Euro Sports

During the winter season biathlon is big and events will stream live with big midweek live audiences and TV followings. Don't the Europeans ever work?
http://www.eurosport.com/biathlon/

And yes, Americans can be competitive with top 30 athletes.

Of course! Scotland, England, Germany, Netherlands, France, probably in that order. :) If I am with my Dutch friends the Netherlands may bump ahead of all but Scotland. And I do route for the UK, but that is family loyalty!

Pam

A few weeks ago I was in Prague's Old Town square supporting the Czech republic playing against Canada in the semi final of the ice Hockey world Cup, there with a couple of my Czech friends watching it on the big TV screens.
We were all wearing hockey tops and mines had Jagr68 on the back.Sadly the Czechs got beat 2-0.
I support Dukla Prague as my Czech football team.
Tomorrow Scotland play Republic of Ireland in a qualifying game for next years European championship,I will be supporting my home nation

I arrived in Berlin on the night train a couple of weeks ago pure chance when Wolfsburg was playing Borrussia Dortmund for the championship. No wonder the hotels and Pensionen were all booked when I tried to reserve. I was disappointed that Wolfsburg won when I hardly saw anyone wearing that team's T-shirt, quite the contrary with Dortmund, whose numerous fans were showing off their yellow T-shirts.

Sorry to be a nit picker Fred but Borussia Dortmund did not play Wolfsburg for the championship. They played them for the German Cup. The championship (bundesliga) is won by the team with the most points at the end of the season. This year it was Bayern Munich, yet again.

I became a fan of Adler Mannheim (ice hockey) when I lived in the area.

Quickstep was my cycling team, although they seem to add and subtract a secondary sponsor every year (they're now apparently Etixx-Quickstep).

I also used to enjoy watching the weekly ski events during the winter, although I never latched onto one particular athlete.

I found some world-class canoe racing from Duisberg, Germany on TV the other day, it was pretty cool. They really fly with two men/women in a boat.

The race starts at about 1:30 in this five minute video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nywm5LEGDo

Also, it was nice to see French cyclist Julien Alaphilippe win the final stage of the Tour of California this year on Mount Baldy. It means something to me since being to France a couple of times, not quite sure why.

Edit: Tom, I realize now that Alaphilippe is on Etixx-Quickstep, to boot.

It means something to me since being to France a couple of times, not quite sure why.

That is the very kind of reaction I found myself having which is why I asked my original question. After having been to Iceland, I found myself cheering along with the Icelandic soccer team, and I wasn't really sure why. Speaking of, it's pretty awesome to see them on top of their Euro 2016 Qualifying Group right now.

Thanks for the information on the German Cup. One must be accurate in the description. I saw a good number of these Dortmund fans on the train I was on.

Borussia Dortmund have great fans.

I was bummed when the Euskaltel-Euskadi cycling team went under at the end of 2013. They were the one World squad that always had such a distinct identity and the orange army is missed.

This year, I'm on the MTN-Qhubeka-Samsung bench. First African registered team on the Pro Continental level (apparently the old Barolworld team, though South African -sponsored was registered in Europe). They're getting wild card entries to the big dances and their tour squad of plucky discards from other teams is riding like they've got a chip on their shoulders and is capable of some exciting racing.

I hear you, selkie, the Euskatel team was exciting to watch, and the African team this year makes the world a bit smaller. Speaking of underdogs, I have greatly enjoyed watching Nairo Quintana tear it up over the last few years. Looks like he and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) will make a great TDF 2015 combo. Quintana gave Wiggo and Froome plenty to think about in 2013...

Yessssssssssss!!! My sister caught the soccer bug the first time we went to Europe in 2009, and it took me a while but now with any sport involving any European country, we suddenly forget who we are. I was #TeamFrance during last year's world cup, and she was #TeamSpain but with their quick departure she joined Brazil. During the Olympics, we usually both stick with Italy since it was the first European country we ever visited. I honestly never cheer for America on any international sports level, unless it's basketball because, really, why set yourself, up for failure by rooting for anyone else? I do like individual athletes tho. I so wanted Shaun White to get those 3 medals and I adore Ryan Locate. Otherwise, it's deaf rooting for some place I am not even remotely afflicted with :)