World Cup starts today

[DianeS]

Some interesting surprises recently.

Darin, I agree with you about the flopping, it's a South American innovation that I feel has no place whatsoever in the game.  The Italians are notorious for it as well.  I feel that every game should be reviewed afterwards and, after review, if a player has been found to be faking injury, he should miss his next 10 matches.  Do it repeatedly and get kicked out of the sport.  Sanctions that stiff would probably clean things up quite a bit.

About gloves for 'keepers -- you're dead wrong there.  As discussed in another thread, I was a goalkeeper.  You know how many of my fingers have been broken?  All 10.  Right wrist broken twice.  Left wrist broken once.  All from shots, not from contact with other players or the ground.  I was keeping in a pickup game, without gloves (I mean, it WAS a pickup game), and took a shot square in on my hands that pretty well shattered my thumb.  After that, I started wearing gloves with finger savers.  I wore those gloves for the remainder of my time in net and only broke 1 finger during that entire time.

Gloves also allow the 'keeper to control the ball better, as they increase grip.  They likewise provide some (although not much) cushion, thus protecting other players when the keeper has to come out punching.  You'll never, ever get me to agree that keepers should be required to go commando. 

So...has anyone actually been watching the games, or are we just going to yak about those awful horns?  How about France's total meltdown?  Wow, a little melodrama there, guys?  And go, New Zealand!  How about those Kiwis?!

Don't get me started on the USA's game.  I hope that referee faces some sanctions.  I know he underwent an expedited review and his performance was rated "poor", but no official comment from FIFA until Monday.   I hope they boot him.

[Hornless.Rhino]

Australia is having worse luck ref wise than the USA, to make matters worse, New Zealand is going better than they are.

[Darin.K]

Re Gloves:  Weekend warriors could and probably should be wearing oven mitts or whatever else they can lay their hands on while playing goalie.  Personally, I wore gloves which padded the palms of my hand and had no fingers so I could maintain "feel".  I only added the palm gloves when I caught a bad seam and had to get some stitches.  Not to date myself, but when I played, soccer balls had pentagons and hexagons with plenty of rough edges.  My injuries were limited to the occasional hyperflexion which I attribute to equal parts of dumb luck, ball catching skills acquired through years of basketball and american football, and self-preservation which meant blocking some balls instead of catching or not quite going all out just to get a bare fingertip on the ball.  I like to think I compensated for reducing my range by having quicker reflexes and better anticipation.

In the hands of a professional goalie, these gloves are a tremendous benefit.  Aside from offering protection from the occasional thermonuclear attack, they allow the goalie to fully extend and go after balls that would otherwise dislocate fingers.  Not to mention the added length on the fingertips themselves (yes it is a game of centimeters).   I would never extend all five fingers and reach for a ball, I would never see my pinkie again.  These gloves allow goalies to do just that, and it adds to the coverage the goalie has.

Like the goalies in hockey whose gear always seems to get a little bigger, these gloves are getting bigger and bigger as well.  I say, make them wear form-fitting gloves.  Perhaps winning the final in the World Cup is worth your little finger and you make the play.  Otherwise I think that some balls which would otherwise be tipped just wide may go in, and some balls which are caught may now be blocked back into play which beats a 50 yard goalie kick.

That's just my opinion, perhaps the purists think there is too much offense in this years World Cup.

[Intaris]

Glove size doesn't change anything except on the psychological level.

Thinking Mickey Mouse is in goal might be unsettling for some but I doubt the larger gloves will have any actual effect on blocking a decent shot at goal.

RE: Referees.  I have go give credit where credit's due.  Foorball needs the same kind of video review that Handegg currently enjoys.  Due to the less stop-and-go nature of the game of football it might have to be an asynchronous check but I feel it is long long overdue at international level at least.  I have no idea why it won't be introduced but as long as Sepp Blatter is in charge it'll never happen.  I don't think Platini is keen on it either.

Makes me want to start up a rival football association.

[Cory_K]

Did anybody see Portugal win 7-0 this morning?

Wow!

[Darin.K]

I will amend my previous remarks to say that it would be ok for the North Korea goalie to use tennis rackets along with any glove he can find.

And the off-the-neck-goal, if that is the kind of play you get when there is no offsides rule, then I am all for it.

[GuenterMueller]

Sorry, Ton.
Ik spreek geen Nederlands.  But I understand a few terms (as my wife has a NL passport).
I followed your link - and yes - that was a brilliant and memorable goal.
I am not quite sure if the time is right to search for a good german radio station. Regrettably I will not find the time to view the match on wednesday and there is only a small chance that I will have access to a radio.
Plan B is: Have a look at the Oranje team. They are doing a good job.
Guenter

[Intaris]

I still reckon THIS is one of the best goals ever scored in competitive football.  But THIS is also amazing.  Shame it was only a friendly match.

Shane

[GregFreeman]

I remember watching the second link you have there, live. Allegedly, Roberto Carlos learned how to hit the ball with his laces on the rubber valve (is that the technical term?) to make it bend like that. Whether or not this is true, I can't be sure, but that thing moved all over the place

[DianeS]

Darin, great pushback.  It's good to get another point of view.  Admittedly I am somewhat undersized for a keeper, being all of 5'3" and slender.  (I am NOT a stick -- I just look like an athlete.)  Shots that break my fingers probably wouldn't break bigger, stronger fingers.  I also did not have the advantage of growing up as either a basketball or American football player -- I was a swimmer, growing up.  (100 butterfly was my event -- egad)  So my catching form is probably not as good as yours.  Being small, I must rely on reflexes and positioning, but I also have to go full-extension to make some of those saves.  I also took up the sport as an adult -- I didn't start playing futbol until I was 28 years old.

I've made up for lost time.  🙂

Anyway.  Back to the point.  Shall we agree to disagree?  I think gloves are a necessity for keepers, at any level.  But I do respect your experience and opinion.

I also agree about North Korea's keeper...let's give the guy a mason, for pete's sake, to build a brick wall across half the net!

Hornless Rhino, I saw Australia's first game but missed their 2nd.  What calls are you referring to?  I sympathize completely with being on the short end of the refereeing stick!  I always pull for the Socceroos -- I've got a thing for the accent.  🙂

There needs to be some kind of accountability in refereeing.  The rest of us undergo regular performance reviews with consequences to our jobs...what makes refs special?!

Awaiting Wednesday...GO, USA!

And don't dig yourselves a hole this time, ok?