Sabres Fan in NS Posted June 20, 2012 Author Report Posted June 20, 2012 I just learned something new today...I feel accomplished haha And what is that? Surely, you just didn't learn today that I am a wealth of useless information ... :P .
MattPie Posted June 20, 2012 Report Posted June 20, 2012 Canada is a huge and, pretty much, empty country. A vast majority of Canadians live within an hour of the US border. About 10 - 15 million live in the Montreal - Ottawa - Toronto (and area) triangle. Another 5 - 7 million, or so, live between Calgary and Vancouver. Halifax, my home city, has around 400,000 and all of Nova Scotia has less than a million. The US is similar, in a way. Over half the people in the lower 48 live within 50 miles of a coast. I think somehting like 90% live within 6 hours drive. http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/population.html
nobody Posted June 21, 2012 Report Posted June 21, 2012 The US is similar, in a way. Over half the people in the lower 48 live within 50 miles of a coast. I think somehting like 90% live within 6 hours drive. http://oceanservice....population.html If they all drove like the half that lives in that 50 miles then the time would be cut down to a 4 hour drive.
Sabres Fan in NS Posted June 21, 2012 Author Report Posted June 21, 2012 The quarter finals start today with Portugal taking on The Czech Republic. Portugal was runner-up to Germany in the "Group of Death". The Czechs won the worst group after the collapse of Russia. If Portugese star Christiano Ronaldo shows up for this match, as he did in the final group stage match, they will win quite easily. If he doesn't then I say the Portugese still win this one, but not easily. The winner of this match will go on to play Germany, in all likelihood. The Germans play Greece tomorrow and I say they win easily. IMO, the Germans, so far, look like the team to beat in this tournament. On Saturday, defending Euro and World Cup champions, Spain plays France. The French, who were runner-up to England in their group, have not shown to much. IMO, the French will be out-classed by Spain. On Sunday, England will play Italy. The Italians have played pretty well despite all the controversy that follows them everywhere. In a country still pretty much run by the mafia it is not surpirising that the Italians seem to be always mired in a match fixing scandal. In a good match-up I believe the Italians will take it, but they better be careful and I would not be surprised if the English pulled it off. In summary ... I expect a Portugal vs. Germany semi final and the other to be Spain vs. Italy. Followed by a Germany vs. Spain final.
Guest Sloth Posted June 21, 2012 Report Posted June 21, 2012 Go England! Would be a huge upset if they won it all, but gotta pull for the country my great grandparents are from. Proud to be an American, but some times I wish I grew up/lived there. Sure, no hockey, but it'd be cool to live in a country that beyond loves soccer. Soccer is far too underrated in the U.S. I love the Bills, but football is more or less a sport only played in America. Can't count the Canadian Football League. Stupid to say when a team wins a Superbowl they're world champions. Most of the world could care less.
frissonic Posted June 21, 2012 Report Posted June 21, 2012 And Portugal advances! 1-0 win over the Czechs! And who has the goal? Cristiano!!!
Sabres Fan in NS Posted June 22, 2012 Author Report Posted June 22, 2012 And Portugal advances! 1-0 win over the Czechs! And who has the goal? Cristiano!!! Yes indeed, as I expected they would. Christiano Ronaldo has certainly quited his many critics, myself included. He scored a beautiful goal in the 79th minute. Big problem though ... the Portugese have punched their ticket into the semi-final against, in most likelihood, Germany.
TheMatrix31 Posted June 22, 2012 Report Posted June 22, 2012 Deutschland today! Please don't lose in inexplicable, ridiculous fashion.
Sabres Fan in NS Posted June 22, 2012 Author Report Posted June 22, 2012 If you want to know how popular football is in Canada ... TSN is reporting that each group match, played during the day in Canada, had over a million viewers ... in a country with a total population of only about 32 million ... WOW!! I need to correct myself. Stats Canada just released the latest population figures ... The total population of Canada is a little under 35 million ... :oops: .
Sabres Fan in NS Posted June 22, 2012 Author Report Posted June 22, 2012 Today's quarter final match between Germany and Greece has just gone final. The Germans won 4 - 2, with the second Greek goal coming (on a penalty, no less) in the 89th minute, in a statement game for them. They looked perfect in every way. I do not see any way, any team will be able to beat them. So, the first semi is set ... Portugal vs. Germany.
Sabres Fan in NS Posted June 22, 2012 Author Report Posted June 22, 2012 Now THAT'S Germany. ... Deutschland über alles ...
frissonic Posted June 22, 2012 Report Posted June 22, 2012 Yes indeed, as I expected they would. Christiano Ronaldo has certainly quited his many critics, myself included. He scored a beautiful goal in the 79th minute. Big problem though ... the Portugese have punched their ticket into the semi-final against, in most likelihood, Germany. i thought i read that they'll play the winner of france/spain, but i could be wrong.
DR HOLLIDAY Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 Now THAT'S Germany. It should have been 7-1, the boys can play better then this........which is pretty scary.
Eleven Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 So does Germany officially own Greece now? Or must there be an actual invasion besides the bailout and the ridiculous 4 goals today? I say just give it to 'em. On history, it will probably save a war.
Taro T Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 So does Germany officially own Greece now? Or must there be an actual invasion besides the bailout and the ridiculous 4 goals today? I say just give it to 'em. On history, it will probably save a war. So was anyone besides me calling this one 'the 'austerity' bowl?' I wonder what the 'friendly' wager between Merkel and the new head of Greece was on this one.
Eleven Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 So was anyone besides me calling this one 'the 'austerity' bowl?' I wonder what the 'friendly' wager between Merkel and the new head of Greece was on this one. I think the wager might have been the new head of Greece. Again, on history, it probably will save a war. Europe has its hands full with Syria, anyway.
Sabres Fan in NS Posted June 23, 2012 Author Report Posted June 23, 2012 i thought i read that they'll play the winner of france/spain, but i could be wrong. You are correct. Originally CBC.ca had the winner of Germany - Greece playing against the winner of Portugal - Czech Republic, but has since corrected the pooling on their web site. Stupid me for trusting the even more stupid CBC ... damn the CBC.ca sports department ... they don't know anything except hockey (sort of) ... :doh: .
DR HOLLIDAY Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 I think France has a chance at upsetting Spain.
Sabres Fan in NS Posted June 23, 2012 Author Report Posted June 23, 2012 I think France has a chance at upsetting Spain. Nope. 2 - 0 Spain, with the second goal coming on a penalty in second-half injury time. Spain looked good and it's, I believe, their 8th consecutive shut-out in major tournament knock-out stage matches ... that's an amazing stat and record. Shaping up to be a Spain vs. Germany final.
DR HOLLIDAY Posted June 23, 2012 Report Posted June 23, 2012 Nope. 2 - 0 Spain, with the second goal coming on a penalty in second-half injury time. Spain looked good and it's, I believe, their 8th consecutive shut-out in major tournament knock-out stage matches ... that's an amazing stat and record. Shaping up to be a Spain vs. Germany final. France gave it a go, but they came up short. I still find spain boring to watch most of the time.
Sabres Fan in NS Posted June 24, 2012 Author Report Posted June 24, 2012 France gave it a go, but they came up short. I still find spain boring to watch most of the time. I agree that France did indeed give them a good fight. The second goal was in "garbage time", so it was really 1 - 0. Spain does play a boring style. "Keep-away" and not flashy. That said, that is the reason why they are sitting as Euro and World Cup champions, with a very good shot at the triple crown ... Euro Champion - World Champion - Euro Champion, in a span of 4 years. I can't, off the top of my head, remember any side that has accomplished that.
Eleven Posted June 24, 2012 Report Posted June 24, 2012 What will carry the day today? English ineptitude or Italian keep-away?
Two or less Posted June 24, 2012 Report Posted June 24, 2012 I just returned last night from Euro 2012 in Poland. Has an amazing time, had no time for the internet while I was there, just briefly came on facebook as my friends kept me up to date the NHL Finals and Sabres news. Poland definetly did choke. I had tickets to two matches, Poland vs. Greece (opening game) and Italy vs. Croatia. Despite Poland failing to move out of group stages, i still had a lot of fun. It was def the best 2-3 weeks of my life. The parties were insane. The Croatians were amazing. Spanish fans were great but most of all, the Irish fans in Poznan were unreal. They came in and said they would party. Despite all the concerns over Euro 2012 in Poland, everything went smooth besides the Polish/Russian soccer riots. If anyone knows the history between the two, would of known it was expected. Every fan i spoken to said how great everyone was, all the bars and pubs had signs in languages of teams in Poland, and English. Police were very great and helpful. Watching games in the Fanzone was incredible too. Never watched a game with 105,000 people before. The most incredible part of going to Euro 2012 for me, was, as a Pole, i was so proud of my nation of how we embraced our team. I am not kidding when I say 60% of all cars had small flags waving. Or buses and 18-wheelers had scarfs hanging on front windows. Or half of people balconies had Polish flags hanging. The day of the Poland games, local shops were closed. Only the corporate owned stores and markets were open. Everything else was closed. Thousands of fans lined up the streets of the route the Polish bus took to the stadium on each game day. It was just something that words cant describle, just had to be there to get it all in. All the fans from other nations i spoke to were very proud of Poland's job as host, and not sure you guys notice, but tons of traveling fans are wearing their team colors, jersey and a Poland scarf. It's a show of respect and a thank you to a great host. It's a event i will never forget. As for Poland, the problem is with our coach Smuda, who, never coached anyone of any kind of importance and you never know how you will deal with big pressure unless you're in it. Poland is the 2nd youngest team in the Euros with only a few stars. They are also a attacking team. We play 3 attacking midfielders with Lewandowski uptop. After game 1, Smuda got worries, because of the way Greece attacked and changed 2 years of work. For 2 years straight we played that attacking style. Against Russia, he took attacking player Rybus off and instead of putting in another attacking player in Mierzejewski, he put it defensive midfielder Dariusz Dudka. So, we then played 3 def midfielders (Polanski, Dudka, Murawski) with 2 attackings wingers (Kuba and Obraniak) and Lewandowski up top. We needed additional firepower and it never came. We played not to lose, instead of giving our all to win as we promised we would. That said, we could of beat Greece, we could of beat Russia, and we could of knocked Czech Republic out in the first 30 minutes. But we failed. Hopefully its lession learned and they can improve on this but at the end of the day, we blew a once a lifetime chance. People in Poland are very disappointed and feel the team choked. As for today, i am going with Italy 1-0. I had picked Italy prior to the tournament to win the Euros so i gotta keep picking them. haha
Eleven Posted June 24, 2012 Report Posted June 24, 2012 Vanek-Man, that is the trip of a lifetime. Awesome.
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