Euro 2012 Group A Preview Podcast

Posted on May 30, 2012 5:37 pm

Most Euro 2012 previews are a bit dull. There’s either not enough research, because everyone involved was too lazy. Or there’s too much research and it’s like listening to someone read the phone book. At the Total Soccer Show we’ve solved both problems by using a very American method to preview Euro 2012: Good old-fashioned competition.

There are four Total Soccer Show co-hosts: Albert, Daryl, Josh and Peyton. So to preview Euro 2012 Group A we committed to representing one team each and arguing why our team should win the group, arguing for both the strength of the current team and also the historical significance of the nation. Then we bicker like children. Then we vote. Then someone complains.

> > > PLAY/DOWNLOAD EURO 2012 GROUP A PODCAST

In the case of Euro 2012 Group A we have Albert making the case for Poland by extolling the talents of Robert Lewandowski and the taste of Vodka. Peyton went to bat for Russia by claiming they invented both the wheel (seriously) and modern goalkeeping in the shape of Lev Yashin. Daryl celebrates Greece’s young guns and the fact the Otto Rehhagel era is over, while Josh counters for the Czech Republic with a reinvigorated Petr Cech and the strange case of Victor Lustig — “The man who sold the Eiffel Tower. Twice.”

The seven categories in which we argue for our teams are:

Most Important Player
Team Nickname
Coach
Best National Export
Goalkeeper
Team Backstory
Best Ever Player

We didn’t do anything about best-looking women because 75% of the Total Soccer Show co-hosts are not simpleton misogynists who treat women like objects. But if we had done, then Russia probably would have won on the basis of this nice young lady:

So, it’s Poland (represented by Albert) Greece (Daryl), Russia (Peyton) and the Czech Republic (Josh) in our Euro 2012 Group A preview.

Who do you see finishing top of this group? Listen to the show to find out who wins.

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