Off the Ball

By Henry

June 19, 2006 2:32 PM | Link to this

Well the world is full of idiots.

By Chris

June 19, 2006 2:49 PM | Link to this

NEW YORK (AP) — The ratings for the 1-1 tie between the United States and Italy on Saturday got the highest overnight rating for a World Cup game on ABC since the 1998 championship game.

The game, which began at 3 p.m. EDT, got a 5.2 rating, the highest since the ‘98 final between Brazil and France got a 7.0.

By Chris

June 19, 2006 4:06 PM | Link to this

To the cocky columnist at ESPN. Eddie Pope yellows warranted, offside against McBride correct but Pablo’s tackle did not constitute dangerous play warranting a red card his red card was unjust and incorrectly punishing a deserving US team a shot at victory.

From FIFA:

Serious foul play A player is guilty of serious foul play if he uses excessive force or brutality against an opponent when challenging for the ball.

Any player who launches himself into an opposing player when challenging for the ball from the front, back or side, using one or both legs and with excessive force and putting the opponent’s personal safety in danger, is guilty of serious foul play.

By michelle

June 19, 2006 4:34 PM | Link to this

i dont’ much consider it whining when the game was obviously so poorly-officiated.

if that’s the way this tournament is really going down, with FIFA controlling how the rules should be interpreted, i think the next world cup should be boycotted by every team until there are some changes.

you give cards for excessive contact fouls and for consistent fouling by the same player, or disrespecting any of the officials. cards should only come out AFTER speaking with the player and giving a verbal warning, unless the foul is so forceful that it warrants an immediate yellow or straight up red.

soccer is a contact sport…maybe someone should tell FIFA that. it’s impossible to not have contact, and at this top-tier tournament there is a lot of emotion and physical play. that only means that the referee needs to control the game better by issuing warnings and then cards. seems like he had his card permanently attached to his hand, because he sure used it more often than necessary.

guess i’m just a whiney yank though…

By Chop Chop

June 19, 2006 5:31 PM | Link to this

FIFA makes the rules. The FIFA leadership was at the game. Any ref worth his salt is going to try to call the game as closely as possible to make sure that he follows the letter of the law. I equate that to when your supervisor comes over to your cubicle. You’ll close out all the cool websites you’ve been surfing on and make sure that you’re “working hard” so you don’t get the evil eye.

It’s apparent to me that Bruce and the coaching staff need to be more savvy when preparing for games. They have to take everything into account beforehand and make sure that their guys know that they can’t give crunching tackles from behind (whether they get the ball or not). If that had been a club football game, the calls would’ve been ridiculously harsh, but these World Cup refs (if they want to call more than one match) have almost no leeway. Since underdogs tend to be a little riskier in their challenges, it hurts them more often than the so-called “top” teams in the world. The U.S. are underdogs and have to keep that in mind from now on.

By Henry

June 19, 2006 6:37 PM | Link to this

FIFA resonding to this blog? Just like our politions they justify their stupidity. I hope they read the asnwers to their idiotic reasons. As a retired National Referee I am insulted by them. Unfortunatly for the players it is degregating to them. Even the referee that called that game between Spain and Tunesia, comming from the city I played in, Porto Alegre, Brasil, was incredibly biased against Tunesia. Every little contact was called against them and sliding takels with both feet from behind against Spain, ignored agains Tunesia, were ignored most of the time. Not that Spain did not deserve to win the game but the injustice to Tunesia was incredible. I am getting the feeling that FIFA is rigging the games to make sure that teams like Spain get to the next round. A German Government investigation must be conducted, as the American Democrate norm is.

By Midfield

June 19, 2006 6:42 PM | Link to this

I really believe that the ref did Arena a big favor by disposing of Eddie Pope. I actually felt that with a midfielder falling back to replace him in the center of defence, the latter became more orderly, even with a man disadvantage. This is how bad it was. I just don’t get it. Pope single-handedly cost US three goals, as far as I’m concerned. I saw him in a friendly against England a year ago, in which he cost the US two goals. What is wrong with Arena’s brain?

By dj

June 19, 2006 7:14 PM | Link to this

If anyone agrees with the cards against the Americans then they are absolutely retarded. Italians were diving left and right and no way did any of those tackles look that bad. Hockey players can take pucks to the legs and arms and still be fine, a couple of cleats to the ankle don’t hurt that bad. It was bad officiating period and the right thing for FIFA to do is the void the suspension on Pablo. Pope’s was two yellows so that is legit even though the first tackle didn’t warrant one and the 2nd barely did if at all. Why is this ref here anyways? He gets paid off in his home country. Horrible job by FIFA.

By Horn Guy Dos

June 20, 2006 1:02 AM | Link to this

I just find it interesting that NOBODY is asking the question I am:

Where was the effort shown by the US against Italy in the game against the Czech Republic?

While I root for Freddy Adu’s cousins, if the US doesn’t make it out of the group EVERYONE is going to blame Larrionda and NOT the lackluster performance by the US in their first game.

By Nicholas Irwin

June 20, 2006 2:42 AM | Link to this

Correction: If we beat Ghana but don’t get the result we need from the Italy-Czech Republic game, people will blame Larrionda. If we don’t beat Ghana, then we’ll start to look back at that first game (although I’m sure some idiots will still blame Larrionda somehow).

The problem with Larrionda is being overstated, I think. Yes, he was terrible, but I think we’re missing the reason why he was terrible. It’s not like there was a specific call that cost us a win. Even if we’re up 11-on-10 for the whole game, Italy almost assuredly packs it in and we very well may not score a goal. We can’t we would have won were it not for him. What made Larrionda so bad was that he completely hijacked the game, from both teams. A highly entertaining first half turned into what had to be a terrible second half if you were a neutral. I was busy having a heart attack, but for someone who didn’t care who won, I’m sure it was a terrible half. He deprived the world of a perfectly good game of soccer just so that he could kiss up to FIFA and their ridiculous “rule interpretations.” And because he did so, FIFA will probably have him reffing the final. And it will be the most unwatchable final in World Cup history. By far the best referees are the ones who don’t give a damn what FIFA thinks and who just ref like they’ve always done so. Unfortunately FIFA doesn’t hire any of those people. Having said all that, he didn’t take a sure win away from us or anything, so in the end you’re right, if we don’t make it through, we’ll have to blame ourselves for the Czech loss.

Oh, and while we’re talking about rooting for each other’s teams to look as stupid as possible, it will take all the intestinal fortitude I have to root for any team with Cristiano Ronaldo on it, but since they’re playing Mexico, I think I’ll probably find a way. Maybe Ronaldo will chip a nail before the game and be so distraught that he refuses to leave the locker room. Nice work against Angola BTW.

By Chris

June 20, 2006 7:44 AM | Link to this

Pablo Red Card has seen by BBC.

“It wasn’t high and it wasn’t a straight red. It was a yellow and a warning to calm down. Players must think the referee’s desperate to even it up and not take the gamble.” Chris Waddle, BBC Five Live Sport

45 mins: RED CARD It is 10 v 10. Pablo Mastroeni is sent off for a sliding lunge on Andrea Pirlo. His studs caught the Italian on the ankle. Coach Bruce Arena is furious on the touchline.

By Chris

June 20, 2006 8:02 AM | Link to this

I will always think Pablo’s Red Card was crap but I will not blame a US exit on that. I will blame it on our inability to score if we are dismissed from this CUP on Thursday. It will be the same reason we exited the last World Cup. I was yelling at the TV on Saturday for Arena to put Johnson in at the end of the game so that he could use his fresh legs to create some pressure on the Italians. Kicking down field everytime Keller got the ball and hoping that Italy didn’t score wasn’t the best strategy. McBride looked like he was about to pass out at the end of a hard fought battle. Arena said he needed experience out there to defend against Italy.
My hope for the Ghana game is that they commit some defensive mistakes and open up some space for us to score. I am concerned that the two European sides will be to tired after battling with the US and Ghana and their game will end 0 to 0. So we will not have a chance of advancing.
If your concerned about your National Team being unprepared in their first World Cup match against top competition maybe you should encourage them to play top teams during their preparation matches. Not that the feel good farewell tour wasn’t entertaining but lights came on and the Czech Republic were ready to rumble and we weren’t.

By michelle

June 20, 2006 11:04 AM | Link to this

yes, chris…i, too, was yelling at the screen about why arena wasn’t subbing in the last 20 mins or so of the game?

we’re already technically 2 men down, but actually only the one…but 8 people covering that much ground still takes its toll. he should’ve used additional fresh legs after subbing in beasely and it absolutely baffles me as to why he didn’t.

By Midfield

June 20, 2006 2:00 PM | Link to this

C. Ronaldo is a show-off with good ball handling skills and poor play making skills. I will be very surprised if Portugal advances beyond quarterfinals.

By Chris

June 20, 2006 5:57 PM | Link to this

Story off of ESPN.COM entitled “Finishing still needs work” states the obvious, that the US is clumsy in the final third. Interesting observation that I have been stating for months. I beg of thee Bruce, start Eddie Johnson.

By Chris

June 20, 2006 6:02 PM | Link to this

I for one hope to see Mexico win tommorrow and advance with some momentum. I think they are capable of playing a good game against Holland or Argentina in the next round. Trinidad and Tobego looked good and some of their players should get some European auditions furthering the quality of play in CONCACAF. Lets not mention the Ticos.

By Chris

June 20, 2006 6:12 PM | Link to this

Comments coming from the Italian camp may be pointing toward a defensive battle in the Italy v Czech game. Lets hope for the Italians to muster a little offense. I do respect the appreciation of the cynical though.

“We’ve got to start being cynical Italians again. The key to going all the way is playing more solidly and covering more defensively as typical Italian soccer culture dictates,” Cannavaro said. “We’ve got to go back to our origins.”

By Midfield

June 20, 2006 9:45 PM | Link to this

Italians are at their best when they play fast transition game. I haven’t seen that just yet, but if they turn it on against the Czechs, they’d have an upper hand. Sitting back against the Czechs is deadly: they are a skilled bunch. But they are old and slow. This is how Ghana killed them.

By Nicholas Irwin

June 21, 2006 3:07 AM | Link to this

Oh, I’m all for seeing all non-Mexico CONCACAF teams look good. Trinidad and Tobago did give a good account of themselves, and I think that maybe CONCACAF is starting to prove on the whole the theory that maybe World Cup slot should be taken from us and given to Asia or South America wrong. I mean what did you want? Bahrain in the World Cup?