Schaddenfreude

I can't help but enjoy England's humiliating elimination from the European Cup Tournament. England spends more money on futebol than any other country in the world, but all they have to show for it is a bunch of prima-donnas mixed in with some husky talentless oafs. England lost to a country with one semi-competitive club team (NK Zagreb), a population of 4.5 million, and a GDP probably equivalent to what the English spend on tea. The British have lorded it over Continental and Latin American soccer for years and use their mega-media and English language to make the United States think that England is a real soccer powerhouse. It isn't and it hasn't been for at least 40 years. They're a joke. Lousy coach, overpaid and overrated players, a few rare talents (Gerard, Ferdinand, Beckham), and an overall lack of technical skill. I am so sick of hearing the British commentators go on and on about how amazing they are and discuss 'who could possibly beat the English?' and I will enjoy hearing them lament their absence during the Euro '08 coverage.