Euro 2008.... who's gonna win?

Sky its ok, keep it between you and budski

Too late, already in

ok, i watched the Holland v France game...

Go Dutchmen!!!


when the last gaol was scored, the anoucncer said, 'Theres the Dutch Oven!'...

Now, here in the US, that has a slang meaning, and everyone in the room started laughing... what does 'Dutch' Oven mean in 'England English'???


The Goal that Robben shot in was Amazing... an impossible angle...

Right after the franch scored, the Dutch answered right back... that was an exiting game of soccer...

Frankly speaking, I have no idea what they mean by 'Dutch oven', perhaps our English friends could answer that for you.

Robben's goal was freaking amazing. But that's how he is.... he's a specialist but unfortunately injured far too often.

Tkain, did you see the match against Italy? In my opinion the squad played much better, but then again, the Italian squad underestimated our team and was incapable to react properly to our strategy. France played much better and I sincerely hope they will be second in our group so they will qualify for the next round.

3-0 against the world champion and 4-1 against the vice world champion, that's pure supremacy.

Tkain, I am suprised you are into soccer as an American. I am living in Prague myself, which harbors many Americans, but they don't seem to like soccer (or football ) too much... You know that Gullit (who won the European Championship 20 years ago) is coach of LA Galaxy?

I live in the U.S. and I love football (soccer) ,but I don't know many other Americans that do. Most of the american citizens I have met that like soccer are Italian American, Spanish American,...ect. I think it has alot to do with competition. This is the first time I have been able to follow the Euro on American cable broadcast and you won't see much of it in the news. The "average" salary for a pro soccer player in the USA is $60K/year. Some of the bigger names make over $300K/year. Of course, David Beckham is getting paid $250 Million for a multi-year contract, but that was about marketing.
It is pitifully low compared to European soccer players, who average $1.5M annually. Mexico, as poor a country as it is compared to the US, the average soccer player can make double or triple their US counterpart. But then again, soccer is competing for an audience against US football, baseball, and basketball. The few players that have potencial from the U.S. seek contracts from other countries and lets face it who wants to whatch whats left over (the best of the worst). Americans like things that are American. Football is not American. Thats why they call it soccer. When my fellow Americans ask me why I like "soccer" I simply say "because it's the greatest sport in the world and almost 3 billion people agree with me". They never even try to understand! I'm sure time will change the American opinion of this sport. Until this happens I will just continue to feel sorry for these people that don't see the greatness in the game. Anyway, getting back to the topic, I have gained so much respect for the Holland players. they have played flawlessly and if they continue to perform like this,well..... they will be a serious threat to any team that has the privilege to compete against them. I am ammazed by their perfection! How can you not love this game! www.youtube.com...

You've got to want the Dutch to win, purely for their attacking play. It's so refreshing to see a team go and be positive from the word "Go" right until the end. It doesn't happen often enough anymore, especially in big tournaments.

What a comeback by Turkey! One of the best games I've ever seen. That kind of stuff just isn't supposed to happen. I wonder what's going on with the Czech players tonight? Finger-pointing, anyone?

Anyway, I hope Turkey can beat Croatia so my Germans don't have to face them again.

Are they definitely going to meet Croatia then? Is it not possible for Germany to finish above them on goal difference?

Yes. On the Euro 2008 website check out the article "Czechs Floored By Turkey Turnaround." The last paragraph reads:



www.euro2008.uefa.com...

Go Turkey!

[edit on 15-6-2008 by TheComte]

reply to post by TheComte

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I couldn't believe it either when I saw it. I saw the replays though, because I was switching between the two.

After those games I saw the USA knock off Barbados 8-0, but missing a hell of a lot of chances though. They were way too unselfish... passing the ball when they can shoot. I think they were afraid to make mistakes. Making mistakes is part of the game.

Look at Cech. He made a blunder, which knocked the Czech out of the competition, but I don't think that their next game two-three months from now we will suddenly see a new goalie for the Czech Republic, just because of that.

That would be nice... cause from over here, it just seems that they used some sland just for fun, but... hmm...



I lived overseas for a while... and i played alot of soccer... most Americans don't like soccer cause its slow... and you have to pay attention the whole time... also, the MLS is a stinky league, if the level of play in the MLS was what we see during Euro Cup, or World Cup, soccer would be a bigger thing here, but, the MLS just stinks... i try to watch it sometimes, and its painful, the players stink...

I dont care how much someone enjoys the sport, when the players stink, its not going to be entertaining... like take the XFL a couple years ago, the idea is good, more football in the US, Football during the months when there normaly isnt football, GREAT!!! But, the level of play was below collage ball, and just was not fun to watch...

People that like Soccer here in the US watch soccer from europe, the TV ussaly has some Itallian, or English league matches on, there is even a Euro-Soccer channel... But noone watches the MLS, they just stink...

Also, i dont think American advitisers like soccer, soccer has only one commercial break... thats very unAmerican... TV producers like a sport like Basketball, where they can show 5billion commerials a game... where whenever there is a 20 sec break, they show a 30 sec commercial... In soccer, there is 45 mins of unerrupted sports... no commercials for 45 mins, i love that, and that is not good for advertisers...

But the US is catching up in soccer... the US team smashed Barbados 8-0 in thier game the other day... IF the US wins a world cup, then mabye the US will care about soccer... right now, its in a battle for 5th in the US...

1. Football
2. Baseball
2. Basketball
4. Hockey
5. Soccer

Those are the 'major' sports, the UFC fighting is getting big though... but i dont consider that a 'traditional' sport... The NFL is the best run sports league in the US, and i think the world, the NBA and MLB are run by corrupte morons, and Hockey was hurt by a canceled season a few years back... Soccer can grow here, mabye even pass Hockey very soon, but it will never pass American Football...

I also don't understand why no other country in the world(besides Cannada) has an American football leauge? I mean, why does Europe hate American Football? At least the US is a decent team in world soccer... mabye 100 years from now the rest of the world will start having football teams... i want to see football in the Olymics... the rest of the world has caught up to American Basketball, but it will take a century before they can catch up to American Football...

Germany didn't look all that great against Austria, but they did advance to the quarter final against Portugal. Going to be a tough match. I hope they can win. Nice shot by Ballack, though.

reply to post by TKainZero

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You can't have American Football in the Olympics unless they play more than once a week. They may even have to play 3 times in one and that's not possible in that sport IMO. There would be too many injuries. I just don't see it happening.



[edit on 16-6-2008 by TheComte]

I couldn't see the games. Only got to hear them via radio. Wouldn't mind seeing Germany beat Portugal. Just to see Cristiano Llorando crying again.

Twas an efficient performance by the germans - as usual

My main concern about holland is that they may have peaked too early - let's see what team they put out tonight when they are already through - but they are the team of the tourney so far.

GAME ON!!!!


The Netherlands - Romania

And

France - Italy.

It's 80 mins gone now.

While I'm glad that Holland is winning, I'm a little pissed that Italy is going to beat France 2-0.

I haven't watched much but the Netherlands looks unbeatable. But I'm gonna take Italy because they seemed to have turned it around

Grazia Buffon. !!

He just made an awesome save vs France to keep them scoreless.

reply to post by TheComte

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Thats true... the time it takes to recover from a NFL game is longer then any other sport... The Olymics last a month and a halfish... so if they played like every 4 or 5 days, they could theoreticly have a 16 team tourny... but with only 2 counties with American Football, we are decades away from even thinking about it... but it would be so cool...

Holland is crazy good, even playing almost all reserves, they won... but mabye they should have lost...

If they had lost to Romania, then Italy would not have advanced... Now they could be matched up in the second round... if Italy knocks holland out of the second round... they will have only themselfs to blame...

I can't wait till the elimination rounds...

Germany vs Portugal today!

I think this will be a great match. I cheer for Germany but I believe they are underdogs going in. They haven't been playing well and will need their best performance to beat a good Portugal team.

Sweet link here. Watch the free live stream with Firefox.

www.justin.tv...




[edit on 19-6-2008 by TheComte]

Germany with the early lead... we could have an upset brewing.