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Uncle Taylorbell
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 3191
Location: Northern England
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 Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:55 am Post subject: The Sports Thread: Olympics, Euros, Professional Yatzhee ... |
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Hi hi ... occaisionally a thread devoted to sport crops up on the forum. It's rare, but it happens. And since there are currently two major world sporting events happening right now, I figured another wouldn't go amiss. So, post here your commentary and opinion and argument on the sports issues of the day, if you like. Hey, it's a free country, apparently.
soccer
I mentioned two major sporting events ... of course, there are the current UEFA European Championships (of football). The tournament consists of sixteen European nations, decided by a rigorous qualifaction campaign, playing firstly in four groups of four, and then on a knock-out basis. The tournament is held quadranually (???). Current holders of the title were 2004's unlikely winners, Greece, who played horribly and continue to do so.
Favourites for this years tournament were the perennials of European soccer, Germany, France, and Italy. Portugal and Spain are highly favoured, also, despite regular underachievement. The first round of games produced little in the way of shocks.
An experienced French team were unable to beat a well-drilled (ie, dull) Romanian side. Germany, Portugal and Spain were impressive. The Italians, my personal tip to win the whole shebang, also played well, yet contrived to lose 3-0 to a dynamic Netherlands team packed with offensive talent. Germany played their second game of the tournament today and lost, surprisingly, to a talented but untested Croatian team. In fact, despite their strong performance against Poland, the Germans seemed hilariously clueless, and were lucky to lose only by a 2-1 defecit.
I could go into greater depth, but I'm trying to write this in a way an idiot (or as we in England call them, 'American') could understand. More of my partisan opinion next time, eh?
basketball
the second major sporting event currently going on is the NBA finals (OF THE WORLDS!). My beloved Boston seemed quite comfy against the Lakers in games 1 & 2, disappointed but still pushed hard in game 3 and ... well ... are any of you watching game 4? The Celtics couldn't hit a basket from three inches, if it were guarded by Helen Keller. Awful display. I write at the end of the first quarter, and the Lakers (spit spit spit) are up further than any other team at any point in any finals game with a 21 point lead.
So, any thoughts? Any other interesting sports stories? Anyone going to give me all that 'sports are for dumb jocks and is stoopid ner ner ner WOW is were its at LOL' shite?
Like, let's totally talk balls, yeah?
Last edited by Uncle Taylorbell on Sun May 27, 2012 11:59 pm; edited 10 times in total |
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Darqcyde
Joined: 11 Jul 2006
Posts: 10262
Location: A false vacuum abiding in ignorance.
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:22 am Post subject: |
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I was in Berlin when Germany qualified for the finals in '96 and in Munich the night they won it. The atmosphere was teh AWESOME. As such, I'm hoping They kick Austria's ass on Monday.
Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but Germany will need to tie and have Poland not win or Germany will need to win to advance, correct?
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...if a single leaf holds the eye, it will be as if the remaining leaves were not there.
http://12ozlb.blogspot.com Now in book form: http://amzn.to/14E6OFy |
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Mindslicer
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Posts: 1791
Location: North of the People's Republic of Massachusetts
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:39 am Post subject: |
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Re: NBA Finals.
I don't want to hear another peep from Kobe or Laker fans about the lopsided foul calling in the games in Boston. Ever. |
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nathan
Joined: 10 Jul 2006
Posts: 6282
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:37 am Post subject: |
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All my sports are over and I'm experiencing withdrawal. "Football" isn't shown on my USian stations, baseball is boring, and NBA basketball (which I watch only reluctantly and with disdain) is a game or two from finished.
My life has lost all direction and meaning.
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All our final decisions are made in a state of mind that is not going to last. - Marky Mark Proust |
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Mindslicer
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Posts: 1791
Location: North of the People's Republic of Massachusetts
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:55 am Post subject: |
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| Wow, Boston comes back from being down by 24 points to win game 4 and take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. This fits right in with past Lakers-Celtics finals meetings in that game 4 is usually the pivotal game of the series. |
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Uncle Taylorbell
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 3191
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 4:07 am Post subject: |
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| Darqcyde wrote: | | Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but Germany will need to tie and have Poland not win or Germany will need to win to advance, correct? |
Germany can qualify for the next round with a win. If Poland win, and Germany fail to beat Austria, then Croatia and Poland go through. But no-one is betting their houses on that.
The draw, before games were played, had layed on a Portugal v Germany semi-final. Given the good chance that Croatia will now top group B, odds on Germany winning the tournament have been slashed. Which is why I'm now shovelling money on an Italian win.
basketball
i walked to the shops - admittedly, far away - when the *spit spit spit* Lakers had a 20+ lead. I came back, and WE won.
Clearly, in NBA history, I make the difference. |
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Mr_Moustache
Joined: 01 Oct 2006
Posts: 9123
Location: The thing in itself that is Will
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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LOL @ poland austria....
Anyways, we'll teach those frogs a lesson.
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When life gives you lemons, some people make lemonade. I just eat them and make a sour face. |
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Mr_Moustache
Joined: 01 Oct 2006
Posts: 9123
Location: The thing in itself that is Will
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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Oh, and taylorbell, what chances do you give England?
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When life gives you lemons, some people make lemonade. I just eat them and make a sour face. |
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reasonablymad
Joined: 03 Apr 2007
Posts: 6783
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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I don't really care for basketball at all, but I would be happy if the celtics win. more precisely, if the lakers lose.
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Mr_Moustache
Joined: 01 Oct 2006
Posts: 9123
Location: The thing in itself that is Will
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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Woot ! 4-1 !!
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When life gives you lemons, some people make lemonade. I just eat them and make a sour face. |
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mouse
Joined: 10 Jul 2006
Posts: 17054
Location: under the bed
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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you forgot golf. the u.s. open is this week, and apparently it is a Really Big Deal. with Tiger Woods. and other people.
....i guess i could check and find out what's happening. i _do_ know there are balls involved.
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Celaeno
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 3029
Location: Kzoo
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| Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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| I'll be able to contribute to this thread when hockey season begins again. |
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Uncle Taylorbell
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 3191
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 1:23 am Post subject: |
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| Celaeno wrote: | | I'll be able to contribute to this thread when hockey season begins again. |
Go Penguins!
football
Did anyone see Romania against Italy? For those who didn't, here are the important points:
Gianluigi Buffon, the Italian goalkeeper, may be the best in the world, but that still doesn't excuse the ridiculous neckerchief. Nor his Gene Wilder gone crazy stare.
Romania's star player, Adrian Mutu, looks a little like Corey Haim. Or Corey Feldman. I get the two confused. And he properly wanted to cry after missing that decisive penalty kick. Poor lamb. Clearly, the drugs don't work.
Roberto Donadoni, Italy's coach, really needs to brighten his clothing up. A blue tie, perhaps, Bert? Go on, be a devil.
As for Holland? Well, all football fans are morally obliged to love the Dutch. They play the game properly, beautifully, with a sense of geometry, aesthics and the sublime. And this time they got their customary infighting out of the way pre-tournament; Seedorf and Van Bommel leaving the camp before the first game.
To digress: Seedorf ... I still don't understand. So many medals, so many championships, clearly highly valued by some of the most astute coaches in the game ... and yet he's always seemed sulky, pedestrian and over-rated, like bad hummus. I hate sulky hummus.
Anyway, the Dutch ... brilliant again. But they - along with Spain - will doubtless contrive to throw it all away, and lose to Germany on penalties.
I've changed my mind completely about the Italians now, too. Their squad seems to lack cohesion and a sense of purpose. I figured they'd start slowly, but be too wily for their opponents. I figured they'd win the competition gracelessly. They'll still go through to the next stage, I'm pretty sure ... but I'm glad I didn't actually throw some money on them today.
tennis
Britain's only talented player, Andy Murray -- a Scot claimed as half-English by the middle class twats who pay attention to tennis -- has pulled out of the Wimbledon warm up Stella Artois tournement. I think every news story I've read on tennis recently, that wasn't about Federer or Nadal, was about players voluntarily retiring 'hurt' from competition. Are they genuinely knackered by the year round slog of the ATP, or are they just lacking in grit? Soft arses.
cricket
england won ... yay! against new zealand ... oh.
TOO. MUCH. INTERNATIONAL. CRICKET.
I didn't even know they were playing today, and I'm a fan.
rugby, proper rugby, not the middle-class version that just looks like a fight between thirty gay farmers
Saints, the team everyone loves best, anhillated the Bradford Bulls 58-20. But I was at work and missed the whole thing. 
golf
wake me up when the Ryder cup starts please.
* oh, and moustache ... it's an absoloute pleasure to watch a tournament without our overhyped, underperfoming playboys dominating every second of television, and without worrying that 'our boys' are going to trash some random cafe in Basle or Vienna.
any predictions on Sweden against Spain? Zlatan to perform the way he ought to? Spain to crumble after one good performance the way they love to? and Greece against Russia ... really, why don't Greece just fuck right off? |
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nathan
Joined: 10 Jul 2006
Posts: 6282
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 1:34 am Post subject: |
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Again?
How many hockey seasons do they have in a year?
_________________
All our final decisions are made in a state of mind that is not going to last. - Marky Mark Proust |
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Michael
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 10648
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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| what about portugal? |
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