UEFA 2012, Champions league, etc.

**SalvadorMontenegro** · 06-30-2012, 08:24 AM

Funny this was brought up, because I was reading about all of his wacky antics on Wikipedia yesterday. I LOL'd at the part where they said he went into a restaurant and staged a mock sword fight with rolling pins.

I like it. I like colorful, loony athletes. Athletes that just hand the ball to the ref bore me. I don't dislike them, but I like my sports with a side of madness. I like people who aren't afraid to be a little weird.

**zeeco** · 06-30-2012, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by SalvadorMontenegro

Funny this was brought up, because I was reading about all of his wacky antics on Wikipedia yesterday. I LOL'd at the part where they said he went into a restaurant and staged a mock sword fight with rolling pins.

I like it. I like colorful, loony athletes. Athletes that just hand the ball to the ref bore me. I don't dislike them, but I like my sports with a side of madness. I like people who aren't afraid to be a little weird.

Have a look at Eric Cantona

**mretzloff** · 06-30-2012, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by Marco

Matthew, Low often uses the 4-2-3-1 system, with only one striker and three advanced midfielders. This system is good because offers a strong defense, a super strong miedfield and great counter-attacking possibilities. Most German players, however, did play weakly in their role.

Thanks, Marco. Have you considered introducing your fellow countrymen to Proraso, Cella, and the other Italian greats? Some seem like they could use a good wet shave

Originally Posted by hitemfrank

Don't forget he also drives into a women's prison just to have a look around.

He's a strange man....

He really should give up soccer and play for the NFL. His antics would fit more in line there. He is a good player, though.

**hitemfrank** · 06-30-2012, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by mretzloff

He really should give up soccer and play for the NFL. His antics would fit more in line there. He is a good player, though.

A new Randy Moss or Terrell Owens maybe?

**mretzloff** · 06-30-2012, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by hitemfrank

A new Randy Moss or Terrell Owens maybe?

Ha! Not as bad, though.

**akokandy** · 07-01-2012, 06:56 AM

Balotelli could one day blossom into the Italian Dennis Rodman. He seems to enjoy doing crazy things to garner media attention. I don't think he's done anything as crazy as the stuff Rodman was doing in Chicago, though. We'll see if he shows up somewhere in a wedding dress.

**SalvadorMontenegro** · 07-01-2012, 08:36 AM

Yeah, Dennis Rodman is who he reminds me of.

Terrell Owens is taking it too far. That guy is an idiot. It's one thing to be a character. It's another to be so much of one that everything else, including your own team, is totally subordinated to your need for constant drama and spotlight.

Anyway, hopefully a good game today. I'll root for Italy, which is a testament to my ability to let the past go. I never thought I'd root for them after that sleazeball Materazzi. Forza Azurri and all that.

**Kevan** · 07-01-2012, 12:36 PM

2-0 at halftime and I don't think Spain is at full gear yet. Then again, I remember Istanbul 2005 so anything can happen....

**Kevan** · 07-01-2012, 01:33 PM

4-0. But to be fair, Italy gave up in the 80th minute. They should've been throwing everything at Spain as soon as they came out after halftime, or if not then, at the 80 minute mark when it was still 2-0.

**mretzloff** · 07-01-2012, 01:36 PM

I think this shows how much Germany's terrible defense contributed to Italy's win. I guess the conversation now turns to whether we will see a Brazil vs. Spain final in the World Cup.

**Kevan** · 07-01-2012, 01:47 PM

I'm about to court controversy again, but I'll say it....Brazil is overrated. They haven't been any good in 10 years. Homefield advantage MIGHT tell in 2014, but I'm not ready to say whether they'll be in the Final. But Spain...I'm not sure they've peaked yet. It's scary to think the core of this team still has a few years left in it. We could very well see 4 straight titles.

**mretzloff** · 07-01-2012, 08:59 PM

Four titles in a row is very difficult. I think teams will really start developing ways to beat Spain. Chelsea did it against Barcelona and Italy at least tied them during the group stage. This is not to say that Spain cannot win a fourth, however. I just hope my Germans can improve on that horrible defense by then...

**Indigo3** · 07-01-2012, 09:55 PM

^^^
As a Chelsea supporter I can safely say we used up a 100 years worth of luck against Barca at a time when they may have been having a dip in form, there aren't that many tactics that work when you don't have the ball but Italy showed in the first game how it might be done.

Brilliant, brilliant Spain though. Shame Italy were gutted, they didn't quite deserve it but in the end they completely ran out of steam.

**Marco** · 07-01-2012, 10:31 PM

Spain did play marvellously, Italy very, very poorly. The game was over after 20 minutes and that is why I stoppeed watching it. Congrats to all my Spanish friends for a totally deserved victory in this tournament.

**Marco** · 07-01-2012, 10:31 PM

Spain did play marvellously, Italy very, very poorly. The game was over after 20 minutes and that is why I stopped watching it. Congrats to all my Spanish friends for a totally deserved victory in this tournament.

**Kevan** · 07-01-2012, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by Indigo3

^^^
As a Chelsea supporter I can safely say we used up a 100 years worth of luck against Barca at a time when they may have been having a dip in form, there aren't that many tactics that work when you don't have the ball but Italy showed in the first game how it might be done.

Well, I'm of the opinion that teams are too afraid to tackle against "Tiki taka". 'The 2009 Champions League Final showed what happens when you try. Throw in an easily-fooled referee and....*shrug* So players stand off the ball too much and give Spain or Barca far too much room. Again, again, and again I bring up Istanbul 2005. I'm not even a Liverpool fan but they showed that you GO AND GET THE BALL from teams that are keeping it. It involves rough football though. And refs seem to favor protecting players who play pretty-like.

But Italy also did Spain favors in this game by having their defense go to sleep for the last 2 goals.

**honed** · 07-02-2012, 12:02 AM

Congratulations to Spain! Well played & well deserved.

Yes, they will surely be a strong contender for the World Cup in 2014, however, keep in mind the insanely small marginals, Portugal had a penalty hitting the bar & bouncing out while Spains hit the post & bounced in.
Vice versa & it would perhaps had been Portugal against Italy in the final.

**Leon** · 07-02-2012, 04:19 AM

Originally Posted by honed

Congratulations to Spain! Well played & well deserved.

Yes, they will surely be a strong contender for the World Cup in 2014, however, keep in mind the insanely small marginals, Portugal had a penalty hitting the bar & bouncing out while Spains hit the post & bounced in.
Vice versa & it would perhaps had been Portugal against Italy in the final.

Who knows... if we had some more luck on the penalties, we would play Italy. Nice game it would have been.

FWIW, Spain is beatable. In the last Portugal-Spain (a friendly match back in 2010), we won 4-0. Of course, in that game, everything went right to Portugal and everything went wrong to Spain and it wasn't in a serious competition.
But it can happen again, probably not in such expressive final result.

**SalvadorMontenegro** · 07-02-2012, 04:52 AM

One of the worst sports finals that I've ever seen. Just an awful game to watch. Up there with my attempt to get into hockey in 2011 only to see Boston slaughter its opponent in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Italy played a lot of the second half a man down. I mean, come on. Spain is great, anyway, but with a numerical advantage?

I only watched the second half, because it was 94 degrees outside.