06-21-2010, 03:11 AM
Paul,
Do you play soccer by any chance? I am just aksing because looking at the video, the Austalian player did not "trip" Grosso BUT when you go for the ball and you MISS it completely and then place your body in front of the opponent that is heading for goal, that is called obstruction and that is a foul. It so happens that on that obstruction, Gross fell over the top of the defender but it is a foul nonetheless. Maybe if the defender was a little faster in getting to the ball instead of sprawling himself on the floor, the outcome would be different. Do not take the call so black and white. That is why I asked if you ever really played the sport. I was a semi-pro player in the states and I played defense. This sort of thing happened to me as well and I too protested but the ref would not hear of it at all.
You say that the only way the champions could win is by cheating but they did win the tournament in the end. I wonder how far Australia would have gotten and by giving me the populations does not change the argument. Yes, soccer is not their thing which is something I perfectly understand. However, throwing elbows and kicking the opponents because they do not have the skill to take the ball cleanly has nothing to do with how big soccer is in Australia or New Zealand. If the ball cannot be taken cleanly then leave it be. Teams with more experience will take all the fouls and cause fouls. Then when the time is right, a foul will happen in the penalty area in some form.
Even Henry hit the ball with his hands twice causing a goal that ended Irelands chances. It was horrible but what do you suppose Henry do? Go to the official and say "Hey I hit it with my hand, please do not less us into the world cup! What athlete in any sport is going to give up the chance to represent his/her country in a sport that puts people on the world stage.
All these things that you call cheating are part of the game. Do you thing that in Rugby all the games are free and clear of nonsense.
Do you play soccer by any chance? I am just aksing because looking at the video, the Austalian player did not "trip" Grosso BUT when you go for the ball and you MISS it completely and then place your body in front of the opponent that is heading for goal, that is called obstruction and that is a foul. It so happens that on that obstruction, Gross fell over the top of the defender but it is a foul nonetheless. Maybe if the defender was a little faster in getting to the ball instead of sprawling himself on the floor, the outcome would be different. Do not take the call so black and white. That is why I asked if you ever really played the sport. I was a semi-pro player in the states and I played defense. This sort of thing happened to me as well and I too protested but the ref would not hear of it at all.
You say that the only way the champions could win is by cheating but they did win the tournament in the end. I wonder how far Australia would have gotten and by giving me the populations does not change the argument. Yes, soccer is not their thing which is something I perfectly understand. However, throwing elbows and kicking the opponents because they do not have the skill to take the ball cleanly has nothing to do with how big soccer is in Australia or New Zealand. If the ball cannot be taken cleanly then leave it be. Teams with more experience will take all the fouls and cause fouls. Then when the time is right, a foul will happen in the penalty area in some form.
Even Henry hit the ball with his hands twice causing a goal that ended Irelands chances. It was horrible but what do you suppose Henry do? Go to the official and say "Hey I hit it with my hand, please do not less us into the world cup! What athlete in any sport is going to give up the chance to represent his/her country in a sport that puts people on the world stage.
All these things that you call cheating are part of the game. Do you thing that in Rugby all the games are free and clear of nonsense.
"You have to laugh at life or else what are you going to laugh at?" (Joseph Rosen)
Paolo
Paolo
