Bats, Balls and Goals #3

My mind meanders.

A few weeks ago I wrote with enthusiasm about the Euro-Cup 2008 draw. I was in Europe then and it was all the news although the championship itself won't be played until June.

Now I’m back in the Land of the Bowls – American college football’s long farewell to its autumn season. Why I just read today in the Daily Splash that this coming Bowl Season has 32 games. Growing up in the 1960s it seemed that there were just a few marquee games played between Christmas and New Year's Day. 32!

Anyway, here is the Euro-Cup 2008 draw in its tidy 4 team, 4 division format:

Group A: Swiss, Czech, Portugal and Turkey
Group B: Austria, Croatia, Germany and Poland
Group C: Netherlands, Italy, Romania and France
Group D: Greece, Sweden, Spain and Russia

You don’t have to be a big-time football (soccer) aficionado to see that Group C is the power block. You’ll also note that no team from the British Isles made the cut which is nothing short of scandalous across the big pond. The Greeks won the title in 2004. Can they repeat in 2008? Is it conceivable - how enticing - that they would play Turkey (probably not)? Can little Austria and Switzerland (co-hosts) advance? Probably not.

Here’s what I think. Watch Portugal, Croatia, Romania and Spain.

See you in June.