Let's Talk Footie - Football World Championship 2006

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truehobbit
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Post by truehobbit »

w00h00! :D

:cheerleader: Congrats Italy! :cheerleader:

:hooray:

A deserved win for Italy, even though they didn't play so well in the second half and were unable to put having one man more in the field to good use.

They had their low points in the tournament, but I liked them better than team 'sleeps while playing', which IMO is not the attitude of a world cup winner - they can be happy they got to the end round at all.

A silly, chaotic game in the beginning, this one was. And rather boring from the second half on. But then, penalties make up for previous lack of excitement. ;) :D
but being a cheerful hobbit he had not needed hope, as long as despair could be postponed.
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Post by ateelah »

Too bad Zidane had to go out on such an unpleasant note. I wasn't as emotionally invested in the final so I really didn't care who won but it was nice to see that Italy seemed to really appreciate their accomplishment.

I was much more excited about the Germany/Portugal match. I was glad that Germany won, even though it was for 3rd place. I have always had a soft spot for Germany, probably because I lived in Bremerhaven when I was young.
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Post by truehobbit »

I didn't know you used to live in Bremerhaven, ateelah! :D

I'm quite content we didn't make the finals - imagine the tension and the let-down if we'd lost in that one!

But I'm glad we won the 3rd place. :)
It must have been a great game, too, but I missed it. We were at a local festivity and even though I had intended to go home for the game, I enjoyed myself enough to stay a little longer - and to have quite a bit of wine.
I did go home in time for the second half, but once there, I slumped on the couch and was asleep ten minutes later. :roll:
I saw the first two goals, and woke up with the noise at the end of the game. :blackeye:
Even though I'd missed most of the game it was great to see people so happy at the end. :)
but being a cheerful hobbit he had not needed hope, as long as despair could be postponed.
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Post by ateelah »

My dad was stationed in Germany for several years. I was quite young when we lived there but I do have fond memories of Bremerhaven and Germany in general. My parents used to take us on rides in the country every Sunday and we also visited Belgium and The Netherlands. I'd love to go back someday.

I couldn't watch the whole Germany/Portugal match but I thought it was a good match with a good referee. I was very happy to see them win and the players definitely showed a lot of class.
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Post by Old_Tom_Bombadil »

truehobbit wrote:And here's hobby at the semi-final, complete with black-red-gold flower chain, to show I was sporting some national-colours item, too! :D (Although I guess it looks as if one can't be sure whether I'm supporting Germany or Hawaii. ;) )
Go Hawai'i! (Or as they say in the islands, "Wikiwiki pulehu pupule wahine!")

I'm happy that Deutschland took home the bronze, and that Italia beat France. Since I was at the ballpark watching the A's lose to the Angels I didn't get to watch the entire match, but I did see France score on a penalty kick after one of their players took a dive to draw the penalty. (I deplore poor sportsmanship, and that was a fine example of it.)

At the ballpark they showed Zidane's heat butt to Materazzi's chest on the Diamond Vision. People laughed because it looked so funny, but it was yet another example of poor sportsmanship.

The naughty Frenchmen do not get the World Cup trophy, eh? I don't think they will mind too much, though, because word has it that they "already got one" and that it reportedly is "very nice".

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Post by Lidless »

Glad Italy got it. Especially when it came down to penalties. To lose *two* World Cup finals on penalties would have been too much.

Zidane! The French newspapers are going to be interesting tomorrow, especially since he was not only the captain but their best penalty taker.
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Post by Athrabeth »

Well, I was rooting for France, and in my humble opinion (and Mr. Ath's and both the Athlings') they played the better game, overall (although both teams were very evenly matched).

And my daughter and I both think that Zidane looks like Jon Luc Picard. :love:
I did see France score on a penalty kick after one of their players took a dive to draw the penalty. (I deplore poor sportsmanship, and that was a fine example of it.)
It was certainly not a "dive". Definitely a fair call on the part of a very good ref.

One thing we also all agreed on.........we would LOVE to know what Materazzi said to Zidane to get that kind of uncharacteristic rise out of him, although my son said knowingly, "I bet it had something to do with his mother". :shock:

I've heard some reports saying that it was a racial slur, but whatever, it was obvious to me that Materazzi was really goading Zidane before the head butt. Too bad Zidane took the bait. :(
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Post by Alatar »

Actually Ath, while I agree that France were the better team, the penalty was unjustified. It was certainly a dive, though a cleverly executed one. Only one of the camera angles shows the truth. There was no contact, he hooked his right foot round his left heel and went down. It looked like he was taken down, but it was a dive.

Overall it was a really poor end to the World Cup. Fifa really need to rethink their decisions on video evidence. In fairness, they've managed to bring it into Rugby without slowing down the game. The same could be done with soccer. Certainly for penalties or red card offences. Those decisions are too crucial to be made without having all the facts. Likewise, players shown to have dived in the penalty area should be automatically carded.
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Post by truehobbit »

I hope you do visit again sometime soon, ateelah, and then make sure you stop in Cologne. ;) :D
The naughty Frenchmen do not get the World Cup trophy, eh? I don't think they will mind too much, though, because word has it that they "already got one" and that it reportedly is "very nice".
Ah, those French are lying, so typical for them! :P

(One doesn't get to take the cup home.)
And my daughter and I both think that Zidane looks like Jon Luc Picard.
:shock:
I think he looks more like a cave-man.
:P
my son said knowingly, "I bet it had something to do with his mother".
You know, that was my thought, too. :)
I've heard some reports saying that it was a racial slur, but whatever, it was obvious to me that Materazzi was really goading Zidane before the head butt.
But would a racial slur not be "really goading"?
The French team has had to deal with racial slurs a lot in the past, I've heard, because they are almost exclusively Africans.

I've been thinking about video evidence, too, but have so far thought that this is a problem - in a game you need an instant and binding decision. It wouldn't do to have a referee's decision questioned after the game, when that might lead to a different result.
As to how practicable it is to ask the video before making the decision, I can't tell. So it works for rugby? Would be worthwhile looking into, I guess.
The irony is that, if I heard correctly, France had suggested just that not long before the tournament: using video evidence (though I think they meant for determining offsides) - they would not have wanted video evidence in the case of their first penalty. ;)
but being a cheerful hobbit he had not needed hope, as long as despair could be postponed.
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Post by Erunáme »

Alatar wrote:players shown to have dived in the penalty area should be automatically carded.
*cough*Rinaldo*cough* Too much play acting from him and all of the Portugal team and coach. Very glad Germany beat them.

Very disappointed Italy won considering its matches against the US and Australia, not to mention France played better. As for Zidane, who knows what the heck he was thinking! Why would one want to end their career like that?

Very glad all the sports (World Cup and Wimbledon) are over though!

:woohoo:
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Post by axordil »

I have to agree with those who think it's a trifle silly to end a world championship of anything in nonstandard play. It really does feel to me like the NBA settling ties in game 7 of the finals with free throws, or the last game of the World Series coming down to a Home Run Derby. Play the game, not a skills contest.

That exhausts my feelings on the subject. :P
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Post by Lidless »

Football used to be called 'the beautiful game'. What I saw in the main was pulling, diving and theatrics. Up to the last minute I had no idea whether the winning team would be given the football trophy or an Oscar. My son, an avid soccer fan, says it's all part of the game and the strategy and adds to the fun and the passion. Not for me. I prefer a game based on skill with the ball, not skill on nailing a triple pike with one and a half twists.

Replays for the ref is the only way to go to get this game back to some semblence of beauty. More yellow cards for play-acting too.
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Post by Erunáme »

axordil wrote:I have to agree with those who think it's a trifle silly to end a world championship of anything in nonstandard play. It really does feel to me like the NBA settling ties in game 7 of the finals with free throws, or the last game of the World Series coming down to a Home Run Derby. Play the game, not a skills contest.

That exhausts my feelings on the subject. :P
Problem is, they do a hell of a lot more running in football/soccer...90 minutes for regular time and then 30 minutes more for the extra time. During the extra time you'll see guys' legs cramping up. You also can't sub in all the players you want. Only 3 substitutions are allowed. While it would be nice that a championship game not end on penalties, I'm not sure what else could be done.
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Post by Lidless »

I wouldn't be adverse to a Golden Goal (sudden death) situation, with each side allowed two more substitutions.
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Post by axordil »

Erunáme wrote: You also can't sub in all the players you want. Only 3 substitutions are allowed.
Ditch that rule in the finals in OT. Problem solved.
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Post by Erunáme »

Lidless wrote:I wouldn't be adverse to a Golden Goal (sudden death) situation, with each side allowed two more substitutions.
Could you explain Golden Goal a bit more? Iavas's dad mentioned it during the final but didn't explain it.
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Post by axordil »

Sort of like NFL overtime, I suspect: first score wins.
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Post by Lidless »

Correct. They used to have it, then ditched it.
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Post by Alatar »

axordil wrote:
Erunáme wrote: You also can't sub in all the players you want. Only 3 substitutions are allowed.
Ditch that rule in the finals in OT. Problem solved.
There's a problem with that though Ax. While a team like Ireland can probably field 11 world class players, we wouldn't have a full squad of them. You'd be handing a huge advantage to the better funded teams and larger countries.
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Post by Erunáme »

I'm not sure if I'd like the first one who scores, wins. I'd want the other team to have an equal chance of trying to score...which is pretty much what happens with the extra time now and obviously that's not totally solved the problem.
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