Jeez, the end of the Colombia game made me finally go "for gods sake already" as the Colombian player rolled around with an injury 20 yards behind the ball and flailed like a child refusing to take a bath when a player from Ivory Coast attempted to help him up. I'm sure it had NOTHING to do with them attempting to preserve a 1 goal lead in the waning minutes. I don't like exaggerating injuries, when its done to try and draw a card for the opposition, its annoying. When its done to try to milk the clock to preserve a lead, I get apoplectic. There is no greater indication of weakness and lack of confidence than saying "we can't adequately defend and close out this game, so we need to lay on the ground and hope the ref doesn't stop his watch." Prime example of class in this fashion is the US at the end of the game on Monday, making runs down the field or holding in the corner, as Ghana was attacking them furiously in the closing minutes. Flashback to 2010, Ghana, holding that same one goal lead, was exaggerating injuries and time wasting from the 75th minute on. Fuck that bush league shit.
That I put on the refs more than the players. Yes it's annoying, but if it works much like flopping or constantly chirping to the ref, I can't blame them for doing it. If I was a ref and it was that blatant I'd motion you to get up. You don't? Immediate card. Someone else writhes around wasting time? Card. That shit would end pretty quick if you got an immediate card.
And this is reason number one why people make fun of your sport. Instead of encouraging the retarded things that happen you should condemn them.
Diving in soccer is definitely pretty bad at times, but lets not pretend its the only sport where players act for calls or refs heavily influence the game. NBA refereeing heavily favors star players, has a lot of acting/diving, and the game is reduced to a boring free throw shooting contest at the end of close games. The NFL has huge pass interference penalties and teams call plays looking for these, not to mention arbitrary holding calls that could be called on nearly every play. The NHL can be extremely inconsistent with penalty calling and suspensions. Its easy to ignore the many faults with officiating in sports you are more accustomed to. I would argue that in some of those cases, the bull shit is more pervasive and the officiating has more of an impact on the outcome of the game. Its also easy to criticize soccer, and as FreeCorps said earlier in the thread, people love to jump on that bandwagon especially around the World Cup. Isn't it more fun to just try to enjoy the game for what it is? There is a lot to like about soccer such as the lack of commercial breaks, constant on-the-fly creativity and team play, and a generally relaxing pace with a lot of exciting moments (if not goals) when you are watching closely. If you want to watch a sport where subjective officiating and acting for penalties doesn't affect the game, watch golf. It's the only sport where people call penalties on themselves. Go Colombia!
I just wanted to let it be known that I also hate the NBA. People just don't get excited for the NBA and tell me it is the greatest sport ever, unlike soccer fans. Most people also know about the issues in the NBA and don't defend it. Living in Ohio most of my life I had never met a hardcore NBA fan until LeBron James came on to the scene. Since he left I have never heard anyone speak of it again, unless they were rooting against the Heat.
When in the fuck did I say I was encouraging it exactly?. I hate that it happens, but if I was from Brazil and I saw Fred get a penalty from a blatant dive then I'm not going to be complaining too much about it. Too many people get on that high horse bullshit, but if it didn't help your team win players wouldn't do it. Players bend the rules in every single sport to help themselves win, this is just another example of it. I also hate that wide receivers bitch and complain about pass interference, but as long as you waving your arms and acting like a twat helps you get a flag drawn on the cornerback it's going to keep happening.
Say what you want about French but they're playing some really good looking soccer right now. They're just destroying the Swiss and are up 3-0 when it could've very easily been 5-0, and it's not even halftime yet. It also helps that the Swiss defense is playing as such.
I'm sitting here watching the Swiss game and I can not get off the thought that all this ticket revenue, all the advertising rights, most of the concession money is going to FIFA, not to mention the bribe to get the World Cup. What does Brazil get in return for building all the stadiums, for displacing all the peasants, for paying for all the security? How much money do the tourists/fans bring in, it can't be anything comparable to footing the bill for everything else.
Luckily I had it bolded for you above. I will paste the bolded text below just for again. I think the difference between a wide receiver flailing their arms, and a soccer player trying to get a call is the laying in the fetal position on the ground while crying part.
I think the best answer is for the refs to start giving more yellow cards. Sure, there will be a few screw ups where a ref pulls one for incidental contact or a legit foul, but it's preferable to the all reward no risk situation that's going on right now. Even as a fan when I see these shameless dives I'm secretly hoping someone kicks the player in the abdomen and gives them something to cry about.
Agreed. They should also use post match reviews to give cards for diving after the match. They do that in the Australian soccer league and it's really helped cut down the bullshit. More than anything, it stops the players rolling around like idiots grabbing their shins. Why are you grabbing your shin when you're wearing shin pads!?!
In hockey they are fining people after games for diving, and refs are really cracking down on it. Its not a problem in hockey, but certain clubs are becoming known for it and the hockey culture won't tolerate "simulation". To stop diving, its simple, make the consequence not worth the act. As mentioned earlier, there is no reason not to dive, and especially in the box the incentive/gain is enormous. I agree with giving people cards after the fact. Seeing people rolling on the ground is childish. You wouldn't tolerate that behavior from a kid let alone a professional athlete. If clubs have a problem with this behavior fine the club and the players. I've seen some refs make a really honest effort not to call diving, and some or doing it somewhat well, but they aren't punishing it. So you dive, nothing happens, so they'll try it again. Guys like Diego Costa etc are just like land mines to be around, if you get near them they explode. Another thing, Clint Dempsy broke is nose and kept playing. He is a man. I'd like to see what would happen if LBJ broke is nose, he might be out a week. More to the point, if that happened to another player or another country, the player would be writhing in pain, rolling on the ground in tears. Unfortunately I do think a lot of diving has to do with the country someone is from. Look at the Greeks, some African countries. there seems to be the acceptance of cheating/lying as a way of getting ahead, and they exploit it the best they can.
Poor Iran got their hearts ripped out in the 91st minute. I'd feel sorry for them, but 1) it's Iran, so fuck them, and 2) that's what you get for playing for a draw all game.
Agreed, but damn if their defense isn't impressive. But an impressive defense isn't shit if you are going to not score all tournament.
So after tonight's (awful) ending, why wouldn't Germany and the US just play for a draw on Thursday? That would guarantee they both advance, no matter else happens.