDE TO FANDEMONIUM .......... 83 17: THE RED WHITE AND BLUES BROTHERS’ P.E.A.C.E. PARTY! ...................... 86 GLOSSARY –WHAT STUFF MEANS THE RED WHITE AND BLUES BROTHERS’ GLOSSARY ...................................... 89

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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SECTION 1

THE GUIDE TO THE GUIDE Chip writes in red Danny writes in blue We cheer for the US And you better too!

Actually, we’re cool with fans from around the globe reading our guide to the World Cup. It’s one world, one game and one big international party! Oh, hey, it looks like we’re ready to start...

SECTION 2

READY TO START

I’m Danny

and I’m Chip

and we’re the Red, White and Blues Brothers CHIP: Hello! Is this thing on? Hello?

DANNY: Um Chip, we’re writing a book… they can’t hear us.

CHIP: [ed: you get the hang of this color thing? I’m leaving out the names from now on.] Well I was just checking. I thought it might be one of 4

FIRST THINGS FIRST

those audio books that the visually impaired might be listening to when they’re driving.

Do you see any microphones around here? We’re not recording an audio book! And let’s hope no one is reading this while they’re behind the wheel.

Yeah, don’t read and drive… except for road signs and stuff.

Can we start over? We need to introduce ourselves to the readers and hopefully we can convince them that we have some credibility to write a book about The World Cup. [ed: On behalf of Lexographic Press, I would like to apologize for letting this book get published. I don’t want to give out my name because I would like to continue working in this industry but I’m the editor and I’m from the UK. The only saving grace is that as editor I get the last word.]

SECTION 2A

READY TO START (REALLY) Oh, we’re experts on the World Cup… We’re Americans! [ed: sigh] Thanks for bringing that up. I think it’s an issue we need to discuss and now is as good as any. Yes, we’re Americans and yes, American soccer fans do exist and we’re just as passionate as soccer fans from around the world.

Yeah, a lot of people think that Americans don’t know anything about soccer but that’s not true. There are just not as many of us.

And we also realize that a lot of Americans don’t know as much about the World Cup as some of the other folks at the bar, so that’s why we’re here.

The Red, White and Blues Brothers to the rescue!

So stick with us and we’ll have you knowing what’s going on in no time. And we’ll keep it fun and entertaining along the way.

Speaking of fun… Guess what time it is? It’s POP QUIZ time!

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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Yeah, we thought it would be a good idea if we started with a quiz to see how much you already know about The World Cup. And once we grade your quizzes, we’ll know how much we have to explain to get you caught up with the rest of the class…

Um Chip, they won’t see this quiz until after the book is already finished.

Oh yeah.

Ok folks, get out your pencils. Answer these questions to the best of your knowledge. It will be fun to see how many of these basic questions you answer correctly.

SECTION 3

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD CUP POP QUIZ 1. Your place of Birth (circle one) a. USA b. other 2. The FIFA World Cup is a(n)________________ tournament. a. American Football b. Sailing c. Soccer d. Rugby 3. The 2014 World Cup takes place in a. USA b. Mexico c. Spain d. Brazil 4. USA has won the World Cup a. 5 times b. 4 times c. once d. never 5. Brazil has won the World Cup a. 5 times b. 4 times c. once d. never 6. The national language of Brazil is a. Brazilian b. Portuguese c. Spanish d. French 6

FIRST THINGS FIRST

7. The length of the tournament is a. 1 weekend b. 1 week c. 1 month d. 1 day 8. Which star player plays for the USA National team? a. David Beckham b. Lionel Messi c. Pelé d. Tim Howard 9. How many points are awarded for a goal? a. 1 b. 2 c. 6 d. 7 10. The 2010 World Cup was won by a. The LA Galaxy b. Brazil c. Spain d. South Africa 11. The original name of the World Cup trophy was a. The Lord Stanley Cup b. The Jules Rimet Trophy c. The Winona Ryder Cup d. The Vince Lombardi Trophy 12. The World Cup Tournament is for a. club teams in the English Premier League b. club teams from around the world c. national teams d. Olympic teams

SCORING 10-13 POINTS: Congrats! We recognize you as an informed soccer star! Note: we said INFORMED, not UNIFORMED! Don’t get too cocky there, hotshot! We still encourage you to carry this book with you at all times!

6-9 POINTS: You’re well on your way to being a World Cup expert but be sure to read Section 14, p79 before carrying on conversations at the pub.

3-5 POINTS: Boy, we’re glad you have this book! Be sure to read it from cover to cover… twice.

-2 to +2 points: We love a good challenge and it looks like you’re going to be our summer project. But do not fear, we’ll shape you up and have you loving the beautiful game in about 90 minutes (plus five minutes of injury time). [ed: lord save us, just no one mention cricket]

2. c; 3. d; 4. d; 5. a; 6. b; 7. c; 8. d; 9. a; 10. c; 11. b; 12. c 1. if you answered a. subtract 1 point. If you answered b. give yourself 2 bonus points ANSWERS: (score 1 point for each correct answer except for question 1).

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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SECTION 4

THE START OF YOUR SOCCER SEASON Well now that you have an idea of your initial World Cup knowledge, we can get you fitted into your training kit (uniform) and we’ll get you out on the practice field for wind sprints. Just kidding, but we can look at this as the start of your soccer season. As coaches, we hoped you worked hard training in the off-season and you’re reporting to training camp in tip-top shape. However, after seeing some of your test scores, it looks like it’s going to be a long season! Don’t worry though, there’s plenty of room for all of you on our team. We’re not going to be like those coaches who try to talk you into joining another activity. “Well Jimmy, we think you might be better suited to compete on the chess team.”

We are HUGE USA fans and nothing would make us go more mental than a 2014 World Cup championship! We also realize that America is a melting pot and we have passionate soccer supporters from every nation. This is what makes watching World Cup games in America a spectacle in itself. If you’re not living in an urban area, consider taking a weekend trip to the nearest big city and watching some games at a local soccer pub. Fans from around the world will be there wearing their national team jersey and their supporter scarf. It’s common to have fans cheering for both sides, even at the USA games. In our experiences, fans usually respect supporters from the opposing side. Before and after the game it is common for them to even party together. But for 90 minutes when the game is being played, the fans will seldom even acknowledge each other.

The Red, White and Blues Brothers will ALWAYS respect fans from all the nations. We may not always agree with your behavior and display of passion, especially if it harms, degrades or insults another human being, but if we can promote fair play and respect for each other, we can truly celebrate the international language of our sport. We look forward to partying together and learning from each other. So, whatever country you support in the World Cup, we invite you to join us in creating world peace through soccer. You can even join our P.E.A.C.E. Party! Details are in on page 86 and on our website, www.uspeaceparty.us 8

FIRST THINGS FIRST

The TheRed, RedWhite Whiteand andBlues BluesBrothers BrothersKey KeyStats Stats Name: Danny Place of Birth: Illinois, USA Favorite team as a child: Chicago Sting (NASL: North America Soccer League) Favorite current club team: Chicago Fire (MLS) Favorite possession to bring to games: drum Name: Chip Place of Birth: Ohio, USA Favorite team as a child: New York Cosmos (NASL- North America Soccer League) Favorite current club team: Columbus Crew (MLS) Favorite possession to bring to games: camera

After you get past despising fans from other countries, there’s an even bigger mountain to climb… being able to drop all grudges you have for your fellow national team supporter. Most passionate soccer fans can’t get enough of the sport. We cheer for the national team, but we have our club teams and the teams we follow religiously in other professional leagues from around the world. For instance, here in America, our top-tiered professional league is Major League Soccer (MLS). Danny supports the Chicago Fire and Chip, being from Ohio supports the Columbus Crew. Fans from both teams don’t really care for each other, yet many of us join forces and cheer for the UNITED States of America. I imagine this is an even bigger challenge in other countries where supporting your club team is ingrained in you by your parents while you are still in the womb. In America, we have several national sports like baseball, football and basketball but in many of these other countries, there is only one sport and they are a part of the landscape 12 months of the year.

So what we’re really trying to say is if you can get along well with fans from other countries and also your fellow countrymen, you have a good foundation to becoming a World Cup soccer supporter. We also should warn you about the side effects of becoming a soccer fan (see box on next page).

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The Red, White and Blues Brothers Key Stats SIDE EFFECTS Name: Danny Soccer is highly addictive and in today’s age of satellite TV and dedicated soccer Place of Birth: Illinois, USA always a televised game on the tube. Even after the three channels, there’s almost Favorite a child: of Chicago Sting Cup, (NASL: Soccerbeing League) gamesteam a dayasschedule The World youNorth mightAmerica find yourself hooked into Favorite current club team: Chicago Fire (MLS) watching games constantly.

You might not even know what teams are playing and Favorite possession to bring to games: the drum you might not be able to understand broadcasters, but you’ll be drawn in.

Name: OtherChip side effects could include: Place of Birth: USA Changing yourOhio, name to a catchy mononym like the Brazilian players (eg ‘Deko’, Favorite as a child: New York Cosmos (NASL- North America Soccer League) ‘Fish’, team ‘Wackko’ Favorite current clubgoal team: Columbus Crew (MLS) Inventing creative celebrations that you show off after every accomplishment Favorite at work.possession to bring to games: camera Showing yellow cards and red cards to your kids as a form of punishment, or to your co-workers as a motivational tool.

We grew up playing soccer in the Midwest and although we’re retired from our glorious playing days, we now passionately support our U.S. National team. When the U.S. isn’t playing we still watch because we just can’t get enough of the beautiful game. So whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, this book is designed to enhance your Brazil 2014 experience! [ed: or a useful sized item to level wobbly tables with].

10

THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

THE WORLD CUP

this

[ed: although it’s clearly not a cup]

...WHAT IS IT? DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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SECTION 5:

SO WHAT IS THIS WORLD CUP THING ALL ABOUT ANYWAY? If you have to ask that question, we need to give you a crash course in the game of soccer so you can be up to speed for The 2014 FIFA World Cup – the greatest international tournament in sports!

This month-long tournament running June 12-July 13 in twelve cities across the country of Brazil will captivate entire countries across the globe. We believe the game of soccer and The World Cup can play a big part in uniting nations and creating world peace.

We see it at the international games we attend. It’s very cool to walk around the stadium and interact and take pictures with fans from other countries. We have the opportunity to embrace different cultures. It’s a very cool vibe.

And before we go all utopian on you, we acknowledge that The World Cup is big business. There are political and corporate agendas and people in power who will put their own best interests ahead of the good of the common man. There will be protests and probably some violence. There will probably be corruption and crime. We support the protesters who are standing up for what they believe in and hope that they can be effective without turning to violence. The media will probably focus on conflicts but we choose to focus on the spirit and the celebration of the tournament.

The best soccer players apply their skills in big leagues around the world. Spain, England and Germany have very wealthy leagues that attract the world’s superstars. Their seasons will be over so the World Cup takes place during their offseason. Here in the USA we have Major League Soccer (MLS) and the revived North American Soccer League (NASL) which will be in mid-season. There are several players in these leagues that will be taking a break from their club teams so they can represent their country.

Speaking of representing a country, working out who exactly can qualify to play for a national team is a murky business. If a player is not a natural born citizen of a country, he still might be able to represent them in the World Cup. It can be very tricky, but 12

THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

some national teams try to get better players from other countries like Brazil, Germany and England. They do this by nationalizing the players. FIFA has the overall say and can deny requests and even disqualify teams after they have won an international match. Some players are born in one country, but live and play for five years or more in another. They choose to represent the team where they live and play. The Brazilian-born Diego Costa who represented Brazil in some international friendly matches has now been approved to represent Spain where he plays for his club team, Atlético Madrid.

Superstar Lionel Messi was born in Argentina. However, he has lived in Spain since he was 13 and is the face of the infamous Spanish club Barcelona. He chooses to play for Argentina. Clear as a mudslide, eh? [ed: there’s a whole different level of trickiness in the UK, where your Scottish grandmother can come into play. Not to actually play, although that might be a good idea, but if your grandmother was Scottish, your grandfather Welsh, your mother English and your father Northern Irish, you could probably play for any of the four national teams in the UK].

Coaches are a whole other beast. Since coaches are hired by the nation’s soccer association, they can come from anywhere.

However, most coaches do live in the country they coach and have strong ties to that country. It helps to keep the national pride and the fan base happy. Our U.S. coach Jürgen Klinsmann was born in Germany and represented them in three World Cups as a player and one as a coach. He has lived in the U.S. for ten years now and has strong ties to America and considers it his home. I guess it all depends on how traditional you feel. Bob Bradley, who is a New Jersey-born American coached the U.S. in the last World Cup. After he was fired, he took on being the foreign-born coach for Egypt.

Egypt lost out on their World Cup bid by losing to Ghana on one of the last days of qualifying in November. USA’s first game is against Ghana. It was very possible that Bob Bradley could have faced his former team and very own son, Michael in the World Cup. We’d like to note that no team has won the World Cup with a ‘foreigner’ at the helm.

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SECTION 6:

AMERICAN SPORTS COMPARED TO SOCCER One of the biggest questions for American soccer fans is why the heck is the World Cup the most popular sporting event everywhere else in the world but here. It happens every four years just like the Olympics and they’re more popular than ever.

The U.S. Men’s National Team has made every World Cup since 1990, so that should garner interest. And Americans love tournaments. The NCAA College Basketball March Madness mayhem dominates much of the water cooler talk for a full month. Casual observers become jump-on-the-bandwagon fans and office pools become more important than actual work… so why not the World Cup? Many say it’s because there isn’t enough scoring, but we don’t believe that for a second. In baseball, “America’s favorite pastime” a scoreless game is heralded as being a pitcher’s duel and shutouts, no-hitters, and perfect games are celebrated heartily.

Some say we just don’t understand the game. We find that excuse hard to swallow too. Soccer is understood in almost every country in the world so why wouldn’t an educated country like the United States of America be able to grasp the concept? But for those who just don’t get it, have no fear! The Red White and Blues Brothers are here to help the casual American sports fan understand the most popular sport in the world.

How are we going to do that?

Simple. We’ll just compare soccer to all the other sports played in America.

Yeah, OK. That seems simple enough … about as simple as quantum physics!

14

THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

AMERICAN FOOTBALL Since many countries call soccer “football” we’ll start with comparing soccer to American football. Besides the name and being able to score by kicking a ball, American football and soccer both use 11 players per side. The big difference is that in the World Cup, teams can only use three substitutes and once a player is substituted, he can’t return to the game (like baseball). So while in the NFL, over 40 players on each team will see action in a game, a maximum of 14 can play in a soccer game. And for all you strategy-loving football fans, soccer has just as much strategy. In fact, the coaches at this level are regarded as strategic geniuses.

American football is known for its tackling and soccer is no different.

In soccer a tackle is when a defender takes the ball away from an opposing player. These challenges can be quite brutal and dangerous. However, one of the most exciting moments in soccer is watching a well-executed sliding tackle where the defender slides on the ground and attempts to take the ball away using only his legs and feet. If executed properly he’ll get “all ball” but if he makes contact with the player and not the ball, he will get called for a foul. If the foul is severe enough or the defender slid with his spikes up, he could be given a yellow card or even a red card.

BASEBALL What can soccer and baseball possibly have in common?

Pitches and strikes of course! In soccer the pitch is the common name for the field. You’ll hear commentators say, “on the pitch.” The translation of this is, “on the field.” And in baseball, strikes are bad for the offensive team, but not in soccer. A strike is to kick the ball at the goal and the team’s main goal scorer is known as the striker. We used to also refer to them as center forwards but most teams only put one or two guys up front now.

They may not be the center forward, but they are still the center of attention.

In soccer you will see an offensive team awarded a free kick within scoring range and the defensive team will set up a wall. The sharp shooter will often times try to bend the ball around the wall much like a pitcher will throw a curve ball. This kick is known as a banana kick.

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BASKETBALL In basketball, rebounds are a big deal and it’s the same for soccer. There aren’t anywhere close to as many scoring chances in soccer so the rebounds are even more important.

If a strike goes off the post or is knocked down by a goalkeeper or blocked by a defender, the offensive team is hoping to get the rebound for another chance of scoring a goal while the defensive team wants the rebound so they can clear or control the ball.

HOCKEY Hockey and soccer are similar in that the object is to get the chunk of rubber (puck or ball) past a goalie (goaltender or goalkeeper) and into the back of the net (or at least across the goal line.) Both sports share an offside rule where the offensive player can’t cross into the attacking zone before the ball (or puck). The main difference is that in hockey, the blue line is painted onto the ice, while in soccer, the line actually moves with the last defender.

To read more about the offsides rule, see p18.

TENNIS In tennis when a player is all the way up by the net, his opponent might lob the ball over his head. This play also happens in soccer when the goalkeeper is caught “off his line.” The keeper might come out to clear a ball or cut down an angle, and the offensive player might chip or flick the ball over the keeper into the empty net. You might also see this chip shot used in a penalty kick. The only chance the goalkeeper has to stop the ball is to guess which corner the shooter is going to kick the ball, and dive that way at the moment the ball is kicked. Now that the shooter knows the keeper is going to dive, he will sometimes chip the ball softly right up the middle over the diving goalkeeper. All the diving goalkeeper can do is helplessly watch the ball float into the back of the net. [ed: why is Tennis a U.S. sport? It’s origins are French and the first Tennis Club was in Leamington Spa, England, just saying. Actually, and while we’re at it, Hockey is Canadian surely?]

16

THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

VOLLEYBALL You will hear the term “volley” in soccer and they are referring to a wicked shot where the foot, usually the instep (the shoe laces) strikes a ball in flight (full volley) or off a bounce (half volley). And the very exciting side volley will often make the highlight reel, especially if it results in a goal. There is amazing velocity on volley shots.

In Rio de Janeiro, a favorite pastime on the beach is playing futevôlei or footvolley [ed: I don’t suppose you’d let me put in a gratuitous pic of some lovely Brazlian volleyball players?

No? Thought not.].

It’s basically beach volleyball using a soccer ball and soccer skills. The players can use any part of the body except the hands or arms to send the ball over the net.

Although it’s not part of a soccer game, it’s good to be aware that such a sport Mai Techaphan / Shutterstock.com exists… especially if you’re lucky enough to go to Brazil for the World Cup!

So there you have it. We hope you have a better understanding and appreciation for the game of soccer now. And if not, well, go play a round of golf! [ed: you know what guys, I think we’re okay without pics of rich posh guys holding sticks here if that’s okay.]

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SECTION 7:

A COMPREHENSIVE (UT TER-WASTEOF-TIME-BECAUSE-NO-ONE-UNDERSTANDSIT-BUT-YOU-CAN’T-PUBLISH-A-GUIDE-TOSOCCER-WITHOUT-AT LEAST-TRYING-TO)

EXPLANATION OF THE OFFSIDE RULE The offside rule in soccer is super easy to understand if you have a degree in astrophysics and higher math.

Chip got his nickname because many of us are convinced he has a computer chip implanted in his brain so we’ll let him explain it.

Ok, sure. I will do my best to break it down so even casual observers of soccer can impress their friends with their knowledge.

In the simplest terms, offside (or offsides) is when the offensive player has only one defender between him and the goal and the ball is passed to him so that he becomes a threat to score.

Where it gets tricky is when the ball is passed, who the defenders are, where the linesman (or actually these days the referee’s assistant) is in reference to the offensive player’s position, whether the offensive team is home or away, which way the wind is blowing, etc. OK, the wind has nothing to do with it, I was just seeing if you are still paying attention.

Whether the offensive team is home or away really has no bearing on the rule either. However, the most passionate fans would say that the home teams do get some beneficial calls, just like in other mainstream sports. It is not WRITTEN as a rule, but we all know how it goes.

Where the linesman is during the play should also have no bearing on the call, but again all passionate fans know that does make a difference. If the linesman is lazy and out of position he is more likely to make the wrong call.

Which defenders are between the offensive player and the goal really doesn’t matter either. But a lot of fans erroneously believe that the goalie has to be one of the defenders between the offense 18

THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

A (blue are attacking) has the ball. If he plays it to B in Scenario 1, B is onside as Y is between him and goalie(X) and C is not offside because he’s not interfering with play. Scenario 2, B is offside as there is no red player between him and the goalie and he’s in an attacking position (bear in mind both scenarios still stand if X is not the goalie).

A

1

2

B

Y

B

C

X

and the goal. This is not correct as the rule is written. Now, the goalie is one of the players between the offense and the goal about 99% of the time, but there is always that 1%. Theoretically the goalie could be at midfield and the offensive player could be 6 yards from the goal and still be onsides as long as any two defenders are between him and the goal when the ball is passed to him.

Now, where the player is WHEN the ball is passed to him is the most important element of the rule. An offensive player can be the only player in front of the goal and he is NOT offside. Why is that you say? Because the ball is not played to him yet and therefore he has shown no threat to score. He is in an offside “position”, but he only becomes offside if and when the ball is passed in his direction. Then he becomes a threat to score.

What this also means is if a player is in an offside “position” and his teammate decides to shoot rather than pass, then the player is NOT offside. The player has to be in a goal-scoring or goal-influencing position and if he is not, he is not considered offside.

Easy, eh? Other things to consider... the offensive player has to be on the other team’s side of the field to be considered offside. In other words, if all 11 players from one team are in the penalty box of the opposing team’s side of the field, then a player can be close to midfield and not be offside until he has crossed midfield to the

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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other team’s side.

Also, if a player is not on the playing field, he cannot be considered offside even if the ball is passed in his direction. He becomes offside if he steps back onto the field and therefore becomes a threat to score. He cannot score from out of bounds.

Another thing to consider is “even is on”. What does that mean? Good question. If an offensive player’s position is EVEN or PARALLEL with a defensive player’s position when the ball is passed to him, then he is ONside. This is the grayest or greyest part of the rule. Not sure which spelling of grey/gray to use there but anyway... [ed: Earl Grey, David Gray, does that help?] this is also why the position of the linesman is so important. If they’re 10 yards behind the last defender or in front of him, then his “parallel” line may be obscured, creating an illusion that the player is offside when he isn’t, or onside when he is really offside. Still with me?

The offside rule is probably the aspect of the rules that is most argued about and it’s the one that players get most upset about not counting yellow cards and red cards and hand balls and dives and... [ed: so basically you’re saying, this is the most argued about apart from all the other things that are argued about a lot. Your point?]. That is a whole

other topic. I personally believe they should change the offside rule. Or dare I say, get rid of it all together. It was put in place so players don’t “cherry” pick for easy goals. It is/was a good rule, but the game has changed over the years and rules need to change with it. My change would be that any ball played within the 35 yard line (they could paint a line on the field to designate 35 yards [ed: oh lord! Before you know it, it’ll be like American Football and you won’t be able to see a blade of grass because you’ve painted the entire field different colors!]) is up for grabs and no player can be deemed offside. If an

offensive player is behind the defense at that point on the field, then that is not ‘cherry’ picking to me but instead is poor defense. It would also take away a lot of arguments on fantastic goals that are disallowed. And fantastic goals are what the fans come out to see...

Just my humble opinion of course.

Now go out and hit those astrophysics books so you can impress your friends with some soccer knowledge! And they say soccer is not a thinking man’s game. HA!

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THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

SECTION 8:

CHIP AND DANNY EXPLAIN FOULS AND FREE KICKS There are a plethora of fouls in the game of soccer.

Plethora means “many” for the folks who don’t speak Greek. Here we will point out some of the more common fouls and the ensuing actions to help you follow the game. If you don’t find it here, be sure to read the chapter entitled, “WHAT JUST HAPPENED?” p25.

You will see some very physical play in the World Cup. If two players are going for the ball with the intention of kicking it, physical contact is usually legal and just a part of the game. However if one of the players misses the ball and collides into his opponent, a foul will usually be called. Referees will call fouls such as tripping, hand balls, holding, spitting, kicking an opponent and a few others. Hey, it sounds like Kindergarten class!

The first rule of soccer we’re taught as Americans is that only goalies can use their hands. This is not true of course. Argentina’s Diego Maradona actually scored a goal with his hand against England in the 1986 World Cup. He referred to it as “the hand of God.” Officials can’t see everything and they are going to miss more than a few calls in the 64 games that make up the World Cup. Most of the fouls will be pretty obvious and the fans in the stands and at the pub will certainly voice their opinions if a referee misses a call or a dive. Just join in and yell and you’ll be part of the gang in no time!

What happens after the foul stirs up just as many disagreements as the fouls themselves. Did it happen in the box or out of the box? Should that be a yellow card, a red card or no card? Is it direct or indirect?

A direct free kick is when a team can take a shot on goal without it touching another player first. These are awarded for the more serious fouls.

Indirect free kicks are awarded for fouls that do not fall under the “serious” category, such as impeding play, obstructing the goalkeeper, dangerous plays, or any other foul that stops the flow of play. For an indirect free kick, the ball must touch another player

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before entering the goal. The most common approach is to have one player tap the ball to the player next to him who takes a shot on goal.

If the defensive team commits a foul inside their own penalty area (the 18-yard box in front of the goal they are defending) a penalty kick will be awarded to the offensive team.

There are two cards in soccer, the ace of spades and the queen of hearts. Sorry folks, Chip isn’t playing with a full deck. Ok, there are yellow cards and red cards.

Yellow cards are given to players to caution them that they are playing in a reckless manner or have committed a foul deemed dangerous to another player. Red cards are given to players who have received two yellow cards in one game or committed an extremely harsh foul. Sometimes this can be judgmental on the referee’s part.

Yeah, so yellow cards are a just a caution and a red card is an automatic ejection and the team has to play a man down for the rest of the game. There will be an immediate one-game suspension (FIFA can impose stronger disciplinary action if they see fit) for a red card. There are no other immediate repercussions for a yellow card. The player can stay in the game but he has to be careful of picking up his second yellow. There’s also what’s known as “yellow card accumulation.” If a player picks up two yellow cards in either of the first two rounds, they will receive a one-game suspension and have to sit out their team’s next game. This doesn’t carry over past the quarterfinals because, let’s face it, we all want to see a country’s best 11 men on the field.

This subject of fouls and free kicks can get muddled at times and to be honest we think the referee just makes it up as he goes along. The rule of thumb is, if he calls a foul on the other team, celebrate! If he calls a foul on your team, scream at the TV or complain to the mate on the bar stool next to you about how awful the refereeing is. Just kidding!

We don’t want you to do that – whiners aren’t winners! The game is 90 minutes. Just play on.

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THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

SECTION 9:

SO, THIS ‘PITCH’ THING.

GOALBOX

PENALTY AREA

TOUCH LINE

CENTER CIRCLE

PENALTY SPOT

CORNER GOAL

The game starts from the center spot and restarts there after a goal and after half time. Corner kicks are taken from the appropriate corner. Penalty kicks from the appropriate penalty spot. The goalie can’t handle the ball outside his penalty area.

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®©™ Key The Red, – White and Blues DIVING CHIP’S RANTBrothers Stats Diving is cheating and personally, I find all ways of “cheating” Name: Danny digusting and I feel it makes the beautiful game of soccer less Place of Birth: USA appealing to theIllinois, general public.

Favorite team as a child: Chicago Sting (NASL: North America Soccer Diving is when a player willLeague) go to the ground in dramatic fashion after being fouled.

Favorite ChicagoofFire This is current done toclub get team: the attention the(MLS) referee in hopes of getting a foul called, Favorite games: drum even ifpossession a true foul to wasbring not to actually committed.

You will see this happen mostly near the goal or in the penalty box. If a PK is called, it could certainly change the Name: Chipof the game. Or it is done in a way to influence the referee to give the outcome Place of Birth: Ohio, USA card. Sometimes a player will grab a body part that was opposing player a yellow Favorite team as ausually child: New North someone America Soccer never touched, theirYork head.Cosmos Kicking(NASLor elbowing in the League) head is a Favorite current Columbus Crew (MLS) foul that shouldclub be team: carded.

Players know this, so they try to make it look like they Favorite possession to games: cameraSometimes it can work, and of course were injured there to to bring influence the referee. the “cheater” feels vindicated. DISGUSTING I know! Sometimes it will back fire, if a referee is really in tune. The referee has the option of giving the “cheater” or diver a yellow card if they feel the player is trying to “cheat”. I feel this should be done WAY MORE!!! Of course in fast action, it is not easy to determine, especially when the referee has to keep an eye on the whole field! This is where, dare I say, video replay might be of benefit to the soccer world. But that is another discussion entirely. There is a lot at stake in the World Cup and referees could get sent home if they blow a call that could have an impact on the outcome of the game.

Italians have the biggest reputation for diving. They really know how to be dramatic and use flare. Not just in soccer, but in talking and other everyday activities.

But really, diving has become rampant in soccer. Players in every country, even Americans are using the tactic. I wish we could get it to STOP!

We realize you’ll be watching a game and you will see something that you just won’t understand. Instead of risking embarrassment and asking the European fan on the bar stool next to you what just happened, The Red White and Blues Brothers are, once again, here to help! We have compiled some of soccer’s quirkiest moments and we’ll do our best to explain them right here in this section, appropriately entitled:

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THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

SECTION 10:

‘WHAT JUST HAPPENED?’ Note: if you don’t find what you’re looking for here, call us, leave a message and we’ll get back to you, right after we get an answer from the European fan sitting on the bar stool next to us.

GOALS It looked like he scored but now they’re showing the official on the sideline with his flag up.

The linesmen call offsides by raising their flags to get the attention of the main referee. They do not have whistles. If the main referee doesn’t see them in time, the play continues on and sometimes a goal is scored. The main referee can disallow the goal after seeing the flag if he feels it is warranted.

A player just scored a goal but instead of celebrating he fished the ball out of the net and sprinted with it back to midfield and placed it on the center spot.

This can be a form of celebration actually. Chances are it is late in the game and the team that just scored is still losing. They want to continue playing as quickly as possible and prevent the winning team from stalling or slowing down the momentum of the game.

FOULS AND CHEATING There are many ways to “cheat” in soccer. It is not truly cheating in the sense of breaking rules, but rather players trying to take advantage of a certain situation to play in their favor.

A player just grabbed an opposing player’s jersey.

Sometimes a defensive player is behind an offensive player and can’t catch up to him. Or on a set play he grabs the jersey to keep him from getting away. The idea is to slow the offensive player down. Of course this is a foul and should be called. Sometimes the referee calls it, but sometimes they just don’t see it. In our opinion it should be an automatic yellow card.

Some of these players are quite dramatic when falling down. Did they take acting lessons from professional wrestlers?

Unfortunately, diving has become a big part of the sport. In fact it’s so big, we’ve dedicated an entire CHIP’S RANT®©™ p24 on the topic of diving.

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It looked like the player just put the ball back in play 10 or 20 yards away from where it should have been.

If the ball goes out of bounds, the team that gets to throw it in may try to move 20 yards closer to the goal before throwing it in, therefore getting an advantage on the field of play. Again, a good referee will not allow this to happen and will blow his whistle to make the player throw it in again. Sometimes a players is tripped, say at midfield, but the ball rolls forward another 10 yards or so. An offensive player may try to stop the ball 10 yards ahead of the foul and then put in back into play from there. Of course it should be taken back to the spot of the foul, and not where the ball is when the foul occurred.

Hopefully the new vanishing spray used by referees will reduce the amount of times this happens.

It looks like the team in the lead is trying to stall.

Often, the team that is winning wants to delay the other team from moving forward, while the clock is still running. This can be done in various ways. One way is to kick the ball away after a foul has been called. Another it to stand in front of the ball so the offense can’t play it forward easily and quickly. Sometimes a player will roll around on the ground, as if they are injured, to get the referee to stop play. Of course a good referee will add this time on to the end of the half in the form of “injury time.” He will also give out yellow cards to stallers appropriately. Either way, stalling can interrupt the flow of play and be effective. Other times it can backfire though as a good offense will ignore the stall tactic and find the defense out of position as they try to stall.

FREE KICKS It looked like the referee just spray painted a spot on the field… is he in a gang?

This is the first World Cup where referees will be using vanishing spray to mark where the ball will be placed for a free kick after a foul and to indicate where the defense must line up 10 yards away. [ed: they will also be allowed to use vanishing spray on any player that really annoys them].

A player was just fouled, but instead of setting up a free kick, he set the ball down and kicked it right away.

If a player feels they can get an advantage by playing the ball quickly, then they are allowed to do so as long as the placement of the ball is where the foul occurred and the ball comes to a complete stop before he kicks it.

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THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

Before a free kick a player just ran over the ball without touching it.

This is a “dummy” play. A player runs over the ball to either distract the defense or get the defense to react and become out of position.

The offensive team wants to keep the opponents guessing as to who will be taking the kick and from what angle the ball will be traveling.

Instead of crossing the ball in front of the goal on a free kick the player kicked it on the ground to the player closest to him.

“Playing it short” can be an effective way to get a better angle on a corner kick or to find a way to get around the wall on a free kick. It can also be an effective way for the team in the lead to keep possession of the ball and to take time off the clock.

INJURIES The injured player was flopping around the field in pain and as soon as the stretcher came out he got up or as soon as the player was carted off the field on the stretcher he got up and now he’s ready to come back on.

Players will do anything to try and get an advantage by drawing a foul and perhaps to get the referee to give out a yellow card. This is also a great stalling technique. Once the stretcher comes out, he’s acted and stalled about as long as he can and he’s not helping his team any if he’s on the sidelines, so those players usually recover really quickly!

On a throw-in after an injury, the player just threw it to the opposition.

If an opposing player is really banged up, the team with the ball will kick it out of bounds so he can get medical attention (there are no timeouts in soccer). When play restarts, the team with the throw-in will throw it to the opposing team, as an act of sportsmanship, since they had control of the ball and kicked it out on purpose.

They’re working on an injured player on the sidelines while the game is going on. Why didn’t they substitute for him?

Once a player is substituted for, he can not come back into the game. Sometimes they just need some wrap or a spray that numbs pain. The player can come back in the game as long as they don’t make an official substitution. The coach and trainers will do what’s best for the team. While the injured player is on the sidelines, his team is playing shorthanded.

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The injured player is standing on the sideline and he looks like he’s trying to get someone’s attention.

He wants to come back on. However, he can only come back on the field of play when he is waved in by a referee.

MISCELLANEOUS The defender just passed the ball back to his goalkeeper. Why didn’t the keeper pick it up?

This is known as a back pass. When there is a back pass to the goalkeeper, he is not allowed to use his hands to pick it up. This is sometimes a risky play as goalies typically are not as skilled as field players in using their feet. It is generally used when there is little to no risk of the other team stealing the ball and it allows the midfielders and forwards to move up into better positions.

The referee just dropped the ball between two players. It looked like soccer’s version of a hockey face-off or a basketball jump ball.

This is known as a “drop ball”. When an inadvertent whistle is blown or the referee stops play for various reasons such as injuries, this is a fair way to restart the game. The referee will “drop the ball” between two opposing players. The players have to wait for the ball to hit the ground before they attempt to kick it. This can also happen if the referee accidentally gets in the way of the ball and disrupts play.

After the game, some players exchanged shirts at midfield. Was somebody just traded?

Trades do not happen that quickly after a game. Wait a second… trades don’t happen at all in the World Cup! It’s not that easy to change your nationality. This is a very cool tradition in international soccer. It is a show of respect for a player to ask his opponent to swap jerseys after a game.

Interestingly enough, the great Pelé, did switch jerseys at halftime of a NASL (North American Soccer League) exhibition game in 1977.

It was the final game of his career. He played the first half with The New York Cosmos and the second half with his beloved Brazilian team, Santos.

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THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

SECTION 11:

WORLD CUP HISTORY (SO THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE?) 1930: URUGUAY

1962: CHILE

1986: MEXICO

1. Uruguay (1) 2. Argentina 3=. U.S./Yugoslavia no third place game

1. Brazil (2) 2. Czechoslovakia 3. Chile 4. Yugoslavia

1. Argentina (2) 2. West Germany 3. France 4. Belgium

1934: ITALY

1966: ENGLAND

1990: ITALY

1. Italy (1) 2. Czechoslovakia 3. Germany 4. Austria

1. England (1) 2. West Germany 3. Portugal 4. Soviet Union

1. West Germany (3) 2. Argentina 3. Italy 4. England

1938: FRANCE

1970: MEXICO

1994: USA

1. Italy (2) 2. Hungary 3. Brazil 4. Sweden

1. Brazil (3) 2. Italy 3. West Germany 4. Uruguay

1. Brazil (4) 2. Italy 3. Sweden 4. Bulgaria

1950: BRAZIL

1974: GERMANY

1998: FRANCE

1. Uruguay (2) 2. Brazil 3. Sweden 4. Spain

1. West Germany (2) 2. Netherlands 3. Poland 4. Brazil

1. France (1) 2. Brazil 3. Croatia 4. Netherlands

1954: SWITZERLAND

1978: ARGENTINA

2002: KOREA/JAPAN

1. West Germany (1) 2. Hungary 3. Austria 4. Uruguay

1. Argentina (1) 2. Netherlands 3. Brazil 4. Italy

1. Brazil (5) 2. Germany 3. Turkey 4. Korea Republic

1958: SWEDEN

1982: SPAIN

2006: GERMANY

1. Brazil (1) 2. Sweden 3. France 4. West Germany

1. Italy (3) 2. W. Germany 3. Poland 4. France

1. Italy (4) 2. France 3. Germany 4. Portugal

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GERMANY

LAST TIME 2010: SOUTH AFRICA

URUGUAY

ITALY

BRAZIL

PREVIOUS WINNERS

MULTIPLE HOSTS

CURRENT HOLDERS: Spain (1) 2. Netherlands 3. Germany 4. Uruguay

ARGENTINA

Italy 1934, 1990 France 1938, 1998 Mexico 1970, 1986 Germany 1974, 2006 Brazil 1950, 2014

ENGLAND

In the 19 tournaments, only five teams have won the World Cup more than once and those five teams have combined for 16 of the 19 championships. The 1942 and 1946 tournaments were not played due to the second world war.

HOSTS BY CONTINENT

FRANCE

Europe hosted 10 times South America hosted 4 times North America hosted 3 times Asia hosted once Africa hosted once

SPAIN

Mexico is the only country that hosted more than once and has not won a World Cup. Every World Cup Champion has hosted at least one World Cup.

HOSTED BUT NEVER WON Switzerland, Sweden, Chile, Mexico, USA, Korea, Japan, South Africa

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THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

SECTION 12:

SO WHAT DID HAPPEN LAST TIME? 2010 WORLD CUP RECAP If you’re anything like us, you can’t even remember what you had for breakfast yesterday. We can’t possibly expect you to remember everything that went on four years ago and some of you might be experiencing the World Cup for the first time.

So whether you’re new or you don’t remember, The Red White and Blues Brothers present The 2010 World Cup Recap!

The 2010 World Cup was held in South Africa, which is a country in the south part of the continent of Africa. There are over 50 countries in Africa and this was the first time a World Cup was held in an African nation. The fans blow these crazy plastic horns called vuvuzelas for the entire game. I think it went non-stop for the entire month. Someone was always blowing a vuvuzela. South Africa automatically qualified as the host. Thirty-one other teams joined them after the long qualifying process. After North Korea (105), South Africa was the lowest ranked team in the tournament at 84.

Yet, even with the low ranking, they almost made it to the second round. The lost in a tie-breaker to Mexico on goal differential. It was a tough break for the “Bafana Bafana”. They became the first team to host a World Cup that didn’t make it past the group stage. Still, not bad for a team ranked 84th coming in to the tournament.

The U.S. did fairly well. If you don’t remember Landon Donovan’s infamous injury-time goal against Algeria to send us to the second round, then search for the video on the internet. It is so worth watching over and over and over and guaranteed to bring on the goosebumps! Sadly, the Americans bowed out in the second round by losing to Ghana. It was a devastating loss and we would have loved to see the Yanks play Uruguay. However, Ghana got that honor and put up a good fight. They lost in penalty kicks and Uruguay advanced to the Final Four.

The Netherlands made their way to Final Four by disposing of Slovakia 2-1, which was expected. However, they really outdid themselves when they beat Brazil 2-1 in the round of eight. Brazil was ranked number 1 going into the World Cup. The Netherlands then defeated Uruguay to make it to the Final.

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In the second round, Argentina beat Mexico easily 3-1. Germany sent England home in controversial fashion. Although the score was 4-1 in the end, England was denied a clear goal in the first half, which could have made for a different outcome. England trailed 2-1 late in the first half when Frank Lampard seemingly scored the equalizer. However, the linesman said the ball did not cross the goal. Replays showed that it clearly did. 2010 will be known for the last World Cup which didn’t use goal line technology to determine if the ball crossed the line. England went to the half trailing 2-1 and clearly frustrated. In the end, Germany did dominate the game and was the better team. England still has reason to groan, because the best team doesn’t always win.

The Germany win set up a clash of titans. Germany vs.

Argentina in the round of eight promised to be spectacular.

Unfortunately, someone forgot to invite Lionel Messi to the party or maybe he just did too much partying leading up to the game?

Either way, Germany dominated 4-0 and Messi goes down in history as a 2010 World Cup flop. Speaking of flops, Italy didn’t even make the second round. They were ranked 5th in the World and finished fourth in their group without a victory.

Germany moved on to the Final Four where they would play Spain, the most fascinating team in the 2010 World Cup. They came in with a highly touted offense and ranked 2nd in the world.

They struggled a bit in the group stage, but still won their group on a tie-breaker. They proceeded to play Portugal in the second round, who had the highly touted Cristiano Ronaldo. The final score: 1-0 Spain. Spain moved on to play Paraguay in the quarterfinals.

The final score: 1-0 Spain. On came the Germans who had scored four goals in each of their win-or-go-home games. The final score: 1-0 Spain. Despite the shutout, Thomas Müller of Germany won the Golden Boot (top goalscorer) for scoring five goals and three assists in the tournament.

That pitted Spain against the Netherlands for all the glory!

Spain went to the final with the supposed best offense. Although many thought the Dutch had the best defense, as it turned out the Spanish had one of the most underrated defenses. After a scoreless 90 minutes they played two 15-minute halves of extra time. There were only four minutes to go before the game would be decided on penalty kicks when Andrés Iniesta scored the winning goal. The final 32

THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

score: 1-0 Spain.

Spain won the 2010 World Cup by scoring exactly one goal and not conceding a goal in each of its final four win-or-go-home games. This is not exactly the way people expected them to win, but they indeed won. The most important thing in the World Cup is to win the trophy and Spain did just that. If you ask many Brazilians however, you will get a different response. They expect their team to play beautifully AND win.

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SECTION 13:

HOW DID WE GET HERE? WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION When we talk of “The World Cup” tournament, we are generally referring to the final round of 32 teams who battle it out in the month-long tournament which takes place in the host country (or countries). But wait a second. Did you ever think how they came up with the 32 teams? There are a lot more than 32 soccer-playing nations in the world!

Over 200 countries representing six confederations played over 800 qualification games starting three years before the start of the final round. In December 2013, the World Cup Draw took place and the 32 teams that qualified were put into eight groups of four teams each. But let’s look back at the past three years of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup to see from where these teams came.

There are six confederations in FIFA. Brazil is the only team that automatically qualifies as the host country. Here is the breakdown on each confederation.

UEFA is the Union of European Football Associations and they send 13 teams to the final round.

CONMEBOL is the Confederation of South American Football. Hold On! How do you get “CONMEBOL” out of that? That’s a great trivia question but since we already did our World Cup Quiz I’ll go ahead and tell you… In Spanish it is the Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol…CONfederación SudaMEricana de FútBOL. WHAT? That’s crazy! That doesn’t make any sense at all! I know but that’s South America for you! CONMEBOL sends Brazil as the host country plus four to five more. The fifth place CONMEBOL representative has a playoff with the fifth place representative from the Asia Football Confederation.

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THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

AFC is the Asia Football Confederation and they send four to five teams to the final round. The fifth place AFC representative has a playoff with the fifth place representative from CONMEBOL. Japan has the distinction of being the first team besides Brazil to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. CAF is the Confederation of African Football. They send five teams to the final round. CAF and UEFA are the only two confederations that don’t have a playoff with another confederation for their final spot.

CONCACAF is the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football and is the confederation that both the U.S. and Mexico play in. They send three teams and their fourth place representative has a playoff with the first place team out of the Oceana Football Confederation.

OFC is the Oceana Football Confederation and is the only confederation that is not guaranteed a spot in the final round. New Zealand won their confederation but had to play Mexico, the fourth place team from CONCACAF for a chance to qualify. Australia once belonged to the OFC but joined the Asian Football Confederation to have a better chance of securing a spot in the final round.

The road to the World Cup is quite the journey. Many of the players who help their teams qualify don’t even make the final 23-player World Cup roster. Oftentimes the coach is replaced if qualifying isn’t going as good as expected. Because these same players are also playing with their club teams during many of the qualifiers, the schedule is structured to accommodate both club and country. The leagues will sometimes take a week or two off to allow their star players to join their national teams and the qualifiers are usually grouped together so they can play two to four games in a two week period. Let’s look back to see how the U.S. qualified for the World Cup. The U.S. along with the other five highest-ranked teams in CONCACAF received a bye for the first two rounds which started one year earlier in June, 2011.

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The White and Blues Brothers THERed, LONG AND WINDING ROAD Key Stats (HOW THE U.S. GOT TO BRAZIL)

Name: Danny Place of Birth: Illinois, USA Favorite team as a child: Chicago Sting (NASL: North America Soccer League) Favorite club team: THIRD current ROUND GROUP A Chicago Fire (MLS) Favorite possession to bring to games: drum June 8, 2012 USA vs. Antigua & Barbuda 3-1 Tampa, Florida W Name: Chip vs. USA 1-1 Guatemala City, Guatemala D Juneof12, 2012 Place Birth: Ohio,Guatemala USA Favorite team as a child: New York Cosmos (NASLNorthKingston, America Jamaica Soccer League) Sept 7, 2012 Jamaica vs. USA 2-1

L Favorite current club team: Columbus Crew (MLS) vs. Jamaica W Sept 11, 2012 USA camera 1-0 Columbus, Ohio Favorite possession to bring to games: Oct. 12, 2012

Antigua & Barbuda vs. USA 1-2 North Sound, Antigua

W

Oct. 16, 2012

USA vs. Guatemala

W

3-1 Kansas City, Missouri

THE HEXAGONAL (FOURTH ROUND) Feb 6, 2013

Honduras vs. USA

2-1 San Pedro Sula, Honduras L

March 22, 2013 USA vs. Costa Rica

1-0 Commerce City, Colorado W

March 26, 2013 Mexico vs. USA

0-0 Mexico City, Mexico

D

June 7, 2013

1-2 Kingston, Jamaica

W

June 11, 2013 USA vs. Panama

2-0 Seattle, Washington

W

June 18, 2013 USA vs. Honduras

1-0 Sandy, Utah

W

Sept. 6, 2013

3-1 San José, Costa Rica

L

Sept. 10, 2013* USA vs. Mexico

2-0 Columbus, Ohio

W

Oct. 11, 2013

USA vs. Jamaica

2-0 Kansas City, Kansas

W

Oct. 15, 2013

Panama vs. USA

2-3 Panama City, Panama

W

Jamaica vs. USA

Costa Rica vs. USA

*The U.S. Qualified for the World Cup on September 10, 2013

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THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

SECTION 14 : WORLD CUP STADIUMS [ED: OR STADIA IF WE WANT TO GET ALL LATIN ON YOUR ARSE] Twelve cities in Brazil were chosen to be host cities for the 2014 World Cup. The opening game will be played in São Paulo at Corinthian’s brand new stadium, Arena de São Paulo. The World Cup final will be played at the same venue that hosted the 1950 World Cup final, Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã. Most World Cup tournaments have used eight to ten cities, but Brazil doesn’t like to do anything on a small scale.

They received permission from FIFA to spread things out and use 12 cities. Just like the Brazilian footballers who play in them, many of these stadiums have several names, but they’re known by their nicknames. Some of these stadiums are brand new. Many of them were built next to or on the same ground of a football stadium that was known by the same or a similar name and others are older stadiums that underwent major renovations. Instead of an official capacity, we list a capacity range. There are so many different numbers floating around out there, we wonder if anyone really knows the correct capacity. We’re sure that over the years the stories will get embellished and there will be reports that 200,000 people once again crowded in to the Maracanã to watch the 2014 World Cup final.

Let’s now take a look at these World Cup stadiums (listed alphabetically by city).

1

3

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1. BELO HORIZONTE, MG STADIUM: Estádio Mineirão CAPACITY: 56,091-64,000 BUILT: 1965 (renovated in 2013) FULL NAME: Estádio Governador Magalhaes Pinto MATCHES: A semi-final and five other games.

2. BRASILIA, DF STADIUM: Estádio Nacional de Brasilia CAPACITY: 65,702-70,042 BUILT: new stadium, 2013 FULL NAME: Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha Brasilia is the capital of Brazil. Garrincha is one of the all-time greatest players in the world. He played in three World Cups: 1958, 1962, 1966 MATCHES: The third place game, a quarterfinal and five other games.

3. CUIABÁ, MT STADIUM: Arena Pantanal CAPACITY: 39,553-42.968 BUILT: new stadium, 2013 FULL NAME: Arena Multiuso Governador José Fragelli MATCHES: Four first round games.

4. CURITIBA, PR STADIUM: Arena Da Baixada CAPACITY: 37,634-43,981 BUILT: 1999, renovated FULL NAME: Estádio Joaquim Américo Guimarães MATCHES: Four first round games.

5. FORTALEZA, CE STADIUM: Estádio Castelão CAPACITY: 57,747-64,846 BUILT: 1973, renovated 2013 FULL NAME: Estádio Plácido Aderaldo Castelo MATCHES: A quarter-final and five other matches.

6. MANAUS, AM STADIUM: Arena da Amazônia CAPACITY: 39,573-42,374 BUILT: new stadium, 2014 MATCHES: Four first round games including USA and Portugal on June 22.

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7. NATAL, RN STADIUM: Arena das Dunas CAPACITY: 39,304-42,086 BUILT: new stadium, 2014 MATCHES: Four first round games including USA’s opening match against Ghana on June 16.

8. PORTO ALEGRE, RS STADIUM: Estádio Beira-Rio CAPACITY: 42,153-51,300 BUILT: 1969, renovated 2013 FULL NAME: Estádio José Pinheiro Borda MATCHES: Five games including a second round match.

9. RECIFE, PE STADIUM: Itaipava Arena Pernambuco CAPACITY: 40,604-46,154 BUILT: new stadium, 2013 FULL NAME: Estádio Governador Carlos Wilson Rocha de Queirós Campos MATCHES: Five games including a second round match. USA plays Germany here on June 26 10. RIO DE JANEIRO, RJ STADIUM: Estádio Do Maracanã CAPACITY: 71,159-76,935 BUILT: 1950 renovated, reopened in 2013 FULL NAME: Estadio Jornalista Mario Filho Maracanã is the most famous stadium in Brazil and indeed the world. Its greatest distinction is that it hosted the largest World Cup final ever. 199,854 people crammed into the stadium to see Uruguay defeat Brazil in the 1950 final.

The stadium wasn’t finished until 1965 but they got permission to use it for the 1950 World Cup even though it was mostly standing room only and there weren’t even functional restrooms. We visited the stadium in 2011 while it was undergoing renovation.

MATCHES: Seven games including a game in the quarterfinals and the Final.

THE WORLD CUP: WHAT IS IT?

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5 7 9 11

3

2 1 12

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4 8 11. SALVADOR, BA STADIUM: Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova CAPACITY: 48,747-56,000 BUILT: new stadium, 2013 FULL NAME: Complexo Esportivo Cultural Professor Octávio Mangabeira In the summer of 2011, we visited Salvador and saw Esporte Clube Bahia play in Estádio de Pitacu while Arena Fonte Nova was being built. It replaces the original Estádio Fonte Nova which was demolished in 2007 after a tragic accident occurred when part of the upper terrace collapsed, killing seven people and injuring several more.

MATCHES: Six games including a quarterfinal match.

12.SÃO PAULO (ITAQUERA) SP STADIUM: Arena de São Paulo CAPACITY: 59,955-68,000 BUILT: new stadium, 2014 FULL NAME: Arena Corinthians Corinthians is São Paulo’s most supported team and now they will have their own stadium, just outside of São Paulo. It will be the site of the Opening Ceremony. After the World Cup, 20,000 temporary seats will be removed. We also visited the site of this stadium in 2011, but they were still in the early stages of construction.

MATCHES: The first game with Brazil and Croatia, a semi-final and four other games.

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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10

6

7 2

40

THE TEAMS

THE TEAMS Algeria GROUP H p56 Argentina GROUP F p52 Australia GROUP B p44 Belgium GROUP H p56 Bosnia & Herzogovnia GROUP F p52 Brazil GROUP A p42 Cameroon GROUP A p42 Chile GROUP B p44

Columbia GROUP C p46 Costa Rica GROUP D p48 Côte d’Ivoire GROUP C p46 Croatia GROUP A p43 Ecuador GROUP E p50 England GROUP D p48 France GROUP E p50 Germany GROUP G p54

ENGLAND

IRAN

Ghana GROUP G p54 Greece GROUP C p47 Honduras GROUP E p51 Iran GROUP F p53 Italy GROUP D p49 Japan GROUP C p47 Korea Republic GROUP H p57 Mexico GROUP A p43

Netherlands GROUP B p45 Nigeria GROUP F p53 Portugal GROUP G p55 Russia GROUP H p57 Spain GROUP B p45 Switzerland GROUP E p51 Uruguay GROUP D p49 USA GROUP G p55

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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GROUP A BRAZIL CONFEDERATION

CONMEBOL (South America)

NICKNAMES

Seleção (The Selection) Canarinho (Little Canary), Pentacampeão (five-time champions)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED Automatic: host country WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 20th appearance. The only team to win

the World Cup five times: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002; World Cup hosts in 1950 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated by the Netherlands 2-1 in the quarterfinals

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Neymar who plays for Barcelona, Spain

CAMEROON CONFEDERATION

CAF (Africa)

NICKNAME

Les Lions Indomptables (The Indomitable Lions)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED November 13:

beat Tunisia 4-1 on aggregate in the third round.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 7th appearance. Quarterfinals in 1990 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated in first round. Lost to Netherlands, Japan and Denmark

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Samuel Eto’o who plays for Chelsea, England

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THE TEAMS

CROATIA CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

Vatreni (The Blazers), Bilic’s Boys

HOW THEY QUALIFIED November 19:

beat Iceland 2-0 on aggregate in the play-offs.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 4th appearance. Third place in 1998, their

first appearance after competing as part of Yugoslavia from 1930-1990 LAST WORLD CUP

2006: eliminated in first round. Lost to Brazil, tied Japan and Australia

PLAYER TO WATCH

Midfielder Luka Modri c´ who plays for Real Madrid, Spain

MEXICO CONFEDERATION

CONCACAF (North & Central America & The Caribbean)

NICKNAMES

El Tri, El Tricolor (Green, White and Red)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED November 20: beat New Zealand 9-3 on aggregate in

the CONCACAF-OFC intercontinental play-offs WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 16th appearance. quarterfinals 1970,

1986; two-time World Cup hosts 1970, 1986 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated by Argentina 3-1 in the second round

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Javier Hernández “Chicharito” who plays for Manchester United, England

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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GROUP B AUSTRALIA CONFEDERATION

AFC (Asia)

NICKNAME

Socceroos

HOW THEY QUALIFIED June 18: as

runner-up to Japan in Group B in the fourth round.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 4th appearance. They made it to the

second round in 2006.

LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated in first round. They lost to Germany, beat Serbia and tied Ghana. They tied for 2nd in their group but Ghana advanced on goal differential.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Tim Cahill who plays for The New York Red Bulls, USA

CHILE CONFEDERATION

CONMEBOL (South America)

NICKNAME

La Roja (The Red)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED October 15: as

third place finishers behind Argentina and Colombia WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 9th appearance. Third place in 1962;

World Cup hosts in 1962 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated by Brazil 3-0 in the second round

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Alex Sรกnchez who plays for Barcelona, Spain

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THE TEAMS

NETHERLANDS CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

Clockwork Orange, The Flying Dutchmen, Holland, Oranje

HOW THEY QUALIFIED September 10: Group D winners WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 10th appearance. Runner-up 1974, 1978,

2010 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: Runner-up to Spain with the game decided in extra time.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Robin van Persie who plays for Manchester United, England

SPAIN CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

La Roja (The Red) La Furia Roja (The Red Fury)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED September 10:

Group I winners WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 14th appearance. World Cup Champs

2010; World Cup hosts in 1982 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: Champions, defeated Netherlands 1-0 in extra time.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Midfielder Andrés Iniesta who plays for Barcelona, Spain

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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GROUP C COLOMBIA CONFEDERATION

CONMEBOL (South America)

NICKNAMES

Los Cafeteros (The Coffee Growers) Tricolor (Yellow, Red and Blue)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED October 11: runners up to Argentina WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 5th appearance. Second round in 1990 LAST WORLD CUP

1998: eliminated in first round. Lost to England and Romania, beat Tunisia

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Radamel Falcao who plays for AS Monaco, France. He’s recovering from a knee surgery but plans to be back in time for the Cup.

CÔTE D’IVOIRE* CONFEDERATION

CAF (Africa)

NICKNAME

Les Éléphants (The Elephants)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED November 16: beat

Senegal 4-2 on aggregate in the third round.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 3rd appearance. They’ve never made it

past the first round.

LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated in first round. Lost to Brazil, tied Portugal and beat North Korea.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Didier Drogba who plays for Galatasaray, Turkey

*(The République de Côte d’Ivoire government requests everyone to refer to this country using its official French name, not its English translation, Ivory Coast. The Red White and Blues Brothers, being the diplomatic peacekeepers that we are, have chosen to honor this request.)

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THE TEAMS

GREECE CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

Piratiko (The Pirate Ship) Galanolefki (Sky blue and white) Ethniki (National)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED November 19: beat Romania 4-2 on aggregate in the

play-offs.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 3rd appearance. They’ve never advanced

past the first round.

LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated in the first round. They beat Nigeria but lost to South Korea and Argentina

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Kostas Mitroglou who plays for Fulham, England

JAPAN CONFEDERATION

AFC (Asia)

NICKNAMES

Blue Samurai, Zac Japan (after their head coach from Italy, Alberto Zaccheroni) Soccer Nippon Daihyō (Japan soccer representatives)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED June 4: Winners of Group B in the fourth round.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 5th appearance. They made it to the

second round in 2002 and 2010. World Cup co-hosts in 2002.

LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated by Paraguay in a PK shootout in the second round.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Midfielder Shinji Kagawa who plays for Manchester United, England

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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GROUP D COSTA RICA CONFEDERATION

CONCACAF (North & Central America & The Caribbean)

NICKNAMES

Los Ticos (Costa Ricans), La Sele (the selection)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED September 10: runner up to USA WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 4th appearance. They made it to the

second round in 1990 LAST WORLD CUP

2006: eliminated in the first round after losing to Germany, Ecuador and Poland. They finished 31 out of 32 teams and only scored three goals.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Álvaro Saborío who plays for Real Salt Lake, USA

ENGLAND CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAME

The Three Lions

HOW THEY QUALIFIED October 15: Group H

Winners WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 14th appearance. World Cup Champions

in 1966; World Cup hosts in 1966 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated by Germany 4-1 in the second round

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Daniel Sturridge, who plays for Liverpool, England.

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THE TEAMS

ITALY CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

Gli Azzurri (The Blues)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED September 10:

Group B Winners WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 19th appearance, 4-time champions

1934, 1936, 1982, 2006; 2-time World Cup hosts 1934, 1990 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated in the first round. Tied Paraguay and New Zealand, lost to Slovakia. First time Italy lost all three games in World Cup Finals. Third time in the history of the World Cup that the reigning champ went out in the first round

PLAYER TO WATCH

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon plays for Juventus, Italy

URUGUAY CONFEDERATION

CONMEBOL (South America)

NICKNAMES

La Celeste (The Sky Blue) Los Charrúas (indigenous people of Uruguay)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED: November 20: beat Jordan 5-0 on aggregate in the

AFC-CONMEBOL intercontinental play-offs WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 12th appearance. 2-time champions

1930, 1950 World Cup hosts

1930

LAST WORLD CUP

2010: 4th place. Lost to the Netherlands in the semifinal and to Germany in the 3rd place match.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Luis Suárez plays for Liverpool, England

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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GROUP E ECUADOR CONFEDERATION

CONMEBOL (South America)

NICKNAMES

La Tri (Tri-colorYellow, Blue and Red)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED October 13: as 4th place finishers behind Argentina,

Colombia and Chile WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 3rd appearance, They made it to the

second round in 2006 LAST WORLD CUP

2006: eliminated by England 1-0 in the second round

PLAYER TO WATCH

Midfielder Antonio Valencia who plays for Manchester United, England

FRANCE CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

Les Bleus (The Blues) Les Tricolores (The Tricolors- Blue, Red and White)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED November 19: beat Ukraine 3-2 on aggregate in the

play-offs.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 14th appearance. World Cup champions:

1998; 2-time World Cup hosts: 1938, 1998 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated in the first round. Lost to Mexico and South Africa, tied Uruguay. France, the reigning World Cup runner up only scored one goal in three games.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Karim Benzema who plays for Real Madrid, Spain

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THE TEAMS

HONDURAS CONFEDERATION

CONCACAF (North & Central America & The Caribbean)

NICKNAMES

Los Catrachos (Hondurans), La H La Bicolor (Blue and White)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED October 15: 3rd place in the fourth round behind USA

and Costa Rica WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 3rd appearance. They have yet to win a

World Cup match and have never advanced past the first round.

LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated in the first round. They lost to Spain and Chile and tied Switzerland. They failed to score a single goal in three games.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Defender Maynor Figueroa who plays for Hull City, England

SWITZERLAND CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

Schweizer Nati, La Nati (The Swiss National Team)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED October 11: Group E

winners WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 10th appearance. Quarterfinals 1934,

1938, 1954; World Cup hosts in 1954 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated in the first round. They lost to Chile and tied Honduras but Switzerland were the only team to beat Spain in the tournament.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Defender Stephan Lichtsteiner who plays for Juventus, Italy

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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GROUP F ARGENTINA CONFEDERATION

CONMEBOL (South America)

NICKNAMES

Albicelestes (The White and Sky Blue)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED September 10: Round Robin winners.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 16th appearance. two-time World Cup

champions: 1978, 1986; World Cup hosts in 1978 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated by Germany 4-0 in the quarterfinals.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Lionel Messi who plays for Barcelona, Spain. He is a three-time winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or given annually to soccer’s MVP (2010-2012).

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

Zmajevi (Dragons), Zlatni Ljiljani (Golden Lilies)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED October 15: as

Group G winners WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their FIRST World Cup appearance as an

independent nation. They competed as part of Yugoslavia until 1992 LAST WORLD CUP

No references

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Edin Dzeko who plays for Manchester City, England

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THE TEAMS

IRAN CONFEDERATION

AFC (Asia)

NICKNAMES

Team Melli (The National Team) The Iranian Lions, Lion Hearts, Princes of Persia, The Persian Stars

HOW THEY QUALIFIED June 18: winners of Group A in the fourth round WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 4th appearance. They have never

advanced past the first round and have never scored more than two goals in their first three games.

LAST WORLD CUP

2006: eliminated in the first round. They lost to Mexico and Portugal and tied Angola.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Midfielder Javad Nekounam who plays for Al-Kuwait, Kuwait

NIGERIA CONFEDERATION

CAF (Africa)

NICKNAMES

Super Eagles, The Green Eagles

HOW THEY QUALIFIED November 16: beat

Ethiopia 4-1 on aggregate in the third round.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 5th appearance. They made it to the

second round in 1994 and 1998.

LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated in the first round. They lost to Argentina and Greece and tied South Korea.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Midfielder John Obi Mikel who plays for Chelsea, England

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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GROUP G GERMANY CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

Die Adler (The Eagles), Nationalelf (National Eleven), Die Mannschaft (The Team), Nationalmannschaft (National Team)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED October 11: Group C winners WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 18th appearance. three-time World Cup

Champs: 1954, 1974, 1990; two-time World Cup hosts: 1974, 2006 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: 3rd place, Lost to Spain in semifinals and beat Uruguay 3-2 in 3rd place match

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Miroslav Klose who plays for Lazio, Italy

GHANA CONFEDERATION

CAF (Africa)

NICKNAMES

Black Stars

HOW THEY QUALIFIED November 19:

beat Egypt 7-3 on aggregate in the third round. Egypt was coached by former U.S. coach Bob Bradley, father of U.S. midfielder, Michael Bradley WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 3rd appearance. They made it to the

quarterfinals in 2010. Coincidentally, they knocked the U.S. out of the World Cup in 2006 and 2010. And just like 2006, they are in the same group.

LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated by Uruguay in a PK shootout in the quarterfinals.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Midfielder Sulley Muntari who plays for Milan, Italy

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THE TEAMS

PORTUGAL CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

A Seleção das Quinas (Team of the Five) Os Navegadores (The Navigators)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED November 19: 2013 after beating Sweden 4-2 on

aggregate in the play-offs.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 6th appearance. Thirrd place in 1966 LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated by Spain 1-0 in the 2nd round.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Real Madrid, Spain – winner of the 2013 FIFA Ballon d’Or (MVP).

USA CONFEDERATION

CONCACAF (North & Central America & The Caribbean)

NICKNAMES

The Yanks, Team USA

HOW THEY QUALIFIED September 10 (with the Red White and Blues

Brothers in attendance): finished first in the fourth round.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is our 10th appearance, including the last seven in

a row. Our best finish was 3rd place in 1930. We did not qualify for any World Cups between 1954-1986.

Our best finish in the modern era was a quarterfinal appearance in 2002.

LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated by Ghana 2-1 in extra time in the second round. But who could forget our most thrilling victory when Landon Donovan scored in heroic fashion in injury time against Algeria to win the group and send the U.S. to the second round!

PLAYER TO WATCH

We can’t just pick one and since this is our team, we’re picking two players to watch: Midfielder Landon Donovan who plays for the LA Galaxy, USA and midfielder Michael Bradley who plays for Toronto FC, Canada (MLS) DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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GROUP H ALGERIA CONFEDRATION

CAF (Africa)

NICKNAMES

Les Fennecs (The Desert Foxes) The Greens

HOW THEY QUALIFIED November 19: split

two games with Burkina Faso. They were tied 3-3 on aggregate but the first tie breaker is away goals and Algeria won that tie-breaker 2-0.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 4th appearance. They have never

advanced past the first round.

LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated in the first round. They lost to the U.S. and to Slovenia and tied England. They only allowed two goals including the injury-time goal by Landon Donovan in the final game, but they failed to score.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Goalkeeper Raïs M’Bolhi who plays for CSKA Sofia, Bulgaria

BELGIUM CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

Diables Rouges (Red Devils)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED October 11:

Group A winners WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 12th appearance. 4th place in 1986. Most

notably they had a great run from 1982-2002 with six consectutive qualifications and making it through the group stage five out of six times.

LAST WORLD CUP

2002: eliminated by Brazil 2-0 in the second round.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Defender Vincent Kompany who plays for Manchester City, England

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THE TEAMS

KOREA REPUBLIC CONFEDERATION

AFC (Asia)

NICKNAMES

Taegeuk (Warriors) The Reds. Generally known as South Korea.

HOW THEY QUALIFIED June 18: runner-up to

Iran in Group A in the fourth round.

WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 9th appearance and 8th in a row. Fourth

place in 2002. They won the award for “Most Entertaining Team” in 2002. World Cup co-hosts in 2002.

LAST WORLD CUP

2010: eliminated by Uruguay 2-1 in the second round

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Park Chu-Young who plays for Watford, England

RUSSIA CONFEDERATION

UEFA (Europe)

NICKNAMES

Sbornaya (National Team)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED October 15: Group

F winners WORLD CUP HISTORY This is their 3rd appearance (1994 and 2002) They

have never advanced past the first round. Previously they were a part of The Soviet Union which made seven appearances in the World Cup between 19581990. The Red Army finished 4th in 1966.

LAST WORLD CUP

2002: eliminated in the first round. They beat Tunisia but lost to Japan and Belgium. 2002 was the last Cup appearance for both Russia and Belgium and they are again in the same group. Both times they were in Group H, the final group to get started.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Forward Alexander Kerzhakov who plays for Zenit St. Petersburg, Russia DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE: 13-15 WORLDJUNE CUP POOL

THE RED WHITE & BLUES BROTHERS’

WORLD CUP POOL One of the reasons the NCAA college basketball tournament is so popular is because of the office pools. Folks who aren’t even interested in basketball now have something at stake. Even if you just play for bragging rights, it’s enough to keep you interested in the entire tournament, even if your team gets knocked out. Some pools have you draw for teams so you end up rooting for teams you don’t even really like, but here we let you pick the winners. We’re just playing for fun – you won’t have any chance to win money from us or Warren Buffett but the thrill of victory can still be yours. The reader with the most points will be featured in our blog and on our Facebook page… and that’s WAY better than money! Be sure to fill out your picks for the entire World Cup tournament before June 12.

So here we go, The Red White and Blues Brothers World Cup Pool!

Ready to jump in? [ed: geddit, jump into the pool?]

ROUND 1 There are 48 games in the first round. You get to pick the winner for each game. Many games will end up in a draw but fans don’t like it when teams play for the draw, so we’re not going to play that way either. Even if you’re 100% certain that the game will end up in a draw, pick a winner. Just like in the official World Cup standings you’ll be awarded 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw.

You’ll see we have the entire tournament laid out in an easy to use day-by-day format. Both Chip and Danny’s picks are posted in case you want to see who the … ahem… experts are picking.

Put a check mark next to your pick and keep track of your points.

You can go to our website and Facebook page to see our running totals. There are a potential 144 points that can be earned in round 1.

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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ROUND 2 After the first round ends on June 26th, 16 teams will move on to the 2nd round, the knockout phase. This is when it gets really good. There are no more draws… only winners and losers. You’re going to pick the 16 teams that advance to Round 2. Each group will have a first and second place team. You’ll be awarded 4 points for each correct pick and 2 points if the team advances but finishes in the other spot. For example, In GROUP B if you pick Spain to win and Netherlands to finish 2nd and that ends up happening you’ll get 8 points (4 points for each correct pick) but if Netherlands wins the group and Spain finishes 2nd, you’ll be awarded 4 points (2 points for each team advancing) If Spain wins and Australia finishes 2nd, there will be a lot of party-crazed Australians suddenly interested in their Socceroos, but you’ll also be awarded 4 points (for the one correct pick) Got it? Good. If not, just fill in the blanks with names of teams and see how you do. There are a possible 64 points for our 2nd round. You can check your results on our website, RedWhiteandBluesBros.com.

QUARTERFINALS Onto the quarterfinals. Which 8 teams do you think will survive Round 2? We’ll let you pick any 8 teams from the list of 32 and you’ll get 6 points for each of your picks that make the quarterfinals. There are 48 potential points in our 3rd round.

FINAL PICKS Now that you have your eight teams chosen, it’s time for your final picks. Pick the World Cup champ for 50 points. Pick the runner up for 40 points. Pick the 3rd place team for 30 points and the 4th place team for 20 points. If you choose all four in the correct order you will get an additional 4 bonus points. So just like round 1, our final round has 144 potential points. And sorry, but if you pick any of the final four teams, but they end up finishing up in different places, you won’t get any points for those picks.

So to add it up… 400 points would be a perfect score, but that can only happen if there are no draws in round 1. Good luck! Check our website and Facebook page so you can see how you’re doing against all your other Red White and Blues Brothers and Sisters.

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THE COMPLETE DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11

This is the last day for shopping, laundry, lawn mowing, upgrading your home entertainment system and getting that quarantine notice from your doctor. Oh, be sure to take your wife/girlfriend/ significant other out for a REALLY nice dinner.

NOTE: ALL TIMES LISTED ARE EASTERN STANDARD TIME.

THURSDAY, JUNE 12

OPENING CEREMONY ARENA CORINTHIANS (ARENA DE SÃO PAULO) CITY: SÃO PAULO

There will, no doubt, be all-day television coverage from São Paulo, but look for the opening ceremony, featuring JLO, Pitbull and Claudia Leitte to begin a couple hours before kick off.

MATCH 1 GROUP A – CITY: SÃO PAULO, 4PM

BRAZIL vs. CROATIA

CHIP AND DANNY PICK: BRAZIL

After today, for the next 14 days, there will be three or four World Cup games everyday. Some of you, we realize, won’t be able to watch every single game, so The Red White and Blues Brothers have picked our MATCH OF THE DAY. If you can only watch one game that particular day, make sure you watch the one we pick!

POOL: On the day-by-day guide for the group stage simply circle, tick or underline your pick and remember 3 points for a win and one for a tie...

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DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE: JUNE 11-14 FRIDAY, JUNE 13 MATCH 2 GROUP A – 12PM. CITY: NATAL, 12PM

MEXICO vs. CAMEROON MATCH 3: MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP B – CITY: SALVADOR, 3PM

SPAIN vs. NETHERLANDS

CHIP PICKS SPAIN, DANNY PICKS NETHERLANDS MATCH 4 GROUP B – CITY: CUIABÁ, 6PM

DANNY & CHIP SAY

CHIP PICKS CAMEROON, DANNY PICKS MEXICO “One of the most anticipated matches of the tournament, this is the rematch of the 2010 World Cup Final. Both finalists were drawn into the same group and their opening match will be their toughest!”

CHILE vs. AUSTRALIA CHIP AND DANNY PICK CHILE

SATURDAY, JUNE 14 [4 GAMES TODAY] MATCH 5 GROUP C – CITY: BELO HORIZONTE, 12PM

COLOMBIA vs. GREECE

CHIP AND DANNY PICK COLOMBIA MATCH 6 GROUP C – CITY: RECIFE, 9PM (NOTE: LAST GAME OF THE NIGHT)

CÔTE D’IVOIRE vs. JAPAN

CHIP PICKS JAPAN, DANNY PICKS CÔTE D’IVOIRE MATCH 7 GROUP D – CITY: FORTALEZA, 3PM

URUGUAY vs. COSTA RICA MATCH 8: MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP D – 6PM. CITY: MANAUS

ENGLAND vs. ITALY CHIP AND DANNY PICK ITALY

DANNY SAYS

CHIP AND DANNY PICK URUGUAY

“A match of two classic European powers.”

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SUNDAY, JUNE 15 [FATHER’S DAY!] Good thing today is Sunday! The Red White and Blues Brothers could not agree which was the match of the day, so we’re giving you two must-see matches today! Celebrate Father’s Day by watching a game with your dad, with your kids, or with someone who can’t do either.

MATCH 9 GROUP E – CITY: BRASÍLIA, 12PM

SWITZERLAND vs. ECUADOR CHIP AND DANNY PICK SWITZERLAND

CHIP SAYS

MATCH 10: CHIP’S MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP E – CITY: PORTO ALEGRE, 3PM

FRANCE vs. HONDURAS

MATCH 11: DANNY’S MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP F – CITY: RIO DE JANEIRO, 6PM

ARGENTINA vs. BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA CHIP AND DANNY PICK ARGENTINA

DANNY SAYS

CHIP PICKS FRANCE, DANNY PICKS HONDURAS

“Failing France versus surging Honduras. Who will be victorious?”

“Argentina should dazzle but let’s see what first-timers Bosnia-Herzegovina can do with one of the best.”

MONDAY, JUNE 16 MATCH 12 GROUP F – CITY: CURITIBA, 3PM

IRAN vs. NIGERIA

CHIP PICKS IRAN, DANNY PICKS NIGERIA MATCH 13 GROUP G – CITY: SALVADOR, 12PM

GERMANY vs. PORTUGAL MATCH 14: MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP G – CITY: NATAL, 6PM

☛ GHANA vs. USA

CHIP AND DANNY PICK USA

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CHIP SAYS

CHIP AND DANNY PICK GERMANY

“The game America has been waiting for! Ghana has eliminated USA from the last two World Cups.

A must win for the Yanks!”

DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE: JUNE 15-18 TUESDAY, JUNE 17 MATCH 15 GROUP H – CITY: BELO HORIZONTE, 12PM

BELGIUM vs. ALGERIA CHIP AND DANNY PICK BELGIUM MATCH 16 GROUP H – CITY: CUIABÁ, 6PM

RUSSIA vs. KOREA REPUBLIC

CHIP PICKS KOREA REPUBLIC, DANNY PICKS RUSSIA CHIP SAYS

MATCH 17: MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP A – CITY: FORTALEZA, 3PM

BRAZIL vs. MEXICO

CHIP AND DANNY PICK BRAZIL

“A rematch of the 2013 Confederations Cup classic. Can Mexico get revenge?”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18 MATCH 18 GROUP A – CITY: MANAUS, 6PM

CAMEROON vs. CROATIA

MATCH 19: MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP B – CITY: RIO DE JANEIRO, 3PM

SPAIN vs. CHILE

CHIP AND DANNY PICK SPAIN

DANNY SAYS

CHIP PICKS CAMEROON, DANNY PICKS CROATIA “Spain is always worth a watch.

They get their first look of The Maracanã. Will they be there again on July 13?”

MATCH 20 GROUP B – CITY: PORTO ALEGRE, 12PM

AUSTRALIA vs. NETHERLANDS CHIP AND DANNY PICK NETHERLANDS

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THURSDAY, JUNE 19 MATCH 21 GROUP C – CITY: BRASÍLIA 12PM

COLOMBIA vs. CÔTE D’IVOIRE CHIP AND DANNY PICK COLOMBIA MATCH 22 GROUP C – CITY: NATAL, 6PM

JAPAN vs. GREECE

CHIP PICKS ENGLAND, DANNY PICKS URUGUAY

DANNY SAYS

URUGUAY vs. ENGLAND

“South America vs.

Europe: this is a huge game for both teams.”

DANNY SAYS

MATCH 23: MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP D – CITY: SÃO PAULO, 3PM

“Europe vs. Central America. Can los Ticos give Gli Azzurri a good fight?”

CHIP SAYS

CHIP PICKS GREECE, DANNY PICKS JAPAN

“Overachiever vs.

Underachiever...

Who deserves to advance?”

FRIDAY, JUNE 20 MATCH 24: DANNY’S MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP D – CITY: RECIFE, 12PM

ITALY vs. COSTA RICA CHIP AND DANNY PICK ITALY

MATCH 25: CHIP’S MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP E – CITY: SALVADOR, 3PM

SWITZERLAND vs. FRANCE

CHIP PICKS SWITZERLAND, DANNY PICKS FRANCE MATCH 26 GROUP E – CITY: CURITIBA, 6PM

HONDURAS vs. ECUADOR CHIP AND DANNY PICK HONDURAS

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☛

DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE: JUNE 19-22 SATURDAY, JUNE 21 MATCH 27 GROUP F – CITY: BELO HORIZONTE, 12PM

ARGENTINA vs. IRAN

CHIP AND DANNY PICK ARGENTINA MATCH 28 GROUP F – CITY: CUIABÁ, 6PM

NIGERIA vs. BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA MATCH 29: MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP G – CITY: FORTALEZA, 3PM

GERMANY vs. GHANA

CHIP AND DANNY PICK GERMANY

CHIP SAYS

CHIP PICKS NIGERIA, DANNY PICKS BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA “Although the U.S. will be focused on tomorrow’s Portugal game, we will be using this one to size up our chances with the Germans.”

MATCH 30: MATCH OF THE DAY

☛

USA vs. PORTUGAL

GROUP G – CITY: MANAUS, 6PM CHIP AND DANNY PICK USA: JOIN US IN BRAZIL, IN

DANNY SAYS

SUNDAY, JUNE 22 “They have Cristiano Ronaldo. We have teamwork. Who will get out of the jungle alive?”

MATCH 31

BELGIUM vs. RUSSIA

GROUP H – CITY: RIO DE JANEIRO, 12PM CHIP AND DANNY PICK BELGIUM MATCH 32 GROUP H – CITY: PORTO ALEGRE, 3PM

KOREA REPUBLIC vs. ALGERIA

CHIP PICKS KOREA REPUBLIC, DANNY PICKS ALGERIA

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MONDAY, JUNE 23

MATCH 33: MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP A – CITY: BRASÍLIA, 4PM

CAMEROON vs. BRAZIL CHIP AND DANNY PICK BRAZIL MATCH 34 GROUP A – CITY: RECIFE, 4PM

CROATIA vs. MEXICO

CHIP PICKS CROATIA, DANNY PICKS MEXICO MATCH 35 GROUP B – CITY: CURITIBA, 12PM

AUSTRALIA vs. SPAIN CHIP AND DANNY PICK SPAIN

MATCH 36 GROUP B – CITY: SÃO PAULO, 12PM

NETHERLANDS vs. CHILE

CHIP AND DANNY PICK NETHERLANDS

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DANNY SAYS

Today begins the simultaneous group matches. For the next four days, there will be two games at noon and two games at 4pm. FIFA does this to keep things interesting. If a team knew they only needed a draw to advance to the 2nd round, they might just coast and play a defensive game. They most likely would put many of their stars on the bench to keep them safe. But since the outcome of the other game hasn’t been determined, the teams can’t afford to coast. The first tie-breaker is goal differential, which encourages teams to play an exciting offensive-minded game.

“Africa vs. South America: Cameroon won’t go down without a good fight!”

DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE: JUNE 23-25 TUESDAY, JUNE 24 MATCH 37 GROUP C – CITY: CUIABÁ, 4PM

JAPAN vs. COLOMBIA

CHIP PICKS JAPAN, DANNY PICKS COLOMBIA MATCH 38 GROUP C – CITY: FORTALEZA, 4PM

GREECE vs. CÔTE D’IVOIRE MATCH 39: MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP D – CITY: NATAL, 12PM

ITALY vs. URUGUAY

CHIP PICKS URUGUAY, DANNY PICKS ITALY

CHIP SAYS

CHIP PICKS GREECE, DANNY PICKS CÔTE D’IVOIRE “The rematch of the 2013 Confederations Cup 3rd place match. Italy won on penalties.

Will it be another even matchup? ”

MATCH 40 GROUP D – CITY: BELO HORIZONTE, 12PM

COSTA RICA vs. ENGLAND

CHIP PICKS ENGLAND, DANNY PICKS COSTA RICA

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25 MATCH 41 GROUP E – CITY: MANAUS, 4PM

HONDURAS vs. SWITZERLAND CHIP AND DANNY PICK SWITZERLAND MATCH 42 GROUP E – RIO DE JANEIRO, 4PM

ECUADOR vs. FRANCE MATCH 43: MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP F – CITY: PORTO ALEGRE, 12PM

NIGERIA vs. ARGENTINA CHIP AND DANNY PICK ARGENTINA

DANNY SAYS

CHIP AND DANNY PICK FRANCE

“The hard-hitting Nigerians vs. Lionel Messi… it’s almost too scary to watch!”

MATCH 44 GROUP F – CITY: SALVADOR, 12PM

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA vs. IRAN

CHIP PICKS IRAN, DANNY PICKS BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

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MATCH 45: MATCH OF THE DAY GROUP G – CITY: RECIFE, 12PM

☛ USA vs. GERMANY

CHIP PICKS GERMANY, DANNY PICKS USA MATCH 46 GROUP G – CITY: BRASÍLIA. 12PM

PORTUGAL vs. GHANA

DANNY & CHIP SAY

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 “If the U.S. and Germany have good showings in their first two games, this game could decide the winner of Group G. It’s USA’s chance to knock off a giant! U.S. Coach Jürgen Klinsmann takes on the team he coached and starred for!”

CHIP AND DANNY PICK PORTUGAL MATCH 47 GROUP H – CITY: SAO PAULO, 4PM

KOREA REPUBLIC vs. BELGIUM CHIP AND DANNY PICK BELGIUM MATCH 48 GROUP H – CITY: CURITIBA, 4PM

ALGERIA vs. RUSSIA

CHIP AND DANNY PICK RUSSIA

FRIDAY, JUNE 27 [DAY OFF] “What? No Soccer? You can’t do this to me, man! Don’t cut me off like this...”

We know. we know. Soccer fans around the globe will be suffering from withdrawl, but fear not fanatics, there will be plenty of soccer shows discussing the matchups for round 2. You can also catch up on all the games you have on your DVR that you’ve been meaning to watch. Or here’s an idea… you can cut the grass which your wife has been asking you to do for the past week and a half. You can get all your errands and chores done.

Get to the grocery store. Do laundry, but if your team made it through to the second round, be sure you don’t wash the good luck out of your lucky jersey, lucky socks and lucky underwear. It might also be a good idea to take your wife/girlfriend/significant other out to a really nice restaurant and make sure you encourage her to get dessert.

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(max 64 points)

2nd Round Points Total

KOREA REPUBLIC

ARGENTINA

2H

FRANCE

2E

1F

BELGIUM

SWITZERLAND

1E

USA

URUGUAY

2D

1H

ITALY

1D

2G

GREECE

2C

NIGERIA

COLOMBIA

1C

GERMANY

NETHERLANDS

2B

1G

SPAIN

1B

2F

CAMEROON

2A

Chip’s Pick

BRAZIL

1A

Group

KOREA REPUBLIC

BELGIUM

USA

GERMANY

BOSNIA-HERZGOVINA

ARGENTINA

HONDURAS

SWITZERLAND

ITALY

URUGUAY

JAPAN

COLOMBIA

NETHERLANDS

SPAIN

CROATIA

BRAZIL

Danny’s Pick

My Pick

WC POOL UPDATE Well, how did you do in the first round? Be sure to check our website and Facebook page to see the updated scoring race. Here are our predictions of the final 16.

Actual Finalists

Points

DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE: JUNE 26-27

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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1A

2B

1C

2D

1B

2A

1D

2C

} } } } quarterfinals

} } semifinals

FINALIST WINNER FINALIST

semifinals

} }

quarterfinals

} } } }

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1E

2F

1G

2F

1F

2E

1H

2G

DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE: JUNE 28-JULY 1

ROUND TWO: THE ROUND OF 16 Into the knockout stages! Make sure you consult with your doctor and make sure your heart is healthy enough to watch these win-or-gohome games.

SATURDAY, JUNE 28 MATCH 49 CITY: BELO HORIZONTE, 12PM

1A vs. 2B

MATCH 50 CITY: RIO DE JANEIRO, 4PM

1C vs. 2D

SUNDAY, JUNE 29 MATCH 51 CITY: FORTALEZA, 12PM

1B vs. 2A

MATCH 52 4PM. CITY: RECIFE

1D vs. 2C

MONDAY, JUNE 30 MATCH 53 CITY: BRASÍLIA, 12PM

1E vs. 2F

MATCH 54 CITY: PORTO ALEGRE, 4PM

1G vs. 2H

TUESDAY, JULY 1 MATCH 55 CITY: SÃO PAULO, 12PM

1F vs. 2E

MATCH 56 CITY: SALVADOR, 4PM

1H vs. 2G

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BRAZIL

ARGENTINA

Quarterfinal Points

My Picks

48 possible points

Final 8

Points

We’re down to the final eight teams. Once again, you can see how your picks compare to the expert predictions of The Red White and Blues Brothers. Score 6 points for every correct pick.

ARGENTINA

Danny’s Picks

BRAZIL GERMANY

Chip’s Picks

GERMANY URUGUAY USA

SPAIN

COLOMBIA

SPAIN USA

URUGUAY ITALY

BOSNIA-HERZGOVINA

SWITZERLAND

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DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE: JULY 2-5 WEDNESDAY, JULY 2 [DAY OFF] We have some bad news. There’s no World Cup soccer today. Wait… it gets worse… there’s no World Cup soccer tomorrow either. For the first time since the tournament began on June 12 we have two days off. There’s still a lot of exciting World Cup Soccer to look forward to, but next week there will be two more two-day fasts from soccer. As our 32-team field continues to get whittled down, the pressure and the stakes are getting higher, and for us football junkies, it gets harder and harder to get through the day without watching a World Cup game.

THURSDAY, JULY 3 [ANOTHER DAY OFF] Maybe you can beat the rush and get out to celebrate Independence Day on July 3 so you’ll have the next two days to watch the final eight teams square off in these must-see heated match-ups.

THE QUARTERFINALS: THE FINAL 8

FRIDAY, JULY 4

WELCOME TO THE ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN NOW ROUND!

Winners of Matches 49 & 50

MATCH 57 CITY: FORTALEZA, 4PM

MATCH 58 CITY: RIO DE JANEIRO, 12PM

Winners of Matches 53 & 54 SATURDAY, JULY 5 MATCH 59 CITY: SALVADOR, 4PM

Winners of Matches 51 & 52 MATCH 60 CITY: BRASÍLIA, 12PM

Winners of Matches 55 & 56

DANNY & CHIP’S WORLD CUP GUIDE

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Chip’s Picks

Argentina

Brazil

Danny’s Picks

20

30

40

50

WORLD CUP POOL WRAP-UP How did you do in The World Cup Pool? Here are our predictions for the final round:

Brazil Spain

Possible Points

Place

Spain Germany

Actual Finisher

1st Germany

Your Pick

2nd Argentina

Points

Max Possible Points

140 +4

3rd

Me

144 max

Danny

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Chip 1

48

Round

4th Final Round Total (144 max points)

Be sure to check out our webpage and Facebook page to see who from our Red White and Blues Brothers and Sisters Community is the World Cup Pool Champion!

3 (Final 8)

2 (Final 16)

144 Total Points: 400

4 (Final 4)

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DAY-BY-DAY GUIDE: JULY 6-10

SUNDAY, JULY 6 [DAY OFF] Go to church and pray for victories if your team is still alive. Or pray that you’ll win the World Cup pool. [ed: or burn effigies, fire up a cauldron and dance around naked. It’s really up to you, whatever works]. The final is only one week away!

MONDAY, JULY 7 [DAY OFF] No soccer today so I guess you could go to work if you wanted to, but the only reason we can really think to do that is if your team is in the final four and you want to wear your jersey and gloat! The semifinals are upon us!

These remaining teams are all guaranteed two more games, but to get this close and not win the Cup is just as painful as getting knocked out of the first round.

THE SEMIFINALS: THE FINAL 4 YOU’VE COME SO CLOSE IT WOULD BE GUT-WRENCHING NOT TO MAKE THE FINAL NOW

TUESDAY, JULY 8 [SEMI-FINAL 1] MATCH 61 CITY: BELO HORIZONTE, 4PM

Winners of Matches 57 & 58

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9 [SEMI-FINAL 2] MATCH 62 CITY: SÃO PAULO, 4PM

Winners of Matches 59 & 60

THURSDAY, JULY 10 [DAY OFF] Well, Saturday and Sunday will be filled with the final games of the World Cup so use these last two days off as your weekend. Take your wife/ girlfriend/significant other out for a really nice meal, insist on dessert and surprise her with expensive jewelry.

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FRIDAY, JULY 11 [DAY OFF] Spend the day cleaning up the house. Let your wife think you’re doing it for her. Don’t let her know just yet that you’re inviting a few guys over to watch the games this weekend. Hand over the credit card and encourage her to go out shopping. You need to win some major points because she might not be thrilled once she realizes you’re having a full-blown weekendlong World Cup Final Party!

SATURDAY, JULY 12 [THE BITTERSWEET THIRD PLACE GAME] MATCH 63 CITY: BRASÍLIA, 4PM

The Losers of the Semifinals

THE FINAL: THE END, LA FIN, EL EXTREMO, DAS ENDE [ed: we get it, enough already!]

SUNDAY, JULY 13 [THE 2014 WORLD CUP FINAL]

The Moment We’ve All Been Anticipating For The Last Four Years

The game might start at 3, but the coverage will be an all-day affair. Good thing you went to church last week!

MATCH 64 CITY: RIO DE JANEIRO, 3PM

The Winners of the Semifinals

MONDAY, JULY 14 That’s it. It’s over. It’s time to go back to your former life (BWC – Before the World Cup). Call your boss up and tell him you’re cured and hopefully they haven’t replaced you and you can still get your job back.

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PUB TALK: THE BLUFFER’S GUIDE

SECTION 15:

HOW TO CARRY ON A WORLD CUP CONVERSATION “DOWN THE PUB”* One of the most annoying things while watching a World Cup soccer game is sitting near the guy who thinks he knows everything, but is dishing out so much wrong information that you’re about ready to explode. You don’t want to embarrass him in front of his friends, but you don’t want his friends to be misinformed either. Hopefully the pub you’re at has copies of this book for sale and you can highly recommend they each pick up a copy. We thank you in advance for your generous referral!

Equally annoying is the guy who really does know it all and has to talk loud enough so everyone in the entire pub can be impressed with his knowledge. Hopefully, you can find a seat far away from both of these blokes. Once you find a spot next to some good soccer fans who want to have an enjoyable experience, you might find yourself in a World Cup conversation!

Keep in mind too that if you follow our guidelines of dressing like a soccer supporter, someone might start asking YOU questions!

*[ed: That’s how we say it in the UK. It’s proper English slang. I’m trying to educate these Yanks, but after 79 pages, my patience is wearing thin and I’m going to finish editing this piece of… “literature” down the pub.]

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It’s OK to be honest and let the fans around you know that this is your first World Cup. Let them know you are still learning about the game of soccer, but you do LOVE it. Emphasize your LOVE and PASSION for the game and they will most likely be willing to answer any of your questions. The first rule is to try and not ask questions during the flow of the game, especially if a team is on the attack.

If you want to try to fit in and carry on a conversation with some experienced fans, here are some safe topics to bring up:

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1

The lineup Ask them who they think the coach should be playing. Inquire about their predictions for substitutes. Keep in mind the players who are injured, suspended, or at risk of getting a yellow card accumulation suspension.

2

“Did you see the last game?”

If you can talk about what you liked and didn’t like and some of the highlights from your team’s last game, or another World Cup game that you saw yesterday or earlier today, you’ll have plenty to talk about.

3

Predictions Ask them who they think will get the goal, their prediction of the final score, who they think will advance out of each group, which team looks the strongest so far and who they think is the surprise team of the tournament.

4

Officiating Fans love dissecting all the questionable calls and the referee will usually get the label of being horrible if he makes even one mistake.

5

Diving Both the referee and the player who allegedly took a dive will be on the chopping block for these discussions. If the whole pub explodes into roars of complaints and starts throwing things at the TV and the bartenders you’ll know it’s a good

PUB TALK: THE BLUFFER’S GUIDE

time to instigate a conversation. Most fellows will be happy to offer up their opinion on why the referee is a nit or the other team is cheaters and so on.

And follow their lead. Celebrate, cheer, moan and groan, high-five everyone and say those magic words, “if we score the next round is on me!”

If you bring a newcomer to the pub with you and you want to make sure he or she doesn’t embarrass you, make sure they read:

THE TOP 11 THINGS TO NEVER SAY WHILE WATCHING A WORLD CUP GAME IN THE PUB

11. This sport is so boring! NASCAR is more exciting and they just drive in circles.

10. What are all these foreigners doing in here?

9. I hope we win the gold medal.

8. You know, people might watch this if they had more commercials like in The Super Bowl.

7. How long are the quarters?

6. Isn’t this World Cup tournament EVER going to end?

5. Hey, Can you turn on the baseball game?

4. What’s with the scarf? Is the A/C a little too cold for you?

3. Where’s the extra point for kicking it over the crossbar?

2. The only player on the U.S. team that I know is David Beckham. Go Becks!

1. That goal is a lot bigger than a hockey goal, why can’t they score more?

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The Red White and Blues Brothers explain TIME “Ti-i-i-ime, is on my side…yes it is!” – line from the song made famous by The Rolling Stones. It was written

by Jerry Ragovoy whose team was obviously not losing when he wrote this song.

A soccer game is 90 minutes running time which means the clock doesn’t stop for injuries, goal celebrations or when the ball gets kicked up in the stands. Because all of + these things eat up minutes, the officials will give added time, also known as injury time or stoppage time at the end of both of the 45-minute halves.

At the 45-minute mark, the TV camera will always show the fourth official on the sideline holding up a board with a number on it (the same board is used to show which players are being substituted). This tells the referee, teams, coaches and fans how much time should be added on for injuries and other time wasters. The referee keeps the official time on the field so you will see him look down at his watch before blowing the final whistle.

Sometimes the broadcasters will use added time and extra time interchangeably, but extra time also refers to overtime periods that are played in all of the knockout rounds beginning with the round of 16.

Two 15-minute halves of extra time are played at the conclusion of a tied game. Of course just to confuse you more, they sometimes put a little bit of added time on the extra time halves. If the game is still tied, both teams will advance to a penalty kick shootout, in which both time and our hearts stop ticking.

+

The World Cup is not for the feint of heart and none of us know how much time we have, so live it up! It’s important to watch each game like it’s your last! Of course we hope you keep on kicking and that you have a lot more added time and extra time before you kick the bucket!

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GUIDE TO FANDEMONIUM

SECTION 16:

THE RED WHITE AND BLUES BROTHERS’ GUIDE TO FANDEMONIUM Most sports have spectators. Soccer has supporters. Supporters are active participants that do more than watch a game for entertainment.

We sing, cheer, chant, dance, play music, wave flags, unfurl banners, display scarves and stand behind our team even when the game isn’t going our way. Players acknowledge that the difference the supporters make is felt on the field. After this crash course in fandemonium, you will know what it takes to actually contribute to your team’s success and we’ll show you how to elevate your fan status to that of a true soccer supporter – at the game, at the pub and while watching at home.

Whether you play, coach, grew up playing, watch your kids play, or somehow stumbled upon the sport of soccer, the key ingredient that every supporter needs is PASSION! It’s what connects us from all different walks of life. You can’t buy passion, but hang out with some soccer supporters and chances are you will be infected with it!

Just as athletes need a uniform, so do supporters. Sorry, but we’re not going to stoop so low and amuse you with an athletic supporter joke here. Well, we did, but our editor took it out. Depending on how self-expressed you want to be, the soccer supporter can either blend in or stand out and be the center of attention. Whatever you choose, it’s important to wear your team’s colors. If you’re going for the blend-in look, the standard supporter uniform made famous by Europeans is the jersey and scarf look. Keep in mind that soccer in Europe is played from autumn until spring, including the winter season. Soccer here in the States is played from spring until autumn, including the blistering hot summer months. That doesn’t matter. Even if it’s 100° out, you still need your team scarf! There will be times when you’ll display it, holding it stretched out above your head. Other times you might spin it like a cowboy spins his lasso. Just follow the lead of the other supporters.

If you like the spotlight and love getting your picture taken with fans from around the world, it’s fun to put on more of a costume. An easy costume for U.S. fans is the Uncle Sam hat and draping the flag over your shoulders and wearing it as a cape. Some conservative folks might think this isn’t a proper way to display Old Glory, but to soccer supporters it’s not only acceptable, it’s honorable and patriotic.

And for those of us who choose to participate, there’s an unofficial contest going on in the stands of who can outdo each other. In the

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U.S. Supporter section, it’s sometimes like being at a Sci-Fi convention!

You’ll see Captain America, Betsy Ross, General Patton, Revolutionary soldiers, Teletubbies, Where’s Waldo? some “what-the-heck-are-you” costumes and us, The Red White and Blues Brothers! There’s plenty of room for your creativity, so come join us!

We also play music! Drums, horns and whistles accompany the singing and chanting and encourage dancing and carrying on! World Cup 2010 in South Africa saw the vuvuzela become a worldwide phenomenon. Because of the annoying sound and potential hearing loss from the plastic horn, they’ve been banned from several stadiums and competitions. Brazil attempted to come up with an official instrument to replace the vuvuzela. The caxirola is a rattle you can hold in your hands.

Unfortunately, the Brazilians discovered you can also throw them on the pitch creating a dangerous situation, so those have been banned as well. According to authorities, NO musical instruments will be allowed inside the World Cup stadiums this summer. At least they can’t take away our voices!

Singing and/or chanting are great ways to get into the spirit of the game. Many of the songs are easy to follow after listening for a few seconds. Most are repetitive. All are done in the spirit of showing your team you support them!

Tailgating is a fun way to turn a 90-minute soccer game into an all-day party. There will be plenty of music and dancing outside the stadiums before and after the game, so arrive early and bring some food and drinks to share. Walking around the tailgates is a great way to meet soccer supporters from across the country and around the world.

Bring a soccer ball to kick around. Sometimes a “misplaced’ kick can result in meeting your future ex-wife, er-uh-we mean the woman of your dreams!

At the pub it is usually a bit more laid back. You’ll hear golf applause for good plays and a lot of chatter and “oohs” and “ahhs” as plays develop and the drama builds. At full-fledged soccer watch parties the songs and chants will get going and the place can erupt when a goal is scored. Even though you’re not at the game it’s still important to wear the colors and don’t forget the scarf!

Sometimes the pubs get too crowded and with that colossal HDTV in your living room, watching at home is a nice alternative. If you are alone you can still cheer loudly and yell at the TV all you want. Who is going to know? If you have a small crowd over, get them involved with chants and singing and soon it will feel like you’re AT the game! Your team can feel that positive energy! Trust us! Our telepathic support for the U.S. traveled from America to South Africa four years ago and we take credit for helping Landon Donovan score in stoppage time against 84

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Algeria to send us through to the Round of 16! Never underestimate the power of the soccer supporter!

So if you feel ready, join us! Pretty much all of the MLS and NASL teams have supporter groups too so you can display your love for the game for both club and country!

HOW TO GET INVOLVED: To become an official U.S. Soccer Supporter you can join the U.S. Soccer Supporters Club: https://ussoccer.secure.force.com/club Sam’s Army: http://sams-army.com The American Outlaws: http://theamericanoutlaws.com And introducing our brand new family-friendly U.S. Soccer Supporter group, the P.E.A.C.E. PARTY: http://uspeaceparty.us

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SECTION 17:

THE RED WHITE AND BLUES BROTHERS’ (AND SISTERS’)

P.E.A.C.E. PARTY!

U.S. Soccer celebrated their 100th anniversary in 2013 but even more relevant is that 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of U.S. Soccer’s modern era. On November 19, 1989, the final day of CONCACAF qualifying, Paul Caliguri’s “shot heard ’round the world” put USA in the World Cup for the first time since 1950.

The fan support has grown tremendously since then. The early days saw Sam’s Army all wearing red and standing in one small section behind the goal. Then the bandana-wearing American Outlaws brought a new energy into the supporter section and they have local chapters in several states across the country. The 2013 qualifying games had an even bigger energy… everyone in the stadium standing for the entire game and U.S. Soccer handing out free scarves to everyone in attendance. It was loud and electric and those of us in attendance knew we were turning another page in the U.S. Supporters’ history book.

As long time supporters, we believe the time is right to give families an appropriate supporter group of their very own. As you might recall we mentioned the key ingredient in being a soccer supporter is passion.

This passion can be quite intense. Parents standing with their kids in a supporter section might feel a bit intimidated and concerned for their children’s safety. And even though the organizers attempt to curb foul language and bad sportsmanship, it still exists, especially with heated rivalries that the U.S. has.

So now, let us introduce to you the first family-friendly U.S. Supporter Group, The Red White and Blues Brothers’ and Sisters’ P.E.A.C.E. PARTY! P.E.A.C.E. is an acronym for Positive Energy and Contagious Enthusiasm!

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P.E.A.C.E. PARTY

OUR P.E.A.C.E. PROCLAMATION We Believe... That We Will Win! We Believe That We Will Win! We Believe That We Will Win! We Believe... In World PEACE Through Football (soccer) We Believe... Every International Soccer Game is an International PARTY! We Believe... That Our Purpose Is To Participate By Sharing Our Positive Energy We Believe... The Following Behaviors Are Inappropriate for A Family-Friendly Section: Hatred, Vulgarity, Swearing, Taunting, Derogatory Statements, Consuming Large Amounts of Alcohol, Throwing Anything On The Field Or At Another Human Being, Fighting, Using Flares, Smoke Bombs or Fireworks, and All Negativity.

We Believe... That The Opposing Team’s Players, Coaches and Fans are our Guests (home games) or our Hosts (away games) and we will treat them as we do our Brothers and Sisters.

We Believe... That The Referee, Linesmen and Officials Deserve Our Respect.

They are doing their job to the best of their ability and they don’t have the same angles and view points as us. We will not argue with their calls.

We Believe... That Diving and Faking Injuries Should Not Be Part Of The Game.

However, if players choose to do so, we will give them the benefit of the doubt.

Either applaud their acting ability or applaud to be a good sport. We will not heckle. for more info and to join visit: uspeaceparty.us

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That’s right. You can now become a Red White and Blues Brother or Sister! We will be hosting our first official events during this summer’s World Cup and our goal is to gain interest and build membership so we can someday have our own section at the U.S. games. Imagine fans looking over at our section and seeing families and kids singing and dancing and cheering on the Red, White and Blue with the boundless energy that only kids possess! And if you think the adult costumes were great, wait until you see what the imagination of a kid can do!

We would also like to invite you to our “Road Trip To Brazil.” Many of us wish we could have gone to Brazil in South America to watch the World Cup. What’s the next best thing? How about going to Brazil, Indiana?

International airfare can be so expensive. Do what the Red White and Blues Brothers are going to do. We’re going to drive to Brazil. Join The P.E.A.C.E. Party as we descend on Brazil, Indiana to watch U.S. play Portugal on Sunday, June 22nd. You too will be able to say you went to Brazil to watch a World Cup game! You know you’ll be posting your picture on Facebook of you in front of the “Welcome To Brazil” sign!

Just think how many “Likes” you’ll get from that photo!

Details on our website, http://uspeaceparty.us Read through our P.E.A.C.E. Proclamation on the previous page and if you are aligned with our values, we encourage you to go to our website and become a member.

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GLOSSARY (WHAT STUFF MEANS)

THE RED WHITE AND BLUES BROTHERS’

GLOSSARY OF SOCCER TERMS Soccer definitions in bold.

Added time n. 1. something you hope the teacher gives you when you haven’t yet finished your test 2. it can also be time that you have added to your life thanks to a medical procedure or something of that sort. 3. See article on TIME for soccer definitions. (added time is also called injury time or stoppage time).

Banana Kick n. 1. when you slip on a banana peel and your legs kick out from under you. 2. when you go on one of those health food fad diets and eat nothing but bananas they might say you’re on a “banana kick” 3. a kick where the ball curves like a banana, usually used in set plays. Much like a curve ball in baseball.

Bend v. 1. when the striker misses a wide open goal, the international physical reaction the coach almost always has is to bend back at the hips and grab his head in disgust. 2. when you strike the side of the ball making it curve around a person or a wall of defenders. [See banana kick. Inspired the movie, Bend It Like Beckham.]

Bicycle kick (scissors kick) n. 1. if you kick your bike because you think it’s a piece of crap, even though the bike is fine and it’s you who is out of shape … that’s a bicycle kick. 2. if you drop a pair of scissors and the pointy end jabs you in the foot and your immediate reaction is to kick the scissors across the room… that would be a scissors kick. 3. when you leap backwards into the air and make like you’re pedaling a bicycle upside down before striking the ball. Also called a scissors kick because your legs make the motion of scissors before you slice the ball into the net.

Boots n. 1. the formal name of soccer shoes. They used to be black but now they’re usually fluorescent yellow, orange, or pink or a combination of these colors. 2. a foot covering to keep your feet warm and dry and safe in the snow, rain, and rocky terrain. 3. something you hang up when you retire. Will Landon Donovan hang up his boots after this World Cup? Captain n. 1. the person in charge of the ship. Also a ranking in the military or possibly even a rum drink (Captain Morgan is sometimes just called Captain for short) 2. the

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player chosen by the manager or his teammates to “lead” the team. He’s also the only player who the referee will allow to chat about (to get clarification) or even possibly argue the call… respectfully of course. This player wears the captain’s armband to designate his status. If he is substituted during the game you will see him hand his armband to another player on the field.

Chip v. 1. co-author of The Red White and Blues Brothers Guide to the 2014 World Cup. 2. a tasty form of junk food made from thinly sliced potatoes or corn. 3. to kick the underside of the ball, allowing it to be lofted over a defender’s head. Many corner kicks and centering passes are chips to serve the striker a chance for a header. Much like a chip shot in golf.

Corner kick n. 1. when you get in trouble at school and you’re kicked to the corner 2. if you’re mad about said punishment and you kick the wall while you’re standing in the corner. 3. a free kick taken from the corner of the field awarded to the offensive team when the ball goes over the end line last touched by the defensive team. (if it was last touched by the offensive team, it’s a goal kick) Cross n. 1. a religious symbol. 2. a pass where a player sends the ball in the air from the side of the field into the middle intended for a teammate who will head or kick the ball into the goal.

Dive v. See Chip’s Rant for the topic of diving Draw v. 1. to use a writing utensil like a pencil to make a sketch of some sort. ~n. 2. if the score is tied at the end of regulation time, it is known as a draw (or drawer if you’re from the UK) 3. The World Cup Draw was a complicated lottery process with lots of hoopla that took place on December 6, 2013 in Brazil. At the end of the day, the 32 qualified teams were divided into eight balanced (well, in some cases) groups and the World Cup Schedule was set.

Extra time n. 1. something you really wish you had when that homework assignment you put off is suddenly due. 2. See article on TIME for soccer definitions.

FIFA n. 1. a common name given to a female dog, often a French poodle [ed: that’s a bit of a stretch I reckon. Fifi I grant you. Fifa? Not so much]. 2. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association. The international governing body of soccer. These are the guys who put on the World Cup. The president is Sepp Blatter.

Football n. 1. what the rest of the world calls soccer. The term “soccer” was of course coined by an Englishman, not an American. 2. the actual round ball used

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to play soccer. A ball to be struck with the foot. Usually leather, traditionally black and white, although the Brazuca, the official ball of the 2014 World Cup is white with multi-color highlights including two shades of blue, green and orange. 3. Football as most Americans know it is called American Football or Gridiron by the rest of the world.

Fourth official n. 1. A member of the officiating team, but unlike the referee and linesman, he doesn’t have to run. It’s a nice easy job for injured or retired referees. The fourth official gets to hold up the big digital sign board at midfield to announce substitutes and how much injury time will be added on at the end of each half. Guaranteed TV time is always a nice perk.

Free kick n. 1. in a butt-kicking contest, the favorite to win might give his opponent one free kick to start the contest. 2. a kick awarded to a team after a foul has been committed. If the foul took place in the penalty box, a penalty kick is awarded.

If it happens anywhere else on the field, the ball is placed where the foul was committed and the defensive team must be at least 10 yards (or 9.15 meters) away. If this is within scoring distance, the defensive team will set up a wall and the kicker will try to bend the ball using a banana kick technique.

Full time n. 1. when your job requires you to spend at least 40 hours each week at work. 2. The end of 90 minutes of play. Regulation time is 90 minutes, and therefore that is the full time of the game. Well, not really because they still have to play through injury time. If a team scores during injury time the goal will be documented as coming in the 90+1, +2 or +3 minute. After that it still might not be over because in the knockout stages if the game is still tied they need to play more to determine a winner. But 90 minutes is still considered full time. When they play more time to determine a winner, then that is considered extra time. Got it? Be sure to read our section on TIME for more clarification on this topic! The referee signals full time by blowing on his whistle three times.

Goal box n. 1. sort of a wish box where one writes out their dreams and goals and places them in the box for safe keeping. 2. a box drawn on the field, six yards in front of the goal. Other than letting the goalkeeper know where the goal is so he doesn’t have to take his eyes off the ball, the only other purpose is to mark where the ball is placed for goal kicks. Also called the goal area.

Goal kick n. 1. When one of those motivational speakers encourages his audience to set a bunch of impossible goals, you might say he’s on one of those goal kicks. 2. a free kick usually taken by the goalkeeper from his goal box. This kick is awarded to the defensive team when the ball goes over the end line last touched by the offensive team. (if it was last touched by the defensive team, it’s a corner kick)

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Goalmouth scramble n. 1. a breakfast special down at Tony Meola’s Ocean County Diner.* 2. when the ball is loose and bouncing around in front of the goal. Players scramble to either clear the ball out of danger (if they’re on defense) or to get the ball into the goal (if they’re on offense). *We really don’t think Tony Meola runs a diner in New Jersey, but if he did, that would be soooo cool!

Golazo n. 1. How Spanish-speaking commentators on Univision will describe an amazing goal.

Goooooooooooooool! n. 1. The goal scoring announcement used by Spanishspeaking commentators on Univision. If you watch the game at home, it’s always fun to turn on the Spanish station to hear the excitement these guys have for the game. Gol is Spanish for goal, but the longer you can stretch it out, the better!

Group of Death n. 1. In soccer tournaments that utilize a group stage, any group that has at least one more really good team than there is room for is considered a Group of Death. Groups D and G can both be considered to be in such group.

Unfortunately, our U.S. team was drawn into a group with three other really good teams. 2. a group of musicians whose output is considered quite loud and thrashy, often playing the band’s records backwards will reveal satanic incantations.

Halftime n. 1. In life it is about 40 to 50 years. 2. In soccer it is a break in the middle of the game that allows players to rest and regroup. The first half is 45 minutes of nonstop play. Then there is a halftime break followed by another 45 minutes of nonstop play to complete the game.

Hand ball n. 1. a game played with your hands and a ball. Racketball without the rackets. 2. a foul called when a player, other than the goalkeeper uses his hand to hit or redirect the ball. If this happens in the Penalty Box then it’s a straight Penalty Kick. [ed: The ref has to be certain that the player intentionally handles the ball. If a defender kicks the ball right into a player’s hand or the ball bounces up and hits an arm, these are not fouls and should not be called.]

Header n. 1. when you take a tumble and land on your head. 2. when a player uses his head to redirect the ball either as a pass or as a shot on goal. Typically the player uses the top front portion of their forehead for more accuracy and power.

Injury Time n. see added time Kit n. 1. a box filled with test tubes and beakers and other objects for performing science experiments. 2. David Hasselhoff ’s talking car in the hit TV show, “Knight

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Rider”. 3. the soccer uniform consisting of shirt, shorts and soccer socks. Each team will have at least two different colored kits.

Linesmen n. 1. Weren’t they a doo-wop group from the 50’s? 2. The second and third officials (or assistant referees, or chaps with flags) that man the sidelines. They dress exactly like the referee but instead of a watch and a whistle, they get flags which they hold up when the ball goes out of bounds. They used to help the referee determine if the entire ball crossed the goal line and a goal was scored but now we have electronic technology for that. They also hold up their flag when the play is offside and they can call some fouls, but those have to be recognized and approved by the on-field referee. And being that they’re the ones closest to the fans, they’re the ones that get stuff thrown on them in hostile environments.

Manager/coach n. 1. the person who makes the decisions in the best interest of the team. He will lead practices and he chooses the roster and starting lineup and determines who to substitute and when to make those changes. A lot of coaches will get fired after the World Cup if their team does not perform to the country’s expectations.

Nutmegging v. 1. the act of adding nutmeg to a recipe 2. when an offensive player puts the ball through the defender’s legs. It’s a humiliating feeling for the player that got “megged” and an individual feat (pun intended) of victory for the offensive player.

Offside n. 1. when you take the sides of your canvas top off of your Jeep. 2. See article p18 on offside for soccer definition.

Penalty box n. 1. what your wife puts you in if you buy her snow tires for Christmas.

2. a box drawn on the field 18 yards in front of the goal. If the defensive team commits a foul in this box, a penalty kick will be awarded from the penalty spot.

Most of the dives by dramatic strikers will take place in or near the penalty box.

Also called the penalty area.

Penalty kick (PK) v. 1. what your other half might do to you while you’re in the penalty box. 2. the ultimate free kick awarded to the offensive team if the defensive team committed a foul inside the penalty box. The penalty kick is taken from the penalty spot, 12 yards in front of the goal and the only players allowed in the penalty box are the kicker and the goalkeeper. The keeper can’t move until the ball is kicked which is why they guess which way the ball is going to go, in the hopes of saving a sure goal. [ed: often referred to as just ‘Penalty’, eg “Spain have been awarded a penalty”. “Pelé steps up to take the penalty.” “My idiot brother could have scored that penalty with his eyes shut and he has only one leg.”]

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Penalty kick shootout n. 1. How cowboys used to settle tie games in the Old West, except they dropped the penalty kick part of the shootout. 2. How they determine the winner of the knockout games if the 30 minutes of extra time did not decide a winner. A shootout consists of each team taking five penalty kicks. The team who has scored the most goals after five kicks is determined the winner. If it is still tied, they go to sudden death penalty kicks where each team takes one penalty kick at a time until one team scores and the other doesn’t in the same round.

Pitch n. 1. when you propose an idea to your boss like, “hey, how ’bout we take the month off for The World Cup?” or “how about we bring in some HD TVs so we can watch all the World Cup games? 2. the traditional name for the field.

Play on v. 1. what hip toddlers say to each other when parting ways at the play lot. 2. when a foul has occurred, but the referee allows the play to go on if the offensive team seems to have an advantage with the continuation of play rather than stopping to set up a new play. It is also referred to as “playing the advantage” or just “advantage”. This prevents defenses from fouling randomly to try and stop a goal scoring opportunity.

Post n. 1. a way to send mail the old-fashioned way… like before you used your phone.

2. a goal post. The framework that holds the net and determines goals. Often times the goalkeeper’s best friend, but sometimes because of bad bounces, the goalkeeper’s worst enemy. An exciting line from a soccer commentator is “He hit the post!” The commentator of course means the ball hit the post, but the “he” he’s referring to is the shooter.

Red Card n. 1. either a heart or a diamond in a deck of playing cards. 2. what is given to a player when the referee deems he has made an excessive foul and should be kicked out of the game for it. He will also receive a minimum 1 game suspension from FIFA. His team has to play shorthanded (or shortfooted) for the rest of the game. Two yellow cards given to a player in the same game also results in a red card.

Set plays n. 1. a theatrical event which you might see on Broadway. 2. strategies, formations, or a planned process that a team will use for free kicks (including corner kicks) within goal-scoring range.

Shirt numbers n. 1. it’s how many shirts you have in your closet 2. the number on the back of the player’s jersey or shirt. Many soccer players have a lot of superstitions and put a lot of significance into their shirt number. The most popular number for a goal scorer is #10 and the most popular number for a goalkeeper is #1.

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GLOSSARY (WHAT STUFF MEANS) Side netting n. 1. when your grandmother has a little knitting job on the side 2. the side part of the goal net that stretches from the post to the ground or to the support bars in the back of the goal. Because there are so many different angles and vantage points in the stadium, when the ball hits the outside part of the side netting, about half of the stadium will think a goal was scored. Boy, will they ever feel stupid when they discover the truth!

Stoppage Time n. see added time Striker n. 1. The name of a funny character in the movie “Airplane” 2. What a woman baseball or softball pitcher tries to do against a batter “Striker Out!” 3. the name of the player up front in the offense who is trying to score goals for his team. We used to call them center forwards, and not just because they’re the center of attention. Teams once had three or four forwards and the guys in the center were the strikers.

Strip n. 1. The uniform (see kit) ~v. 2. what some players will do after a goal. Many goal scorers will wear a shirt with a message written on it under their game jersey.

If they score, they know all the cameras will be on them and they will strip off their jersey to share their message with the world, or at least with the viewers who can read that language. They could get a yellow card for their celebration.

Tackle v. 1. how you might go at a task or big project. Your wife might try to get you to tackle the clean-out-the-garage project on your day off. ~n. 2. what you’d rather be using on your day off. “Hey son, reach into my tackle box and grab one of those shiny lures and a sinker. We’ll catch us a big ol’ fish. 3. a tactic used to try and get the ball away from the opposing player. A slide tackle is when the defender slides on the ground to get the ball. A hard tackle is a rough contest instigated by a defender which usually involves bodily contact and much pain.

Throw-in n. 1. An act of tossing any of a variety of objects. If you give up you could throw-in the towel. If you don’t have the right ingredients you might throw-in random items from your refrigerator into a recipe. 2. when the ball goes out of bounds on the sideline, the opposing team gets to use their hands to throw the ball back into play. Both hands must be on the ball, both feet must be on the ground and the ball must be thrown over their head.

Touchline n. 1. The furthest point a woman will allow you to get before she stops you from going further. 2. What your coach demands of you when doing wind sprints during training. “Touch the line before turning around!” 3. The outer lines along the length of field that designate out of bounds. Also known as sidelines. If the ball crosses the line and goes out of bounds it will be a throw-in (sidelines). If it goes over the end line or goal line it will either be a goal kick or corner kick.

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Volley v. 1. a move you make during the game of volleyball. ~n. 2. a big fish. “Boy oh boy! I hear the Volley are biting today! Oh, wait, that’s Walleye. The fisherman had a Norweigan accent. 3. When a player kicks the ball out of midair (full volley) or off a bounce (half volley) or a wicked shot where the shooter’s leg gets horizontal as he swings it to the side (side volley) Wall n. 1. a solid structure that divides rooms in a building. 2. the solid object you’ll most likely want to bang your head against if your team loses. 3. a “solid” structure of defenders that is formed in front of the goal to prevent the other team from having a direct line to the goal on a free kick. You’ll see the goalkeeper shouting directions to his players as they line up the wall.

Yellow Card n. 1. chip: “I believe yellow cards are in the game Rook or Uno”. danny: “You’re absolutely right, Chip.” Chip’s colorblind so it’s really frustrating playing those games with him. 2. what a referee will give a player or coach for committing a foul or act that was not in the spirit of the game (unsportsmanlike conduct) or possibly dangerous to the other player (flagrant foul). If you get two yellow cards in one game it’s equal to a red card (see red card) Two yellow cards accumulated throughout the first two rounds of the tournament will result in a one game suspension for that player.

Zidane v. 1. to head-butt an opponent in the chest, referring to one of the most popular on-field violent actions to take place in a World Cup Final. France’s Zinedine Zidane head-butted Italy’s Marco Materazzi after Materazzi said something about Zidane’s sister/mother/grandmother.

Well, that’s the book.

Yeah, and they thought we couldn’t do it.

So what should we do now?

Well, you know, I’ve been to Russia several times, so that kind of makes me an expert on the next World Cup happening in 11 cities throughout Russia [ed: and Ukraine] And that’s only four years away!

Yeah we better get started writing The Red White and Blues Brothers’ Guide to the 2018 World Cup!

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS Danny Donuts Raudonis has been a life-long soccer fan and player. His dad, Bob was his coach in youth soccer all the way through high school.

Bob was the first soccer coach at Ottawa High School in Ottawa, Illinois and Danny played on that first team in 1984. In the summer of 1986, Danny was obsessed with the World Cup in Mexico, watching the games on the Spanish station, which televised all the games. In 1993 Danny earned his first cap as a U.S. Soccer supporter seeing Germany vs. USA at Soldier Field in Chicago and the following summer saw the Opening Ceremony and two World Cup matches there with his dad. His U.S. soccer game day passions include dressing up in outrageous costumes and supplying the drum beat for the team and the supporters. Danny lives in Chicago with his wife, Barb.

Find out more at DannyDonuts.com Rodney “Chip” Daly started playing soccer at the age of 8 and was instantly hooked. His favorite player was Pelé, mostly because his last name Daly practically rhymed with Pelé but also because he enjoyed watching Pelé play for the New York Cosmos back in the 1970’s. He practiced long and hard to master the bicycle kick that Pelé made famous. The 1982 World Cup in Spain was the first Cup that Chip was really into. Italy’s Paulo Rossi scoring a hat trick against Brazil in the second round is a memory that is not soon forgotten. He earned his first cap as a U.S. Soccer supporter seeing USA beat Honduras in the 2009 Gold Cup semifinals at Soldier Field in Chicago, but he had been cheering them on for years through the TV. His U.S. soccer game day passions include photographing the action on the field, in the stands and outside the stadium. Chip is a pediatric nurse at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. Check out his blog at YourDalyHug.blogspot.com Chip and Danny first met at a therapeutic humor conference in 2004. They have a common interest in using humor and clowning to make a difference.

When they discovered their common interest in soccer it was only matter of time and distance before they would get together to change the world.

In 2011, they went on the ultimate soccer journey to Brazil, photographing as much soccer as they could. Their first book, “Fields of Passion: Soccer in Brazil” featuring Chip’s stunning photography captures the passion from the national team all the way down to games on the beach and on the street.

Their love of supporting the U.S. National Team led to the creation of the super supporters, The Red White and Blues Brothers, which led to their Guide To The 2014 World Cup and the formation of the first family-friendly U.S. Soccer Supporter Group, the P.E.A.C.E. PARTY.

THE ONLY GUIDE YOU’LL EVER NEED including... day-by-day guide, brackets, complete guide to every team and where they come from, stadium guide and full glossary.

ISBN 9780984714230

$9.99 USA Lexographic Press

9 780984 714230

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