Discussion: Euro 2016, Part II

SUI-POL: I'm neutral about SUI, so go Poland, I guess?

CRO-POR: Croatia has the best kits, no question, but I kinda can't stand the intense hooliganism of the fans. I enjoy seeing Ronaldo lose, but Portugal winning makes Iceland's feat a little more special. Portugal, I guess?

WAL-NIR: I probably would have sided with Wales until the Brexit results came out, so I guess that means Northern Ireland.

BEL-HUN: I like Belgian-style beer. And waffles. And chocolate.

GER-SVK: Germany, because Nuss.

ITA-ESP: You'd think Italy, because of heritage-in-law, but I lived in Spain for a year when I was a kid, and that's stuck with me. Go Spain!

FRA-IRL: Ireland, because Patrick. (But I also like France, so this is a tougher call than it looks)

ENG-ISL: Duh.

Come on :) ....Croatia
Hooliganism is because the Croatian football federation and specifically Zdravko Mamic. Fans across the country and major teams supporters want him gone for years, and for a good reasons.

For details read this: http://outsideoftheboot.com/2015/10/16/the-sad-sta...

Modric
Mandzukic
Kovacic
Eduardo Da Silva

Those are top Croatian players playing home and abroad started in Mamic's teams and have contracts to give 30% - 50% of their income mo Mamic for their whole future careers. Else Mamic is threatening their families and blocking them into playing in the national team

Here is an excerpt from the article.

"The corruption is so deep-rooted that it even involves players, whether they knew they were partaking in questionable practices or not. Modric, the most high-profile Croatian footballer in the world, is someone whose transfer has come under question. Mamic and his brother, along with former Dinamo club director, are accused of pocketing more than half of the 21 million Euro transfer fee, that less than 50 percent of the fee was actually received by the club and not these three individuals. That’s not where it ends though, as Modric is obligated to give 20 percent of his earnings to Mamic for as long as he’s playing according to Croatian journalist Aleksandar Holiga. Modric isn’t the only one whose money directly fills Mamic’s pockets as high-profile players such as Mandzukic and Mario Kovacic allegedly face the same practice.

The Brazilian born naturalized Croat Eduardo Da Silva was the only one to take Mamic to court and have the illegal contract voided. It is suspected he was kept out of his “dream” match against his birth country Brazil precisely because he crossed Zdravko Mamic, his brother Zoran and Damir Vrbanovic, who were arrested by Croatia’s USKOK-Bureau for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime for illegally funneling money out of Dinamo Zagreb. Modric and Lovren are key witnesses in a case that the organization is putting together against Mamic. Currently, Mamic is out on bail awaiting judicial hearings. However, many doubt he will be punished since he has a high-powered team of lawyers and political ties with the SDP political party which could become very influential"

I don't follow international soccer close enough to know all of the details, but I just can't think happy thoughts when I see things like this. It's not just Croatia. Russia was far worse.

Crud, I forgot to submit a bracket early. Poland beat Swissyland, and Wales and Northern Ireland are tied at 0-0. I think it's still reasonable for me to participate with the scoring of 1 point per correct answer at all bracket levels (since I have prior knowledge on the Poland vs whomever game).

Wales-Northern Ireland: Wales
Croatia-Portugal: Croatia
France-Ireland: France
Germany-Slovakia: Germany
Hungary-Belgium: Hungary
Italy-Spain: Italy
England-Iceland: Iceland

QF:
Poland-Croatia: Croatia
Wales-Hungary: Wales
Germany-Italy: Germany
France-Iceland: France

SF:
Croatia-Wales: Croatia
Germany-France: Germany (srsly when does France ever beat Germany at anything)

F:
Germany-Croatia: Croatia

I'll play! late like Ian, actually later, since Wales just won.

Croatia-Portugal: Croatia
France-Ireland: France
Germany-Slovakia: Germany
Hungary-Belgium: Belgium
Italy-Spain: Italy
England-Iceland: England

QF:
Poland-Croatia: Croatia
Wales-Belgium: Belgium
Germany-Italy: Italy
France-England: France

SF:
Croatia-Belgium: Croatia
Italy-France: France

F:
France-Croatia: France

Playing at home gives you wings, I believe

Iceland 4eva

Croatia :(

Croatia :(

Croatia :(

Iceland :)

Iceland :)

Iceland!

Bigger deal: Iceland's run in Euro 2016 or Iceland's silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in team handball?

Current standings:
Ian 5
Will 5
Giacomo 4

Close game yet. In a textbook example of "bad process, good result" Ian's key R16 pick was Iceland. However, he has lost one semifinalist, which also happens to be his champion. Yung Giac has also lost one semifinalist (and finalist), while I have squandered a 1-2 game head start, lost TWO semifinalists, and at this point am heavily reliant on heart rather than reason.

@Pink Socks Definitely Euros. Unless Iceland's handball team also caused the immediate resignation of entire coaching staffs.

Perhaps. Soccer has more eyeballs and dollar signs, for sure, so resignations are more likely.

Team Handball has 50 men's international teams (at least in their rankings). Team Canada is tied for dead last and has a pretty lame website. Italy is pretty bad, too (this link was on the first page of results for "italy team handball"), but their website is decent. The 2008 Olympics had 12 teams (roughly 25% of participating nations)

Europe had 53 nations compete to qualify for Euro 2016 (24 teams, so roughly 50%). The teams ranked at the bottom have pretty decent websites (Gibraltar, San Marino).

I feel like top-two in handball seems roughly equivalent to a top-eight in soccer. The money/prestige in soccer is higher, but a silver medal is a better result.

Wow! Australia is ranked 36th in handball. Who knew.

I don't think we had a national team until the lead-up to the Sydney Olympics (the only time we didn't have to qualify).

Re: Iceland
Sweden has good historical results in handball. If they beat Sweden they must be good :)

To beat Sweden in Euro2016 you only need to score one goal :(

Yay, Germany defeated Italy (in an underwhelming penalty shootout) to earn our hero another point in the battle of the brackets! All 3 contenders picked France in the last QF match, so it has no immedate impact on the scores - though both Giac and the Engersaurus picked France to win the resulting semifinal.

To summarize, the semifinal matches are:
Portugal-Wales; Germany - (winner of France/Iceland)

Predictions:
Will: Croatia-Wales; Spain-France
Giac: Croatia-Belgium; Italy-France
Ian: Croatia-Wales; Germany-France

I suppose the best possible outcome is that Iceland beats France, because that would preclude Will and Giac from earning a semifinal point if France beats Germany. GO ICELAND!!

I was really hoping that penalties would go to the keepers. Two away...

I can't stop watching Zaza's...whatever that was.

ALLEZ LES BLEUS

Iceland :'(

But the game is not yet over.

WC qualifying starts in September!

Iceland have a manageable group! In a sense the whole Cinderella/introducing themselves to the world narrative shortchanges what they've done. Iceland didn't come from nowhere. They're a legit, well-organized side who only (understandably) lack the world-class athleticism the bigger nations have, and with a bounce their way here or there they can compete with anyone. Basically everyone should've been freaking out when they almost made the World Cup and when they beat the Dutch twice, the Czechs, and the Turks, instead of now.

Agreed!

I was thinking the same thing. One win against Croatia would have put them in the 2014 World Cup, and that would have made this year old news.

Eurocup bracket score going into the final, with one point per correct call:

Will: 5 + 2 + 1 = 8
Ian: 5 + 3 + 0 = 8
Giac: 4 + 1 + 1 = 6

Will and I both chose incorrectly for the final (teams already eliminated); Giacomo chose France and can finish with 7 points. We didn't really settle on a tie-breaker. It should be noted that with a scoring method I suggested to Will - where the value of a correct call in each round was 1/(number of matches in that round), the scoring would be:

Will: 5/8 + 2/4 + 1/2 + 0 = 13/8
Ian: 5/8 + 3/4 + 0 + 0 = 11/8
Giac: 4/8 + 1/4 + 1/2 + x/1 = {10/8, 18/8}

Alas, the razor's edge between first and last for Giac.

Obviously the tiebreaker in the first scoring scenario would be whose bracket was alive for the longest time (i.e. who correctly picked a team to the farthest round).

That sounds absurd. Clearly accuracy is the better metric, and as I chose 8 matches correctly out of only 15 attempts, I am the victor. Also, only those who correctly predicted the greatest upset (Iceland v England) should be in contention.

Your mom sounds absurd. Also as any true soccer fan would know the biggest upset was not Iceland over England, but Wales over Belgium. Check it yo http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/ranking-tab...

Wales 26
Belgium 2
Diff. 24

Iceland 34
England 11
Diff. TWENTY-THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BOOM I'M OUT

England always loses big matches, too, so it's not really an upset when they lose. It's like Kansas in March Madness. Good teams, but early losses.