World Cup 2022

[hollodero]

(12-01-2022, 11:08 AM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: Bill Johnson
Tommy Moe
Hilary Lindh
Ski legends off the top of my head. Johnson was a champ only because he was insane and wasn't afraid of things like "too fast for this coming corner".

Sure, I know I fabricated my point a bit. Ted Ligety, Picabo Street, great skiers too, regularly beating Austrians. Daron Rahlves. Phil Mahre. I am aware there were good US skiers at all time.

(12-01-2022, 11:08 AM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: So you admit that we earned our pre-tournament #16 ranking. Apology accepted.

Never!!!!

(12-01-2022, 11:08 AM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: Honestly . . . when was the last time you watched a 90 minute MLS match? I've seen Austrian teams in Champions League and Europa League, but I've never seen a random Austrian top flight match. MLS is not a magnet for world class players . . . at this time. The league has a vision for what they're aiming for and they're slowly plodding right along making minor but important changes along the way to insure that the clubs/franchises don't bankrupt themselves.

Never saw more than maybe a handful of MLS games. Sure. My judgement is also based on team's market values and the fact that no decent young player from an European league goes there.
I'm not saying the league is doomed to be mediocre at all times. Maybe the direction is good, I read what you said about that, I can not disagree. But yeah, as of now I'd still be convinced that the Austrian champion beats the MLS champion.

(12-01-2022, 11:08 AM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: Like it or not . . . the Finals are an exhibition. The World Cup begins regionally, no matter how tough it is, there's your chance. If lesser teams get placed further along due to a weaker confederation, they'll get weeded out early in the Finals. If you couldn't get past qualifying in Europe, you would have been weeded out early in the Finals anyway.

Not necessarily. Italy probably wins 9 out of 10 times against Macedonia. Upsets still happen.
I'm not necessarily argueing that Italy would have deserved it. I'm arguing that by current design, it's not the 32 best teams of the world that qualify. Maybe that is desired, and I can see why.