Issue # 2.1.1 "Just Win Baby" (After Matchday 1)

 Archive

Tuesday, June 18, 2024 [Corrected 6/19 for standings update]

11 TEAMS PICK UP 3 POINTS; BELGIUM ONLY DISAPPOINTMENT
Our 4th Euro pool has record 58 entries; 5 tied for 1st

WATTS NEIGHBORHOOD, LOS ANGELES, CA (smt)- The first round of matches are complete and 11 of the 12 ended up with a winner.  Of the 11 winners, only Group E produced upsets with E2-Slovakia, ranked #48 edging #3 E1-Belgium 1-0 and #46 E3-Romania routing world darling #22 E4-Ukraine, 3-0.  The only other surprise was the one tie with #57 C1-Slovenia getting a 77' goal to tie #21 C2-Denmark 1-1.  Some favorites to win it all showed their prowess with A1-Germany winning 5-1 and B1-Spain winning 3-0 while others struggled to hold onto 1-0 victories (C4-England and D4-France, who didn't even score (own goal)).  Defending champ B3-Italy, D2-Netherlands, and F3-Portugal all had to rally from 1-0 deficits to win 2-1.  A4-Switzerland and F1-Turkey used stoppage time goals to make it a comfortable 3-1 win vs 2-1. 

Admin picks!

About 15 hours until Euro 2024 kicks off!  We have 40 entries already which already surpasses our Euro Pool totals in 2012 and 2016.  We are on track to break the Euro Pool record of 49 entries in 2021 and become our 5th highest entry total for any of the 15 soccer pools (behind World Cups 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022).

I will be on a flight tomorrow morning so I'm hoping there will be a bunch of entries when I land and will send out any modifications to picks late Friday night (right now, tiny issues on 11 of 38 (29%) entries, not to bad considering we have to deal with 3rd place permutations).

But here, here I lay out my two picks for the tournament.  Will it be $20 down the drain?

• Futbol Fab Fünfzehn - Since 1998, I have always tended to pick France to win the World Cup (was the only one to do so back then).  With their talent, hard to pick against them.  My bracket laid out a good path for Portugal, even though they wouldn't necessarily been my top 2 to make the final.  Fünfzehn (or fuffzehn if the U with umlaut causes me any troubles) is German for fifteen (15), which this is our 15th soccer pool.
• Germany Minus One - The host has not won the Euro since 1984 (France).  Germany is uncharacteristically ranked #16.  Yet, yet, if they can get past the Iberian peninsula teams (Spain and Portugal) in the Quarters and Semis, it's a coin flip in the final against France or England (in this case, England - sorry, it's not coming home).  Having seen the masterpiece Godzilla Minus One on Netflix, this German team is down, knocked by a poor 2023 record, but could they rise out of the ashes to claim their 4th Euros to match their 4 World Cup titles?

Issue # 1.0.1 "Will Germany Continue Host Woes?" (6/6)

 Archive

Thursday, June 6, 2024 

FAMILIAR CAST OF CHARACTERS ARE FAVORITES
Our 4th Euro pool kicks off with a deadline June 14th

LOS ALAMITOS, CA (smt)- Amidst a busy summer of American soccer with the USMNT (finally!) playing in the Olympics (July 24-Aug 10), the USWMT also trying get the bad taste of Women's World Cup 2023 out their mouths in their Olympics, the USMNT participating in Copa America again on U.S. soil (June 20-July 14), and Major League Soccer participating in the Leagues Cup (July 26-Aug 25), our attention right now turns to the great players of Europe as the European Championship kicks off June 14.  Euro 2024 will feature the typical favorites D4-France, E1-Belgium, C4-England, F3-Portugal, D2-Netherlands, and B1-Spain, all in the top 8 FIFA overall rankings.  Throw in defending champion B3-Italy (#9) and host A1-Germany (ranked a low #16), who else could win the title? 

Of the 8 aforementioned teams, only BEL has not won any major title and six have already won the Euros (not ENG & BEL).  And no host nation has won the Euros since 1988 (FRA) and last year's heartbreak of ENG scoring early and losing at Wembley Stadium in the Euro 2020 (well, played in 2021) final while fans broke through barriers outside (a great documentary about the chaos of that day, The Final: Attack on Wembley, is now on Netflix) was a reminder that being the home team was not all that it's cracked up to be.  ITA, who can't even qualify for the World Cup (missed 2018 and 2022), will try to repeat as Euro Champions like ESP did in 2012, our first Euro Pool.

Unlike the World Cup,

And here we go...

Bye Bye Panini, Hello Topps.

DIGNITY HEALTH SPORTS PARK, CARSON, CA -- In 15 days, the 17th UEFA European Championship kicks off with Germany hosting Scotland.  Italy will try to make it back-to-back Euros, despite not even qualifying for the last two World Cups.  More importantly, our 4th HWCI EURO pool is now ready to go!

You can read more about the pool on our blog (rules and how to enter)and you can enter now from there or here.  The deadline is Noon PDT Friday, June 14th.  Everything is same as always - ten dollar fee, all fees go to prizes, point system, and 68 choices in the pool.

Some non-pool related news:

• For the first time, the popular sticker album will not be from Panini as Topps secured the rights for 2024 and 2028.  Panini has been doing this since 1980.
• For the first time since every tournament game was on American TV in 2008, you won't be able to watch the games on ESPN.  FOX won a six-year deal that started with UEFA Nations League in 2022 and includes EURO 2024 and 2028.
• All Russian soccer teams have been banned from competitions after their country's invasion of Ukraine and they will get to watch Ukraine's soccer team, who will play in Group E.
• A god-awful Euro 2024 logo is like ChatGPT gone wild.  Just a motley splash of colors.  This was the worst until World Cup 2026 revealed their bland logo (I'm not even going to link to it, it's so bad).

We are the People

So there is a thing as official music artist of EURO 2020.  Hmmm.  Actually not a bad anthem which was created by DJ Martin Garrix and features Bono (yes, that Bono).  BTW, I do really like the Hans Zimmer anthem he composed for MLS as the teams walk and take the field.  Sounds great at Dignity Health Sports Park.

So 19 days left and the 2021 HWCI EURO Pool is mostly updated  now.  Or this is the 2021 HWCI EURO 2020 Pool.  I don't blame UEFA for not changing it to EURO 2021 (though one of their excuses about saving the environment since they already printed so much EURO 2020 stuff was humorou$).  Years from now, will it matter?  

Look for an email blast about Friday May 28 and I will be at the LA Galaxy match May 29 to hand out paper copies of the entry form (but you can enter now!).  Just remember teams will be able to carry 26 players (vs 23) but still so sign of the injured-Zlatan for Sweden.  And if there is a COVID hit on a team, the match could be rescheduled within 48 hours.

Online Web Entry now available!

Well, please let me know if you see any errors. You can now enter online!  Again, the EURO expanded to 24 teams (from 16) and works like the Women's World Cup last year -- the top 2 teams in each of the six groups plus the top 4 3rd place finishers.  So just be careful choosing the teams in the Round of 16 bracket (don't worry, I'll be checking if you accidentally list France twice, for example).  Also, it doesn't matter how you pick the round robin matches when you fill out your Round of 16 bracket (so if you're a homer, and pick Albania to win all three matches, you don't have to have them in your Round of 16 bracket so you don't lose more points!).

Remember, the deadline is this Friday at Noon (PDT)!  I plan to be at the Rose Bowl for Copa America on Thursday (tentative Tuesday) and the Galaxy match on June 22 if you want to pay me directly.  Otherwise, use the options on the confirmation page (e.g., PayPal, mail, Google Wallet).  As always, $10 per entry and up to 3 entries per person.

If you want to change your picks or if you made a mistake, submit another entry (select from the drop-down box "Update and Existing Entry" instead of "New Entry") or let me know and I can make the simple change for you.

Issue # 3.1.1 "Superpowers Tie Allowing Little Guys to Rise..."

So how did the first four days play out?  Who's in the lead?  How many of the 39 entries were submitted by women?  Just one, despite the fact 2 of the last 3 pool champs were women.  So go Adivinanza!  Here's my latest update...

http://www.hwci.com/euro/2012/e2012_03.htm
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DENMARK, CROATIA, UKRAINE ON TOP OF THEIR GROUPS?An astonishing 39 entries received in our first EURO Pool

Polling & Distribution

Our poll has closed and 13 put in a vote as to who will win EURO 2012 and Germany led the way with 6 with Spain and Holland tied for second with 3 each.  And no one picked England?  So, now, what would be a good poll question to put up?  I'm taking suggestions.

The site has been updated with more information as we now have the current standings up (click on "Standings" above).  The goal is to update it soon after the last match is played, but with work and two demanding kids, it probably won't be updated until late at night.  I've tailored it from our HWCI World Cup files, so it's still a work in progress.

Next, if you want to see how many entries picked Germany (14) as their champion, then click on the "Distribution" menu item above.  It'll list all 16 teams and you'll find some gems like every team was picked at least two times to make the Quarterfinals but four teams were predicted to not reach the Semis.  Denmark, in the Group of Death is the odd man out as only two entries picked them into the Quarterfinals over Germany, Holland, and Portugal.  Six teams are picked to win it all while only eight teams had someone pick them through to the final.  Someone picked Ukraine into the Semis.

In the menu of that file, you can also see how everyone picked each Round Robin match and bracket.   You can visually scan the table to find which entry picked Ukraine into the Semis or which two entries picked Denmark to advance to the Quarters.

And now, the "Your Picks" menu item above now is complete and sorted by name and by nickname so you can find your friends and family members easier.  You can also make fun of people's nicknames or praise them on our Facebook group or any item on this blog.  Since there are links to your individual brackets, this may be referred to as the Brackets page as well.

Wild First Day - Six tied for 1st

What a topsy-turvy first match.  Seemed like co-host Poland was going to blow out Greece, especially when the refs generously sent a Greek off with two soft yellows, giving 18 entries a first taste of victory to start the pool.  Then Greece tied it with super sub Dimitris Salpigidis equalized early in the second half putting 10 entries closer to the win column.  Then the Polish GK took down Salpigidis for a PK and 11 who picked Greece were getting ready to celebrate their two points.  But the backup GK saved it and in the end, 10 entries got it correct -- a tie.  The first tie of our soccer pools where you could earn points and it happened in the very first game.  So instead of 18 entries losing a chance for points in a wash (no points for anyone), 10 picked up two points.  Of course, I was one of those 18 who are now 2 points behind instead of tied with everyone.  How bizzare must it be for the Polish fans to hear a goal celebration song when Greece scored in their own stadium.

In the nightcap (in Poland at least), Russia showed they are the team to beat in Group A by thumping the Czech Republic 4-1.  Roman Pavlyuchenko's one-man effort (for the 4th goal) was so great it reminded me of someone like Kobe Bryant taking on the entire opposing team and still scoring.  So 27 of the 39 entries picked Russia and in the end, six are on top of the standings with 4 points while eight entries are still pointless.  You can now find the daily standings in the menu above (usually by the next morning, but hopefully always earlier).  We are unofficially at 39 entries which is more than the 20-25 I expected.  We should be official by Monday evening when I check the PO Box for any more mailed entries (we had 2).

Time's Up

So kickoff was 9:01, so you had a one minute grace period :-).  I think we have 39 entries, one short of 40.  But who knows.  I did get one entry in the PO Box last night so maybe by Monday, we'll know for sure what our final total is (postmarked yesterday).  Thanks to everyone! 

Now full laughter

For my main entries in any of the HWCI pools, the original "Fabone" has to be a part of the name.  This year, a rather boring Futbol Fabone Five.  But my second entry, which I have been doing more of, I can be more creative with the nickname (and it usually does a lot worse than my main entry).  For the soccer pools, I have been trying to tie it into the host country(s) culture.  In 2002 it was Man Eat Dog World in honor of Korea.  In 2006 (Germany) it was Ich Bin Amerikaner a twist on JFK's famous Ich Bin Ein Berliner phrase.  In 2010 (South Africa) it was Zulupalooza, a play on Lulupalooza with Zulu being a nod to southern Africa and Palooza being "party". So...

Here is my second entry SiemkoStrimkoPlinko! which the first two refer to the twin mascot names that came in second in fan balloting (the winners were Slavek and Slavko) and of course, the great game on the Price is Right.  And as I stated in my previous post, I went with France all the way.  I picked France to win in 1998 (got 3rd!) and 2002 (3rd from last).  Then I didn't pick them in 2006 (they made the final and their loss meant I dropped from 3rd to 4th).  I actually did okay with France in 2010 not picking them to do much.  So how will 2012 play out?

http://www.hwci.com/euro/2012/entries/SiemkoStrimkoPlinko!.htm

So how did you pick your nickname?

Edit:  Just realized that Futbol Fabone Five abbreviated is FFF, which is the French Football Federation!  I'm going to win!  Or lose badly.

12 hours left... tick, tock plus busy sports weekend

Just over 12 hours left until the EURO 2012 kicks off and with racism still a hot topic, what better teams than Poland (Polish jokes) and Greece (Greek jokes).  Sigh.  UEFA couldn't have planned it better.  Very interesting though that the refs have the power (and with their judgement, that's scary) to stop a game if they feel the fans are racist which I hope means pausing the game to kick out the stupid fans rather than take the teams into the locker rooms to hide and cry.  If it's the latter, seriously, wouldn't that be a tactic by the fans, if they want to stop the opposing team's momentum by chanting racist chants to stop the game and give their team a breather?  You would hope the ticket prices are so high that it keeps the riff-raff out of the stands.  Let's hope for a racist-chant free tournament, or, more accurately, what the refs misinterpret as racist-chant free tournament (we already question their eyesight, now are going to question their hearing)?

Anyway, we have 30 entries which is outstanding!  Still just the big 3 picked to win it all (okay, plus the one outlier with Portugal).  I'm actually getting excited.  My first full-blown EURO watching (which is another reason why I acquiesced and started this pool) and my DVR space has been cleared.  Thank you ESPN.  And this on a very busy sports weekend -- the LA Kings can win their first Stanley Cup!    I'll  Have Another can win the Triple Crown!  The hated LeBron vs. the hated Celtics in Game 7 for a trip to the Final!  The LA Galaxy will not lose for the 2nd straight weekend!  Maria Sharapova in the French Open Final!  Smiles all around!

Edit: Not a boxing fan, but another pretty big sports event is a Pac-Man fight on Saturday.

Issue # 2.0.2 "The Reign in Spain Falls Mainly in the..."

Less than 24 hours left to enter!  We are up to 22 entries which is about what I expected so with a late push, hopefully we can speed past 30.  Good luck!  Make sure to follow us on twitter!

http://www.hwci.com/euro/2012/e2012_02.htm
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SPAIN STRUGGLES MAKING GERMANY THE FAVORITE Web Entry is up and less than 24 hours to go; Deadline 9 am Friday

Pick Ukraine and you can win!

Well, with 15 entries in, only 3 teams have been picked to win it all -- Germany (6), Spain (5), and the Dutch (4).  In the Final, just five teams make it (England and France each garnering one vote of confidence to lose in the Final).  So pick an underdog and you could win!  Will I pick France for the third time and will it be the good France leading me to a 3rd place finish in 1998 or the bad France in landing me 3rd from last in 2002? 

Also, since Michael W. (Walleye <- cool nickname!) brought it up, let me just reiterate that when you fill out your Quarterfinal bracket (picking the top 2 teams from each group), it doesn't matter how you picked the Group stage matches.  So, if you're a Dane, you can pick Denmark to win all 3 matches (so you don't have root against them) but NOT put them in your Quarterfinal bracket (or put them as Group B runner-up).  This was done to encourage novice fans to participate (don' t have to worry about calculating points) and allow flexibility if you were a homer for one of the countries or wanted to hedge your bet.  Also, for example, if you picked ties for all six Group A matches, all four teams would have 3 points so there is no way we could automatically advance the top 2 teams for you.  But, I may try to figure out how to calculate points on the fly and list them next to the team so you can see which two teams logically make sense to advance (again, you're not stuck to it). 

Gaining steam

We're slowly gaining momentum like Mexico (2-0 win over Brazil) but not like Spain (last-minute 1-0 win over China at home with a full squad).  We're up to 9 entries with more than 3 1/2 days to go and are on pace to surpass the 21 entries we had in our first HWCI World Cup pool in 1998 and the 23 we had in 2002.  Topping 44 in 2006?  Not likely, but maybe you all will surprise me.

So will we see a Spanish dynasty or will Greece win again.  I read someone's tweet that France missed the European Championships for 24 years before winning in 1984 while Greece missed 24 years (5 tournaments) before winning in 2004.  Which team's last European Championship appearance was 24 years ago?  Ireland.  Let's see how many pick them to win it all!

In the PDF fill-in form, Michael G. (FC Spermicidals) noted that he couldn't save... so if you only have Acrobat Reader, then you need to either do a print to PDF (e.g., CutePDF) or print and scan/photo and email.  Sorry about that.  Or you can just enter on-line which seems to be work reliably thus far.

Web Online Entry Up! (hopefully)

In addition to submitting your picks via interactive PDF or Word document (I still say scan/take photo and email works just as well), you can now enter online by clicking the "Web Entry" menu item above.  It's a simple form (there's no error checking, but I'll be double-checking everyone's entry anyway) but you can now enter with ease.  After submitting the form, information on how to pay and your picks are displayed.  If you have any questions or if you find bugs (just not the flying type), email me at worldcup[at]hwci.com.

Fill in PDF entry form up!

For some weird reason, Adobe Acrobat lets you create a form but the person filling it in can't save it if they only have Adobe Reader.  You have to go like three levels down in the menu to activate Adobe Reader enhancements.  So if you got my email, you have to print (you can print to using Cute PDF or other PDF creator) it out and send it to me.  Or you can just download the corrected file from the menu above.  This one you should be able to save your entry and email it to me.  Let me know if there any issues.

Issue # 1.0.1 "First Spin-Off: The EURO 2012 Pool"

Here is the official kickoff.  Just 10 days left to enter.  Please answer our poll question(s) on this page and make sure you follow/subscribe to this blog for the latest info.

http://www.hwci.com/euro/2012/e2012_01.htm
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CAN SPAIN BECOME THE FIRST TO WIN BACK-TO-BACK EURO TITLES?
Whether you're a Euro snob or just love beautiful football, EURO here we come

Ties are an option

Sitting here watching the baby while my wife and kid wait in line for some spinning helicopter ride. Holiday weekend and amusement parks don't mix but we're here with friends so it doesn't matter. Since I can't nap, I'm thinking about the pool. Just want to reiterate that in the round robin phase, you can pick ties which either makes it easier or harder to pick.  So you can pick Team A, Team B, or TIE.

If you can't wait...

The pdf bracket and rules are out.  You are welcome to print out the last page and mark it up and send it to worldcup[at]hwci.com (either scanned or take a picture of it).   I hope to have some online version in a week or so.  For now, spread the word!