06-21-2010, 04:27 AM
Yes, I played soccer in my youth, as well as Australian Rules Football and Rugby. It was a long time ago though - and long before the era of "diving", or cheating/deliberately breaking the rules became acceptable openly !
I hear what you say, about rules, but Grosso did not 'fall over the top' of the defender - rather he deliberately threw himself down to 'milk' the penalty, as he admitted afterward. To him, and many, this was an acceptable part of the game, but I venture to suggest that would not be a majority of people.
My point was that if the only way Italy could beat Autralia in 2006 or New Zealand was by cheating, then clearly they are not 'technically better' than these teams if they are so desperate as to deliberately 'cheat'.
And I also take the point you make about Thierry Henri - which doesn't alter the fact that it was blatant cheating ( the ball did not 'accidentally' hit his hand- twice- he deliberately 'handballed' - and that is deliberately breaking the rules.) That sort of thing too goes back to Maradonna's infamous 'hand of God' and probably beyond.....
If soccer were a 'sport' then yes, Henri should have owned up - but it is now big business with far too much money at stake to allow honesty or sportsmanship to play any part!
Certainly 'cheating/breaking the rules' goes on in every sport/game, but in none so openly/blatantly as soccer! Nor does the fact that this has become 'acceptable'/part of the game make it right !
Instead it has made the so-called "beautiful game", and the 'World Cup' a farcical laughing stock ! For that soccer fans have FIFA to thank, together with Big Business/Money. Soccer will soon be as much about sport as 'pro-wresting'..... :lol: :lol:
I hear what you say, about rules, but Grosso did not 'fall over the top' of the defender - rather he deliberately threw himself down to 'milk' the penalty, as he admitted afterward. To him, and many, this was an acceptable part of the game, but I venture to suggest that would not be a majority of people.
My point was that if the only way Italy could beat Autralia in 2006 or New Zealand was by cheating, then clearly they are not 'technically better' than these teams if they are so desperate as to deliberately 'cheat'.
And I also take the point you make about Thierry Henri - which doesn't alter the fact that it was blatant cheating ( the ball did not 'accidentally' hit his hand- twice- he deliberately 'handballed' - and that is deliberately breaking the rules.) That sort of thing too goes back to Maradonna's infamous 'hand of God' and probably beyond.....
If soccer were a 'sport' then yes, Henri should have owned up - but it is now big business with far too much money at stake to allow honesty or sportsmanship to play any part!
Certainly 'cheating/breaking the rules' goes on in every sport/game, but in none so openly/blatantly as soccer! Nor does the fact that this has become 'acceptable'/part of the game make it right !
Instead it has made the so-called "beautiful game", and the 'World Cup' a farcical laughing stock ! For that soccer fans have FIFA to thank, together with Big Business/Money. Soccer will soon be as much about sport as 'pro-wresting'..... :lol: :lol:
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
