Euro 2012 Fantasy Player Pool - Semi #1 Roundup

Euro 2012 has seen 311 minutes of pitch time since Xabi Alonso did Spain right with an unmarked header that gave new definition to the idea of "open play." Since then the only kicks that have found the back of the net have come from the penalty spot. 


Amazingly though, two straight goalless draws have produced the two highest fantasy scoring outputs of the tournament. 

Euro 2012 Fantasy Player Pool - Qtr #4 Roundup

The last Quarterfinal of Euro 2012 gave us the most exciting Nil-Nil draw I've seen in quite a while, even if the English attack eventually lost steam and the air of Italian inevitability took over once it went to the penalty shootout (even if "some people" were dumb enough to predict the exact opposite).


But for our purposes, the game was more than just a good soccer match. Even though the ball never hit the back of the net (at least not without the flag going up), extra time and clean sheet bonuses turned this one into a fantasy bonanza.

Euro 2012 Diary, Quarterfinals #3 & #4 - Quick Picks

You didn't really think these guys were beating the Champs, did you?

Real life issues kept me from actually writing up my Spain/France pick before the game yesterday, but ask any of my friends, I was all over Spain.


I actually found it funny to read more than one "France is a sneaky upset pick" preview columns in the days leading up to this one. I mean, you watched the France-Sweden match, right?

Euro 2012 Fantasy Player Pool - Qtr #3 Roundup

The action on the pitch in Quarterfinal #3 of Euro 2012 was mostly hypnotizing, but peppered with a few brief flashes of action that at least made you feel like you'd actually just watched a world class win-or-go-home soccer match.

But with the only goals coming from a player owned by no one in our pool, the game could hardly have been duller from a fantasy perspective. Muchas puntos extras created by Spain's third straight clean sheet may've made this the highest scoring day of the Knockout so far, but they sure as shit didn't shake up the standings much at all.

Euro 2012 Fantasy Player Pool - Qtr #2 Roundup

Well, Gentlemen, we officially have a fight on our hands. After more than a week of running away from the field, Andrew L. finally gave back major ground today. 


Back on Day 9 of the Group Stage, I focused my recap on the contrast between a lot of high scores and a lot of low ones. But that was nothing. Today the same theme played out even stronger, with several contenders taking goose eggs on the day and others scraping for a single, solitary point. Meanwhile a few people rode big gains to reshape their destinies in this pool.

Euro 2012 Diary, Quarterfinal #2 - Quick Pick

This isn't weird....right?

Well the off day midweek must've lulled me to sleep, I forgot to actually post my pick for the first quarterfinal before the match....but guess what, my prediction was Portugal 2-0!  That perfect pick helped make up for an ugly end to the Group stage, where I was way off in picking the French and Ukrainians as winners.  

Euro 2012 Fantasy Player Pool - Qtr #1 Roundup

For those like me who are conflicted about the ambivalent nature of their mixed feelings toward Cristiano Ronaldo, the first game of the Euro 2012 Knockout round dished out a generous slice of cake then let us take a big old bite.

Ronaldo's performance vs. the Czechs came flavored with all his classic attitudes, emotions, and abilities. Early, it was petulance dashed with determination topped off with a bit of blubbering disbelief. Later, strong notes of savage brilliance, and a tiny sprinkle of raw, honest patriotism, all served up with a sauce of brittle arrogance, unable to forget for even one single moment that most of the world still thinks Messi is better.