Been there ~20 years ago, I didn’t feel too lonely being a so-called Caucasian. I remember feeling like the only non Spanish speaker in Brooklyn though…
Ethnic crimes are far more horrifying within their community. Most black people would not walk in the worst sections of NYC either, it is far more about class than race…I once basically lived in a middle class (mostly) black Maryland suburb and never felt the least bit threatened. I was probably far more uneasy around gangs of drunken white college frat boys in Washington, DC than the residents in Laurel…
One has to love Photoshop…
The perception of that matter in Poland is a bit more complex.
Podolski and Klose - born in Poland, playing for Germany. First, when they become football stars, a lot of people moaned, how could we let these guys play for Germany, such a disaster, bla bla bla…
Then, people sobered up and realised - these boys were born in Poland, that’s true, their parents are Polish or half-Polish. But they were just few years old, when they left to Germany.
They grew up there, their “environment” was German, all the football skills they learned in Germany, from German coaches. They got German friends, live in Germany, etc.
So, at the end of the day nobody wasn’t angry anymore that they played for Germany. It’s been accepted and is completely understood.
They become even more popular in Poland, especially Podolski.
But it is completely different when it comes to foreign players playing for Poland. Giving away the passports in order to get somebody to play for a national team is not right. If think a lot of people is angry with the polish FA because Poles got their pride and don’t need a foreigner to represent us. Even if our players are much worse, we don’t need a guy who knows nothing of Poland, cannot say a single word in Polish, never been there, to play for our country.
It become even more emotional when Poland was given a right to organize EUro with Ukraine. SUddenly, a number of foreign players realised they got some polish ancestors.
It’s just patethic.
I’ll get back after the game.
Come on Ireland 
I thought the most of polish girls are rather blong or light-hair…
I would say it’s all pretty mixed up. Blondes (dark and light), black haired, red as well (but much, much less).
What are the odds of leaving in a goal at the start of each half…in two games.
Out played, put classed, out of the tournament, from a positive side it will give the manager a clear view that this team will never beat Germany or Sweden.
Too bad Torres decided to score tonight…
My sources confirmed the Irish were the loudest, the most colorful, the funniest and the most cheerful fans at Euro2012.
One more game left, so still Ireland could score something.
Been 10 years since we were in tournament and it was Spain that knocked us out, World Cup 2002.
At the risk of being picky, that World Cup Spain knocked us out of was in 2000. I have the most vivid memory of watching the proceedings sitting over a late lunch in a restaurant in Santiago de Compostela where I was attending a conference. Not that I remember much else very clearly, but I think I downed a drop too much “Gran Duque de Alba” that evening … Best regards, JR.
It was 2002, South Korea, Japan and the Roy Keane incident.
Of course you’re right, dwp - sorry. Maybe my memory was affected by the wish to forget the wretched Siapan business. Or maybe it has something to do with the Endless Sameness of Copyright Conferences; I think I am still suffering from the boredom overload … Apologies, JR.
That would explain it 
Ukraine 2-1 France
Sweden 1-1 England
@downwithpeace - the Irish fans have now become virally famous for their rendering of “The Fields of Athenry” last night. Do you happen to know why our fans sing this dirge at footie matches ? Think of the “plot” of the song - a tenant farmer called Michael, caught up in the Potato Famine of the 1840s, steals some of the landlord’s corn to feed his starving family. He is caught, and sentenced to transportation to Australia, leaving his unfortunate wife, Mary, to raise their children “in liberty”. One might have thought that she should have been encouraged to deal with the starvation issue first. What has this to do with football ?
Not my favourite Famine song, in any event. My favourite Famine song goes -
“The potatoes aren’t lookin’ the best,
The potatoes aren’t lookin’ the best,
The potatoes aren’t lookin’ the best -
Looks aren’t everything, I guess …”
Go, Ding Dong Denny O’Reilly …
Yours from The Old Bog Road, JR.
By the way - from what I have seen so far, drowning, rather than defeat, is the main danger facing the Ukraine and France tonight … Yours from the Lusitania, JR.
Good bunch of fans, interestingly I found most people I talked to had high hopes and realistic expectations of how Ireland would do in that group but they were all very excited and positive about the team.
England were in Ireland’s Italia 90 Group (drew 1-1) and that’s when the song was supposedly first sung, why it stuck is another question. Also bit odd given Jack Charlton was the manager then, the most respected Irish manager ever.
I hoped Ukraine would get a draw, but opposition was tough tonight.
Another one starting just now. Expecting 2:1 for Sweden.
That’s from yesterday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmCosY56lRI
It seems there’s quite a lot sympathy among the locals towards the Irish fans. According to some news portal many people declare their support during the last game against Italy.