Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.06.2008, Page 46

B14 | Reykjavík Grapevine | Issue 07 2008 | Article
The highlight of the summer is going to be the UE-
FA’s European Football Championship. Either that
or the Olympics. It’s a toss up really. Either way, it
looks like everybody is going to be glued to the TV
this summer. Like the rest of the civilized world,
except for those barbarians in North America who
call it soccer, Icelanders are crazy about football.
We are yet to formally qualify as a nation for the
big event, the Euro Finals, but we still reserve the
rights to go absolutely insane this time of year. We
cancel our summer vacation plans, or ditch work
completely. Our GDP takes a hit, but for two weeks
everyone just thinks about football. Good thing
this is only every four years.
The Grapevine office pool is underway.
Here is the rundown of the picks and the logic
behind them. Yours truly, the trusted editor, has
picked France to go all the way this year. I believe
that no team can match their depth, and combina-
tion of speed and power. Also, I picked France for
the World Cup in ‘98 and the Euro 2000 and both
times they made me look good. I believe they will
do so again. Assistant editor Steinunn Jakobsdót-
tir is picking Germany. Germany is considered a
slight favourite to win the title this year by most
sports betters, carrying 4/1 odds. I still think they
will choke in the first stage of the competition.
The Grapevine’s art director, Gunni, is picking Por-
tugal, for aesthetic reasons obviously. Our photog-
rapher, GAS, is going with Croatia, still blinded
by his love of Davor Suker in ‘98. The Grapevine’s
staff writer, Haukur, refuses to acknowledge this
as an event of any significance, but still wants to
be in the pool for the off chance of winning a lot of
money. He has decided to pick Portugal as well, as
he believes our art director is the in-house author-
ity on all things football. He will obviously lose as
well. The Grapevine’s sports commentator, Páll
Hilmarsson, is choosing underdogs Sweden. His
unwavering faith in Zlatan Ibrahamovic is admi-
rable, but ultimately unfounded. He will not earn
a part of the office pot, obviously.
So, France it is then.
The opening match of Euro 2008 kicks off on Satur-
day, June 7 at 16:00. All matches will be broadcast
live on RÚV – The National Broadcasting Service.
Check www.ruv.is for a full schedule.
Text by Sveinn Birkir Björnsson
The Grapevine’s
Euro 2008 Pool