OOC: European Championship - place your bets!

Niklas

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Taking the cue from Paul#42 in the PBEM thread...

The EC starts tomorrow, the greatest event of the year apart from the Olympics in August. And while a championship is always fun in and of itself, it's always more fun when you share your thoughts and tips with your friends. So without further ado I give you the

:trophy: Council European Championship Betting Championship :trophy:

or CECBC for short.

Ok, some of you are obviously going to be thinking now, EC, how fun is that? I bet you'll be Americans mostly. But even if you don't enjoy the championship itself, I promise you'll have lots of fun in the CECBC. There's no reason not to join - ignorance is no excuse, and this won't take any time to mention. The winner gets enormous bragging rights, and the losers will still have had a lot of fun. :)

The rules are simple. We will have bets for all games in the EC, as well as for the final result. Every game will give points to those who bet correctly, and I will keep a running score tally. Or to put it more formally:

* Before each game, send me your bet for the end result, in exact numbers (e.g. 1-0 or 3-1). If you correctly predict the result, you get 3 points. If you predict the correct sign - i.e which team wins or if there's a draw - but with the wrong numbers, you get 1 point.

* Before the start of the tournament, send me your prediction for the top three of the tournament - gold, silver and bronze. Correctly predicting the gold will give 10 point, 7 points for the silver and 4 points for the bronze. If one of the teams you have predicted ends up in the top 3, but not in the exact position you placed it, you get 2 points for that team (you could get 6 points this way, if you place all three but in the wrong order).

* After the first round, before the playoffs, you're allowed to change any one of your top three. If you do, you will instead gain 5 points for gold, 3 points for silver and 2 points for bronze.

Place your bets either by posting them in this thread, or by sending me an email (no PMs please, my inbox is too cramped already). If you don't have my mail address, send me a PM and I'll give it to you.

Final results:
1: donsig - 28 :trophy:
1: Niklas - 28 :trophy:
3: Aigburth - 26 :trophy3rd:

4: zyxy - 25
5: Paul#42 - 21
5: peter grimes - 21
7: tomasjj - 19
8: AutomatedTeller - 11

:trophy: España wins the EC 2008! :trophy:

Here's a link to the official EC 2008 site: http://www.euro2008.uefa.com/

So come on, place your bets and join the fun! No reason to sit out, not even if you don't like Football, not even if you're American! :D (Not even for Englishmen or Norwegians! :D)
 
Past games:
* Switzerland - Czech Republic: 0-1 (tomasjj 3; Niklas, donsig, Paul, peter 1; AT, GW, HB, zyxy, Aigburth 0)
* Portugal - Turkey: 2-0 (AT, Paul, HB, Aigburth 1; GW, donsig, Niklas, tomasjj, zyxy, peter 0)
* Austria - Croatia: 0-1 (Paul, Niklas, HB, tomasjj 1; GW, AT, donsig, zyxy, Aigburth, peter 0)
* Germany - Poland: 2-0 (zyxy, Aigburth 3; GW, AT, donsig, Paul, HB, Niklas, peter 1; tomasjj 0)
* Romania - France: 0-0 (Aigburth 3; donsig, zyxy, AT, Niklas, tomasjj, HB, Paul, peter 0)
* Netherlands - Italy: 3-0 (donsig, peter 1; zyxy, AT, Niklas, tomasjj, HB, Paul, Aigburth 0)
* Spain - Russia: 4-1 (Niklas, donsig, Paul, zyxy, AT, HB, tomasjj, Aigburth 1)
* Greece - Sweden: 0-2 (Everyone 0)
* Czech Republic - Portugal: 1-3 (Paul, Niklas, peter, Aigburth 1; zyxy, tomasjj, donsig, AT 0)
* Switzerland - Turkey: 1-2 (Paul 3; Niklas, tomasjj, donsig, Aigburth, HB 1; zyxy, AT, peter 0)
* Croatia - Germany: 2-1 (Everyone 0)
* Austria - Poland: 1-1 (Niklas, peter 3; AT 1; Paul, zyxy, tomasjj, donsig, Aigburth, HB 0)
* Italy - Romania: 1-1 (HB 3; zyxy, donsig, tomasjj, Paul, peter, Niklas, Aigburth 0)
* Netherlands - France: 4-1 (zyxy, donsig, Paul, peter, Aigburth 1; HB, tomasjj, Niklas 0)
* Sweden - Spain: 1-2 (tomasjj, peter, Niklas 3; donsig, Paul, zyxy, Aigburth 1; HB 0)
* Greece - Russia: 0-1 (zyxy 3; tomasjj 1; donsig, HB, Paul, peter, Niklas, Aigburth 0)
* Switzerland - Portugal: 2-0 (donsig 1; everyone else 0)
* Turkey - Czech Republic: 3-2 (donsig 1; everyone else 0)
* Poland - Croatia: 0-1 (Paul, donsig, Aigburth 3; tomasjj, Niklas, zyxy 1; peter, HB 0)
* Austria - Germany: 0-1 (tomasjj, Paul, Niklas, donsig, zyxy, Aigburth 1; peter, HB 0)
* Netherlands - Romania: 2-0 (zyxy, donsig, Aigburth 3; Paul, Niklas 1; tomasjj, HB 0)
* France - Italy: 0-2 (HB 3; tomasjj 1; zyxy, Paul, Niklas, donsig, Aigburth 0)
* Greece - Spain: 1-2 (zyxy, Paul, tomasjj, Niklas, HB, Aigburth 1; donsig 0)
* Russia - Sweden: 2-0 (zyxy, tomasjj, donsig 1; Paul, Niklas, HB, Aigburth 0)

* QF1: Portugal - Germany: 2-3 (zyxy, Niklas, Paul, donsig 1; tomasjj, HB, Aigburth 0)
* QF2: Croatia - Turkey: 2-4 a.p. (0-0 full time) (Aigburth 1; zyxy, tomasjj, Niklas, Paul, donsig 0)
* QF3: Netherlands - Russia: 1-3 (1-1 full time) (Everyone 0)
* QF4: Spain - Italy: 4-2 a.p. (0-0 full time) (zyxy 3; tomasjj, Aigburth 1; Niklas, Paul, donsig 0)

* SF1: Germany - Turkey: 3-2 (donsig, tomasjj, Paul, zyxy, Aigburth, Niklas 1; AT, HB 0)
* SF2: Russia - Spain: 0-3 (donsig, Aigburth 1; Paul , tomasjj, zyxy, Niklas 0)

* Final: Germany - Spain: 0-1 (Niklas, AT 1; zyxy, Paul, donsig, tomasjj, Aigburth 0)

:trophy: Spain (peter 10; donsig, Niklas, Aigburth 2)
:trophy2nd: Germany (Niklas 7; donsig, tomasjj, zyxy, Paul 2)
:trophy3rd: Russia (AT, zyxy 2)
:trophy3rd: Turkey (donsig 4; AT 2)
 
soccer, is it? rats - I was hoping to place bets without knowing what the sport was or who was playing ;)

My analysis of the teams (taken from that site)

Czech Republic - one of several teams that play in all white. They practice with their eyes closed, using a variant of the children's game Marco Polo - the guy with the ball yells Marco and the others yell Manni and the guy with the ball has to hit one of the other guys. As they cannot open their eyes at all, it takes a while and is generally pointless.

Portugal - sucks. worst team in the tournament. they try to make expand the field, then attack with waves of players.

Switzerland - they have no chance, since their best defenders are playing for netherlands

Turkey - will keep trying things until they get the right answer, then work hard to press their advantage.

Austria - similar to italy, but a bit faster.

Croatia - kind of fragmented team - often overrun by the germans, italians. Play all in white. Team name translates to Ill your Ian. This makes sense to the croats.

Germany - very aggressive early and if they make it to the end, watch out! they can really turn it on late.

Poland - one of the teams that plays all in white, they often vandalism their opponents locker rooms. very weak over all.

France - no particular strengths - everyone works hard and there isn't such a dropoff from their primary to their secondary players as other teams.

Italy - doesn't move all that fast, but very difficult to dislodge and packs a surprising punch

Netherlands - has all the best swiss defenders and they eat very well. A top contender.

Romania - another all in white - somewhat tepid, often fight the french, sometimes with the italians for help.

Greece - best defensive team in the tourney

Russia - makes contact with all the other teams easily - likes to read.

Spain - very dangerous to teams that arent' up on the latest in soccer - cheerleaders are dogs, which is irritating.

Sweden - surprisingly ugly, given the press the bikini team got. around the middle of the games, tends to go nuts a lot, though.


Based on my analysis, my picks for overall:
Spoiler :

Russia for 1st
Turkey 2nd
Greece 3rd.

And I'll award any of my points to anyone who can correctly say how I made those picks.

Spoiler :

The above analysis reflects no actual analysis of the game of soccer or the countries of the European Union, and is meant solely for the amusement of the readers. Go Council!! Points awarded are only done so at the discretion of Niklas, who is running this contest, anyway.
 
A typical American response. Anyone in their right mind would know that if no sports is explicitly given, it's of course football that's meant. ;)
 
Wait... you guys call "soccer" "football" :crazyeye: Now I'm really confused...

;) kidding... kidding! Settle down!

Sounds like fun!
My very scientific picks are...
  • Game 1: Switzerland wins 2-1 (because I've been there, and loved it!)
  • Game 2: Turkey wins 3-2 (I've always had a bit of historical fascination with the Byzantines... so that enough of a reason here, I guess.)
  • Game 3: Austria & Croatia tie at 2-2 (Ties are allowed in soccer football right?)
  • Game 4: Germany wins 3-0 (Ok - so my family originally emigrated from Germany to America about 4 generations back. We've managed to preserve some of the cooking and family traditions from the "old country" ... so I gotta go with family on this.)

I hope I win! :D
Any of my European friends need to promise not to laugh too much if I just picked all the worst teams in the league(?)... association(?).... euro?
 
1st round picks (which I put in spoiler cause I think I'm funny and want to share with the rest of the team)
Spoiler :

Switzerland vs Czech Republic - Switzerland, but the czech pillage the chocolate. 1-0
Portugal vs Turkey - In an early round game, Portugal has the advantage, I think - Turkey wont' really get it going until late in the mid rounds. 1-0
Austria vs Croatia - Austria has nicer castles 3-2.
Germany vs Poland - Germany, of course. I want to make a 1939 joke here, but worry that it's really bad taste in Europe to do that, so I'll just base it on the fact that my dad's book was translated into Polish and anyone who would actually translate it deserves what they get!! 4-1
 
Wait a minute, I thought the big event was tomorrow when Big Brown tries to win the Triple Crown. And when did they let Turkey into Europe? :confused:

Spoiler :
Game 1: Czech 4, Switz 2
Game 2: Turkey 3, Portugal 0
Game 3: Austria 2, Croatia 1
Game 4: Germany 4, Poland 0

Gold: Germany
Silver: Greece
Bronze: Turkey


And for extra credit here's the Belmont Stakes:

Spoiler :
Win: Big Brown - Yes a Triple Crown winner finally!
Place: Denis of Cork
Show: Casino Drive
Fourth: Icabad Crane
 
Spoiler :
Switzerland vs Czech Republic 0:2
Portugal vs Turkey 2:1
Austria vs Croatia 0:3
Germany vs Poland 3:1
 
Switzerland vs Czech Rep 1:1
Portugal vs Turkey 6:1
Austria vs Croatia 1:2
Germany vs Poland 2:1

I think Greece can be a surprise again like in 2004..

Medalists:
1st - Portugal
2nd - Germany
3rd - Greece
 
Great great, nice guesses so far! Though General_W, Paul#42 and H.Barca, don't forget to add picks for the top three medalists before the games start!

Here's my own, surprisingly serious, guess:
Spoiler :
1st place: Greece. They are seriously underestimated and will be the first team ever to win two in a row.
2nd place: Germany. Klose will be top scorer of the tournament as usual.
3rd place: Spain. Have something good going, but Aragones will be lynched for not bringing Raul, and the only way he could have redeemed himself is by winning.

First round picks:
Spoiler :
Switzerland - Czech Republic: 1-2. The Swiss haven't played a competitive game for the last two years, since they had a free place due to hosting.
Portugal - Turkey: 1-2. The hardest game to bet this round, two good teams that could go far.
Austria - Croatia: 0-2. Austria is the joke of the tournament, no offense, they're only in because of hosting. Home turf may help them though, but since not even their fans believe in them, that'll be hard.
Germany - Poland: 3-1. Klose scores two of them.
 
Swiss rolls - Czech Lager 0-1

Portuguese Bacalao - Turkish Dönner 1-1

Austria - Croatia 0-2

Germany - Poland 1-1

Germany to win
Portugal runner up
 
Why do you rate Greece? They were terribly lucky to win it last time, and it will not happen again. Outsiders are Romania and maybe even Turkey.
 
Because they cost Norway their place in the championship? :p

Greece weren't terribly lucky at all - they had the best team, the best coach, and everyone was down-rating them just because it was so unexpected. I watched all their games, they played bloody good football, that's why they won. This time around they have a better team with more experienced players. They got the most points of all teams in the qualifiers, and to top it off they can seemingly hit from below again since everyone still seems to underestimate them, despite being ranked 8th in the world by FIFA(*). I just don't understand it. Otto Rehagel will be immortalized as the new Colossus, that's my bet. ;)

(*) Then again there are 5 other teams in the tournament ranked better, from 3 to 7, but still...
 
Because they cost Norway their place in the championship? :p

Greece weren't terribly lucky at all - they had the best team, the best coach, and everyone was down-rating them just because it was so unexpected. I watched all their games, they played bloody good football, that's why they won. This time around they have a better team with more experienced players. They got the most points of all teams in the qualifiers, and to top it off they can seemingly hit from below again since everyone still seems to underestimate them, despite being ranked 8th in the world (!) by FIFA. I just don't understand it. Otto Rehagel will be immortalized as the new Colossus, that's my bet. ;)

Nothing to do with Norway. I would be a fool to be patriotic on behalf of the national football team :)

Good football?!? Greece?!

Deadballs and tight defence was all they were. We are too far apart here mate to reach consensus.

PS: Do you have Greek relatives? :lol:
 
Fun idea! My unreasoned (and unreasonable?) picks:

(Obviously all comments are meant to be funny and not insulting.)

1. Germany - just 'cause they always win these things in the last minute either by dumb luck, by uninspired toil, or simply by having the best team.
2. Russia - most populous nation (I think), so should be able to field a decent team. When all else fails, the KGB will put something in the pasta and Italy will lose the semifinal to Russia ;).
3. Switzerland - homeland advantage (it is in Switzerland, right?)

Statistically, virtually any soccer match ends in 0-0, but I'll make some exceptions, so here it goes:

Switzerland vs Czech Republic: 1-0 - the mountain defenses will prove too much for the Czechs. The Swiss lawyers will find a judicial hole in the Czech defense and score a penalty.
Portugal vs Turkey: 0-0 - On opposite sides of Europe, these teams will be busy for the entire tournament just to define a common playing field. Teams will never find each other, let alone the ball.
Austria vs Croatia: 0-0 - Balanced as in the Habsburg monarchy and nobody wins.
Germany vs Poland: 2-0 - The Polish have been working jobs in Germany, which has given the Germans more time to practice sports, which is a clear advantage.
 
Good football?!? Greece?!

Deadballs and tight defence was all they were. We are too far apart here mate to reach consensus.
So it seems. But it depends on how you define good football I guess. They didn't play spectacularly technical football, nor were they entertaining to watch, so in that regard it wasn't goo. But a super-tight defence, fast turnover attacks and highly efficient corners and free-kicks will get you very far in today's world, entertaining or not. How is that not good football?

PS: Do you have Greek relatives? :lol:
:lol: Nah, I'm boringly Swedish to the bone. But as you can see I don't really believe in my own country, Spain and Greece will go on to the playoffs from our group, with Russia as the most likely possible upset. Sweden will go home with 0 collected points. :sad:
 
Thanks for the bets zyxy! :goodjob:

it is in Switzerland, right?
Austria and Switzerland share the hosting, so yes.

Statistically, virtually any soccer match ends in 0-0, ...
Yep, that's true in general, but often not in the tournaments when it really matters. IIRC there were only three 0-0 games in all of the 2006 World Cup. When the going gets tough... ;)
 
Spain and Greece will go on to the playoffs from our group, with Russia as the most likely possible upset.

Groups? Oh oh, is this a bracket type game like in college basketball's Final Four tournament? I wonder if my top three picks are all from the same group? Can three teams from the same group finish 1-2-3?
 
Aye, the first round is played in 4 groups of 4, top two from each group go off to the playoffs. So no, three teams from the same group cannot all go to the playoffs, and thus not finish 1-2-3. But your top three picks are all from different groups so you're safe. :)
 
What, there's a European championships on? You wouldn't know it living here :cry:

Seriously though, great idea! Reminds me of my student days when we used to do this sort of thing for every match on TV (half time score, full time score, first scorer, time of first goal etc).

My predictions for the top 3:
Spoiler :

1st: Germany
2nd: Spain
3rd: Portugal


And this weekends matches:
Spoiler :
Switzerland 1 - 1 Czech Republic
Portugal 2 - 1 Turkey
Austria 1 - 0 Croatia
Germany 2 - 0 Poland
 
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