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For all the Europeans out there who have ever felt left out by our focus on American sport, do not worry - this one's surely meant for you.

Euro 2008 starts up in about six weeks, and with the field already set, I'm going to open up this tournament now for early signups. There are two games within one here:

1) Choose the overall champion.
2) Choose the score and first scorer of each fixture.

Overall Champion Game
You'll pick from the sixteen clubs to predict who you think the winner will be. These picks must be made before the tournament kicks off, of course, so picks will need to be in BEFORE 7 June 2008. Points are as follows, based on how far your pick goes:

Tournament Winner - 10 Points
Runner-Up - 7 Points
Semi-finalist - 5 Points
Quarter-Finalist - 1 Point

You get points only for your final position. If you choose Germany to win, and they are runners-up, you get seven points, not thirteen.

Results Predictor
Most of the points come right here. The day before each match, you'll be sending in your picks for the winner, the score of the match, and the name of the first goalscorer. The scoring system for this game is as follows:

Pick Correct Winner - 1 point
Pick Correct Home Team Score - 1 point
Pick Correct Visiting Team Score - 1 point
All of the Above Correct - 4 points

Bonus for Correct First Scorer - 1 point

Therefore, the most you can score for any one match is five points, for getting the score exactly correct and having the correct first scorer. This changes once we reach the knockout round, at which point all scores double.

For instance, the very first match of the tournament is Switzerland v. Czech Republic, so your prediction line might look like this:

SUI 0 - 2 CZE, Tomáš Rosický

If the real final scoreline is

SUI 0 - 1 CZE, Tomáš Rosický

your score for the match would be 3; one point for correctly guessing CZE would win, one point for correctly guessing that SUI would not score, and a third point for knowing that Rosický would score first.

I'm just checking interest right now, we should get at least ten to twelve people in to this to make it work well. If you're interested, post, and I'll begin creating a list of players. Submissions will come to me either via PM or email, and I will input all submissions into a fancy spreadsheet that Neal and I built to tabulate scores. If this goes well, maybe we'll do it for Beijing too.

Useful Links
UEFA Euro 2008 HP
ESPN Euro 2008 Coverage
Euro 2008 on Wikipedia
Euro 2008 BBC
Oddschecker's Tournament and Match Odds

This post has been edited by Rangers51 on 28th May 2008 22:58

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

I'm intrested. I'd be more intrested if the Italians weren't cheats and we'd got through.

This post has been edited by Del S on 20th April 2008 18:08

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"Only the dead have seen the end of their quotes being misattributed to Plato."
-George Santayana

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here..."
-Abraham Lincoln, prior to the discovery of Irony.

Sports-related contest? Don't mind if I do.

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Hip-Hop QOTW:

"Yeah, where I'ma start it at, look I'ma part of that
Downtown Philly where it's realer than a heart attack
It wasn't really that ill until the start of crack
Now it's a body caught every night on the Almanac"

"Game Theory"
The Roots

Quote (Del S @ 20th April 2008 14:08)

I'm intrested. I'd be more intrested if the Italians weren't cheats and we'd got through.

We are NOT cheats, we're just great actors.

I'm most definitely in on this. Forza Azzuri!

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Okay, but there was a goat!

Ah I love this tournament! Not as good as the African Cup but far better than the World, or certainly the last one.

@R51
You say to send your prediction "the day before each match" but surely it's possible to send in all the predictions for each stage before they start? By this I mean one batch of predictions for the group stages, then another for the quarters once we know who they are, then for the semi-final and then the final. I ask because there's no way I could send each match individually a day before the game. I've not really got the time. Great scoring system though.

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Scepticism, that dry rot of the intellect, had not left one entire idea in his mind.

Me on the Starcraft.

Quote (sweetdude @ 21st April 2008 07:47)

You say to send your prediction "the day before each match" but surely it's possible to send in all the predictions for each stage before they start? By this I mean one batch of predictions for the group stages, then another for the quarters once we know who they are, then for the semi-final and then the final. I ask because there's no way I could send each match individually a day before the game. I've not really got the time. Great scoring system though.

You could certainly do that if you like, but you do of course run the risk of, say, Cristiano Ronaldo breaking his leg in the first game of group and not being available for the rest of group play. I definitely wouldn't stop you from sending them all in at once.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Count me in. I enjoy playing, even if I do extremely poor.

sounds good to me homies =) im there!

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"The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved."
- Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince

OK, so that's seven. I think I should probably start sending out PMs and emails soon to get more folks lined up.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Count me in! Awesome stuff.

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SPEKKIO: "GRRR...That was most embarrassing!"

Hey, a nice idea.

I'll be broadcasting the Euro 2008 in my pub as soon as it starts, so it's about as bad of a time as any to start caring a bit about soccer.

FYI, anyone who has expressed interest or plans to do so, I would suggest subscribing to this thread and turning on PM notification by email. That way when we start picking teams or more games are available, you've a better chance of knowing and getting picks in on time.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

I'll participate so I can seem as hopeless as Del is during March Madness.

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Hey, put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey, put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me

Not interested in football, which is why i am wasting everyones time by writing this message............... yay.

Edit: I have no idea what i was thinking when writing this post, or if i was thinking for that matter.

This post has been edited by Ganolink on 7th May 2008 13:57

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All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Broccoli to die.

Quote (Ganolink @ 6th May 2008 18:19)

Not interested in football, which is why i am wasting everyones time by writing this message............... yay.

So I assume that means you don't want to participate? Technically, I could warn you for spam-posting that.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

We should be able to start taking picks on 29 May, with the first game, again, on 7 June. Unlike most games we do, though, you can join in on this one late if you need to - it will probably just hurt your chances of winning. Keep checking on this thread and sign up now if you haven't.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Quote (Neal @ 5th May 2008 13:55)

I'll participate so I can seem as hopeless as Del is during March Madness.

I'll be another one of these. Why the hell not?

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

The team rosters are now final, as of 12 noon Central European Time today. That means two things:

1) You can start sending me your picks for overall champions, either here, in PM, or email at any time. I originally posted that the picks had to be in by June 1, but that's kind of stupid - you have until June 6 at 11:59pm Central European Time (10:59pm GMT, 5:59pm EDT, 2:59pm PDT) to make the Overall Champion pick.

2) You can start sending picks for group stage games at any time. If you would like an Excel spreadsheet to help track your picks, I can send you one, or you can use the Euro 2008 site to help make your picks and begin sending them to me on your own. I must have a pick for the game before the listed kickoff time, or you will not get points for that match. Most players will probably want to make their selections early in the morning on game day.

Again, you can send picks for group play whenever you think best, but I must have them by the following times (and I will keep the list updated as more matches are played):

Match 1: SUI-CZE 7 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 2: POR-TUR 7 June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT
Match 3: AUS-CRO 8 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 4: GER-POL 8 June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT
Match 5: ROM-FRA 9 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 6: NED-ITA 9 June June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT
Match 7: ESP-RUS 10 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 8: GRC-SWE 10 June June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT

Don't forget, we need the score for each team and the name of the first scorer for a full prediction. It's easiest for me if you send it in this format:
HOME 0 - 2 AWAY, SCORER

And finally, don't forget to use the links in the first post to help yourself be educated. Good luck!



This post has been edited by Rangers51 on 28th May 2008 22:59

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

We have picks in now from five people, plus a sixth person's champion. Have yet to hear anything from Lasz, Neal, Sweets, Thou, or Baralai.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

An auspicious first day for CoN Euro predictors, as no fewer than four of the current nine participants got a game score exactly right. However, nobody at all guessed the correct first scorer in either game, Sverkos in the first and Pepe in the second.

Scores as of day one:
Footbigmike 6
R51 5
Jav 5
Pink_Nu 5
Del 3
Gears 3
Lasz 3
Neal 1
Baralai 1

If any of those looks wrong to you, don't hesitate to let me know.

Two games tomorrow, make sure your picks are in. I'll miss both games, I think, due to my own game, but will update the scores tomorrow night while I'm at the NBA Finals. It's still not too late to participate - you can't pick your winner now, and you can't get points for today's games, but there's LOTS of time left to catch up.



--------------------

"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Much better day for me today! Hoo-boy.

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Hey, put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey, put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me

That's correct, Neal had a smashing day, collecting seven out of the possible ten points for the day. It wasn't enough to bring him past a tie for third, though. On the flip side, after a solid day yesterday, FBM put up a total goose egg today to slip well aft of the leaders. It only takes one or two 4s or 5s to get anyone right back in it, though, especially at this early stage. TPN1 made a big run today, though, recording another four-point game (making him the first person to have two) to take the lead by a pair.

Results after day two:

Pink_Nu 11
R51 9
Del 8
Neal 8
Lasz 7
Footbigmike 6
Jav 6
Gears 6
Baralai 4


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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

#1! I was hoping Germany would put another away at the end there and they did. Tomorrow's matches should be very fun to watch -- they don't call it the Group of Death for nothing!

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SPEKKIO: "GRRR...That was most embarrassing!"

What a weird, weird day. This did not look at all like the Group of Death, this looked more like the group of Holland Scores 24 Goals in Group Play (and only one of them should be disallowed)!

How do you know it was a weird day? The top scorer for the day had three points total. Not only that, the top scorer of the day was heretofore well in last place, and now has clawed his way to... well, next to last. Baralai, well done on being the only person to NOT pick Italy today. Finally, note that I, Del, Jav, and Neal ALL got goose egg'd today.

After day three:

Pink_Nu 12
R51 9
Del 8
Lasz 8
Neal 8
Footbigmike 7
Gears 7
Baralai 7
Jav 6

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Wow, that last game was a joy to watch and I wouldn't have predicted the Dutch beating Italy 3-0 in a million years. Van Nistelrooy's goal appeared plainly offside, but they still dominated in terms of possession and movement; they just looked incredibly sharp today and like a much better team than the one that showed up at the WC. The Italians played solidly but they just lacked that killer instinct when taking the ball down the pitch.

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SPEKKIO: "GRRR...That was most embarrassing!"

Quite a shakeup today just south of the summit, as Neal skirted having our first-ever perfect five - he had Ibrahimovic to score first for Sweden, and had it ended there he'd be all set. Unfortunately, Sweden got that second goal that they really didn't deserve, and that lowered him to a lowly three. Still a huge help, as both he and Baralai launched themselves into a tie for second, just behind TPN, our leader since day two.

We've seen all sixteen nations play now, and hopefully this leads to more accurate predictions. You know, like predicting David Villa to score 20 more goals in this tournament. Obvious things like that.

After Day Four:

Pink_Nu 16
Neal 11
Baralai 11
R51 10
Del 9
Gears 9
Lasz 9
Footbigmike 7
Jav 7

Now we've got more games coming, make sure to keep those picks coming too. Here are your deadlines:

Match 9: CZE-POR 11 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 10: SUI-TUR 11 June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT
Match 11: CRO-GER 12 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 12: AUS-POL 12 June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT
Match 13: ITL-ROM 13 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 14: NED-FRA 13 June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT
Match 15: SWE-ESP 14 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 16: GRC-RUS 14 June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT

It's high time we start stepping it up around here, boys. TPN looks like he's one good game from starting to run away with this competition, and he barely even comes around any more. That's just embarrassing.


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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Quote (Rangers51 @ 10th June 2008 18:37)

Quite a shakeup today just south of the summit, as Neal skirted having our first-ever perfect five - he had Ibrahimovic to score first for Sweden, and had it ended there he'd be all set. Unfortunately, Sweden got that second goal that they really didn't deserve, and that lowered him to a lowly three. Still a huge help, as both he and Baralai launched themselves into a tie for second, just behind TPN, our leader since day two.

We've seen all sixteen nations play now, and hopefully this leads to more accurate predictions. You know, like predicting David Villa to score 20 more goals in this tournament. Obvious things like that.

After Day Four:

Pink_Nu 16
Neal 11
Baralai 11
R51 10
Del 9
Gears 9
Lasz 9
Footbigmike 7
Jav 7

Now we've got more games coming, make sure to keep those picks coming too. Here are your deadlines:

Match 9: CZE-POR 11 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 10: SUI-TUR 11 June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT
Match 11: CRO-GER 12 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 12: AUS-POL 12 June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT
Match 13: ITL-ROM 13 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 14: NED-FRA 13 June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT
Match 15: SWE-ESP 14 June 6:00pm CET, 5:00pm GMT, 12:00pm EDT, 9:00am PDT
Match 16: GRC-RUS 14 June 8:45pm CET, 7:45pm GMT, 2:45pm EDT, 11:45am PDT

It's high time we start stepping it up around here, boys. TPN looks like he's one good game from starting to run away with this competition, and he barely even comes around any more. That's just embarrassing.

Spain are such an incredibly talented side; if they weren't always making their traditional quarterfinal exit, I would predict them to be champions. Pity that Fabregas put an extra goal in in injury time, otherwise I would've had an extra point. And no worries, I'll always be around for CoN's Euro and WC predictor leagues.

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SPEKKIO: "GRRR...That was most embarrassing!"

I'm coming for you, Nick!

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Hey, put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey, put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me

It's true, TPN, he is. Sorry for the delay in reporting, I missed the second half of Switzerland/Turkey, and then ended up wasting the whole evening last night having fun with physics with Neal.

Not much to say about yesterday's games, though Neal did have a stellar run yet again, with a five-point clinic of a day. Quaresma really helped Neal, but hurt pretty much everyone else - there were a ton of 2-1 Portugal victories predicted and that late goal gave Neal the big four points. He's now got two fours and two threes, which is what has brought him close to TPN, who has been more consistent in getting at least a point out of every match but one. On a sadder note, I've completely fallen apart.

After Day Five:

Pink_Nu 19
Neal 16
Baralai 14
Lasz 13
R51 12
Del 12
Gears 11
Jav 10
Footbigmike 8

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

However, due to my hilarious and wholly inappropriate grudge against the Netherlands, I will likely never be able to catch up given their seemingly potent offense. Oh well.

--------------------

Hey, put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey, put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me