The 2012 UEFA European Championship - Poland/Ukraine - The Thread!

[GirlySports]

Except Adnan Kirk is Canadian formerly from The Score! GAH!

[GirlySports]

We have 6 people in the pool so far

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Magnum PEI

They mixed up Poland with Belarus. Poland is west of the Ukraine. Pretty big mistake.

That is the Ukraine - it has just been shifted under Poland:

http://geology.com/world/europe-satellite-image.shtml

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Locke

To his credit Lalas sidesteps the question.

What a puff piece though. Another 'Americans know nothing about soccer' thing.

I do like him giving his 'Subway Fresh Take!' though.

Oh yeah, Lalas did a really good job there.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Oh yeah, Lalas did a really good job there.

I dislike Lalas, hes a smug jerk in most of his interviews but he totally bailed buddy out on that one.

[Locke]

Group A
1. Russia
2. Czech
3. Poland
4. Greece

Group B
1. Germany
2. Netherlands
3. Denmark
4. Portugal

Group C
1. Spain
2. Ireland
3. Italy
4. Croatia

Group D
1. France
2. Sweden
3. England
4. Ukraine

QF
Germany over Czech
Netherlands over Russia
Sweden over Spain
France over Ireland

SF
Germany over France
Netherlands over Sweden

F
Germany over Netherlands

Edited to correct the semis and final, but leaving my pithy remark about France.

Theres my picks. As usual France will fluke their way to the final but I dont think they'll get away with it this time. Picking with my heart instead of my head.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Locke

Theres my picks. As usual, I predict Portugal to fail miserably because I hate everything about them. I give them zero credit for anything!!!

Fixed your post for better accuracy.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Fixed your post for better accuracy.

C'mon, Portugal have looked like crap throughout qualifying and the friendlies leading up to the tournament. Them finishing last in that group would hardly be a surprise.

[SuperMatt18]

I am intrigued to see how Italy performs this tournament.

One of there weaker squads in recent history.

In one of the tougher groups.

Huge scandal tearing apart Italian Soccer.

All fans and pundits have completely written them off to not make it out of the group even.

Makes me wonder if this team can pull together and use all the adversity to come together and perform as a team.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Fixed your post for better accuracy.

Tell me that you honestly see Portugal coming out of that group. They even have a terrible record against Denmark! You hope they can, and you might think they have a chance, but its highly unlikely.

If anyone other than Germany and Holland come out of that group it will be a huge surprise.

I personally think that if anyone pulls off the upset it'll be Denmark and more than likely at Holland's expense, but I find that highly unlikely.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

I think some of the breakdowns are incorrect. EDIT: I looked back, not some, just Locke's.

For example, Locke you have Germany as 1B. That would put them in quarterfinal #26 vs 2A Czech. So your quarterfinal is correct.

However in the SF winner of #26 plays winner of #28 and #28 is 1D v 2C, which in your scenario is France vs Ireland with France winning.

Therefore the SF's should be Germany vs France and Netherlands vs Sweden.

Group A
1. Russia
2. Czech
3. Poland
4. Greece

Group B
1. Germany
2. Portugal
3. Netherlands
4. Denmark

Group C
1. Spain
2. Ireland
3. Croatia
4. Italy

Group D
1. England
2. France
3. Sweden
4. Ukraine

QF
Portugal over Russia
Germany over Czech
Spain over France
England over Ireland

SF
Portugal over Spain
Germany over England

F
Germany over Portugal

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I am intrigued to see how Italy performs this tournament.

One of there weaker squads in recent history.

In one of the tougher groups.

Huge scandal tearing apart Italian Soccer.

All fans and pundits have completely written them off to not make it out of the group even.

Makes me wonder if this team can pull together and use all the adversity to come together and perform as a team.

Funny you post that at the exact moment I post my tourney breakdown.

Yeah unfortunately I'm left thinking they don't come out of a scandal for a 3rd time and win a major tourney.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Locke

Tell me that you honestly see Portugal coming out of that group. They even have a terrible record against Denmark! You hope they can, and you might think they have a chance, but its highly unlikely.

If anyone other than Germany and Holland come out of that group it will be a huge surprise.

I personally think that if anyone pulls off the upset it'll be Denmark and more than likely at Holland's expense, but I find that highly unlikely.

Guess I should have added a simley face or something. I was just joking around.

Portugal is in tough, I'm well aware. I hope for the best, but prepared and probably expecting the worst.

If this were a home and home 6 game round, Germany and Holland walk away with it. But this is a three game tourney in the first round and on neutral grounds. Anything can happen.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Big fan of Cecil's picks!!

[Magnum PEI]

Originally Posted by troutman

That is the Ukraine - it has just been shifted under Poland:

http://geology.com/world/europe-satellite-image.shtml

The Ukraine is fine, but that is clearly Belarus masquerading as Poland. They just plunked down the Polish cities in Belarus and added Polish colours. I now think they did it deliberately so that the map would be less oblong.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Guess I should have added a simley face or something. I was just joking around.

Portugal is in tough, I'm well aware. I hope for the best, but prepared and probably expecting the worst.

If this were a home and home 6 game round, Germany and Holland walk away with it. But this is a three game tourney in the first round and on neutral grounds. Anything can happen.

Haha! Okay, I got carried away. I deal with Portugal fans all the time and they're convinced they're going to win the group so I wasnt sure if you were being serious.

I also fixed my picks.

[Luder]

I guess I didn't need a new Germany jersey anyway....

Toxic Jerseys!

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/red-car...9055--sow.html

Official jerseys for the upcoming Euro 2012 have been handed a red card by a consumer group even before the tournament kicks off for being tainted with lead, nickel and other toxic substances.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Luder

I guess I didn't need a new Germany jersey anyway....

Toxic Jerseys!

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/red-car...9055--sow.html

Yay! If watching my team get demolished in the group stage won't kill me, the jersey I paid way too much for will!

Nonylphenol, which can be bad for the endocrine system and is banned from waste-water because it can harm the environment, was found in shirts from Spain and Italy.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Luder

I guess I didn't need a new Germany jersey anyway....

Toxic Jerseys!

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/red-car...9055--sow.html

Wow. Thats incredible.

Referring to the quantities found, he told AFP that "there's nothing illegal, even though special attention is needed for vulnerable groups such as children."

BEUC said lead, a heavy metal, was found in six of nine tested shirts -- those of Spain, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, France and Italy.

Players from Portugal and the Netherlands will play in shirts containing nickel, it said.

Jerseys from host nation Poland "should be banned outright from shops" for containing a compound to prevent the smell of sweat -- organotin -- that can be toxic to the nervous system.

Nonylphenol, which can be bad for the endocrine system and is banned from waste-water because it can harm the environment, was found in shirts from Spain and Italy.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

And just in case anyone wants to know what Nonylphenol might do to them:

Specifically, they are known to cause learning disabilities, severe attention deficit disorder, cognitive and brain development problems, deformations of the body (including limbs); sexual development problems, feminizing of males or masculine effects on females, etc.