Official World Cup Soccer Thread

[a123456]

Uh, that's not really cheating. The rules clearly state, handball in the box is a penalty. It got called, unlike Maradona's handball, for example.

In basketball, guy has a wide open dunk for a sure 2 points and you tackle him for a hard foul. He gets to the line to take the free throws. No one really calls that cheating since fouling is within the rules.

 

[cronos]

Uh, that's not really cheating. The rules clearly state, handball in the box is a penalty. It got called, unlike Maradona's handball, for example.

In basketball, guy has a wide open dunk for a sure 2 points and you tackle him for a hard foul. He gets to the line to take the free throws. No one really calls that cheating since fouling is within the rules.

see my post above, if you want to make a basketball analogy it should be a goal tending foul, not a tackling foul.

 

[JHoNNy1OoO]

Since I'm a soccer n00b, I have to ask: what was the cheat?

I only saw from about 68' on. Was it earlier?

They're talking about Suarez blocking the ball with his hands at the 120th minute. It's far from cheating, it's part of the rules. It's a calculated decision and Suarez had no option. PK's are also made the majority of the time so as far as Suarez knew they were done for. Call it poor sportsmanship but, this is far from cheating.

 

[Gooberlx2]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XUnA9XOm-Q

Wow...two players should have gotten red cards, imo. Absurd unsportsmanlike conduct.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

OK, so I guess the guy (Suarez?) knocking the ball from the goal is the "cheat".

But I don't get it. There's a provision in the rules that if a player uses his hands like that, he's disqualified and can't play the next game. So, if the rules account for this, how is it a cheat?

Edit: agreeing with JHoNNy1OoO

 

[HopJokey]

They're talking about Suarez blocking the ball with his hands at the 120th minute. It's far from cheating, it's part of the rules. It's a calculated decision and Suarez had no option. PK's are also made the majority of the time so as far as Suarez knew they were done for. Call it poor sportsmanship but, this is far from cheating.

I'd say it was a great play actually. For sure goal vs. PK.

 

[a123456]

see my post above, if you want to make a basketball analogy it should be a goal tending foul, not a tackling foul.

Rules are rules, though. If FIFA wanted it to be a "goal tend," they could easily say a goal should be awarded instead of a PK. So he's still playing in the rules.

Just like in basketball, there used to be no goaltending so people goal tended all the time until everyone got tired of it.

You can't really blame the player if the rules are not to your particular liking. That's more the soccer rules committee's fault.

 

[TheWart]

Yeah, it's pretty disgusting.

Yea, it is a joke, and pretty sad.

 

[sdifox]

When Gyan missed that goal, you know Ghana is in trouble.

 

[KeithTalent]

I'd say it was a great play actually. For sure goal vs. PK.

Yep, this. It is certainly not cheating.

KT

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

It seems to me that a player flopping in order to attract an undeserved penalty on his counterpart is more of a cheat than what Suarez did.

Edit: or is there some sort of unspoken code of ethics in soccer that I'm not aware of?

 

[TheWart]

Rules are rules, though. If FIFA wanted it to be a "goal tend," they could easily say a goal should be awarded instead of a PK. So he's still playing in the rules.

Just like in basketball, there used to be no goaltending so people goal tended all the time until everyone got tired of it.

You can't really blame the player if the rules are not to your particular liking. That's more the soccer rules committee's fault.

No one is saying that the ref didn't follow the rules, it is just a joke that Ghana won the game but because some guy cheated - and got caught - they lost.

 

[TheWart]

It seems to me that a player flopping in order to attract an undeserved penalty on his counterpart is more of a cheat than what Suarez did.

Really? Getting a handball in the 122 minute of the world cup to stop a ball that was clearly going across the goal line? Really?

 

[ShadowOfMyself]

As soon as Ghana failed the PK right at the end of the game, I knew they would lose... Uruguay players looked much more experienced, and Ghana's goalie kinda sucks

Its still retarded though, how Uruguay can get away with cheating... In an extreme case like this Ghana should have been awarded the goal anyway

 

[sdifox]

I am not even sure reaching for the ball is all that voluntary at that stage of the game. Your natural reaction is to keep the ball out no matter what. And by then end of the game you are tired and may not be able to overcome instinct.

 

[cronos]

Rules are rules, though. If FIFA wanted it to be a "goal tend," they could easily say a goal should be awarded instead of a PK. So he's still playing in the rules.

Just like in basketball, there used to be no goaltending so people goal tended all the time until everyone got tired of it.

You can't really blame the player if the rules are not to your particular liking. That's more the soccer rules committee's fault.

Yes, I'm blaming FIFA for all this crap happening throughout the WC. Referees' bad calls and players using the rules to their advantage.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Really? Getting a handball in the 122 minute of the world cup to stop a ball that was clearly going across the goal line? Really?

Well, a handball is a violation. The player pays the price for his action.

But in the case of flopping, the player is rewarded for unethical behavior.

 

[KeithTalent]

I am not even sure reaching for the ball is all that voluntary at that stage of the game. Your natural reaction is to keep the ball out no matter what.

I was thinking this as well. When you are on the goal line with a rocket coming at the net, I would imagine it's just a natural reaction to throw your hands up at it.

KT

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Here's the analogy that comes to my mind:

In American gridiron football, there's a player just about to score a touchdown - nobody in front of him. The defender, a step behind, manages to grab the guy's facemask and bring him down short of the goal line, thus saving the score. The defender committed a penalty, but the offensive team is not awarded a touchdown.

 

[ShadowOfMyself]

No ones blaming Suarez... Anyone would have done what he did, I know I would, it was a sure goal and the only way to keep the ball out was to use his hands, I just dont like the way they enforced the rules in this scenario, because its completely unfair to Ghana

 

[mugs]

lol @ "it's not cheating because the rules dictate a specific way to handle the violation."

To say that it is not cheating when someone intentionally violates the rules of the game to prevent an otherwise unavoidable loss is absurd. I can't wrap my head around saying that it's not cheating because it's just a violation of the rules. If that handball was not cheating, what is?

Using performance enhancing drugs is not cheating in any sport; it's just a calculated risk, because the rules prescribe a specific punishment - right?

That was not fair play.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Here's the analogy that comes to my mind:

In American gridiron football, there's a player just about to score a touchdown - nobody in front of him. The defender, a step behind, manages to grab the guy's facemask and bring him down short of the goal line, thus saving the score. The defender committed a penalty, but the offensive team is not awarded a touchdown.

He certainly played (some would say abused) the rules to their advantage, and it's an incredibly dirty and unsportsmanlike strategy. It may not be "cheating" in a literal sense...but it certainly feels like Ghana was "cheated" by poor sportsmanship.

The ref did the right thing and the outcome, though unfortunate, is just a fact of life in soccer. Hopefully he'll be yanked for both the semis and finals if they beat the Netherlands.

 

[KeithTalent]

see my post above, if you want to make a basketball analogy it should be a goal tending foul, not a tackling foul.

No, this is more like a hard foul on a guy with an open lane to the basket. You take the guy down, get kicked from the game (like Suarez), then the offensive player gets free thows (like Gyan). Suarez misses the next game as well.

Do you call that cheating too? I certainly don't.

KT

 

[mugs]

Here's the analogy that comes to my mind:

In American gridiron football, there's a player just about to score a touchdown - nobody in front of him. The defender, a step behind, manages to grab the guy's facemask and bring him down short of the goal line, thus saving the score. The defender committed a penalty, but the offensive team is not awarded a touchdown.

This rule is actually what I thought of when I saw that handball.

http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/penaltysummaries

Touchdown Awarded (Palpably Unfair Act)

1. When Referee determines a palpably unfair act deprived a team of a touchdown. (Example: Player comes off bench and tackles runner apparently en route to touchdown.)

Unfortunately the rules of soccer are deficient.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

lol @ "it's not cheating because the rules dictate a specific way to handle the violation."

To say that it is not cheating when someone intentionally violates the rules of the game to prevent an otherwise unavoidable loss is absurd. I can't wrap my head around saying that it's not cheating because it's just a violation of the rules. If that handball was not cheating, what is?

Using performance enhancing drugs is not cheating in any sport; it's just a calculated risk, because the rules prescribe a specific punishment - right?

That was not fair play.

The difference though is that steroid use is against Federal law. And as much as we (baseball) might not like it, juicers do not get their HR's, hits, wins, etc. removed.