Monday, June 23, 2008

Euro 2008: Day 16

Spain vs. Italy
0 - 0
4 - 2(p)

Okay, I'll be honest. I completely skipped this game. I meant to go, I really did! But I got so wrapped up in my video project (which is now finally, mercifully, totally, 100% finished) that I just didn't make it downstairs to see it. (It's been too ungodly hot in Vienna the past couple of days to even think about undertaking any big treks like walking down to the fan mile and standing next to thousands of warm bodies. Ugh.) But, from the sounds of it, I didn't miss much--other than, I'm sure, Fernando Torres being dreamy.

Truth.
[Getty Images]

Anyway, sorry to let you, my 3.125 readers (I wish I could actually get an accurate count on that, but my Google Analytics page has recently died, perhaps to save me the pain of knowing exactly how few people are paying attention to this), down with this "coverage" of the game, but here are a few reasons I'm glad Spain won:

1. I don't like Italy. My resentment of the Italians (just the team, I'm sure regular Italians are lovely, though I've never really had contact with them) has recently returned full force, and I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe my proximity to Germans, who are still bitter about the World Cup. In any case, I'm somewhat proud of myself for successfully navigating the Euro without ever seeing Italy play. I don't particularly feel like I missed anything. (Except for that penalty kick save, but I'm trying to pretend that didn't happen.)

2. My brother recently spent 3 weeks in Spain on an exchange trip. He had a blast. It seems like a cool place.

3. They will make the semifinal hotter. I feel I'll be much better prepared to endure close-ups of Russia's team of creepy man-children with David Cassidy's hair, if I know it will be interspersed with shots of the likes of Spain's Torres, Fabregas, and Casillas.

Mmmmm.
[Getty Images]

Okay, this is just getting gratuitous.
[Getty Images]

What was I saying, again?
[Getty Images]

Alright, now I know you've beaten them once already, but watch out for Russia's Black Magick, Spain! It'll sneak up on you.

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