2006 WORLD CUP - Round of 16 - Germany-Sweden/Argentina-Mexico/England-Ecuador/Portugal-Holland

Arrrrrrg! The dreaded penalty kick shootouts return. As an England fan, I've some terrible flashbacks.

Pressure situation distorts the view

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/5723672

After 2 endless weeks, the fun starts now??????

Yes, much like with an endless NBA or MLB season, the "relative fun" begins with the playoffs.

The World Cup is nonstop excitement, but once we get to the knockout stage, it's absolute excitement. Tune in and see what I mean. Germany faces Sweden in Munich (11 a.m. ET, ABC) and Argentina meets Mexico in Leipzig (2:55 p.m., ESPN).

Michael Davies' Sweet 16 predictions:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=davies/index

World Cup in the press:

Bottom line: USA didn't get the job done (USA Today)
Analysts hit USA hard after flameout (USA Today)
Reyna at center of USA's defining Cup moment (USA Today)
Dempsey a bright spot: Shines on big stag (Boston Herald)
American Attack Falls Flat (New York Times)
U.S. World Cup run comes to a close (Houston Chronicle)
It's end of Cup and era (New York Daily News)
Blame game starts and ends with Americans (Boston Herald)
Scars & Stripes (New York Daily News)
Doomed from the start (Boston Globe)
U.S. IS GHANA WITH THE WIND (Star Ledger)
ARENA DESERVES SOME BLAME FOR OUSTER (New York Post)
World Cup chances will haunt U.S. (Dallas Morning News)
Americans' run officially done (New York Daily News)
Americans should blame themselves for early exit (North Jersey Herald)
Three and out (Boston Globe)
There are questions to be answered about U.S. loss (Star Ledger)
Arena as lost as the U.S. World Cup cause (Houston Chronicle)
Agony of de-feet, bad call doom team (North Jersey Herald News)
Reyna retires from international duty (Dallas Morning News)
End of a Reyna: Veteran done with U.S. duty (Boston Herald)
Reyna decides to retire (Star Ledger)
Penalty kick has Americans crying foul (Boston Globe)
Early boot from World Cup kicks up criticisms (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
U.S. loss by the numbers (Chicago Tribune)
Arena blames ref as Ghana eliminates U.S. (Associated Press)
Ghana bounces Americans (Denver Post)
World Cup flop shows how far U.S. still has to go (Columbus Dispatch)
Friedel blocks verbals shots aimed at U.S. team's coach (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Reyna stumbles in last stand (Associated Press)
Another stumble on big stage (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Ghana ousts U.S. from World Cup (Boulder Daily Camera)
Bitter end for U.S. with loss to Ghana (Associated Press)
Reyna goes out on a humiliating note (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Team USA lets down locals (Boulder Daily Camera)
U.S. pays the penalty (Chicago Tribune)
U.S.'s failure? Arena points to all the wrong reasons (Associated Press)
Cup Run Is Over for the U.S. (Washington Post)
The United States Is 'Still a Small Footballing Nation' (Washington Post)
Every Cup Team Gets A Slogan on the Bus (Washington Post)
Over and out (Associated Press)
U.S Falls to Ghana (Los Angeles Times)
Over and Done With (Los Angeles Times)
American Dream Still Out of Reach (Los Angeles Times)
World Cup: Yanks for nothing (LA Daily News)
World Cup: Advancing was not Americans' calling (LA Daily News)
No goals, no glory for U.S. soccer team (LA Daily Breeze)
Commentary: Donovan's disappearing act is dismal (LA Daily Breeze)
U.S. exits with a whimper (ESPN.com)
Placing the blame (ESPN.com)

We're not afraid of anybody - Ballack

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060623/1/84ve.html

The World Cup is nonstop excitement, but once we get to the knockout stage, it's absolute excitement. Tune in and see what I mean.

No, thanks. I have real, consequential, important things to do that actually matter, in the real world.

Like, wondering about whether I'd like to have fries with my burger when watching soccer? ;-)

Nah, that would entail watching soccer. I am thinking more of this patch of grass on my yard, refuses to grow normally...I am not sure, but I think something is wrong there...I need to go watch that.

A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, so have fun.

Plus: It could be much worse. You could be forced to watch Baseball ;-).

The grouping with Italy and Switzerland is the easiest, with the Argentina/Germany group the most difficult. I'm pulling for Argentina; wife's from there. My pick for the Final Four are Argentina, Switzerland, Portugal, and Spain (I think they will upset Brazil).

Let's hope there are no Hand of God moments now we are into the knockout phase.

Go England!!

It's like March Madness. The tournament builds as you move along. We are now down to the "Sweet Sixteen" with a loss knocking you out of the tournament. A few Cinderellas have emerged but the big soccer powers are all still in it. If all goes according to form, we could seen a Germany-Argentina, England-Holland, Italy-Switzerland and Brazil-Spain/France in the quarterfinals.

Poor Swedes...

Go Germany, because I want the next USA coach to have a World Cup Title on his resume.

Wait you can't leave until you repost the Swedish "Nasty" girl.

Chap on ESPN thinks Ecuador is going to beat England.
Not gonna happen.

WOHOOO!!

Goal Germany!!

OMG!
Germany scores in the 4th minute!

That Larson is a very dangerous striker.
The Germans had better watch out for him.
Is he still playing for Celtic in Glasgow?