Thursday, June 6, 2024 
Issue # 1.0.1 "Will Germany Continue Host Woes?"
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LOS ALAMITOS, CA (smt)- Amidst a busy summer of American soccer with the USMNT (finally!) playing in the Olympics (July 24-Aug 10), the USWMT also trying get the bad taste of Women's World Cup 2023 out their mouths in their Olympics, the USMNT participating in Copa America again on U.S. soil (June 20-July 14), and Major League Soccer participating in the Leagues Cup (July 26-Aug 25), our attention right now turns to the great players of Europe as the European Championship kicks off June 14.  Euro 2024 will feature the typical favorites D4-France, E1-Belgium, C4-England, F3-Portugal, D2-Netherlands, and B1-Spain, all in the top 8 FIFA overall rankings.  Throw in defending champion B3-Italy (#9) and host A1-Germany (ranked a low #16), who else could win the title? 

Of the 8 aforementioned teams, only BEL has not won any major title and six have already won the Euros (not ENG & BEL).  And no host nation has won the Euros since 1988 (FRA) and last year's heartbreak of ENG scoring early and losing at Wembley Stadium in the Euro 2020 (well, played in 2021) final while fans broke through barriers outside (a great documentary about the chaos of that day, The Final: Attack on Wembley, is now on Netflix) was a reminder that being the home team was not all that it's cracked up to be.  ITA, who can't even qualify for the World Cup (missed 2018 and 2022), will try to repeat as Euro Champions like ESP did in 2012, our first Euro Pool.

Unlike the World Cup, the Euro draw was in lots and other than host GER as A1, other group positions were drawn so you will see #57 Slovenia as C1 and ENG and ESP as C4 and D4, respectively.  Group B features three top 10 teams (ESP, ITA, B2-Croatia) but with four 3rd place teams advancing, all three could (sorry #66 B4-Albania).  Group D is the toughest with all four teams in the top 28 (the top 16 European teams).  POR has the easiest group with the other Group F teams ranked outside the top 35 with F2-Georgia, making the Euros for the first time, ranked #75.

So what has changed in our pool?  Nothing.  Deadline is Noon PDT Friday, June 14th.  Remember, regardless of how you pick the six matches in each group, you will pick the top 2 teams in Groups A-F plus the best four 3rd place teams you think will make it (no math needed!).  When you pick your four 3rd place teams, there will be a few ways to place the four teams but if you want the official placement, use this table (also on the Web Entry and pdf forms).  If you need help, let me know.

Our HWCI EURO Pool is our 4th but it is our 15th soccer pool (7 World Cup, 4 Euros, 3 Women's World Cup, and one special (MLS)).   Last time (2021) we had a Euro-record 49 entries from a passionate group of people who love the high quality competition.  The entry fee is still $10 and the limit is still a max of 3 entries per person.  Deadline is Noon PDT Friday (June 14th) before the first match.  Same point system.  Remember, you can either update your bracket (same nickname or add "update" to it) or email your change (easier to email one or two changes than resubmit a new entry).  So you can pick as early as NOW or wait until the last minute. 

Hopefully for the 7th time, Eric's Foster's Fubtol (or Football) Brew commentary will be back.  Expect insight into not only the Euros but Copa America and the USMNT (if applicable) as well.  I love other people's views and it is always a great read.

We are now on Twitter (@HWCI_Pools) and Discord for discussion or questions.  Please follow!  I will post using #hwcincaa mini-updates during the day so you can follow without being on Twitter (and if you are, please use #hwcincaa).  Please join our Facebook HWCI Soccer Pool Group or post comments on our blog. 

You can mail your entry fee (email me for snail mail) or give your $10 (per entry) to someone who will give the money to Scott. We are accepting PayPal (check or PayPal funds only) to "hwci<at>hotmail.com" or credit card PayPal payments to "smt0222<at>yahoo.com" (but the entry fee is $10.87 (87 cents in PayPal fees... damn them!)).  Now, you can send money via your Smartphone and pay no fees!  Use Google Pay's Send Money function and send your $10 (per entry) to "smt0222<at>gmail.com" or Venmo (@smt0222)-- just make sure you put your NAME and NICKNAME in the notes section. And if you're having trouble getting your picks in, take a picture of your entry form with your phone and email it to ncaa<at>hwci.com.

Last time, Giacomo G won the pool and took home $240 riding Italy to beat England in London.  Last time we received 47 entries from 34 people. 

Enter online now! You can also fax your entry (DOC | PDF) to me at (720) 368-0816 or email us for a snail mail address (postmarked by Thursday AM). Make arrangements (such as PayPal, GPay, Venmo) to send in your $10 entry fee(s) by June 15th (you can also pay me directly at a future Galaxy match).  Complete rules and daily pool information can be found on the official site: http://www.HWCI.com/euro.

   Tids & Bits - Germany is hosting for the second time (as West Germany in 1988) but also did host four matches in the 2021 Europe edition... Georgia (GEO) is the worst-ranked team (#75) in the tourney while Sweden (#27) is the highest-ranked team that failed to qualify... all matches will either be 6 am, 9 am, or Noon PDT with 46 games FOX/FS1 and 5 on paid Fubo (in Spanish, all 51 games on paid ViX) as they outbid ABC/ESPN... FOX will be dual-wielding as they broadcast the Copa America as well and will broadcast six (!) live matches on June 25 and 26 (4 Euro, 2 Copa each)... odds by BetMGM - ENG 2.75:1, FRA 3.5:1, GER 5:1, ESP and POR 8:1, ITA 16:1 with GEO 500:1... D1-Poland on penalties won Path A, war-torn E4-Ukraine won Path B, and GEO on penalties upset Greece and won Path C in their Nations League playoffs to be the final 3 teams in the tournament... Russia remains banned by FIFA and UEFA due to its invasion of Ukraine so 53 teams vied for the 23 open spots (GER qualified as host)... like last Euros, five subs again will be permitted (in three windows)... rosters, with an increased limit of 26 players, should be finalized June 7... currently, only 4 MLS players were called into Euro 2024 rosters (interestingly, five were called for Finland's team and Minnesota United FC lost 9 players (7 due to Copa America and 2 to Finland))... three name changes happened in 2022 with Republic of Turkey now going by Republic of Türkiye, Czech Republic now going by Czechia (preferred by government), and Republic of Iceland is now just Iceland... three teams are making our Euro pool for the first time (GEO, C3-Serbia, and E2-Slovenia)... the next two Euro hosts have already been awarded with UK (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) & Ireland all co-hosting 2028 and Italy and Türkiye co-hosting 2032... with FIFA re-vamping their Club World Cup (or official name Mundial de Clubes FIFA) to include 32 teams and be done every 4 years, we will have a soccer pool in 2025 after all, and in theory, every year after that (Euro, CWC, Women's WC, WC)...

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Can't believe five games will not be on FOX - R.I.P. HUNvSUI, ROUvUKR, TURvGEO, SVKvUKR, GEOvCZE...
Scott