Era of the New Majority

[KingSweden]

March 2024: Heinrich now is officially trailing both Sandoval and Cotton in the RCP average, but he maintains positivity and is hitting the trail aggressively, particularly in Western states where Sandoval would have the greatest advantage. A cruise ship sinks in the port of Miami, causing a major headache for local authorities. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell passes away at 86. Senior Democrats start to privately worry about Heinrich and discuss swapping Kirsten Gillibrand out for a more exciting running mate.

March 2024 (continued): In Spanish snap elections, Rivera's Ciudadanos - applauded in Spain for the hard line on secession and its efforts to stamp out corruption - wins an absolute majority, an event thought unthinkable just a few months earlier. It is a major blow to Catalonian nationalists, who were hoping to get a weaker, more pliable government to force concessions out of. Presidents Park and Hu announce their goal of a united Korea by December 1, 2025, a move seconded by Heinrich. In the Russian Presidential election, dissident Alexei Navalny is elected in a split field, enraging the deep state and sending the Russian stock market collapsing. Senior intelligence figures around the world worry that the liberal Navalny's election will cause the further destabilization of Russia.

And now, for Sports: NFL quarterback Cam Newton retires at 35. In the UEFA Champions League, the following teams advance to the quarterfinal: Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Roma, Man City, West Ham United, Arsenal, and Borussia Dortmund.

[KingSweden]

Super Tuesday - March 26, 2024

Winner-take-contests begin with this 20-state extravaganza that will mark the (state-wise) halfway point of the primary.

Sandoval is the decisive winner of Super Tuesday, and it is now likely (but not mathematically) impossible for him to be overtaken. A preponderance of Southern states splits up the votes among Cotton, Sasse and Mulvaney, allowing Sandoval to narrowly win pluralities in many states he normally would not have won in a one-on-one contest (similar to the 1988 Democratic Super Tuesday). The results are as follows:

Brian Sandoval:

New York
Vermont
Connecticut
Massachusetts
New Jersey
Illinois
North Dakota
Kentucky
Montana
Utah
Idaho
California
North Carolina
Georgia
Tennessee
Missouri
Arizona
New Mexico
Minnesota

Tom Cotton:

Arkansas
Alabama
Louisiana
Oklahoma

Ben Sasse

Nebraska
Kansas

It is a major blow to both Sasse and Cotton (but particularly Cotton, who had momentum after Florida) that neither can perform outside of their home regions. It is an extra crushing loss for Mulvaney, who places no higher than third in any state but Alabama, where he comes second. Mulvaney drops out that night and endorses Cotton, seen as a middle-finger to Sasse, who had been very critical of Mulvaney's gubernatorial record.

In the days immediately following Sandoval's blowout Super Tuesday, endorsements start rolling in for a man who is almost assured the nomination, though a tour of Midwestern primary states and a few major caucuses remain in April before the final contests in May. Sasse announces he will not drop out quite yet, hoping to consolidate more support at the remaining caucuses and that conservatives will start to turn against Sandoval, enraging the Cotton camp.

[KingSweden]

April 2024: Some modestly good news for Heinrich - a stronger jobs report in March coupled with news that there was 1.1% growth in Q1 means that technically speaking, the recession is sort of over, but don't tell that to the voters. The Dow continues to hover between 12,000 and 13,000. Conservatives start to panic when at a case reviewing campaign finance law the Supreme Court starts to indicate it might gut Citizens United. Former President Bill Clinton has heart surgery again, taking him off of the sidelines for much of the campaign. Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid dies in Las Vegas at 84.

April 2024 (continued): Europe continues to grapple with recession and secession. Fighting breaks out in Kosovo over whether to push more aggressively for independence, with a younger, more ideological generation on both sides remembering little of war. Alexei Navalny survives two assassination attempts in his first month as President and faces a United Russia-controlled Duma with little singular leadership but an angry constituency refusing to accept the end of Putinism. Navalny, in a speech in St. Petersburg, declares that "The siege is over. It is time for Russia to open to the world at long last." Reports emerge that senior military and intelligence officials may be conspiring with aging oligarchs to stage a coup - what is called the "Gray Bloc" for their uniforms and hair color. Former Busan Mayor Suh Byung-soo is appointed to govern the NATO-controlled "Northern Korea-Pyongyang Territory" and begin preparations for the merger. Locals are mixed between elation, confusion and anger over the coming uniting of Korea.

And now, for Sports: The "Year of the Tar Heel" does not continue as North Carolina is bounced from the NCAA Tournament in the Elite Eight by the eventual winner, Kansas. In the UCL, Roma defeats Atletico, Real Madrid defeats West Ham, Inter Milan defeats Arsenal, and Borussia Dortmund defeats Man City.

[KingSweden]

Washington and Maine Caucuses - April 9, 2024

Both of these caucus states back Sandoval, in what should be seen as no surprise due to his ideological profile. Sandoval makes a serious investment in Maine despite neither Cotton or Sasse being a major threat there, with an eye on the general election and that swingy electoral vote in the 2nd District.

Michigan/Wisconsin/Ohio Primary - April 23, 2024

These three states team up to flex the full muscle of the Midwest in one go, which benefits Sandoval, who sweeps all three states and wins all of the delegates, now within striking distance of the total he needs to win completely after 30 states have voted nearing "Mini Super Tuesday" the first week of May.

[KingSweden]

Indian General election, May 2024

After a decade of haphazard and piecemeal reform under Narendra Modi, India is electing a new government. The BJP wins another term without a majority, requiring a coalition government with Aam Aadmi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which gains 10 seats in the Lok Sabha. Manohar Parrikar becomes the new Prime Minister.

South Africa general election, May 2024

Mmusi Maimane leads the Democratic Alliance to another majority as the ANC continues to devour itself with infighting and an inability to reform itself. The DA's win is seen as another blow to the political style of the ANC, as Maimane campaigns vigorously in both black and white neighborhoods.

European election, May 2024

Another disaster for establishment parties, as the far right and populists carve up major victories once again and place them in a position to join fading social democrats to block most any austerity measures in the European Parliament. Fillon, Osborne and Rivera are now juxtaposed against Kraft, Renzi and Krakowski in Europe's six most major economies.

[KingSweden]

Mini Super Tuesday - May 7, 2024

Twelve states vote all on one day, and Sandoval needs only a small number of delegates to put the nomination contest behind him. And he is in luck - Sandoval wins eleven of twelve to push himself over the number of delegates he needs and is the 2024 Republican nominee!

Brian Sandoval

Oregon
Alaska
Hawaii
Pennsylvania
Texas
Virginia
Maryland
South Dakota
Wyoming
Indiana
Rhode Island

Tom Cotton

Mississippi

[KingSweden]

May 2024: Labor unions countrywide stage major walkouts on May Day to bring attention to stagnant wages and rising unemployment. Heinrich admits in a speech that, "People are hurting, but Congress won't do anything about it!" Both political parties continue to sink in their approvals, and Heinrich has now hit 38% in some polls. Democrats start to steel themselves for what could be an ugly six-month march to the election, though Republican recruiting for Congressional races hasn't been the best either.

May 2024 (continued): The elections in Europe scare leaders there enormously. Osborne gives a high-security speech in Edinburgh where he implores the people of Scotland to, "Lay down your weapons and engage in a conversation about the future of this country." A massive earthquake hits the Philippines, killing 11,000 people. Israeli airstrikes in what was once Syria are stepped up, both in Alawite territory and in Anbar. Jordanian soldiers are leading refugee resettlement efforts and Turkish authorities near a deal with Kurds on multiple autonomous provinces rather than one Kurdish entity.

And now, for Sports: Roma and Inter Milan advance to face one another in the Champions League final in Bucharest. After a scoreless regular time, Inter striker Daniele Paolini scores on a free kick and then teammate Kenedy scores on a header to give Inter the 2-0 win needed to earn their fourth European Cup, winning in an all-Italian final over rivals Roma. They are the first champion since PSG in 2018 to not be from England. It is a major win for Andrea Pirlo, their manager.

In the Europa League, battered powerhouse Liverpool recovers from their group stage exit to dominate the tournament, not losing a single game and posting six clean sheets, including a final where they paste Napoli 4-0, with Morales scoring a hat trick to give them a Europa League title, the third straight year and fourth year out of five an English side has won the honor.

In domestic competitions, West Ham continues their recent run of tremendous success in the wake of Chelsea's decline and their rise to prominence by winning the Premier League for the first time in club history. The other top four spots are taken by local rival Arsenal, the surprising Newcastle United, and Man City, with Liverpool falling to sixth in a down year. PSG wins their third straight double and fifth straight Ligue One in France; Sporting CP wins a fifth Portuguese title and a second straight double; Schalke 04 stuns the Bundesliga by beating Bayern on the last day to win the league while Borussia takes the DFB-Pokal; Atletico wins La Liga while Valencia upsets Real Madrid for the Copa del Rey; and Inter Milan makes it a beautiful double with a second-straight Serie A title while Lazio wins the Coppa Italia on penalties over hated rival Roma, which ends the season dejected after placing second in three races. In England, Liverpool makes a double with an FA Cup win, while Newcastle United wins a second straight League Cup.

[KingSweden]

June 2024: Another hot summer bears down on the country. Heinrich starts to recover slightly in the polls as his campaign kicks into higher gear, but he is still suffering from voter frustration and the cheery, optimistic and difficult-to-attack Sandoval operation, which is clobbering him in Western swing states and ramping up operations in the crucial Midwest and Florida. Republicans are given a massive blow when in a 5-4 decision, with Costa in dissent, the liberals on the Court overturn most of Citizens United while leaving McCutcheon in place. Though liberals celebrate the ruling, Republican campaign coffers still have a serious advantage over Democratic candidates at the time and the outside groups had been seeing diminishing returns for years as it was.

June 2024 (continued): Motorcycle gangs loyal to Russian deep state officials start terrorizing pro-Navalny protests. Navalny's plane is nearly shot down when he is heading to a visit in China, and there are massive counter-protests by former Putin supporters. As the Russian economy is still suffering a deep recession, it looks increasingly likely that the massive state is on the verge of collapse. The violent standoff in Scotland continues, but in Spain Rivera scores a major win when he gets Galician and Basque leaders to sign off on a sweeping reform that will grant their territories more power with 'snap-back' provisions should they ever hold "unconstitutional" referendums. It is a clear attack on Catalonian separatism. Talks in Turkey collapse and Kurdish fighters retake arms as yet another conflagration emerges in the Middle East. It should be noted that Iran's Kurds have none of these issues.

And now, for Sports: The Milwaukee Bucks, playing in their fourth straight NBA Finals and aiming for a threepeat, face the Minnesota Timberwolves in a rematch of their epic 2021 series. This series once again goes to seven games, with four ending in overtime and three featuring buzzer-beaters, and the Wolves win their second championship, denying Jabari Parker and the Bucks a threepeat. Andrew Wiggins is once again Finals MVP. In NHL hockey, the Edmonton Oilers lose once again on yet another trip to the Stanley Cup finals as they are defeated in six games by the New Jersey Devils.

[KingSweden]

The Sandoval Veepstakes

Taking odds on who Brian Sandoval should - or is likely - to pick as his VP.

Walker Stapleton 3/1

At the top of the list is apparently Walker Stapleton, the moderate governor of Colorado, who would be an ideological and regional fit for Sandoval with overtones of Clinton/Gore in '92. Stapleton is thought to be unlikely to decline the offer if it is made, and the donors backing Sandoval are already familiar with the young Coloradans profile.

Josh Romney 4/1

A similar choice to Stapleton, Romney is even more of a pragmatist and is part of the same network of donors and supporters Sandoval is already tapped into, and the Romney name is well-regarded in GOP circles. The reason he may be a slot below Stapleton, however, is that Sandoval is said to prefer a Governor as his running mate and Sandoval is concerned about the "vulture capitalist" attacks that tarred Romney's father in 2012 to be resurrected. The play it safe approach has worked so far for Sandoval, and is unlikely to end now.

Tom Cotton 6/1

There is a thread of thinking within the Republican Party that combining the top-finisher and runner-up is the best approach to take, with fond memories of Reagan-Bush in 1980. This is unlikely for two reasons - Sandoval clearly dislikes Cotton, and Cotton does nothing to appeal to voting groups outside of the Republican Party tent as a socially conservative, national security hawk from the South. However, Cotton is thought of highly within the party and there may be pressure from RNC officials to form a unity ticket.

Kristi Noem 8/1

Noem is a Governor and a woman, which would be two big appeals to the Sandoval camp - and, to top it off, she's close politically to Senate Majority Leader John Thune. However, her state is small and there could be a "Palin effect" by picking her. Another unlikely choice.

[KingSweden]

UEFA Euro 2024

Three-time winner Germany hosts the Euro competition at home in Germany for the first time in 36 years.

Group A

Germany
Slovenia
Russia
Northern Ireland

Germany triumphantly marches out a sterling team entering the competition ranked No. 2 in the world at the opening match in Munich against Northern Ireland, whom they conquer 5-0 in an absolute drubbing. 34-year old captain Thomas Muller scores first at 11', and then goals are added by Julian Brandt (24', 28'), Mats Köhlert (50') and Thomas Weldman (74'). It is a massive, pace-setting win for the hosts. In the other match, Slovenia upsets Russia when young prodigy Jan Pusilic scores two goals in quick succession to effect a 2-0 victory in Dortmund.

The next match sees Germany face down Slovenia, whom they defeat 1-0 with a score by Max Meyer at 14'. In the other match, Russia goes down to Northern Ireland when Tottenham star Gordie McElwain scores on a penalty at 60', essentially bouncing Russia from the tournament.

On the final matchday, Germany takes down Russia 2-0, with Meyer and Billy Dreyfuss scoring, and Slovenia takes second in the group after defeating Northern Ireland 1-0, once again behind phenom Pusilic.

Final Standings:

Germany 9
Slovenia 6
Northern Ireland 3
Russia 0

Goals:

Brandt (Germany) 2
Meyer (Germany) 2
Pusilic (Slovenia) 2
Muller (Germany) 1
Köhlert (Germany) 1
Dreyfuss (Germany) 1
Weldman (Germany) 1
McElwain (NI) 1
Kasparov (Russia) 1

Group B

Italy
Serbia
Norway
Georgia

Italy - with players like Verratti, Immobile, Florenzi and young superstar Daniele Paolini - are tournament favorites along with Germany, France and Spain. Their campaign gets off to a disastrous start against Georgia, however, when goalkeeper Giorgi Makaridze stops twelve shots on goal by the Azzurri to effect a 0-0 draw in the first game ever played in a major tournament by Georgia. In the other match, meanwhile, Serbia superstar goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic, who has helped make Borussia Dortmund a dominant European club with his play in net, deflects every shot on goal made by Norway's star forwards Martin Odegaard and Klas Oskarssen and sets up Atletico star Andrija Zivkovic to slip a goal past Norway keeper Rossbach to win 1-0.

The next match - Italy vs. Norway - does not go well for Italy either, as Odegaard slips a freak goal past Italy and Roma star Simeone Scuffet and the Italy attack is once again stymied in a head-scratcher, failing to score for the second straight game as Norway wins 1-0. Georgia is defeated by Serbia, meanwhile, falling 1-0 as Filip Jankovic, the other big Serbian star, scores on a late penalty to give Serbia 6 points and guarantee them a spot in the next round for the first time since 2000.

Italy, needing a win over Serbia and a draw by Georgia and Norway to even have a chance at the next round, lays yet another egg as the vaunted Azzurri defense collapses, allowing both Jankovic and Stefan Milosevic scores late in the game after leading 1-0 most of the match thanks to an early Paolini penalty. With the loss, Italy is bounced in the group stage for the first time since 2004. Norway, meanwhile, defeats Georgia 1-0 thanks to a score by - who else - Martin Odegaard.

Standings:

Serbia 9
Norway 6
Italy 1
Georgia 1

Goals:

Jankovic (Serbia) 2
Odegaard (Norway) 2
Zinkovic (Serbia) 1
Milosevic (Serbia) 1
Paolini (Italy) 1

[Maxwell]

Are there are any dark horses in the VP-stakes?

[KingSweden]

UEFA Euro 2024

Group C

France
Sweden
Austria
Bulgaria

France, the defending champion, dispatches Bulgaria in their opening match thanks to two scores by budding star Paul Blondin. In the other match, Swedish captain Valmir Berisha scores one goal to effect a draw against Austria after the ageless David Alaba scores on at 5'.

In the next match, Austria defeats Bulgaria 3-0 thanks to scores by Alaba and youngsters Johann Balder and Kristoffer Klaue. Meanwhile, in Berlin, France beats Sweden 1-0 with a score by Anthony Martial.

In the final round of matches, Sweden draws Bulgaria 1-1 with Tychonev's strike being matched by Sweden's Engvall late. Austria, meanwhile, loses to France 2-0 behind scores by Blondin and captain Paul Pogba.

Standings:

France 9
Austria 4
Sweden 2
Bulgaria 1

Goals:

Blondin (France) 3
Alaba (Austria) 2
Pogba (France) 1
Martial (France) 1
Klaue (Austria) 1
Balder (Austria) 1
Berisha (Sweden) 1
Engvall (Sweden) 1
Tychonev (Bulgaria) 1

Group D

Belgium
Iceland
Czech Republic
Ukraine

Defending runner-ups Belgium square off against Ukraine in the first match in Hamburg as heavy favorites, only to suffer a massive upset as Bayern star Viktor Kovalenko scores twice on star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and the Belgian attack never recovers from the two early scores (17', 27'). Iceland, meanwhile, draws Czech Republic 0-0.

Belgium steadies the ship the next time around, defeating Czech Republic 2-1 with Zakaria Bakkali scoring twice for the Red Devils while CR adds a late penalty past a clearly underperforming Courtois - the man who once kept 9 out of 10 clean sheets in 2020 Euro qualifying - thanks to young Czech striker Daniel Rabcek. In the other game, Ukraine draws Iceland 1-1 with Kovalenko adding his third goal of the tournament and Iceland veteran Sigborsson scoring late to prevent another loss.

Heading into the last weekend, Belgium gets their big win they need by defeating Iceland 1-0 thanks to a penalty by Christian Benteke. CR, meanwhile, loses to Ukraine thanks to an own-goal by Czech defender Filip Novak, ending in a 1-0 debacle.

Standings:

Ukraine 7
Belgium 6
Iceland 2
Czech Republic 1

Goals:

Kovalenko (Ukraine) 3
Bakkali (Belgium) 2
Benteke (Belgium) 1
Sigbursson (Iceland) 1
Rabcek (CR) 1
Novak (CR) 1 (o.g.)

[KingSweden]

Are there are any dark horses in the VP-stakes?

Let's say... Tim Scott, Ben Sasse (thank you for that by the way, I think that improved the timeline), Rob Woodall, maybe Richard Hudson.

[KingSweden]

UEFA Euro 2024

Group E

England
Poland
Portugal
Finland

Group favorites England stumble in their first game by drawing Finland 0-0, failing to generate any offense. Portugal, meanwhile, scores three times in a rout of Poland, with Bruma, Gelson and Carlo all scoring to take pole position in the group.

Portugal continues their terrific form by beating England 1-0 in a game much less competitive than the score would indicate, with veteran Bruma scoring the winner. In the other match, meanwhile, Poland's long, slow decline continues as Finland wins 2-0, with scores coming from Ola Selamme and Timu Koiloinen.

In the final matches, England knocks out sad-sack Poland 1-0 thanks to a late score by Eddie Russell. Portugal, meanwhile, blows out Finland 2-0 with two scores by budding starlet Carlo pushing them to 9 points in the group.

Standings:

Portugal 9
Finland 4
England 4
Poland 0

Goalscorers:

Carlos (Portugal) 3
Bruma (Portugal) 2
Gelson (Portugal) 2
Selamme (Finland) 1
Koiloinen (Finland) 1
Russell (England) 1

Group F

Spain
Croatia
Switzerland
Denmark

Group favorites Spain start off on the right foot beating Switzerland 1-0 thanks to a score by star Oliver. Croatia, meanwhile, beats Denmark 1-0 with a score by mega-star Kovacic.

Next games, Switzerland draws Denmark 0-0 while Spain beats Croatia 2-0, with young Spanish forward Toto scoring to open play and then Borja Mayoral scores at 71' to give the favorites breathing room.

Last round in the group stage, Croatia wins over Switzerland 1-0 thanks to Alen Halilovic and Spain wins their third match 2-0 over Denmark with scores by the "two Torres" - Atletico team Oliver and Toto.

Standings:

Spain 9
Croatia 6
Switzerland 1
Denmark 1

Goalscorers:

Oliver (Spain) 2
Toto (Spain) 2
Mayoral (Spain) 1
Kovacic (Croatia) 1
Halilovic (Croatia) 1

[KingSweden]

UEFA Euro 2024

Top four third-place teams:

Northern Ireland (Group A) 3
Sweden (Group C) 2
Iceland (Group D) 2
England (Group E) 4

Giving us these matchups in the Round of 16:

Slovenia (A2) vs. Austria (C2)

Ukraine (D1) vs. England (E3)

----

Serbia (B1) vs. Iceland (D3)

Spain (F1) vs. Finland (E2)

----

France (C1) vs. Northern Ireland (A3)

Portugal (E1) vs. Belgium (D2)

----

Germany (A1) vs. Sweden (C3)

Norway (B2) vs. Croatia (F2)

[KingSweden]

UEFA Euro 2024

Round of 16

Slovenia vs. Austria - Gelsenkirchen

The Austria side dominates Slovenia, with the young Klaue scoring twice to add to a penalty by Fritz Jaeger earlier in the match to effect a 3-0 blowout and reach the quarterfinals for the first time ever after two straight Round of 16 exits.

Ukraine vs. England - Hamburg

The Three Lions become the first team to be able to stop the mighty Ukrainian attack, as Butland deflects every attack and sends the game to extra time, where Harry Kane scores at 106' to create a 1-0 win and get into the quarterfinals.

Serbia vs. Iceland - Munich

The Serbian attack blows out Iceland, winning 5-0 with scores by Zinkovic (3', 61'), Jankovic (33'), Milosevic (40') and Markovic (80'). Their goalkeeper Rajkovic adds a third clean sheet to his tournament.

Spain vs Finland - Dortmund

Toto scores on a penalty at 51' for the only score of the match to power Spain into the next round.

France vs. Northern Ireland - Hanover

Florian Thauvin scores the only goal of the match at 55' on a header thanks to a cross from Blondin to send France into the quarterfinal.

Portugal vs. Belgium - Cologne

The Red Devils collapse continues as Portugal defender Rafa scores on a free kick at 27', and substitute Garvinho scores again at 80' to help Portugal to a 2-0 win.

Germany vs. Sweden - Berlin

At Olympiastadion, the Mannschaft continues their dominance by beating Sweden 3-0, with Meyer, Brandt and Götze all scoring in quick succession to help the hosts continue their march towards the final.

Norway vs. Croatia - Leipzig

Croatia's dream of a deep run is snuffed by Norway when Havard Nielsen scores at 11' and then the Norwegians buckle down, harrying the vaunted Croatia attack and preventing Kovacic or Halilovic from getting anything done. With a 1-0 win, Norway is in the quarterfinal for the first time.

[KingSweden]

UEFA Euro 2024

Quarterfinals

Austria vs. England - Cologne

Austria's miracle run ends at the hands of the Three Lions. Two penalty fails by Klaue and Alaba send the game to extra time and then penalty kicks, where England wins 4-1, with conversions by Kane, Russell, Tom Campbell and Raheem Sterling to head into their first semifinal since 2012.

Serbia vs. Spain - Berlin

Spain, the big favorite, utterly collapses, with David de Gea failing to stop three goals (Jankovic 44', 77'; Markovic 60') and Rajkovic earning Man of the Match for saving 12 goals from the Spanish attack. It is not lost on anyone that the big, tough Serbian defenders utterly dominate Spain's smaller, quicker attackers, and Spain's national media is criticized for portraying Serbia defenders as thuggish brutes in postgame commentary. Serbia is in the semifinal for the first time since 1976.

France vs. Portugal - Dortmund

France and Portugal go 0-0 in regular time until super-sub Antoine Griezmann comes in and scores the winner at 116' to send France to their second-straight semifinal.

Germany vs. Norway - Hamburg

Norway has absolutely zero chance against the German machine. Draxler scores at 22', Mukhtar scores at 25' and Dreyfuss adds two goals at 61' and 67' in a 4-0 rout.

Semifinals

Serbia vs. England - Hanover

Rajkovic gets another clean sheet against the talented England side and Zinkovic scores his fourth goal of the tournament to beat England 1-0 in a monster upset and send Serbia to their first European final since 1968 in what is nothing less than a miracle run.

Germany vs. France - Munich

Germany wins 2-0 over the deep Les Bleus, with Christoph Kramer and Müller both adding goals to the massive goal total the Mannschaft has accrued in the tournament.

[KingSweden]

UEFA Euro 2024

Final

Serbia vs. Germany - Berlin

Two of the most exciting sides in recent European history meet at Olympiastadion. Germany has not conceded a goal the entire tournament and already scored 17 goals, breaking France's 1984 record, and Serbia has scored 13 goals and only allowed one. Statistically speaking, it is a showdown between two of the best attacks in the history of the tournament.

It is a defense struggle throughout, with Marc-André ter Stegen keeping a clean sheet and Rajkovic keeping Germany out of net in normal time. It is not until extra time that Meyer scores his fourth goal of the tournament thanks to a cross from Dreyfuss. It is only the second goal conceded by Rajkovic all tournament. After scoring at 101', Germany holds on to win Euro 2024! It is a record fourth European championship by Germany, and their first since 1996. Won on home soil, they are the first home team to win the Euro since France in 1984.

Germany is, statistically, the best European Champion ever - in scoring 18 goals, they have scored the most goals of any European Champion, and in conceding 0 goals all tournament, they have conceded the record for fewest. It is arguably the best team of the Joachim Löw era (an era that includes back-to-back World Cup champions) and provides the perfect capstone for his career, as he retires shortly after the tournament.

Awards:

Top Scorer: Filip Jankovic (Serbia) - 5 goals
Best Player: Pedrag Rajkovic (Serbia)

[KingSweden]

Hot sports takes on Euro 2024

On Germany's record-breaking win: Let there be no doubt that Joachim Löw, who will be retiring next month after 18 years at the helm of Die Mannschaft, has assembled quite possibly the best football team in European history. He becomes the first manager to win two World Cups and a European Championship and could credibly challenge Vicente del Bosque for Manager of the Century. No team scored more goals (18) or conceded fewer (0). The second is a record that, for obvious reasons, can never be broken and is unlikely to. The defensive wizardry on display was so impressive that on two occasions German keeper Ter Stegen only had one save. In an entire game. This team is likely to remain mostly together, with the exception of aging icons like Müller and Götze, but expect the German national side to put together one hell of a show at the Confederations Cup tune-up next year in the USA and then see what they can do on American soil under whoever winds up replacing Löw.

On Serbia's performance: After losing the final, clearly frustrated Serbian players shuffled into the locker room feeling like they had let an opportunity to enter history slip away. But one player, Predrag Rajkovic, was upbeat. "We nearly beat one of the best sides in the history of the sport," he said. "We scored 13 goals and allowed two, all tournament. We are the best side in our country's history. We have nothing to be ashamed about." Indeed they don't. Hardly a footballing power, Serbia was a delight to watch these past four weeks as their defenders harassed quicker, clearly more talented attackers from powers like Italy, Spain and England. Rajkovic, arguably the top goaltender in the world and the runaway winner of tournament's Top Player award, made so many miracle saves that he arguably single-handed dragged Serbia into the final. Two of the continent's best talents, Jankovic and Zinkovic, combined for a staggering nine goals and five assists, taking the top two spots on the tournament scoring list, ahead of German superstar Max Meyer. This was a deep, serious team that will be taken seriously in years to come. If they can qualify for the next World Cup, they should be an exciting side to watch in the USA.

On Italy's flameout: The decade-long rule of Antonio Conte comes to a sputtering ignonimous end. Within the next few weeks, Italy will hire a new manager. The odds-on favorite is former Azzurri star and current Inter Milan manager Andrea Pirlo, who in just two years at the San Siro has won consecutive scudetto and the Champions League. Pirlo will have to figure out to do with several declining veterans like Ciro Immobile, Marco Verratti and Alessandro Florenzi - for the first time in what seems like forever, Italy's greybeards were a weakness, not a strength. Pirlo has one early advantage in that he is familiar with future star Daniele Paolini, who at only 21 is a frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or and was a dominant presence in Inter's double-winning campaign this year and led Serie A and the Champions League in scoring. If Pirlo can build a versatile attack around Paolini at Italy like he did at Inter, look out - the Azzurri could be a big smash at USA '26.

[KingSweden]

Pre-convention Polls

New Hampshire:

Heinrich 48%
Sandoval 46%

Pennsylvania:

Heinrich 47%
Sandoval 46%

Ohio:

Sandoval 47%
Heinrich 44%

Virginia:

Heinrich 48%
Sandoval 46%

North Carolina:

Sandoval 50%
Heinrich 46%

Georgia:

Sandoval 53%
Heinrich 43%

Florida:

Sandoval 48%
Heinrich 47%

Iowa:

Sandoval 47%
Heinrich 47%

Colorado:

Sandoval 47%
Heinrich 47%

Nevada:

Sandoval 51%
Heinrich 46%

[KingSweden]

July 2024: Republicans hold their convention in July, pre-Olympics, in Denver, where Sandoval unveils local Governor Walker Stapleton as his running mate. In his acceptance speech, Sandoval states, "The State of the Union is not strong, but we will strengthen it; the mood of the country is morose, but we will lift its spirits; the coffers of our nation and its people are near empty, but we will refill them." Though hardly a Reagan/Clinton/Obama level speech, it is well received for its modesty, simplicity and directness. The keynote address is given by runner-up Tom Cotton.

The heat wave continues to roil North America and massive wildfires consume much of the West again. Water rationing begins once more in what is becoming an annual event in sixteen states. The jobs report is slightly better, but unemployment is hovering dangerously close to the 7% mark.

July 2024 (continued): The Turkish government collapses and snap polls are called. Israeli airstrikes break an Anbari position and Jordanian forces seize massive amounts of territory as Druze fighters drive Hezbollah militants back into Lebanon. Iran begins carrying out airstrikes on Anbari positions too, deepening anger in Sunni communities. A potential thaw in the Scotland situation when Sturgeon and Osborne meet in private in Liverpool gets ugly when after the meeting Sturgeon emerges to announce preparations for a Universal Declaration of Independence, while Osborne notes that the United Kingdom will use military force if necessary to prevent secession and states, "The SNP keeps talking about independence to distract from their record of poor governance. The SNP keeps talking about English tyranny to distract from the fact that they govern based on raw emotion and anger, rather than facts." Different Russian gangs and militias start to fight more readily and military units are spread out into the provinces to prevent total collapse.

And now, for Sports: (Due to the collapse of the Boston bid, it will instead be Los Angeles hosting the 2024 games.) At the Olympics in LA, a massive financial and PR success - an Olympics that didn't go way over budget, that had no security problems, and that was fun and easy for everyone. In one of the biggest sporting upsets ever, on home turf, the United States men's basketball team loses the gold medal game to Andrew Wiggins and a scrappy group of Canadian players coached by Steve Nash. It is regarded as a "reverse Miracle on Ice" and sets off massive celebrations in Canada.

[KingSweden]

August 2024: Democrats hold their convention in St. Louis, Missouri. Heinrich accepts the nomination and Kirsten Gillibrand is retained as Vice President. Jared Polis gives the keynote address to counter the Colorado efforts of Republican Party, becoming the first openly gay keynote speaker in either party. Heinrich's campaign starts to ramp up efforts in key battlegrounds, but it is clear that there is strong fatigue on the ground. Though GDP in Q2 was positive, it was weaker than Q1 and the economy only grew by 0.4%. The jobs report is abysmal, with 17,000 in job losses, the second negative report of the year.

August 2024 (continued): Osborne makes good on his threat and deploys the Royal Marines to Scotland to help keep the peace, which only incites more riots and violence. The election of Navalny in Russia continues to spiral the country into violence, as different groups loyal to different factions square off in the streets, with nearly 20,000 people dead in six months due to political or factional violence. Discussions begin in Caucasus states about breaking off at long last. Chinese officials give the final stamp of approval for a reunited Korea, setting the process of integrating the two countries in motion formally after informal efforts over the better part of a year.

[/]

Not looking good for Heinrich...

But great job anyway!

[KingSweden]

September 2024: The Democratic House and Senate map looks better than it should, but Democrats are starting to privately expect 1-2 seats lost in the Senate and 5-10 lost in the House. In most polling projections, Sandoval either has narrow leads or is tied with Heinrich in most key states. Hurricane Gordon makes landfall in Texas, causing massive amounts of damage in Galveston and Houston. Governor Stapleton is criticized for his response to a massive wildfire covering 3,000 acres in northern Colorado and Wyoming.

September 2024 (continued): Osborne is hit in the head with a broken bottle thrown by a protester and rushed to the hospital to be given stitches. Later that day, Sturgeon and Salmond are arrested in Edinburgh and remanded to prison in London to be locked up for "inciting violence." This backfires, and large parts of Glasgow burn through the night. Major riots begin in London as well as anger swells over austerity measure and a lingering recession. Osborne's goodwill from the Christmas Day Crisis has all but evaporated - he now only enjoys 41% approval. Rivera meets with more moderate Catalonian leaders to get their support for his "snap-back deal" and scores a major coup when they agree, with conditions. For all intents and purposes, the Catalonian crisis which has gripped Spain for years is over for now. Russian military units begin to splinter and team up with factional gangs in a scary replay of the North Korean crisis.

[windjammer]

This is a toss up?