Interview with Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl

I had a chance to speak with Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated before today's games on the progress of Euro 2008. This isn't an exact transcript, and I didn't have a recorder, as I was on lunch break from my real job, but here are his thoughts, more or less.

SMA: Let's talk about the Group of Death first, specifically Holland's shocking 3-0 win over Italy, where they never let up, even late in the game when they had a two-goal lead. Will the Dutch continue to play their relentless style if they're up one goal in a must-win game? What are your thoughts on playing that way in a game down the road?

Grant Wahl: Honestly, they may get slightly more conservative in that situation, but not much more. That's just the way the Dutch play the game. Style matters to them. When I covered Euro 2000 (co-hosted by the Netherlands) over there, I remember watching Johann Cruyff comment on Dutch TV about the way the Dutch national team played just as much as the final score. It's not just about winning for them, it's about winning in an entertaining way. I'm not sure that getting defensive with a lead would be the best thing for this team. Packing it in in soccer is like the prevent defense in the NFL, and I'm not a big fan of the prevent defense, either, playing not to lose. We saw the Russians use the same style yesterday from the start of their game against Spain, and it's no coincidence that their coach is Dutch.

SMA: Out of Groups A, B and D, what team who lost their first game is most likely to get through to the quarters?

GW: Russia played good soccer yesterday, they just had some bad screwups. Hiddink called some of it "grade school play" after the game. Until they gave up that second goal, they were in that game, and could have equalized. I think they're one of the better attacking teams in the tournament and can do well in their final game. Austria and Switzerland have been unlucky too. They're playing for pride's sake, and I see at least one of them getting a win in their next game. I'd say one of those three teams has the best chance out of the teams with 0 points thus far.

SMA: Speaking of the co-hosts, who got a worse break: the Austrians with the PK that was (for Croatia) or the Swiss with the PK that wasn't (for them)?

GW: Both were pretty tough. Looking at Austria-Croatia, it wasn't a very hard foul, and there was no threat to score in the corner of the box there. I think refs have to take into account the time and place of the game when they call a PK--that wasn't the right time or place or situation to call that for a few reasons. With the Swiss game, it was a missed call with a guy whose arm was completely upraised. It wasn't by his side, it was up in the air, like he was trying to hail a cab. Both were equally tough, but the handball might have been slightly more egregious.

SMA: Have you seen anything at the top of the bracket that would deter you from your semifinal pick of Portugal-Germany?

GW: Not really. Portugal and Germany are pretty clearly the class of that side of the bracket. It's a really lopsided bracket with so much talent on the other side.

SMA: How would the U.S. do, based on what you've seen in their recent three-game stretch, in this competition?

GW: It would be a rough go. There are so many good teams in Europe, and so much of it would depend on the draw. We've seen them play well on European soil, winning games at Poland and Switzerland, but we've also seen them outclassed by England recently. Could I envision the U.S. getting out of, say, Group B? Maybe. Germany and Croatia are the class of that field, it'd still be very tough. There are very few truly weak groups at any Euro tourney.

SMA: Portuguese coach Luis Felipe Scolari is Gene Hackman's long lost brother, as you've mentioned before. What Hackman character is Scolari most like, and what is your favorite Gene Hackman film?

GW: (Laughs) Coach Norman Dale (Hoosiers) would have to be up there, he's probably most like him. As far as Gene Hackman goes, I'm a big movie guy, not a huge Gene Hackman guy, though. I guess I'd say my favorite film of his is The French Connection.

SMA: You kept Louisville's basketball team in the Magic Eight all year last year, taking a lot of heat for it at one point. With Earl Clark returning, do you see the Cards in your Magic Eight of 2009?

GW: Potentially. I really like Terrence Williams, having him is just as big a deal as having Earl Clark back. If those guys can play well, Edgar Sosa gets his head screwed on straight, they can be very good.

Thanks for the interview, Grant! We'll speak with him again on Saturday, let me know if you have a question for him.