2014 World Cup

Suarez or Zidane, which was worse?

The Italians must be some pesky little shits to play against. It's like an entire nation of Claude Lemieux.

 

Italy dishes it out pretty well too. They had at least two red cards in 2006, one this year.

Italy is 1-3-2 in its last six World Cup games and has not qualified since winning the 2006 final.

 

For when it happened and what it cost his team, Zidane. On that stage, in that moment, playing for a championship, that's just boneheaded.
For sheer heinousness, Suarez. The man BIT someone for Christ's sake, and not for the first time. And not in the heat of the moment, either. It wasn't like this happened at the bottom of a pile in American football, or after he got tangled up with someone following a foul and that was how he got them to back off. He went after the Italian guy like a zombie from "The Walking Dead."

 

Is Italy on the short list of Teams Everybody Hates?
Seems to be them and Mexico as Nos. 1 and 2.

 

My bad. I misread.

 

Good question. Italy had some really likeable teams and players in the 1980s and 1990s. I soured on Italy when they won the 2006 World Cup. Wasn't there a video of that team taking diving practice? Italy looked sharp at the last Euros, but this World Cup ... meh. I like Mario Balotelli, and Buffoon is a hell of a GK, but other than that, I can't find many Italian players I like.

 

They are my wife's favorite team. If Cristiano Ronaldo could join them, she'd have everything she needed.

 

What is this even supposed to mean? If it was fair play it wouldn't be a red card.

There are specific infractions that are designated as straight red cards. Tripping a guy with an open run to the net is one. An intentional hand ball is another. Neither one is "cheating," any more than fouling a guy to stop the clock in basketball is "cheating." It's a calculated move where the consequences of the infraction are worth it.

 

There are almost no instances where a red card and a penalty kick are worth taking.

Four years ago, Suarez had the presence of mind to realize that was the one instance out of ... a thousand? Ten thousand? A million?

It was a brilliant play.

He is a shithead for a hundred other infractions, but not that one.

 

Great image here.

https://twitter.com/JonesMartyn/status/481494189377851392/photo/1

Usually Looey like to munch on Italian subs.

 

Exactly. He's an asshole, but that was a very, very smart play.

 

Ivory Coast dude pulled a Bradley to give up the goal.