Germany slams Greece 4:2 at EURO 2012 Quarter Finals

Today in Gdansk, Poland, Germans rolled over Greece with a slam win 4:2 at the EURO 2012 Quarter Finals.  No surprise here. Germans have shown their skills in all games of this tournament. They came out from Group B as a winner.

June 9th, 2012 Germany 1-0 Portugal 

June 13th, 2012 Netherlands 1-2 Germany 

June 17th, 2012 Denmark 1-2 Germany 

June 22nd, 2012 Germany 4-2 Greece 

What a game it was!  Germans have wasted so many chances to score, that it seems Greeks should be actually happy about the outcome. What surprised everyone, was the Greek will of fight. They never gave up and pressed Germans till the final whistle.  If you have missed any of the games, you can still catch up on ESPN3 online.

Tomorrow, June 23rd, watch next exciting game: Spain vs. France.  Game starts at 2:45 ET.

Polish team is out of EURO 2012

The pride.  The white and red flags.  The anticipation.  The reality.  The sad faces.

After a decent roll, Polish national soccer team is out of the EURO 2012 tournament beaten 1:0 by the Czech team.  The first 25 minutes of the first half, Poles ruled the pitch at the brand new Stadion Miejski in Wroclaw.  Several shots on the goal and fast paced game looked very promising.  Then, the Poles lost their steam.  Robert Lewandowski's commitment was futile with lack of the team effort.  Even the overwhelming support of the Polish fans could not revive the team.  It was painful to watch how Czechs were slowly gaining more and more advantage.  Finally, in 72nd minute, Petr Jiracek scored for Czechs.  Poles could not recover and after the final whistle, the host nation was out of EURO 2012.

For Poland, the true hero of the tournament is substitute goalie, Przemysław Tytoń, who took over during the game with Greece after a red card for Wojciech Szczesny.  Tytoń denied the penalty kick saving the 1:1 score with Greece.  During the matches with Russia and Czech Republic, Tytoń have also shown a great skill.  Interestingly, Tytoń means tobacco in Polish, and yes, he was "smoking" at those games.

Logo PZPN (fot. PZPN)

The tournament is still on.  There are many more fantastic games to see.  I'm watching Denmark vs Germany as I write this post.  Germany just scored a second goal in the 80th minute.  Great game.

Perhaps, the Polish Football Union (Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej, PZPN) will finally learn from this failure.  Soccer in Poland is a giant source of entertainment, pride, and, of course, money.  Rebuilding the PZPN structure and strategy is mandatory.  I would go as far as abolishing this dinosaur in order to build a brand new, modern, flexible, transparent, professionally ran organization.

Poland has great soccer traditions.  Lets revert the transition from the powerhouse to powerless before it becomes permanent. 

Poland vs Russia: hooligans fight, teams draw 1-1

Is it hot in here or is it the Polish police sweating their bottoms off to diffuse Polish and Russian pseudo-fans (Polish: kibole) before the hotly anticipated EURO 2012 match today?

As reported by BBC, about 1,000 Russians marched thorough the town center, over the Poniatowski bridge on the way to the National Stadium.  The march was planned and authorized by Warsaw city council wanting to display the true democracy in real life dismissing any talk about a provocation.  Not coincidentally, the Polish police was anticipating some disturbances since the football march coincided with the Russian independence day celebrated on June 12th.  After 44 years under Russian rule, display of any Soviet Union memorabilia or flags would just stir up Polish people who still remember the oppressive regime.  

Poles met Russians on the bridge to show their angry disapproval but the swift riot Police action averted any major fights.  15 people were injured and about 100 hooligans were quickly taken out of the game, yes I'm being sarcastic here, and arrested.  

Hopefully, this stupidity won't spill over the town after the game.  Check out some videos taken during the march.

Fortunately, the match itself was an exciting show of sportsmanship by both teams.  Russian team, ranked as 13th in the world by FIFA, could not defeat Polish team, ranked as 62nd.  In 37th minute, Alan Dzagoev scored a goal for Russia.  Poles were devastated but they picked up the game in the 2nd half.  In 57th minute, Jakub Błaszczykowski scored an equalizer.  Both teams tried to change that score but 1:1 was the final outcome.

Now all the Polish team has to do to advance from the group is to win with Czech Republic on June 16th at Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw.  Goooooooooo Pooooooooland!!!

 

Russian fans beat up EURO 2012 stewards

The game, the excitement, the brotherhood, the win - and the Russians beating up stewards inside the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw after the Russia-Czech Republic game on Friday.

It was an outrageous show of violence by Russian hooligans after their team won 4-1.  The video below shows the Russians attacking the stewards in a walkway after the game.  All injured men were released from the short hospital stay.  Polish police has already submitted pictures of the offenders to the border patrol.

Racist slur and monkey noises directed toward the black Czech player, Theo Gebre Selassie, were also a concern reported by Never Again, a Polish-based anti-racism group, part of Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE). 

Looks like the Russian Football Federation is in hot water, as reported by UEFA: 

UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Football Union of Russia for the improper conduct of its supporters at Friday's UEFA EURO 2012 match against the Czech Republic.  After having looked at the security reports and available images, UEFA has today announced that disciplinary proceedings have been opened against the Football Union of Russia (RFS) for the improper conduct of its supporters (crowd disturbances), the setting off and throwing of fireworks and the display of illicit banners at Friday's UEFA EURO 2012 Group A match in Wroclaw between Russia and the Czech Republic. The Control and Disciplinary Body will review the case on Wednesday 13 June.  In addition, regarding reports of alleged abuse directed at Czech Republic players from Russia fans, UEFA is investigating this further and is working with FARE to collect more evidence.

Political tensions between Poland and Russia are all time high due to the unresolved plane crash in Smolensk on April 10th, 2010, that killed the Polish President, his wife, and 94 high ranking Polish government and army officials.  Refusal to release the Tu-154 wreck and discrepancies in Russian crash reports, are a sour mix between the countries.

EURO 2012 - Go Poland!

During the first and inaugural game on Friday, June 8th, Poland had a great chance to win the match with Greece.  The great UEFA website tracks all the scores, dates, and venues.

The first half was awesome!  Poles were masters of the pitch, like energizer bunnies.  Robert Lewandowski with an assist from Jakub Błaszczykowski, both playing for Borussia Dortmund, scored a goal, and the game became dramatic.  Sokratis Papastathopoulis got a red card and Greeks where left with 10 players.  

Things changed during the 2nd half.  Greeks had nothing to loose and they attacked strongly with Dimitris Salpingidis scoring an equalizer at 50th minute.  

But wait!  The game got even more twisted in the 69th minute when Polish goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczęsny got a red card for a foul on Salpingidis in front of the goal.  Out for Szczęsny, in for Przemysław Tytoń, penalty kick for Greece.

And the miracles do happen!  Tytoń denied the penalty kick by Giorgos Karagounis.  Instant hero.

The final sore remained 1-1.  Poles could win this match but just couldn't get it together during the 2nd half.  I hope they learn from this performance and get ready for Russians on Tuesday.  

For the football lovers or soccer lovers in US, you can get a great Adidas Euro2012 Repliq Ball White/black Size 5.

EURO 2012 starts today!

EURO 2012 aka UEFA European Championship is starting today, in Poland and Ukraine, with an inauguration ceremony at the National Stadium (Stadion Narodowy) in Warsaw (Warszawa).  The ceremony will be followed by the first Group A match: Poland vs. Greece.  


Go Poland!  My score prediction is 2:1 for Poland.  Will see.


If you have an AT&T service, or whatever other service listed on the site, you can watch live feeds on the ESPN website.  This is a great way to follow this third largest sporting event in the world, right after the Olympics and FIFA World Cup.  


16 European teams in 4 groups will compete for the 2012 European Championship.  


Group A: Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic
Group B: Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal
Group C: Spain, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Croatia
Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England


Poland and Ukraine completed an astonishing number of projects despite the worldwide recession and Euro financial troubles.  Even though Ukraine is not a member of EU, the country led to EURO 2012 to be organized together with Poland.  


Thank you for that Ukraine, Poles know about your commitment.


Despite some unfair reports from BBC and other Western media, Poland is ready for the challenge.  New roads, hotels, train stations, and above all, friendly Poles welcome all the teams and their fans with open arms.  Polish traditional bread and salt welcome was a huge hit and a surprise to many foreign teams.  Italian team was greeted at the Krakow airport, Irish team had a welcome ceremony in Sopot (near Gdansk). 


But the best welcome, not surprisingly since he was born in Poland, went to Lukas Podolski who plays for German team.  On June 4th, Podolski turned 27 so during the practice in Gdansk, 11,000 Polish fans sang the traditional Happy Birthday "100 lat" (live a hundred years).  Check out the video from the event.

If you are the lucky ticket holder, enjoy your time.  Thanks for visiting Poland!

President Obama appologizes for "death camp" blunder

After a worldwide outrage over President Obama's "Polish death camp" remarks during the Presidential Medal of Freedom award ceremony posthumously recognizing Jan Karski, Polish resistance fighter who made the West aware of the German Nazi death camps, the official apology letter from Barack Obama was finally delivered to the office of Polish President, Bronislaw Komorowski.

As reported on my previous post, National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor, tried to control the damage issuing a video statement to assure the world that President Obama simply misspoke during the ceremony.  However, in his letter to Obama, Polish President asked for an official statement of apology from President Obama.

The letter from May 31st, 2012, was posted on the Polish President's website.  Copy of the actual letter is included below.

Thank you for your letter of May 30.  I was proud to honor Jan Karski with the Medal of Freedom, our nation's highest civilian honor. My decision to do so was a reflection of the high esteem in which the American people hold not only a great Polish patriot, but the extraordinary sacrifices of the Polish people during the Nazi occupation of the Second World War.

In referring to "a Polish death camp" rather than " a Nazi death camp in German-occupied Poland," I inadvertently used the phrase that has caused many Poles anguish over the years and that Poland has rightly campaigned to eliminate from public discourse around the world. I regret the error and agree that this moment is an opportunity to ensure that this and future generations know the truth.

A we all know, the Polish people suffered terribly under the brutal Nazi occupation during World War II. In pursuit of their goals of destroying the Polish nation and Polish culture and exterminating European Jewry, the Nazis killed some six million Polish citizens, including three million Polish Jews during the Holocaust. The bravery of Poles in the underground resistance is one of history's great stories of heroism and courage.

Moreover, there simply were no "Polish death camps." The killing centers at Auschwitz-Birkenau, Belzec, Treblinka, and elsewhere in occupied Poland were built and operated by the Nazi regime. In contrast, many Poles risked their lives - and gave their lives - to save Jews from the Holocaust.

That is why I paid tribute to Polish victims of the Holocaust during my visit to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in April. It is why I was honored to pay my respect at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier and the Monument to the Heroes of the Ghetto during my visit to Warsaw last year. An it is why, during the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 201, I commended the government and people of Poland for preserving a place of such pain in order to promote remembrance and learning for the world.

I know well the bonds of friendship between our two countries. I was proud to welcome you to the NATO Summit in my home town of Chicago, which is home to the largest Polish community in the world outside Warsaw. As President, I have worked with you to strengthen the enduring ties between our nations so that our alliance is stronger than it has ever been.

Poland is one of America's strongest and closest allies. We stand united in facing the challenges of the 21st century in Europe and around the world, and I am confident that, working together, we can ensure that the unbreakable bonds of friendship and solidarity between us will only grow stronger in the days and years ahead.

Part 1

Part 2

For years, Polish government and Polish diaspora organizations around the world, pursue the historic truth and stomp out any attempts of World Word II revisionism shifting the blame for the Holocaust, killing millions of non-Jewish citizens, death camps, concentration camps, and work camps from Nazi Germany to then-occupied Poland.  

1939-1945 was a very painful period of Polish history, hopefully, this well publicized mistake will spread awareness throughout the world.

The nation that doesn't preserve it's true history, it's on mercy of its adversaries.