2014 World Cup

[garbon]

So the whole argument is that they buy less beer and take up a whole seat.

That seems remarkably short sighted of your sports owners, investing solely in the now rather than the next generation.

If their parents are unable to afford tickets for them, what makes you think they will be any different? 

Why do you think that a parent who could only afford two adult tickets but who has two children won't see those children grow up to be able to afford two tickets each as well?

People who can barely afford tickets to a basic* sporting event should probably be using that money for something else.

*aka everyday not special event type

[Eddie Teach]

Why do you think that a parent who could only afford two adult tickets but who has two children won't see those children grow up to be able to afford two tickets each as well?

It's more likely they'll continue going as a family, just less often.

[Norgy]

It seems to me that pulling on a jersey to pull someone off the ball is never part of a legitimate action.

It isn't. Yet it has become part and parcel of the game as it is played.
Look at corner kick situations. Inside the box, there's a scramble and lots of holding and contact.
To my recollection, only once has a penalty ever been given for shirt-grabbing inside the box, and it befell Norway against Brazil in the 1998 World Cup. It was so rare that Moroccans still insist we paid the referee and signed some huge dried cod contract at favourable prices with Brazil, as the Moroccans went out.

If you look up my avatar, Claudio Gentile, on YouTube, there'll be plenty of ugly defending to be seen.

[Liep]

Here is a question.  In a few games I saw players grab the uniforms of the other players to pull them off the ball.  In one case the player being grabbed almost had his shorts pulled right off.  In each case the ref called a foul but there was no card.  Why isnt such a blatant violation carded in all cases?

I don't think it's seen as a dangerous play and is judged like a normal foul. Normal tackles are usually also a blatant violation of the rules.

Normal fouls can be carded in certain situations though, like the professional "i'll just stop this counter attack from ever happening" foul.

except that normal tackles are arguably part of the game.  If I understand correctly the difference between a foul and a good tackle is if the defender got to the ball before making contact.  The analogy to basketball is that every foul is intentional in the sense that the player meant to do it but most fouls are commited while attempting to do something that was a legitimate action - eg trying to block a shot, take a charge or get a steal.  It seems to me that pulling on a jersey to pull someone off the ball is never part of a legitimate action.

I agree. And actually, in FIFA's rulebook it says that it should be cautioned. I guess it's just so frequent the refs really can't enforce it consistently.

[Ed Anger]

It seems to me that pulling on a jersey to pull someone off the ball is never part of a legitimate action.

It isn't. Yet it has become part and parcel of the game as it is played.
Look at corner kick situations. Inside the box, there's a scramble and lots of holding and contact.
To my recollection, only once has a penalty ever been given for shirt-grabbing inside the box, and it befell Norway against Brazil in the 1998 World Cup. It was so rare that Moroccans still insist we paid the referee and signed some huge dried cod contract at favourable prices with Brazil, as the Moroccans went out.

If you look up my avatar, Claudio Gentile, on YouTube, there'll be plenty of ugly defending to be seen.

And if you want an EPL example of defenders grabbing during corners, every liverpool game I watched last year had their defenders mugging people.

I'M LOOKING AT YOU SKRTEL.

[FunkMonk]

Soccer is a man's game and if you can't handle a little argybargy shirt tugging and a few blows to the midsection then you should gtfo imo

[Ed Anger]

Soccer is a man's game and if you can't handle a little argybargy shirt tugging and a few blows to the midsection then you should gtfo imo

I was expecting Skrtel or sakho to start knifing people. It was that blatant.

[Admiral Yi]

NFL and big name college football are going to sell out every game; they have no need to cultivate fans. 

[Norgy]

Certain players have gotten away with stuff on the pitch that would send you right in the local lockup if it happened on the street.

Like Harald "Toni"Schumacher against Patrick Battiston in 1982.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPTOnClKCJc

Notice the nice Winston ciggie signs. Close-up photo:



Schumacher basically punches him.

[FunkMonk]

Soccer is a man's game and if you can't handle a little argybargy shirt tugging and a few blows to the midsection then you should gtfo imo

I was expecting Skrtel or sakho to start knifing people. It was that blatant.

Rodgers is an enabler and should be prosecuted by the crown authorities or whatever backward legal system they have in that third world country.

[Ed Anger]

Soccer is a man's game and if you can't handle a little argybargy shirt tugging and a few blows to the midsection then you should gtfo imo

I was expecting Skrtel or sakho to start knifing people. It was that blatant.

Rodgers is an enabler and should be prosecuted by the crown authorities or whatever backward legal system they have in that third world country.

Rodgers should be fined for letting Stirling have that haircut.

[Admiral Yi]

Certain players have gotten away with stuff on the pitch that would send you right in the local lockup if it happened on the street.

Like Harald "Toni"Schumacher against Patrick Battiston in 1982.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPTOnClKCJc

Notice the nice Winston ciggie signs. Close-up photo:



Schumacher basically punches him.

They mentioned this on TV, wondered what it looked like.

82 was not a glorious year for the Krauts, was it? 

[FunkMonk]

Soccer is a man's game and if you can't handle a little argybargy shirt tugging and a few blows to the midsection then you should gtfo imo

I was expecting Skrtel or sakho to start knifing people. It was that blatant.

Rodgers is an enabler and should be prosecuted by the crown authorities or whatever backward legal system they have in that third world country.

Rodgers should be fined for letting Stirling have that haircut.

Stirling is alright by me, he's impregnated like twenty women or something. Good kid.

[Norgy]

82 was not a glorious year for the Krauts, was it? 

They reached the final, and had a few outstanding players. A very experienced midfield enforcer in Paul Breitner, Schumacher in goal (who was usually very solid) and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, one of the finest forwards of his generation. Then they met Italy, a team that had perfected the so-called catenaccio. A very solid defence, and one single forward who could win games: Paulo Rossi. I think he was banned for a few seasons due to irregularities. Italy was the most destructive team to have won a World Cup, I think. Their tactics were rotten and dirty, yet I have some grudging respect for say Gentile, who was a destroyer of quality players in almost every game. He had Maradona and Zico in his pocket.

[Admiral Yi]

I meant from an ethical point of view.