dagblog - Comments for "Led by Captain Thierry Henry, France Goes Through to the World Cup and Will Forever After be Known as Cheating Bastards"

One of the governing bodies

acanuck — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:34:20 +0000

In reply to If the governing bodies even

One of the governing bodies that would have to agree to a rematch is the French football association. What odds are you willing to offer?

If the governing bodies even

Stephen — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:15:48 +0000

In reply to Led by Captain Thierry Henry, France Goes Through to the World Cup and Will Forever After be Known as Cheating Bastards

If the governing bodies even considering a re-match, then it would mean that the match between Crystal Palace and Bristol City would also need to be replayed after the referee missed a PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE goal.

P.S. It looks like the French

Orlando — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:49:54 +0000

In reply to You're right that some of

P.S. It looks like the French players were offside at the beginning of the play. Chalk up another inexcusable screw up for the linemen.

You're right that some of

Orlando — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:47:00 +0000

In reply to Are you able to watch

You're right that some of them do it because they can get away with it, but it doesn't make me like it any more or respect the players who do it. There's also much, much less of it in the women's games. The women tend to play more and playact less.

The ref is responsible because it is his job to maintain the "integrity" of the game. So the ref or the linemen screwed up. Henry is more responsible because he stuck out his hand to stop a ball that he couldn't control with his body or his feet.

Because he's one of the best, he's got zillions of kids looking up to him. And he just taught all of them a valuable lesson. It's okay to cheat if it gets you the win.

Are you able to watch

William K. Wolfrum — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:32:48 +0000

In reply to There is a great deal of

Are you able to watch American football despite the fact that you know have the players at least are guzzling steroids? Or baseball? What about traveling in the NBA that's never called, or phantom tags at second base?

All sports have a level of cheating, and they'll all get away with whatever they can to win. Any athlete that would avoid doing something to win out of honor for the game is generally not much of a competitor.

I've always thought that a way to discourage diving is to give the player 1 minute to get up, if not, they are off the fireld for at least 5 minutes, if not 10. If the player is injured, a replacement can come in immediately.

The diving issue in soccer is bad for the game. But the fact is, no one does anything about it, so it will continue.

There is a great deal of

acanuck — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:19:50 +0000

In reply to Led by Captain Thierry Henry, France Goes Through to the World Cup and Will Forever After be Known as Cheating Bastards

There is a great deal of cheating in international men's soccer.

You've pretty neatly summed it up, Orlando. There's diving in hockey, too, of course: Your skates get a bit tangled with an opposing player's stick, and you execute a reverse one-and-a-half that leaves you sprawled at the ref's feet. The other guy usually gets two minutes, but if overreaction is suspected, you may end up in the penalty box as well. Still, at least there is some contact.

It was years back, and I have no memory of the teams involved, but I recall seeing a supposed foul that left one player writhing on the ground, clutching his knee in agony, and the offending player sent off. What the slo-mo replay showed, however, was that there had been no contact whatsoever. There were inches of air (centimetres, at least) between the carded player's boot and the "injured" player's knee. Not an exagerrated contact -- an entirely fictional one, with the whole shoddy pantomime caught on videotape.

I cannot watch any soccer match without that one phantom kick (from perhaps a decade back) popping into my mind. And I see every player as a cheater-in-waiting.

If I'm Ireland, I'm pissed.

William K. Wolfrum — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:57:57 +0000

In reply to Led by Captain Thierry Henry, France Goes Through to the World Cup and Will Forever After be Known as Cheating Bastards

If I'm Ireland, I'm pissed. Very much reminds me of U.S.-Germany in 2002, when U.S. was in its best form ever and lost the tying goal because of an unseen hand ball.

But that's soccer. I know in Brazil, cheating is not frowned on like in the U.S. If you can cheat, get away with it and win. The "win" part is the only thing that matters. It's definitely more a cultural thing.

And I still like Henry quite a bit. But he damn near caught that ball and set it on his foot. But who's more to blame, Henry or blind refs?

Actually, I like soccer about

Nebton — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:44:12 +0000

In reply to If you're not a soccer fan,

Actually, I like soccer about as much as I like other sports, which is to say it's perfectly fine to play, but I just can't imagine myself watching more than 5 minutes of it.

The exception to this, of course, is timbersports. Wynyard rocks!

If you're not a soccer fan,

Orlando — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:39:34 +0000

In reply to That's why soccer (and by

If you're not a soccer fan, you're going to be very disappointed with my blogging next summer. World Cup Fever, baby!

That's why soccer (and by

Nebton — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:27:26 +0000

In reply to Led by Captain Thierry Henry, France Goes Through to the World Cup and Will Forever After be Known as Cheating Bastards

That's why soccer (and by extension, hockey) sucks. You never see any cheating in those true American sports, football and baseball.