Euro 2012

[Grizalltheway]

Some pretty good action in the first two days. Poland and Greece play to an entertaining draw, Russia crushes the Czechs, Denmark shocks Holland, and Germany starts with a solid 1-0 victory over Portugal. Who does everyone have to win/who are you pulling for?

[clenz]

I talk a lot if **** about soccer because I grew up in an area that had less than zero presence, however, Ive started taking to the game the last couple years living in a huge soccer area. Still find it "boring" but I find baseball "boring" and love baseball.

Watched both full games today. Pulling hard fir Germany. Deep German heritage in by family, including "3rd cousins" at Euro 12

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[clenz]

I'm trying to understand all the different leagues/series/etc.... in Europe and how players play on 2 or 3 teams at once.

Once I figure that out I'm going to try to "find a favourite team"

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[Grizalltheway]

I talk a lot if **** about soccer because I grew up in an area that had less than zero presence, however, Ive started taking to the game the last couple years living in a huge soccer area. Still find it "boring" but I find baseball "boring" and love baseball.

Watched both full games today. Pulling hard fir Germany. Deep German heritage in by family, including "3rd cousins" at Euro 12

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

xthumbsupx

Germany play an exciting brand of soccer these days, and play it the right way (minimal diving, solid technique, etc).

As for the leagues in Europe-every country generally has at least 2-3 professional divisions (England has 4 major ones), and teams move between them based on where they finish in the table. If a team finishes in the bottom three places in Germany, they'll be relegated to the Second Bundesliga, and the top three get promoted to the first division.

As for playing for multiple teams, players (especially younger ones) will get "loaned" out to other clubs, generally for half a season, and eventually return to their home club.

[Grizalltheway]

From a write up on espn.com:


Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese teammates will have to adjust their collective vision before they face the Danes in a must-win game Wednesday in Lviv. Their disappointing performance was possibly of interest only to hairstylists, manufacturers of wet-gel products and purveyors of spray-on tans.

xlolx

I love nothing more than seeing that metrosexual cry-baby flop on the international stage.xnodx

[clenz]

From my limited knowledge he is the lebron of the soccer world

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[TheValleyRaider]

Group of Death certainly seems as advertised. Big wins for Germany and Denmark. Germans will have to play better going forward, but they're Germans. It's what they do

Don't really care who gets out of that group so long as it's not Portugal. Never liked that team

I was pulling for Spain last time around to finally get the trophy, but no real favorite this year

Spain-Italy tomorrow will be very interesting, but I don't think the Italians are that good. It's never stopped them before, but Spain should beat them if they're ready to defend the title (or at least come close)

[OhioHen]

I love nothing more than seeing that metrosexual cry-baby flop on the international stage.xnodx

All he does is FLOP. That's his main skill aside from whining.

[TheRevSFA]

I was disappointed in how my Irish played yesterday. Our first major tourney in a decade and we fell flat against Croatia.

We beat Italy in a friendly 2-0..maybe we can pull some of that magic and luck again

[Grizalltheway]

Wow, Shevchenko scores a brace at the ripe old age of 35 to lead Ukraine over Sweden.xbowx

[PhoenixSupreme]

This was how I predicted.... http://games.espn.go.com/euro-bracket-predictor/en/entry?entryID=147695

The Dutch and the Swedes losing kind of throws a wrench in my picks though

[Grizalltheway]

Quarterfinals start tomorrow. My predictions in bold.

Portugal v Czech Republic
Germany v Greece
Spain v France
England v Italy

Auf geht's Deutschland! xthumbsupx

[clenz]

ficken alle außer Deutschland

[Dane96]

Portugal v Czech Republic
Germany v Greece
Spain v France
England v Italy

Gotta love it. Bday bbq at work tomorrow...followed by PTO to watch the Friday match b/c our company is A) German and B) Filled with football fanatics (we own the largest box at Borussia Park (BMonchengladbach).

I don't even have to call in sick...BRILLIANT!

[TheValleyRaider]

Portugal over Czech Republic
Czech defense still stinks, and Portugal is good enough to pressure them (unlike, say, Greece or Poland). Portugal just might be a darkhorse at this stage

Germany over Greece
Germans look like the best team in the tournament, though Greece is dangerous

Spain over France
Spanish don't look up to their usual par, but the French have not looked good at all

Italy over England
Intriguing matchup, in that it could go either way. Which could mean penalties and well, this is England...

[Dane96]

BTW...crazy movie..."THIS IS ENGLAND" Really insane movie about influence on youth, and the pro-England neos.

[TheRevSFA]

Portugal over the Peter Czechs
Germany over Greece (unless Greece sets the stadium on fire, kinda like the rest of Greece is currently)
Spain over France
England Over Italy

Germany over Portugal
England over Spain

England over Germany....

that's my Euro prediction

[Dane96]

Big changes for the Germans.

Reus, and Klose to start. Gomez and Mueller out...and Podolski

[Grizalltheway]

Big changes for the Germans.

Reus, and Klose to start. Gomez and Mueller out...and Podolski

I can understand Klose (altough with Gomez finally finding some form, it's still questionable), but Reus and Schuerrle??? Two players whose nuts have only recently dropped, and you start them in the quarterfinals of a major tournament? xconfusedx

[Grizalltheway]

Well, kudos (that's a Greek word, right?) to Greece for at least making it interesting, despite being insanely over-matched. I damn near **** my pants when they scored that equalizer. xsmhx

The goals from Khedira and Reus were outstanding; scoring on a volley is probably the toughest thing to do in soccer, and they did it twice inside 15 minutes. xbowx


As far as the semis go, I would sit Boateng's sorry ***, as he ****ed up on both of Greece's goals, and I liked how Bender looked against Denmark. Can't afford mistakes like that against England or Italy.

[TheValleyRaider]

Semifinals coming soon, two very interesting matchups

Portugal over Spain
Calling the upset here. Don't really like Portugal, but I think they could counter just well enough to punch one in against the Spaniards. Really, I just think Spain will slip up after so much success over the last few years

Germany over Italy
The Germans have never beaten Italy in a major international competition. Gotta be a first time for everything, right? Germany is probably the best team in the tournament, but Italy has quietly improved

Should be two great games xnodx

[Grizalltheway]

Semifinals coming soon, two very interesting matchups

Portugal over Spain
Calling the upset here. Don't really like Portugal, but I think they could counter just well enough to punch one in against the Spaniards. Really, I just think Spain will slip up after so much success over the last few years

Germany over Italy
The Germans have never beaten Italy in a major international competition. Gotta be a first time for everything, right? Germany is probably the best team in the tournament, but Italy has quietly improved

Should be two great games xnodx

If only. xsmhx

Portugal go out on penalties to Spain (after an atrocious game to watch), without their best player even having a crack at one. What in the flying **** were they thinking?

[TheValleyRaider]

Portugal go out on penalties to Spain (after an atrocious game to watch), without their best player even having a crack at one. What in the flying **** were they thinking?

I found the game rather intriguing, though the Portuguese sat back quite a bit once it got to extra time. Spain certainly picked it up a bit at that point though. Very chippy, sometimes hard to sort between the actual injuries and the "artistry." Not exactly a classic, but better than most of the quarterfinals

And Ronaldo not shooting? What was that? I have to assume he was their 5th, but even that's a foolish place for him to be slotted. Nothing about that made sense

[Grizalltheway]

I found the game rather intriguing, though the Portuguese sat back quite a bit once it got to extra time. Spain certainly picked it up a bit at that point though. Very chippy, sometimes hard to sort between the actual injuries and the "artistry." Not exactly a classic, but better than most of the quarterfinals

And Ronaldo not shooting? What was that? I have to assume he was their 5th, but even that's a foolish place for him to be slotted. Nothing about that made sense

I agree that it was better than Spain v France, in that Portugal actually looked like they were trying to win, but I feel like I've never really seen an enthralling match involving Spain. You can't argue with their results, as they're on the verge of 3 major tournaments in a row, but their style of play lends itself to generally dull matches. xtwocentsx

[NHwildEcat]

...any headbutting scheduled?

[Grizalltheway]

Christ almighty. The teams I support are the biggest goddamn c0ck teases. Between the Griz, Bayern, and Germany getting close and blowing it so many times the last five years, I'm about ready to say **** it to sports entirely.


xnonono2xxbawlingxxmadxxbabycryxxshakingmadx

[TheValleyRaider]

Without trying to revel in GATW's pain (I was pulling for der Deutchers as well), the recent iteration of Germans remains tantilizingly close to a title
2006 - WC 3rd Place
2008 - Euro Runner-up
2010 - WC 3rd Place
2012 - Euro Semifinals

At some point, luck takes over at that stage of a tournament, so their inability to get that last step hardly speaks to a deficiency of talent or character

It could be worse, they could be Portugal's "Golden Generation"
2000 - Euro Semifinals
2002 - WC Group Stage
2004 - Euro Runner-Up (to Greece at home)
2006 - WC 4th Place
2008 - Euro Quarterfinals
2010 - WC 2nd Round
2012 - Euro Semifinals

[Grizalltheway]

Without trying to revel in GATW's pain (I was pulling for der Deutchers as well), the recent iteration of Germans remains tantilizingly close to a title
2006 - WC 3rd Place
2008 - Euro Runner-up
2010 - WC 3rd Place
2012 - Euro Semifinals

At some point, luck takes over at that stage of a tournament, so their inability to get that last step hardly speaks to a deficiency of talent or character

It could be worse, they could be Portugal's "Golden Generation"
2000 - Euro Semifinals
2002 - WC Group Stage
2004 - Euro Runner-Up (to Greece at home)
2006 - WC 4th Place
2008 - Euro Quarterfinals
2010 - WC 2nd Round
2012 - Euro Semifinals

Well the Portuguese deserve it. :p

This was the youngest team fielded at a major tourney since the 30s, I believe, so it's not like this was their last shot at a title for a while. Fully expect them to be in the mix in Brazil, I just hope they can avoid the GD Italians. xsmhx

[TheValleyRaider]

This was the youngest team fielded at a major tourney since the 30s, I believe, so it's not like this was their last shot at a title for a while. Fully expect them to be in the mix in Brazil, I just hope they can avoid the GD Italians. xsmhx

I only meant the current Klinnsmann-Loew period, plus some of these guys (Klose, Schweinsteiger, Lahm, among others) were around as early as the 2006 cycle

They will be among the favorites in Brazil, that is certain

[TheValleyRaider]

Anyone still bored by Spain?

The champs defended their crown by ripping Italy 4-0. The score isn't wholly reflective of the game, the last two goals coming after ill-timed injuries forced Italy to play with 10. Still, La Roja attacked from the start, and may well have had the game in hand anyway

3 major titles in a row. No goals conceded in the knockout stages of those tournaments. Astounding run. Their only slipup in that time period? 2-0 loss in the semis of the Confederations Cup to....the USA :)

[slycat]

Spain was fantastic to watch in the final. What a display of skill.

[Grizalltheway]

Spain was fantastic to watch in the final. What a display of skill.

Couldn't really bring myself to watch it, but I'll give credit where it's due. Three major tournaments in a row is amazing, especially without conceding a goal in the knockout rounds. Definitely one of the greatest sides in international history.

[HailSzczur]

From one of the Philadelphia Union Defensive Midfielder:

Amobi Okugo ‏@amobisays
I wish I could win champions league and euros in a "bad year" #Torres #Chelsea

[clenz]

ficken Spanien

[slycat]

Couldn't really bring myself to watch it, but I'll give credit where it's due. Three major tournaments in a row is amazing, especially without conceding a goal in the knockout rounds. Definitely one of the greatest sides in international history.

I wasn't thrilled about the matchup, really wanted Germany in there. I even went to a German bar to watch it thinking about how crazy it would have been there had they beat Italy.