Paul the Octopus Picks Germany to Beat Argentina

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Paul the Octopus Picks Germany to Beat Argentina

Paul, an octopus in Germany, has made international headlines with his perfect record predicting the outcome of Germany's World Cup matches. On Tuesday, the cephalopod chose the national squad to defeat Argentina on Saturday. But it could be a tight game.

Game over, Argentina -- Paul has picked Germany.

Diego Maradona's side may have the world's best footballer in Lionel Messi, but when his team takes the pitch on Saturday, it will have to overcome the psychic powers of Paul, an octopus at the Sea Life public aquarium in the German city of Oberhausen who has become well known for his surprising accuracy in predicting the results of World Cup matches.

And on Tuesday, after some hesitation, the cuddly cephalopod once again predicted that Germany will advance.

Paul has gained a sizable following in Germany by amassing a perfect 4-0 record in calling Germany's World Cup clashes. First, he tipped Germany to beat Australia, and then followed it up by correctly predicting Serbia's upset over Germany. Paul went on to call a German win against Ghana and made waves across the English Channel when he foresaw Germany taking down England.

A Nail-Biter

Still, the Argentina match won't be for the faint-hearted, according to the octopus -- who determines a winner by plucking a mussel from one of two glass boxes that are dropped into his tank, each marked with a nation's flag.

"Incredibly tight -- but luckily a win for Germany in the end," said an aquarium spokesperson, according to the German news agency DPA.

Paul deliberated over the match for more than an hour. He swam instantly to the German box, perhaps initially swayed by Germany's 4-1 victory over England on Sunday. But then struck by indecision, Paul pulled back and laboriously mulled over the prospects of Argentina's creativity and star power versus Germany's devastating counterattack and speed.

Finally, Paul wrapped his eight legs around the German box, plucked out the mussel and threw his weight behind the Mannschaft.

"Paul just has a good instinct for football," Tanja Munzig, the aquarium's spokeswoman, told the Associated Press after Paul gave Germany the nod over England last week. "From where he gets his forecasts, we cannot say for sure. This will remain his secret."

The last time Germany and Argentina hooked up in the World Cup was in a 2006 quarterfinal match in Berlin, where the host nation topped the South Americans on penalties.

[IndigoSkies 168]

That thing isn't cute or cudly at all. It scares me. But I will still high-five it for picking Germany.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

That thing isn't cute or cudly at all. It scares me. But I will still high-five it for picking Germany.

Gotta high-five it for getting all four German matches thus far right. Even the upset win that Serbia managed to pull off.

[SMR 368]

Gotta high-five it for getting all four German matches thus far right. Even the upset win that Serbia managed to pull off.

Derren Brown, a magician of sorts did an experiment where he correctly predicted 5 horse races in a row with 6 horses competing in each race. He emailed a random lady predicting the results before each race. After the fifth race, he convinces her to place her life savings as well as a great deal of borrowed money on a certain horse on the basis that he is psychic.

He then reveals that he simply started with 7,776 people and told each of them a different horse for each race. It's simple math that one of them will get all of the races right. In the same show, Brown also shows a segment where he flips a coin to get 10 heads in a row. In reality, he just spent the entire day flipping coins, starting over every time he got a tail. It took him over eight hours to get 10 heads in a row.

But with only 4 games and two sides in each game, it would only take 16 octopuses to find a "Paul" to get all of the games right. I realize (or at least hope) that no one is taking Paul too seriously, but I think we need to remember that getting 4 games in a row is not remarkably improbable.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I realize (or at least hope) that no one is taking Paul too seriously...

We don't. It's all for fun. But it's interesting all the same that this particular octopus (there's only one Paul in play here) has thus far predicted every game right - even the upset that Serbia pulled off against all odds.

In related news, Cacho, the Argentinean rat, reportedly picked a piece of Argentinean cheese over a piece of German cheese leading our South American friends to believe that they will win on Saturday.

I got you some cheese there, Cacho.

[DoneWaiting 15]

Once Upon "A" Time, in the land of magic, wizards and octopus..

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Once Upon "A" Time, in the land of magic, wizards and octopus..

Shouldn't you guys be busy packing? Departure is Friday.

[DoneWaiting 15]

Once Upon "A" Time, in the land of magic, wizards and octopus..

This kid, Paul the octopus, will make a good salad after the World Cup,

[DoneWaiting 15]

I have noticed 4 additional arms growing around me, makes me feel like an OCTOPUS, so I will predict the semi finals for now [two options].. and I dare someone to tell me I am wrong, lol

Option one

NED vs. BRA => BRA

URU vs. GHA => URU

ARG vs. GER => ARG

PAR vs. ESP => ESP

Option Two

NED vs. BRA => NED

URU vs. GHA => GHA

ARG vs. GER => GER

PAR vs. ESP => PAR

Edited June 30, 2010 by DoneWaiting