Soccer Thread 2012-13

[saldana]

Originally Posted by TroyF

Silly? Seriously? If a waiter is rude to you, are you allowed to punch him? If someone cuts in front of you, are you allowed to shove them? If a punk 17 year belches loudly at a diner, are you allowed to go over and kick him in the shins?

Nobody should be defending he ballboy here. He was clearly in the wrong. But. . . YOU CANNOT KICK HIM. Complain to the ref. Throw your arms up in frustration. But for the love of God, do not kick the guy in the stomach.

Yes, I am outraged. A professional player making millions of dollars should not be kicking ballboys in the stomach.

And while I have said the ballboy was wring and he was, how much time did he waste there? The entire thing lasted about 30 seconds from the point the ballboy picked up the ball and Eden kicked him. I have seen players waste far more than 30 seconds with the ball. Are opposing players allowed a free shot at them? Or should we expect them to, oh maybe, act like professionals?

did you watch the whole video, and not just what is embedded here...the kid is clearly faking the whole thing...when he first sits up he stops writhing in agony long enough to appeal to the ref, and then as soon as he sees that he has his attention, goes back to his death throes...i would question whether hazard even actually made contact.

and he stopped being a spectator as soon as he interfered with the actual game. gamesmanship with the ballboys is common, but usually involves them not getting the ball, leaving the pitch, or only drying a wet ball for the home team. this kid intentionally (and possibly by instruction) stopped the game from proceeding. doesnt matter if it was 2 seconds or 10.

[cartman]

Don't think I've ever seen this as the first touch with an indirect kick.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by saldana

did you watch the whole video, and not just what is embedded here...the kid is clearly faking the whole thing...when he first sits up he stops writhing in agony long enough to appeal to the ref, and then as soon as he sees that he has his attention, goes back to his death throes...i would question whether hazard even actually made contact.

and he stopped being a spectator as soon as he interfered with the actual game. gamesmanship with the ballboys is common, but usually involves them not getting the ball, leaving the pitch, or only drying a wet ball for the home team. this kid intentionally (and possibly by instruction) stopped the game from proceeding. doesnt matter if it was 2 seconds or 10.

Yes, I saw the entire thing. As I said repeatedly above, the kid is an ass. The professional soccer player does not have the right to kick him and is a fool for doing so. It doesn't matter that the kid was faking, what matters is the kick took place. It deserves all the outrage it is getting and the people trying to somehow turn this into "poor Hazard is getting screwed here" are out of their ever loving minds.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by TroyF

It deserves all the outrage it is getting and the people trying to somehow turn this into "poor Hazard is getting screwed here" are out of their ever loving minds.

This

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by saldana

did you watch the whole video, and not just what is embedded here...the kid is clearly faking the whole thing...when he first sits up he stops writhing in agony long enough to appeal to the ref, and then as soon as he sees that he has his attention, goes back to his death throes...i would question whether hazard even actually made contact.

and he stopped being a spectator as soon as he interfered with the actual game. gamesmanship with the ballboys is common, but usually involves them not getting the ball, leaving the pitch, or only drying a wet ball for the home team. this kid intentionally (and possibly by instruction) stopped the game from proceeding. doesnt matter if it was 2 seconds or 10.

The ballboy was an ass, no doubt. But it doesn't make an excuse for putting yourself in an instant red card + 4-game suspension situation. Let the referee take care of it and send that ballboy off the field instead.

[DaddyTorgo]

Anelka to Juventus on a 6-month deal...eh.

Llorente in July - nice to finally get that inked!

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by TroyF

Silly? Seriously? If a waiter is rude to you, are you allowed to punch him? If someone cuts in front of you, are you allowed to shove them? If a punk 17 year belches loudly at a diner, are you allowed to go over and kick him in the shins?

Nobody should be defending he ballboy here. He was clearly in the wrong. But. . . YOU CANNOT KICK HIM. Complain to the ref. Throw your arms up in frustration. But for the love of God, do not kick the guy in the stomach.

Yes, I am outraged. A professional player making millions of dollars should not be kicking ballboys in the stomach.

And while I have said the ballboy was wring and he was, how much time did he waste there? The entire thing lasted about 30 seconds from the point the ballboy picked up the ball and Eden kicked him. I have seen players waste far more than 30 seconds with the ball. Are opposing players allowed a free shot at them? Or should we expect them to, oh maybe, act like professionals?

I didn't say he should be allowed to kick. Nor did I say he shouldn't be reprimanded. In fact I said he should be reprimanded for it.

What I am saying is the faux outrage over this is comical. It looked like he was trying to kick the ball loose from under him. Tough to tell how much he even connected with the kick due to the theatrics after (the part where the kid fakes being hurt). The story shouldn't be as big as people are making it out to be.

Suspend him for a few matches. But how about putting the outrage toward the bullshit time-wasting and embellishment of every bit of contact that makes the sport look pathetic at times.

[kingfc22]

Arsenal's central defenders are such crap.

[saldana]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I didn't say he should be allowed to kick. Nor did I say he shouldn't be reprimanded. In fact I said he should be reprimanded for it.

What I am saying is the faux outrage over this is comical. It looked like he was trying to kick the ball loose from under him. Tough to tell how much he even connected with the kick due to the theatrics after (the part where the kid fakes being hurt). The story shouldn't be as big as people are making it out to be.

Suspend him for a few matches. But how about putting the outrage toward the bullshit time-wasting and embellishment of every bit of contact that makes the sport look pathetic at times.

this +1000000

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Arsenal's defenders are such crap.

Fixed.

[SirFozzie]

Judge sentences 21 Egyptian soccer fans to death; riots ensue - ESPN FC

Damn. Another 27 killed because the judges sentenced the people from the last deadly riot.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Judge sentences 21 Egyptian soccer fans to death; riots ensue - ESPN FC

Damn. Another 27 killed because the judges sentenced the people from the last deadly riot.

It's also the 2nd anniversary of Mubarak's overthrow. The trial was a flash point, but there's a lot more going on there than just a reaction to one verdict.

[sovereignstar v2]

My god Howard Webb get your head out of your ass. Not even a yellow.

[miami_fan]

Am I the only one that was hoping to click on this thread and find some banter between Marc V and TroyF?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

The story shouldn't be as big as people are making it out to be.

Have we ever seen, say, an NBA player slap a ball boy? Or an MLB player take a swing at a bat boy? Maybe it's happened but no incidents equal to this one come to mind, I suspect that's playing a role in at least the U.S. reactions.

That said, I don't believe you reward the guy in the event he didn't connect as solidly as he would have liked.

1/4 of season suspension minimum, a fine equal to his salary for same (i.e. he misses 1/4 games and loses 1/2 his annual salary total) as well as criminal prosecution for whatever the same action would have drawn on the street. That's the bare minimum here as far as I'm concerned. Anything less and the lowlife bitch is getting off very easy.

[saldana]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Have we ever seen, say, an NBA player slap a ball boy? Or an MLB player take a swing at a bat boy? Maybe it's happened but no incidents equal to this one come to mind, I suspect that's playing a role in at least the U.S. reactions.

That said, I don't believe you reward the guy in the event he didn't connect as solidly as he would have liked.

1/4 of season suspension minimum, a fine equal to his salary for same (i.e. he misses 1/4 games and loses 1/2 his annual salary total) as well as criminal prosecution for whatever the same action would have drawn on the street. That's the bare minimum here as far as I'm concerned. Anything less and the lowlife bitch is getting off very easy.

cops have already said there will be no charges pressed.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Have we ever seen, say, an NBA player slap a ball boy? Or an MLB player take a swing at a bat boy? Maybe it's happened but no incidents equal to this one come to mind, I suspect that's playing a role in at least the U.S. reactions.

I don't think those are comparable at all because there's a 100% delineation between play on the field/court and who can participate when the game is going on. The ball boy in soccer is in a grey area where he's not officially part of the game but his actions can affect the result (whether it's handing the ball to the home team quickly on a counterattack and slowly to their opponents, or by time wasting in this situation) - the closest I can think of in another sport is a home timekeeper in basketball or football, but that person isn't within reach of the players if they have a fit of anger. The closest incident I can recall in America might be Dennis Rodman kicking the cameraman, but that probably falls in to the category of players attacking fans.

Fwiw, I'm on the side of Hazard here - as a player I've done the time-wasting thing where you play keep away with the ball as long as possible from the other trailing team, and I've played my share of Latin players who seem to consider it a point of cultural pride, and I've never seen anyone end up on top of the ball guarding it. If you want to give Hazard a huge suspension I won't argue too too much, but Swansea better get fined and that kid can never work as a ballboy again as well.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

My god Howard Webb get your head out of your ass. Not even a yellow.

How are you going to control a ball by stomping on it?

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

... Swansea better get fined and that kid can never work as a ballboy again as well.

I fully expect the people at Swansea to tell the kid he did a great job, exactly doing what he should have done: waste time. Getting an opponent sent off was an additional bonus.

[Katon]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Have we ever seen, say, an NBA player slap a ball boy? Or an MLB player take a swing at a bat boy? Maybe it's happened but no incidents equal to this one come to mind, I suspect that's playing a role in at least the U.S. reactions.

How often do NBA ball boys and MLB bat boys interfere with play in a direct, intentional, and physical manner? The way NBA timekeeping works would prevent them from trying to pull anything directly comparable, though I watch little enough basketball that I could be missing some source of conflict. I'd bet if you took a bunch of U.S. athletes and put them in positions where a ball boy was physically preventing them from competing properly, quite a few of them would lose their heads and try the equivalent of poking the ball out from under him, even if it means making contact.

That said, I don't believe you reward the guy in the event he didn't connect as solidly as he would have liked.

1/4 of season suspension minimum, a fine equal to his salary for same (i.e. he misses 1/4 games and loses 1/2 his annual salary total) as well as criminal prosecution for whatever the same action would have drawn on the street. That's the bare minimum here as far as I'm concerned. Anything less and the lowlife bitch is getting off very easy.

OK, now you're getting over the top. If you look at the replays which show what happened to the ball afterwards, it's obvious that Hazard was trying to poke the ball out from under the kid - it pops loose because he connected with it. He made way too much contact with the kid in the process, and completely deserved a red, but saying "he didn't connect as solidly as he would have liked" is nonsense.

If Hazard had done the same thing to a Swansea player who was rolling around time-wasting, he'd have gotten a three-game ban (the default for a violent conduct red) and that'd be the end of it. I've seen it happen with other teams' players kicking Chelsea wingers, and nobody - including the Chelsea fans - complained.

The other party being a 17-year-old ball-boy definitely makes a difference, but this whole mess is still much closer to that hypothetical than to the sort of attack which has previously gotten the punishment you want. Historically speaking, that usually takes karate-kicking a fan.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Fwiw, I'm on the side of Hazard here - as a player I've done the time-wasting thing where you play keep away with the ball as long as possible from the other trailing team, and I've played my share of Latin players who seem to consider it a point of cultural pride, and I've never seen anyone end up on top of the ball guarding it. If you want to give Hazard a huge suspension I won't argue too too much, but Swansea better get fined and that kid can never work as a ballboy again as well.

This is what I don't understand at all. You ARE ONE THE SIDE of the player who kicked the ballboy? I don't understand this attitude. So the ballboy wasted time, IT DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO KICK HIM. (and please, stop it with the "he kicked the ball garbage", he made contact with the ballboy, end of story.

Sure, fine Swansea, make sure the ballboy never is in that capacity again. Hell, make Swansea play with an empty stands for a game, I don't care. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. I'm not "on a side" here unless you decide to call "demanding a professional soccer player to act, you know, professional and not assault ballboys" a side.

I hate it in sports where we seem to play off unacceptable behavior as the fault of the other guy. The hockey player who takes an elbow to the face is to blame because he had his head down, it isn't the thug who targeted his heads fault. The hockey player who gets smashed in the back of the head is at fault, because you know, he had a cheap play a few games ago and he didn't turn around and fight. The poor innocent football player who took three full steps, led with his head and smashes a QB right in the facemask isn't at fault because it's a "speed of the game" thing.

Now, I'm seeing people all over the internet, twitter and radio shows "siding" with a guy who thought the best action to take for time wasting was to kick a 17 year old.

I'm sorry, I respect all opinions even though I come off as a know it all sometimes. But this garbage is over the top. Unless that kid came up swinging or he had a weapon, there is NO EXCUSE for what Hazard did and to take his side is pure insanity. Is it really so hard to say "yeah, the kid is a jack ass, but Hazard WAS WAY THE HELL OUT OF LINE by turning it into a physical altercation, and that's something that is unacceptable for a professional athlete to do and must be dealt with more than a simple violent conduct charge"

I just don't get it. I'll stop speaking on the issue now and let all of you guys think I'm overreacting. I think the issue here has been one of underreaction myself and I hope the FA come down hard on this clown. Hell, I wish Cazorla, one of my teams players, was suspended 10 games for diving in a game, I'm damned well going to want Hazard to be drilled for this action.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

I fully expect the people at Swansea to tell the kid he did a great job, exactly doing what he should have done: waste time. Getting an opponent sent off was an additional bonus.

Exactly, which is why the FA needs to step in here. If they don't have a very, very strong response it will encourage other teams (and individual ballboys on their own) to copy this.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by TroyF

This is what I don't understand at all. You ARE ONE THE SIDE of the player who kicked the ballboy? I don't understand this attitude. So the ballboy wasted time, IT DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO KICK HIM. (and please, stop it with the "he kicked the ball garbage", he made contact with the ballboy, end of story.

Honestly, yup, although I'd characterize it more of "on the side of Hazard in the context of this thread" - i.e. I think the 3-game ban is sufficient - but that's mostly only because of the profile of the incident and the attitudes of the general public and how many would go crazy if he wasn't punished. I've never played in a game with adult-age ballboys running around, but I've made stronger physical contact than that with opponents who were trying to keep the ball away from me, and if I did anything resembling what the ballboy did when the ref had awarded the ball to the opponent I'd expect to get hit physically.

It's the responsibility of first the FA, then the referee to prevent anything like this - I didn't watch the game, but I highly doubt that this was the first incident of egregious time-wasting by that ballboy. The first time it happens in a game I play in, I'll complain to the ref, the second I'll take matters into my own hands and do what I have to to get the ball back. Here's my question - if Hazard hadn't dislodged the ball, how long would the ref have allowed the ballboy to delay getting the ball back to the GK for the goal kick?

(And for purposes of discussion, can we stop acting like he kicked a 12 year old kid who didn't know what he was doing? It was a 17 year old who knew exactly what he was doing between his pregame tweeting, to his initial reaction (falling on the ball), to his comical injury faking after.)

[SirFozzie]

The difference is PLAYER versus BALLBOY. There is no reason at all to do anything even close to what Eden Hazard did. End of story.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

The difference is PLAYER versus BALLBOY. There is no reason at all to do anything even close to what Eden Hazard did. End of story.

The ballboy made himself part of the match by taking the ball and covering it up. When you interfere with play, you have to expect some consequences.

And this wouldn't be a story if the kid hadn't faked like he had been shot through the chest. Maybe the sport shouldn't be giving so much attention to people who fake like they've been hurt. It's what encourages the pathetic behavior.

Player should be suspended, ballboy should be banned, and the club should be penalized if they were found to have encouraged that behavior from their ballboys.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Here's my question - if Hazard hadn't dislodged the ball, how long would the ref have allowed the ballboy to delay getting the ball back to the GK for the goal kick?

I'm only jumping back in because you asked a direct question. That is something for the ref to decide, not Hazard. Player vs. Player is treated differently. Player vs. Ballboy is not EVER acceptable.

As to the last statement, I said earlier in a post that I didn't care if it was a 45 year old man or a 17 year old, my reaction is the same. The player cannot, under any circumstance, get physical with a non player. I mean, really, it's that simple. If Hazard had did nothing, the discussion on this would be about Swansea cheating and what their punishment would be. Instead, it's about the idiot player who decided to kick a ballboy.

FWIW, I think the ref gave 6 minutes of stoppage time, so I'm guessing he would have dealt with it. . . if only Hazard had gave him the chance.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

The difference is PLAYER versus BALLBOY. There is no reason at all to do anything even close to what Eden Hazard did. End of story.

Originally Posted by TroyF

I'm only jumping back in because you asked a direct question. That is something for the ref to decide, not Hazard. Player vs. Player is treated differently. Player vs. Ballboy is not EVER acceptable.

Rainmaker said it better than I could - when the ballboy was put in a position to affect the game, and chose a side, he was no longer an innocent bystander. Did Hazard cross a line? Yes, but if this had been an opposing player I don't even know if he would have gotten a red. PLAYER vs. FAN is (also?/even more so?) NEVER acceptable, but if a fan jumped out of the stands and interfered with the match in this manner, everyone would think it was within Hazard's rights to do what he did. Yet somehow it becomes egregious when he does it to an admittedly partisan person that went out of their way to put themself in the middle of the action? I don't get it.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

I don't think those are comparable at all because there's a 100% delineation between play on the field/court and who can participate when the game is going on.

Okay, how about sub in a tennis ball boy/ball girl (or whatever they call 'em)?

If you want to give Hazard a huge suspension I won't argue too too much, but Swansea better get fined and that kid can never work as a ballboy again as well.

Gotta prove somebody told the kid to do it, I think, in order to hammer the club too hard. As for the kid (which almost sounds silly to use since he was, what, 17?), ban his ass for life is fine by me.

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Rainmaker said it better than I could - when the ballboy was put in a position to affect the game, and chose a side, he was no longer an innocent bystander. Did Hazard cross a line? Yes, but if this had been an opposing player I don't even know if he would have gotten a red. PLAYER vs. FAN is (also?/even more so?) NEVER acceptable, but if a fan jumped out of the stands and interfered with the match in this manner, everyone would think it was within Hazard's rights to do what he did. Yet somehow it becomes egregious when he does it to an admittedly partisan person that went out of their way to put themself in the middle of the action? I don't get it.

Had it been a player, the time waster would get a yellow card and Hazard would still get a red card for violent behaviour.

An assault out of the stands thing happened in a Dutch cup match last season, the aggressor failed to hit a player, but the assaulted player managed to dodge him and kick the aggressor (I refuse to call that particular person a fan/supporter). The referee sent the player off, his team refused to play any further an an hostile environment. Eventually the game was replayed with the home team getting the blame for lack of security and the red card getting nullified. I fully expect the FA would use similar standards to the KNVB.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Okay, how about sub in a tennis ball boy/ball girl (or whatever they call 'em)?

Still not the same because there's no clock in tennis. There is a clear delineation between when players can score points and when the ballboys are involved. It's the ability of a non-player to delay the action while the clock keeps going that makes it unique - the only thing close in other American sports would be a deliberately slow chain gang during a hurry-up offense in the NFL.

Gotta prove somebody told the kid to do it, I think, in order to hammer the club too hard. As for the kid (which almost sounds silly to use since he was, what, 17?), ban his ass for life is fine by me.

He's the son of the director and biggest shareholder. You're not going to get anyone dumb enough to say anyone instructed him, but combine that with his pre-game twitter postings and I think that's enough circumstantial evidence.

Originally Posted by MIJB#19

An assault out of the stands thing happened in a Dutch cup match last season, the aggressor failed to hit a player, but the assaulted player managed to dodge him and kick the aggressor (I refuse to call that particular person a fan/supporter). The referee sent the player off, his team refused to play any further an an hostile environment. Eventually the game was replayed with the home team getting the blame for lack of security and the red card getting nullified. I fully expect the FA would use similar standards to the KNVB.

I'm surprised the ref even game him the red card to start. Over here, the standard is players/security tackling the intruder while the rest of the fans cheer it on - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62aVYrPnrHc

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Still not the same because there's no clock in tennis. There is a clear delineation between when players can score points and when the ballboys are involved. It's the ability of a non-player to delay the action while the clock keeps going that makes it unique - the only thing close in other American sports would be a deliberately slow chain gang during a hurry-up offense in the NFL.

The closest thing to this in American sports would be probably a professional athlete attacking a clock operator.

I'm sorry BMVP, but this is one of the foulest things I've ever seen in professional sports at any level in any country. He may not be the sorriest son of a bitch I've ever seen on a field, but he's pretty damned close. I already don't think much of how international football is run but if they don't throw a fairly large book at this guy then, honestly, I'm left to believe that it's not much more than a "sport" too filled with hooligans on and off the field to ever deserve respect.

What's the response to the next bit of inappropriate behavior by a non-participant, the Egyptian model?

[sovereignstar v2]

Nice work Oldham!

[Katon]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

The closest thing to this in American sports would be probably a professional athlete attacking a clock operator.

A clock operator who was physically interfering with play?

The ball-boy was deliberately putting his body between Hazard and the ball while the clock was running; that's where things become a physical confrontation. The idiot who escalates the confrontation deserves to be treated more harshly than the idiot who started it - Hazard should have gone and gotten the referee, not tried to kick the ball out from under the kid - but all the analogies you've suggested so far miss an important part of the setup.

[Katon]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar v2

Nice work Oldham!

And Luton, and MK Dons, and Brentford . . .

Since Bradford, it's been a hell of a week for underdogs.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Katon

A clock operator who was physically interfering with play?

Clock operator can easily influence play, even outcomes.

But to be honest, the analogies are pretty irrelevant to me. Short of responding to a direct physical assault in self-defense, there simply isn't anything that justifies what Hazard did.

[Katon]

But the clock operator wouldn't be physically interfering with play. The most commonly shown camera angle is actually very misleading in terms of what Hazard was trying to do - if you look at the angle in this gif then it's clear that Hazard is primarily trying to kick the ball free, and is only incidentally making contact with the kid. There's no way taking the quickest route possible to resume play is ever going to involve that kind of contact with a timekeeper.

Now, if we're talking about whether Hazard should have been sent off, or whether he's more to blame than the ball boy, that's completely irrelevant. He should've calmed down and asked the ref to intervene, he risked kicking the kid instead, he obviously had to be called for violent conduct. But if you're calling it one of the foulest things you've seen in professional sports, I think the context is relevant to that claim.

[miami_fan]

So Alisher Usmanov is basically saying that the board (of which I assume he is a part of) is not giving Wenger the money to get and keep the players that Wenger wants. I know Stan Kroenke owns the controlling share of the club but is there anything that prevents Usmanov from using his own money to pay off the stadium and any other debts the club may have thus eliminating the debt as an excuse for not spending in the transfer market?

[law90026]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

So Alisher Usmanov is basically saying that the board (of which I assume he is a part of) is not giving Wenger the money to get and keep the players that Wenger wants. I know Stan Kroenke owns the controlling share of the club but is there anything that prevents Usmanov from using his own money to pay off the stadium and any other debts the club may have thus eliminating the debt as an excuse for not spending in the transfer market?

The question is why would he do that? The current board and shareholders refuse to give him a board seat and have not wanted to discuss anything with him. It's essentially asking a minority shareholder to pay off all the debts and increase the asset that Kroenke owns and without Kroenke having to put in a single cent. Can't imagine there would be anyone in the world willing to do such a thing.

[whomario]

Meanwhile, Messi is on track to score 60 league goals. And no, that´s not on my FIFA save

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by law90026

The question is why would he do that? The current board and shareholders refuse to give him a board seat and have not wanted to discuss anything with him. It's essentially asking a minority shareholder to pay off all the debts and increase the asset that Kroenke owns and without Kroenke having to put in a single cent. Can't imagine there would be anyone in the world willing to do such a thing.

Ahh, I thought he was a member of the board. Makes sense now.

[miked]

So more racist chants nearly derail Jozy Altidore. It seems there is a story every week about something having to do with racism in soccer. What gives?

[bulletsponge]

Originally Posted by miked

So more racist chants nearly derail Jozy Altidore. It seems there is a story every week about something having to do with racism in soccer. What gives?

the whole world is racists. even the ones that think they arnt. the best thing you can do is just play through the monkey chants. play your ass off and score a few goals and then taunt the fans. thats the best way to shut them up

besides its more of a hooliganism problem in that town they just played. they are in the middle of some riots with soccer fans right now, their ultras are acting like punk ass pricks and the best way for them to piss off the best player on the other team is to make monkey chants cause hes black. if he was white it would be some other chant or name calling. but the monkey chant was easiest and most convenient

[bulletsponge]

i forgot all about the US/Canada friendly last night. 0-0 tie

[Bisbo]

Originally Posted by bulletsponge

i forgot all about the US/Canada friendly last night. 0-0 tie

Entirely forgettable

[Big Fo]

It was one of the worst soccer games I can remember watching in quite some time.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by bulletsponge

the whole world is racists. even the ones that think they arnt.

Let me know the next time something like this happens at a soccer game in the US and isn't immediately taken care of by security and the other fans.

[SirFozzie]

Southampton scored in the second minute, but they are getting eviscerated on D.. Rooney has two goals, Kagawa's hit the post, Van Persie had a real good chance.. it could be four or five-1 Man Yoo.

[SirFozzie]

Southampton can't get an equalizer despite dominating the second half, and Man U wins 2-1 and stretches their lead, as all the chasers (ManCiteh yesterday, Arsenal-Liverpool and Tottenham draw today)

[MIJB#19]

Originally Posted by bulletsponge

the whole world is racists. even the ones that think they arnt. the best thing you can do is just play through the monkey chants. play your ass off and score a few goals and then taunt the fans. thats the best way to shut them up

besides its more of a hooliganism problem in that town they just played. they are in the middle of some riots with soccer fans right now, their ultras are acting like punk ass pricks and the best way for them to piss off the best player on the other team is to make monkey chants cause hes black. if he was white it would be some other chant or name calling. but the monkey chant was easiest and most convenient

That was about the same thing I wanted to add. I think you summed up exactly what's been going on here.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Let me know the next time something like this happens at a soccer game in the US and isn't immediately taken care of by security and the other fans.

It is funny, isn't it? I here all the time about the discrimination and intolerance in America. Yet I have never been at a sporting event where a racist chant was yelled out. Not once. I know there have been some idiotic taunts (I seem to remember in a college hoops game a kids dead father was brought up once) Overall? We just wouldn't put up with it. We wouldn't subject our kids to it either.

Pretty pathetic it still goes on in other parts of the world.