Post Race!

[wes4dbt]

Now.... is this a Typo
"price" vs. "prize"

I think they both work.

I think FIFA is corrupt and has been for a long time. But that's pretty common for organizations that control huge amounts of money. Especially when they have very little oversight from other agencies.

[Zvoni]

I looked up the red card against Balogun and saw where there's some controversy around the play in real time and the play slowed down. In real time it doesn't look bad but slowed down it looked terrible.

They do the same thing in Football and I absolutely hate it. It's gotten a bit better over the years, but still very annoying. Two different sports though where soccer is more of an effeminate sport; you're not supposed to hit people. Football is sort of designed around hitting people.

The article I read also juxtaposed it to Ronaldo's ban getting suspended so that he was available for the World Cup opener. Obviously, I was reading an American article to try and shed the best light for the American player. My take on it was that I was shocked to see that an organized cartel (FIFA) would alter the circumstances such that it makes for better television.
Attachment 196242

the controversy is not as much the change to probation. See precedence with CR7, and the rules allow for it
the controversy is the change of „next game ban“ to probation, because a referee‘s decision is final and factual, irrespective if it can be proven afterwards that it was the wrong call.

and even for this, there are rules that a team can file a review for a referee’s decision, 2 hours after the match at the latest.
has this been done? Because if yes, why would there be a need for a phone call 4 DAYS later?

I realized that my statement about soccer being an effeminate sport can come off as offensive. That's not what I intend, just in comparison to other, rougher sports in the context of penalties related to aggression.

and I didn’t take it that way. No worries.
i‘m aware, that soccer is more of a females sport in the US

but trust me on one thing: soccer, especially in Europe, and more especially in the lower leagues, is very physical

[dday9]

It can definitely get physical in the US too. Actually, funny story, but when I used to sell insurance, one of the most common accident policy claims was from High School females playing soccer (mainly torn ACLs). They get brutal man!

[Shaggy Hiker]

I didn't think the red card was warranted. It seemed like incidental contact to me. On the other hand, having the ban reversed that far after the fact...yeah, that doesn't sound right.

[Zvoni]

I didn't think the red card was warranted. It seemed like incidental contact to me. On the other hand, having the ban reversed that far after the fact...yeah, that doesn't sound right.

That's the thing: The referee, with help of the VAR, decided together, that the red card was warranted.
What TV-Pictures did this incompetent....errrr....independent FIFA-board watch to overturn that?

And don't get me wrong: pretty much everyone here in Europe (Fans, Managers, Experts) said, the red card wasn't warranted (Me included)
BUT: As i said: A referee's decision on the pitch is final.

Me as a croatian could complain until next year, that croatia's Matanovic didn't touch the ball with his head, thusly NOT causing Gvardiol being offside, which would have been a legit goal for croatia
And the same Fans, Managers, Experts agree.

BUT: The ref's decided the other way.

It's the way of Football (at least for us Europeans and the rest of the World):
Yes, a referee is neutral, he/she tries his/her best at one of the hardest jobs there is in the world, because, practically, you can never satisfy everyone.
Sometimes they do a brilliant job, sometimes they make mistakes.

I still remember when the Video-Assistant-Referee was inducted into the game here in Germany, and to this day, there are still a lot of people claiming it takes away the spirit of the game.
Yes, you want fair decisions, but when a decision is made ON the pitch, then it's final!
That's what a lot of americans don't get about Football

What has people flying of the handle is the way it was handled!
Football was always a people's game FOR the people:
Not for politicians trying to look good, not for some corporations looking for space to place commercials, not for Billionaire-Team-Owners, for whom it's just Business-expense to reduce from Tax.

I can tell you now, that what FIFA called "hydration break", and what factually was a commercial break, will DEFINITLY not be adopted in any european league.
Otherwise the Fans would storm the barricades.

Yes, there are privately owned teams in europe, mainly in english Premier League and Italy's Seria A, even owned by american owners.
On the other Hand: Europe's Football-Giants Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich are supporter-owned, NON-Profit clubs to this day.
And they will never give away their voting rights.

To give you an idea:
FC Barcelona: 140K members worldwide
Real Madrid: 95K-98K members Worldwide, holding 100% ownership of the club
Fun fact: The most "prominent" member of BOTH Clubs was Pope John Paul the 2nd (!!!), since he was a football-enthusiast (which he admitted to publicly)
and yes, in both cases he was a "honorary" Member, but a member nonetheless with membership-number, membership-id-card etc.
and i think he was the only person on the entire planet who could get away with it being a member of both clubs , since Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are literally Arch-Rivals

Bayern Munich: 430K members Worldwide
Benfica Lissabon Portugal: 440K members Worldwide
Hell, Bayern Munich's annual members summit is TV-News in Germany, and i remember some years ago its president reading "his" fans the riot act WHILE LIVE ON TV

But even the privately owned teams are VERY dependent on their fans
I can promise you this: Should those private owners ever try to bring in Half-Time-shows, Cheer-leaders and all that other stuff, that has nothing to do with the game but everything with commerce and business, you would have the revolts on TV-news

It's a people's game for the people

EDIT:
I forgot: Yesterday, Justice prevailed twice!

[Peter Porter]

It's the way of Football (at least for us Europeans and the rest of the World):
Yes, a referee is neutral, he/she tries his/her best at one of the hardest jobs there is in the world, because, practically, you can never satisfy everyone.
Sometimes they do a brilliant job, sometimes they make mistakes.

I totally agree, but this didn't surprise me from Trump:

If they beat us, they can be really proud. The other way, if they beat us, we'll say – I'll say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020, but I won't get into that.

I'm guessing he might be thinking rigged today, saying Belgium should have gotten some red cards.

[Zvoni]

I totally agree, but this didn't surprise me from Trump:

I'm guessing he might be thinking rigged today, saying Belgium should have gotten some red cards.

Well, considering, the belgian National team is called the "Red Devils", usually have red shirts with golden lettering and black pants, they played yesterday in baby-blue.

Of course it was rigged, when the belgian's try to avoid their traditional color red. Just to NOT give the referee some ideas......

btw: Wasn't there something with "red shirts die at the end of the episode"?

[dday9]

btw: Wasn't there something with "red shirts die at the end of the episode"?

Wasn't that Star Trek? I never watched the series, but I vaguely remember a Family Guy joke about it.

[wes4dbt]

I still remember when the Video-Assistant-Referee was inducted into the game here in Germany, and to this day, there are still a lot of people claiming it takes away the spirit of the game.
Yes, you want fair decisions, but when a decision is made ON the pitch, then it's final!
That's what a lot of americans don't get about Football

You have a misconception about American sports and fans. American fans feel the same about video review in football and decisions that are made are final. There has been wrong calls that have resulted in the wrong team winning but the call is never reversed later. That's all on FIFA.

You have to remember that Trump is not the norm. I sure hope it doesn't become the norm. No president has ever called the NFL and made them change a ruling.

I can promise you this: Should those private owners ever try to bring in Half-Time-shows, Cheer-leaders and all that other stuff, that has nothing to do with the game but everything with commerce and business, you would have the revolts on TV-news

The only time you see a half time show in a NFL game is in the Super Bowl(maybe a conference championship, but nothing like the Super Bowl). At the game the cheerleaders may come out or a local high school band may play. The normal halftime is only 13 minutes. The Super bowl is 25 to 30 minutes. The TV always leaves the game and the analysts in the studio talk about the game and other games. Plus lots of commercials. lol

[Zvoni]

You have a misconception about American sports and fans. American fans feel the same about video review in football and decisions that are made are final. There has been wrong calls that have resulted in the wrong team winning but the call is never reversed later. That's all on FIFA.

You have to remember that Trump is not the norm. I sure hope it doesn't become the norm. No president has ever called the NFL and made them change a ruling.

OK, that came out wrong.
I'm actually more targeting all those comments from americans (and i've seen many!!), JUSTIFYING overturning the red card because "but yeah, everyone agrees it wasn't a red card, so i don't understand your outrage".
The ref made a decision WITH the help of Video and VAR, and they saw it differently. It doesn't matter if i, you, or the neighbor's Auntie saw it differently.
That's what i meant "they don't get it".
In European Football, there is no Video-Check for 10 Minutes (which US-Companies happily accept to broadcast commercials) from 37 Camera-angles, just to see if the tip of the ball touches the last quarter-inch of the line.

and just thinking about it: Wouldn't be surprised if the NFL adopted that "chip-in-ball"-tech.
No idea how informed you are about that: that chip takes 500 positional measurements per second (!).
Now imagine: 3 seconds left on the clock, a tush-push, and you have a pile of linebackers on top of the quarterback, and noone can see, where the ball is, and if it has touched the line.
Food for thought.....

The only time you see a half time show in a NFL game is in the Super Bowl(maybe a conference championship, but nothing like the Super Bowl). At the game the cheerleaders may come out or a local high school band may play. The normal halftime is only 13 minutes. The Super bowl is 25 to 30 minutes. The TV always leaves the game and the analysts in the studio talk about the game and other games. Plus lots of commercials. lol

hmm....OK. Wasn't aware of that, since in Germany we can only watch select matches on german TV
But i think you'll agree, that there is a lot of stuff going on at NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL-Games, that actually don't have anything to do with the game itself.

Hell, i still remember 35 years ago my local ice-hockey-club trying to introduce "music" during breaks (NOT breaks between periods!! Breaks = Ref called a foul etc...), or after a goal was scored.
The outrage was monumental, though the fans have adapted in the meantime.

I wouldn't know anywhere in Europe in any sport (Football, Basketball, Handball,.....) at any match, that there is a dude sitting somewhere close beneath the roof playing an organ.
If he got out of there with just rotten tomatoes on his face, he could call himself lucky....

it would also explain those "cringe-worthy" chants of the american Soccer-Fans.....
Boy, did we laugh ourselves silly here....

[Zvoni]

Wasn't that Star Trek? I never watched the series, but I vaguely remember a Family Guy joke about it.

Correct. Especially in the original Series (Capt. Kirk).
in the 3 seasons of the original, every time you saw a crew-member in a red shirt (usually "Security"-guys) in the first 10 minutes of the episode, you could bet good money, that guy would be dead at the end of the episode

[wes4dbt]

I'm actually more targeting all those comments from americans (and i've seen many!!), JUSTIFYING overturning the red card because "but yeah, everyone agrees it wasn't a red card, so i don't understand your outrage".
The ref made a decision WITH the help of Video and VAR, and they saw it differently. It doesn't matter if i, you, or the neighbor's Auntie saw it differently.

Yeah, but for everyone that agrees with it, there is another that disagrees with so... meh. It's just sports fans being sports fans.

It's not about which country holds their sports more sacred, it's about the corruptness of Trump and FIFA.

[Zvoni]

Yeah, but for everyone that agrees with it, there is another that disagrees with so... meh. It's just sports fans being sports fans.

It's not about which country holds their sports more sacred, it's about the corruptness of Trump and FIFA.

No arguing with that!

I've even seen the first calls in croatian media to consider withdrawing from FIFA completely
Though i'm aware chances for this are......

on the other hand: Every avalanche starts with the first "pebble"......

[Zvoni]

hmm..... interesting idea offered by a post in social media in croatia:

1) in the VAR-Room are 2 additional refs from both teams/nations, that are actually playing, and an "Intervention"-call only goes out if both agree
2) same as 1) but not refs, instead "Observers" with no influence on "calls", but reporting to the public

hmm..... interesting.....

[Zvoni]

Errr.....LOL??

Posted on July 6th in the Washington Times

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...ericas-values/

since i could only read it once (seriously???), i have to quote it from the top of my head

"Why Soccer's culture clashes with american values"
...........
The Problem is a moral one: At its core, International soccer is based on a foundation of deception that is fundamentally incompatible with American culture psyche.
Simply put: Americans do not respect or admire cheats.
.............

That article turned up on Facebook.
Pretty much the very first comment was "This is satire, right?"

I even saw a comment:
"Er... does anyone know what this guy is smoking?
And more importantly: Does he share?
Because this seems to be some mighty potent stuff, and i'm sure the Dutch might be interested in a Trade-Agreement"

LMFAO!!!!!!

And before anyone accuses me of "ripping it out of context": I have read the complete article, and yes: the author "tries" to stay within the context of "sport"
but then i read in the final line the name of the Author with a Qualifier "Woke culture critique" and something else very "Trump-ish" sounding

BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

[wes4dbt]

I didn't read the article but it's probably best to treat most opinion pieces as satire. lol

[dday9]

I’m in San Francisco on vacation and it feels absolutely amazing. It’s like 65 with 60% humidity. It was actually a bit chilly in the morning.

[wes4dbt]

Welcome to the west coast. It's definitely not like the gulf coast. As soon as you go inland (east) it changes quickly. I'm only 95miles from SF and tomorrow it's suppose to be 101. But we average @ 95 this time of year so 101 isn't unusual.

Enjoy your vacation.