How The Nation Enjoys Sports Victories

Headline of the day:

After Donovan's Goal: Joy or Jingoism?

Let's go straight to the closing flourish, from indefatigable lefty sports grump Dave Zirin:

It's yet another reminder why it is so important for progressives to not just thrill to the joys of sport but be conversant in the politics of sports. The right will forever try to pump the worst kind of racist, nationalist garbage through our play, even at moments that by all rights should be above and beyond politics and just about the electric thrill of the moment. Especially given the right's […] contempt for "the beautiful game", soccer of all things shouldn't suffer the curse of being a cheap, political football.

Via Deadspin.

Comments

[alan]

How the fuck do you parody that?

[Brett L]

I thought that was an overblown parody.

[juris imprudent]

Unintentional self-parody is the best. Just enjoy it.

[peachy]

"Soccer of all things"? Soccer is always a cheap political football, everywhere - no sport embodies exactly the kind of brainless head-bashing tribalism being warned against by whatsisname.

[Episiarch]

Exactly. All sports unfortunately tend towards tribalism, but soccer has practically become a substitute for war for much of the world.

Plus, Zirin manages to be 100% tribal while bashing the other tribe's tribalism. It amazes me when people write or say something that is exactly what they're complaining about; they're completely devoid of self-awareness. Oh, the stupidity of TEAM RED TEAM BLUE morons never ceases to top itself.

[wylie]

but soccer has practically become a substitute for war for much of the world.

Sounds like a small improvement. If only we could completely replace war with games.

"Oh, but theres no lives at stake!!"

"You're a sick fuck, go play some StarCraft and STFU."

[Ted S.]

Ever heard of the Soccer War?

[wylie]

Although the nickname "Football War" implies that the conflict was due to a football game, the causes of the war go deeper.

What was your point?

[dbcooper]

Lefty dicks are total dicks and are successful at getting lots of people to reject lefty politics by being such total dicks.

It's almost like being back in northern california.

[PantsFan]

This is the first article I've ever read (to my recollection) by Dave Zirin, and I can say without a doubt that he is a muppet.

[Brett L]

+1

I wish that terminology would take off in the States.

[?]

Zirin is one the lefty liars MSNBC trotted out during last year's NFL/Limbaugh smear campaign.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/s.....h-limbaugh

[Mike M.]

This is actually the second or third time that Zirin has used the World Cup to launch a diatribe against conservatives, but it is The Nation, so that's his primary purpose for being there.

He clearly likes the game of soccer, so the fact that he can't wrap himself in the moment and just enjoy an American victory without undergoing this agonizing internal debate about jingoism and politics is indicative of sever mental issues on his part. He desperately needs a shrink if he doesn't have one already.

[Ken Shultz]

You gotta hand to the progressives for their propaganda efforts.

They're always on. ...and it's effective.

The Rushes and Becks of the right get their message out, but most people just think they're just a good source of comedy...

Average people read what progressive think, and if you disagree with them, people think you're out of the mainstream! I don't care if it's global warming or national health care, average people who don't know anything about those topic share progressive views as a default position.

So, yeah, dude's actin' exactly like that straw man of his, despite that strawman of his, but the amazing thing about it is that it freakin' works.

[alan]

The average person reading that will conclude, 'this guy is about as fun as a head tumor.'

I remember playing baseball in high school, and my buddy who I still talk on the phone every few weeks, a liberal democrat as I was at the time, an Obama voter even, came in the room where several of us were hanging out to read to us P. J. O'Rourke's classic about being stuck in Europe at the time of the Libyan bombing, 'Among the Euroweenies.'

No one objected, and we all laughed our asses off, especially the line, to paraphrase from memory, 'we blow so much coke off of our credit cards (each one maxed out to limits greater than the GDP of Portugal) that you can feel the down wind in Belgium' though many of us came from Democratic households, an odd fact actually about the composition of baseball teams versus other sports.

Just speaking from personal experience, even your average liberal leaning apolitical type doesn't want to be thought of us as a decadent, self loathing USA basher.

[Sudden]

Where to begin?

First, with that whole nonsense about how "the Right will forever try to pump the worst kind of racist, nationalist garbage through our play." Uh, perhaps Zirin didn't watch the match, but the U.S. team looks to be a little more uh, ethnically diverse, than Algeria, eventhough Algeria has more players born of foreign origin. Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that when the U.S. defeats a team like Algeria, its a triumph of multi-ethnic values over racial segregation (eventhough I recognize that in most cases those French-born Algerians play for Algeria not because they particularly love Algeria, though they might, but they rather couldn't qualify for the French squad).

As for Zirin getting aghast at the commentators comparing the game to the wars of Greneda and Vietnam, couldn't that be more of a reference to the David v. Goliath aspect of the match? The US was supposed to trounce the inferior team (not on a racial basis, sheerly on a skill/populatio/economy basis). It was supposed to be Grenada, and if not for the score, it looked to be Grenada as the US was dominant all match long. But the result had the appearance of a Vietnam stalemate until Donovan drove the ball into the back of the net in STOPPAGE TIME (not extra time as NPRs "beautiful game" exalting sports correspondent should know given he extols the virtue of a game hated by righties like me who actually know the terminology and rather enjoy the sport).

Oh, and he claims to like Argentina, so he is either a front-runner bandwagoner, a man whose allegiences lie with the only country in the contest that can credibly claim Che Guevara (though I somehow doubt Zirin is aware that Che was actually a beisbol fan and Zirin probably has great contempt for beisbol since it is an "American pasttime"), or Zirin just hates his fellow Americans. Or all three.

[Jerry]

I guess Zirin wasn't around to celebrate Argentina's 1978 world cup victory under the military dictatorship of Videla.

[Bob Smith]

The US team has rather more religious diversity than the Algerian team too.

[Preston]

It's this kind of nonsensical blowhard pseudoanalytical bullshit that I hate so much, and one of the reasons why I want to strangle progressives every time they open their pompous, self-aggrandizing lips.

Shut the fuck up and go back to writing elitist corporation bashing articles for a magazine that is read by so few that it seeks to perpetuate it's sad existence through turning itself into an even more liberal print version of PBS.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Right usurped 9/11 for their own, I will NOT stand by and let them take World Cup soccer as their own! Soccer, or football as it is rightfully called, is one of the greatest things Earth has to offer and that the United States as a group can enjoy participating in. It's an exciting sport with thrills and delig

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Huh? What happened? How did you people get in my living room?

[PantsFan]

"We respect the fans opinion, but we believe the unique noise reflects an important element of the culture." ? FIFA on John Helm's breathing

[Libertylover]

"Soccer?"....meh....Rugby should be the world's game (I think it's #3 most popular currently.)

[dbcooper]

2011 in New Zealand mate! Get your tickets now.

Should be an interesting 3N this year.

[dean]

Both the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup will be broadcast on NBC and Universal sports - Universal Sports, NBC to broadcast Rugby World Cup

I follow all the codes, and find each one exciting in it's own right. One of my favorite football blogs is Dave's Football Blog. Some here might find it interesting.

[joshua corning]

Sports viewing is gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

And when I say gay I mean man on man gay. The women who watch men play sports probably are not gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that if they are in fact gay.

Just to be clear men watch other men play sports because they secretly want to have sex with athletic men.

[PantsFan]

you sound gay

[dbcooper]

That's an F grade troll.

[Sudden]

Project much? You can't watch professional athletics without being sexually aroused by the male participants, so you assume that people who watch professional athletics must secretly harbor some homoerotic lust. I mean, I can really see no other explaination. To even have that thought occur, it must have occurred to you while watching sports that you found the athletes physically attractive (I bet you go for those husky American football offensive lineman don't you you sick chubby chasing fuck?). You found no other enjoyment in it and therefore deemed that the only potential reason one would watch a competition governed by a set of rules applicable to both teams is because they enjoy fantasizing about the participants like you do.

[monolith]

i think its a sign of age that i have started to like the vast majority of female athletes purely because they are young and slim.

[Greer]

That MAY have been true at the original olympics.

[juris imprudent]

Projection, tears at my heart
projection, keeps us apart

[Umbriel]

The Onion already settled this:
http://www.theonion.com/video/.....gay,17603/

[Nooge]

I like to watch hot chicks play tennis. Totally gay.

[matth]

Women's beach volleyball - best. sport. ever.

[Aresen]

Women's Nude beach volleyball - best. sport. ever.

Fixed

[Sidd Finch]

good comment at Deadspin:

Well that slammed the brakes on my "Drive GraveDigger through the Algerian embassy" Facebook group.

I'll just stick to chugging Michelob and blasting Steve Winwood from my porch.

[alan]

At least you'll be feeling alright and not staring at some empty pages because you saw a chance but didn't take it.

[Sidd Finch]

I don't, Gary Anderson* seems like the type who would agree to this.

*feeling just a bit ashamed that I didn't have to search for his name

[alan]

I use three Winwood song titles in a post arranged in a way to make them relevant to your post, and not even a chuckle?

[Sidd Finch]

No, I got it and gave it a gentleman's C. If it wasn't a quote and I gave shit about Winwood either way, I'd go A/A+. So you've got that going for you. Give it a go at Deadspin.

[James Ard]

I think you should have used deeper cuts.

[alan]

lol! I was afraid that may be the case. Went after the low hanging fruit out of laziness. The whole thing together in a matter of seconds, but it fit.

[Subsidize Me!]

As long as ESPN keeps fellating Diego Maradona aka Chavista Piece of Shit at every conceivable opportunity, Zirin's claim has no basis in reality.

Outside of World Cup and Olympic soccer, Americans don't really give a shit about watching the sport. It's like golf without Tiger - boring.

[Brett L]

Right. That's why ESPN plays EPL games twice a week during the season. Just because you don't care, doesn't mean there aren't a significant number of 'Murcans who do.

[Subsidize Me!]

ESPN also plays WNBA games. Nobody watches that shit.

Also, I do follow the Premier League... I agree that a significant number of people like soccer in the US, just there's not a significant percentage interested in watching it.

[Timon19]

Considering the first batch of EPL games every Saturday is on before most people have even thought of getting up in a large portion of the country, I think your assessment of the willingness of people to watch needs an adjustment.

[Sidd Finch]

Bowling is on Sunday afternoons.

[Subsidize Me!]

Which I'll gladly do, when soccer's viewership in this country approaches that of NASCAR, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, College football and basketball, etc.

Soccer is not even close to any of these in terms of TV ratings in the US.

[Timon19]

Did someone here dispute that fact?

[Subsidize Me!]

I think your assessment of the willingness of people to watch needs an adjustment.

I thought you did... Did I make an error in assuming that comparatively low television ratings have a direct relationship with people's willingness to watch soccer in the US?

[Timon19]

The expectations you have are out of whack with the broadcast times of the most popular leagues here. That doesn't mean viewership will be anywhere near the NFL or most of MLB or others if it were somehow in our primetime, but neither does it make the current situation a case of "an insignificant number of people interested in watching."

[Subsidize Me!]

I never said it was an insignificant number.

And, it's not an issue of soccer being played in primetime in the US. The MLS isn't a huge draw ratings-wise, and ESPN has MLS games in primetime.

The EPL, even if it was aired in primetime during football season in the US, would be competitive ratings-wise with "Say Yes to the Dress."

The fact that die-hards wake up early on the weekends to catch good soccer does not make it appealing to the majority of the American sporting audience.

[Timon19]

Didn't I say "the most popular leagues"? As much as I love MLS, it's not the most popular league here by a long shot.

Who said soccer was appealing to the majority of the American sporting audience? Not me. Strictly speaking, nothing but football is, but that's a different discussion.

[Subsidize Me!]

My original point was that Americans (generally speaking) don't give a shit about soccer, therefore Zirin is retarded and his article is bullshit.

[Sidd Finch]

Arguing that everything on ESPN gets ratings better than "insignificant" is fucking crazy. You're likening the most popular sport in the world to lumberjack competitions. This doesn't help your case, DUCY?

[Steve Nash Equilibrium]

Speak for yourself. This American has been following soccer since the early 1990's. I've introduced a number of my friends to the sport as well, and they are now regular viewers as well.

[PantsFan]

American networks hate soccer for one good reason - they can't throw 2 minutes of adverts in after every few minutes of play. They then produce commentators and sportscasters to claim the game is boring.

[Subsidize Me!]

How do the Euro TV networks deal with the lack of in-game advertising? The economics of sports in Europe is completely different than it is here.

BTW, ESPN3 is killing me with that goddamned EA World Cup commecial. That fucking song is terrible.

[Timon19]

A massively subsidized television industry makes commercials much less necessary.

Also, the economics of sports in Europe is so much more free-market than sports here it's kind of hilarious.

[Subsidize Me!]

I'd love to see promotion and delegation in baseball. The Pirates might actually compete in AA.

[Timon19]

Delegation? Would that be like farming out right field to a poor schlub off the street, or a cheap Chinese guy?

Pro/rel is only part of the economic model of European football. There are more important aspects that make it free-market driven.

[Subsidize Me!]

Lol, delegation in that sense would probably help the Pirates, I'm typing on an iPod, makes for some interesting typos.

I think it would be cool if players could be loaned in our leagues... Collective bargaining and the franchise model fuck that up in football, the lack of competitive leagues internationally screws it up for hockey, although th KHL has talent. I really don't give a shit about baseball and pro basketball.

[affenkopf]

A massively subsidized television industry makes commercials much less necessary.

Bullshit. Most (club) soccer over here is on premium cable. That's how they make money.

[Timon19]

Is that everywhere in Europe or just England. I thought I had seen quite a bit of soccer on the various RAIs, for example (which I thought were quasi-state-run).

[affenkopf]

I don't know about every country in Europe but in Germany most top club soccer is on premium cable. Even in Italy many top games (i.e. most Champions League games) are on Sky not on RAI.

[Bob Smith]

Didn't you notice the on-field advertising?

[affenkopf]

Club soccer even has ads on the jerseys. Always wondered why American sports don't have these.

[West Texas Boy]

That's part of the differences in the economic models. I'm not sure about MLB or the NBA, but I know that the NFL has rules about advertising on uniforms and in stadiums in view of the television cameras. The reasoning is that they already make so much money from the TV deal - which is paid by the TV advertisers - that the television advertisers want a virtual monopoly on the advertising during games. In soccer, without commercials every 10 minutes, the economics are different and they have to get the advertising in front of eyeballs in different ways - on the players' shirts and pitchside advertising, mostly.

[Nick]

NASCAR does this.

[alittlesense]

so does little league

[Cyto]

Chico's Bail Bonds!

FTW!

[Sidd Finch]

What's really amazing about this is that unlike Europe and South America, we've had very few culturally significant international contests. Our rivalries are either intraregional (Auburn/Alabama) or based on a history of important games (Lakers/Celtics).

[Subsidize Me!]

We do have Olympic rivalries, sort of.

If we had beaten Canada in hockey...

[Sidd Finch]

I really enjoyed that match, but not as much as a completion of the ....

[Rocky Balboa]

Beating Ivan Drago wasn't easy.

[Sidd Finch]

If you dangle your chin for ten rounds, sure, but we're on to your capitalist propaganda.

[Mike]

Is it jingoism if North Korea's loss to Portugal made me giggle?

[Aresen]

I can't laugh about it.

Think of what's going to happen to those poor bastards when they get home.

[Subsidize Me!]

They're probably going to get to watch a parade with high-stepping soldiers and big fucking missiles and shit to celebrate their victory.

[The Academic Left]

Their people will be told that Kim Jong Il scored the winning goal.

[West Texas Boy]

Most of them are ethnic Koreans who were born and live in Japan and have no intention of going "home".

And the regime isn't going to do anything to them, anyway, because these guys are the best they've got. There are something like 200 national football teams under FIFA and only 32 spots in the World Cup. As far as Kim Jung Il - like most small countries - is concerned, the 2010 World Cup was a rousing success, regardless of the results against Brazil and Portugal.

[West Texas Boy]

I should also point out that of the 32 spots, roughly half go to Europe, so the odds against other countries getting in are even worse.

[Brett L]

I know I'll attach my monomania to something people will actually care about and then they'll care about my monomania! Why didn't I think of this. Now, how can I tie the World Cup to having minions who cater to my every whim?

[juris imprudent]

Sepp Blatter beat you to that gig.

[scape]

"Soccer of all things shouldn't suffer the curse of being a cheap, political football," said Argentinean fan Dave Zirin, who proceeded to write an article that did just that. "How the fuck do you parody that?" yelled an American fan from the upper deck. "You can't!" cheered Argentina coach Diego Maradona as he spouted more anti-American, pro-Castro and Chavez sentiments while beating Zirin to death with a vuvuzela.

"If Algeria hadn't gained their independence from France and Slovenia was still part of Yugoslavia, this group's deciding game probably would have featured West Germany against the Soviet Union," quipped a bored New Zealand supporter.

[alittlesense]

It would take probably several years to beat someone to death with one of those plastic horns.

[The Ghost of George Patton]

Compared to war, all other forms of human endeavor shrink to
insignificance.

[Johnny Longtorso]

Probably a false attribution, since I've also heard this attributed to Churchill:

To Kenneth Clarke, who said, "Isn't it terrible about losing to the Germans at our national sport?" when England lost to Germany in the 1990 World Cup Semifinal:

I shouldn't worry too much; we've beaten them twice this century at theirs.
--Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

[Steve Nash Equilibrium]

Looking forward to watching England crash out on penalties to the Krauts yet again. That never gets old. There are few sports fans more unjustifiably arrogant and condescending as a group as England fans. The have won fuck all in 44 years, but they still think they are favorites to win every tournament they enter. The headline in one of the English tabloids after the World Cup draw was:

E-England
A-Algeria
S-Slovenia
Y-Yanks

How does that humble pie taste?

[Timon19]

And after nearly committing national-scale seppukku during the last week, they're feeling all cocky again.

Muppets.

[PantsFan]

+1

[Brett L]

I'm still hoping for Wayne Rooney to go into the crowd a la Ron Artest and punch out a booing fan.

[Timon19]

Eric Cantona had Ron beat by at least a decade.

[robc]

Considering Artest didnt kick, no one has topped Cantona yet.

[Rhywun]

I'm greatly looking forward to the Germans giving England the thrashing they so richly deserve.

[PantsFan]

+Unendlichkeit

[Nick]

If they weren't so arrogant they'd send one UK team instead of trying to qualify four. I think it would improve their team at least a little.

[robc]

english-scots teamwork. Yeah, like that would happen.

[Nick]

England has no teamwork now as it is. Couldn't be any worse.

[Ted S.]

And they only won in '66 thanks to clear non-goal being allowed. 🙂

[baghoh20]

Well, I just tore down my American flag and burnt it. I had no idea that I was such a tool. It is a beautiful game...especially when the f'n USA wins!!! Kumbaya

[MJ]

Most of the "contempt" the right feels for soccer is the suggestion that there is something wrong with Americans if they are just not into this soccer as much as the Big Four Sports in the US and Canada. There's a bit of resentment about being told you have to go along with the "in" thingwhich i think is actually healthy for American culture.

[Sidd Finch]

I think this is nonpartisan, but then again my lefty friends drink 7-11 coffee and know anything "spoken word" is godawful.

[Zeb]

So you go around singing everything you want to say?

[?]

or football as it is rightfully called

It's futbol, Palin-American.

"Futebol," "fusball," and "voetbol" are also acceptable, if you know the proper racist worldly accents.

[Timon19]

Calcio.

[Rhywun]

Ahem - "Fu?ball". Thanks.

[Steve Nash Equilibrium]

Did anyone happen to catch the Isner-Mahut match today? Most epic match of all time. 59-59 in the fifth set before play was suspended for a second day. The fifth set alone is already longer than any other match in Wimbledon history.

[Brett L]

Waiting for Godot, as interpreted by tennis players.

[PantsFan]

"Because Isner served first in the fifth set, Mahut was faced with the difficult task of always trailing while serving, knowing that if he were to get broken he would lose."

That's gotta be nerve racking.

[robc]

No one has broken serve since set 2.

[SIV]

"Hey World! We can beat you pussies in anything, even your stupid, boring metric football! U!S!A! U!S!A! U!S!A!"

[PantsFan]

Isn't CFL metric football?

[Aresen]

Ouch

[Timon19]

The meme that the "right" has any particular contempt for soccer over the "left" is one of the enduring myths in American sport. I don't get where it comes from. At all.

Oh, and reason? Yeah, I could have gone the rest of my life without being reminded of that horrific picture again. Assholes.

[Rhywun]

What is that pic...?

[Timon19]

It's a horrible photo shoot of several US players from Vanity Fair or some such thing.

[Mr. Chartreuse]

Yeah, I think the day those photos were done was a darker day for US soccer than the '98 World Cup.

On the flip side, today was one of the brightest days for US soccer. They had to put me through the ringer for 91 minutes though!

[Sidd Finch]

enduring or some shit Zirin just made up?

[Rhywun]

I'm no jingoist but what the hell is wrong with deriving some small thrill out of seeing the USA advance...? It's just fucking sports. I'm as derisive of the USA as the next man when she deserves it, but I'll root for "our guys" in the one team sport I like and make no apologies for it.

[USA]

I'm as derisive of the USA as the next man when she deserves it

We're a he, not a she. The UK is a she. Also France.

[Rhywun]

Oh well. My first choice was "it".

[fish]

It's just fucking sports

Philistine

[affenkopf]

Obligatory Orwell essay

Also: Fuck the World Cup. National team soccer mostly sucks. Can't wait for the club season to start again.

[robc]

This.

I care more about the EPL than the World Cup. Although Evertonians are well represented, outside of the England squad.

[Sudden]

As are Liverpoolians.... including Kuyt who will likely be the man of the match in the finals.

[Sidd Finch]

Siddartha Finch knows Uruguay will win #3. Remember where you were when you first learned my powers.

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[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

I find soccer boring, but that's just a personal preference. It's funny to me how the soccer fans like to stick their noses in the air and start carrying on about how my lack of interest in the game is proof of my lack of cool; obviously, anybody who is hipster cool likes soccer!

[hmm]

Isn't this the tard calling for boycotts against sports teams because of the Arizona law and other shit?

How stupid can one person be?

http://www.thenation.com/blog/.....t-los-suns

http://www.thenation.com/blog/.....-bill-2281

It appears exactly this stupid is possible.

Screw your link limit.

[hmm]

http://www.thenation.com/blog/.....lay-israel

[wylie]

Anyone else see the picture as that guy puking in a bucket? I didn't get that it was a water fountain till the 3rd time i looked at it.

[robc]

BTW, I hate the "beautiful game". Not soccer, that style. Unless you are Brazil (and sometimes Argentina) SHOOT the FUCKING BALL. Dont short pass to tap into the goal. That is why you arent scoring, you mindless fucks. The English style, preferably the 1980s english style, where you kick as hard as you can and if a leg gets in the way that is okay as long as you get the ball too. Latin America is pussifying the game, and it isnt beautiful.

[robc]

Rant failed at proper sentences. Deal with it, it was a rant.

[Nick]

My biggest beef is the Italy/Portugal method of "ouchie" that makes me want to reach a superhero arm through the TV to murder Cristiano Ronaldo and the entire Azzure. So much talent and effort wasted on that shit. I love the Team USA doesn't do that shit, except for Dempsey, and I think he just does it because he's a dick. For some countries it's built in to the way they teach the game at all levels.

[robc]

That goes with it. In northern europe, you dont get those calls, so the players dont do it. Of course, with more latin american/southern european players playing in england and refs being pushed in that direction, it happens there too, just not to the extent as in Italy/South America.

[Brett L]

If they'd get serious about carding the sissy little divas diving all over the pitch (I'm looking at you, Kaka and DiRossi) the game would get much better.

[Nick]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHO6thJFLBQ

[Nick]

Goddammit. My kindgom for delete function. Don't click, people, it's as bad as getting rickrolled, which is essentially what a co-worker just did to me.

[Rhywun]

Well, Italy's out so problem mostly solved, at least for the rest of the World Cup.

[Steve Nash Equilibrium]

1980's England - 0 trophies

Pussy Latin teams - 14 World Cups, 5 Euro Cups

I wonder why the English style of play hasn't caught on yet.

[Pro Libertate]

Make the ball go somewhere between the posts and below the crossbar. Unless you have an obvious opportunity or if he's in your way, ignore where the goalie is.

The U.S., of all teams, should appreciate the truth of that. Put the ball in the right place, and things happen.

The only thing wrong with soccer is the dives. Do a better job of policing that, and it's a great sport.

[J sub D]

Sports is a (usually) safe outlet for tribalism. Things like "Go Tigers!" or "U-S-A, U-S-A!" can benignly release some of the genetically driven (and counterproductive in a global society) tribal vitriol that we all possess whether we admit it or not.

You don't have to be on the right to hold soccer (1-0 final score after a penalty kick contest) in contempt. You can despise synchronized swimming without being a fascist as well. Trust me on this one.

[Nick]

I blame FIFA for the low scores. If the refs called the game the way the law is written there would be more goals. It is FIFA's responsibility to make refs enforce the laws as written or get rid of those refs.

The benefit of the doubt on offside is supposed to go to the attacker. That produces more goals that are too often (not just yesterday) called back. Fouls in the box happen all the time, especially the shirt tugging. If they enforced the penalty, you'd either have more penalty kicks which have a high success rate or defenders would stop fouling to avoid penalty kicks so offenses would score more.

[robc]

On that topic, replay keeps coming up. I dont think they necessarily need to use replay, although on goals would be nice.

However, EVERY card/foul should be reviewed post game. If yellows/reds need to be adjusted (in either direction) they should be. Also, dives should be SEVERLY punished post-game.

My idea:
1. Dive to draw a foul call, post game yellow.
2. Dive in box to draw penalty, post red, 1 game suspension.
3. Dive to draw a red card on opponent (elbowed in stomach, fall to ground holding face, for example) - red, 3 game suspension.

[robc]

Those penalties are for attempts, awarded even if dive attempt fails.

Before someone brings it up, the NBA has flopping, but there is usually contact. And if someone writhed on the ground for 5 minutes holding their face after getting hit in the knee, Stern would suspend their ass.

[hurly buerhle]

You may recall game 1 of the 2008 Finals, when Paul Pierce spent 45 minutes writhing in pain and being taken off the court in a wheelchair, only to return shortly after. Just saying.

[Nick]

I love it. Won't happen, but it absolutely should.

[Geoff]

These sentiments should be expected from The Nation. After all, they're still trying to get over the Miracle on Ice.

[hurly buehrle]

I don't think the lefties care any more deeply about soccer or the World Cup than other Americans. They just suffer from a profound inferiority complex over being American, and it makes them feel sophisticated to talk about something that Europeans like.

[GILMORE]

+1

While other fans are singing fight songs about killing them, they sing 'the internationale'

[lol]

I'm friends with an idiot on facebook who says things like "soccer is a communist sport" and "I'm sick of ESPN shoving POVERTY BALL down our throats."

[Brett L]

Is he Texan? There was that Big Bang Theory episode where Sheldon explains that being from Texas they have all kinds of football, except European, "which many Texans believe to be a communist plot".

Though I grew up in Houston and love ALL forms of football. That's right, I'm coming out of the football closet!

[TDR]

Stop demeaning my Facebook comments.

[alan]

U-S-A! U-S-A!

http://www.wwtdd.com/2010/06/u.....karissa-9/

Work safety depends entirely on what your boss thinks of extremely cute tail.

[Sidd Finch]

WWTDD is at the top of my bookmarks. Damn that coonass for forcing me to read celebrity gossip.

[alan]

Funniest thing ever was a bit where he talked about being so bored he jerked off to a constellation.

[GILMORE]

My political enemies are always politicizing things, damn them

[ChrisO]

Does writing an article for The Nation actually count as being published? Personally, I think this Zirin fellow clearly needs to spend more time drunk. It couldn't hurt.

[Rhywun]

If The Nation ever lets him go, he's got a bright future at the NYT.

[Ben]

This sort of ass-hattery isn't limited to this side of the Atlantic:

"If the Cameron government is bad news for those seeking radical change, the World Cup is even worse."

http://davidthompson.typepad.c.....opium.html

the link is to an article that gives a good kicking to that nonsense - the original nonsense was in The Guardian (of course).

[christian louboutin]

we would appauld and hug,happy in heart.

[christian louboutin]

Christian Louboutin children of their parents' friends, next-door neighbors.

[caven]

i always thinks exercise not political!!!
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The Guardian (of course).