EPL Talk's Euro '08 Adventure: Day One

Newark isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you picture Euro 2008, but EPL Talk’s Euro ’08 Adventure has to begin somewhere. After being jarred by my 4:45am wake-up call today, I kissed the wife and kids goodbye and jumped on the plane from Palm Beach International Airport in Florida heading to New Jersey.Due to the “wonders” of modern airlines, I now have a ten hour layover until my flight leaves from Newark to Zurich. I feel like Tom Hanks in that movie where he gets stranded at the airport (“The Terminal”). I’ve been strolling around the terminal looking for a sports bar that’ll show today’s opening matches of Euro 2008. I’ve found one but it isn’t open yet.Problem is that the sports bar has just one TV set. There’s no guarantee that they even get ESPN Classic, and I’m guessing there’s some major American sports event on today that people would rather watch than soccer. I may end up calling my wife to plug in Slingbox so I can watch the Euro 2008 games from the airport via the WiFi connection.It’s hard to believe than in less than 24 hours I’ll be in Zurich. Before then, though, I have today’s matches to look forward to as well as meeting up with a new friend, Oleg Zhovnir (winner of the extra Euro 2008 ticket I have to the Italy against Holland game on Monday night in Berne).The realization that I am, in fact, going to Euro 2008 is beginning to settle in. It helps when I look at the Swiss Francs that arrived on my doorstep yesterday and of course my ticket to Monday’s match. My seat for the Italy against Holland game is near the corner flag (section A3, see seating chart).Berne’s 32,000 capacity stadium probably has the funniest name ever: Wankdorf Stadium. What’s the name of the club who plays at the ground? The aptly named BSC Young Boys.Follow my European adventure between now and Tuesday via this site. You can also follow me on Twitter.