Oddsmakers and ends

Part of the current line on the World Cup, apparently:

Brazil (2-1), Germany (7-1), England (8-1), Argentina (9-1), Italy (9-1), Netherlands (14-1), France (14-1), Spain (16-1), Portugal (20-1), Czech Republic (30-1), Sweden (30-1), Mexico (40-1), Ukraine (50-1), Croatia (50-1) and the USA (80-1).

Anti-US bias? I'll grant that the US is in a much harder group than Mexico, but considering that over the past few years, the only place Mexico has been able to beat the US is at altitude in Smog City, should their odds really be twice as good? And Portugal's four times as good when that country hasn't gotten out of the first round since 1966? (Again, might be the easier group. And since the US will be stuck facing Brazil even if they do advance - unless they can somehow win the group - you can see why the odds are so low.)

Germany at 7-1 is kind of surprising. I know they're the hosts, but it seemed like the general consensus has been that that team ain't so great right now.

Games start Friday! I'm pumped up, although it's a bit disappointing that I may only get to see the Italy game live of the US's three in group play. But just like in 2002, I'll try to watch all that I can of every nation, even if most of those will be on TiVo. (I probably won't be able to avoid the US results for the Czech game, so I may just keep it on Gamecast at work, but I'd like to watch as many games as possible without knowing the end... it gets really hard to sit through a sporting event when you know what happens.)