Running, all-purpose World Cup thread

No, it does.
You get your tailed kicked out of the decisive game, you forfeit the title of "best."
There were three clear choices for best player: Buffon, Cannavaro, Thuram.
They were still on the pitch at the end, where they belonged.

 

Twoback -- I guess that you are right.  My pro-Zizou bias and my disbelief at what he did got the best of me.  While I still don't think that France would have scored and the game was destined for PKs, you can't tell.  That's why I thought that Henry coming off was such a big deal -- he's a guy who often takes PKs for his club (which Zizou didn't usually do if Raul is in the game).

My point with DT was that he's a veteran who has made massive PKs before.  I can't see the Zizou sending off changing his mindset and causing him to miss.  If it were a younger player, perhaps.

 

I loved hearing the commentary on Univision after the Zidane head butt. The play by play guy throws it to the color guy (Jose Luis Chilavert) to get him to comment on whether that was out of character for ZZ. Chilavert: "No. That's pretty typical. That's who he is."

 

Hate to tell you this, but Henry was whacked on the shins against Portugal. Not a big foul with some flopping involved, but no doubt there was contact. Can't say the same for Italy's PK foul call against the Socceroos.

Another thing lost in Italy's run ... their goal against the United States came on a set piece. Following a (no fucking way!) dive that was called a foul.

 

That one looked awful light to me, akin to Italy's victory against the Aussies. And yet, Italy's painted as this team that does nothing but flop and lacks class, while France wouldn't DARE do anything like that.

Point is, because it was Italy, people got pissed. Had that BS penalty kick held up for France, I firmly believe that most people on this thread would have been more than happy to look the other way.

 

Reuters: Materazzi called Zidane a dirty terrorist.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldFootballNews&storyID=2006-07-10T163843Z_01_L10406204_RTRIDST_0_SPORT-SOCCER-WORLD-FRANCE-ZIDANE.XML

Fuck Materazzi too. This guy should not come out of this looking like a victim.

 

This is just further proof that the Italians have the highest bitch factor in the World Cup.

If you want to pick a fight, fight. Don't fall down like you've been shot. What a bitch.

 

Materazzi denies it, saying "I don't even know what that word means."

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=sportsNews&storyid=2006-07-10T173324Z_01_L10426945_RTRUKOC_0_UK-SOCCER-WORLD-FRANCE-ZIDANE-MATERAZZI.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsArt-C2-AlsoToday-7

 

Italy does nothing but flop, but its PK against Australia was legit.
The people who challenged its legitimacy were mostly the same ones who challenged the legitimacy of the two awarded to the French. Look, you don't have to shoot the guy in the box to draw a penalty. You have to foul him and take away his opportunity to play the ball.
It happened on both of France's and on Italy's vs. Aussies.
It DID NOT happen on Gooch vs. Pimpong.

 

The Italian defense had the better of the match. Even up a man, Italy wasn't interested in attacking no matter how long the game went.
And it sure did look like Zidane signaled for a sub, he makes a circling motion with his index finger.

 

No named sources, no quoted sources. Only a statement based on "several very well informed sources from the world of football," which could be hooligans. I mean, some are well informed sources.

 

From Reuters:

Don't even know what the word means? C'mon, gimme a break.

I've got a Zidane bias, admittedly, but Materazzi said *something* to set the guy off like that. Whether it was "dirty terrorist" or not, who's to say. But Materazzi definitely doesn't escape blame in this situation.