Ugh. You can't call Suarez's save "cheating". He committed a handball knowing the penalty, and he knew he had to take the penalty.
The US team qualifies in 1990 because of the same move. A defender stops a ball with his hands in the final minute of the game, the goalie saves the penalty, and the US qualifies.
I've never seen that particular save called "cynical cheating".
I would put 4 guys on the sidelines instead of 2, one for each half. Why does it make sense to try and watch 22 players with 3 refs? That's just stupid.
BTW, does anyone know when the contest winners are getting announced?
I'd give it to Spain-Portugal, Russia, or Netherlands-Belgium. Screw Korea, they caused so many problems the last time they co-hosted.
Not terribly insightful. Hindsight is always 20-20, and rarely accurate for the next Cup. I would bet on Japan losing in the knockout stage next time.
Or does Ballack look really stoked to hear that the team is full of gays?
Brazil holding their 6th trophy at the end.
Thing number 2:
Me in the crowd!
It had a decent ending but that was 100 minutes of maddeningly incompetent football. Two guys straight up whiffing point-blank crosses in front of goal? Iniesta running into the box TWICE with the ball and not even getting a shot off? Just awful. My friend and I were yelling "PULL THE TRIGGER, DAMMIT!" but Iniesta looked like he had gone and gotten his sphincter tightened before the match.
The better team ended up winning, and I was happy that the Dutch weren't ...
Name me one ref who had a GOOD World Cup. It's not like FIFA had an ample supply of refs who didn't screw the pooch.
karim: That was a pretty mundane, point-blank shot from Iniesta. It was unstoppable because of the pass, and the fact that the goalie had two targets at close range to defend.
I went 3 for 3 once the semi-finals hit, but, Paul's still got me beat by 5.
Julio Cesar was the goalkeeper for Brazil's World Cup squad. The guy in this article in the keeper for the most popular club team in Brazil.
It shouldn't have been a choice. If it were me, I would have admitted it went in. But, if FIFA has goal-line technology, like any modern league would have, then it's not an issue.
Some people like to trot out the old adage, "If you're not cheating, you're not trying hard enough."
I like to counter with, "If you're cheating, you're not playing WELL enough."
"Penalty goals" are a dumb idea. Suarez's save didn't cost the Ghanaians a spot in the semis, Gyan, and the two guys who missed PKs in the shootout did.
We need goal-line technology, or goal-line changes. Even if it's some guy standing behind (or in the back of) the net.
We ALSO need some real effing refs. Guys that commit horrible reffing offenses are back to ref at the next Cup.
After those advances, maybe we dedicate some tech to the entertainment experience. Live pass completion numbers and shot velocity stats.
Why does the slideshow start on #1?
Someone just punted away £413,000. I'd picked Spain to win this one. Because the last time I bet on Germany, it was Euro 2008.
To be number 6000 in...
Komano from the Japanese team needed to be on the worst looking list. He looks like he's mentally challenged.
If he can't admit that he screwed up, he deserves to never be a linesman again.
I like how his justification was "I knew I shouldn't have kneed that man in the groin...because it was a trap."