OT: My beef with World Cup Soccor and the NBA

[Ness]

I love watching the athletic talents and amazing teamwork that are showcased by the athletes in the World Cup and in the NBA. These players are the world's greatest and their athletic talents are nothing short of amazing. I have nothing but the highest regard for their gifts and the sports they play.

However, the SINGLE thing that makes me HATE watching these sports is the way many of these players ACT when they are fouled. Falling to the ground and rolling around in absolute pain. Their mouths open in anguish from the blow they just got handed by an opponent. From the looks on their faces, flopping around on the ground like a fish-out-of-water and holding themselves, you'd think that they just snapped a bone or are in need of real serious medical attention.

However, less than a moment or two later, they are up and in full play again. Going 100% like nothing happened. Most of the time, you never see a trainer running out onto the field to assist these "injured" athletes unless the poor bastard continues the misery for more than a few minutes. Its a big act most of the time to get attention from the refs and draw a foul and I find it just stupid and ridiculous. Players dont pull this injury act in the NFL, NHL, or Rugby. Notice how quickly help runs out onto the field when an NFL player goes down?

If a player goes down in pain he should be in pain. This BS acting and wimpy behavior to draw a foul makes their sport look weak.

Please, this is just a personal observation, I mean NO OFFENSE to the players or these sports or anyone reading this...Im just observing a pattern that I see, enough said.

 

[richiec]

X2!!!! It's pathetic actually, watching grown men feel a hand of their back so they fall and scream. The NBA is just as bad, you got the Lakers that sprawl to the floor and grab something to draw a foul, only to have a break-away 10 seconds later. But, these refs are partly responsible for this too, they see what happens and yet they still make the calls

 

[Ulamalop]

They flop because it is effective. Crappy refs reward floppers be calling fouls on their opponents. The NBA has been better this year, but these World Cup refs suck.

 

[scrapper13]

It doesn't happen often, I've only seen it twice this entire world cup, but the ref can actually give a yellow card to the player on the ground if he feels that he is over exaggerating.

 

[thebrick]

I have actually used this technique with my wife when I didn't get my way and it has worked 2 times.

 

[mindstar]

in soccer at least, it's become part of the culture...it won't change until they allow post match yellow cards (and reversals) based on video evidence. Refs are just too far away most times to determine if it's a dive or not.

 

[abbot138]

It doesn't happen often, I've only seen it twice this entire world cup, but the ref can actually give a yellow card to the player on the ground if he feels that he is over exaggerating.

The NBA needs to take a page from this and start giving 1 warning followed by a technical for flopping.....In Soccer, it is there to stay, its part of the game. But it has no place in the NBA.

 

[Johnny Smiles]

I have actually used this technique with my wife when I didn't get my way and it has worked 2 times.

laughed outloud over this one!!! damn thats funny Brick

if it works it works. but yes, kinda annoying.

what bothers me is no instant replay etc. USA had some close calls and if there were ways to use replay to challenge the Ref's call (like in american football) then some games woulda ended differently.
-JS

 

[Huge_C2]

I love watching the athletic talents and amazing teamwork that are showcased by the athletes in the World Cup and in the NBA. These players are the world's greatest and their athletic talents are nothing short of amazing. I have nothing but the highest regard for their gifts and the sports they play.

However, the SINGLE thing that makes me HATE watching these sports is the way many of these players ACT when they are fouled. Falling to the ground and rolling around in absolute pain. Their mouths open in anguish from the blow they just got handed by an opponent. From the looks on their faces, flopping around on the ground like a fish-out-of-water and holding themselves, you'd think that they just snapped a bone or are in need of real serious medical attention.

However, less than a moment or two later, they are up and in full play again. Going 100% like nothing happened. Most of the time, you never see a trainer running out onto the field to assist these "injured" athletes unless the poor bastard continues the misery for more than a few minutes. Its a big act most of the time to get attention from the refs and draw a foul and I find it just stupid and ridiculous. Players dont pull this injury act in the NFL, NHL, or Rugby. Notice how quickly help runs out onto the field when an NFL player goes down?

If a player goes down in pain he should be in pain. This BS acting and wimpy behavior to draw a foul makes their sport look weak.

Please, this is just a personal observation, I mean NO OFFENSE to the players or these sports or anyone reading this...Im just observing a pattern that I see, enough said.

Thats funny about the NBA because college basketball is physical as hell.. Fouls are fouls thereand half the time not being called.. I guess when you pay a player 15mil a year there is an unspoken rule to call anything that could potentially lead to something dangerous..

 

[Pekkerwood]

I have actually used this technique with my wife when I didn't get my way and it has worked 2 times.

Now that is funny. I use the statement "Whining like an Italian soccer player" to disasterous effects in my house. (GF from Italy).

I had a discussion with her 128 lb brother about NFL versus Soccer as far as violent hits, and he said, "Yeah but they wear pads!" Believe me, in my opinion "pads" are a weapon more so than protection.

 

[greenwinger]

I agree sometimes it is a little crazy, but there is actually a reason that soccer players have to fall down.
1. If you don't fall down the ref plays advantage which means the ref believes you were unaffected by the foul and don't want him to blow the whistle.

2. A soccer field is actually a little bigger than a football field and there is only one ref, so you have to exaggerate to make sure the ref sees the foul.

I'd like to defend the NBA but I know nothing about basketball

 

[Elvia1023]

I was actually gonna start a thread about the world cup. I live in the UK so football (soccer) is huge here. I know it isn't in the US but is gaining more popularity each year. I used to watch many MLS matches years ago and supported DC United. I was wondering how many on here were following the tournament. The US well deserved their 1st place. If Donovan hadn't had scored they would have been flying home. All because of stupid decisions from certain linesmen.

I hear what your saying about the diving. Soccer has become a patsy sport for many players. It didn't used to be like that. It was due to many of the European players (mainly Italian and Spanish) who brought it over here. It's a joke when you see a grown man dive on the floor and roll around about 15 times. They need to make changes to rules of the game. You only have to jump next to a goalkeeper in international matches and they get a free kick half the time. Do any of you guys support a team in the US? In some of the interviews with US supporters at the world cup many they didn't even know the players in the team (must have just lived in South Africa and not travelled for the tournament).

 

[Elvia1023]

I agree sometimes it is a little crazy, but there is actually a reason that soccer players have to fall down.
1. If you don't fall down the ref plays advantage which means the ref believes you were unaffected by the foul and don't want him to blow the whistle.

2. A soccer field is actually a little bigger than a football field and there is only one ref, so you have to exaggerate to make sure the ref sees the foul.

I'd like to defend the NBA but I know nothing about basketball

I am guessing you don't live in a country that football (soccer) is a popular sport. They dive cos they want a free kick. Not so the ref doesn't play an advantage... reason being an advantage is an advatnge to the team getting it. If the foul was committed outside the box then he would likely not play an advantage unless the player was through on goal. If the ref plays an advantage then it becomes apparant the attacking team isn't gonna get an advantage from the play he will blow and bring play back. The main reason is to keep the game flowing cos constant stops and starts can negatively effect many matches.

There is one ref and 2 ref assistants (linesman) and a 4th official on the dugout but he is only resposnible for that area (ensuring managers etc behave). Sure they may dive to exaggerate the foul to gain attention and probably get a free kick. But they dive cos they in a way are cheating. I don't mind a player running through and going down easy cos a defender puts out a leg and they are likely to get a penalty etc. What annoys me is all the diving and rolling about and pretending they have been punched in the face when no one touched them. Just the mannerisms of it all... they are suppose to be men.

 

[SecondAct]

Agree that both sports are full of drama queens. Soccer I think has gotten a little better, it still happens, but at least there is 5 minutes of play between crying fits. You get a closely called NBA game, between the flops, and the guys who commit blatant fouls and bitch, you can have 6 hissy fits and flops in 90 seconds. Add in the bias reffing for big market teams, and it's more resembling WWE than an actual sport.

 

[greenwinger]

I am guessing you don't live in a country that football (soccer) is a popular sport. They dive cos they want a free kick. Not so the ref doesn't play an advantage... reason being an advantage is an advatnge to the team getting it. If the foul was committed outside the box then he would likely not play an advantage unless the player was through on goal. If the ref plays an advantage then it becomes apparant the attacking team isn't gonna get an advantage from the play he will blow and bring play back. The main reason is to keep the game flowing cos constant stops and starts can negatively effect many matches.

There is one ref and 2 ref assistants (linesman) and a 4th official on the dugout but he is only resposnible for that area (ensuring managers etc behave). Sure they may dive to exaggerate the foul to gain attention and probably get a free kick. But they dive cos they in a way are cheating. I don't mind a player running through and going down easy cos a defender puts out a leg and they are likely to get a penalty etc. What annoys me is all the diving and rolling about and pretending they have been punched in the face when no one touched them. Just the mannerisms of it all... they are suppose to be men.

I understand what you're saying, I guess i just can not explain it well (I'm from France so English is not my native language).

I personally think it is more annoying when the ball goes out of play and everyone raises their hands

 

[abbot138]

I was actually gonna start a thread about the world cup. I live in the UK so football (soccer) is huge here. I know it isn't in the US but is gaining more popularity each year. I used to watch many MLS matches years ago and supported DC United. I was wondering how many on here were following the tournament. The US well deserved their 1st place. If Donovan hadn't had scored they would have been flying home. All because of stupid decisions from certain linesmen.

I hear what your saying about the diving. Soccer has become a patsy sport for many players. It didn't used to be like that. It was due to many of the European players (mainly Italian and Spanish) who brought it over here. It's a joke when you see a grown man dive on the floor and roll around about 15 times. They need to make changes to rules of the game. You only have to jump next to a goalkeeper in international matches and they get a free kick half the time. Do any of you guys support a team in the US? In some of the interviews with US supporters at the world cup many they didn't even know the players in the team (must have just lived in South Africa and not travelled for the tournament).

Most of us don't support a specific MLS team or for the matter even watch. I would say the majority of US soccer fans watch Premier League, and follow US players throughout Europe. That is really the main problem for US soccer. It isn't about the sport. I feel we enjoy watching the sport, its just that there is no passion, no teams to root for, no games of consequence. This is why we enjoy the world cup so much. All of our players come together to form a team of our country men and the games actually mean something to us....I for one have never watched an entire MLS game, but when the World Cup comes around and to a lesser extent when The Euro Cup is going on I am all in. I have even adjust to the damn vuvuzelas, i don't even notice them anymore....I sure wish we had a team or league to cheer for back home though because I am definately going to miss watching quality, meaningful soccer matches when the World Cup ends.

 

[makingchanges]

Well Kobe would be in trouble. I got tired of him yellin at the referees everytime someone was even close to touching him in the finals. I think they make most of those guys take some kind of acting lessons. They also got the whole screaming thing down while shoot if they feel they are fouled.

 

[Elvia1023]

I understand what you're saying, I guess i just can not explain it well (I'm from France so English is not my native language).

I personally think it is more annoying when the ball goes out of play and everyone raises their hands

I understand. I know what you mean about putting their hands up. Even when it is clear they touched the ball last they are appealing. I love the game but preferred the way it was played in the past. I bet you were pissed off with France. Shame cos their team has some outstanding players.

 

[Tyrone]

I played football(soccer) all of my younger life...I played in numerous tournaments and was on a team that won most...Hell, we won the CA state cup...I was on the Olympic Development Team...

Fouls happen and sometimes it hurts a lot more than what it looks like...I used to hate shinguards and would tape a tiny piece of guard to my shin just to pass the 'check'...maybe dumb but I liked it, till I'd get nailed lol story of my life.

Do some teams/players take advantage and roll around to get a call? For sure!
One of the issues is that you may lose out on an attack you should have been able to attempt...or the same on the deffensive end even...remember there's not much padding in soccer...Hell, I don't know how the rugbee dudes do it

I like that the officials are starting to call some players out on their bluff and card em...maybe it will spread the word...They just need to be consistent and the b.s. may finally slow down. But I'll guarantee that it'll never stop if it comes down to a win/lose situation