World Cup 2010 (spoilers inside of course)

[Kopfjäger]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38194835/ns/world_news-africa/

[Kopfjäger]

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/worldcup/story/spain-manages-to-shine-in-dark-world-cup-final

[KnightofNi]

i don't kow about the fouling of spanish players to stop them. it seemed a lot more like spain fielded a diving team.

the dutch were jsut playing more physically and spain decided to cheat to get ahead. and it worked. congrats.

great lesson to teach the kids and a wonderful way for the sport to grow.

[ryandalling]

Unfortunately, I think all the flopping and crying on the ground has turned a lot of the US television audience off of soccer.  I watched almost every game and I still love the sport, but the sport needs to change and be brought into the current day and age.... replay, goal line sensors, and pregnant dog slaps for anybody caught flopping.

[duccarlos]

So the cleets (sp?) to the chest was flopping around? I believe that the Spanish started flopping after they realized that the refs would simply not call the real fouls. At least 2 real fouls should have been red cards.

If you guys didn't see how ugly Holland was playing, then you're honestly blind. I truly did not care about who won, all the teams I wanted to win lost in earlier rounds, and I would have enjoyed watching Holland finally win one. But if they would have won after that game, I would have been done with soccer.

[derby]

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38203200/ns/sports-world_cup/

[cyrus buelton]

If you guys didn't see how ugly Holland was playing, then you're honestly blind. I truly did not care about who won, all the teams I wanted to win lost in earlier rounds, and I would have enjoyed watching Holland finally win one. But if they would have won after that game, I would have been done with soccer.

Holland definitely was playing dirty, but that doesn't also mean that Spain wasn't doing the same.

Either they were better at hiding from the Ref's from what we could see on TV (VERY LIKELY) or the refs just chose to call the plays differently. Who knows.

I recall through many years of playing, it is very very easy to hide little things that gave a significant advantage.


I think that free kick at the end Spain got was a bullshit call.

There was no foot contact from what I can see.


But hey.........you can never blame that for losing a game (of course in weird circumstances you can, but not yesterday), Holland had plenty of chances to score.

I thought for sure Robeen was going to land one of those.



Spain did learn to play in to the ref's and took a lot of dives.

[cyrus buelton]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38194835/ns/world_news-africa/

You trying to get this thread locked? That's an excellent attempt at it.

[KnightofNi]

So the cleets (sp?) to the chest was flopping around? I believe that the Spanish started flopping after they realized that the refs would simply not call the real fouls. At least 2 real fouls should have been red cards.

If you guys didn't see how ugly Holland was playing, then you're honestly blind. I truly did not care about who won, all the teams I wanted to win lost in earlier rounds, and I would have enjoyed watching Holland finally win one. But if they would have won after that game, I would have been done with soccer.

i didn't say that he was flopping after taking a cleats to the chest. i'm still mixed on how intentional that was. it may just be an opportunistic thing as well. I didn't see the dutch as playing dirty, just very physical. and yes, there should have been more red cards (btw, that game set the record for cards in a final. go ref!)
there were several others that were def flops though. spain just had more and they were more blatant when they did.

also, it wasn't just this game that was decided. look at how uruguay got here. even though i'm happy they took ghana out, i'm very displeased with the way it happened.

[triangleforge]

I'm a Holland fan, but I'll posit this up front: Nigel de Jong should have drawn a red card for coming in with cleats flying like that, and that probably would have pretty much decided the match.

But was this really the most rugged final EVER, times two?  13 yellows and almost every run ends in a free kick? I'm sorry, I've seen a lot rougher play that the ref kept under control without becoming the central figure in the whole contest. Webb (the referee) was handing out Best Actress Oscars every few minutes; both sides were playing that game, but Spain definitely had better acting lessons.

[NuTTs]

There is nothing like this.. I wish you could see, hear and feel the atmosphere in Spain right now.

Pure euphoria! Unfortunately I've had to travel to Barcelona for work this morning however, last night was amazing. Even out in the sticks where I live people went absolutely crazy!

[cyrus buelton]

There is nothing like this.. I wish you could see, hear and feel the atmosphere in Spain right now.

Pure euphoria! Unfortunately I've had to travel to Barcelona for work this morning however, last night was amazing. Even out in the sticks where I live people went absolutely crazy!

With all of your country's current issues at hand, I am very happy that that is a sunny day for your country right now 

[triangleforge]

There is nothing like this.. I wish you could see, hear and feel the atmosphere in Spain right now.

Pure euphoria! Unfortunately I've had to travel to Barcelona for work this morning however, last night was amazing. Even out in the sticks where I live people went absolutely crazy!

Must be amazing -- one of those rare moments that you'll remember forever. Very cool!!!

[KnightofNi]

There is nothing like this.. I wish you could see, hear and feel the atmosphere in Spain right now.

Pure euphoria! Unfortunately I've had to travel to Barcelona for work this morning however, last night was amazing. Even out in the sticks where I live people went absolutely crazy!

i can only imagine.
maybe one day the US will get behind the sport and feel the excitement of the win.

[cyrus buelton]

maybe one day the US will get behind the sport and feel the excitement of the win.

I share your enthusiasm in this, but even laugh at myself when it comes to a reality.



Can you ever see some professional soccer player getting an hour on a Thursday Night to say he is signing with the Galaxy and leaving the Crew?