Euro 2008

I just finished watching this game and mother of all that is holy what do you have to do to finish off the Turks? This is another example of not finishing early opportunites killing you at the end of a game.

Modric play incredibly well and then to miss the first penalty how painful is that?

Hey SoCal if Italy are like the head vampire what are the Turks like?

 

The Turks just don't fail to amaze...


Netherlands vs Russia today, I'm pulling for the Dutch in this one. Hiddink (a Dutch man) himself has been a thorn on my footballing arse for a while now, so I wouldn't mind him having to take defeat.

 

Russia wins!

 

Is this crazy or what!?!?! The group winners are 0 for 3 so far; I guess that means good-bye to Spain tomorrow. The games have been incredibly entertaining. ABC/ESPN must love this - there have only been a couple of snooze fest; the rest have been enjoyable games for even the casual soccer fan and these last ones, especially, will make for great water cooler talk!

 

This has been a good tourney for exposure here as well. The guys in my office know me to follow international football and I had several asking me about this tournament and if it was as good as they were hearing and seeing on SportsCenter. I know of 3 guys who don't follow soccer at all that have started watching this tournament this week as a result.

Now to convert them to Fulham...

 

Exciting finish and a happy victory for Spain but I thought this game was a bit boring, other than it wasn't clear throughout who was going to win. Not a lot of opportunities were created. I couldn't believe how many questionable yellows were thrown at the Spaniards. The Italians really should get credit for being good actors.

Go Espana!

 

FFCinPCB, I wish, but I was down the peninsula, but there's still a couple of great spots on Haight to grab Doner Kebab and I can't remember their names for the life of me. Funny thing is, I always hit those spots in search of kebab and end up with a falafel sandwich in front of me.

I tivo'd the USA match to watch this live - please begin insults in 3..2..1....

It was universal justice that Spain won on penalties - they were the better side overall and the ref swallowed his whistle too many times on clear Italian fouls in and around their box. It was a rather so-so match as compared to the previous engagements, but penalties are never dull.... Pirlo was missed in the Italian midfield and how does Aragones continue to omit Fabergas from the starting 11? Xavi or Iniesta should be sacraficed as Fabergas makes everybody around him better.

 

Went to Indio for the weekend (nothing like hanging out in 120 degree heat), and only caught pieces of the games, let's see....I picked Portugal against my better judgement, oops. Croatia was going to wake Turkey up and send them home, holy crap 0 for 2. Holland was a slam dunk, I know Huddink would have Russia ready, but come on..0-3. Before we left I talked myself out of Spain...0-4. My laughable predicting aside this tournament has had jaw-dropping moments one on top of the next.

 

Our work pool is a mess. We're all sitting on a single correct pick in the quarters. The one guy who picked Germany to beat Portugal also picked Italy to beat Spain.

All but one of us had picked a Portgual - Netherlands final....

 

I'd like to know how much Arshavin is going to cost... he's being linked to Arsenal and Barca... he's the player that I'd most like to see in Fulham white at the moment.

 

Not a chance, Bradical. But there are more than a few others on that young Russian squad who could lend some assistance.

Love the height, ability, and exuberance of Pavlyuchenko. But I fear he is not within our reach either.

 

I don't remember where I read this but I believe Arshavin is getting the equivalent of 50k pounds a week at Zenit and the rumored transfer fee Chelsea was offering was around 10 million pounds. I think that was before his second Euro game.

 

Looks like Donadoni is out at Italy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2008/italy/7471598.stm

 

No surprise about Donadoni really, the expectations were always going to be high for a side like Italy. A bit of a hard luck in the penalties, but the fans and the media seemed to be calling for his head even before that.

Still amazed by what the Russians have been able to do in this tournament, though. Hard to believe that it was only six years ago when Japan got a victory over them in the World Cup to basically seal our first ever passage to the knockout rounds... okay, so Japan won on their own turf with the whole nation behind the team, but either way, Russia NT's growth since then has been astronomical.

 

First team to win the Euro in 1960?


Drum roll please......................... Russia!


Okay, U.S.S.R., but close enough (to me).

 

Forgot to mention, I am in Bonita Springs, just between Ft. Myers and Naples, Florida, if anyone around is interested in trying to catch a German or Russian smack-down.

German v. Russia Euro 2008 Final??
Now THAT would be worth the price of admission.

 

Wow. I would think that this match-up has the potential to devolve five decades of progress in international relations made between these nations...

 

I love Turkey.......with some stuffing and mash potatoes. *ba-dum ching!*