Whoopsy

Wow, was I wrong. I shouldn't make picks regarding a tournament as tetchy as Euro 2008. I think I missed just about every one of the events that have led up to who is left and who has gone home. But I will say this: If the rest of the tournament is boring, defensive football won by Germany 1-0 in the final against Spain, it will still be worth having watched Russia take out all the steam of a raging (Group Stage) Netherlands, Germany going from playing like a weak-ass MLS team to going on to the semi-finals, and Turkey playing in some of the most amazing matches this side of the Liverpool Champion's League Final against AC Milan a couple of years back - multiple times. Jesus, three matches in a row! And now they're limited on who can actually play against Germany. Seems to me that the more you limit the Turks, the more they're likely to win. In the 90th minute, coming back three goals down. I (still) think that Spain will take it all -- goal scoring and speed making the difference -- but I'd really like to see a Russia v. Turkey final. Who the hell knows? I remember sitting at the Houston Dynamo v. N.E. Revolution match last week thinking that -- these two sides played better than Podolski and Co. did against Austria. And now, they look better than most. They have the defensive capability that the Spaniards lack, as well as some fast, frenetic scorers. Now, I say all of this even though Spain has yet to face the irritatingly still in contention Italy. I know they're world champs, but I kinda hoped that they'd go out in the group stages, and Romania would go through. If only to prove my theory that the old guard (Italy, France, Netherlands, Portugal, etc.) are kind of, well, in decline. Russia, Turkey, Spain. These seem to be the nations on the up and up. Of course I say all of this despising the Italian system, only cheering for them if they're in a match against a South American side -- I don't like South American sides -- and I think they spend too much time whining to the referees. But, it has to be said, they got through playing ugly football against an old, injured (Ribery) and lackluster French side. Wake up -- Anelka isn't that great. Anymore. Nor is Henry, who is only going to get playing time at the Camp Nou this year because they're getting rid of their current system. The next world cup isn't going to feature the old guard that took the late nineties by storm, I think. Russia is on the rise, and if some of the central and eastern European nations can get it together, those qualifying groups that seem so easy for some countries could turn out to be surprises. So, back to the matter at hand. I hope that Spain wins against Italy. Then we'll have a really exciting final four to watch mid week, with possibilities of these as finals: Germany v. Spain Germany v. Russia Turkey v. Spain Turkey v. Russia Wow. Who would have seen these a-comin'?