A quarterfinal and the finals on ABC?!? Earth to ESPN: this isn't the World Cup!

It's June. what else does ABC have to put on? I presume the NBA (finals?) will be in prime time on ABC.

Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth are commentator pair #1.

Adrian Healey and Robbie Mustoe are commentator pair #2.

I think Healey and Mustoe will be commentating from ABC studios.

it's about time this is getting the air time it deserves over here!

It deserves nothing of the sort, last anon.

Why the hell not? What does in the afternoons whenever MLB and the NBA Finals (in primetime) are the only things going on? Extended additions of Mike and Mike? More invigorating WSOP repeats? Bravo for doing this, ESPN.

Great job ESPN !! They are doing a wonderful job of trying to grow the beautiful game.

The more high profile group stage games will def get a good raiting (i.e. France v Italy, Germany v Poland) along with the knock out rounds. I am willing to bet that certain Euro 2008 games will get better raitings than MLS Thursday.

No one watches the MLS in the US to begin with...

But I'm glad ESPN is doing this.

Yeah I'm on board as well. I need something to watch in the Afternoons other than Real World marathons.

Hmmm...I can't find any of the England matches. They must be in group E.

Why didn't the USA qualify for this?

Anonymous 8:25 said...Why didn't the USA qualify for Euro 2008?

Insert Miss Teen South Carolina joke here.

Damn, Netherlands, France and Italy all in the same group! Can't wait for this!

england didn't qualify. it is kind of like the knicks missing the playoffs again.

Just a correction to your post: the Turkey v Czech Republic match is on ESPN Classic, not ESPN2. Otherwise, that network would be showing two matches at the same time.

I look forward to this site bashing tommy smyth daily during the tournament.

I think I'm the only person that doesn't really mind Smyth.

Well played Morgan Wick: 2006 World Cup Top 4 -- Italy, France, Germany, Portugal.

So yea, you're right, continue on the mindless anti-soccer rhetoric.

I agree with the guy who said that he doesn't mind Tommy Smyth. I don't really hate any of ESPN's UEFA commentators. Here in Canada TSN and Rogers Sportsnet are airing all of the matches anyway.

BTW

sorry BTW has ESPN ever aired a EURO event before?

Anon at 10:20 pm, they have never aired a full Euro event before. They are starting now because of the success they had with the World Cup broadcasts.

Romania's gonna run that shit!

Euro is the 2nd highest rated sporting event.
1. World Cup
2. Euro
3. Oylimpics

ESPN had Euro 1996

> Hmmm...I can't find any of the England matches. They must be in group E.

Absolutely hilarious!

Will the games be in HD ?

anyone know if they will be showing repeats and if so will they be showing all of them and at what time?

F***ing summer school...id be in italy right now in town square just like in 2006

Thanks for this. It's so confusing to change the time into EST sometimes.

Tommy Smyth is the man!! <3 espn can't wait!!!

Here's to the greatest, most transcendental sport ever invented by man! Cheers everyone, and kudos to ESPN for showing this awesome competition.

what channel is Classic ESPN?

THERE ARE 16 COUNTRIES.

4 COUNTRIES PER GROUP.

SO, NO GROUP "E".

BRITISH ISLES (ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, WALES AND IRELAND) DID NOT QUALIFY.

of course this isn't the world cup, rather the 16 best European teams are competing. There is no warm up, but action right away. No Mickey Mouse teams, just the best of Europe, and lets not forget soccer rules the world, not football, baseball, basketball; and it is coming on strong in the US, thank God...nothing beats a good soccer game, period

I'm EXCITED!, European Football is the absolute best and as for the MLS i think the Houston Dynamos are pretty good but anyways can't wait for the games to begin.finally this sport is getting some good coverage.

well, it's much harder to qualify for Euro than for the world cup, but of course the espn coverage fo "soccer" is pathetic; it's sad there's no "univision" or any spanish channel coverage as they know much more about the game and they have no obnoxious commercials like the espN chaNNNNNNel. the espNNNNNNNNN....etc.

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!! I won't miss a single game

ESPN manage to ruin any soccer game they show with their inane announcers/commentators. Why can't they hire some BBC guys for major tournaments? People like JP della Camera and Tommy Smyth are AWFUL. Hope the mute button is working on my TV!

this week is gonna be great! I've got a ton of games to watch this week!

THERE ARE 16 COUNTRIES.

4 COUNTRIES PER GROUP.

SO, NO GROUP "E".

BRITISH ISLES (ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, WALES AND IRELAND) DID NOT QUALIFY.

I'm pretty sure that England is playing. I saw it in a nike commercial. It was really cool. The coach was Arsenal Winger and there were lots of famous players like Dwayne Rooney, Christian Ronald, Rudy Van Nestle and Ronald Dino.

IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT THE NON QUALIFIED TEAMS, WIKIPEDIA HAS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL THE PAST AND FUTURE STAGES OF THE TOURNAMENT.

John Terrance! Steven Gerald! Owen Michaels!

GO ENGLAND!!!

Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo...SHUT UP, HEALY!! You sound like a schoolgirl with a crush...

Rio Francisco! Garrett Barrett! Frank Lamprey!

England is AWESOME!!!

Why does ABC have to have the Final? EPSN does a poor enough job of commentating a good football match, ABC is pathetic! But I do love Tommy Smyth

Um, point of order for those of you stating that England didn't qualify...

I believe the other guys were JOKING. Hence, the Group E reference, which was hilarious.

Oy! Get a sense of humor.

"I'm pretty sure that England is playing. I saw it in a nike commercial. It was really cool. The coach was Arsenal Winger and there were lots of famous players like Dwayne Rooney, Christian Ronald, Rudy Van Nestle and Ronald Dino."
--------------------------
No, England did not qualify.
Christiano Ronaldo plays for Portugal, Ruud Van Nistelroy plays for the Netherlands, and Ronaldinho plays for Brazil on the international level.
--------------------
"Why didn't the USA qualify for this?"
-------------------------

.....hahahahaha!!!

Oh god, this just gets better and better.

Dude, did you even read the post directly above yours?...

a new record...3 days in and I've already turned the volume down to escape the inane chatter of the ESPN commentary...

The absolute low point had to be...

"We saw a Dutch Masterpiece in the first half; will there be an Italian Renaissance in the second?!"

Umm, no...

This thread is absolutely hilarious! Thanks, I needed a good laugh. "Why didn't the USA qualify, and England must be in Group E". As to the commentators, I really don't like any of the ESPN commentators but after the previous post, maybe I should start watching? Hmm....probably not worth it, I'll stick to ESPND.

Viva Espana

I am so sick of listening to these bums covering the Euros. On SportsCenter Monday night, Neil Everett did the highlights of the Romania/France draw. Not only did he butcher Thierry Henry name (as he paused, said "uh.. Thierry.. uh Henry." As Anelka's header went wide he pronounced it as "An..An..Anelka" Sounded like he was back in third grade....
Here's my beef: If you are going show footie highlights on your show, you should get the Super Stars names right; What if he pronounced, Alex Rodreguez? People would be all over him.

As for Tommy Smyth and Julie Foudy, can some one PLEASE tell me what they have to do with European football? I get that Tommy does the Champions League with Derrerk, so why don't they sit at the desk and talk better football than Foudy. If ESPN was trying to get someone that Americans know by their face, they surely dropped the ball.

Seriously, if you are going to put this competition on ESPN Classic, that means that real football fans are going to watch it, not some bum just flicking around. Therefore, get more in depth analysis for us more interested in the competition. Give me coaching interviews instead of breaking down the offside rule for 20 minutes...

Finally, I do like some of the things ESPN have brought to the plate. Does anybody love the 'ESPN Axis' technology they have? That is freaking cool as hell.

And by the way, USA to win UEFA 2012!!!

The only good announcer ever on the American channels was(or is) Giorgio Chinaglia. That guy trashes everyone and is right on the money. I would have given anything for him to have been there for the Italy / Holland match, the words suck and pieces of s#$@ would have been flying out of his mouth. He is the worlds best by far but ABC/ESPN is too interested in having a bunch of kiss a$$ boring losers there. Great way to destroy the game ABC/ESPN

PS Kudos to "England in group E" ....classic stuff

if you like to watch all this match online chick this links
http://satellite-tv-online.blogspot.com/search/label/Euro2008

Wow this is great to hear! I'll be in the US during the knock-out stage and I thought I'll miss those matches.

I don't understand why Americans hate soccer...but anyway, it's all good.

Cheers!

Whoever said it's harder to qualify for the EURO tournaments than the World Cup is wrong. Even taking away the two spots the host countries received, there are 14 EURO spots up for grabs for the rest of the UEFA squads to fight for. UEFA only gets 13 spots in the World Cup, as opposed to the 16 teams in the EURO tournaments. Maybe he meant it is harder for African, Asian, and North and South American clubs to qualify for the European championships. That would be a true statement.

"Maybe he meant it is harder for African, Asian, and North and South American clubs to qualify for the European championships. That would be a true statement."

It is a european championchip, there are no teams from africa or else there, only Europe!!!!!!!!

Germany is gonna win!!