FIFA World Cup 2010, Serbia VS Germany, my nails ain't gonna survive that Options

[milanius]

WOOOHOOO FOOTBALL, BEER AND PEANUTS!

I mean, commence the intelligent, meaningful discussion about that funky fresh thing we Europeans call "Football" and Americans pronounce as "Soccer".

I just watched Argentina VS Nigeria. Lots of misses, even more hits on target by gauchos, but Nigerian goalie was cool and calm. Sadly, what decided the game was a early goal by unlikely candidate - Gabriel Heinze, the defender, from a corner kick. Other (wasted) chances by Argentinians were mostly courtesy of Messi, who DID NOT play on his level today.

[Destri Melarg]

Okay, I’m about to rant here. My apologies in advance if I touch upon topics that have been spoken of ad nauseum, but this is a tirade that can no longer be kept inside:

First, I admit that I am an American. I am ashamed to say that I was brought up believing that football is a sport that you need your hands to play. When I was younger ‘soccer’ as a sport was relegated to the back of the sports page just behind the results of the Westminster Dog Show (and if you judge simply by our facility with the sport back then it is easy to see why). I saw my first World Cup in ’94 and I was simply amazed at the level of sheer artistry displayed on the pitch. I have been a fan of the beautiful game ever since. Having said that, there are a few things about this World Cup that I believe warrant further comment.

- The vuvuzelas: Are they silly? Perhaps. Are they annoying? Absolutely. But FIFA knew what they were getting into when they awarded the World Cup to South Africa. I have heard the arguments that, since they didn’t even manufacture the ridiculous things until the early part of the 21st century, that they don’t strictly count as a cultural icon. My response to that is that I wasn’t aware of any statute of limitations to such things. Everyone complaining about them needs to just get over it. They are a cultural icon because South Africa says that they are a cultural icon. Look on the bright side, at least they don't have a 'rally monkey'!

- And the Academy Award goes to: Any @#&*% player that falls on the pitch and rolls around like he was just the latest victim of the mysterious sniper in the stands! For crying out loud! I understand the argument that they do it because they don’t trust the referees to see everything without a little help, but COME ON!!! Fouls you should sell . . . I’m all for that, but incidental contact? Suck it up! If I see another player collapse and roll on the pitch holding his nose because he took an inadvertent elbow to the chest I am going to throw my TV out of a window! I think they should have a film critic sitting in the press booth who judges each 'performance' when seen using replay. If he/she judges the performance as lacking, it should result in an automatic yellow card for the bad-acting offender

- Note to FIFA: Some of your referees are morons! It’s okay, studies show that at least eighty percent of the people in any profession are morons. You are not unique. Your employees find themselves in a pressure packed situation in which, quite literally, the weight of the world is upon them. They are bound to make mistakes from time to time. Bad calls happen in any sport. Players and coaches know it, fans know it. Pretending that your referees are completely infallible and that over a billion people suffer from a form of collective glaucoma does not ingratiate you to the world!

To my fellow Americans still upset about the tie with Slovenia I can only offer up this: Maybe if we showed up for the first half of the game we wouldn’t have been in a position to be jobbed by the referee!

- To my esteemed British colleagues: At least you’re not the French! That sound you hear over the vuvuzelas is the laughter coming from pubs all over Ireland! How many teams in this draw can boast that their fitness coach throws like an eleven-year-old girl?! And, incidently, ‘Calamity James’ is the greatest nickname EVER!

Okay that’s it; I’m done for now, thank you milanius for making this thread and giving me a place to vent. I have to go, the second half of Spain v Honduras is about to start.

This post has been edited by Destri Melarg: Jun 21 2010, 09:54 PM