Friday, January 29, 2016

Summer of Football

All three of these guys will play in the Copa America Centenario
I know it's a bit hard to imagine right now in the dead of winter, with feet of snow on the ground in much of Gheorghelandia, but summer is scheduled to begin in just a few short months. And this summer promises to be an incredible smorgasbord, if you're into soccer.

From early June to late August, three major international tournaments take place on three different continents, and feature most of the world's best players. As well as the U.S. Men's National Team. I kid because I love.

Though FIFA's year of (finally acknowledging widespread) corruption threatened it, the organizers of Copa America finally announced this month that the 100th anniversary of the tournament would take place on U.S. soil. The Centenario, as its known, combines CONMEBOL's (the South American soccer federation) ten teams with six from CONCACAF (North America's) in a CONclave of sort. (My bad. That's terrible. We really need an editor.)

The U.S.A. is one of four seeded teams, along with Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina. The draw takes place on February 3rd, and if you don't think we're praying for Haiti, Peru, and Venezuela, you might not be a close follower of the beautiful game. The tournament itself kicks off on June 3 in Santa Clara, and closes with the final in East Rutherford, NJ on June 26.

Next to the World Cup, the quadrennial European Championship might be the most important soccer tournament on the globe. This year, 24 sides compete in France for the championship of world soccer's most competitive confederation. From traditional powers like Germany, Italy, Spain, and France, to underdog strivers (and natural G:TB attractions) like Northern Ireland and Iceland (the latter of whom is surprisingly good and could well win its group), Euro 2016 promises nothing so much as stuff we don't expect. Hell, the Netherlands, just two years removed from making the World Cup semifinals, didn't even qualify. That went over well in Amsterdam.

Seriously, though, read this story about Iceland. It's a cool tale.

Megan Klingenberg, tiny badass
Spain has won the previous two Euros, but underdog Greece took the title in 2004, almost literally out of nowhere. And Denmark topped host Sweden to take the 1992 trophy.

Euro 2016 begins in June 10, with play continuing through the final in Paris on July 10. ESPN will carry the entire tournament here in the colonies.

We get a breather for a few weeks after that nearly 40-day sprint, and then the men's and women's Olympic soccer tournaments commence at various venues across Brazil. Thank God they built all those stadiums for the 2014 World Cup.

Neither U.S. team has qualified yet, with the women seeking one of CONCACAF's two berths in play from February 10 - 21, and the men playing a two-leg home and away match against a tough Colombia squad in March. It'd be a stunner if the defending World Cup champion women stumble on
the way to Rio, but the men are a far dicier proposition.

Either way, it's three more weeks of soccer. And for that, at least several of us are grateful.

29 comments:

TR said...

On the topic of underdog squads, will be good to see Wales (and Gareth Bale) in the tourney as well.

zman said...

CONMEBOL would be cooler if it was CUPMEBOL.

TR said...

This looks amazing. I order The Teej to make/taste/review this preposterous concoction.

TR said...

Would help if I included the link: http://blog.bbqaddicts.com/recipes/bacon-explosion/

Clarence said...

The year will have plenty of football, but there is also a great deal of anticipation about the return of rugby football to the Olympics. Our man Highcheese should be on location.

T.J. said...

TR - on it

rob said...

true that, clarence. we should have him guest blog for us.

Clarence said...

Paul Kantner died yesterday, the first of those considered the nucleus of Jefferson Airplane to pass. (Also includes Grace Slick, Jack Casady, and Marty Balin.)

I would've bet against those four folks all making it to 2016, given the excess and experimentation of their heyday.

Check out Paul's getup in this dandy of a rock show clip. Mickey Thomas's mustache is pure TR/Dave.

rob said...

teejus, nottingham forest v watford f.a. cup match at 10:00 am tomorrow on fox sports one. enjoy.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35388892

T.J. said...

FUTBOL

rob said...

anyone else have a little crush on katie nolan?

Danimal said...

The highlights of this year's pga show were limited to:
1) eating lunch at a table that sat Hal "halimony" Sutton and hearing him tell Ryder Cup stories, and
2) walking behind a boxer short length mini-skirt wearing Holly Sonders from convention center to hotel. She is, ummm, impressive.
The highlights are listed in no particular order.

Mark said...

Just catching up on things after a long ass Friday. I'll be attending a CONMEBOL match or two as Orlando was lucky enough to be named a host site.

TR- college football writer and BBQ/pork enthusiast Andy Staples made one for his tailgate video series. It looks amazing and deathly.

Mark said...

Here's the link for Staples making the bacon explosion:

http://www.campusrush.com/andys-tailgate-test-kitchen-bacon-explosion-1405852976.html

Mark said...

Concacaf...Conmebol. Whatever. I was eating BBQ and drinking.

rob said...

it's both, mark. copa america. continue with the drinking.

Mark said...

I will. Thanks, Rob. Breaking in our new fire pit. The temperature dipped to 54.

Clarence said...

Hi, gheorghies!

TR said...

Pinewood Derby is the bane of my existence. My poor son doesn't yet realize how low his ceiling is w/ such a mechanically incompetent father.

rob said...

huggy bear as gator bait? didn't see that coming.

rob said...

dagger loss for the sheriffs

Whitney said...

Speaking of which, Blazing Saddles is on.

Mark said...

I too did not see Florida clubbing West Virginia. Though the Gators are much improved in 2016.

On the subject of college basketball...the coach I played for in college is/was a bit of a legend in eastern North Carolina. He discovered and coached Nate McMillan, put another 8 players in the ACC, went to three National JUCO Final Fours and won his 500th career game during my sophomore season. After that he went on to be an assistant at the University of Hawaii and then the Portland Trail Blazers when McMillan became their Head Coach. Tonight they're naming the court at my old school after him. I'm pretty bummed I won't be there but it's a very cool (and deserving) honor nonetheless. Here's a little article on him from today's Charlotte News Observer.

http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/article57346463.html

Dave said...

is rob pushing for us to call him "tiny badass"?

rob said...

to continue to do so, yes, dave

TR said...

I prefer Tiny Dancer.

rob said...

that works, too

rob said...

my company's annual sales meeting is this week. flying to san antonio tomorrow. it's a grind, and i generally dislike it. but it's going to be in the 80s the first two days, so i'll get over it.

Danimal said...

Whaddup g's