Spain vs Russia 
4 - 1
Greece vs Sweden 
0 - 2
I'm back in Vienna and should be headed down to the fan mile again tonight to continue winging this whole "blogging about a sport that isn't hockey" thing. For the record, I'll be rooting for Spain and Sweden, at least until I have a reason to do otherwise. I predict my two phrases of the night will be "Thank God I'm going to the circus" in Russian, and "Are you Swedish, sir?"
Update: I went to both of the games tonight on the fan mile with my friend Mark and my roommate Lena, who's from Bavaria. Everything was splendid! For the early game, there weren't too many people there, so we actually got to sit on the ground in Rathausplatz and watch the big screen. Mark and Lena decided to cheer for Russia, but, while I truly appreciate everything Russia has done for my favorite sport, the pull of the hot Spaniards was too much for me. Especially since it appeared to be raining in Innsbruck (where the game was being played), which only increased the disparity of hotness between the two teams, making Spain look like super models and Russia look like drowned rats (or, even worse, Brian Campbell at his sweatiest). Poor Russia. At some point during the game I felt kind of ashamed to be rooting for Spain, because they were really dirty--grabbing, tripping, and kicking all over the place--but, honestly, I don't think it would have made much of a difference since Russia... didn't seem very good at football. The turnovers were atrocious and there were a few occasions when they had golden opportunities, and ended up hitting the post, kicking it wide of the net, or pretty much passing it to the goaltender. Yeah, it was like a team of Yo-Yos with none of the upside. At least they have hockey. Still, they're the only losing team so far in this tournament to score a goal, and it was a pretty gorgeous one, too. I can't really remember if it was a corner kick or just a long cross, but a Russian put it in just over the goalie's hands with a diving header. The ball changed direction so quickly that the Spanish goalie didn't really have a chance, but I still used the excuse that he couldn't save it because he was concussed. Earlier in the game he'd jumped in the air to grab a ball, only to collide with a Russian player trying to get his head on it. They replayed the collision from about ten different angles, and one pretty clearly showed his head connecting with the other guy's shoulder. I certainly hope he's not concussed, but it sure looked like it hurt. Anyway, it was a good game from my perspective, though not terribly exciting, since Spain seemed to always have the game in hand. Lena and Mark also hoped the next one would be better.
Before the next game, we all went home to change and get something to eat. Mark and Lena put on white shirts to support Greece, while I donned a gold shirt to support Sweden--once again it was two against one, but I didn't care. I briefly considered putting on my Yo-Yo jersey, since it's blue and gold and could maybe pass for a Sweden shirt, but it was way too hot for that. The game was really fun, and more exciting than the first, even though it was still scoreless about three quarters of the way in. Both teams had some close calls and were trading chances and momentum pretty fluidly. At halftime we all went and bought beers (or what passes for beer in Austria--Lena and Mark, a German and a half-German, are beer snobs) just to get the cool plastic cups with all the flags on it. Now that I have the cup, I don't think I'll ever feel the need to buy beer on the fan mile again, especially considering it was 5 Euro, about $7.50. We then pushed farther into the crowd, and Mark and Lena led me directly into a huge group of Greece fans, which was cruel. I didn't feel threatened or anything, especially seeing as how I wasn't really conspicuously rooting for Sweden. I just felt so small cheering for the Swedish goals amid the chants of "Hellas! Hellas!" The first goal was really, really beautiful. A clean kick from just outside the penalty box that arced right into the top left corner of the net. Pure soccer. The second goal, however, was a veritable clusterfuck. A Swedish forward found himself one-on-one with the Greek goaltender, only to kick it straight at him. It ricocheted off the goalie to another Swede, who kicked it way high in the air in the direction of the net. Yet another Swede attempted to head it in, missed, and then eventually knocked it in over a defender's back and through the goalie's legs. It was a mess. But a mess that ended up in another point for my team, so I was happy. I also double-love Sweden now, because they facilitated my favorite chants so far. First, as we were walking to the game, we heard someone behind us chanting "I-KE-A! I-KE-A!" which was really funny. And then, during the game, the Austrians cheering for Greece started leading the cheer "Ihr seid nur ein Möbellieferant! Möbellieferant! Möbellieferant!" ("You're just a furniture store!") It was inspired, but all for naught, as Team Hank Tall Indians still claimed victory. Hah!
Eagerly awaiting the next games...
Update: I went to both of the games tonight on the fan mile with my friend Mark and my roommate Lena, who's from Bavaria. Everything was splendid! For the early game, there weren't too many people there, so we actually got to sit on the ground in Rathausplatz and watch the big screen. Mark and Lena decided to cheer for Russia, but, while I truly appreciate everything Russia has done for my favorite sport, the pull of the hot Spaniards was too much for me. Especially since it appeared to be raining in Innsbruck (where the game was being played), which only increased the disparity of hotness between the two teams, making Spain look like super models and Russia look like drowned rats (or, even worse, Brian Campbell at his sweatiest). Poor Russia. At some point during the game I felt kind of ashamed to be rooting for Spain, because they were really dirty--grabbing, tripping, and kicking all over the place--but, honestly, I don't think it would have made much of a difference since Russia... didn't seem very good at football. The turnovers were atrocious and there were a few occasions when they had golden opportunities, and ended up hitting the post, kicking it wide of the net, or pretty much passing it to the goaltender. Yeah, it was like a team of Yo-Yos with none of the upside. At least they have hockey. Still, they're the only losing team so far in this tournament to score a goal, and it was a pretty gorgeous one, too. I can't really remember if it was a corner kick or just a long cross, but a Russian put it in just over the goalie's hands with a diving header. The ball changed direction so quickly that the Spanish goalie didn't really have a chance, but I still used the excuse that he couldn't save it because he was concussed. Earlier in the game he'd jumped in the air to grab a ball, only to collide with a Russian player trying to get his head on it. They replayed the collision from about ten different angles, and one pretty clearly showed his head connecting with the other guy's shoulder. I certainly hope he's not concussed, but it sure looked like it hurt. Anyway, it was a good game from my perspective, though not terribly exciting, since Spain seemed to always have the game in hand. Lena and Mark also hoped the next one would be better.
Before the next game, we all went home to change and get something to eat. Mark and Lena put on white shirts to support Greece, while I donned a gold shirt to support Sweden--once again it was two against one, but I didn't care. I briefly considered putting on my Yo-Yo jersey, since it's blue and gold and could maybe pass for a Sweden shirt, but it was way too hot for that. The game was really fun, and more exciting than the first, even though it was still scoreless about three quarters of the way in. Both teams had some close calls and were trading chances and momentum pretty fluidly. At halftime we all went and bought beers (or what passes for beer in Austria--Lena and Mark, a German and a half-German, are beer snobs) just to get the cool plastic cups with all the flags on it. Now that I have the cup, I don't think I'll ever feel the need to buy beer on the fan mile again, especially considering it was 5 Euro, about $7.50. We then pushed farther into the crowd, and Mark and Lena led me directly into a huge group of Greece fans, which was cruel. I didn't feel threatened or anything, especially seeing as how I wasn't really conspicuously rooting for Sweden. I just felt so small cheering for the Swedish goals amid the chants of "Hellas! Hellas!" The first goal was really, really beautiful. A clean kick from just outside the penalty box that arced right into the top left corner of the net. Pure soccer. The second goal, however, was a veritable clusterfuck. A Swedish forward found himself one-on-one with the Greek goaltender, only to kick it straight at him. It ricocheted off the goalie to another Swede, who kicked it way high in the air in the direction of the net. Yet another Swede attempted to head it in, missed, and then eventually knocked it in over a defender's back and through the goalie's legs. It was a mess. But a mess that ended up in another point for my team, so I was happy. I also double-love Sweden now, because they facilitated my favorite chants so far. First, as we were walking to the game, we heard someone behind us chanting "I-KE-A! I-KE-A!" which was really funny. And then, during the game, the Austrians cheering for Greece started leading the cheer "Ihr seid nur ein Möbellieferant! Möbellieferant! Möbellieferant!" ("You're just a furniture store!") It was inspired, but all for naught, as Team Hank Tall Indians still claimed victory. Hah!
Eagerly awaiting the next games...
2 comments:
I knew exactly what was going to be under that "Are you Swedish, sir?" link and I love it! I hope you say it in a ridiculous accent just like that guy.
(Go Sweden!)
It was inspired, but all for naught, as Team Hank Tall Indians still claimed victory.
Go, Tall Indians, go! :-D
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