Speaker: KICK IT! The Wee Fella
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Without worrying about what constitutes cheating exactly, surely the fact that a red-card offense typically carries a suspension, that is, an actual punishment beyond the game in progress, indicates that it is something that is discouraged and hence beyond the boundaries of the game.
Not really. You also get suspended for a game if you collect two yellow cards in the course of the competition. And while yellow cards serve as a deterrent against violent play, fouling in itself is hardly beyond the boundaries of the game - indeed, it's part of it.
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Basketball is another game where deliberate 'cheating' is not just part of the game, but has been raised to an art form. I'm not exactly a fan, but the last minute (or rather, seconds) of several close NZ games at the Athens Olympics were incredible. The clock would restart with an opposition player in possession and immediately the Kiwis would rugby tackle him to the floor. Without the foul, the opposition could simply wind down the clock. With it, there was a chance of two missed free throws and regained possession for the match-winning three-pointer.
This sort of thing is an intrinsic part of the game now, even if the people who wrote the rules didn't see it coming. Opposition fans would understand this - opposition spectators with no previous knowledge of the game would be outraged. You really can't transfer standards from one sport to another. I suspect that tripping is seen as despicable in rugby precisely because it is so common in football.
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Basketball is also a non-contact sport just like netball. Theoretically the players commit a foul every time they touch. Theoretically the pushing and shoving to get position around the key is all cheating. Yet nobody who plays or knows basketball would remotely call it cheating. Sometimes it gets called as a foul and usually then the discussion is about how the ref ruined the game's flow.
I remember being amazed to discover that most of top level yachting was about forcing the opposition to commit a penalty offense. I thought it was about sailing your boat really well and knowing what the wind will do, but no, apparently for those familiar with the sport it really isn't.
For those familiar with rugby what McCaw does around the rucks is normal, but for those watching with an unfamiliar eye he is a cheat (and also for those who hate Canterbury).
Same here I think. For those really familiar with football a defender committing a foul to stop a goal is normal and expected. It is against the rules and that's why it is a foul and a red card one at that.
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Semifinal one tomorrow morning. Anyone excited? Seems like we needed a breather, but three more games to go, and by rights they should be the best in the tournament, no?
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If they beat the quarter finals for drama and quality, I'll be very impressed. Definitely excited though.
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Quite a convenient time slot too. Coffee, toast and a wee bit of high drama before the working day begins.
By the way, apologies for getting a little off the rails up-thread. Not the first, and unfortunately probably not the last time, but here we still are.
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Yup. Looking forward to banana on toast with raspberry jam at half time for the next two days.
Off to Croatia at the weekend and AHHHHHHHHHH will be between Singapore and Munich when the final is on. Flying Lufthansa so if it is Germany then hopefully updates will be forth coming along the way.
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Flying Lufthansa so if it is Germany then hopefully updates will be forth coming along the way.
I'm going to make a bold prediction here: after the first morsel of Lufthansa food you're going to start cheering for the team that is not Germany.
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Heh. I was looking at the game taking my mind off cattle class food. They are the one airline that truly do the best at "rounding up" passengers efficiently!
So endeth the first course of semi. Predictable and the Uru's only stepped it up in the last few minutes. Dutchies played a wee bit within themselves i thought.
Tomorrow.....
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yeah, one of the less invigorating 3-2 scorelines I've ever seen and the Dutch really need to sort themselves out at the back.
It's not like they didn't have the numbers there, but their organisation wasn't always what it should be. The keeper made some odd decisions as well.
And all three Dutch goals off the post.
Still, it was the right result for the final. I'm happy for Uruguay that they got so far - well done fullas - but they're not the most enjoyable team to watch. And what was up with subbing Forlan? Were they saving him for the play-off?
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And all three Dutch goals off the post.
Which of course means they were perfectly placed to be as far from the keeper as possible and still go in.
Looking forward to Spain demonstrating that Germany have been made to look good by soft opposition.
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@Ross You might actually be able to watch the match on the flight. I watched some live premiere league football when flying Jet Blue between NYC and Pittsburgh a couple of months ago.
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if that dutch goal was perfectly placed, then it'd have to be the greatest piece of genius of all time - a toe poke and at least two deflections...
and I have a tiny suspicion you might be right about the next game. at the very least the Spainish actually have a midfield.
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@Ross You might actually be able to watch the match on the flight. I watched some live premiere league football when flying Jet Blue between NYC and Pittsburgh a couple of months ago.
I doubt it. When I flew Lufthansa to Europe at the end of last year they didn't even had personal video screens
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deflections...
!?!?!
I don't think you call it a deflection when the keeper gets a finger to it, most folks call that a great shot.And the second was a bit more than a toe poke Humph!
But Robben's header was pretty near perfect, pity he then missed a sitter which would have made it 4.
Proudly wearing Orange today and think this thread needs a bit of partisan one-eyed support rather than all this serious analysis!
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I had all the one-eyed support I could handle pouring thru me cellphone during the game...sheesh.
damnation, must feel pretty cool to make a world cup final but.
so, good on all yous. have a pickled wotsit...oh, go on, make it two.
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3410,
Despite the thoughts of Paul the octopus, I'm picking Germany to not be overly troubled by Spain.
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I'm going to have to agree, Spain could be exposed just like Argentina and England. The Netherlands are more the kind of team that could trouble them, but not if they play like they did today - that was, dare I say it, pretty average. Still, I'll be cheering for Spain tomorrow for sure.
I watched some live premiere league football when flying Jet Blue between NYC and Pittsburgh a couple of months ago.
He's flying Lufthansa, which as Blair notes is not known for being very up to date on the technology. The entertainment on my last flight was a live commedia dell'arte performance.
And what was up with subbing Forlan? Were they saving him for the play-off?
I have to assume he was injured. Either that, or Tabarez went loco.
Also: did anyone notice how some Uruguayan players on the sidelines appealed for a hand ball in the last minute of time added on?
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have a pickled wotsit...oh, go on, make it two
mmm Herring nom nom nom
that was, dare I say it, pretty average
I agree it coulda and shoulda been 5 and the two they let in were pretty awful defensive lapses. They started average had a couple of moments in the middle that were great and then seemed to turn off and almost had to pay for it with extra time.
They won't get away with that in the final.
As for Spain being exposed, they have already played some really average football. But they aren't as slow as England and I can't see them imploding the way Argentina did. Which kind of leads me to think Germany will have to play very very well to get past them.
What I'm hoping for is extra time and penalty shots with a slew of red cards and injuries for the winning team :).
Hey this partisan thing is fun, my father would have been proud of me :).
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But they aren't as slow as England
Are you kidding? You could paint a lifesize portrait of Puyol, he's so slow.
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But they aren't as slow as England
Are you kidding? You could paint a lifesize portrait of Puyol, he's so slow.
Swap Puyol for Upson, Sergio Ramos for Johnson and Busquets for Barry and there's some disturbing similarities. Also throw in an emphasis on pushing forward and you could be looking at Argentina v2. My only hope is that Spain have been looking at Germany's last 2 games and don't fall into the same old trap, easier said than done though.
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did anyone notice how some Uruguayan players on the sidelines appealed for a hand ball in the last minute of time added on?
Yeah, but what I noticed more was that Uruguay spent most of extra time with three players in the penalty area waiting for the ball to be lobbed in, but for some reason they all stayed on their feet. What was all that about?
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Here kitty kitty kitty....
Wanna be a better football player?
Get a worm in your brain then
Welcome to the wonderful and truly bizarre world of parasites.
Sleep well tonight!!! Wake up for the football though....
Sorry: Linked from Scitechdaily.com
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Germany. DENIED!
To play football, first you must have the ball. 70% Spanish possession in the first half. Out hussled, out passed, out defended. Lufthansa flight might now be a bit rougher.
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yep, that Puyol, slow as innit....then again it doesn't really matter when you've always got the ball.
and Paul the Octopus does it again.
I, for one, welcome our new tentacled overlord.
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