Euro 2012 and Local Bear News

Nick Watches the Euros 2012
This month, while I am not exactly following the financial goings on of Europe, I have been watching the Euros, the European Championship of Futbol (or Soccer, AMERICA!).  I follow the sport regularly, so I was anticipating the tournament well before June came around.  If you asked me who was to win at the start, I went with Germany (ask Juan if you need a reference) and I'm sticking with my pick.  
Why did I pick Germany? Was it because they've finished second or third in the past 3 major tournaments?...Nope. Because they're ranked 3rd in the world?...No. Cuz they've got a hip, stylish coach?...does that even help in this situation? Because they were placed in the group of death?...That's not even a good reason, NO!  I picked Germany because it is so much fun to yell all the German players names (I dare you to try to take a nap in my apartment during a Germany game, you'd be like zzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzBadstuber!!! AAAAAblitzkriegAAAAA!!!! [btw, I have been working on my impression of you sleeping...]) and if I figure, since AMERICA isn't admitted to this function, I'd end up rooting for a good team going deep into the tournament, why not have a lot of fun yelling?  

Here are my additional thoughts now that the group stage is complete:

• Boo Group A! Weakest group I've ever seen. But you can tell Greece is really working hard for that prize money they give to the winning team...
• I convinced myself that Ireland had a chance to win a game, sadly not to be.  While their team was not as skilled, their fans are world-class.
• I underestimated the Croatian fans' propensity to smoke and lights.  They win the award for setting off the most flares in a game.
• I love the faces England manager Roy Hodgson makes, just wait for the knockout stage, he'll give us a few gems for sure!
• Portugal, you're still the worst!  You all complain, flop, dive, play dead, and cut your hair in silly ways too much!  *to be fair, a lot of the teams do all these same exact things, but I like to pick on Portugal, its just my thing*
• Best hair of the tournament goes to Ukraine's #2 Yevgen Selin.  Yeah I saw your rat-tail against England, I see what you did there. Somehow I think you've moved Ukrainian fashion forward by a decade with that, good work?

In anticipation for the knockout stages that begin tomorrow, I've devised a game for those you to play who aren't so interested in the game of soccer, but rather are firm enthusiasts of European culture to follow along with the action.  Here's how it works:

1. For each team playing pick a food, drink, and a dance from that country's culture.  You may have to look up some of this stuff and prepare for the more random countries.  For example, France: for food you have crepes, for drink you get some French wine, and (according to the Wikipedia machine) the can-can originated in Paris so there's your dance.
2. Every time that country's fans in the stands are featured on TV, you dance while they're shown.
3. Every time that country commits a foul or complains to the ref, eat some of the food.
4. Every time that country scores, you take a drink.

Not only will you be sick from dancing with all the food and drink, you can consider yourself extremely cultured, also thankful that the Russians are out because eating borscht, drinking vodka, and attempting Russian ballet moves would be difficult to last a full 90 minutes.

This Week in Bear News {New England Edition}:
In New Hampshire, a woman was attacked by a black bear when see went to let her dog out at 10pm on Saturday night. Apparently she was making pot roast, which attracted the bear, then she let her dog out which obviously startled the bear. What's this lady really up to, seriously, why was this woman making pot roast at 10pm at night and why would you taunt the bears and then sic your dog on them?  Listen liberal media, I'm going with self-defense for this bear, you can't be making pot roast late at night and not expect the bears to come over.  But by far the biggest story in this case is the strategy the wildlife officers charged with capturing the bear plan to use.  They are going to use donuts to trap the bear... seriously guys?!? We already know this bear likes pot roast! WTF, just use pot roast guys, duh! Now it looks like a conspiracy to buy more donuts...

This guys obviously wants some pot roast

Also, the male black bear on Cape Cod was captured and relocated last week after his vacation to Provincetown was cut short by wildlife officials. Previously, there hadn't been a bear on Cape Cod in well over a century.  Thus making this bear the Rosa-Parks-of-bears-who-go-to-Cape-Cod-who-definitely-weren't-looking-for-a-female-bear-even-thought-its-definitely-bear-mating-season....

Olympic Countdown: 36 Days
This week's pre-Olympic Betting Odds: total # of gold medals won by all African nations +/- 10