Suffering, and Fairness
// July 2nd, 2010 // Uncategorized
**Second Update** Now everyone really needs to stop whining, because it should not have been a penalty at all against Uruguay. Appiah was offside: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaV46PmyvOU
**Update** All those who are calling Luis Suarez a cheater are out of their minds. The result is not unfair. A handball is a foul. If it’s in the box, it gets a penalty. If it’s the last man, it gets a red card. Just like any other foul. Uruguay was rightfully punished. Uruguay did not complain. Ghana could not take advantage. Unfair would have been if the foul was not called. Please stop whining.
This is me.
It got better
Posted by Lazar
13 Responses to “Suffering, and Fairness”
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- Alain said: Lazar, agree with you that Big Mo is going to have...
- victor said: I believe that Real Madrid is missing a center for...
- john@York UK said: Well, Ronaldo will have plenty of time for normal ...
- admin said: ab, it is kind of uncanny about Nasri......
- Lazar said: Ramos was teeeewwwible today. I've never understoo...
- Mark said: Slightly off topic but, guess who is a clue/answer...
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Ghana had no problem flopping in the box to get a penalty four years ago. They should have let Appiah take it today, but they didn’t and Babyjet blew it.
Lazar :
This is incredible, what a result ! I still can’t get over it.
How on earth did you persuade the nurses to let you make this post ?
We would all like to know which hospital specializing in patients on the verge of a nervous breakdown your in.
Trust you wont have any PENALTY for MISSED payments into medi-care.
However we shall send you flowers and fruit for a speedy recovery so that you can report on the Holland game.
though i don’t actually know you, i do enjoy the blog, and i was rooting for uruguay as i sat staring at the univision feed on my laptop while our toddler was “napping”. once we hit extra time, i started wondering if you were popping the pepto. it was a very stressful game… momentum kept switching back and forth and both teams just seemed dead in the water numerous times. then i had to drop a friend at the airport at the start of 2nd extra time period, which meant i had to listen to the game on the radio, and guess who the color guy was? yes, the inspiration for this website.
while i was ignoring my passenger and thinking about who would have the advantage in PKs (i was sorting leaning toward ghana because of the perceived goalkeeper advantage – boy did i get that one wrong!) ,out of nowhere with time ticking away – RED CARD. PENALTY KICK FOR GHANA! i thought, “what a crappy way to end this game…” i also thought, “ah man, now there won’t be any nmob updates for weeks.” that picture in this post kind of says it all. anyway, crazy finish. i’m hoping for lots posts about the upcoming netherlands – uruguay matchup. looks to be quite tough with suspension and injury issues. um anyway, no need to get hung up on that now, not with the day you probably had.
En hora buena, amigo! Speaking of hospitals, we watched the last 5 minutes of overtime and the shootout in the reading room. What a finish! I can’t imagine that any fan would have wanted their player to let the ball go in in that situation, so well played to Suarez. He’s out for the semi, but way to take one for the team.
And what about El loco Abreu? Spectacular penalty to ice it. Not just ballsy, but smart too, because he saw Kingson was diving early on every kick. You think they still have some of that prime Uruguayan beef for another parillada?
Thanks, all. Really sweet of everyone to comment. I feel like I know and love all y’all.
It was an afternoon of highs and lows. I also have to thank the fellas who watched with me (including Cass, the photographer) for literally holding me upright during the penalties and lifting me up off the floor after the Gyan miss. The Abreu “Panenka” penalty seemd to take an hour to go in.
If anyone’s interested, I’ll be on KPFK radio live at 10:20pm EST live tonight talking about the game. Since I’m largely speechless, what the hell am I gonna say?!
Wow. Wow. Wow.
Muslera should’ve been man of the match for sure, you can tell that he watches the players to know which way to go (unlike Kingson who as Alain pointed out, kept diving early)…Muslera DID dive in the right direction every time. Kingson might’ve been the one who’s gotten more praise over the tournament, but you have to crown Muslera as King of the penalty shootout.
Plus, did you see him yelling “I love you” to the crossbar in Spanish – the heavens have smiled down upon la celeste for sure!
And can we please elect Suarez as the “Sent-Off Saviour” of Uruguay?
I agree that Suarez is unfairly vilified. You probably wouldn’t have given a dime for Uruguay’s chances when the penalty was called. I’ve seen a lot of football in the last 32 years, and I’ve seen a lot of cruel exits, particularly in the World Cup, but, to quote Shakespeare, ‘this was the unkindest cut.’ Suarez may be the first player red carded in a World Cup to be heralded a hero by his fans. Ironic, no?
Were you watching this on ESPN? I was, and Ian Darke and John Harkes reached Tommy Smythhood. Darke kept referring to Lugano as “Lujano” (with an h sound), ignoring a basic fact: In Spanish, as we well know, the letter g followed by an a, o, or u is a hard sound. And enough about the hopes of a continent. This is the World Cup, and it is a sporting event on its own level. It is ridiculous to try to make it even bigger than it already is.
Before today, my short list of worst WC exits:
1. 1990 Brazil dominates Argentina and hits the post four (!) times. Maradona unlocks Caniggia for the late winner, 1-0
2. 1982 Semifinal: Germany’s Harald Schumacher forearms France’s Patrick Battiston across the face and neck to stop a breakaway, and not only is not red carded, he doesn’t even see yellow. Battiston has to be resuscitated on the field, and France must use their only other sub for him after 10 minutes on the pitch. France scores twice in the extra time, Germany scores twice late to equalize. France loses the first penalty shootout in WC history.
1994 Final: Roberto Baggio aims high…too high.
1982: Algeria eliminated from group stage without taking the pitch when Germany and Austria fix the result. Corollary: Argentina roll up a 6-0 result vs. Peru in second group phase to pass Brazil on goal difference and make the final against Holland. Peru’s goalkeeper, Ramon Quiroga, was born in Argentina.
Lazar, all I can say is that the last five minutes of extra time must have been a continuous brown stain momet for you. Those who assume that Holland will thrash the Celeste are obviously unfamiliar with WC history. I salute you and Uruguayos everywhere, and I hope you will in turn salute Ghana for their valiant, if doomed, effort (also without two suspended starters)
Perhaps teams should just stack their goals with lieutenant goalies like Uruguay. Then they could just “sacrifice” 1 to 2 players every game to avoid goals. This would make for a beautiful game, no?
As it stands, the Uruguayan futbol team is composed unsportsman-like dogs. Now the whole world is rooting against them….
Vamo’ arriba Uruguay!!! Hi man, I listened to you on the radio today and it was great to hear someone who loves la celeste as much as we do. Don’t worry about all the sport-moralists critizicing Suarez. These players will forever live in world cup history. A llorar al cuartito, Uruguay noma’!!!!!!!!
Unsportsman like dogs? The whole team? Hard for me to see. What about when Ghana flopped in the box against the USA to win a penalty and a game in 2006.
Unsportsman-like Dogs? Ha ha ha ha ha! What does that make Pimpong?
I guess every dog has it’s day. Pass the mate gourd and save me some mollejas!
In response to el :
Well, I must be singularly out of step with the rest of the human race.
As I will be rooting for Uruguay.
However, I have (cautiously) a suspicion that after the result today, so will the rest of South America !
speaking of saturday’s results, i’m pretty sure argentina was jinxed by this well-meaning article in the nytimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/03/sports/soccer/03maradona.html
the author’s point is that maradona got it right by “letting them play” and not worrying about, you know, coaching and discipline — which are, of course, exactly the kinds of things emphasized by the german team that mercilessly destroyed them today.