Well, we're exhausted from Europa- meister action and grateful for the first two non-game days, Mon-Tue, since the tournament began over two weeks ago. Too much to recount (professional recap here) but here's a synopsis:Highly anticipated Italy v. France fizzled, with France's equal measures of bad luck and bad play costing them their most dynamic player and a penalty goal in the first 10-25 minutes; Italy nauseatingly caroused to victory. Steph and I touched down in Sweden on Wednesday night (details to come) in time for the flight's captain to announce their unfortunate elimination. The final four consists of a re-righted Germany--confidently dispatching Portugal 3-2 in a marvelous game, Cinderella team Turkey--making a habit of unlikely last-minute heroics, resurgent Russia--running all over previously-sparkling Holland, and Spain--deserving the most emphatic congratulations for their resolve in dispatching always despicably frustrating Italy via penalty kicks after 120 scoreless minutes (no fault of Spain's).
On a final rant against the vanquished previous world-champs, this isn't a case of simple rival hatred, such as the Swiss cheering for Switzerland and whoever is playing Germany. One can justifiably love Italy's charming culture and wine and food and people and landscape. But you really must detest their soccer team, who consistently attain the pinnacle of disingenuous sport. Physically powerful yet oh-so-delicate (comical against the much slighter Spanish team), highly-skilled and occasionally brilliant yet more often flouncing hypocritical primadonnas, playing solely for results rather than entertainment or even pride, prattling in opponents' ears like mean housewives after every legitimate attempt on their goal and wailing dramatically skyward to cruel gods who unfairly deny their infrequent attempts at the same. Love Italy but please not their team. Auf Wiedersehen.
Only three games remain with the tournament ending on Sunday. Sad, but a necessary component of renewed clean living.
1 comment:
Euro 2008 has been awesome on so many levels but personal productivity certainly isn't one of them! A little breathing room is welcome, but then I think about there only being three games left and I get sad.
What the hell am I going to do in July? Watch MLS?
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