Euro 2008!

[chefencer]

From Yahoo: 9 contenders in wide open Euros

Looks to be a good tournament!

Get ready for a wide open European Championship.

Three-time champion Germany is only a lukewarm favorite with the bookmakers, having not won a Euro finals match for 12 years. World Cup holder Italy has lost dependable captain Fabio Cannavaro to injury.

Nine teams in the field of 16 look capable of winning the biggest title they can go for outside of the World Cup. That includes defending champion Greece, which wants to prove its surprise triumph four years ago in Portugal was no fluke.

[Mr.MightyMouse]

I'm so on toppa this.

IMHO :

France
Portugal
Holland
Germany
Czechs
Croatia
Spain
Italy
Romania
Russia

in that order are the strongest teams coming in.

I can not see Turkey, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Poland or Greece going anywhere near top 4.

[the maple epee]

Go FRANCE!!!!!

[Fechter1]

I'd say the top tier favorites are France, Italy and Germany (might be a bit biased there, hee hee).
Second tier would be Holland, Spain, Portugal.

Then again, there's always the chance for a longshot (like Greece last time around).

I know who I'm gonna be rootin' for.

[Mr.MightyMouse]

I'd say the top tier favorites are France, Italy and Germany (might be a bit biased there, hee hee).
Second tier would be Holland, Spain, Portugal.

Then again, there's always the chance for a longshot (like Greece last time around).

I know who I'm gonna be rootin' for.

Germany's in disarray IMHO, Lehman's gotta have splinters from all the pine ridin', Italy is without Canavaro, Del Piero might be hurt as well; the best player in the tourney is playing for Portugal - sometimes that's enough.

[Epee_Pox]

I dunno about you, but I'm shorting euros, myself.

[chefencer]

I dunno about you, but I'm shorting euros, myself.

Economics humor...
Please don't hurt him, he can't help it.

[chefencer]

...the best player in the tourney is playing for Portugal - sometimes that's enough.

Unless he chokes - which has been happening surprisingly often to him lately. I always think of poor Roberto Baggio back in USA '94. Strange things happen when the stage is so big. That's assuming the Whole Team doesn't get the stumbles. I don't have predictions, only games I'd like to see and most of them will be in Group C - there be monsters in there...

Oh, and considering what I saw in the last two WC's and from Fenerbahce this last Champions League I wouldn't count out Turkey.

[Fechter1]

Germany's in disarray IMHO, Lehman's gotta have splinters from all the pine ridin', Italy is without Canavaro, Del Piero might be hurt as well; the best player in the tourney is playing for Portugal - sometimes that's enough.

Germany is stronger now than in 2006, even with everything that's been going on. Italy has enough depth of talent that the loss of any one player can be compensated for. France has an excellent replacement for Zidane in Ribery.

As for Portugal (and Spain), they have incredible individual talent, but have less concept for playing as a team (and thus have no world championships to their credit). A single player may be able to turn a single game, but not an entire championship.

And yes, Chefencer, the 'Group of Death' games should be interesting, to say the least.

[sionnach]

A single player may be able to turn a single game, but not an entire championship.

Diego Maradona.

[D'Art]

I agree with that sentiment, and would suggest that no one writes off Romania either. I have a feeling the others will take points off each other, so it might only take one win for them to get through. What I wouldn't do is put ANY money on either of the two hosts to do anything.

[Mr.MightyMouse]

Germany is stronger now than in 2006, even with everything that's been going on. Italy has enough depth of talent that the loss of any one player can be compensated for. France has an excellent replacement for Zidane in Ribery.

As for Portugal (and Spain), they have incredible individual talent, but have less concept for playing as a team (and thus have no world championships to their credit). A single player may be able to turn a single game, but not an entire championship.

And yes, Chefencer, the 'Group of Death' games should be interesting, to say the least.

Schweinsteiger is an emotional mess, so is Lehmann, Podolski should be suspended for life for his WC antics, and their D is suspect, but... I really always have disliked Germany - so I might not be objective.
Canavaro is a pillar of Italian D - a modern day Baresi who was always unappreciated in Maldini's shadow; yes Pirlo and dark horse Toni can make a lot of noise for Italy, and Gattuso can shut any one but Ronaldo or Ribery down.
Portugal and Spain have always done well in Euros as opposed to WC's.
As far as a single player - Ronaldo does have Carvalho, Maniche, Quaresma, etc, which is a lot stronger supporting cast than Argentina 1986 or France 1984 even Holland 1974, I'm not a Portugal fan - but I'll be shocked if they are not in top 8, and quite surprised if they're not in top 4.

[Mr.MightyMouse]

Oh, and considering what I saw in the last two WC's and from Fenerbahce this last Champions League I wouldn't count out Turkey.

what did Turkey do in Germany, am I remiss, as far as Fenerbahce logic - then England should be crowned de facto Euro champ.

[Inquartata]

I'm confused. Which weapons do all of these people fence?

[chefencer]

what did Turkey do in Germany, am I remiss, as far as Fenerbahce logic - then England should be crowned de facto Euro champ.

Ack! You're right. I was thinking of '02 and maybe the Confederations Cup the following year (I am getting old). As far as Fenerbahce, no this is not Champions League, but I was impressed with the character of the team and while their playing style probably has more to do with Zico, than Terim, I'd bet half the national team is Fener and the other half Galataseray. Watching Fenerbahce, I saw Turks playing quality soccer and being taken for granted quite often works out to the benefit of the underestimated.

[chefencer]

I'm confused. Which weapons do all of these people fence?

Inq, nothing to worry your little head over, you've just wandered out of the safe zone. Trundle on back to your bed over on D wing and finish your nap...

[Epee_Pox]

After reading these last posts, I started reading that article, and after some paragraphs I still had no idea what weapon they were fencing, or even if it referred to another sport. Didn't have time to read the whole thing.

[chefencer]

After reading these last posts, I started reading that article, and after some paragraphs I still had no idea what weapon they were fencing, or even if it referred to another sport. Didn't have time to read the whole thing.

Haha! The funny thing is, the link points to a different article now... Oh well. The members of the World's Sport 'Secret Club' understand what weapon everybody fences...

[Musicfencer]

i like waffles

[Mr.MightyMouse]

Ack! You're right. I was thinking of '02 and maybe the Confederations Cup the following year (I am getting old). As far as Fenerbahce, no this is not Champions League, but I was impressed with the character of the team and while their playing style probably has more to do with Zico, than Terim, I'd bet half the national team is Fener and the other half Galataseray. Watching Fenerbahce, I saw Turks playing quality soccer and being taken for granted quite often works out to the benefit of the underestimated.

Firstly and formostly - I really do not want to come off as a disrespectful twit, even tho' it comes naturally to me, sometimes.
Yet - again all or most of Ingerlunt comes from top 4, all of Scotland comes from big 2 - yet it does not mean that those players are in the main spots in their clubs. Fener's key players IMHO are Alex, Roberto Carlos, Diego, Appiah, Edu and Kezman, I think only 4 or 5 Turks even start for them on a regular basis.
Isn't the best Turkish player - Tekke - these days is playing for Zenit St. Petersburg?