Serbian, i have about three more new blogs on soccer, just for you.

Space why do you waste your time? Honestly.. you hate soccer.. we get that.. but why you writing 3 paragraphs every comment?

do you hate it that much? honestly.. stop commenting and writign blogs about soccer.. i think you wrote enough.

redsox,

why do my motivations matter at all?  If I claim that 1+2=3, the claim is true or false regardless of my motivations.  Why do I watch soccer?  Because I loved playing soccer growing up, and I hate organized soccer because of FIFA.  I want to REFORM soccer. 

If you cant' recognize, criticize or formulate a rational argument, then it's best you not bother posting.

I know the rules of soccer just fine.  It's pretty simple.  DONT TOUCH THE BALL WITH YOUR HANDS.  That's the essential rule.  Suarez broke it to prevent a sure goal.  It doesn't get any clearer than that.  The problem is that you don't understand the concept of FAIR PLAY.  Of SPORTSMANSHIP.  Exploiting a loophole in the rule to screw over a whole country is a gross injustice.  It's amazing how some people will turn a blind eye just to defend FIFA and soccer.  Just admit that that game was a travesty of justice.  You should also know that each player and team are supposed to have oaths of sportsmanship--clearly Suarez and Uruguay violated THAT. 

I know I was rambling, why I stopped posting last night. And all that still doesn't explain why you even make a blog about something happening in a game you hate. Seeing as how you refuse to listen to somebody who knows the rules, and interpretation them as part of a job. I refuse to spend anymore time on the subject. Given they lost yesterday I would think your ecstatic over this. Good day and enjoy your dark little world.

redsox,

now you're just senselessly rambling.

My argument has nothing to do with me, or whether i'm American, or whether soccer is a better or worse sport than other sports. 

if you have something sensible and relevant to say ,they give it a shot. 

obviously, the punishment didn't fit the crime with Suarez.  Obviously, the ref should've just given Ghana a goal.  Obviously, the rule should be changed so that it's an automatic goal.  Obviously, a one game suspension is nowhere even close to adequate punishment.  FIFA, and people like you, support cheating and encourage cheating.  It destroys the sport.  it's a total joke.

incidentally, in American football, they use instant replay and investigate serious fouls to determine the penalty.  For what you described, the player would receive a fine of of about $30,000 or more, be suspended for about 3-5 weeks without pay, depending on the harm done.  FIFA doesn't even use instant replay--what a stupid sport.

Ok we'll use your knowledge of football as you are an American I have no doubts about it, a game that I've also refereed. the situtation, you have a dog pile for lack of better words, and on the bottom of the pile is the QB freshly sacked on a goal line stand, getting his testicles/nuts/whatever you want to call them bashed by a 450 pound lineman. I don't mean the guy is laying their crushing, I mean punching them into, well your a guy go figure it out. Said lineman gets caught by the official, with what you have said, this lineman could by your favorite player on the team, and also happens to have the most sacks in the league, You would have him thrown out of the game for what, 2 weeks roughly? From what I know all that happens is he is ejected for that one game. Suarez on the other hand was even kept out of the next game because of his action. Nobody said he DIDN'T cheat. Handball is a foul, just as personal foul in basketball. The crime committed was given a fair punishment, a chance to gain the point that was potentially taken from them, and the player who acted the atrocity of not being keeper and using his hands to knock the ball away was sent off and suspended for 1 game. Needless to say The rules were followed and act was acknowledged and disciplined, and there have not been any attempts to appeal the red card by the; player, squad, or Uruguayan football association. He, his team, his country, and the world know he did it wrong, nobody is standing up for what he did they are standing up for him because there are people who don't understand certain parts of the game. One last comment from me tonight, if you hate the game so much, WHY THE HELL DO YOU GIVE A DAMN WHAT THE HELL HE DID?

RedSox,

your comments are irrelevant to the arguments I put forth here, and in my Why I hate soccer (part 3), and in the comments there and here.  To repeat--if what Suarez did was NOT cheating, then there is just no such thing as 'cheating' in soccer.  The worst thing you can do is merely 'break a rule'. That is the logical and absurd implication of your argument.

The problem is that FIFA has BAD rules where, in this case, the punishment doesn't fit the crime.  It makes a mockery of the sport.  A total disgrace.  Imagine if more and more games ended like that--what a joke.  If this happened more often, FIFA would have to change the rule.  The problem is that FIFA is too old-fashioned and conservative to change the rules or add rules, but common sense dictates that this shoudl not be allowed to happen.

No, I am not a FIFA referee. And how is that relevant?  I'm not a World Cup soccer player either.  And how is that relevant?  I am an expert in formulating logical arguments.

I understand the concept of a 'professional foul', and in this case, what Suarez did is far worse and goes to the realm of cheating.  He deliberately and intentionally broke the most sacred rule in soccer in a manner that led to his team winning instead of losing on the spot.  As I said elsewhere, if this is NOT cheating, then just about any rotten thing imaginable can also be done and, according to you, it would not be cheating either.  Whatever rotten thing that's done would simply 'break a rule' and that's all.  Whether it's deliberately breaking an opposing player's leg, or using steroids, it's not 'cheating', according to you, just breaking a rule.

A 'professional foul' is bs as well.  In any sport where such professional fouls are allowed to infect the game, the governing body should institute rules to adequately punish the offender so he doesn't get rewarded for the 'foul' in the first place.  *that's the whole point of having 'fouls'*.  To punish teams for breaking a rule.  A professional foul is what happens where you are REWARDED for breaking the rule.  only a stupid sport would sanction such 'professional' fouls.  Therefore, soccer is a stupid sport.

First off, do you play, or referee soccer, I have done both it doesn't look like you  have done either or you would understand what he did... It's called professional instinct, action was taken, action that I might add is in the rule book from church league soccer up through  the profesional level. He got his red card, the penalty was given, Ghanian player took said penalty and screwed up, and even if he had gotten it, Uruguay still would have won. End of story. As for your repeated ribbing of the World's game it is rather stupid and unimaginative, why not (I can't believe I'm gonna say this) attack the poor choice of coaching for Brazil. I'm not defending FIFA, but I'm not gonna read garbage about an error in judgment that was made by a man with far greater skill than you have with a ball.

Serbia,

If the rule does not punish appropriately, that is, fairly, then the rule encourages BREAKING it.  That is why American football and basketball have rules to automatically give points in those situations, FIFA soccer does not.

The fact that nobody has run out onto the field YET does not affect the argument at all--the argument shows, and you do not deny it, that it is GOOD to CHEAT the way I described to prevent a goal.  1 yr punishment?  Big deal.  You're a national hero, the team goes to the next round, you can likely get paid lots of money in endorsements in your home nation.  It's a no-brainer.  FIFA encourages cheating, and you encourage FIFA's encouragement of cheating.  It has nothing to do with whether I'm American or not.  If you don't like the USA, great--then leave this site and join a Canadian or Serbian site that offers chess.

I don't care where you're from--an argument is sound or unsound regardless of who formulates.  My argument is sound, if that frustrates you, too bad.

Like I said before, if what Suarez did is NOT cheating, then PLEASE give me an EXAMPLE of cheating in FIFA soccer. 

I love soccer, and im not in favour of cheating. I just support FIFA in their "rules" and sure the guy "broke" the rules but punishment was made..

also your example of the player running off the bench would NEVER EVER happen in real life.. EVER. Noone is that stupid, and punishment would be SEVERE, like lets say.. 1year to life bannage.

"Obviously, it IS cheating and US sports punish teams and players for doing that. FIFA does NOT punish teams for doing that...it does not punish them in a way that fits the crime, and so it's no real punishment at all, but a reward."

SO TYPICAL of an american. Americans think they are the best in everything... No wonder you are against soccer cause you guys suck at soccer.

I hate americans who think american is good at everything, so thats why im done talking to you.

Serbian writes:

"Rules are Rules, handballs are part of the game, sure, the guy handballed it but action WAS taken, he did get a red and ghana were awarded a penalty, He didnt "cheat" he just "commited" a foul."

Here is the problem with your argument.  It proves what you want it to prove, but it also proves what you don't want it to prove.  In short, it proves too much.

Yes, rules are rules. (what, is anybody here suggestion that rules are NOT rules?) The problem is that the rule *stinks* and the lack of a rule for this kind of a situation encourages this kind of behavior, ie, it encourages CHEATING.

Your argument leads to the conclusion that THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CHEATING.  Because if you engage in behavior that sure looks like cheating, ie, deflecting a sure goal with your hands, then it is not 'cheating' according to you, it's just 'breaking a rule.'   Ok, let's pretend you're right.  If you're right, then there simply is NO SUCH THING AS CHEATING.  Give me an example of cheating, please.  If deflecting the ball in the goal with both hands in a sport that is essentially founded on the rule of not touching the ball with your hands, then, quite simply, it is IMPOSSIBLE to cheat in soccer.  That is the absurd conclusion of your argument. 

Imagine that it is the end of the game, and the goalie runs down the field to try to score on a corner kick.  Now imagine the opposing team manages to break away with a clear path to the other goal.  Nobody in the goal, not even the goalie.  Now imagine that a player from the BENCH runs onto the field and tackles the opposing player on midfield.  That is breaking a rule.  And a rule is a rule, so the guy gets punished and the other team gets a free kick outside the penalty box where the tackle was made.  That's unsportsmanlike, and there's a rule for unsportsmanlike behavior, but a rule is a rule.

According to your stupid 'argument', that is NOT cheating.  It's just breaking a 'rule'. 

Obviously, it IS cheating and US sports punish teams and players for doing that. FIFA does NOT punish teams for doing that...it does not punish them in a way that fits the crime, and so it's no real punishment at all, but a reward.

So by your argument, there is just no such thing as cheating, and by your argument, justice was done to Ghana, and by your argument, more teams in the future should cheat the way Suarez cheated and even in the way I describe above.  Sure, the player would be sanctioned, but he'd be a hero in his home country.  Just as Suarez is viewed as a hero now.

Lastly, if Suarez could've deflected the ball wit his head, then he should've done so, or at least made the *attempt*.  If not, then he should'nt be standing in the goal, he should be playing *defense* by covering the offender who actually shot the ball.  If Suarez had played *ethically* then he might have had a chance to kick the ball out before it got shot into the goal. 

Are you honestly in favor of cheating?  And you actually *like* soccer?  You defend FIFA?  What is wrong with you man!???  If the punishment doesn't fit the crime, as it certaintly didn't for Ghana, then a new rule should be instituted where it DOES fit the crime.  AND THATS WHY I WROTE MY BLOG.

Only somebody deaf to reason, or somebody who likes cheating, would disagree.

Rules are Rules, handballs are part of the game, sure, the guy handballed it but action WAS taken, he did get a red and ghana were awarded a penalty, He didnt "cheat" he just "commited" a foul. A move ANYONE wouldav done, admit it.

So your saying they should be awarded a goal? who knows what wouldav happened if the guy didnt handball it.. it was awfully close to the guys head, and I believe its pointless to award goals.. its like saying you kick the ball but get tackled at the same time so the ball goes high or something, the player receives and red and the other team gets rewarded a goal? no, they get a penalty which has a high success rate (i would say 90% in a regular game, not a shootout)

Serbian,

So you are defending FIFA here?  Ghana did everything they needed to do to score and win the game, but Suarez CHEATED.  In american basketball and american Football there are rules to prevent that kind of cheating.  The punishment is that points are awarded automatically.  Why can't FIFA do the same thing?  A penalty kick is good for when a normal foul is committed--but this isn't a normal foul that happens in the course of the game. It's *cheating* and there's a difference.  If you don't see that difference, then you should join FIFA and become a referee.

well put

Your a joke, every one of your blogs are stupid, idiotic and pointless.

Nice middlefinger on your other blog post (2 blogs im pretty sure), i might as well put pictures of naked people on here.

You hate soccer, sure, just shut up and keep it to yourself, noone wants to listen to your crying for 10 blogs straight.

You have many blogs of soccer.. you hate it that much?? Wow now go write why you hate Basketball or baseball or hockey.

No sport is perfect, sure the guy saved the goal BUT he got a red card, FIFA decided not to ban him from more then one match which is weird.. BUT ghana DID get a penalty.. is it my fault the guy cannot score?