# A Euro 2004 thread - better late than never....(It's about soccerball) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832 "2004-06-11T16:17:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/421 "2004-07-05T10:01:44Z")
> [@LilyoftheValley](#): > > Now, the real question is, who among us placed the bet for Greece before the tournament, and is now raking in the dough at 1:150 odds? Buy me a beer, willya? šŸ˜ƒ No, but I had the scorecast - Charisteas + 1-0 to Greece = 50/1 šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/422 "2004-07-05T10:19:50Z")
Well done the feta cheese eating, hiding in horses to win wars, monkeys. Stand by for a LOAD of UEFA initiatives following this (and a Monaco/Porto Euro final) theres no way they want this to happen again. A big shout to the Portugese TV director for showing the pitch invader (and the old bill or is it old guilleme? beating the snot out of him). In England they cut away from this sort of thing and make pious noises about it not being the done thing. As far as I am concerned itā€™s almost as good as a dog on the pitch. Stillā€¦now its all over we can say that itā€™s been a bit crap really hasnā€™t it? ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/423 "2004-07-05T10:28:56Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > I meant a cite for the ban on kisses and embraces during the U.S. World Cup. Got no cite on that. That was in 1994. I remember there were some equally vague and ridiculous references to AIDS or something but it was quite obvious what the real reason was. Another cup they went all crazy about the players keeping their shirts stuck in their shorts. I just want them to keep their little grubby hands off soccer and stop trying to sterilise and streamline it to please puritan morals and commercial interests. Like there isnā€™t enough money in soccer already. I think itā€™s great Greece won. I look forward to my vacation in Greece later this summer. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/424 "2004-07-05T10:29:36Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > A big shout to the Portugese TV director for showing the pitch invader (and the old bill or is it old guilleme? beating the snot out of him). In England they cut away from this sort of thing and make pious noises about it not being the done thing. As far as I am concerned itā€™s almost as good as a dog on the pitch. The Irish commentators were being rather pious about it as well. They even quoted Thatcherā€™s line about not giving ā€œthe oxygen of publicityā€. I thought it was the best part of the 90 minutes myself šŸ™‚ Well done to Greece, I just wish theyā€™d shown that cheating fecker Deco crying afterward instead of Ronaldo šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/425 "2004-07-05T15:49:21Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > A big shout to the Portugese TV director for showing the pitch invader (and the old bill or is it old guilleme? beating the snot out of him). In England they cut away from this sort of thing and make pious noises about it not being the done thing. As far as I am concerned itā€™s almost as good as a dog on the pitch. The shot from the goalcam was sweet. šŸ™‚ Has anyone checked out the website advertised on his shirt? For the life of me, I canā€™t remember it. Speaking of camerawork, did anyone else notice the blowup doll wearing Figoā€™s jersey and errrrr no pants? I thought that was particularly tasteless. Thank goodness we didnā€™t see any action shots, though. ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/426 "2004-07-05T19:27:21Z")
Has anyone else noticed the entire Greek squadā€™s surnames all ended in ā€œsā€- and whatā€™s more all their first names did too. Now you might think this is a coincidence but I donā€™t believe that. In the days when Wales had a decent rugby team and winning lots of games we used to put out a team consisting mainly of players called Williams, Jones, Evans and Davies - so I think thatā€™s the secret. Iā€™ve already patented the idea and Iā€™m going to suggest to Sven fot the next World Cup all his players add an ā€œsā€ to the end of their names. Waynes Rooneys, Michaels Owens etc. It canā€™t fail. I would also like to present my award of ā€œSaying the bleedin obviousā€ to Peter Reid, that well known TV pundit and sometime football manager. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/427 "2004-07-05T20:27:37Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > Has anyone else noticed the entire Greek squadā€™s surnames all ended in ā€œsā€- and whatā€™s more all their first names did too. Now you might think this is a coincidence but I donā€™t believe that. In the days when Wales had a decent rugby team and winning lots of games we used to put out a team consisting mainly of players called Williams, Jones, Evans and Davies - so I think thatā€™s the secret. Iā€™ve already patented the idea and Iā€™m going to suggest to Sven fot the next World Cup all his players add an ā€œsā€ to the end of their names. Waynes Rooneys, Michaels Owens etc. > It canā€™t fail. Guess what Sven-Gƶranā€™s nickname is in Sweden? ā€œSvennisā€ Raises the question as to whose side he was really on. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/428 "2004-07-05T20:28:17Z")
hehehehehe šŸ™‚ Thanks for the laugh, **Vetch** \*:: filling in the new Dutch team:: \* Edwins vans ders Sars, Clarences Seedorfs, Jaaps Stams, Ruuds vans Nistelrooijs, etcs, etcs. Congratulations, **Greece** ---
**Author:** ![litost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@litost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/litost)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/429 "2004-07-05T20:41:32Z")
> [@gouda](#): > > Brazil doesnā€™t play the beautiful game anymoreā€¦ not since they perfected diving into an art form. Itā€™s strange you donā€™t find beauty in art. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/430 "2004-07-05T20:53:31Z")
> [@Rune](#): > > Got no cite on that. That was in 1994. I remember there were some equally vague and ridiculous references to AIDS or something but it was quite obvious what the real reason was. I was there and never heard anything like this. Iā€™m not believing this. ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/431 "2004-07-06T06:59:00Z")
> [@litost](#): > > Itā€™s strange you donā€™t find beauty in art. If I have to appreciate artistic diving, Iā€™ll watch a diving competition. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/432 "2004-07-06T10:53:48Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > The Irish commentators were being rather pious about it as well. They even quoted Thatcherā€™s line about not giving ā€œthe oxygen of publicityā€. I thought it was the best part of the 90 minutes myself šŸ™‚ Sure, thatā€™s all we need. Every publicity hungry wanna-be-celeb and minor company getting the idea that a sure way of getting on TV is to interrupt someone elseā€™s event and run around shouting ā€œlook at me, look at me!ā€ The reason they donā€™t show them on TV in the UK is because the event organisers ask them no to. Otherwise you can say goodbye to any televised outside event ever being completed without constant interruptions. Once youā€™ve seen one half-clothed idiot, youā€™ve seen them all. > [@](#): > > I just wish theyā€™d shown that cheating fecker Deco crying afterward instead of Ronaldo I donā€™t know why they didnā€™t take Deco off. He spent the entire match being a greedy little \*\*\*\*\* and attempting glory shots from 30 yards. Iā€™m amazed any of his team mates passed him the ball, I wouldnā€™t have if heā€™d been in my team. The tournament as a whole was poor. The teams that should have, didnā€™t. The teams that canā€™t, made sure no-one else could either. Greece deserved to win, but it just shows how dreadful everyone else was. They only scored 7 goals the entire tournament out of a total of 21 shots on target. How rubbish is that? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/433 "2004-07-06T15:32:18Z")
> [@LilyoftheValley](#): > > The shot from the goalcam was sweet. šŸ™‚ Has anyone checked out the website advertised on his shirt? For the life of me, I canā€™t remember it. [http://www.johnnyjump.com](http://www.johnnyjump.com) I believeā€¦ > [@](#): > > Has anyone else noticed the entire Greek squadā€™s surnames all ended in ā€œsā€- and whatā€™s more all their first names did too. In that case, why didnā€™t the Latvians get to the final? ā€¦ > [@](#): > > 1 Aleksandrs KOLINKO GK > 2 Igors STEPANOVS DF > 3 Vitalis ASTAFJEVS MD > 4 Mihails ZEMLINSKIS DF > 5 Jurijs LAIZANS MD > 6 Olegs BLAGONADEZDINS DF > 7 Aleksandrs ISAKOVS DF > 8 Imants BLEIDELIS MD > 9 Maris VERPAKOVSKIS FW > 10 Andrejs RUBINS MD > 11 Andrejs PROHORENKOVS FW > 12 Andrejs PIEDELS GK > 13 Jurgis PUCINSKIS MD > 14 Valentins LOBANOVS DF > 15 Maris SMIRNOVS DF > 16 Dzintars ZIRNIS DF > 17 Marians PAHARS FW > 18 Igors KORABLOVS DF > 19 Andrejs Å TOLCERS FW > 20 Andrejs PAVLOVS GK > 21 Mihails MIHOLAPS FW > 22 Arturs ZAKRESEVSKIS DF > 23 Vits RIMKUS FW Only the goalie spoils itā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/434 "2004-07-06T18:47:28Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > [http://www.johnnyjump.com](http://www.johnnyjump.com) I believeā€¦ Oh noā€¦please tell me the guy was _not_ an Americanā€¦ Not to mention, what a crappy website! Yeesh. :wally ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/435 "2004-07-06T19:14:44Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > ā€¦ > In that case, why didnā€™t the Latvians get to the final? ā€¦ > Only the goalie spoils itā€¦ But thatā€™s the point, the whole Karma of the team is upset. **Everyone** has to have the right name, one wrong name and the whole thing falls flat. Can anyone please tell me what Iā€™m talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/436 "2004-07-07T10:23:06Z")
Well, itā€™s official since yesterday. Dick Advocaat is resigning as coach of the Dutch national team. Speculations are already heating up on who will be the new coach. Some of the names dropped so far are: Marco van Basten (I would like that!), Co Adriaanse, Foppe de Haan (see **Coldfireā€™s** post above), Wim van Hanegem, and some people are even speculating that a _foreigner_ with some knowledge of Dutch football (like Morten Olsen) might be chosen. Personally I would prefer Wim van Hanegem or Marco van Basten. They both already work for the Dutch Football Association, so they wouldnā€™t have to leave a club. The worst possible choice would be a _foreigner_ like Olsen, or god forbid Erik Gerets. Also, please, if anyone mentions Huub Stevens I will have to hurt them. šŸ˜ƒ Maybe we can hire Ruud Michels, and just use him as a kind of figurehead, while some one else does the actual coaching. The Dutch media would be in too much awe of Michels to criticize him. Then again, maybe we can dig up Ernst Happel, do some voodoo, and hire his zombie. Canā€™t be worse than some of the other coaches we have seen. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/437 "2004-07-07T10:24:52Z")
In accordance with the insightful earlier posts, we should of course hire **Marcos vans Bastens** or **Wims vans Hanegems**. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832/438 "2004-07-07T10:30:30Z")
> [@LilyoftheValley](#): > > Oh noā€¦please tell me the guy was _not_ an Americanā€¦ Given the vehemence with which he threw the Barcelona flag at Figo I think we can assume heā€™s from Catalonia! At least theyā€™re only throwing flags at him now - they were throwing pigā€™s heads. Owl - who would think it perfectly reasonable to throw an entire pig at Campbell. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-euro-2004-thread-better-late-than-never-its-about-soccerball/249832.md?page=21)