Euro 2012

[gus]

Who else is excited about the tournament?

I may be in Boston during the tournament and am looking for a good place to watch the Sweden/England game. Does anyone have a recommendation? I'm looking for a place that will either be full of Swedes (unlikely), or at a minimum, full of non-English football fans.

[gumbomoop]

I'll watch every game. I gave up American football some time ago, and am now footy mad [Brit-slang, sorry].

Although my only team loyalty is to Duke, I actually much prefer futbol/footy/football to bball. Don't like the NBA, watch almost none of it, have seen a little of recent playoffs. I probably actually watch far more European football than college bball. Other than college bball, US sports aren't much on my radar.

Football, not Christianity, Islam, or anything else, is the world's "religion."

As for Euro 2012, the Group of Death looks deadly. Hard to imagine Denmark surviving that group, even though that's a solid squad. Portugal has plenty of talent, but hasn't been playing well.

Sweden-England -- England will still be without Rooney for that game, so Sweden might win that game. England's squad isn't terribly impressive, with lots of injuries and internal controversy, new manager.

And Italy, another big scandal....

I'm unfamiliar with Boston pubs, but I'm sure you'll find several to catch the games while you're there. Here's a link: http://www.worldsoccerbars.com/boston-soccer-bars

I'd think any Irish pub, of which there just might be a few in Boston, might have some non-England fans....

[gus]

Sweden-England -- England will still be without Rooney for that game, so Sweden might win that game. England's squad isn't terribly impressive, with lots of injuries and internal controversy, new manager.

I forgot about Rooney's red card.

If history is any indication, Sweden has a fairly good chance of getting a point in this game. Since 1968, Sweden has lost exactly once to England, and never in tournament play.

[OldPhiKap]

I'd think any Irish pub, of which there just might be a few in Boston, might have some non-England fans....

I would be extremely disappointed if this was not universal. Game, Clovers.

[blazindw]

I went ahead and made this a general Euro 2012 thread...feel free to discuss the matchups, predictions and all the action!

For the OP, try the Banshee in Dorchester, MA. They're the home of the Boston chapter of the American Outlaws (supporters group for the U.S. National Soccer Team) and I'm guessing they will show the games. Not a big bar but plenty of space to watch the games especially given the times (most are at 12:00 and 2:30 Eastern time).

My team outside of the U.S. is Spain, has been for a very long time. Needless to say, Spain has had a great run the past 4 years, winning Euro 2008 and the World Cup in 2010. Can they be the first one to win 3 major tourneys in a row (and the first team to repeat as European champs)? I think they have a pretty good shot, and my predictions have them beating Germany in the final to do just that.

England is in TROUBLE. With the injuries, Rooney's suspension, and the personnel they now have on the team, I think they're going to be watching the Euros with us in about a week's time while preparing for the Olympics. Germany looks very strong. They're definitely another contender for the title and they look like they have the tools to take it all if they can get out of the universally recognized "Group of Death." My Cinderella is Sweden. I think they bounce England from the tourney in the group stages and they're a strong team that I think can make the quarterfinals and give any team a run for their money. They will go as far as Zlatan Ibrahimovic will take them.

Here are all the groups:

Group A: Russia, Greece, Poland, Czech Republic
Group B: Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal
Group C: Spain, Italy, Ireland, Croatia
Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, England, France

Should set up for several great matches over the next 3 weeks!

[gus]

I went ahead and made this a general Euro 2012 thread...feel free to discuss the matchups, predictions and all the action!

For the OP, try the Banshee in Dorchester, MA.

Thanks! that may be a little far removed from where we are going to be (by the Boston Commons), but I'll look into it.

My Cinderella is Sweden. I think they bounce England from the tourney in the group stages and they're a strong team that I think can make the quarterfinals and give any team a run for their money. They will go as far as Zlatan Ibrahimovic will take them.

From your fingertips to god's ipad!

I still am a bit resentful of Ibrahimovic taking a shot on the near post (stopped easily) in the 80th minute against Senegal in 2002 when an unmarked Henrik Larsson had an empty net in front him. We lost on a golden goal.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I thought this was going to be a thread about currency trading and/or economics... Guess not.

[gumbomoop]

I thought this was going to be a thread about currency trading and/or economics... Guess not.

Good line.

But this is a rather more serious topic than the mere collapse of the eurozone. It's much more controversial than that, as it's a way to discuss religion [football], religious nutters [all football fans], and rioting/killing [multinational hooligans] in the name of religion, all of which are otherwise verboten, even on Off Topic.

On the actual substance of the thread, I'm looking for a strong showing from Croatia and the upstart Nikica Jelavic. I'm guessing Group C will be a Group of Death for Italy, which already seems suicidal these days.

What the heck, I'll go with Croatia and Spain to play twice in Euro 2012.

Iniesta is a wonderful player.

[Indoor66]

I thought this was going to be a thread about currency trading and/or economics... Guess not.

I thought the same thing and was prepared for a very sad discussion.

[gus]

Good line.

But this is a rather more serious topic than the mere collapse of the eurozone. It's much more controversial than that, as it's a way to discuss religion [football], religious nutters [all football fans], and rioting/killing [multinational hooligans] in the name of religion, all of which are otherwise verboten, even on Off Topic.

On the actual substance of the thread, I'm looking for a strong showing from Croatia and the upstart Nikica Jelavic. I'm guessing Group C will be a Group of Death for Italy, which already seems suicidal these days.

What the heck, I'll go with Croatia and Spain to play twice in Euro 2012.

Iniesta is a wonderful player.

An imploding and scandal ridden Italy certainly opens the door for Croatia, but unless they actually withdraw, I still expect Italy to take the second slot behind Spain.

I also think Spain will win again, but really hope they don't.

Group C is the mother of all groups of death, isn't it? Denmark isn't exactly a pushover, and they're easily the weakest there. They'd be heavily favored to win A outright, and would be strongly favored to advance out of B or D. But in C, I think they're unlikely to get more than a single point.

[gumbomoop]

An imploding and scandal ridden Italy certainly opens the door for Croatia, but unless they actually withdraw, I still expect Italy to take the second slot behind Spain.

I also think Spain will win again, but really hope they don't.

Group C is the mother of all groups of death, isn't it? Denmark isn't exactly a pushover, and they're easily the weakest there. They'd be heavily favored to win A outright, and would be strongly favored to advance out of B or D. But in C, I think they're unlikely to get more than a single point.

I think you mean B - Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Denmark.

But IMO Group C is also a Group of Death - Spain, Croatia, Italy, Ireland

I'd have to go back and look at the pots and the draw to see how Group A got to be a Group of Life. I guess maybe Russia wins it.

[gus]

I think you mean B - Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Denmark.

But IMO Group C is also a Group of Death - Spain, Croatia, Italy, Ireland

I'd have to go back and look at the pots and the draw to see how Group A got to be a Group of Life. I guess maybe Russia wins it.

Yeah, I meant C. whoops

[gumbomoop]

Yeah, I meant C. whoops

I still don't think so. And I'm worried about you and those bars in Boston! I advise that you find a Swedish bar, for sure.

[Kdogg]

England's squad isn't terribly impressive, with lots of injuries and internal controversy, new manager.

So how is this different for any of our other teams during my lifetime.

[gus]

I still don't think so. And I'm worried about you and those bars in Boston! I advise that you find a Swedish bar, for sure.

jeez. and I haven't even hit the sauce yet.

[gumbomoop]

So how is this different for any of our other teams during my lifetime.

The soap opera re John Terry and Rio Ferdinand grows soapier by the day in the press.

Plus the bad luck of not having Rooney against France or Sweden. England might beat Ukraine even without Rooney, but that's the sole group-stage game he's eligible for.

I could see Sweden, England, and France all tying each other, and all defeating Ukraine, thus leaving it to GD to determine winner and runner-up.

Here's a link to some informed opinions/predictions, mostly serious.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/b...an-predictions

[Kdogg]

The soap opera re John Terry and Rio Ferdinand grows soapier by the day in the press.

[/url]

After so many years the stories involving the WAGs (wives and girlfriends) just doesn't affect me that much. The lack of Rooney hurts but I'm more concerned about the porous defense. At one time, defense was the one thing I could count on with my English side. Well that and losing in PKs. Man I hate PKs.

[gumbomoop]

After so many years the stories involving the WAGs (wives and girlfriends) just doesn't affect me that much.

In the Terry-Ferdinand fiasco, however, it's not a WAGS issue. It's that Ferdinand's younger brother has charged Terry with "racial abuse," thus making for an awkward choice between including Terry or Rio Ferdinand in the squad. Even after the injury to Cahill, Hodgson didn't choose Ferdinand to join the squad.

The charge against Terry won't be decided until after Euro 2012, so it's just hanging there [1] over Terry's head, and [2] over Hodgson's awkward/impossible position, given the fact that Rio F. was the bloody obvious choice - talent/experience-wise - to replace Cahill. Instead, Hodgson replaced Cahill with Liverpool's inexperienced Martin Kelly. It's all just embarrassing, dirty laundry, etc.

And made worse, indirectly, by all the complaints about racism on the part of both Ukrainian and Polish fans. Just today, the black players on the Dutch team seem to have been subjected to racist taunts. This on top of last week's BBC documentary about racism in the host countries.

http://espnfc.com/us/en/news/1089999...st-chants.html

http://espnfc.com/us/en/news/1088718...sh-racism.html

I'm very excited about the actual games. But a whole bunch of folks think that the choice of Poland and Ukraine to host this competition will turn into a PR disaster. It's verging on that on the eve of the competition's opening games.

[gus]

In the Terry-Ferdinand fiasco, however, it's not a WAGS issue. It's that Ferdinand's younger brother has charged Terry with "racial abuse," thus making for an awkward choice between including Terry or Rio Ferdinand in the squad. Even after the injury to Cahill, Hodgson didn't choose Ferdinand to join the squad.

The charge against Terry won't be decided until after Euro 2012, so it's just hanging there [1] over Terry's head, and [2] over Hodgson's awkward/impossible position, given the fact that Rio F. was the bloody obvious choice - talent/experience-wise - to replace Cahill. Instead, Hodgson replaced Cahill with Liverpool's inexperienced Martin Kelly. It's all just embarrassing, dirty laundry, etc.

And made worse, indirectly, by all the complaints about racism on the part of both Ukrainian and Polish fans. Just today, the black players on the Dutch team seem to have been subjected to racist taunts. This on top of last week's BBC documentary about racism in the host countries.

http://espnfc.com/us/en/news/1089999...st-chants.html

http://espnfc.com/us/en/news/1088718...sh-racism.html

I'm very excited about the actual games. But a whole bunch of folks think that the choice of Poland and Ukraine to host this competition will turn into a PR disaster. It's verging on that on the eve of the competition's opening games.

A polish acquantance was trying to explain how people feel their anti-semitic chants aren't really racist, because they're just football chants (she didn't agree). I too fear this tournament will be a PR disaster. At least there isn't likely to be any vuvuzuelas.

[gumbomoop]

At least there isn't likely to be any vuvuzuelas.

Welcome to the zozulica. Hope it's more melodic and less omnipresent. Way more and way less.

http://www.rt.com/news/euro-2012-vuvuzela-zozulica/