So the World Cup is over. Spain won. And justifiably so. Wasn't the most thrilling game, but in the end the right team, the better team won. Netherlands was lucky to play with 11 men for as long as they did, as generally kicking someone straight in the chest kung fu/karate kid style with no attempt to go for the ball, cleats up, is not allowed in soccer. Some of the more American Football sports writers that I follow on twitter had some issues understanding the game, and quite honestly I was pretty fed up with the seemingly constant complaints that the game was boring or that somehow extra time and penalty kicks is uninteresting. If anything, this world cup has taught me that some people don't get or understand soccer - and that's fine, as nascar lacrose and cricket will never be things that I care for. But there is a difference between ignoring and letting people enjoy their sport and constantly complaining that the biggest sport in the world either somehow doesn't live up to your shallow american standards or complaining because it has somehow infiltrated your life. (do i sound annoyed by that? cause i am). So yeah, I sent some strongly worded tweets to Pat Forde and Chris Mortenson. Come on, what isn't tense about extra time or penalty kicks in the finale of the World Cup?
In other news, Favre has starting playing football with high schoolers again. Its a dual purpose event. 1. it makes him look like he really does just enjoy playing the game and will play it with anyone and 2. YES, live feed of him throwing!! Lebron might have had a one hour special, but if you really break it down, Favre has a yearly mini series.
Brian Carriveau just posted this link on twitter. Our own Dorsey Levens, on a whole new playing field.
Dorsey Levens acting career
Also, Bodog has set the over/under for Packers wins at 9 1/2, I'd take that bet!
Okay, my stomach is waging war against my body, and I'm spending the day in bed with a marathon of the Office. back to bed for me.
I am starting to come around to soccer, but the one thing I cannot stand, is the constant flopping/diving. Many soccer fans have told me that this is simply, "part of the game"
ReplyDeleteI cannot accept that. It is not the flopping itself that is annoying, its the fact that the referrees are highly influenced by said flopping. The majority of the time, a foul will be called simply because a player acts like his knee just exploded.
Imagine in the Nfl, if a foul was called every time a WR fell down and grabbed his knee.. That would not be tolerated; and it would not be defended by saying, "that's just part of the game"
The flopping can be outrageous, especially when actual real injuries happen, and I dislike that divers can give soccer players the reputation of being weak. (I'd like to see most other sports players run 6 miles a game, while other people come at them spikes up and no one wears pads).
ReplyDeleteSome games, some teams, some leagues have it more. And some refs will give the yellow (and red if its in the penalty box) if a player blatenetly dives.
I will say that it is "part of the game" and as bs as that sounds, I mean it that some players dive to waste time. Some players stick their foot out for a ticky-tact foul because they don't think they'll catch the guy running with the ball. Some times a guy dives because he's on a break and has no support.
I think there's a different level of diving. There's the ones where someone gets a yellow when they blatently didn't do anything wrong. and then there's the ones that get free kicks. As every team/player does it to some level to get free kicks, I guess those piss me off less now. It does get ridiculous when you see a guy grabbing his leg rolling around on the ground when clearly no one touched him.
I just don't think that that's all there is to soccer.
I've appreciated anyone who's taken the actual time during this world cup to get to know the game and players. To have done so and still be annoyed/bothered with the diving, I think is justified.
"there is a difference between ignoring and letting people enjoy their sport and constantly complaining" - Couldn't have said it better myself. Never could understand the people who go out of their way to trash another sport (or interest). I have never really been exposed to cricket or lacrosse but I don't trash them because they are not my thing. ridiculous. To tell you the truth, I really don't enjoy college football that much. I know thats like blasphemy but I don't trash it either. (except nerds who like Notre Dame).
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