In Europe, they take their "futbol" seriously. To my American readers, you may know this by another name, soccer. Whatever the name, it still bores me to death and I believe the only reason it enjoys such immense world-wide popularity is because you don't need much equipment to play. I'm sure they are still making soccer balls out of pig bladders in some parts of the world.

This weekend, the Eurocup 2008 tournament to determine European soccer supremacy kicks off in Vienna. Poland has qualified and will face Germany as their first round opponent on Sunday. You don't need the History channel to understand the precarious relationship between these two countries. Poles are still slightly bitter about that whole Nazi invasion / Holocaust thing. And the Germans try to distance themselves as much as possible from this tragic chapter in its country's history and are sensitive when it comes up in casual conversation.


So you can imagine the controversy generated by the cover of the popular Polish tabloids, Super Express and Fakt, a few days ago. They brutally depict Polish coach
Leo Beenhakker beheading the German captain wearing a Prussian helmet. On the other cover, he hoists the heads of the captain and coach as blood drips from his gruesome trophies. So much for sensitivity in journalism.

The funny thing is that Beenhakker is Dutch. In my limited experiences with the Dutch, I have found them to be a fun-loving people who would never behead somebody. Beenhakker apologized to the German people for an "awful thing done by weird and dirty and sick people." Well stated Coach. Should be a good match, but Poland is the overwhelming underdog in this one since they have never defeated the Germans in international play.

Have a good weekend!