Italy out.

[RSE]

Holy cow.

[thegodfather]

Holy cow.

Stupefacente

[Loki]

No Italy. No Netherlands.

Soccer USA will get to see how a soccer powerhouse handles this type of fiasco.

[RSE]

3 of the 4 teams I would normally follow are out. Only Poland is left.

[IronEagle]

Go Uruguay!

I'm ok with Poland too.

[IronEagle]

Go Uruguay!

I'm ok with Poland too.

I can root for Costa Rica and Espaņa as well.

[RSE]

Part of me wants to root for Uruguay as South American underdog to Brazil and Argentina.

But, geez, Suarez? And I liked the guy when he was at Liverpool.

[IronEagle]

They love him as a native son there.

I gotta root for my friend Maggie’s home team

[AthensEagle]

Iceland!

[IronEagle]

Iceland!

Who can dislike Iceland?

They do have some strange food there, though.

[art vandelay]

i enjoy rooting for italy, if nothing else, because of my girlfriend's irrational hatred of italy.

[RSE]

Was there for four days this summer. People are great, easy to get around, unique scenery. My wife has been there twice now and is going back again next year. We stayed in a fabulous Airbnb.

But it is EXPENSIVE and overtouristed (certainly in early August when we were there). Icelandair runs a deal that if you are travelling to Europe from the US or Canada, on the way back you can stop in Iceland and visit for up to a week and then take a flight home all for the price of the single fare from Europe. So Keflavik Airport is a zoo.

[IronEagle]

Was there for four days this summer. People are great, easy to get around, unique scenery. My wife has been there twice now and is going back again next year. We stayed in a fabulous Airbnb.

But it is EXPENSIVE and overtouristed (certainly in early August when we were there). Icelandair runs a deal that if you are travelling to Europe from the US or Canada, on the way back you can stop in Iceland and visit for up to a week and then take a flight home all for the price of the single fare from Europe. So Keflavik Airport is a zoo.

Here's something about Iceland.

Back in the days of the Cold War, Iceland was key.

[AthensEagle]

I went there in March of 2000 and August of 2016 and definitely had more fun in March of 2000 even though it lives up to its name that time of year. it's gotten way too touristy and I'm getting too old and cranky to spend that kind of money.

[RSE]

My wife went winter of 2014 (40 degrees there, -10 degrees in Buffalo). She's going back next summer but up north so it should be less touristed. I'm sure I'll go back again with her maybe in an April or September.