[ | | | 11 interested person(s) ]

Have to say I am pretty new to the whole football scene, sure I went to a couple qualifying matches back in the day, but this work cup was the first I followed from front to back. I didn't have much to cheer about as all my teams were sent packing fairly early in the tournament, but the games were great to watch nonetheless. And how about that final?

I am not an Italy fan and I was rooting for France flat out. The game was stellar and I would argue that the French were playing better ball through most of the match. Sure there was the questionable offsides call that was probably onsides but hey. But what about Zinedine Zidane going absolutely loco? Seriously. Supposedly Materazzi said some very nasty stuff (of the racist order) but you can't head butt a guy and take your team out of the match.

But here is where the debate starts. I think he should have stayed in the game. No red. Sure its a nasty nasty foul but its not up to the video screens to ref the game, its up to the refs. They didn't see it and had it not been for the video screens Zidane is still in the game. Sure punish the hell out of him after the match is over but the refs missed it and they should play on. Remember that Rooney Marcus Vickess stomp? Same thing. They missed the stomp but Rooney went on and shoved the player which got him the red he deserved. Another example is Christian Ronaldo getting cleated in the groin in the Dutch-Portugal game.

Its too bad that a top notch player like Henry was denied two championships in one year (his club team Arsenal lost to Barcelona). Regardless of Italy winning I still had an awesome time watching all the matches and following this World Cup and will be sure to do the same in 2010. Hell maybe I will even make my way to South Africa.

Crazy to think that Zidane tarnished his career by head butting a dude in his final game. Can you imagine Michael Jordan smacking Russell in the face instead of crossing him over?* Bill Russell punching Wilt Chamberlain in the face? or Elway kneeing a guy in the groin and being ejected? Its kinda tragic the way Zidane will be remembered for rearing back in anger, lowering his bald dome and driving it into the chest of Materazzi. Sad that a player of such skill lets his temper get the best of him on the game's biggest stage.

Anyways, the French make good music. Check these out courtesy of CallMeMickey:

Mp3: Teki Latex - "Electronic"
Mp3: Goon and Koyote - "The Dough"
Mp3: Sebastian - "Ross Ross Ross"

*yes I realize that Jordan came back but I am marking this moment as when he should have left the game.

11 interested person(s)

Nordy said... @ 7/10/2006 09:23:00 AM

A few points:

1) we don't know if the linesman saw the headbutt in real time or not. Maybe he caught it when it happened.

2) Of course the French are claiming whatever Materazzi said was racist. That's the only way to even come close to justifying ZZ's reaction. But without an actual quote, I remain skeptical.

3) I'm pretty sure that the ref in the England Portugal game said that it was the ball-mashing stomp - not the sissy shove - that got Rooney the straight red.

4) Henry got denied two championships because he failed to show up in either championship game.

5) I highly recommend going to South Africa for 2010. The World Cup is ridiculously fun to go to in person, and SA should be a cool place.

James L. Jazz said... @ 7/10/2006 10:23:00 AM

oh god, are they really gonna try and make this a race issue? He's from Algerian descent. If they're going to apply the ridiculous concept of race, then more often than not Algerians are more WHITE than anything. Now if he called him a dirty French hooker, or something offensive to saharans, then maybe retaliation is warranted, but not through a head-butt. However, I do agree that the screens should not have come into play and he should have just been given a foul or yellowed at the most. Gimme a break France.

K said... @ 7/10/2006 10:51:00 AM

Agree with all your points Nordy. There is alot of speculation that surrounds the entire affair.

See you in South Africa ;)

Wesley Verhoeve said... @ 7/10/2006 01:29:00 PM

whatever the cause was it was an immature move and a deep dark red card. monitor use right now is not allowed but I think it should be. why would you want someone that does something like that to stay in the game? TV will catch it anyway so if they then cannot eject him coz he did it behind their back, and he goes on to score the winning goal, it would be a scandal.

i'm a fan of Zizou and i was rooting for France, but lets face it, he threw it all away with that move. they lost their leader and then lost.

Anonymous said... @ 7/10/2006 05:05:00 PM

din totala amerikanska nolla. sluta prata om fotboll, ni förstår inte på er sånt kulturellt.

/mvh resten av världen. och oss italienare.

callmemickey said... @ 7/10/2006 06:49:00 PM

ofjoseph...

zidane happens to be muslim... they is a very large anti-muslim sentiment in europe now adays.. and therefore calling him a terrorist is not only racist.. but very rascist

K said... @ 7/10/2006 08:48:00 PM

Bonus points for whoever translates what anon said.

James L. Jazz said... @ 7/10/2006 08:54:00 PM

racism shouldn't be applicable to the term "terrorist" or being muslim. islam is a religion, not a race. Applying the term racist when speaking of these things only proves how ridiculous the concept of racism is and how it is too often used ad a blanket statement and a wrongly applied statement

callmemickey said... @ 7/11/2006 03:53:00 PM

ofjoseph..

ok maybe muslim isnt applicable.. but are arabs a separate race???

eitherway the point is rascism and religious bigotry are equally unacceptable

K said... @ 7/12/2006 06:04:00 AM

haha. thanks for the tips laws on the swedish. i don't know any swedish but i gathered it wasn't good.

thanks for the info on the 4th official i didn't know that. head butt was definately a red don't get me wrong but if rumor is true and materazzi used racist talk there are some things larger then football.

again i dont think violence and a head butt is the answer but like nordy said its the only way of coming close to justifying ZZ's reaction.

BULLANT said... @ 7/15/2006 03:43:00 AM

Everyones trying to justify whether Materazzi's comments were this or that, but Zidane admitted in a interview that there was NO RACIAL comments what so ever.

He claims it was comments towards his Mother, anyone who ever played sport should be used to mama jokes, especially after playing for that long. Materazzi denies any disses to his Mother but said the comments were directed to his sister who is a hot model in Milan (the same city Materazzi plays in for Inter Milan).

I think Zinadine just went out like a bitch and is too embaressed to admit what was really said. Lets not forget that Zidane has been red carded 14 times so he aint that clean.

FORZA AZZURRI, CAMPIONE DEL MONDO 2006

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