Copa America Centenario kicks off tomorrow and we got on the analogy kick (pun intended) by matching a local Chicago sports franchise with one of the teams in the United States’ Group A and Mexico’s Group B. The Chicago Bears are Uruguay, the Cubs are the USA, the Blackhawks are Mexico.
To read why and how pick up a Chicago Tribune RedEye edition today, or click on this link here. According to the ESPN FC Soccer Power Index, America has the second best shot at getting out of group A. Here are the SPI percentage projections for advancing out of Group A and into the knockout round:
Colombia 68%, USA 57%, Paraguay 39%, Costa Rica 36%, Here’s what the SPI says regarding the chances of taking the Copa title:
Argentina 24%, Brazil 22%, Uruguay 14%, Chile 10%, Mexico 9%, Colombia 8%, Ecuador 5%, USA 5%
The winner of this tournament will not receive an invitation to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, a prelude to the 2018 World Cup, as Chile have already qualified by winning the 2015 tournament.
Again, be sure to read the RedEye piece; which has the full TV schedule for USA, Mexico and the knockout rounds.
In the meantime, here’s the full schedule, via FOX Sports PR of the entire first week of Copa America
|
Date/Time (ET) |
Show/Match |
Broadcasters |
Network |
|
Friday, June 3 8:00 PM |
Copa America Pregame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Herculez Gomez, Fernando Fiore |
FS1 |
|
Friday, June 3 9:30 PM |
USA vs. Colombia |
John Strong, Brad Friedel Kyndra de St. Aubin – sideline |
FS1 |
|
Friday, June 3 11:30 PM |
Copa America Postgame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Herculez Gomez, Fernando Fiore |
FS1 |
|
Friday, June 3 1:00 AM |
Copa Tonight |
Fernando Fiore, Alexi Lalas, Stu Holden, Aly Wagner |
FS1 |
|
Saturday, June 4 4:00 PM |
Copa America Pregame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Fernando Fiore, Eric Wynalda |
FOX |
|
Saturday, June 4 5:00 PM |
Costa Rica vs. Paraguay |
JP Dellacamera, Stu Holden |
FOX |
|
Saturday, June 4 7:00 PM |
Copa America Pregame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Fernando Fiore, Eric Wynalda |
FS2 |
|
Saturday, June 4 7:30 PM |
Haiti vs. Peru |
Mark Followill, Herculez Gomez |
FS2 |
|
Saturday, June 4 10:00 PM |
Brazil vs. Ecuador |
Justin Kutcher, Cobi Jones |
FS1 |
|
Sunday, June 5 4:00 PM |
Copa America Pregame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Fernando Fiore, Aly Wagner |
FOX |
|
Sunday, June 5 5:00 PM |
Jamaica vs. Venezuela |
Justin Kutcher, Cobi Jones |
FOX |
|
Sunday, June 5 7:00 PM |
Copa America Pregame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Fernando Fiore, Aly Wagner |
FS1 |
|
Sunday, June 5 8:00 PM |
Mexico vs. Uruguay |
JP Dellacamera, Stu Holden, Francisco X. Rivera-sideline |
FS1 |
|
Monday, June 6 6:00 PM |
Copa America Pregame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Fernando Fiore, Eric Wynalda |
FS1 |
|
Monday, June 6 7:00 PM |
Panama vs. Bolivia |
Mark Followill, Herculez Gomez |
FS1 |
|
Monday, June 6 9:00 PM |
Copa America Pregame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Fernando Fiore, Eric Wynalda |
FS1 |
|
Monday, June 6 10:00 PM |
Argentina vs. Chile |
John Strong, Brad Friedel |
FS1 |
|
Monday, June 6 12:00 AM |
Copa America Postgame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Eric Wynalda, Fernando Fiore |
FS1 |
|
Monday, June 6 1:30 AM |
Copa Tonight |
Fernando Fiore, Alexi Lalas, Aly Wagner |
FS1 |
|
Tuesday, June 7 7:00 PM |
Copa America Pregame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Fernando Fiore, Aly Wagner |
FS1 |
|
Tuesday, June 7 8:00 PM |
USA vs. Costa Rica |
JP Dellacamera, Stu Holden, Jenny Taft – sideline |
FS1 |
|
Tuesday, June 7 10:00 PM |
Copa America Pregame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Fernando Fiore, Aly Wagner |
FS1 |
|
Tuesday, June 7 10:30 PM |
Colombia vs. Paraguay |
Justin Kutcher, Cobi Jones |
FS1 |
|
Tuesday, June 7 12:30 AM |
Copa America Postgame |
Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas, Aly Wagner, Fernando Fiore |
FS1 |
|
Tuesday, June 7 1:30 AM |
Copa Tonight |
Fernando Fiore, Alexi Lalas, Herculez Gomez, Aly Wagner |
FS1 |
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye edition.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram