World Cup

[Soultrain92]

I just can't believe Zidane could do something so stupid and cost the game for France. i alos heard that people voted for Zidane to get the golden ball which he did. but this was before. guess the people that voted for Zidane are regretting it now

[slapshot]

Constant diving, taking advantage of poor officiating to win games from the penalty kicks...

Please. Every team had players diving. Don't just single out Italy for this. Or did you conveniently forget the bogus PK at the beginning of the game?

Bullying the other team's star with racial slurs, causing them to lose their cool and get kicked out...

I agree, it's pretty callous to use racial slurs at someone. But he shouldn't have lost his cool. Zidane has a history of blowing his cool on the field. He's supposed to block it out. And if it was that bad, why wasn't there any attempt at retaliation by any of his teammates?

Padding the score of games when they already had the game in the bag...

Which game was that? Ukraine? Scoring in the 59th and 69th minutes is hardly padding the score.

Germany? No padding the score. An excellent game by both teams, then Germany laid down once the first goal was scored, and allowed del Piero to get past the defense. Two goals in the last minute.

Cheating and poor sportsmanship at it's worst.

How was it cheating? How many "dives" got called for penalties in that game? I heard the complaints about the Australia game, and I didn't see that one, so I can neither confirm nor deny the reports of diving leading to the win. But it's a pretty big bandwagon of Italy haters that jump on the "cheating" and "poor sports" parade.

Hold on... the team that did this the is the sport's World Champion?

If Zidane's head-in is just a bit lower, or Buffon is a second slower, France is the champion. And on one complains, right? Or if Trezeguet doesn't hit the post, the shootout continues.

Italy won with defense and goalkeeping. One own goal. One penalty kick. That's is, save for the shootout at the end (which is a cheap way to end a tournament and declare a World's Champion).

I have lost all respect for this stupid game.

Well, I'm sure it won't miss you.

[leopard88]

Taking advantage of poor officiating to win games from the penalty kicks...

So you're suggesting when calls were made in their favor, the Italians should have said, "No, Mr. Referee, you are wrong. We reject your decision and will decline the penalty kick you have awarded."?

Bullying the other team's star with racial slurs, causing them to lose their cool and get kicked out...

This is hardly an Italian trait . . . or a soccer-specific trait. If you think this kind of gamesmanship doesn't go one in every sport, you are incredibly naive.

I have lost all respect for this stupid game.

If your belief that this took place is enough for you to lose respect for soccer, you may want to consider becoming a spelling bee fan or something. Every sport includes bad calls and questionable tactics, so you may have to reconsider your respect for all of the other major sports.

[CZzyzx41]

If that is going to make you leave soccer, then you need to look a bit closer at the rest of the sporting world. Every sport has its cheating and dirty play. Every sport endures a little or even a lot of discrimination (not always racial). So if this is going to make you leave soccer...perhaps it's time to give up sports or any other form of entertainment.

[Braden]

I understand that Italy's not the only one who dives. Diving is a normality in soccer, and that's what makes it worse.

What makes me sick is the fact that Italy is rewarded with the World Cup for doing what they did.

Whatever the hell happened with winning with class?

You guys are saying that racism/descrimination happens all the time. One problem...

A representative from each team announced that their team condemns racism to the world before every match.

I know it wasn't right for Zidane to do that. Two wrongs don't make a right. Both teams made a wrong.

Then how come one team got punished and the other got rewarded???

[zjac7]

Also, is the Champions League televised here in America. I know the CHampionship game was last season, but do they show more of it. I looked it up, and it looks really interesting and I would like to watch it.

ESPN2 shows a lot of Champions League games during the season at 2:30 PM EST on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (CL Matchdays), so if you can get away from work or Tivo them, you're good...

Thing is, ESPN never promotes them (I couldn't believe they even ran a commercial for the final!), so you'll have to check your listings pretty regularly to find out when they'll be on.

[leopard88]

I know it wasn't right for Zidane to do that. Two wrongs don't make a right. Both teams made a wrong.

Then how come one team got punished and the other got rewarded???

I'm not sure if "punished" and "rewarded" are the correct characterizations. In any case, assuming they are, it is because an intentional assault of an opponent is a far worse offense then trying to draw a foul/penalty to help your team.

[fonz]

Zidane losing his cool and getting kicked out was really a stupid move for such a smart player. However, as an Italian fan, I didn't mind, lol.

[Swiss]

Zidane losing his cool and getting kicked out was really a stupid move for such a smart player. However, as an Italian fan, I didn't mind, lol.

[DEAD!]

Zidane losing his cool and getting kicked out was really a stupid move for such a smart player. However, as an Italian fan, I didn't mind, lol.

even better....

[BaltimoreFan]

ESPN2 shows a lot of Champions League games during the season at 2:30 PM EST on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (CL Matchdays), so if you can get away from work or Tivo them, you're good...

Thing is, ESPN never promotes them (I couldn't believe they even ran a commercial for the final!), so you'll have to check your listings pretty regularly to find out when they'll be on.

Thanks, I'll try my best to catch them or at least Tivo them.

As for Zidane. I'm sure both teams were talking trash back and forth. This is the biggest sporting event in the world. There was alot of passion by fans and players. I saw alot of people on another message board calling the Italian players wops and greaseballs. I'm sure French players were doing the same (as were the Italian players). In fact I wouldn't be surprised if Zidane said something to Materazzi before Materazzi called him a terrorist. The reason I say that is that Materazzi twisted Zidane's nipple, which I doubt he would have randomly done (but I could be wrong). The point is, Zidane should have kept his cool. It would have been alot sweeter payback or response to hoist the World Cup (or at least confront him after the game where there are no cameras).

[HedleyLamarr]

Whatever the hell happened with winning with class?

So you're saying that France, who's captain headbutted a player of the opposing team, is the classier of the two?

[TFoA]

Zidane losing his cool and getting kicked out was really a stupid move for such a smart player. However, as an Italian fan, I didn't mind, lol.

even better....

Good job, you almost made me fall out of the chair.

[Saturn]

I don't see why everyone is blaming Zidane for the loss. He isn't the one that missed a penality.

[fonz]

Zidane losing his cool and getting kicked out was really a stupid move for such a smart player. However, as an Italian fan, I didn't mind, lol.

even better....

HAHAHA, that's hilarious!

[MrAsterisk]

And if it was that bad, why wasn't there any attempt at retaliation by any of his teammates?

Because Zidane is a man who handles his business on his own and accepts his own responsibility.

Specualtion includes:

"You're the son of a terrorist whore."

"Your sister is a prostitute."

"Dirty terrorist."

If any of those are true, especially the first, Zidane just went up a notch in my book.

[Jigga]

And if it was that bad, why wasn't there any attempt at retaliation by any of his teammates?

Because Zidane is a man who handles his business on his own and accepts his own responsibility.

Specualtion includes:

"You're the son of a terrorist whore."

"Your sister is a prostitute."

"Dirty terrorist."

If any of those are true, especially the first, Zidane just went up a notch in my book.

You have got to be kidding me!

Let a basketball player do something like that in finals and see what kind of reaction you'd give him, Algerian or not. He'd be called every name in the book...thug, gangsta, criminal, moron, etc. Imagine if Michael Jordan, instead of hitting that jumper against Utah, sucker punched Bryon Russell in the face for saying something about Jordan's murdered father and got himself kicked out of the game and the Jazz won the series (remember, that was Jordan's last game--I refuse to recognize the Wizards era). Would be people saying Jordan handled his business and worthy of respect. Hell the no and we all know that.

Zidane's act was in the heat of the moment. He lost it. It's not the first time he's lost it on the field in his career. The timing of it is what makes it so egregious. He screwed up. Not only did he not tarnish his legacy, for most Americans, that IS his legacy. Had Zidane not been carded, who knows what would have happened. They *may* have still won. He cannot be celebrated. What he did was quite possibly, based on the magnitude of the situation, was the stupidest thing any athlete has ever done on the field of play.

[NJTank]

Theres a time and a place for everything and if Zidane ignored him he may have given Francea beter chance who know maybe he would have scored a goal before PKs and won the cup but he lost his head and France lost the game.

[MrAsterisk]

And if it was that bad, why wasn't there any attempt at retaliation by any of his teammates?

Because Zidane is a man who handles his business on his own and accepts his own responsibility.

Specualtion includes:

"You're the son of a terrorist whore."

"Your sister is a prostitute."

"Dirty terrorist."

If any of those are true, especially the first, Zidane just went up a notch in my book.

You have got to be kidding me!

Let a basketball player do something like that in finals and see what kind of reaction you'd give him, Algerian or not. He'd be called every name in the book...thug, gangsta, criminal, moron, etc. Imagine if Michael Jordan, instead of hitting that jumper against Utah, sucker punched Bryon Russell in the face for saying something about Jordan's murdered father and got himself kicked out of the game and the Jazz won the series (remember, that was Jordan's last game--I refuse to recognize the Wizards era). Would be people saying Jordan handled his business and worthy of respect. Hell the no and we all know that.

Zidane's act was in the heat of the moment. He lost it. It's not the first time he's lost it on the field in his career. The timing of it is what makes it so egregious. He screwed up. Not only did he not tarnish his legacy, for most Americans, that IS his legacy. Had Zidane not been carded, who knows what would have happened. They *may* have still won. He cannot be celebrated. What he did was quite possibly, based on the magnitude of the situation, was the stupidest thing any athlete has ever done on the field of play.

You make a really solid argument.

The only rebuttal I have against your analogy is that the level of violence, and moreover pride, on the field of play is different between soccer and basketball. Zidane has been called a moron and has been accused of ruining his team's chances.

My respect for Zidane hasn't diminshed, and I don't agree with you to quite the extremes you present, but I think you win this one fair and square.

Now allow me to headbutt you.

[theone28]

I heard that the Italian player said "dont bomb me" (or something like that)

and then he called him a terrorist.

I think both of the players were wrong for what they did. The Italian guy had to have said something bad to tick him off that much. I was routing for France that game because I just dont like Italy and the way how they play. I personally think it might have been apart of Italy's plan.

After that point when Zidanne was red carded I new the game was over. They were down one man and it was obviously going to PKs. I knew the keeper from France was not going to stop anything. And add the fact 3 of Frances best kick takers were out.

Overall it was a good world cup but I dont think that was a good last game.