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Post by Rajiv on May 19, 2012 10:42:05 GMT 8
.... I'll start a new thread on Euro 2012, with a poll included. And how about a psychic llama? I've added a poll. It will close after the first round of matches.
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Post by Foo Cheong on May 25, 2012 15:48:25 GMT 8
Prediction aid 1: Nicholas, the llama www.metro.co.uk/sport/oddballs/899432-football-loving-psychic-llama-predicts-chelsea-champions-league-gloryFootball loving 'psychic' llama predicts Chelsea Champions League glory Move aside Paul the Octopus, a football mad llama has been tipped to become the next match-predicting global phenomenon after correctly guessing the result of the FA Cup final. But will his Champions League prediction also come true? The South American llama currently lives at Ashdown Llama Park in east Sussex and has tipped Roberto Di Matteo's Chelsea side to defeat German giants Bayern Munich in the upcoming Champions League final. His owners discovered the domesticated animal's unique talent for predicting the successful outcome of football matches earlier this month. After struggling to agree on the outcome of the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Liverpool, the park owners decided they would leave it to the llama to pick the result instead. The llama is given the option of picking between two coloured balls placed on top of two wooden polls which represent each side. To signal his choice, the llama, whose favourite player of all-time is bushy haired Colombian footballing legend Carlos Valderrama, head-butts his chosen ball of its stand. 'We always knew there was something special about him,' revealed Linda Johnson, owner of the llama park. 'He has always been an opinionated character and has a love of football – his favourite player is fellow South American, Carlos Valderrama. 'He’s attracted so much attention at the park since the last match, so who knows what will happen if he gets it right again!' The park will ask the mystic llama to predict the results of England’s Euro group matches this summer if he calls the correct result this weekend.
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Post by Foo Cheong on May 25, 2012 15:50:16 GMT 8
Prediction aid 2: Citta, the elephant www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1653309/Polish-elephant-to-sniff-out-Euro-2012-winsElephant to sniff out Euro 2012 winsAn elephant in Poland is set to sniff out winners in the Euro 2012 football championships, using her trunk where Germany's Paul the Octopus used his wily arms to prophesy for the 2010 World Cup. Citta, a 33-year-old female elephant from a zoo in the southern Polish city of Krakow, will make her first tournament prophecy on June 6, two days before the kick-off of the 16-nation contest co-hosted this year by Poland and Ukraine. "During her meet-and-greet with the media, she swallowed a football: it was leather not plastic and had no adverse effect on her digestive system," Krakow zoo director Teresa Grega told AFP on Thursday. "Citta already successfully predicted the result of the Champions League and Chelsea's win against Bayern Munich," Grega added. With fruit for her crystal ball, Citta will call the outcome of the June 8 Poland-Greece match at the Warsaw National Stadium by picking between three apples -- two labelled with country names and the third in case of a tie. The Indian-born elephant -- who spent twenty-odd years in a German circus before moving to Austria, Spain and Krakow in 2006 -- appears to really enjoy football, according to Grega. In 2010, Paul the Octopus became the world's most famous mollusk when he foretold the results of every match played by Germany at the World Cup in South Africa, as well as Spain's victory against the Netherlands in the final. Paul has since died, leaving it up to Citta to take up the animal-soothsayer mantel in Poland, while co-host Ukraine has chosen a pig in capital Kiev to divine outcomes. Getting in on the animal act too are a sausage dog called Sissi and Rossi an octopus, both from Germany, and Nicholas, an English-based llama.
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Post by Foo Cheong on May 25, 2012 15:54:22 GMT 8
Prediction aid 3: a pig www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1651575/Psychic-pig-to-make-Euro-tips'Psychic' pig to make Euro tipsKIEV (Reuters) - A psychic pig is set to take over where Paul the Octopus left off at the 2010 World Cup by predicting the results of matches at the European championships in Ukraine and Poland. KIEV (Reuters) - A psychic pig is set to take over where Paul the Octopus left off at the 2010 World Cup by predicting the results of matches at the European championships in Ukraine and Poland. Kiev's city government said on Friday it would wheel out the porky tipster to give daily forecasts once the tournament kicks off next month. "A unique oracle hog, a real Ukrainian pig and a psychic which knows the mysteries of football," a statement said. "Every day at 16.00 it will predict the result of the upcoming match." Paul, who has since passed away, shot to fame at the 2010 World Cup after his feeding behaviour was used to correctly predict the winner of each of the Germany's seven matches. He also tipped World Cup winners Spain to beat the Netherlands in the final in South Africa from his tank at an aquarium in Oberhausen. Kiev officials said they wanted bring similar excitement to Ukrainians by bringing the telepathic pig to the city's fan zone before matches. 'Psychic' creatures have become the rage since Paul blazed his tentacled trail. A rare two-headed tortoise called Magdalena embarked on a new career as a tipster at last year's ice hockey world championships in Slovakia. Germany discovered a cross-eyed opossum called Heidi, who made an appearance on American television earlier this year to predict the Oscar winners. She died last September. The hog will be eager to sniff out the correct result himself to avoid the chop as pork is a staple of the local cuisine.
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Post by Reza on Jun 1, 2012 12:47:02 GMT 8
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 20, 2012 18:49:24 GMT 8
2 votes for Germany, 1 for France.
Now the group stage is over, I've re-opened the poll until the start of the quarterfinals.
Ignore the countries that are already out.
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Post by Rajiv on Jun 22, 2012 18:15:37 GMT 8
Portugal are the first team through to the semifinals, but still only 4 votes for Germany and 1 for France. No point waiting for the rest of the quarterfinals - by then, there will only be 4 teams left. I've locked the poll again.
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Post by Babs on Jun 22, 2012 18:42:47 GMT 8
Quite surprised that no one have backed Spain?! Reigning World & European Champions & ominous signs that they are slowly getting into their groove as this tournament progresses!
I didn't vote but felt at the start it would be Germany winning over Spain in the final. I have a funny feeling also that England could do a 'Chelsea & Greece' style shock where they bore and fluke their way through to the title!
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Post by Babs on Jun 29, 2012 13:45:12 GMT 8
What did I say about Spain?!?!?!
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Post by Rajiv on Jul 2, 2012 3:04:53 GMT 8
But the only votes were for Germany and France, and neither are in the final. Not that many voted of course. There was mention earlier on TV that Italy last won the European Championships in 1968, 2 years after having had a crap World Cup, and the last time Manchester City were English champions. They could also have mentioned that Manchester United were runners up, and English champions the year before, while the European club champions were English. And no holders have won the tournament next time out - the Soviet Union (1960, 1964) and West Germany (1972, 1976) both lost when, as holders, they reached the finals again the next time out. And Spain's triumph last time out, in 2008, was 44 years after their only previous triumph in 1964. They were succeeded by Italy four years later in 1968. If Italy win, it will be their first triumph since their only previous triumph in 1968, 44 years ago, when they succeeded Spain as European champions. And they would be succeed Spain again. If they're going to find historical patterns, I do wish they'd make more effort to be comprehensive.
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