The one safe bet in this World Cup is that there is no safe bet! As a long-time viewer of World Cup Finals (I watchjed the 1962 finals on TV & was at Villa Park for the group games in 1966) this is without a doubt the most open and therefore the most interesting World Cup ever, and can only do the game good, especially in the Asian and American markets. I agree with Jim Jones (no relation) that whoever emerges from the England - Brazil game is the likely winner -- but who knows?

BJ