Join AccountingWEB’s virtual World Cup sweepstake
For fans of the “beautiful game”, the World Cup match between South Africa and Mexico at 3pm this afternoon kicks off a month-long footballing feast.
Those who aren’t interested, please look away now as AccountingWEB.co.uk is throwing itself headlong into the cauldron of hype with an online sweepstake. Even if you aren’t interested, you can still take part, and could find yourself the winner of a highly desirable consumer electronics device.
Thirty-two teams are taking part in the competition, so if we get more than 32 entrants, we will take the sweepstake forward to a knock-out round.
The World Cup virtual sweepstake is open to any registered AccountingWEB.co.uk member (no Sift Media staff members or their families, sorry). To take part, please post a non-anonymous comment below so we can add your user name to the digital hat.
Entries will be open until 12.30pm on Monday 14 June, when our referee, head of marketing Darren Falkingham, will compile a spreadsheet list using Excel’s RAND function to sort entrants into team groups, which will be published on this page.
The winner will be selected from the winning team’s group on Monday 12 July, the morning after the World Cup Final.
We’ll be asking some of our friends and suppliers within the profession if they’d like to join in the fun too, and if we are able to turn up a few more goodies, there might be some additional prizes. Just in case we need a tie-breaker, why not let us know who you think will win the cup, how well you think England are going to do, and the most exciting/amusing incident that you think will happen during the tournament. Even if you don’t win a prize, you can still impress your friends and fellow AccountingWEB members with your footballing clairvoyance!
You can also come along and indulge your footballing passions in AccountingWEB’s humour and fun group.
me and me mum and me dad and me nan and a bucket of vindaloo
You always have to believe that we can do it!
England v Argies in final...
Would be funny if a commentator shouts "Ur a gay" during the French game tonight.
Viva España
As much as I am also cheering on Engerlandddddd, I don't think they will make it to the semi's- there's just too much pressure on them to do well.
I think we will get to see Twinkle toes Ronaldo on the Portuguese team cry on the pitch.
World Cup
England is a favorite to semi final. Mr. Capello may have several stars like
Steve Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney in his team, he also have the
associated distractions brought by the star's wives and girls friends. Lucky
for him that Tiger Wood is not in the team.
His is challenge is to find an ideal position for each player, and he need much luck to go into final.
Argentina and Portugal would be the final team.
Butter fingers
Haven't seen Spain or Brazil yet (Brazil play in 1/2 hour), but so far the only team that look good enough to win are Germany.
Did anyone else notice that after letting in that goal Green put his head in his hands ...............and missed again ?
Ouch!
The "English Football Team School of Manangement and Attainment" quip is hard, but fair. Like Robert Green, I'll hold my hands up and admit responsibility for the slip-up. I dashed off the article on the Friday before kick-off and then high-tailed it to Scotland on holiday (no St George's Crosses there).
I asked a colleague to prepare the spreadsheet but he had more pressing things to do and went off on holiday before I get back. We'll correct the flaws and cast lots overnight - you'll see the spreadsheet on Friday.
Since 26 people entered, we'll eliminate 6 of the also ran teams and allocate the remaining teams to each member. We'll reveal the mystery prize at the same time as the spreadsheet and I'll see what I can do to rustle up a runners up prize or two for best prediction/joke.
Thanks for your patience and comiserations for those of you who support England. My money's on Spain, with Holland as a dark horse, but Germany and Argentina have surprised me by being better than expected.
Sweepstake list
Here you go folks. With 28 entrants, we removed the four worst-performing teams from the list and concocted a randomising spreadsheet in Excel to assign teams to entrants. Here are the results:
| Ivory Coast | jefflcbba |
| Spain | Chris Floyd |
| Serbia | Carlhotson |
| Denmark | johnmccreadie |
| Italy | CULZANE |
| Argentina | anneoc |
| Netherlands | jimwatson |
| Switzerland | B Adder |
| South Africa | jpcc1 |
| South Korea | taxtroubleshooter |
| Chile | sthacker2107 |
| Honduras | MARKJET |
| United States | devonaccountant |
| Ghana | andrewwatling |
| New Zealand | tom451 |
| Slovakia | NBWNBW |
| Australia | Kevin Mullen |
| Germany | Shorty |
| Paraguay | tick n bashy |
| England | kiernans21 |
| Greece | chicago11 |
| Uruguay | 18lohan |
| Brazil | Craigy1874 |
| Nigeria | David J Griffin |
| Portugal | bigdog |
| Slovenia | cymraeg_draig |
| Japan | Ian H |
| Mexico | Iain Waterfield |
Sorry if you weren't able to bag your preferred team, or if the one that has been assigned to you has already crashed out of the tournament. But Craigy1874, Shorty, Chris Floyd and anneoc will be heading into quarter-final weekend with the highest hopes.
The prize for the lucky winner - whoever it will be - is a Toshiba JournE Touch internet tablet. I've had one for a little while now and once I have completed my review, Toshiba has kindly consented to allow us to share the experience. Pre-dating the iPad, the JournE Touch has been devised as a smaller device for quickly checking what's happening on the net, or listening/watching multimedia content. It's small enough to fit into a jacket pocket or handbag, and while it doesn't have adherents worshipping its very existence the way some other tablets are, it does what the company says quite well. Look out for a more detailed review in the next week or so.
The runner-up prize is subject to high level negotiations with management. More news shortly.
And congratulations to Chris!
As promised, as our World Cup sweepstake winner Chris will soon the be proud new owner of a 7in Toshiba JournE Touch tablet computer - reviewed recently for AccountingWEB.co.uk.
Thanks all for taking part. That's it for the football season now. (Oh look, the new season kicks off next week!)
World Cup
John
Great idea----my pennyworth:
England will get as far as the quarter finals.
The most amusing thing:
Spain will play Portugal in the final the day both of their countries default on their sovereign debt.
Clearly there is some link between playing great football and not caring about sovereign debt: Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain spells PIGS.
But then they are all probably right, who was it that said "Football is not life or death, it is more important!"
Good Luck
Jeff