My thoughts on the World Cup (not that anyone really cares one way or the other, but what the heck...)

a) Diving is so rampant, that it took away from my enjoyment a lot of times. Diving seems a strategy of the game.

b) I was disappointed by Zidane's head-butt. It came at the worst time, and who knows what would've happened had he stayed in. I was routing for France.

c) There were some *amazing* goals! Rodriguez of Argentina's amazing shot in overtime against Mexico, and Beckham crossing to Crouch for a perfect header vs. T&T were the two that stuck out for me.

red_bus wrote:Yes - there was some fantastic football!  There is so much at stake that you do see quite  lot of diving (and he occasional handball   )

You do also see some lunatic behaviour too (like Rooney's shove and Zidane's butt).  The initial reckoning was that an insult about his mother struck home because she is ill.  But then there are other theories...

BBC SPORT | Football | World Cup 2006 | I'm sorry but no regrets - Zidane

Speaking of the Zidane headbutt...this is an entertaining little game I found:  Gaming Videos | Break.com

You gotta love Slate ... here, they delve into the mechanics of head-butting. Their verdict: Zidane used perfect form.

Head-butt theory

Zidane has attacked the Italian seemingly based on remarks made about his mother. Now - making such comments is, of course, unacceptable but we all know that such 'gamesmanship' takes place in sports at all levels.
BUT - for £100K a week (don't quote me - depends which paper you read) you really should have better self control - let's face it most police officers in this country get substantially less than half that a year and have to face worse abuse on a daily basis without losing their cool  - we all know who's job we'd rather have.
And to do this whilst wearing his nations shirt in the most important game while the world watches - it beggars belief!!
ZZ - let himself down and let his country down - now all we need is someone to wipe the smug grin of his face, the arrogant pratt !!(oops - that last bit just slipped in )

gyg wrote:Zidane has attacked the Italian seemingly based on remarks made about his mother. Now - making such comments is, of course, unacceptable but we all know that such 'gamesmanship' takes place in sports at all levels.
BUT - for £100K a week (don't quote me - depends which paper you read) you really should have better self control - let's face it most police officers in this country get substantially less than half that a year and have to face worse abuse on a daily basis without losing their cool  - we all know who's job we'd rather have.
And to do this whilst wearing his nations shirt in the most important game while the world watches - it beggars belief!!
ZZ - let himself down and let his country down - now all we need is someone to wipe the smug grin of his face, the arrogant pratt !!(oops - that last bit just slipped in )

    I would love to see Zidane give Terrell Owens a crack out on the practice field and wipe HIS smug grin off his face...pre season hasn't even started and I'm already on T.O. overload.  The Dallas Morning News sports page runs an article on him every single freaking day. Emmitt Smith didn't get this much coverage when he was about to break the rushing record. This Dallas Cowboys season might just be intolerable.
  Now, mind you, the Cowboys go to the superbowl and I'm buying one of his jerseys and naming my next pet dog T.O. ....

Mike B.

Cimmerian wrote:I would have payed money to take a crack at Deion in a scrimmage.

You would have been the first person in NFL history to actually make contact with him, then.

He was a great cover-man (and spectacular kick-returner), but managed to avoid actually tackling anyone year after year, even accidentally. I've never seen a defender go so far out of his way to avoid contact ... it was uncanny.

ExTSR wrote:Part of the resentment up here in Wisconsin is that the Cowboys arrogantly nicknamed themselves "America's Team". And of course many of the past & present Cowboys have arrest records...

The Green Bay Packers are still the only NFL club owned by the locals and guaranteed to stay in place. All other teams are corporately mobile and free to move to a different city or state to get better financial support.

so being an outsider, who is going to the superbowl next season then?

i am still hopeful of the Jets, but for a long time now, they've been about as useful as a chocolate radiator  

Al

khartsfield wrote:A reporter from Milwaukee, ironically, named them that back in the 70's

Milwaukee is a suburb of Chicago, and most of us deny that it's in Wisconsin at all; somebody drew the map wrong.

who is going to the superbowl next season then

Not the Pack, with the old guy at the helm. :/

Probably the Little Rock Moonshiners vs the Fargo Uf-Dahs.

bombadil wrote:The Steelers will most certainly be there.  As for the NFC, difficult to say, but maybe the Eagles.

Provided Big Ben can play. Has that been confirmed?