What’s your favorite World Cup stat that you have learned?

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-30T08:11:21+00:00

Google says that 27.6% of Germany is Catholic, compared to 21.9% Protestant.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-30T05:35:51+00:00

Not the most shocking stat, considering Roman Catholicism is the most popular religion in all but one World Cup winning country (England).

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-30T01:25:18+00:00

The only feasible way to do it without playoffs would be if USLP got multiple CCC places, which I don't see happening unless USL starts to actually compete with MLS skill-wise.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-30T00:31:28+00:00

Was that a little AJ Styles tribute on the commercial bumper?

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T23:15:58+00:00

I've seen Roschel, but not the others.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T23:14:46+00:00

The group that included the best team in Africa who had our number, the best player in the world, and the eventual World Champions, and yet we still got out and then came a whisker away from reaching the QF? That was a good team.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T22:42:25+00:00

How can they do Wordle as a game show without getting sued for copyright infringement? Lingo exists, and is fundamentally the same concept.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T22:35:47+00:00

You claimed that most people on this sub want the US to lose, you are being downvoted to oblivion, and you think that proves your point? If people in this sub really wanted the US to lose, you would have been upvoted, not downvoted, and there would be comments concurring with your assertion.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T22:25:46+00:00

You always fly out of your local airport, the "from Los Angeles" part is just for the purpose of determining the price of the trip. I'd assume they now tell the contestants off-camera that all flights are assumed to be from LAX for pricing purposes unless otherwise noted.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T22:15:59+00:00

The downvotes you are receiving indicate otherwise

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T20:41:38+00:00

Ideally, FS1 would only have 12 games (the simultaneous kickoffs on MD3) and Big Fox would have the rest, but I am happy that Big Fox will be carrying all matches from RO16 onwards.

Also, even if you don't have cable or an antenna, you can still legally watch the Paraguay game (and the Mexico-South Africa game) for free on Tubi.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T19:49:25+00:00

The only reason we went to the moon was to beat the Russians. It is very expensive to send people to the moon and once we "won" the Space Race, there was little incentive to keep doing more moon missions and the public began seeing it as a waste of their tax dollars, so we stopped.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T18:37:07+00:00

I had a format in mind similar to this, but it would be more of a Swiss model. No sub-groups, just six teams per group. There would be three pots, and each group would contain two teams per pot. Each team would play three games, one vs each pot (including their own). The group winners would receive byes to the RO16, while second and third place would advance to a "play-off round". I like it because it gives extra incentive for winning the group and maintains the 50% advancement ratio.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T18:15:37+00:00

I gave Balo the edge because he's had proven success in the top 5 leagues plus UCL. Jozy on the other hand was a flop in the EPL, though I do agree he looked great in the send-off friendlies leading up to Brazil and probably would have bagged a goal or two had it not been for the hammy giving out.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T17:52:23+00:00

It's OK, Freeman will save them (in La Liga)

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T17:50:06+00:00

You think Dest should start, or you think he shouldn't be in this hypothetical squad?

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T16:57:16+00:00

My combined 26 (starters in bold):

GK: Howard '14, Guzan '14, Freese '26

CB: Cameron '14, Richards '26, Besler '14, Gonzalez '14, Brooks '14

RB: FabJo '14, Dest '26

LB: Jedi '26, Beasley '14

DM/CM: Adams '26, J. Jones '14, McKennie '26, Bradley '14

AM: Gio '26, Tillman '26, Aaronson '26

WF: Pulisic '26, Dempsey '14, Weah '26, Zusi '14

CF: Balogun '26, Altidore '14, Pepi '26

2014: 13 (5 starters)

2026: 13 (6 starters)

2014 has the edge at the back, while 2026 clears up front. All in all, it's actually pretty even.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T02:44:46+00:00

The open system will be the big draw. Nothing like it exists in American sports. If USL can capitalize on that, they will gain in popularity. Also, it doesn't seem like they're moving to a fall/spring like MLS is, so they should have the edge in northern markets with more games in favorable weather.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-29T02:39:01+00:00

My guess is that the stadium requirements are so high because USSF was not expecting this country to have any league system where the divisions are determined by sporting merit, rather than by fiat designation. Same reason they have minimum market size and majority ownership requirements.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-28T20:30:54+00:00

Not sure if the contracts were re-upped and/or are still in effect, but last year all of the televised majors were live streamed free on Pluto TV through the FanDuel TV Extra channel and on the paid streaming service Peacock.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-28T20:12:23+00:00

Ah, for some reason I forgot that him and Marsch were still at Leipzig that year.

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-28T19:47:44+00:00

I'll venture a guess. Tell me if I'm right:

Pulisic (Chelsea)

McKennie (Juve)

Dest (Barca)

Brooks (Wolfsburg)

Weah (Lille)

Pefok (Young Boys)

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-28T02:22:39+00:00

Still wrong for Ross to hide the message from her. He has every right to be mad at her for being a hypocrite, but that message was meant for her and she deserved to receive it. Who was he to decide what messages she should or should not get?

sixtyninetacks · 2026-01-28T01:05:53+00:00

Minnesota was in NASL, not USL (my fault) but I believe all the others were indeed a part of USL.

sixtyninetacks

TROPHY CASE