World Cup 2006

[Guest Bosstown Boy]

I'm thinking it was a joke, because he mentioned Wade, who in the playoffs in the NBA "faked an injury" only to come back and score a lot of points in the fourth quarter and win.

I think Americans don't like diving because in all the sports we watch faking an injury is frowned upon. However, in European football, it's a strategy.

Edited July 17, 2006 by Bosstown Boy

[Liam]

I think Americans don't like diving because in all the sports we watch faking an injury is frowned upon. However, in European football, it's a strategy.

Yeah, that is the problem....faking injury/diving/whatnot is frowned upon in Europe, but doing them in US games gets you nowhere, whilst it is pretty much a strategy as you stated in football.

[Farmer Reil]

Put it this way: What would diving in the NFL achieve? Reciever catches the ball, and dives? Well done, shmuckface, you just turned a potentially huge gain into a really small one and looked a complete ass in the process. The fact is, there's no real benefit at all to going to ground in NFL games, because the point of the game is that the opposition have to take you down in pretty much any way they can. It's a contact sport.

In baseball it's obviously near-impossible to actually dive (unless you're trying to imply that a fielder tripped you up en route to a home run... in which case you'd probably get laughed at).

In hockey there are also very few situations where it's possible and advantageous to dive.

So that leaves pretty much the only other non-contact sport Americans love: Basketball, which I know less than nothing about so won't bother arguing a case for.

Get my point, though? Soccer (sic) is the only 'big' sport where it's actually advantageous to go to ground. Regardless of the legality and morality of it. Going to ground and winning a free kick is AN ADVANTAGE. So until officials (and I'm talking FIFA/UEFA here, not the individual referees, you can't really blame them for this one) do something about it, it's going to continue.

My solution would be to introduce a suspension for excessive diving, that can be enforced by the relevent governing body AFTER the match.

So Cristiano Ronaldo, for example (lets face it, there's no better example anywhere in the world) might get away with it in that one game, but after the match FIFA (or the FA, or UEFA depending on the competition) would review the tape and take action against him if necessary.

That way, not only are you serving justice, but it will become less of an advantage (as you'll be called on it a lot more), so it will probably become less of an issue. Anyone stupid enough to keep doing it KNOWNG that the powers that be are keeping an eye on them deserve everything they get (which, knowing FIFA, will probably amount to less than your average parking fine :/)

Edited July 17, 2006 by TheReilDeal

[Zaz]

I think Americans don't like diving because in all the sports we watch faking an injury is frowned upon. However, in European football, it's a strategy.

Yeah, that is the problem....faking injury/diving/whatnot is frowned upon in Europe, but doing them in US games gets you nowhere, whilst it is pretty much a strategy as you stated in football.

[Scott McFly]

My solution would be to introduce a suspension for excessive diving, that can be enforced by the relevent governing body AFTER the match.

So Cristiano Ronaldo, for example (lets face it, there's no better example anywhere in the world) might get away with it in that one game, but after the match FIFA (or the FA, or UEFA depending on the competition) would review the tape and take action against him if necessary.

That way, not only are you serving justice, but it will become less of an advantage (as you'll be called on it a lot more), so it will probably become less of an issue. Anyone stupid enough to keep doing it KNOWNG that the powers that be are keeping an eye on them deserve everything they get (which, knowing FIFA, will probably amount to less than your average parking fine :/)

[TheArsenal]

Zinedine Zidane has been banned for three games and fined £3,260 for head-butting Italy's Marco Materazzi during the World Cup final.

Following an investigation by world governing body Fifa, Materazzi was suspended for two games and fined £2,170 for provoking Zidane.

A Fifa statement said: "Both players stressed Materazzi's comments had been defamatory but not of a racist nature."

Zidane's ban is academic as he retired from football after the finals.

However the 34-year-old will instead work with football's world governing body Fifa for three days.

Fifa added: "Zinedine Zidane has agreed to do community service work with children and youngsters.

"During the course of their hearings both players also apologised to Fifa for their inappropriate behaviour and expressed their regret at the incident."

Zidane spent 90 minutes at a private hearing on Thursday, while Materazzi appeared before the Fifa panel on 14 July.

Playing in the last game of his career, Zidane snapped during extra time of the World Cup final.

The Frenchman later claimed Materazzi had insulted his mother and his sister.

However, Materazzi maintained his comments were not "racist, religious, or political" and he added: "I also said nothing about his mother."

Despite the incident, Zidane went on to win the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player and despite suggestions to the contrary, Fifa has confirmed the Frenchman will be allowed to keep the award.

"It wasn't even discussed at the meeting," said Fifa spokesman Andreas Herren.

Materazzi's suspension will keep him out of Italy's opening two Euro 2008 qualifiers against Lithuania on 2 September and France on 6 September.

[Grounded Wingman]

A 3 match ban for a retired player. So, if Zidane doesn't make a comeback will FIFA pass the ban on to his kid, so Zebedee Zidane will miss his 1st 3 games for France?

Also, a 2 game ban for Materazzi, either for being head-butted or being a bit of a gobshite, is a bit harsh.

[TheArsenal]

A 3 match ban for a retired player. So, if Zidane doesn't make a comeback will FIFA pass the ban on to his kid, so Zebedee Zidane will miss his 1st 3 games for France?

Also, a 2 game ban for Materazzi, either for being head-butted or being a bit of a gobshite, is a bit harsh.

[Herr Matzat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnWXnCyLiaE

[Guest Bosstown Boy]

Dunga is surprise choice as new Brazil coach

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 24 (Reuters) - Former Brazil midfielder and captain Dunga was surprisingly named as the country's new national team coach on Monday.

The 42-year-old, with no previous coaching experience, replaced Carlos Alberto Parreira, who resigned last Wednesday following Brazil's disappointing performance at the World Cup.

They were surprisingly knocked out in the quarter-finals by France after beginning the tournament in Germany as hot favourites to lift a sixth world title.

Dunga, famous for his fighting spirit, captained the Brazil team which won the 1994 World Cup and he wore the armband again four years later when they finished as runners-up to France.

'I want to bring the same determination I had as a player,' Dunga told the CBF's Web site.

'Motivation and will to win are fundamental for anyone who wants to wear the shirt of the Brazilian national team.'

The favourites to replace Parreira had been ex-Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo and former Peru coach Paulo Autuori.

Dunga's first game in charge will be a friendly against Norway in Oslo on Aug. 16.

Brazil are not due to play any competitive games until next year's Copa America in Venezuela.

[Lowerdeck]

Brazil vs. Norway?

Now what the hell is the point of that? Brazil could send their J-List players and they'd still probably beat Norway.

[The Kraig]

Bwaha, Captain Dunga.

[Dan]

Norway are still pretty good.

[TheArsenal]

I just read in today's paper that the number of people who watched the World Cup Final live was equivalent to the viewing figures for 64 Superbowls.