We’re less than two weeks away from Euro 2012 Polkraine (Poland and Ukraine) and I am absolutely psyched. This is far and away the best tournament in the sports calendar.
A bit overstated? Just hear me out…
The World Cup is too big, too hyped and the quality is too diluted.
I’m not dissing the importance of the Cup; I’m just saying it’s like playing Russian roulette with a Star Wars box set.
Sometimes you’re lucky and get to enjoy The Empire Strikes Back (Mexico ’86).
Other times you’re stabbing yourself in the eye, sitting through two painful hours of Jar Jar Binks and ‘Gooberfish’. Think 2010, when Argentina, Brazil, Italy, England, France and Portugal conspired to drop a steaming pile of crap on South Africa.
The Olympics are great, but there’s just far too much going on.
Athletes you don’t know, playing sports you’re not familiar with, from countries you’ve never heard of. It’s sensory overload.
It’s like getting pleasured by Paul the octopus; it sounds exciting, but between all eight arms trying to do their thing, you just can’t relax and enjoy the experience.
The Rugby World Cup is too small, the Cricket World Cup is too niche and the less said about the Rugby League World Cup the better.
Unfortunately for me the International Dwarf Tossing Championships can’t be considered, having been controversially outlawed by the Dwarf Tossing Ban Act (2003) and opposed by the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights.
The Euro stands head and shoulders above its rivals.
Most sporting competitions are like beauty contests featuring Kim and Khloe Kardashian.
Under the influence of far too many jaeger bombs you might be tempted to give Khloe the high score.
But nine times out of ten Kim’s getting the thumbs up. It’s usually fairly easy to pick the winner.
The Euros are different. The level of quality is far more even; while there might not be as many Kims around, there are definitely far fewer Khloes.
As every man will tell you, the less Khloe Kardashian the better.
Just look at the opening-stage groups:
Group A
Czech Rep.
Greece
Poland
Russia
Group B
Denmark
Germany
Netherlands
Portugal
Group C
Croatia
Italy
Republic of Ireland
Spain
Group D
England
France
Sweden
Ukraine
All teams are evenly matched; every game is important; every result matters.
Anyone who claims with confidence they know which teams will progress, much less who’ll win the tournament, has been taking honesty lessons from Craig Thompson.
Consider the pedigree of the participating teams.
Spain: European, world and intergalactic champions, having just defeated the mighty Vulcans. They’ve won just about everything available. Everyone’s favourite.
Germany: Like Jason Vorhees, they keep coming and coming, even after being killed for the eleventh time.
France: Sacre Bleu! What a turnaround after dumping a massive team turd in the World Cup. Currently the hottest team on the planet .
Italy: See France, just not as hot. With strong Juventus representation, they are always a threat to ‘influence’ the officials
Portugal: Ronaldo scored a thousand goals to lead Real to La Liga. Plus he’s got the best hair and abs in world football. That has to count for something right?
Polkraine: Host nations are always a threat to be carried on the wings of home-town expectations, especially when you factor in the copious amounts of shonky vodka and home-cooked pork available to their players.
Denmark, Russia, Czech Republic and Greece: All previous Euro champions. Two during the Cold War (Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia), one which didn’t even qualify (Denmark) and Greece, the flukiest bastards in the history of world sport.
Sweden, Croatia and the Irish: A Swede, a Croat and an Irishman walk into a bar…if anyone knows a good punch-line, tweet me.
England: Familiar with wrestling? Remember the lesser half of the British Bulldogs, the Dynamite Kid? All bark and no bite. A real fan favourite who brought high energy into the ring, until he got tossed out on his arse. That’s England.
England aside, that’s a murderers’ row of teams.
Realistically all that is missing is the colour usually provided by Brazil and Argentina.
I’m sure the Swedes and Portuguese will do their best to compensate in their absence.
But the dark-moustached Greek girls, together with those sunburned Essex girls (missing teeth and all) will conspire to ruin it for everyone.
Bring on the Euros!
Dazzman77
Guest
Mr. Duric, will you have the same opinion in 4 years time when they expand the competition to 24 teams?
Bato
Guest
Gotta give props to throwing in a Dynamite Kid reference!! Then: http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/pictures/d/dynamitekid/10.jpg Now: http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/6465/dynamitekidnotviolentxz8.jpg
Aleks Duric
Roar Guru
The Greeks will kick up storm! It's FYR of Macedonia vs San Marino. But considering Greece is on the cusp of being kicked out of Europe...who cares what they think!!!
Aleks Duric
Roar Guru
Watching your home country is always going to be exciting...but comparing Australia versus Indonesia to Spain versus Germany is like comparing a Big Mac to beef bourguignon. The burger might tickle the taste buds for a few minutes and be a thoroughly enjoyable experience, but inevitably you'll want to throw up afterwards and it will take years off your life!!! All kidding aside, I do see your point regarding the occasion of the World Cup, as well as the parochialism and patriotism of the other continental trophies. But if you just strip it down to 22 players and a beautiful round ball...the very essence of football...the Euros offer the best spectacle IMHO. I'm in the same boat with the clocks synced to Euro time...I've even got a campsite set up in the living room. The better half says I'm unbearable during major championships, so I'm consigned to the couch!!! All worth it in the end
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Aleks Duric, there is no doubt the Euros produce high quality football but "best tournament on earth" ... ?? Nah. For me nothing beats a FIFA World Cup. To be at a tournament which, for 30 days, is the focus of the whole world is something that the Continental Cups cannot match. And, as much as I enjoy watching the Euros, as far as I'm concerned, any tournament where the Australian National Football Team is NOT playing will NEVER be as exciting, as tense, as exhilarating and, inevitably, as distressing as a tournament when our NT is playing. So, if I were forced to choose 1 continental tournament ... give me the Asian Cup any day over the Euros because the Asian Cup is MY tournament; the Euros involve teams from a continent that means nothing to me. And, I've no doubt, if you ask any Sth American, African, etc. they'd say they find more beauty in watching the Copa America, African Cup of Nations, etc. than the Euros. Having said that, I watched 30 out of 31 Euro2004 matches LIVE (in the middle of the night with a group of mates); personal commitments made me miss a few games at Euro2008; but, I'm synchronizing all the clocks in my house to Central European Summer Time and intend to watch every single match this time.
Purple Shag
Roar Guru
I've never really even considered it the best tournament on earth, but you make a compelling argument. Although I can't say that's sitting particularly well with the patriot in me (Go Pats!). Unfortunately it will be the last time (at least for a while) we get to see the Euros in all it's pure, undiluted glory. The money grabbers at FIFA are expanding to 24 teams next time round so the all round quality you speak of will not be there and we'll be reduced to watching Macedonia vs San Marina (well, perhaps not). Must be the last time Euro takes preference over the world cup so we best enjoy it. France to win.