FIFA World Cup 2006 [R]

"When will they ever learn?"

...clever ;-)

I liked this last game actually, despite Italy winning. It was definitely not boring.

But, see, me as a newcomer, I see an elegance to soccer... ah, futbol.

And no, I'm not aiming at the french or zidane, as I well know - already - that italians are implicated in diving. I have an admitted brainless bias, still awake to learn.

I do need to know more about diving. I am not so sure diving is not just another tactic, though a weak one, and the well-played dive a kind of theater. Not that I am for it, but I am curious re the delineation of who thinks it is a terrible affront to sportsmanship and who thinks it is one more arrow in the quivver.

Anyone wanna talk about drugs and bicycling? I dunno, not sure I see diving as Evil. Stupid, yes.

One more comment... doesn't pro tennis have an element of diving? I think I've seen that several times.

Is diving as a tactic prohibited in any sport? I ask without knowing the answer.

Without considering PK sessions, Germany 2006 registers an average of 2.29 goals per game, just ahead of Italy 90, with 2.21. Goals where an extraordinare event!

Isn't it funny that 13 world champions can be playing in the calcio's "B Series" on the next tournament?

Quite funny, the frontpage of a Hamburg regional newspaper:

If he was going to nut him, and admittedly he did it pretty hard, why didn't he nut him on the nose?

I may modestly mention here, that that particular action is known as a "Glasgow kiss". So Zidane's was maybe the French version, an "air kiss". :wink:

Is cuore the heart?

I was hoping Italy would win it so I'm chuffed with that, actually got quite nervous for the penalties so god knows what I would have been like if it had been England...I thought the game itself was OK, there was an added element of drama because it was the final but the game before, Italy - Germany really would have graced a final. The Italians never really turned up for some strange reason, almost like it hit them all of a sudden, we're in the final here!

As for diving, I just think it's a poor show. It smacks of, we can't use the rules of the game to beat you so we'll cheat instead. The fact is though that some countries create generation after generation of divers because it is almost seen as win at any cost mentality. On top of that what you end up with is players who dive instinctively, players who in their own eyes do, use it as a tactic. Maradona calls his 'hand of God' goal, "craftiness", not cheating, he's quite adamant on that.

Then there is Zidane, no idea what he was thinking. It was disgraceful but my disdain will always be for players who form a habit of poor conduct, be it diving, fouling, cheating etc not so much for those who have a moment of madness, everyone has past actions they really regret. I'd love to know what Materazzi said to him but what an impact that player had on the game. Gave away the penalty, scored the equaliser, involved with Zidane being sent off and still had time to score a great penalty. Those penalties made England look really bad though. Amazed at the quality of them, neither goalkeeper had any impact on them to be fair.

I think my favourite moment of the WC or at least the funniest was when the Italians were celebrating during one of the earlier games and Gattusso came over to the bench to Lippi and grabbed him, quite aggressively, by the neck in all the commotion. Lippi looked really pissed at that and when you consider the guy wouldn't look out of place in a Godfather film, Gattusso skated on ice there.

I think that diving competitions, involving a swimming pool, allow it now and again.

OOH! ...and the various scuba sports.

Zidane!!!!

What can you say? Actually quite a lot on a radio phone in this morning. According to one caller, the Italian called him a Muslim terrorist. I didnt pick up whether he thought that justified his action or not..

I think Germany is the winner. They played some excellent football and came third. They were excellent hosts.

Although only the Portuguese stayed close to us!

In what language did he say it? I often wondered how they anyone was communicating when you had different countries playing under officials from yet other countries.

Yes I remember you saying. But tell me again exactly where were they...I know I've been there too but I've also been to a lot of other nice places in Germany in recent years...

Wilso...he probably said it in such bad French that Zidane decided to teach him a lesson.

Aussie rules full forwards play for free kicks stging and acting so the umpire will be sure to notice. some few years ago it was decided by the umpires ruling body to take a harder line if a player (any player) appeared to be "acting" this has brought about a change for the better.
But ours is a full body contact sport so I'm not sure that a different interpretation would be appropriate for "soccer".

I can see a time coming when players in "the round ball game" will just not challenge for the ball and become completly defensive, flooding the defensive area every time the opposition has the ball. It will make the game quite boring I think.

As to the question about diving, yes, to a certain extent it is another tactic. If you're getting fouled, you have to show it if you want the call. However, in excess, it's cheating. Diving in the box to get a penalty kick, that's cheating. When you're whole team basically spends the entire game appealing to the referee (cough, Portugal, cough) rather than just playing soccer, it ruins the game. That's just my opinion.

I noticed on the telly from the Olympic Stadium Berlin last night, as the camera showed us some of the dignitaries and VIPs there assembled, that Angela Merkel is possessed of a fine embonpoint.

Nice one, Angela, or rather, two.

Respect.

embonpoint is that German (Just so i can hit he translator program without embaressing my self.)