The Zidane Incident

Maybe he can be the new spokesman for "Advil: The Headache Medicine".

I must admit that I lost respect for Zidane after watching the head-butt (yes, I was watching the game live). However, after understanding what Materazzi said (from the deaf lip reader), I don't blame him one bit. Soccer is important to Zidane, and the World Cup is important to Zidane, but neither is more important than the dignity of his mother and his family (and the head-butt shows that). I totally understand why he did that, and I would not expect him to react any differently now (even after the world's reaction). He simply doesn't care enough about soccer or the world cup to allow some one to say something like that without retaliation.

Props for Zidane.

HA! The "MVP" scored 3 goals in the whole tournament.

3 goals is actually a lot. There was only one player in the world cup with more (Klose with 5, and they didn't make it to the finals)--everyone else had three or less.

In 1998, didn't Zidane pull a Marcus Vick and stomp on some Saudi Arabian player while he was lying on the ground? Was he provoked then also?

In 1998, didn't Zidane pull a Marcus Vick and stomp on some Saudi Arabian player while he was lying on the ground? Was he provoked then also?

Yes he did, but I don't know if it was provoked.

In 1998, didn't Zidane pull a Marcus Vick and stomp on some Saudi Arabian player while he was lying on the ground? Was he provoked then also?

I faintly remember hearing something about that, but in the US those soccer stories are mostly ignored. However, I am not surprised...Zidane is a mean SOB. I don't know if it was provoked, but if the guy is laying on the ground already it doesn't really matter, right?

Soccer is important to Zidane, and the World Cup is important to Zidane, but neither is more important than the dignity of his mother and his family (and the head-butt shows that). I totally understand why he did that, and I would not expect him to react any differently now (even after the world's reaction). He simply doesn't care enough about soccer or the world cup to allow some one to say something like that without retaliation.

Props for Zidane.

i concur... if it was about the family or being called a terrorist- that's reason enough to retaliate. there's a reason why the world isn't castigating him.

HA! The "MVP" scored 3 goals in the whole tournament. He as many yellow cards as goals, and a red card on top of that.

Soccer is dumb. I'm ready for REAL football in the news.

No offense Buster, but you really shouldn't call out the most popular sport in the world like that without actually supporting yourself, and putting forth a decent arguement. It is this ignorance of the game, that also creates a negative image of Americans. As mentioned before 3 goals is a lot in the torney, Klose had 5, henry had 3, etc. Beside the goals, he pretty much controlled midfield, and set up some brillant goals. Another point; the votes for the golden award thingy were counted before the headbutt, therefore the voters did not have that issue in mind when voting.

I understand the frustration us Americans have with the flopping, and hopefully FIFA starts giving more yellows for flops, but what really frustrates me, is how as a nation, we need high scoring action, or we consider it boring. Some of the best games in soccer are 0-0 ties. Yeah its 90 freaking minutes, and no goals, so deal with it. It really shows that some people do not have the patience to admire the finer points of the world's greatest game. Do you know why there are so few goals? It's because scoring a goal in soccer is much harder than to score in a game of football. The whole team has to keep pushing, and flowing at almost a perfect rate, or their has to be a very very rare mistake. If you take that into consideration, you would realize that Zidane's 3 goals is a great stat, and we also know that all stats on paper do not explain what a player has done in a game.

It is people like you that have ruined the game of soccer. FIFA is trying to increase goals, by have lighter balls, that can drop and swing off unexpectidly, making it harder for the goalie to stop. They are also calling more bullshit calls, which increase the set pieces, and penalty kicks, which add to goals, just to please people who do not have the patience or appreciation of the game. Because of people who do not appreciate the finer points of game, the NBA, MLB, and yes even our beloved NFL have changed to rules to please people who can't FCKING sit and try to enjoy the game without bitching. Now pass interference rules are almost ridiculous, which makes even more high scoring games, and almost kills the contact sport aspect, at the CB position. The refs call everything in the NBA even if you rest your arm on a player while play D, like for D. Wade in the finals, and now its considered good D if you hold and opponent to under 100 points. All of this just to please people who want more scores.

I am sick of this shit, people need to start being open and quit bitching. No one is fucking dissing soccer in that nature, without me saying anything.

The Italian player, who happens to make millions of dollars, in a press conference admitted he insulted Zidane. He also said:

I'm not cultured and I don't even know what an Islamic terrorist is."

Now come on, you don't have to be genius to know that he is trying to cover his ass by playing dumb. There are certain things you should never utter unless you're looking for a fight. All I know is I'm looking forward to hearing what Zidane has to say about the whole thing.

p.s. The Italian is lucky he didn't headbutt him in the face.

hooskins - great post. couldn't do it any better.