Wednesday, July 12, 2006
World Cup Finals
Great soccer, great footwork, nice passes, I saw better acting during the tournament than anything Hollywood could produce but penalty kicks are no way to end a game. I am happy the Azzurri won, even though the French outplayed them the entire second half. But still, after pouring your guts out for 2 45 minute halves, then two 15 minute overtime periods, you are going to decide the most important game of the world on a free kick?
Maybe FIFA should turn to the American's AYSO rules and start pulling players off the field after the overtime period - they need to do something because this is just not right.
Back in 1994, the Azzurri lost to Brazil when Biaggo's ball hit the crossbar - again, what an ugly way to lose a game.
I know I am not going to be able to fix the game, but it's really sad though. Soccer players in my humble opinion are the best conditioned, most skilled players in the world. My favorite example is a youtude video clip of Ronaldinho working a soccer ball. Notice how he bounces the ball off of the cross bar not once or twice, but 4 times!
Every American sport involves some sort of hand and eye coordination. Baseball, basketball, football, any racquet sport. For me, what makes soccer so beautiful is the simplicity of the game. You run and kick and try to knock it in a goal. Doesn't get more simple than that.
We live in a MTV society where everything is in quick sound bites, the TV time out, the stop and start of the play, the end of the ending, the break in the action - the 24 second clock, the delay of game penalty. Soccer has none of that - if you fall down, waste time, they tack on the extra minutes. If you feign injury, and the referee should call a penalty on you even though that rarely happened during the World Cup.
Soccer does have it's issues, but from a true sports fan perspective, it's a most enjoyable game to watch and coach. A team of superstars can be neutralized by good teamwork. Remember, you don't need any talent to hustle!
Back to the finals, France outplayed the Italians during the second half - but the French felt compelled to "surrender" to the Italians yet again.
What was going through Zidane's head? I guess he missed that grammar school yard lesson- you know the one, sticks and stones can break my bones but names will never hurt me. How can a professional athlete, arguably one of the best players in the world, fall for such a simple trick? Haven't you heard of the expression of getting under their skin? I tip my hat to the Italians for sticking it to the French yet again.
If Zidane doesn't get red carded - we have a different result? I think so. But the French decided to surrender and have their two best players not around for the kicks. One by cramps the other by penalty.
Maybe FIFA should turn to the American's AYSO rules and start pulling players off the field after the overtime period - they need to do something because this is just not right.
Back in 1994, the Azzurri lost to Brazil when Biaggo's ball hit the crossbar - again, what an ugly way to lose a game.
I know I am not going to be able to fix the game, but it's really sad though. Soccer players in my humble opinion are the best conditioned, most skilled players in the world. My favorite example is a youtude video clip of Ronaldinho working a soccer ball. Notice how he bounces the ball off of the cross bar not once or twice, but 4 times!
Every American sport involves some sort of hand and eye coordination. Baseball, basketball, football, any racquet sport. For me, what makes soccer so beautiful is the simplicity of the game. You run and kick and try to knock it in a goal. Doesn't get more simple than that.
We live in a MTV society where everything is in quick sound bites, the TV time out, the stop and start of the play, the end of the ending, the break in the action - the 24 second clock, the delay of game penalty. Soccer has none of that - if you fall down, waste time, they tack on the extra minutes. If you feign injury, and the referee should call a penalty on you even though that rarely happened during the World Cup.
Soccer does have it's issues, but from a true sports fan perspective, it's a most enjoyable game to watch and coach. A team of superstars can be neutralized by good teamwork. Remember, you don't need any talent to hustle!
Back to the finals, France outplayed the Italians during the second half - but the French felt compelled to "surrender" to the Italians yet again.
What was going through Zidane's head? I guess he missed that grammar school yard lesson- you know the one, sticks and stones can break my bones but names will never hurt me. How can a professional athlete, arguably one of the best players in the world, fall for such a simple trick? Haven't you heard of the expression of getting under their skin? I tip my hat to the Italians for sticking it to the French yet again.
If Zidane doesn't get red carded - we have a different result? I think so. But the French decided to surrender and have their two best players not around for the kicks. One by cramps the other by penalty.
