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Banned for Life
The Guardian reports that those Iranian soccer players sporting green wristbands in solidarity with opposition protesters will be banned from professional play for life. A fate slightly better than that which befell Iraqi players under the sociopathic Uday Hussein. As New York Times correspondent John Burns wrote in 2003, Uday was a rather harsh critic of his team members:
After drawing or losing games, players were punished. A missed penalty or other poor play entailed a ritual head shaving at the Stadium of the People, or being spat on by Uday's bodyguards.
A series of poor passes, carefully counted, could result in a player's being forced to stand before the president's son in the dressing room, hands at his side, while he was punched or slapped in the face an equal number of times.
But those were the lesser miseries. Some players endured long periods in a military prison, beaten on their backs with electric cables until blood flowed. Other punishments included "matches" kicking concrete balls around the prison yard in 130-degree heat, and 12-hour sessions of push-ups, sprints and other fitness drills, wearing heavy military fatigues and boots.
The Guardian on the fate of the Iranian team:
According to the pro-government newspaper Iran, four players – Ali Karimi, 31, Mehdi Mahdavikia, 32, Hosein Ka'abi, 24 and Vahid Hashemian, 32 – have been "retired" from the sport after their gesture in last Wednesday's match against South Korea in Seoul.
They were among six players who took to the field wearing wristbands in the colour of the defeated opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, which has been adopted by demonstrators who believe the 12 June election was stolen.
Most of the players obeyed instructions to remove the armwear at half-time, but Mahdavikia wore his green captain's armband for the entire match. The four are also said to have been banned from giving media interviews.
The fate of the other two players who wore the wristbands is unknown. None of the team members were given back their passports upon returning to Tehran after the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw – a result that ended Iran's hopes of qualifying for next year's tournament.
Karimi is one of Iranian football's best-known stars, having played for the German club Bayern Munich. Ka'abi played for Leicester City for several months during the 2007/8 season. Hashemian and Mahdavikia play for the German teams Bochum and Eintracht Frankfurt.
MaterialMonkee|6.23.09 @ 5:28PM|#
I mean Its bad
but..
Wrexham FC do kind of need a manager like Uday
I'm not saying we should kill them
but hey a little bit of water boarding and man I swear we'd be back
in the professional league
It really is humiliating being in the Blue square league
I mean really that league is so bad Santanta just went went
bust
ed|6.23.09 @ 5:31PM|#
Uday was a rather harsh critic
That sadistic bastard did not deserve what he got. He deserved
much, much worse. Too bad the troops couldn't deliver him alive to
the families of his victims.
Materialmonkee|6.23.09 @ 5:33PM|#
Cricket now thats a sport
its the other way round
they murder the manager if he doesn't do well
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/mar/25/cricket.sport
MaterialMonkee|6.23.09 @ 5:37PM|#
"That sadistic bastard did not deserve what he got. He deserved
much, much worse. Too bad the troops couldn't deliver him alive to
the families of his victims."
but you have to admit he had some balls
I mean what was it?
him versus a whole bunch of Americunts and he took a load of them
out
you have to admit that man had balls
and that he could probably turn a lower league team around
I'm not saying he could have been an Alex Ferguson
but he definitely had some motivational skills
Grammar Mullah|6.23.09 @ 5:39PM|#
None of the team members were given back their
passports
None of the Iranian team members was given back
his passport.
There you go. Don't let it happen again. We know where you
live.
tarran|6.23.09 @ 5:43PM|#
Did Uday actually kill any American troops?
If my memory is correct, The American troops shot up the house he
was holed up in with anti-tank rockets until he and his party
stopped shooting and then entered the house. Only his nephew had
survived the attack and was killed when he tried to shoot American
soldiers coming up the stairs towards the room they were barricaded
in.
JW Gacy|6.23.09 @ 5:47PM|#
FAIL, Grammar Mullah. None can be considered either singular or plural, and the latter is more common.
MatreriulMunkeeey|6.23.09 @ 5:52PM|#
"At least they weren't shot?"
I mean
its bad but you do kind of need some kind of incentive to win a
game
these third world countries they haven't got a lot of cash so maybe
the fear of a firing squad
It might help
I'm not saying its right or lives up to some kind of utilitarian
ideal but
football (*) is football
(*) that game Americunts call football clearly isnt
Football is played with your feet
what Americunts call football is rugby
but its a kind of uber-gay rugby
a long time ago
Americunts were so scared of rugby that they gayed out and decided
that it was such a dangerous sport that it should only be played
with gaybo pads etc
Rugby is a ubergay sport
invented by ubergay upper class people
but man NFL is like a game of people who are too gay to play a
sport invented by gaybos properly
Grammar Mullah|6.23.09 @ 5:55PM|#
"None" means "not one" Mr. Gacy.
Go back two steps and say five Hail Mohammeds.
JW Gacy|6.23.09 @ 6:00PM|#
Wrong, Grammar Mullah. That may be the etymological source of the word. Look it up, though. In its modern form, it is acceptable, and really more correct, to consider it plural.
American Grammar Hero|6.23.09 @ 6:05PM|#
@Grammar Mullah
None of your English teachers were very good,
apparently.
JW Gacy|6.23.09 @ 6:05PM|#
Here, I looked it up for you. Notice that it dates back to some time before the 12th century. Somehow, in the last 1000 years, it usage seems to have changed just slightly.
Grammar Mullah|6.23.09 @ 6:14PM|#
None
pronoun 1. no one; not one: None of the members is
going.
Thanks for proving my point, AGH.
|6.23.09 @ 6:17PM|#
Note that all of the banned players were in their 30's, guess that that they don't want to lose their players that are in their prime.
Grammar Mullah|6.23.09 @ 6:18PM|#
In its modern form, it is acceptable
For wimps, JW. Like "their" has become an "acceptable" substitute
for the male pronoun?
I will never surrender! Where's my cigar?
Syd|6.23.09 @ 6:37PM|#
"pronoun 1. no one; not one: None of the members is
going."
"None of the members are going." would be better, or "Not one of
the members is going."
ljt|6.23.09 @ 6:39PM|#
(*) that game Americunts call football clearly isnt
Football is played with your feet
Who the fuck cares what a sport is called? It's an arbitrary name
that often attaches for historical reasons. I just don't get the
incessant whining from soccer fans about how "football is played
with your feet" as if there's some platonic ideal form of a sport.
I swear the typical soccer fan is even more of a whiny bitch than
the typical soccer player. You know, the guys who you see at least
15 times a match rolling around on the ground grimacing in apparent
life-threatening agony only to be up and running at full speed 30
seconds after their cry-baby antics have failed to draw a call from
the ref?
Just get over it and accept that different countries can have
different names for the same sport for various historical reasons.
It's really not that hard.
Warty|6.23.09 @ 6:44PM|#
The various footballs get their name because you play on your feet, i.e., not on horseback. I.e., it's played by commoners. You idiot.
|6.23.09 @ 6:51PM|#
Taking Bundesliga players hostage because they wore some wristbands is a great way to show the world what a legitimate democracy you are.
|6.23.09 @ 7:00PM|#
I went to a polo match in Santa Barbara, once. Our needs were met by liveried servants, and the common folk were kept most assuredly off the premises. Yes, even the servants were old money.
|6.23.09 @ 7:02PM|#
Unfortunately, FIFA is too fucking gutless to impose sanctions
on Iran's FA for allowing political strongarming of the government
to run sporting affairs.
It would be pretty cool if all the semifinalists (Spain, Brazil, S.
Africa and the US) in the Confederations Cup wore green wristbands
in solidarity, but FIFA would find a way to consider THAT an
untoward display of politics in the game.
On another note - not that I'm expecting a win - how awesome would
it be for the US to reach the final after finally pulling their
heads out of their asses in one of the toughest groups I've even
seen in a tournament employing group play?
|6.23.09 @ 7:07PM|#
Also, Warty, well said. It needs to be repeated to the
asshole-ish zealots among us soccer fans that "football" doesn't
mean what they think it means. This includes a fair bit of the
English-speaking, Euro-smug world. On the other hand, even as an
American, I find it fairly natural to call it "soccer" and
"football" interchangeably.
Anyway, it's especially interesting in that "soccer" is a word
created by mid-19th century English schoolchildren, yet they keep
claiming that it's some American bastardization of the sport (tell
that to Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan,
etc.)
|6.23.09 @ 7:07PM|#
Timon19,
If I didn't already know that the USMNT were small fish, I'd think
that there were suitcases full of money involved.
But of course, we ll know that Italy are beyond such things as
bribery, right?
heh, I keed. Spain will beat the US. "Class will out" as they
say.
Come to think of it, maybe soccer players should just stick to
playing soccer.
|6.23.09 @ 7:15PM|#
Oh, I'm about 90% certain that Spain will win by 2 clear goals.
But what happened Sunday is why they play the games.
If there were malfeasance involved, then why did the referee send
off Rico Clark for an incredibly soft, easy yellow at midfield on
his first challenge of the game, then not call a massively obvious
penalty against the Italians in the second half. And why did an
American (Guiseppe Rossi, born in New Jersey) end up scoring 2
goals for his father's homeland?
Italy just got lazy. They finally started fast (with help from the
referee) for the first time ever, then laid a massive egg against
Egypt. Each non-Brazilian team in that group played an atrocious
game. Italy simply didn't score enough goals.
Gimpy|6.23.09 @ 7:15PM|#
"him versus a whole bunch of Americunts and he took a load of
them out"
Usually, he was taking on 12-year-old girls. And at the moment,
he's taking Satan up the ass.
|6.23.09 @ 7:22PM|#
Also, I don't know if being legitimately in the top 20 in the
world is being a "small fish".
They're not a top 10 side. That much is clear. But they certainly
don't suck. They're actually pretty damn good, but for some reason,
no one, either American fan or European fan, seems to be able to
come to that conclusion due to a whole set of preconceived
notions.
BakedPenguin|6.23.09 @ 7:48PM|#
They're actually pretty damn good, but for some reason, ...American fan[s don't] ... come to that conclusion due to...
...chronic disappointment? The fact that the only quality team they
can beat with any regularity is Mexico?
|6.23.09 @ 7:58PM|#
Well, considering that the only quality opponent they even get
to play "with any regularity" is, indeed, Mexico (and who else?),
I'd say you just stumbled upon a feedback loop of sorts.
Because of geography, the international calendar and a few other
factors (money for both the US and Mexican FAs, primarily), is it
any surprise that we play our southern neighbor so often and not,
say, Brazil (who has their own priorities, and a fucking punishing
qualifying campaign)?
MNG|6.23.09 @ 8:15PM|#
Iran is an evil regime. I don't want to have a war with them,
but we should make it our point to to be a thorn in their side as
long as they continue to be the tyrannical buttheads that they
are...
*When I say "Iran" I mean those in power, I'm sure the people are
mostly just fine...
|6.23.09 @ 8:58PM|#
Lovely, take it out on the soccer players! Makes perfect sense
to me. NOT!
RT
www.anon-tools.tk
BakedPenguin|6.23.09 @ 9:52PM|#
I'd say you just stumbled upon a feedback loop of sorts.
I also haven't been following as much since the last World Cup, so
my bad. After checking, I see the results against middling European
teams have gotten much better (e.g., beating Sweden, Poland).
Seemed like every time we used to play Switzerland, Belgium,
Finland, et.al., they would pants us.
hmm|6.23.09 @ 11:10PM|#
Piss off the boss and get shitcanned. Right or wrong they spoke out and took the hit for it. Now go get an AK and start killing goofy government fuckers on motorcycles.
Joshua Holmes|6.23.09 @ 11:40PM|#
The USMNT gets a bad rap because:
1. Most Americans care little for soccer.
2. The USMNT rarely beats known quality teams except for Mexico,
and then only in America.
3. In international play, the USMNT and MLS clubs shit the bed.
Mr. Chartreuse|6.24.09 @ 12:04AM|#
Last time I checked
Jeonju isn't in the US .
Also, MLS clubs have a won a couple of CONCACAF Champions Cups and
seem to be holding their own in the SuperLiga (and the Galaxy seem
to do ok in the Pan-Pacific Championship). I'm not saying they're
awesome or anything, but shitting the bed is a bit much.
Also, by international play for the USMNT, do you count the Gold
Cup in that? We've won the last two.
|6.24.09 @ 12:23AM|#
It was my very own hometown team DC United that won both the
CONCACAF Chammpions cup and the Copa Interamericana. Very exciting
stuff. Unfortunately, MLS teams have not done as well since then
and it has been ten years.
US Soccer doesn't throw around the kind of money that an Italy or
even a Brazil can. That's all I meant by "small fish". Of course,
look at the teams that the players come from and you are back to
seeing USMNT as small fish on the field as well. If anything, it is
amazing that they do so well.
It's great that the US has won the Gold Cup a few times, it really
is, but we are talking about the CONCACAF here. Right now Costa
Rica is doing better than us in World Cup qualifying. I won't
dismiss CR players, but that is not a very big country.
Oh, and the Superliga is just not a serious thing. It's basically a
series of exhibition games with a cash prize thrown in to make
things interesting.
The Angry Optimist|6.24.09 @ 12:42AM|#
oh my god, I hereby nominate this comments section for the "Most Boring Thread EVAR" award.
Mr. Chartreuse|6.24.09 @ 12:46AM|#
Mk, true on lack of success in the Champions Cup, but the MLS
teams usually do make it past the quarterfinal stage into the
semis, where unfortunately the Mexican clubs usually take them out.
And in the Champions League, Houston Dynamo finished second in
their group (I won't mention how DC fared ;) ). Again, I'm not
saying MLS is the pride of CONCACAF, but they aren't a joke
either.
Here's the thing though, we used to be one of the weak teams in
CONCACAF. Winning it two straight years in a row is a testament to
how much the program has grown post-1989 (BTW, Paul Caligiuri
should be getting a BJ a week for life from the USSF and MLS for
his goal against T & T). CONCACAF isn't UEFA, but we have to
become the best in our region before we can think about winning a
World Cup.
|6.24.09 @ 2:20AM|#
Did someone make TAO read this thread? Hmm...
Costa Rica is doing quite a bit better than EVERYONE this time
around...so far. They've also had the most games in that hellhole
of a stadium in San Jose. If you'll notice, home field advantage
plays a massive factor in CONCACAF, more so than most regions - and
the US over the last 3 or 4 cycles has had the best home record in
qualifiers, which is saying something. Road teams simply don't win
all that often - period.
And is it really any surprise that the Mexican teams still beat the
MLS teams in club competition? I mean, the MFL is one of the top 10
richest leagues in the world (and it may be close to top 5).
There's an absolute fuckload of money in the Mexican game.
Contrast that with the peanuts MLS is dealing with (but getting
better all the time), and it's amazing that we do as well as we do.
Hell, our rosters CAN'T have more than 23 players this year. NO
team can function in multiple competitions, playing up to 50
matches a season, with that shallow of a squad.
|6.24.09 @ 2:29AM|#
I think beating Mexico in an elimination game in a World Cup in
Korea is a pretty significant sign of our relative abilities. When
was the last time Mexico won in the US in anything remotely
meaningful?
Answer: 1998, not long after we got our first point in the
Azteca.
(Don't forget, we also beat those fuckers on penalties on the way
to finishing 4th in the Copa America in Uruguay [most definitely
not in the US])
The Angry Optimist|6.24.09 @ 3:45AM|#
nope, no one made me read it. I do it as a service to others,
kind of like a movie critic.
Boringest. Thread. Ever.
|6.24.09 @ 10:53AM|#
I'm sorry Ayn Randian. I forgot we were all here to amuse
you.
BTW, you are consistently the most boring cunt ever.
|6.24.09 @ 2:36PM|#
Fuck. I'm leaving to find a more exciting spot to browse on the company dime. Anybody know where I could find some good deals on some Rolodex or Omegga watches?
|6.24.09 @ 4:38PM|#
I know this thread is long dead, but...
HOLY JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!!!
Dos a Cero to the US over SPAIN!!
Dear Lord, that was incredible!
MaterialMonkee|6.24.09 @ 5:12PM|#
"Oh, I'm about 90% certain that Spain will win by 2 clear
goals"
haha
utterly shocked!
|6.24.09 @ 5:18PM|#
It was truly an amazing performance. Up until the first goal,
the US really was taking it to Spain.
I guess the 10% finally won out!
BakedPenguin|6.24.09 @ 7:13PM|#
Given their mediocre performance against Brazil and Italy, I would not have guessed they would pull off such an impressive win. I should really start paying attention again.
|6.24.09 @ 8:25PM|#
Thing is, they didn't really play that bad against Italy. They
fully deserved the first goal and the lead at the half, despite
playing a man down for the last 15 minutes.
They ran out of gas, and it still took a wonder strike from
American-born Rossi coming from the position where Clark would have
been to tie it up.
The third goal came in garbage time when the US was stretched
pushing for the equalizer. Despite all this, the US had a great
chance to equalize and were basically robbed of a 2nd penalty by
the usual shitty refereeing.
Were it not for the absolutely ridiculous red card on Clark's first
real tackle of the game, that game is totally different.
Now their performance against Brazil was utter shit.
Mr. Chartreuse|6.24.09 @ 10:04PM|#
I know this thread is long dead, but...
HOLY JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!!!
Dos a Cero to the US over SPAIN!!
Dear Lord, that was incredible!
Lemme add: That was FUCKING AWESOME!!!! Everyone single player on
the US team gave it their fucking all.
Dos a Cero!! ::clap, clap, clap, clap::: Dos a Cero!!
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