Wheeeeeuuuuuu....
I am glad I went to play golf as I now read these red cards, referees.... etc. etc.
Yes we have beaten the dead horse to further death so let's leave all these dead things dead...
The only thing I would add to the referee's issues is as Bobby Charlton has suggested.
On the dives:
To have a panel of three judges review tapes of the games and whenever a fake dive is clear, then penalize the offending player with a post game "yellow card" or even "red card" if warranted with the same penalties as an on game red/yellow cards.
I do believe it would stop the excessive and fictitious diving.
I would go even further to put a "value" to the yellow and red cards... for example $ 500.00 to $ 5,000.00 USD "penalties" for the cards and frequency.... I bet you that at least the fake dives would disappear rapidly.
I do not like PK either, but I would not go to the extreme of calling it "luck".
As I said earlier, there is a degree of skill required to execute a PK under the tremendous pressure of the shoot out, and for the goalie, no luck either, there is perhaps a degree of guessing but there is also skill in the execution, and further after 120 minutes of total dead lock, what are you going to do a coin flip ???
Again as much as I hate them and due to the lack of a better alternative, penalties is the least bad solution.
Holland not caring about the third/fourth places game..... well as an spectator, I love seeing this game, so long so they are played with heart, so if you do not give a hoot, oh well, that is your opinion... I would not mind watching it.
I remember in Wembley 1966, the game between Russia (formerly the Soviet [evil] Empire), and Portugal. Portugal defeating the mighty soviets (remember the CCCP in the Soviet's uniform ?) Portugal taking third place, with Eusebio their star, making it all possible.
How could I forget ?!! Next to me, this Portuguese [maniac] fan, sat with a gigantic Portuguese flag, waving it about 80 % of the time and yelling some unintelligible stuff during the entire 90 minutes....
My left ear still suffers from the Old Portuguese being yelled continuously, (which I assume is quite different from the Portuguese spoken in Brazil as that I can understand a bit.... This rabid, wave flagging mad man must have spoken in some kind of dialect as I understood absolutely ZERO of whatever the hell he was yelling....
I guess that left and indelible image for me for this third/fourth place games, (which I am trying to overcome, hoping to find a stronger image), however being a fan of soccer, I will always be eager to watch a good match, Croatia -Vs- Holland could be such.
I am lucky I will not be at the stadium and risk sitting next to one of those jester looking Croats (you know, the checkered shirts that make you dizzy...), or fear the worst !! oh no, imagine sitting next to one of those human oranges with a mad hatter hat.... yelling some equally unintelligible stuff, (as the Old Portuguese), sounding as if he is getting ready to spit his lungs out....No thanks I will watch in on TV....
Now the final I would not mind watching...
So I hope all is cool now, so sorry for the Dutch loss, but on we must go with the fest.... almost over :(
**********
Re:
Comparing me to Klaus and Sampson in the same sentence no less! Well, I guess I must have certainly gotten on your nerves - Brazilian nerves by any chance? Xyz and George, it's obvious to me you're both fans of "the beautiful game" and Argentina also, which may account for your convenient blindness to the foul Van Hooidonk. It's understandable, as you are both still in mourning over the Argentina game, and I forgive you....:-) :-)
A little further clarification is warranted here:
"The beautiful game"
I saw the greatest team of soccer ever put together, which it took several years to assemble.... from 1958 in Sweden to 1970 in Mexico, and there will be always discussion as to which team was the best; the 1958 in Sweden, the 1962 in Chile, or the 1970 in Mexico....(my personal favorite is the 1970 team).
After watching all those Brazilian magicians, Bellini, Zagallo, Vav , Amarildo, Gilmar, Did¡, Pel‚, Garrincha (and his curved legs), Jairzihno, Rivelihno, Gerson, Tostao, Carlos Alberto..... etc.
Believe me, I have not seen the level of excellent game played since, and I search hoping to see it again, although the "moments of brilliance" are there, it just simply does not come close to the 1970 performance.
So yes, I admit to my guilt of being "addict" to Brazilian Soccer and an ever supporter of it too....
As for Argentina..... hmmm that is a different story, first they have never even come close to play as good as the Brazilians, although they have gotten better.
I have never liked their antics of the "diving technics, and again, they have corrected such behavior, in addition, you never, never, never, want to play dirty against an Argentinean team, as they can be lethal themselves, believe me they are no innocent prima donnas, they are very strong players, (ask Alf Ramsey head trainer for the England team in 1966, he called them "Animals"....which it is part of the reason Argentina -vs- England matches are so passionately played).
Do I favor them over most other teams ? for the majority, yes I do, the exceptions being, Brazil (of course), Mexico, sometimes Chile (if they are playing well.... kind of a coin toss situation).... and maybe the Italians... (unless they play their hideous Catenacio, which it is 95% of the time)...
However, having said the above, I will not be blinded (as you suggested), to an obvious possible superiority of an opposing team, in this Cup, I believed that Argentina and England were very closely matched as far as quality, the result was, although understandably hard for the England team, fair, as the Argentineans did what it was needed, the rest of the considerations are meaningless....
As for the Argentina - Holland game, I will say the exact same as in the above paragraph, Holland deserved to win as the Argentineans simply assumed they were going to penalty kicks, far too early, and as they were doing that, the Dutch score them the winning goal.... and the Argentineans were left stunned, wondering what the hell hit them, as they went home packing....
"but... but... but..... we thought that....."
GOOD BYE NICANOR, IT WAS NICE KNOWING YOU !! Holland 2 x 1 Argentina.
My opinion is that Argentina lost the Holland game, the minute they won against England.... they were physically and mentally drained, same thing happened to the Italians in 1970, in the semifinal they defeated the W. Germans, in the most incredible game of soccer I have ever watched.... but once this happened they had zero chances against the Brazilians, who plastered them 4 x 1 in the final.
Are they a proud lot ? I think so, sometimes justifiable, and sometimes not, but no more nor less than the English, Germans, Dutch and others.... as I have said before, that is precisely why the Brazilians have won more cups, (not only on average play better soccer, I think they have always being humble).
You know, the big head explosion factor is less probable in the Brazilians...
So, I think that your assessment of me being blind to anything against Brazil in the Holland game is mistaken, I just simply think that Brazil executed what it was needed to win, it certainly was close, I think Brazil in their technic of merely doing what is needed to win are taking a tremendous risk, as the Dutch could have scored more than the one goal (ask Kluivert), but the hard reality is that they did not.
As for the PK, I thought Brazil executed them brilliantly, and the Dutch did not. Did Tafarell guessed, or he knew.... nobody will ever know, the simple fact is that he stopped two of them, and he became the hero of the day, and you, (or anybody else), can not take that away from him.... I do not care how rabid a Dutch fan you are.
Any other considerations of fouls, penalties, posts, cross bars, referees, linesmen, offsides, male menstruation, bird shit in the eye, farts in the goalie's face, etc. etc. etc. are meaningless statistics that DO NOT COUNT.
What counts is a simple arithmetical fact.... to win, you must have at least one more goal than the other side.... Anything else are considerations for us, "Armchair Experts" to talk about, write, get drunk on, and [within reason] argue about....
So my dear Dutch [rabid] fan, enjoy the sun and smell the flowers, the final game, (and even the 3th./4th. game), and promptly forget the Dutch defeat against Brazil, it is in the past and there is absolutely nothing you or I can do about it.
As they say, death is for the dead, and life is for the living....
As for me mourning the Argentineans.... so sorry mon ami, again, sadly mistaken, I do not like mourning.... and for Argentina..... hmmm not likely, leave that to Evita, and Maddona.... Don't cry for me Argentina..... (sing it in Fu... [man-chu] minor).
Z.
On with the fest [whatever is left]..... :(
o¨o
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