How awesome was last nights match. I was down at Union Jacks, a pub in Brisbane City, and in that 85th minute there was beer, blood and sweat going everywhere, we were jumping up and down for 20 minutes straight with everyone hugging everyone ... it was chaos, but such awesome atmosphere.
And here I was thinking I would end up going home and recreating the match but with Australia winning on Fifa World Cup on my 360
I saw the match as well. Was totally bummed for most of it, pretty much like everyone else. There was a bit in the game where the camera was on two Aussie supporters in the stand, and you could see the disappointment in their faces. I had that same sinking feeling I had when Australia were beaten in the qualifying matches for the World Cup in 2002 and 98 (and probably 94 as well) where we "almost" made it, but just didn't. Just like those matches, the sense of dread when the clock is running down and it looks nigh on impossible for the Socceroos to make a comeback, it's just all too much! At 6 minutes to go, I'm pretty sure everyone was conceding a loss to Japan, but then those quick 3 goals happened - it was pretty unbelievable!
Anyway, I get drawn in while watching sports a bit too much, especially when Australia is concerned. I wanted to boot the tv in when Pat Rafter lost to Goran Ivanisevic at the Wimbledon in 2001. [:(]
Clearly a shit call, but I'd say the striker did a better job of sucking the ref in than neil did of feigning innocence. I recall many a decision exactly like it, in this world cup and previous. The time and importance is irrelevant.
Still, the refs have been ordinary to say the least, so the decision didnt surprise me. Defenders jumping to punch the ball away from corner crosses come to mind.
Bummer, but thats why football is the most popular sport in the world, because of the controversy. Vid assistance would hurt the game more than it would help it. Football was never supposed to be a clean cut sport. Theatrical dives, sinister tackles, dubious referrees are what make the game controversial, especially in some parts of the world. Oh that and scoring great goals.
What about vid assistance on important calls, such as penalties, or when handing out red cards, etc.
I know it keeps the game going quickly by not looking back at what the ref has said, but it also puts SO much pressure on the ref.
Its not a usual thing though, we really did have bad luck when it came to the refs. Most games you watch at the end you talk about how well or badly the teams played. Our games all you could talk about was how badly the refs calls were, whether we won or lost.
Its pretty rediculous, that with the money involved in such a sport that vid assistance isnt used. The whole fact is, that the 'italian drama queens' that use their fake hits, is a for of defense. It slows the game down, almost to a halt when the stretcher comes on, then they happily jump up, and everything is ok. This is rediculous - time wasting. And if you worked out the cost of the few minutes they waste.. itd be millions.
Any professional sport that wants to have the highest calibre ethics, should be thoroughly scrutinized. And video assistance should be used. Its good enough for cricket and other sports, why not soccer? Give the ref a wireless headset to confirm/deny decisions and get the crooks out of the game - youd see much faster more fluid gameplay, and alot less stop/start crap from teams that rely on it to slow down fast attacking teams: see the germany v italy game for a good reference, the second half had a couple of drama incidents (clearly not even any contact on the replay) and free's were given.
A good sport, is a sport played by good sports people. Not a bunch of overpaid actors.
I don't usually watch soccer, or sport in general, but I more or less agree with both arguments:
1) The "theatrics" is part of the sport as it is another part of the "strategy" used to win a game, as the game is not so much about brute force as in some sports, but rather skill and tactics of the teams involved. I also like how it adds that something extra like to the strategy element, as much of strategy can be about bluffing and creating an illusion to the opposition.
2) They need to get with the times and realise that there are a lot of technologies out there that make sports fairer for good reason. And if other sports have readily adopted it, well, so should soccer to a degree as well.
Having a team get away with something that is not crucial to a match, is ok in the spirit of the sport, as it is rather theatrical in the way they bluff and attempt to get any leverage they can over the other side. But having something that occurs in a crucial part of the match, have it go ahead and then proven to be bullshit afterwards with video footage - footage that surely could have been reviewed on sight almost immediately - is a fucking joke.
Especially as it easily handed the game unfairly to the Italian team - it is not like it was a long shot chance they would score that goal. So it is not like it created "good" and "entertaining" soccer - all it created was bitterness, and a diminished faith in the sport.
My guess is that the reason that so many have criticised the refereeing of the world cup, is due to other sports having adopted far more technology for fairer games since the last world cup. But soccer on the other hand, has chosen to lag behind this progress that has been adopted by other sports - so people are unwilling to accept bullshit calls like that, as they have come to accept far better.
Though I think it is not just a matter of adopting technology, but also a matter of either educating match official or just firing them for their idiocy.
I know one thing only... at coles. When Australia was in the game, The Milo + Soccer ball was selling at $12:50 when we lost the game.. It went to $7:50 ... what does that tell you guys?
I have little sympathy.. Because as I?ve seen this sport form the blank perspective...those who never cared for the sport one bit instantly loved it when their team got into something they hadn't in a lifetime and instantly became friggen experts of the sport. Then as we fail through whatever means it may be legal or illegal or bullshit.. Those people ether once again ignored the sport, or got violent.
But considering all the shit that follows soccer..eh..not interested.
It?s just a sport?
Btw, just to note, I didnt single out the Italian team for beating Aus. It was purely for the antic's they put on against Germany - it was quite a shocking display. I consider myself a casual football watcher, I have SBS running on my server most of the time and often catch the odd English or European games - I generally watch them through if the game is interesting and flowing, I refuse to watch horrible slow drama defense games. Its just amazing though, that a player can get paid say 20-40 million dollars salary, to 'fake' frees. Can anyone imagine how bad that would go down in Aussie rules? I mean, we use video for vetting such things anyway, but the ethics alone wouldnt stand for it in the game, same with ARL.. so its very surprising to see the most wealthy sport, having the least ethical approach to quite obviously serious problems.
One of the best finishes I've ever seen. Three goals in eight minutes?!
About ten minutes before Australia scored their first goal, the camera panned to a pair of very upset looking Aussies. My housemates and I chatted briefly about how disappointing it must be to travel so far to see their team get beaten, all because of such a contraversial goal by Japan. A few minutes later, they would have been very happy indeed.
I wish I could have stayed up longer to watch USA get flogged by the Czechs [:)]