I think the game wouldn't have escalated if the referee had shown Bouhlarouz the red card in the 8th minute.
Perhaps, but you could say the same for Figo after hitting his head into another player. If he had gotten red for that, the first red card for the netherlands wouldn't have been given, since it was given because of Figo's acting.
Personally, I think soccer is pretty boring to watch, precisely because all the players seem to be such mamby pambies out on the field, and the refs are a bunch of communists. You can get carded for breathing on another player, or looking at the ref funny. Portugal vs. Holland was the most exciting game of soccer I've ever seen. I'm not one who thinks sports should have brutality for brutality's sake, but soccer could stand to be more physical.
Joined: 3/17/2006
Posts: 243
Location: Back to good old Germany
Baxter wrote:
spockybiemmichab wrote:
I think the game wouldn't have escalated if the referee had shown Bouhlarouz the red card in the 8th minute.
Perhaps, but you could say the same for Figo after hitting his head into another player. If he had gotten red for that, the first red card for the netherlands wouldn't have been given, since it was given because of Figo's acting.
Just another example for a lack of self-control which happened a lot too often in this game...(personally, I think a red card would have been right, but that headknock wasn't that hard...at least it was unnecessary that the dutch player walked (not tumbled) back two steps and then fell to the ground)
@xebra
Everyone has his own opinion. In my eyes, the typical american sports like (american) football or baseball are just boring because there is no "flow" in the game. Always interruptions...(basketball is nice to watch)
@xebra
Everyone has his own opinion. In my eyes, the typical american sports like (american) football or baseball are just boring because there is no "flow" in the game. Always interruptions...(basketball is nice to watch)
Your response isn't really related at all to my previous comment, but that's ok. I agree that baseball and football are boring; I don't watch them. For me, the best sport is hockey. Unlimited live substitutions (god, the 3 substitutions rule in soccer is dumb), body checking, blazing speed on the ice, offside players can tag back, and fouls usually only result in a 2-minute minor (none of this play a man down for the rest of the game B.S.)
Joined: 3/17/2006
Posts: 243
Location: Back to good old Germany
xebra wrote:
Your response isn't really related at all to my previous comment, but that's ok.
Well, you're right ;) My apologies!
But you can't only blame the refs. They just execute what they were told...
Icehockey is incredible fast, but I always have problems to follow the puck because of its size...I remembered once an experiment in the NHL with a glowing puck. I liked that :)
B2T:
Poor, poor Aussies...
The reasons I think football (*1) is annoying to watch:
- They haven't invented stopwatches yet and continue to add some arbitrary time at the end instead of stopping the clock like any sane sport
- They refuse to use cameras and check replays and as a result, the judging is usually substandard with everyone getting angry.
I also find hockey more interesting to watch, but I'm not a big sports fan in any case.
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(*1) While I'm in aggressive mode, I would like to point out how incredibly stupid it is to call football soccer and rugby football. American Football:
A) Is not played with the feet, and
B) Does not use a ball.
Therefore, I am now making decreeing that in English, soccer will henceforth be called football like it is in the rest of the world's languages, and American football will be called American rugby.
Restistance is futile. Written objections can be left three copies signed by independent linguists, next to the document shredder in room 911.
American Football:
A) Is not played with the feet, and
B) Does not use a ball.
It's still a ball! It's just a little squished, that's all. And they kick it sometimes! So don't be so mean and try to turn America into some sort of non-America.
put yourself in my rocketpack if that poochie is one outrageous dude
>And they kick it sometimes!
The players in football (formerly known as soccer) use their hands sometimes! Perhaps we should call it handcube, since they aren't using their hands that much to throw an object which is not a cube. Makes about as much sense to me.
>You don't have cameras either when you play with some friends.
That's true. But how is that relevant?
Informal ice hockey games don't have cameras either. But professional games do.
I have to admit that I take the European view when it comes to American Sports since its all stop starts all the time. I just find it stupid that
1. Refs announce decisions in the centre of a stadium or court and anounce the decision on a loudspeaker
2. Time outs especially when there is like 2 seconds left
3. (Sorry for being a bit direct here) Real men don't need body armor
I do have a good knowledge of the rules and mechaniics of all four main American sports and it iis enjoyable at times, especially as I like watching and playing all sports in general. Its probally because I like competive games that go right down to the wire and are decided on one crucial moment or something unexpected could or does happen.
Football(Soccer) Will always be my favourite, but I do object to FIFA and the National Football Assocations objections to reffee's refering to action replays. I mean they do it in every other sport I can think of Rugby especially since there is 30 people on the field. The only reason the assosations object to refs refering to action replays is because "it detracts from the natrual flow of the game", which is just bullshit. Damm those tradionalists.
>You don't have cameras either when you play with some friends.
That's true. But how is that relevant?
Informal ice hockey games don't have cameras either. But professional games do.
It keeps the professional level closer to the amateur (w?) level, hence the audience can better identify with the players. IMO that's a good thing. If it introduces more errors to the results then so be it... At least you can say that it keeps things more interesting. ;)
While I'm in aggressive mode, I would like to point out how incredibly stupid it is to call football soccer and rugby football. American Football:
A) Is not played with the feet, and
B) Does not use a ball.
Soccer is derived from "association football," while rugby itself is actually short for "rugby football," which is where the football in American football comes from. So people on both sides of the ocean are just using abbreviated forms of the "real" names of the sports.
It should also be noted that "foot-" doesn't mean exclusively "done with the feet." It also means "on foot," as in "footsoldier." It is therefore not unreasonable to assume the reason "association football" and "rugby football" are both called football is because they are ball sports played on foot which have origins in the same protosport, and not because they are ball sports played with the feet.
As for your contention that American football and rugby football are not played with balls, I think perhaps you are referring to the fact that their balls are much poorer approximations to a true sphere than the ball used in association football?
Well, firstly, "ball" does not mean "perfectly spherical object." It just means "rounded object," and in some cases means the even less sphere-like "rounded protuberance," as in the ball of the foot.
It keeps the professional level closer to the amateur (w?) level, hence the audience can better identify with the players. IMO that's a good thing. If it introduces more errors to the results then so be it... At least you can say that it keeps things more interesting. ;)
I watch professional sports to be impressed by elite skills, not to "identify with the players." I can't dunk, and I don't have to be able to do so to like seeing it. I expect referees not to interfere with my enjoyment by @#$%ing up calls.
What an awesome performance of the German team against Argentina! The comeback after being 1-0 down was just amazing and the 11-meter shooting was absolutely perfect. Now I strongly believe they can become the World Champion. Go Klinsi & Co!!!
On the other hand Argentina showed they are bad losers by almost starting a fight at the end. Must be the typical south temperament. :-)
Joined: 4/8/2006
Posts: 64
Location: Giran Castle town
Saturn wrote:
On the other hand Argentina showed they are bad losers by almost starting a fight at the end. Must be the typical south temperament. :-)
The entire team receives crap and shit from the referee, from people and then you got ballack performing stupids to things to get a penalty, and the referee didn't give he a warning.
So look who started it all.
And besides, we're not bad loosers, we just want things fair.
*Edit: But I'll give that I wasn't proud of Ortegas behavior in the match vs Netherland in '98 world cup.
Anyway, the second half everything was for Germany.
The entire team receives crap and shit from the referee, from people and then you got ballack performing stupids to things to get a penalty, and the referee didn't give he a warning.
So look who started it all.
And besides, we're not bad loosers, we just want things fair.
Actually the team that mostly played fair was Germany. The referee was objective. Ballack didn't do anything bad to get a card or whatever. Also don't forget Adrianos dive in hope to get a 11-meter shot without reason. This was not fair.
Today France played a excellent game with a deserved win over Brazil IMO. England VS Portugal was a big disappointment though. The match was on a pretty low level.
I thought that the Brazil - France game was horribly slow in the first half. I would have enjoyed it more if they would have been running around as much as after France scored. Also, that looked like offside when Henry made the goal, but I guess it wasn't.
I'm hoping that Portugal will win, but Germany seems more realistic.
I thought that the Brazil - France game was horribly slow in the first half.
I think it only seems slow because the French defense shut Brazil down so effectively. Brazil has some players with fancy moves, but none of them are playmakers of Zidane's caliber.
Also, that looked like offside when Henry made the goal, but I guess it wasn't.
Henry was unequivocably onsides, there's no question. Just go watch any of the innumerable videos of the goal that are now online. Remember, you only have to be onsides at the moment the ball is kicked. After that, you may position yourself anywhere you like.
Congratulations Italy, they just won the semi-final against Germany with a very beautiful Goal and a surprisingly aggressive style compared to the matches before. It was very unlucky for Germany though because the 1-0 happened just in the 119th min with only 1-2 damn minutes till the end before the 11-meter shooting starts in which Germany definitely would have the better chances to win (they have never lost a 11-meter shooting in the history of the WM till now).
Now I think Italy will win the Cup if they keep this performance in the final.
