My handy "efhTV final score protector" in action
This past Sunday, I was fortunate to be living in the path of the annular eclipse that traversed across Asia, the Pacific and much of the western U.S. We didn’t get the “ring of fire”, here in Las Vegas, but we got nearly 75% blockage of the sun. As everyone knows looking directly at the sun is never a good idea as it can cause permanent eye damage, so we taped some cardboard boxes together and a made a projection to view the eclipse with no risk.
This weekend with the EHF Champions League Final Four taking place, I’ll be using another homemade device to avoid seeing things that can cause damage. Not to my eyes, but to my team handball viewing enjoyment. As you can see, I will be making full use of my “ehfTV final score protector” to avoid the ubiquitous photos of smiling or frowning players getting interviewed or trophy hoisting celebrations. For several years now I have asked the EHF to spend about an hour of a web designer’s time to create a bare bones page with none of these revealing photos, but unfortunately those pleas have fallen on deaf ears. My colleague Christer pointed out to me that it’s probably because I’m the only one in the world who time shifts these web streams and cares to watch them oblivious of the outcome. I’m a little more optimistic, though, that the number is somewhat higher.
So, if you are part of this elite group of handball web stream watchers, get your ehfTV final score protectors made because the Final Four is clearly handball’s best weekend for professional club handball.
The first match is an all German affair with the New York Yankees of German Handball (AKA Kiel) taking on upstart newcomer, Berlin Fuchse. Kiel is hoping to complete the third leg of a title triple crown with a Champions league title. They’ve already won the German League and German Cup and have beaten Berlin three times this year. The Foxes are 6.5 goal underdogs. The Copenhagen vs. Madrid match is expected to be a tighter affair as Madrid is only a 1.5 goal favorite.
EHF Video Preview: http://www.ehfcl.com/men/2011-12/article/14969/Watch+the+way+to+Cologne+on+ehfTV.com
Berlin – Kiel Preview: Link
Madrid – Copenhagen Preview: Link
Live Video Link: http://www.ehftv.com/schedule
Game times and on demand links
Saturday, 26 May
08:45 AM (U.S. East Coast) Berlin vs. Kiel http://www.ehftv.com/final4/ec/cl/men/2011-12/video/002432
11:30 AM (U.S. East Coast) Madrid vs. Copenhagen http://www.ehftv.com/final4/ec/cl/men/2011-12/video/002433
Sunday, 27 May
08:45 AM (U.S. East Coast) 3rd place game http://www.ehftv.com/final4/ec/cl/men/2011-12/video/002434
11:30 AM (U.S. East Coast) Championships http://www.ehftv.com/final4/ec/cl/men/2011-12/video/002435
Note: The on demand video for last year’s matches was posted a few hours after they were played. If the links don’t work, check back in a few hours. Also, remember to use a sheet of paper if you want to avoid finding out the final outcome. The banner at the top and the photo on the right are your danger areas. Once you click full screen, you should be OK. However, be advised that the EHF has made a celebration photo as the primary photo on the championship game video link. Such a choice makes it almost mandatory that you get a third part to open the link.