Federer91

Ahh, the dreaded ice hockey contest, how i enjoy scratching my head while filling it.

The 100th GIRO starts tomorrow and you can say it is open and interesting like every year. Quintana of course is infront for the win, but you never know if he abandons at some point. I have a strange feeling that the talk of a double isn't going to be a primal factor. One fall or bad day and i won't be surprised if he stepped and concentrated for the Tour. Hope i'm wrong. After him there is a wide range of people for the podium. I'm sure the dutch armada will have at least one of Dumoulin, Mollema or Kruijswijk on the podium. Sky this time have learned off all their mishaps the past years and are sending 2 guys for the GC, but still i think it won't be enough and they underperform. The Giro is not for you. Adam Yates is a hidden player for the podium, the Giro is often the plays where riders have their break-through and if things go his way, he can do some damage. Pinot is probably going to be a disappointment again, but let's see without the home pressure, how he does. And then there is one mister Vincenzo Nibali, who i'm not sure if he is going to be making an appearence. Once in a blue moon is not going to be enough. Especially now that he is not with the Astana train to pull him up. His team isn't competitive and if he really needs to be in top shape, if he want's to do something big. After all he is the only italian with a chance in the 100th edition. The whole nation is looking at him again (sorry Pozzo ) I hope the tragedy with Scarpa (RIP) puts some fire in his legs.

Not surprised about Pirazzi, always thought if there was any, he would be a leading candidate. Ruffoni is surprising and sad, because he had potential to be a good sprinter for the future.

Thank you, wouldn't know with the blackout for Bulgaria. Finally a gold medal, i wanted a title, so mission accomplished! If only i had watched the bout. I'll go back and watch when possible.

UWW site crashes for every finals session. We have one final today and it will be over, before they get their connection going. Such amateurs, i can't....

So, the second rehearsals were today for almost everyone in the first 1/2. I reckon i'd give my humble opinion on the staging and qualifiers at this point. Things are really closer and there seem to be more borderline qualifiers than usual, because of the weak year. Also it doesn't help that some countries with popular studio songs messed up the staging (Belgium, Azerbaijan) , while others made the opposite (Finland, Latvia, Moldova). The juries would play a big factor like always (yawn), but i'm not counting there part as much in my ranking. Certain qualifiers: Sweden - A perfect Sweden ESC 1.0 song, slick, polished, probably is going to win this 1/2, even from the opening position; Finland - Great staging and in an awesome position in the running order. After the trainwrecks and unmemorable songs before it, it will easily stand out; Greece - An upbeat song with a popular artist (it seems?) around many ballads. A classic Greece entry, like we have seen in the past, and because of that it would get a lot of voted, even if the juries vote it lower. Can't see Greece failing for a second year in-a-row; Poland - Great song & performance, with a nice staging. Certanly better than the other ballads. Plus big diaspora, it will go through. Borderline qualifiers (from most to least likely): Azerbaijan - A weird staging, that isn't coming so good on TV for now. Don't know if it will resonate so good with the audience, as the song should have prior to the contest. It was one of the most liked from a studio version. Portugal - This song, i don't know what to say about it. It is so unique and nothing we see hardly at all. The comments are in the two opposites all the time when it comes to it. If it resonates with the audience it could do miracles (certanly the bookies think this way), but it could just as much be ignored and not understanded. The juries would likely push it through, because it will be in their top almost certanly. Moldova - Memorable and fun staging, for a fun song, surrounded by ballads. It will stand-out for the good and i hope it qualifies, no matter how much the juries dish on it. The final needs epic Sax guy. Australia - This shouldn't qualify, because it is the blandness of the blandness stuff. I hope the novelty of voting for Australia goes away and it being in the beginning tips things for it to stay in the 1/2. Again juries would be decider probably, because EBU need big country Australia in the final; Albania - I wouldn't actually mind if this qualified. The song has grown on me and the staging looks intersting. I hope it stand-outs coming after Georgia and Australia and before Belgium and Montenegro. Definately deserves more to qualify than Australia. Likely no chance: Belgium - How? Why? Has everyone been high when coming up with the staging. Everything is a trainwreck. It will be a miracle if this qualifies and only if enough people liked the studio version and closed their eyes on the live performance. Cyprus - So bland and unmemorable, plus it is almost a copycat staging like Belgium 2015, with a worse song. It will get lost. Iceland - If they didn't qualify last year, with a far more better song, then this has no chance.. Georgia - Good singer, but the song is boring, the staging is boring, being second in the order is a curse and it will be scraping for viewer votes. Even if the juries actually throw a few votes towards Georgia it would hardly be enough. Montenegro - No, just no.. Though i'd give it that i at least smile for the lolz Czechia - Even with Montenegro in here, there is another song heading for that last place. It's just 3 dull and empty minutes. I'm sorry for the singer, because she is not bad and tries her best, but everything is bad, everything... The last three countries that didn't rehearse today and didn't watch the TV version of their performance. Armenia - Seems like a popular song, with just enough staging to go through. Seems there is enthusiasm for it and being in the end of the order will definately help it. Likely qualifier. Latvia - For me, a very fun song, with a memorable staging, that will help it a lot in this sea of blandness. Closing the 1/2 is a huge advantage, like with Armenia. Likely qualifier. Slovenia - Maybe the song that was least expected from this year, but the first rehearsal seemed good. Omar is a great singer, unlike many others and this could be a surpise if things go it's way. Again being in the end, could give it a nice chance. Borderline.

Amazing, amazing win by Dudova against the azeri girl in the 1/2 She was losing 2:8 and then 4:10 and managed an infatic comeback for 12:10.

Another silver, oh well.. You can't do anything against the russians.

Well Pulev has earned a mandatory match for the title, whether it would be interesting or not. Belive me, i know that AJ would probably knock the stars out of him, but still he deserves his shot. Especially since there have been some random champions that have benefited from the "insert number here" organizations. For me Parker isn't better than Pulev, certanly his record is worse, but because of good managing was able to snatch one of the lesser belts.

A good day for us again. Novachkov finally showing some of his potential, really great wins so far. The final with the russian would be very hard, but not impossible. I really want a gold. Ganev also did what was needed and reached the bronze medal match from that section. He was never going to beat Boltukayev, that guy is a machine. I'm not confident he can get the medal against either one of the eventual opponents. On the womens side very unfortunate for Hristova, who lost the match against the favourite Mattsson in the last 5 seconds.

[hide] Knockout Round May 4th - May 7th, 2017 8 Nations, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Bronze Medal Match, Gold Medal Match Quarterfinals Eastern Time Zone (GMT -4) Date and Venue Team 1 T1 T2 Team 2 May 4th 2017, h. 15:30, Nassau Stadium, Nassau Paraguay 1 Tahiti May 4th 2017, h. 17:00, Nassau Stadium, Nassau Brazil 2 Portugal May 4th 2017, h. 18:30, Nassau Stadium, Nassau Switzerland 1 Iran May 4th 2017, h. 20:00, Nassau Stadium, Nassau Italy 2 Senegal [/hide]

Day 2, hoping for some more medals, or preferably a title.

Oh come on.. That was so close for Taibe, but yet another mishap in her career. She deserves one gold, now 4 silver and 4 bronze from big championships And she had such a big string of wins here..

Haha Italy won a medal in womens wrestling. First time since 2009 the commentators said. Had big luck with the draw, but still deserved.

Stadnyk such a machine I'm still sad for her, for the loss in the Olympic final.

So the idiots at EA / IAAF are tuning once again the ludicrous idea of erasing all records prior to 2005 or something. I can't with these imbeciles. And it's again with the lame excuse of doping and people don't "believe" in them. Well i don't belive in Bolt's record, why not erase them too.. More so it seems like corporate suits who see their sport in a standstill and who can't market the shit out of OMG WORLD RECORD, WATCH US, WE ARE THE BEST.......... Such desperation. While their at it, why not erase the Olympic results, no World champions etc., burn the footage, like it never hapenned..

The first day begins. Livestreaming for anyone interested. https://unitedworldwrestling.org/event/european-championships-0

Not quite there for the big 3 and 0. Turned 26 last month

I'm going to throw a temper tantrum any moment. Higgins playes great snooker all tournament. Last night was ahead 10:4 and had a chance at 11:4 and since then, bam, he is nowhere. It's 12:15 now, today has been a complete disaster. Come on man, pull it together, jeezzz..

Thanks With a few omissions, our team is pretty much as expected. The big loss is going to be our Olympic bronze medalist Elitsa Yankova, who is still injured. Her place takes a new girl, who i see has won titles in the junior level and is said to be a big talent. The other absences are world champion Elis Guri and silver medalist Vladimir Dubov. For him i know he is injured, but no idea why Guri isn't in the team. Debut for our team will make a naturalized egyptian Tarek Abdelslam. I saw an interview with him and for the few months he is here and has trained, he has learned a very good bulgarian, i was impressed. Looked like a very modest kid, definately i'm a fan. Let's see how he does. The team is with old and some new faces, so i'll be mildly optimistic about the titles/medals.

Nothing that spectacular so far. Only the first 1/2 has rehearsed, but i have the feeling that this year, in addition to the weaker songs, we will have weaker staging, than what we had the last few years. Liked Latvia, Poland, Finland, Moldova and Azerbaijan from this 1/2.

2 days until the start of the European Championships and there is zero information what our team would be.

Alonso I wonder when he will have enough and just say fuck it and leave.

Hamilton only fourth in qualifying, is this real life? Too bad the other one that took his spot is Vettel. I would settle for anyone else, bar those 2 to dominate, ughh. Let's go the finish attack today. or Max if it's a weird race.

I love how the forum comes alive with these contests. Unfortunately i wasn't able to be here yesterday to join in, but was able to peep here and there to see how things went. It's a lot of fun and a bit tiring to go through 100+ pages. A big thanks to everyone that voted for Bulgaria. Next time in the Open contest, i'd make time for a larger participation, already have a few songs on my mind. Congrats to all the medalists and especially to GB and @uk12points for an excellent contest and a well deserved win after all the hard work he put in. Let's see if he will have the desire to do it all again next year. Also it is a bit strange that from all 3 medalists i didn't vote for neither of them.