Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Champions League Draw Contest

The draw for the knock out stages of the Champions League is Friday. So this is the chance for you to use your powers of Kreskin and let us milk some free content out it.

What could be more win-win?

Plenty. But we're still going to have a contest because few things in life rival the joy of watching old white guys watch some stage candy pull ping pong balls from a bin. So pick the most pairs correctly and you can win your very own post on Unprofessional Foul.

Groups and rules after the jump.

Group Winners: AS Roma (ITA), Panathanaikos (GRE), FC Barcelona (ESP), Liverpool FC (ENG), FC Bayern Munich (GER), FC Porto (POR), Juventus (ITA), Manchester United (ENG)

Group Runners-Up: Chelsea FC (ENG), FC Internazionale Milano (ITA), Sporting Club de Portugal (POR), Atletico Madrid (ESP), Villarreal CF (ESP), Olympique Lyonnais (FRA), Arsenal FC (ENG), Real Madrid (ESP).


Clubs from the same association must not be drawn against each other (e.g. EPL teams can't draw each other). The winners and runners-up of the same group must not be drawn against each other (i.e. you can't draw the team from your group).

For example, Barcelona can't be drawn against Atletico Madrid, Villarreal, or Real Madrid (same association—La Liga); or Sporting (runner-up from same group).

Here's the boring minutiae from the UEFA Website:

Under the draw procedure, eight blue balls containing the names of the group runners-up are placed in a bowl. A first ball is drawn from the bowl containing the group runners-up. The team drawn is placed as the home team of match 1. In accordance with the conditions of the draw, the computer will then show which group winners are eligible to play the runners-up of match 1. A bowl will be prepared with white balls containing the names of the group winners which are eligible to be drawn against the runners-up of match 1. A ball will be drawn from this bowl to complete the pairing of match 1. The team drawn is placed as the visiting team of match 1. This procedure is repeated for the remaining matches. If the computer indicates that only one group winner can be drawn, there will be no draw.


Great, now if you want to replicate the process at home, all you need are some blue balls.

Anyway, we're not even certain how we are going to break ties for our contest. We like making shit up as we go along. It gives us the latitude to be arbitrary. One thing is certain, you get no credit for predicting that Arsenal draw Barcelona, as that one is pretty much a metaphysical certainty.

The only tip I can offer is to maybe sing the Champions League anthem in your head when you are making your picks. So, pair away, put your guesses in the comments. We'll close the contest Thursday and have a winner posted after the draw.

50 comments:

The NY Kid said...

and you can win your very own post on Unprofessional Foul

This reminds me of Joep Smeets.

Shane, come back! Seriously, what happened to that dude?

Email us at said...

Roma-Real
Man Yoo- Lyon
Barca- Inter
Panathinaikos- Spartak
Liverpool-Villareal
Bayern- Sporting
Juve-Arsenal
Porto-Atletico

Unknown said...

Barca v. Arse
Man United v. Inter
LFC v. Real Madrid
Juve v. Villarreal
Roma v. Sporting
Panathan v. Atletico
Munich v. Chelsea
Porto v. Lyon

EbullientFatalist said...

Roma-Real
Panathanaikos-Lyon
Barca-Inter
Liverpool-Sshhporting
Bayern-Villareal
Porto-Spartak
Juve-Arsenal
ManPoo-Atletico

God I hope I did that right.

Magnakai Haaskivi said...

Roma-Arsenal
Barcelona-Chelsea
Liverpool-Sporting
Manchester United-Inter
Juventus-Atletico
Panathinaikos-Lyon
Bayern-Real Madrid
Porto-Villareal

I feel like I'm leaving something out.

Adam said...

Roma-Athletico Madrid
Pathaniakios-Chelsea
Barcelona-Lyon
Liverpool-Villareal
Bayern-Sporting
Porto-Real Madrid
Juventus-Arsenal
Man. United-Inter Milan
I'll be happy to get 1 right

PR, No deadspin posts anymore??

BackBergtt said...

Roma - Atletico
Pana - Arsenal
Barca - Cheslea
Pool - Inter
Bayern - Madrid
Porto - Villarreal
Juventus - Lyon
United - Sporting

Unknown said...

Roma - Arsenal
Pana - Lyon
Barca - Chelsea
LiverCunt - Real
Bayern - Sporting
Porto - Althetico
Juve - Villareal
Manu - Inter

Kopper said...

Roma-Inter
Pana-Madrid
Barca-Lyon
'Pool-Villareal
Bayern-Chelsea
Porto-Atletico
Juve-Arsenal
Man U-Sporting

Kopper said...

oops. I spaced... Roma can't be paired with Inter... Swap it to Roma-Atletico and Porto-Inter... I'm a dumbass.

Joep Smeets said...

hmmm...A contest, you say? A PRIZE, YOU SAY??

methinks me and my roommate shall have a crack at this.

Roma-Lyon
Pana- Chelsea
Barca - Arsenal
LFC - Villarreal
Bayern - Inter
Porto - Real
Juventus - Atletico
Man U - Sporting Club

Precious Roy said...

Hey Joep... Welcome back. We miss you.

Don't you have a post in the bank?

Goat said...

Roma-Villareal
Panathanaikos-Chelsea
Barca-Arsenal
Liverpool-Sporting
Bayern-Inter
Porto-Real Madrid
Juve-Atletico
ManU-OL

Also, welcome back Joep and welcome to Mr. Hasskivi. I'm glad I'm not the only one with fond memories of the Force. If I ever got to comment on Deadspin my screen name was going to be Ali Kazemainian Devil.

bergkampesdios said...

Pana - Chelsea
Man U - Sporting
Porto - Inter
Juve - Arsenal
Liverpool - Real Madrid
Roma - Villareal
Barca - Lyon
Bayern - Atletico

Goat said...

PR, he's banking all of his posts so that one day he can initiate a hostile takeover of UF.

Unknown said...

Welcome back Joep, and welcome to people from DS that realize they've given up on our wonderful sport. Please, tell your friends.

hockalees said...

Roma -- Lyon
Pana -- Villareal
Barca -- Inter
Liverpool -- Sporting
Bayern -- Chelsea
Porto -- Real
Juventus -- Arsenal
ManUtd -- Atletico

Sarah said...

Bayern - Atletico
Roma - Lyon
Panathanaikos - Arsenal
Liverpool - Real
Porto - Villareal
Barca - Chelsea
Man U - Inter
Juventus - Sporting

I'm taking World Politics final in 3 hours and I end up doing this instead of studying. I have a problem.

Precious Roy said...

Sarah... Walk into your final. Throw your shoes at the professor. Walk out of final. Get an "A" in World Politics.

Unknown said...

Roma-Atletico
Pana-Real
Barca-Chelsea
Liverpool-Villareal
ManU-Sporting
Bayern-Inter
Porto-Lyon
Juve-Arsenal

Sarah said...

PR - my professor might have appreciated that actually. He's always going on about how much Bush has screwed up the country. Drives the military kids that sit in front of me crazy, but I like him.

Joep Smeets said...

Hey Precious Roy, you dont mean to tell me you missed my incredibly insightfull Eredivisie preview earlier this year, which was the post I won with the Pick'em...?

Plus, I've never been gone, I've kept reading you guys all this time, just not commenting to much. Also, I've gotten a roommate hooked on UF, so there.

Eladio said...

I can't wait to win. I've had my post ready for UF for months, entitled "Nick Hornby, Gunnersaurus, and Me". It's killer.

Liverpool-Villarreal
Panath..that greek team-Sporting Lisbon
Porto-Inter
Juventus-Lyon
Barca-Arsenal
Munchen-Chelsea
ManUre-Real Madrid
Roma-Atletico Madrid

Sarah, I noticed you're at VT. I'm a graduate myself -- 1992. And not a VTCC member, like those "military" kids in your class. Gooner, Hokie...it doesn't get much better than that.

Fake Brian Gregory said...

Bayern Munich-Atletico Madrid
AS Roma-Lyon
Barca-Chelsea
Man U-Inter
Panathanaikos-Real Madrid
Liverpool-Sporting
Juventus-Arsenal
Porto-Villareal

BackBergtt said...

I SAW THAT

Jacob said...

I don't doubt that you did. No go look at the real one, instead of the one auto-posted by some stupid shortcut key I didn't know I hit.

Sarah said...

Eladio - No, it doesn't get much better than that! Not very common though, sadly. I've only met one other Arsenal fan here, and he doesn't really count because he's totally insane.

Nice to see another Hokie on here though! :)

The Fan's Attic said...

Roma - Arsenal
Pana - Sporting
Barca - Spartak London
Liverpool - Real
Bayern - Villareal
Porto - Inter
Juve - Lyon
ManU - Atletico

Adam said...

What do you win if you pick em all right TFA?

Cookie said...

Roma-Arsenal
Panathinaikos-Villarreal
Barcelona-Chelsea
Liverpool-Sporting
Bayern-Lyon
Manchester-Inter
Juventus-Atletico
Porto-Real Madrid

Goat said...

Sarah and Eladio, are there any soccer bars in Blacksburg that are worth making the trip up from Lynchburg?

Sarah said...

I don't know of any. But I am not of legal bar-frequenting age yet, so I'm probably not the best person to ask.

Eladio said...

Goat, the only one I can think of that might be worth it is The Underground, but that's just a guess. I live in Massachusetts, for crying out loud.

Spectator said...

Roma-Sporting Lisbon
Panathinkaikos-Chelsea
Barca-Inter
Liverpool-Real Madrid
Man U-Lyon
Bayern-Atletico
Porto-Villareal
Juve-Arsenal

Unknown said...

Oi, Spectator: we can't win our own contests!

Goat said...

Much obliged, Eladio. I'll look into it. Sarah, since when have college students let a silly little thing like their age keep them out of bars?

Goat said...

By the way, I'm giving a final right now and nobody has thrown a shoe at me yet. I'd certainly give them an A if they did so although I'm much more open to bribery.

jjf3 said...

I think I followed the rules...

ManU-Sporting
Liverpool-Real Madrid
Barca-Inter
Roma-Arsenal
Juve-Villareal
Panathanaikos-Atletico M.
Bayern-Chelski
Porto-Lyon

Kyle B. said...

For some reason, I'm utterly confident I will end up putting the exact same thing someone else did, thus ruining the elaborately thought-through tiebreakers. That said, here's me taking a bit of joy in knowing the fact I know less about soccer than many of these posters has nothing to do with me winning or losing this. The fact I am too dumb to make sure I didn't use a club twice or double check the country / group pairings is why I'll lose this.

Here goes:

Roma - Sporting
Greeks - Villareal
Barca - Lyon
Liverpool - Inter
Man U - Real
Bayern - Chelsea
Porto - Athletico
Juve - Arse

Bigus Dickus said...

Norwich V Juventus

Alright damn you!

Juve - Sporting
Roma - Villareal
Barca - Chelsea
Liverpool - Athletico
Man U - Lyon
Porto - Arsenal
Bayern - Real
Panna - Inter

Jarrett Crader said...

Chelsea- Bayern
Inter- ManU
Sporting- Liverpool
Atletico- Juventus
Vilareal- Roma
Lyon- Barca
Arsenal- Panathanaikos
Real- Porto

I simulated the draw with purple Post-It notes. Cheaper than blue balls.

BigLance said...

Roma - Ath. Madrid
Panathanaikos - Arsenal
Barca - Lyon
Liverpool - Real
Bayern - Inter
Porto - Villareal
Juve - Chelsea
Manchester - Sporting

Precious Roy said...

What I read had the draw at 11:00 GMT, which is five hours ahead of East Coast. So, we'll cut anything timestamped after 4 am to give a couple of hours cushion or in case my math sucks.

Kopper said...

I got 1 lousy match correct...

BackBergtt said...

Got em all wrong.
I am the walrus.

Bigus Dickus said...

Goo Goo..

bergkampesdios said...

Dos.
Cosmo appears to be in the lead with five. But he's French.

EbullientFatalist said...

0-8. Juuust a bit outside.

Precious Roy said...

Lots of 2's and 0's. But, yes, it appears as if Cosmo is our winner with 5 correct. Not only that, he put a beat down on the field as nobody else even got 4 right.

Unknown said...

Cosmo Rules.