2014 FIFA World Cup: Recap and Final Thoughts

As fast as the World Cup came upon us, it's now all over and I feel like crying. Well, maybe I'm not quite THAT sad, but this edition of the World Cup is one of the best...ever. It tied the 1998 World Cup for most total goals, 171 (though the record for most goals per match is 5.38! This happened all the way back in 1954. There were much less games back then). A record 32 goals were scored by substitutes, including the game winning goal in the Final (which I managed  to correctly predict). Germany also became the first European team to win a World Cup in the Americas. Europe has now won the last three World Cups, marking the first time any confederation has won three in a row (and a good chance for 4 since the next World Cup is in Russia). Overall, it was mostly a very entertaining month of soccer, and in my opinion Brazil did not disappoint as host nation.

Now about the final...It was actually a lot better than the scoreline suggests. I actually thought Argentina created the better chances in the first 90 minutes. Gonzalo Higuain's miss on a breakaway in the first half, and then his offside goal highlighted what could've been for Argentina. Even in extra time Argentina had a great chance that Rodrigo Palacio (the man with the rat tail) squandered. In hindsight, trying to chip a goalie like Manuel Neuer is usually ill advised, especially when side footing the ball into the corner was clearly the better choice. Let's not take anything away from Germany though, they were the best team throughout this tournament. Mario Goetze's elegant goal punctuated that. If you think about it, Algeria came closest to knocking Germany out, and may very well have if not for Manuel Neuer's heroics. Finally, after coming so close in the last three World Cups, Germany stands alone as the World Champion. 

My top 3 favorite moments (in no particular order)

1. The United States getting out of the group

Even though the U.S. suffered defeat in the first knockout round, they managed to get out of the toughest group at the World Cup. John Brooks' goal against Ghana was especially awesome, given both teams knew they had to win that game if they wanted to progress. The game against Portugal was one of the best performances I've seen in recent years from this side, and they fully deserved to win. The game against Germany wasn't a particularly great outing, but the U.S. knew they didn't have to win. Overall, the goal before the tournament started was to get out of the group. That goal was achieved, meaning Jurgen Klinsmann is (thankfully) going no where.

2. The Round of 16

Five of the eight games went to extra time, two went all the way to penalties. The Round of 16 was the closest any team came to beating Germany in the knockout rounds. It was also then that Brazil got yet another huge scare, this time from a resilient Chile side. The U.S. said goodbye to the tournament, but had a golden chance to equalize in extra time after going behind by 2. We saw more magic from Lionel Messi, who assisted Angel di Maria's goal in the 117th minute. A fun to watch Mexican side was denied first by Wesley Sneijder's equalizer and then by an extremely controversial refereeing decision. Costa Rica became the only CONCACAF team to progress past the round of 16. And finally we saw James Rodriguez take control of the golden boot race. 

3. The Rise of Colombia and James Rodriguez

As an AS Monaco fan, I know how good Rodriguez is. However, I didn't think he'd embrace the stage so much and lead his country to the quarterfinals. Assuming he stays at Monaco, we'll have the pleasure of seeing him play in the Champions League this year. I wonder what could have been had Radamel Falcao been fit for Colombia. Though Rodriguez was the cog in the machine, Colombia won their games as a team. Juan Cuadrado may be on his way to a big club after a great showing, and overall the Colombians can be very proud of what they achieved. I think they respected Brazil a little too much, and had they attacked them earlier on in the game, could've won that game. Still, they captured the hearts of many.

Low Points

1. Luis Suarez bite (again)

I seriously can't believe this happened again. For the third time in his career Suarez bit an opponent, which launched massive memes, gifs, pictures, etc of Suarez, portraying him as a cannibal. As a player, Suarez is currently the best striker in the world, but he has mental problems. For a guy that has so much money, you would think he could get the world's best psychologist/psychiatrist to help him. Suarez completed a massive 75 million pound move to Barcelona, but he's suspended until late October. I've always been a huge Suarez fan because he's extremely passionate and talented. I sincerely hope someone can help him, because it's sad to see all of this happen

2. Brazil getting embarassed

Usually when you get to a semi-final in a World Cup, your country sees it as a success. Not in Brazil though. Brazilians expect their team to win every single time, which is why the semi-final destruction by Germany hurts so bad. Many have called it the worst loss in the history of the World Cup. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but the writing was on the wall though, from the very first game. I'm also puzzled as to why anyone would pay 50 million pounds to buy David Luiz (which PSG did earlier this summer). He made so many mistakes, and is a defensive liability. To be fair he wasn't the only one, the entire defense (including the usually reliable Thiago Silva) was abysmal for most of the tournament. Clearly Brazil couldn't shake off the semi-final defeat as the Netherlands easily beat them in a third place game that was supposed to help a nation forget. Instead, the wounds were just re-opened.

3. Flopping and referees falling for it

Many people have said for a long time now that something has to be done to address the issue of simulation, and this World Cup just confirms that. Fred's awful flop in the very first game was the only reason Brazil won. Arjen Robben's against Mexico might've been even worse. If you're a ref in the World Cup knockout rounds, and you make a call like that in stoppage time of a tie game, you better be 1000% sure it wasn't a foul. Given Robben's reputation, I can't believe that PK was given. Holland probably deserved to win the game, but that's not the point here. Then, in the third place game, Oscar was actually taken down, and instead of giving the penalty, the ref booked Oscar for diving. Overall, the refereeing as a whole was mediocre.  A few things have to be done: 1. fines for diving (like in the NBA) have to be implemented. Every time you get fined, the sum goes up too. I can guarantee that will help solve the problem. 2. Referees need to be constantly educated about diving and how to tell it apart. Yes, some players (Robben, Sergio Busquets, Mario Ballotelli) are very good at simulation, but if you start fining them and educating the refs, diving will go down. Also, pardon the elitism, but did they really have a ref from Algeria doing the third place game? This is the World Cup. Referees that aren't normally reffing in big leagues in Europe and South America should be carefully examined. At the World's premier sporting event, it only makes sense to have the very best referees. It's no time for PR and political correctness (which FIFA seemingly doesn't get).

4. The end of the Spain Golden Age

After winning three straight major tournaments, the Spanish dynasty crumbled courtesy of Holland and Chile. Give credit to Spain though, no team before them has ever won three tournaments in a row, and we may well have had the privilege to watch the best team ever assembled. However, the players in this tournament were considerably older, and teams began to figure out how to beat the Tiki-Taka. I'm not ready to condemn the system yet though. I want to see if the next generation can play Tiki-Taka and get the Spanish back to the top. Iker Casillas was poor in this World Cup, and Jose Mourinho now looks like a genius for benching him two seasons ago at Real Madrid. Fortunately, Spain have David de Gea to take his place. Expect to see a drastically different Spanish team when qualifying for Euro 2016 starts in September.


All in all, this goes down as my second favorite World Cup, behind only the 2006 edition. There were plenty of goals, plenty of drama, and fantastic games. A month of nothing but soccer is over, but hopefully you'll watch the English Premier League this coming fall (most of the games are on NBC networks every weekend). I also encourage you to watch the UEFA Champions League (basically the best teams in Europe playing one another. Those games fall on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and can be seen on Fox networks). In just one more month, the club season begins, and soccer will once again be on TV. The next major tournament is the Copa America (South American championship) which is next summer. Then in 2016, France will host the European championship before Russia hosts the next World Cup in 2018. My next blog post will highlight some of the big transfers this summer, as well as my predictions for the major European leagues.

As always thanks for reading.

Adam Bakiera
@abakiera 

2014 FIFA World Cup: The Medal Round

Almost a month since the World Cup kicked off, and we're down to the final weekend. I can't move on before I address the Brazil game. No one could say they saw THAT coming. Sure, Germany winning isn't that much of a shock, I know I picked Brazil, but it's not like I said Germany had no chance. Many are saying that is the most embarrassing loss in the history of the entire World Cup. I've only seen four World Cups, and it's definitely the worst I've ever seen. My father, who has watched 10 World Cups, says this is the worst Brazil team he's ever seen. There are no words that can describe it...to be down 0-5 within 30 minutes on your home soil. The writing was on the wall though. You can make a very good case that Brazil didn't deserve to win games against Croatia, Chile, and Colombia. Neymar was a big loss for this game, but Thiago Silva's was even worse. The defense had absolutely zero organization and leadership. Let's be clear about something though: this is a game that happens once in a lifetime, we likely won't see a game like that again. Some people have asked me what a good comparison is, because the casual soccer fan has no idea how terrible this loss really is. The best I could come up with is LSU/Auburn beating Alabama in Tuscaloosa by 6 touchdowns in the college playoff this year (I know Tuscaloosa can't host a semi-final but that's the direct comparison). In contrast, the second semi-final may have been the most boring game of the World Cup thus far. There really weren't any clear cut chances for 120 minutes, and Argentina goalie Sergio Romero stepped up in the shootout. Even though the Netherlands lost, they shut down Lionel Messi, something the Germans will surely look at. Argentina booked their place in the final, and if you think Brazil losing is bad, you have no idea how much it would hurt Brazilians if Argentina lifted the trophy at the Maracana on Sunday.
I predicted 1 out of 2 semi-final games correctly, here are my final predictions for this year's World Cup.

Third Place Game: Brazil vs. Netherlands

The big question here is how much pride do the Brazilians have left? They get Thiago Silva back so there should be much more organization on defense, but there still isn't anyone that can score goals. It definitely won't be the same as winning the title, but winning this game will restore just a glimmer of pride for the world's most successful soccer team. In my eyes, the Netherlands have already overachieved. I never thought a team with such an inexperienced back line could go this far (watch out for this team in Euro 2016). Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, and Robin Van Persie were ineffective in the semi-final, and don't be surprised if coach Van Gaal shuffles his lineup for this game. Traditionally, third place games have more goals because both teams play with considerably less pressure. This one is really hard to call though because no one knows how much the destruction in the semi-final will affect Brazil. I incorrectly thought the emotion of playing for Neymar would lift Brazil past Germany. Brazil coach Luis Felipe Scolari may also shuffle his lineup, giving guys that haven't played a chance to show what they've got. Also, Arjen Robben's comments after the semi-final (calling the 3rd place match useless) seem to point this game means more to Brazil.

Prediction: Brazil 2 Netherlands 1 

The Final: Germany vs. Argentina

This is the game everyone is waiting for. Don't be surprised if this final shatters the record for most viewers of a television event. If you expect Germany to roll Argentina like they did Brazil, you're dead wrong. For one, Argentina is yet to allow a goal in the knockout rounds. Germany's biggest concern will be stopping Lionel Messi, and they have the players to do it. Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger will likely track Messi with others helping out depending on where on the field Messi is. As far as individual match-ups, Argentina's biggest task is stopping Thomas Mueller, who seems to pop up and score timely goals in every game. But don't be fooled, soccer is a team game, and it will take team efforts from both of these countries. People point out that Argentina's defense is the weak link, but as a team, they've played good defense in every game this tournament besides the Nigeria game in the group stages. Also, Germany's biggest weakness in the last few major tournaments is their mental strength. As a relatively young team, they may be a little overconfident after trashing Brazil. At the same time, Germany is the best team overall in this tournament, so as long as they don't suffer from mental lapses, they'll be the favorite to win. I think this game all depends on Argentina's approach. If I were coach Alejandro Sabella, I would sit back a little bit (sort of like what Algeria did, but not as defensive), and then try to hit on the counter with Messi, Lavezzi, and Aguero. Argentina will also play more physical than Brazil, and they may foul often to break up the German passing game. However, fouling too close to the goal may be costly, as Germany has a clear height advantage and Toni Kroos plays delicious crosses from set pieces. I expect a game similar to the last World Cup final: tense, low scoring, and physical. Who will win the World Cup: the team that's come so close or the best player in the world?

Prediction: I'm rooting for Argentina but I think Germany will take it Germany 1 Argentina 0 (after extra time)  

Green Machine Musings- GM Jim's Other Additions



Ales Hemsky skating for the Edmonton Oilers



              In Part I of this recap of the Stars' amazing week, I said that perhaps the best thing about the team's acquisition of Jason Spezza on July 1st is the fact that it wasn't even close to being the only substantial move involving Dallas this offseason.  No, Jim Nill was just getting started when he pulled the trigger on the deal that sent Alex Chiasson to Canada's capital in exchange for the superstar center.  About two hours or so after the news broke that Spezza was coming to Big D, GM Jim made another headline-grabbing move that would effectively complete the quest to build an NHL-caliber second line.

 

              30-year old Ales Hemsky (pronounced AL-esh HEM-skee), a lightning-fast right wing with a knack for crashing the net to slot the puck home from close range, was the first major free agent acquisition for the Stars this offseason.  A long-time member of the Edmonton Oilers, Hemsky was traded to the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline last season where he was put on a line centered by, lo and behold, Jason Spezza.  The two developed quite a chemistry in the 20 games they played together, as Hemsky put up 17 points (4 goals and 13 assists) during his time in Ottawa.  In fact, Spezza said in an interview shortly after the move was made official that he and Hemsky had been in communication throughout the offseason, anticipating where they might go and wondering if they somehow might take their chemistry to another city.  While their desire to play together elsewhere might not have been precisely what landed both of them in Dallas, there is no doubt that Jim Nill took their time together in Ottawa into consideration when deciding to acquire them.

 

               The Hemsky signing has been applauded by many in the NHL community as the Stars landed him at a very good term and price: 3 years/$12 Million.  This means that Dallas is not committing to a contract that could run beyond Hemsky's prime years nor one that pins the team against the salary cap of $69 Million.  The question now is: how much value can the Stars reasonably expect to get out of that investment?  To find Hemsky's best seasons points-wise, one has to go back a ways.  He put up 77 points during the 2005-2006 season with the Oilers, a campaign which saw Edmonton come within a game of winning the Stanley Cup.  More recently, though, his numbers have slipped.  Over the last five seasons, Hemsky hasn't reached the 50-point plateau and has not scored more than 14 goals in a single season.  However, one must take his scoreboard struggles with several grains of salt.  First of all, he was playing on one of the worst teams in hockey in Edmonton and was skating alongside line-mates that were either checking line role-players or young scorers who weren't always interested in setting up Hemsky for quality scoring chances.  Second, his health hasn't been the most cooperative recently.  In three of those five seasons, Hemsky failed to skate in at least 50 games, the worst of which saw him participate in just 22 contests in 2009-2010.  These two factors led many NHL experts to list Hemsky as a low-risk (money-wise), high-reward player that GMs would be wise to target.

 

                Right now, the consensus opinion among the Stars' community is that Ales Hemsky will skate alongside Jason Spezza on a scoring line that is more a "1B" line (behind the 1A of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Valeri Nichushkin) than a true "#2" line.  Hemsky would undoubtedly be relied upon to complement Spezza's stellar patience and decision-making abilities with some raw speed and goal-scoring prowess.  If Nill's instinct in signing Hemsky turns out to be right; look out, for the Dallas Stars will have one of the most feared scoring attacks in the Western Conference.  It'll be all about speed this fall in Big D, and in this league, speed kills.

 

 

Anders Lindback makes a save for the Tampa Bay Lightning

              I will admit that I initially missed another major signing for the Stars, as it was a move that quickly got lost in the Twitterverse of July 1st.  As I basked in the glory of the Spezza trade and Hemsky signing, I was alerted to the fact that the Stars had also addressed their need for a backup goaltender.  With prospect Jack Campbell about a year away from being NHL-ready, Dallas was looking for a solid backup that they could sign to a one-year deal.  This time, however, it appeared that someone younger than Dan Ellis and Tim Thomas was in order.  The end result: a one-year/$925,000 contract for 26-year old Anders Lindback, a 6'6 behemoth between the pipes who had fallen out of favor with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

 

             Lindback had long been among the favorites for the Stars' backup job.  A native of Sweden, Lindback came up through the Nashville system before spending the last two seasons with Tampa Bay.  In the lockout-shortened 2013 season, Lindback started 21 of Tampa Bay's 48 games and posted a 10-10-1 record and a 2.90 GAA.  Last year, while backing up starter Ben Bishop, Lindback made just 18 starts, posting a record of 8-12-2 with a GAA of 2.90 and a save percentage of .891.  However, he was thrust squarely into the spotlight come playoff time as Bishop was injured just prior to the end of the regular season.  Lindback started every game of the Bolts' first round series against the Montreal Canadiens, but he was, in the minds of many, the weakest link for Tampa Bay.  He collected all four losses in the series as his team was swept by the Habs in four games.  In two of those contests, Lindback was pulled in favor of Kristers Gudlevskis.  Thus, this guy is looking for a fresh start in a new city, and it appears that he is a good fit for Dallas while the Stars are a good fit for him.

 

There's only one thing keeping me from handing him the Stars' backup job...

 

Just when it looked like the Stars were set between the pipes...



                The equation appeared to be simple.  The Stars would have Kari Lehtonen be the starting goalie and Anders Lindback would back him up.  Jack Campbell would be the starter at the AHL level to get some more seasoning and Dallas would either find him a backup on the open market or promote a minor prospect from Idaho of the ECHL.  Well, on July 7th, that equation became a jumbled mess in a big hurry.

 

               Just six days after signing Lindback, the Stars signed Jussi Rynnas, a 27-year old Finnish netminder whose first stint in North America hadn't gone so well.  The terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed, so we all assumed that it would be a two-way deal that would make Rynnas the AHL backup for Jack Campbell.  Thus, we were in for a surprise when it was announced that Jim Nill had inked him to a two-year, one-way contract worth $1.125 Million.  This means that it was never Nill's intention to just hand the backup job to Lindback.  Instead, he wants his goaltenders to have an open competition to see who wants it more.  If you think about it, the pros of such a philosophy far outweigh the cons.  He who wins this backup job will undoubtedly be looking ahead to his starts with anticipation rather than fear, a trait linked to several of Dallas' last few backups.  In turn, we the fans will know that the Stars' front office will have done their due diligence in determining who is best suited for the job, and we probably won't be so swift to cringe whenever Lehtonen gets a night off.  The only downside to a one-way deal for Rynnas is the fact that, should he come up short in his bid to win an NHL job, he will have to clear waivers to be sent down to the Texas Stars.  I think that this is a risk that Nill is willing to take because few teams will be in the market for a backup goaltender after training camp, and thus, will not have incentive to claim Rynnas off the waiver wire.  The same policy applies to Lindback should he lose the competition.

 

                Rynnas entered the Toronto Maple Leafs system in 2010 after going undrafted and was released after the 2013 season.  He appeared in three NHL games over that span, which saw him spend most of his time with the AHL's Toronto Marlies.  He posted a career AHL record of 31-33-5 in 73 regular season appearances.  This past year he returned to his native country and Karpat of the SM-Liiga (Finnish Elite League), where he destroyed the competition, going 28-5-7 with a GAA of 1.51 and a stellar save percentage of .939.  His GAA and save % both were tops in the SM-Liiga.  His club won the league championship in 2014.

 

-All statistics courtesy of the Dallas Stars Hockey Club press release on July 7, 2014.

 

 

Patrick Eaves, son of University of Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves

 

                Now let's go back to July 1st.  Jim Nill rounded out day one of the free agent signing period with a most unimpressive acquisition.  The latest signee was Patrick Eaves, a depth player at right wing who spent last season playing for the Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators.  This appears to be little more than the acquisition of a 13th forward, someone who will spend a fair number of games sitting up in the press box, as the Stars already have considerable depth at the position.  Valeri Nichushkin, Ales Hemsky, Ryan Garbutt, and Colton Sceviour appear as though they will have dibs on the right side, so Eaves doesn't really have a place in the lineup.  Thus, he will get his playing time mostly in the event of injury or a slump by one of the aforementioned players.  Why Nill decided to go with Eaves probably has something to do with Eaves' performance in Detroit, where Nill was the head of scouting for two decades.  Also, GM Jim probably did not want one of his prospects, notably Brett Ritchie and Scott Glennie being forced into a bench-warming role at the NHL level when their best interests lie in playing consistently with the Texas Stars.  He has made it clear that his prospects are going to have to force their way onto the NHL roster and that no one will be given special treatment in any phase of his development.

 

               The former first round pick (29th overall) of the Ottawa Senators in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Eaves has had a pretty lackluster career thus far.  His best seasons came early in his career.  In his rookie season, 2005-2006, he scored 20 goals in 58 games with Ottawa.  The following year, he potted 14 goals and put up a career-high 32 points in 73 games for the Senators.  After that, his numbers dropped off in a big hurry, as did the number of games he appeared in.  He was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2007-2008 season and then on to the Red Wings in 2009.  Over the course of his time with those two organizations, his maximum regular season output was 22 points with Detroit in 2009-2010.  He put up 12 goals that year and 13 goals the next, but his low assist numbers have not warranted a lot of ice time.  He has also had injury problems that limited his playing time to just 10 games in 2011-2012 and just 30 games in 2013-2014.

 



For some reason, Vancouver coach Alain Vigineault couldn't

stop laughing when he saw Fidds do this.



               Vernon Fiddler.  Who woulda thunk we'd see this guy around Big D for another two years?!  It seemed almost certain that the wily veteran would be taking his talents elsewhere this offseason, but lo and behold, he's back!  His presence on the fourth line and on the first penalty-killing unit will be immense, and his attitude and outlook on the game will be extremely beneficial for a locker room that is quickly getting younger.  Plus, his antics both on and off the ice will continue to be most welcome to us the fans (note the "Angry Kevin Bieksa" charade depicted above).

 

               The Stars were initially reluctant to commit to the multi-year deal (three or so years) that Fiddler was seeking, as a one-year deal would have been better suited for advancing the center prospects into the NHL ranks.  Thus, Fiddler and his agent decided to test the waters of free agency and see what another club would be willing to give him.  Money was never the issue, so Jim Nill and his crew must have made it clear to him that he would be welcome back on the Stars if the price was wrong elsewhere.  Regardless, we all thought he had surely played his last game in a Dallas jersey.  Then on July 2nd, it was announced that Fidds had been inked to a two-year contract worth $2.5 Million.  Here was a completely unexpected deal that actually involved Fiddler taking a pay cut from his previous deal.  He made $1.8 Million per season on his three-year deal that had just expired while, on this deal, he will make $1.0 Million in 2014-15 and $1.5 Million in 2015-16 (cap hit calculates out to $1.25 Million/year).  His reasoning for accepting such a deal: "Honestly, I had better offers.  But I wanted to stay with this team and finish the job.  There is a real attraction to playing here and playing to win, and seeing this through.  I think this is going to be a really good team, and I want to be a part of that."

 

                That kind of attitude is a clear indicator that this franchise is headed in the right direction.  Returning players taking less money to stay with a club rather than taking a better offer elsewhere is something that you don't see in every NHL city.  Vern, like many others, sees something in this club.  Something that we should be VERY excited about as the new season approaches.  Two things are for certain in the wake of this amazing week of offseason NHL action: Jim Nill has done it again, and the Dallas Stars are in very good shape for both next year and beyond.

 

-Quotes courtesy of Mike Heika's blog on SportsDay DFW

 

 

I'll leave you with two great Fiddler moments from this past season:

 

Sheathing the Weapon

 

 

The "Oh (expletive)" Move

 

 

Christian Bussler

@c_buss15

2014 FIFA World Cup: The Final Four

Four games remain at this year's World Cup: two semi-finals, a third place game, and of course, the final itself. During the quarterfinal stage, the clock finally struck midnight for Cinderella team Costa Rica. The Ticos did everything in their power to get the game to a shootout, and even had a great chance to win the game with about 3 minutes left in extra time. The Dutch were all over them though, hitting three posts and creating countless chances. In the end, the better team certainly won. Costa Rica got further than both the United States and Mexico, something I doubt any expert predicted. Then there was France and Belgium, two teams that were under most people's radars. Both disappointed in their quarterfinal matches. France looked like they didn't care that they were losing to Germany and Belgium didn't play with enough urgency either. Neither team really pushed men forward at the end. If you're playing in the final 8 of a World Cup, and are trailing with less than 5 minutes to go, you should be throwing all but one person into the attacking third of the field. Then there was the most entertaining game of the quarterfinals, one that may have ended both teams' dreams. Sure, Brazil beat Colombia, but they lost two very important players. Thiago Silva's yellow card was quite possibly the stupidest one of this tournament. He knows he can't get one, and he decides to run in front of the goalie when he's punting the ball. That's something you may expect from an 18 year old making his World Cup debut, not an experienced veteran like Silva. Then, late on in the game, Camillo Zuniga charged into the back of Neymar. Even on replay the foul itself doesn't look THAT bad, but it still deserved a yellow card. You knew the injury was serious when Neymar was taken off in tears. The verdict? A fractured vertebra, ending the star player's World Cup. Neymar should be considered lucky though, doctors said if the injury was just a few centimeters higher, he could have been paralyzed. They expect about 45-60 days of recovery time, meaning he will be ready to play for Barcelona right around the start of the season. Colombia also didn't look very threatening until they went down by two goals. You have to wonder where that urgency was for the rest of the game. James Rodriguez still got on the score sheet, but didn't play nearly as well as other games. He left the field in tears, consoled by Brazilian players. Many critics blame the referee for Neymar's injury, and I have to agree with them. The ref should not have been from Europe, as weird as that sounds. I've watched many South American qualifying games and Copa America games, teams from this part of the world play a very scrappy type of soccer. It's common for at least one team to get a red card, and there probably should've been one in this game as well. By refusing to card players, the Spanish referee allowed the players to get away with cynical fouls time and time again. Maybe if Zuniga was already on a yellow card, he wouldn't have gone in on Neymar like he did...
I correctly predicted 3 of 4 games in the quarterfinals, let's talk about the two semifinal match-ups.

The Semi-Finals

Brazil vs. Germany

The rematch of the 2002 final, where Brazil won 2-0. Surprisingly, that is the only competitive meeting between these two powerhouses. Germany is the first team in the history of the World Cup to make 4 straight semi-finals. A very impressive feat, but they haven't won the title in the previous three. Mats Hummels came back just in time, and the while the Germans didn't play a show stopping game against France, they played fundamentally sound team defense and easily took care of business. Brazil is definitely weakened, but make no mistake, the pressure on them isn't going down. Without Neymar, someone else needs to step up in his role, though no one can replace him. Bernard or Willian will likely play in Neymar's place. Bayern Munich centre-back Dante will likely fill in for Thiago Silva. Brazil's biggest issue (aside from not having Neymar) is the lack of goal scoring from their strikers. Fred and Jo were both awesome in the Confederations Cup a year ago, but have both been poor in this World Cup. I believe this game will be won in the midfield, where both teams have mountains of talent. Don't underestimate the emotional boost these players will get, as they try to win the cup for Neymar. Emotion is a very powerful tool, especially when you're playing at home. If there was ever a time for Germany to break their habit of choking at this stage of the World Cup, this is it. Make no mistake, this will NOT be a German blowout like some people are suggesting. I picked Brazil before the tournament started, and I think the emotional boost they get in this game will be just enough to see them through.

Prediction: Brazil 2 Germany 1 (after extra time)

Argentina vs. Netherlands

This semi-final should be just as exciting as the first, as both of these teams are soccer powerhouses. Lionel Messi continues to shine for Argentina. The only goal in their 1-0 win over Belgium saw 4 defenders crowd Messi, which opened up space for others. Argentina loses Angel di Maria to injury, but Sergio Aguero is fit after missing the last few games. The big question for Argentina is who marks Arjen Robben. If I'm Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella, I stick Pablo Zabaleta on him, and then instruct my team to double him up when he starts his runs. Of course they have to be careful, Robben is very good at "selling" fouls. The Netherlands' chief concern will be stopping Messi. Nigel de Jong would be a good person to put on him, but he's out for the rest of the tournament. The Dutch will have to rely on solid team defense to attempt to stop Messi (attempt being the key word). Robin van Persie has also struggled in the knockout rounds, and while it's unlikely he gets benched, Klass-Jan Huntelaar may be inserted if the Dutch fall behind. Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben have been key to the Dutch success and they need to continue carrying this team. The Dutch have yet to face a team with so much attacking prowess, and I think their inexperienced defense will struggle to contain Messi, Aguero, Higuain, etc.

Prediction: Argentina 3 Netherlands 2

Follow me on twitter @abakiera for World Cup updates and my opinions on the games

Adam Bakiera

Green Machine Musings- GM Jim Builds a Contender!

Fear. His. Mustache.

It’s official!  The Dallas Stars have a second scoring line!

 

But before I tell you about it, watch this classic video game commercial featuring the most prominent new member of the Green Machine (as well as another old friend of the Stars).

 

 

            Somehow, someway, General Manager Jim Nill has done it again!  For the second summer in a row, the GM of the Stars has punched the accelerator on the rebuild in Big D.  The result: in just two off-seasons, the former Detroit Red Wings head of scouting has completely rebuilt the Top Six for the Stars.  Last year it involved a seemingly troubled young center in Boston and an eighteen-year old phenom from the south of Russia.  This time around, the men coming to don the victory green are, shall we say, a bit more experienced.

 

            On Tuesday morning, I received a very excited text from my Stars-loving friend, Tanner.  It was only one word: “YESSSSSS!” but I knew exactly where he was coming from.  In yeoman’s terms, July 1st marked the start of the NHL’s version of open season.  It was, once more, the start of free agent signings across the league, but with an added twist this year.  July 1st was going to be crazier than ever because of a rule change that allowed teams to meet with pending unrestricted free agents before the signing period began.  Thus, when the clock struck 11:00 am CDT on Tuesday, all hell broke loose, with signings going down simultaneously from coast to coast.  So upon seeing that text, I had only to ask myself: who had the Stars acquired?

 

             The answer had come from a multitude of sources an hour or so earlier, so I'll throw the credit to Stars beat writer Mike Heika.

             Jason Spezza (pronounced SPEHT-zuh). Take a minute to let that name sink in.  Here's a brief list of some of the things he's bringing to Big D:

 

           -Second overall draft pick in 2001 Entry Draft

           -687 points (251 goals + 436 assists) in 686 career NHL games

           -4 seasons of 30+ goals

           -4 seasons of 50+ assists

           -2 appearances in NHL All-Star Game

           -52 points in 56 career NHL playoff games

 

            In 2013-14: 23 goals + 43 assists (both stats would have easily placed third on the Stars behind Benn and Seguin)

 

 

            And now he's ours.  And the best part, he doesn't need to be a superstar to have success on this team.  No, he is here to complement our already lethal top line and make them even deadlier.  They will do this by forcing the opposition to pick their poison, that is, the opponent's top pairing will be unable to defend back-to-back assaults from two top-tier scoring lines.  That's the value of a second-line center that can create a true scoring line.  Last year, the Stars did not have one.  Next year, they will have a top line center on their second line.  How Jim Nill pulled this off I will never know.

 

            And the best part of the deal, the Stars got him for an extremely good price.  Now, I have to say, my heart sank a bit when I saw that Alex Chiasson had been included in the package being sent to Ottawa, because the player known as "Toaster" had been a fan favorite ever since he made his debut.  However, upon further analysis, I saw just how good a deal that Nill got for us.

 

 

To Dallas:          C Jason Spezza

                       LW Ludwig Karlsson

 

To Ottawa:     RW Alex Chiasson

                       2nd Round pick in the 2015 draft

                       LW Alex Guptill

                       LW Nick Paul

 

              In acquiring Spezza (and the wrong Karlsson as far as Ottawa is concerned), the Stars parted with an NHL player, a draft pick, and two prospects.  At first, that sounds like a high cost, but it actually is a mega-bargain.  Chiasson has potential to be a top-six NHLer, but it simply isn't guaranteed.  The 2nd-round pick is quite significant, as the 2015 draft is expected to be extremely deep and talented, but it isn't a first-rounder.  As for the prospects, Guptill, a University of Michigan product, was rated as about 9th to 11th overall in the Stars prospect pool by Derek Neumeier and Huw Wales of DefendingBigD.com.  Nick Paul, a player for the OHL's North Bay Battalion, did not make the most recent Top-25 list that those two put together.  Thus, the consensus is that Ottawa, in only getting this much value for their captain and second-biggest superstar, got somewhat hosed by this deal.

 

Here's a link to Neumeier and Wales' prospect rankings on DBD.com.

 

              The main downside for this deal for Dallas is the fact that Spezza's contract will expire after the 2014-15 season.  If he leaves Dallas after this season, then the Stars will have essentially parted with this package for a one-year rental.  Regardless, Jim Nill did not part with any of Dallas' top prospects to acquire a second-line center with top line capability.  Jack Campbell, Brett Ritchie, Jamie Oleksiak, Devin Shore, Jason Dickinson, and John Klingberg all remain in the system.  That makes this a truly special deal that doesn't come around every day.  On another note, I honestly think that Nill and Company could re-sign Spezza to a multi-year deal here in North Texas.  His current contract, which took him into his prime, pays him $7 million/year.  A new deal would probably require him taking a pay cut to about $6.4-6.5 million over 4-5 years.  The Stars will have plenty of salary cap space open after the upcoming season as the albatross (lousy) contracts of Erik Cole, Sergei Gonchar, and Shawn Horcoff will come off the books, freeing up $15 million to spend elsewhere.  Acquiring Spezza AND signing him to play in Dallas long-term?  This is a Stars fan's dream taking shape right before our eyes.  Enjoy the show fans!

 

             Maybe there was an even better part of this deal... the fact that it wasn't the only great deal that the Stars made.  Stay tuned for another post devoted to the acquisitions the Stars made throughout the rest of the week!

 

Christian Bussler

@c_buss15

2014 FIFA World Cup: Quarterfinal Predictions

As we enter the final days of the World Cup, we say goodbye to the last two African teams. I was very impressed with Algeria though, and if not for the excellent positioning and decisions by Manuel Neuer, the Desert Foxes may have beaten Germany. The United States also depart Brazil after a hard fought game against Belgium. I've never been a fan of Chris Wondolowski, and was puzzled by his appearance in this game. It has to be said, Michael Bradley did not play nearly up to his standards. Still, getting out of the group was the goal before the tournament started, that goal was achieved. We also say goodbye to Mexico, who valiantly fought off the Netherlands for 88 minutes before Wesley Sneijder equalized. Then another very controversial decision as Arjen Robben went down inside the box in stoppage time. The penalty was converted and just like that Mexico were out. Such a shame, I've been watching Robben dive for years in the Bundesliga, and he even admitted after the game that he dove. FIFA absolutely needs to address this issue because too many games are being decided by flops. Sokratis Papastathopoulos's equalizer for Greece also matched the number of goals scored in the entire 2010 tournament. Basically what this means is we're watching one of the most entertaining tournaments in recent memory...and we're only at the quarterfinals. This is also a wide open of a World Cup that I can remember...Literally any of the final 8 teams can win it (and probably believe so). I managed to predict 6 out of 8 matchups with 1 correct scoreline in the round of 16.

Brazil vs. Colombia

Brazil played their best half of soccer so far in the first half against Chile, but one lapse in concentration meant it was all for nothing. For the remaining part of the game, they looked unconvincing and even shaky in defense. Chile had the better chances, including Mauricio Pinilla hitting the crossbar with 2 minutes left in extra time. Brazil has been flirting with danger and Colombia have the capability to finish them off. Los Cafateros (as Colombia is nicknamed) are in my opinion the most dominant team so far. They're better than Chile, and Chile pushed Brazil to the brink of elimination. James Rodriguez currently leads all scorers with 5 goals, he'll need to continue his excellent play. Everyone keeps waiting for Brazil to revive their form of last years Confederation's Cup, and they absolutely have to do it in this game. I believe Colombia will end Brazil's campaign because they have the pace to challenge Brazil's defense, which looks average at best. Look for Juan Cuadrado to exploit Brazil.

Prediction: Brazil 1 Colombia 2

Germany vs. France

Germany were also somewhat fortunate to get past their round of 16 opponents, a very pesky Algeria side. Joachim Loew made a great substitution bringing on Andre Schuerlle, who gave the Germans more pace. Still, that was the worst I've seen Germany play in quite some time. Enough can't be said about Manuel Neuer's performance, he's likely the best goalie in the world right now. I also think Germany may have underestimated their opponents, something unlikely to happen in this match. France is quietly putting together a very nice World Cup. They were never really threatened by Nigeria, even when they took a fairly late lead. I'm really starting to like Mathieu Valbuena. One of the shortest players in the tournament, Valbuena is quick, intelligent, and decisive. If the French want to pull the upset they should look at what Algeria did...Clog the midfield and look to exploit Per Mertesacker on the counter attack. France have the capability to pull of the upset, but I think Germany won't underestimate them like they did Algeria.

Prediction: Germany 2 France 1 (after extra time)

Netherlands vs. Costa Rica

Costa Rica are the darlings of this tournament, there's no doubt about it. I don't think there's any expert out there that picked the Ticos to be in the final 8 (I didn't think they'd get a single point). I thought when Sokratis equalized for the Greeks, they would continue their luck that's seemingly never ending since 2004, but Costa Rica hung on valiantly with 10 men. They then executed the shootout to perfection. The Netherlands turned defeat into victory against Mexico, perhaps a little fortunately. They dominated the game after going down, so it's not like they didn't deserve the win. They'll likely have the ball for the majority of this game, and I doubt they take Costa Rica lightly. Costa Rica will have to find a way to stop Arjen Robben (preferably before the penalty area). The Dutch will have to be patient to break down this Costa Rica side, and have to be weary of the counter attack. On paper, this looks like a cakewalk for Holland, but so did the Australia match. Costa Rica has already exceeded expectations, and I think their miracle run ends here.

Prediction: Netherlands 2 Costa Rica 0

Belgium vs. Argentina

Belgium still haven't looked that convincing this tournament, but they're finding ways to win, which at this point of the tournament is perfectly ok. Normally, Argentina would be a massive favorite, but they also (aside from Lionel Messi) haven't shown anything special. However, the name in those parentheses makes a world of difference. Messi is enjoying an excellent World Cup so far, as he set up the only goal of the game against a tough Switzerland side. Belgium and Switzerland are actually pretty similar teams, with Belgium having a little more talent, and plenty of depth. It's this depth that may be the key here because this game has extra time and penalties written all over it. Vincent Kompany will likely have the task of stopping Messi, and Belgium lack a defensive midfielder that could help with that. They have plenty of quality in the midfield though, and will need Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens to play at a high level. The key in this game is the first goal: if Belgium score first I really like their chances because they'll likely put two or three guys on Messi and dare the rest of the team to try and break down the rest of the defense. If Argentina scores first, Belgium will eventually have to chase the game, leaving themselves open for counters. Not much separates these sides though.

Prediction: Belgium 1 Argentina 1 (Argentina wins on penalties)


For up to the minute updates (and my opinions) on the World Cup, follow me on twitter @abakiera

Adam Bakiera

 

Potential Mavs Free Agency Targets (Part 5 - Point Guards)

The Dallas Mavericks pushed the 2014 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs to 7 games in the First Round of the Western Conference Playoffs. That was better than the Portland Trailblazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, or Miami Heat could do. Now it’s time to add pieces to a team poised to make a run in 2015. Over the next Five days I will bring you a different position and who the Mavs may target.

Owner Mark Cuban and GM Donnie Nelson wasted no time in making moves early in the Off-Season by trading Jose Calderon, Wayne Ellington, Shane Larkin, Sam Dalembert, and two 2^nd Round picks (Cleanthony Early and Thanasis Antetokounmpo) for Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton.

The Mavs gave up quite a bit to bring back Tyson Chandler (whom they loved in 2011) and an overweight PG in Felton, but they got out of the Calderon (4 yr $29M) contract to clear space for this years big Free Agents. The move has the Mavs with roughly $27 Milllion to spend this Off-Season.

Here is a look at who the Mavs could be targeting:

Point Guard

Newly acquired Raymond Felton is an upgrade over Jose Calderon defensively, but his work ethic and character are a concern. Rick Carlisle has transformed this type of layer before.

1) Devin Harris – 6’3” - 7.9 ppg, 4.5 apg

Mavs and Carlisle love this guy. Efficiency was back up in return to Mavs. Toe injury forced him to sign 1-year deal last year. Looking for 3 year $9M for a return.

2) Kurt Hinrich – 6’3” 9.1 ppg, 3.9 apg

Smart and tough, can still hit the three and run a team. A solid backup in Chicago the past few seasons. Played for $4M last year, Mavs will want him for Mid-Level exception ($2.7M).

3) Greivis Vasquez – 6’4” - 9.6 ppg, 4.1 apg

Big, Strong, and deceptively quick. High Basketball IQ. Good on ball defender. Could be the steal of Free Agency. $2.1M contract last year.

4) Mo Williams - 6'1"  - 9.7 ppg, 4.3 apg

Good Scorer with great ball handling skills. High assist to turnover ratio. Has defensive lapses. Could be a Mid-Level exception ($2.7M) player later in Free Agency.

That concludes my list of potential Free Agency Targets for the Dallas Mavericks. We'll see what happens from July 1-10.

Geoffrey Craig

@geoffrey_craig