Okay, we’ll start the day off with a quick update on the Euro2008 soccer tournament, as it reaches its final four.  Later on I’ll have a look at draft combine results of some of the NBA draft’s biggest names. 

The quarterfinals went according to script; none of the previously undefeated group winners won their games.  Two of them lost outright; two ended in draws, and only one advanced to the semi-finals via penalty kick shootout.  If you bet on any of the four first round group winners (Portugal, Croatia, The Netherlands, Spain), previously 12-0 in the tournament to win, you lost all four times.  The gambling syndicates must have made a killing.

Let’s quickly review the exciting action of the past week before previewing the final three games:

Portugal 2 - Germany 3.  The taller and larger Germany team used it’s size advantage over Portugal to win this mild upset.  Portugal were emerging as the favorites to win the title (behind Player of the Year favorite Christiano Ronaldo), but Germany struck first behind a beautiful goal by Schweinsteiger.  Actually, the lead pass was beautiful - check the 20 second mark of this video to see the goal.

In the second half, after Portugal cut the lead to 2-1, Germany put the game away with a nice header goal during a free kick from their captain Michael Ballack, who got away with a bit of a push in the back on the Porto defender.  The Portugese needed a bit of help from the referees if they were going to beat the larger, taller, more physical German squad, or a big game from Ronaldo.  They did not get either.

Croatia 1 - Turkey 1.  After already giving the Euro2008 tournament the most memorable game of the first round, Turkey on Friday gave us another one for the ages.  Regardless of who actually wins, this tournament will be remember most for Turkey’s incredible comebacks.  

After playing to 0-0 draw for over 119 minutes (soccer rules: 90 minutes of play; if tied, one 15 minute OT, followed by a second 15 minute OT), the ancient Turkish goalkeeper Ruster Recber (a sub, since the GK for the Turks in the first round, Volkan Demirel, was suspended from two games due to a late red card at the end of the last quarterfinal game) made a mistake, and that should have been the end of Turkey’s run.  But Recber made up for it with a beautiful free kick in stoppage time (the 122th minute), which set up an amazing goal from Semih Senturk, tying the game.  No goals in 119 minutes, followed by two goals in two and half minutes?

The shootout went Turkey’s way, as Croatia missed penalty shot after shot. 

The Croatian team dominated the action through most of the game, with a very strong passing attack, but they lacked the finisher, the striker, to actually put the ball into the goal.  If ever Brazilian-born Croatian striker Eduardo Da Silva was needed, it was this game.  Unfortunately he was out recovering from a brutal broken leg suffered during a match for the Arsenal. 

The Turkish team advances yet again, despite more than a few injuries of their own, and despite Volkan’s suspension.  Recber gets one more game in goal, in the semis against the German team.  I’ll be rooting for the Turkish team to pull off one more miracle against the big bullies.

Holland 1 - Russia 3:  I would cite this game, Tim Donaghy-style, as the prime example of how international soccer must fixed, but the refereeing in the game seemed fine.  Besides, the Dutch always choke in the quarterfinals, don’t they (actually not true: they have lost in the semi-finals the past two Euros, and three of the previous four overall)? 

Russia had no business winning this game, against a Netherlands team that destroyed the World Cup winner and runnerup teams, Italy and France, in the first round. 

Spain 0 - Italy 0:  The Italians did what they do best - played tough defense, and held the Spaniards to no goals.  The Spaniard team, arguably the deepest in the tournament - their bench looks like an All-Star team - won on penalty kicks, though.  In doing so, they upped their undefeated streak in international competitions to 20 games in a row, with the weak Russia team the only thing in the way of an appearance in the Euro2008 Finals. 

I’m gonna go ahead and pencil Spain into the Finals.

Germany-Turkey (a must-see) is Wednesday the 25th, at 2:45 EST.  Spain-Russia is the next day, also at 2:45 EST.  The final game is scheduled for Sunday the 29th at 2:45 EST.

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