Official World Cup Discussion Thread (No Spoilers)

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:05 am

davet010 wrote:More film of last night's 'disgraceful scenes' (TM - S Blatter)

Come in Mr Heinze - your great big ban is waiting....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBDN9jh1 ... =argentina

It takes two to Tango and Mr Frings was equally involved, if not more as he's suspended on Wednesday's game.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:47 am

I honestly think soccer could do with some subtle rules tweaking, same as the NHL needed it after the game went downhill from 1995 to 2004.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:35 am

Oh no you don't - it's alright as it is, before FIFA and other clowns started pissing about with it.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:19 pm

The game is fine as it is. But in important international competition, I would do something about the PK's. If you're unbeaten in a tournament you shouldn't be going home empty handed. Play best of out three maybe? But how do you do that in a WC? Give an automatic red to the "divers" that excel at it, and the beautiful game is fine as it is.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:21 pm

That uruguan ref from the US-Italy match is reffing the France-Portugal one.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:53 pm

fsquid wrote:That uruguan ref from the US-Italy match is reffing the France-Portugal one.

I would put money that we'll see one side down to atleast 10 men. Probably France because the cheaters of portugal will be able to buy a yellow and maybe a red.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:36 am

Heh, soccer fans are so reactionary about rule changes.

But it's good to see there's a least little common sense at FIFA.

BERLIN - FIFA president Sepp Blatter said on Tuesday that it would consider changing the rules of the World Cup with a player suspended from playing after receiving three yellow cards in a round and not two as happens now.

Speaking to journalists at FIFA's daily briefing, Blatter said: "In a competition like the World Cup it should perhaps be three yellow cards in the first round and three in the second. This is a wise suggestion and we will take it up."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story ... D=10389835

sfz_T-car · Post by **sfz_T-car** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:34 pm

Interesting WSJ piece about ESPN's WC coverage

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB ... in_tff_top

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:42 pm

sfz_T-car wrote:Interesting WSJ piece about ESPN's WC coverage

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB ... in_tff_top

Where do I sign the petition ???

sfz_T-car · Post by **sfz_T-car** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:47 pm

I watched the ESPN 360 feed from work today. What was up with all the cutaways to Aime Jacquet as time was winding down? He got more air time than Posh Spice.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:49 pm

sfz_T-car wrote:I watched the ESPN 360 feed from work today. What was up with all the cutaways to Aime Jacquet as time was winding down? He got more air time than Posh Spice.

Maybe the director has a crush on him?....that really was strange...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 9:08 am

I like the suggested rules changes in this column:

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/WorldC ... 6-sun.html

Take care,
PK

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:31 am

pk500 wrote:I like the suggested rules changes in this column:

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/WorldC ... 6-sun.html

Take care,
PK

You just like it because of the hockey references.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:44 pm

JRod wrote:
pk500 wrote:I like the suggested rules changes in this column:

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/WorldC ... 6-sun.html

Take care,
PK
You just like it because of the hockey references.

But the game is so much better because of it.

sfz_T-car · Post by **sfz_T-car** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:12 pm

More ideas on how to save the game

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/worldcup06/ ... out_t.html

These suggestions aren't as radical as the Canadian guy's.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:21 pm

Comparing hockey and soccer are impossible. Soccer isn't broken and it isn't coming off of a strike.

If they wanted to change soccer they would call more players for diving. That would mean more yellows for the Italians and Portugese. Soccer isn't in need of any rules changes it in need of how it applies those rules. They desperately need to add another referee.

And I agree with the article that there needs to be less whining to the ref.

You are always going to get this discussion about the game during the biggest tournament of the world. It's probably been going on by pundits since Uruguay '30.

Lastly this tournament has been dominated by ugly football - where you muddle the midfield to provide defense. The formation of the tournament was a 4-5-1, in fact it's been the trend of soccer for the last few years. Now how are you going to rule the game so that Italy scores more?.

Nothing is wrong with the game that minor changes couldn't fix. The game isn't broken like hockey was.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:20 pm

No, we don't need drastic changes in football. Maybe the idea of an extra ref or bringing the instant replay video would do. And definitely the diving has to go, would an instant red card be too much of a punishment?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:23 pm

Here's a five-minute Greatest Hits collection of Portugal's dives against France, led by that cheating f*ck Ronaldo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QSHB-AQ ... ldo%20dive

Disgraceful. Thank God those cheating c*cksuckers lost. And Italy isn't much better, so I'm rooting for France Sunday.

Take care,
PK

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:31 pm

10spro wrote:definitely the diving has to go, would an instant red card be too much of a punishment?

Nope...Red Card the bastards...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:32 pm

If FIFA showed the same vigilance about diving in this World Cup that it did for fouls, then big strides would have been made to eradicate diving. Instead, we got cards every time a player was touched instead of more deserved cards for diving.

Take care,
PK

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:53 pm

pk500 wrote:Here's a five-minute Greatest Hits collection of Portugal's dives against France, led by that cheating f*ck Ronaldo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QSHB-AQ ... ldo%20dive

Disgraceful. Thank God those cheating c*cksuckers lost. And Italy isn't much better, so I'm rooting for France Sunday.

Take care,
PK

I think Italy embellishes more than dives, of course I'm bias though. The Italians at least usually draw some contact before hitting the dirt while the Portugese will drop if a guy is within a foot of them.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 4:57 pm

ScoopBrady wrote:I think Italy embellishes more than dives, of course I'm bias though.

I gotta agree with you. There is no comparrison to what Portugal does. They are in a very special class all their own.
Italy are just your everyday run of the mill divers.

P.S. France did some diving of their own vs Spain...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:00 pm

ScoopBrady wrote:I think Italy embellishes more than dives, of course I'm bias though. The Italians at least usually draw some contact before hitting the dirt while the Portugese will drop if a guy is within a foot of them.

Agreed, Scoop. The Portuguese are a farce.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:31 am

Hector Elizondo who kicked off the WC will also be referreing the final on Sunday.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:39 pm

My boy Kahn will be in the net for the 3rd place match!