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The Game is Rigged
Did any of you see this? FIFA needed both France and Portugal in this summer's World Cup, and both were facing playoff games after failing to qualify in the group stages. It would be a commercial disaster if either the former or the latter (which features the best player in the world at the moment) did not qualify. FIFA even seeded the playoffs based on world rankings rather than what happened in the group stages. What happened in Paris, then, last night? Let's just say that if I were Irish, I would be livid. Watch Thierry Henry's left hand.
Update: Judah was surprised I did not mention that the president of UEFA is Michel Platini. Scandal aside, Platini ... what a genius. Probably this blog's second-favorite French footballer. You already know this blog's all-time favorite. And watch this pass to Denis Irwin as a reminder of better days in Franco-Irish relations.
Henry admitted to the media
Henry admitted to the media that he handled, and even told the referee that he had during the game. He was apparently told "you're not the ref." Which is fair enough. I've got to be honest and say that I think Henry is out of line for admitting that, because it only serves to embarrass the referee and make an already difficult job even harder.
But if you want to talk about the game being rigged, forget about the officiating; let's consider FIFA and UEFA's decision two months ago -- mid-stream in the qualifying process! -- to seed the playoff round of qualification rather than having an open draw. The decision ensured that France, Portugal, and Russia wouldn't face one another in the playoff, and by extension that Ireland wouldn't face, for example, Slovenia. Dirty Platini. (At least the Russians got their comeuppance. I wonder if Roman Pavlyuchenko will stop talking now about needing a move away from Spurs so that he can get more games and be picked for the World Cup.)
Of half-Irish, half-French
Of half-Irish, half-French descent, I felt it an entirely appropriate result: half self-righteous indignation, half self-absorbed guilt (perhaps I should bring my priest with me to S. Africa).
By the by, don't know if you get/read Stratfor, but Saad-Ghorayeb (she of recent NATO college spat) has been having a field day with them with regard to the Hizbullahi and Stratfor's charming 'reports.'
See: http://friday-lunch-club.blogspot.com/2009/11/now-after-stratfor-al-arab...
and/or
http://friday-lunch-club.blogspot.com/2009/11/amal-s-ghorayeb-comments-o...
Fun stuff.
Gchat message sent to me
Gchat message sent to me last night at 3:00AM Paris time by my rightfully angry and inebriated Irish cousin, who attended the match:
"im in paris. the french rqped us. c est pqs bon. hqte these fcuking keyboqrds"
I concur.
FIFA is as clean as the IOC.
FIFA is as clean as the IOC. Portugal will be out after the group stages of the WC anyway. France with thier aging stars needs all the help they can get to just field a healthy 11. Why not let the up-and-comers in and let the aging go out quitely and dignified? You miss the real question concerning soccer...How about Real Salt Lake in the MLS Cup?!!! Ole Ole Ole Ole...Real..Salt..Lake! Ooops wrong blog!
Somebody sign that ref up
Somebody sign that ref up for next year's MLB playoffs!
it's on a 4x-per-hour
it's on a 4x-per-hour rotation on Sky News, and the creep is that the Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern (Bernie's cousin?) is calling for a replay and asking the Football Association to file a protest
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/France-And-Ireland-Thierry-H...
Most amazing fact in that
Most amazing fact in that story: bookmakers William Hill ar refunding the money of those who bet on Ireland to go through. Wow. When bookies are giving money back, something crazy is going on.
missed the video, was pulled
missed the video, was pulled due to copyright claim.
To line up with my history of controversial comments, here is a new thought: Maybe corruption isn't as bad as we (in the US) are making it out to be. Seems like we are the only ones that try to play by the rules -- sometimes. But wait, didn't we claim to be a capitalist country? Who says bribing and coercing isn't one of the tools to get an advantage in this world.
Here's a link to a bad
Here's a link to a bad quality version of the vid, since the other was pulled. You can still see the incident, though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HzTDHJ3kaA
If you don't want to blame
If you don't want to blame Plattini, then blame Blatter - a man who could give Karzai a few tips on corruption.
2008 would like its "Ronaldo
2008 would like its "Ronaldo as best player in the world" meme back.
This one hasn't been taken
This one hasn't been taken down yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxtMb5oKcd0
Livid might be an
Livid might be an understatement here in Dublin. However, its not pitchforks and fire just yet. There is a petition for a replay of the match. There is also precedent for this as an international between Bahrain and Uzbekistan was similarly replayed a few years ago.
http://www.gopetition.com/online/32214/sign.html#se
Any help appreciated!
The goal was scored a little
The goal was scored a little by the hand of frog, a little by the head of Gallas
Daylight robbery.
Daylight robbery.
Since you really like ManUre
Since you really like ManUre (putting Cantona ahead of Platini, let alone ZZ is heresy btw) I'll let Roy Keane do the talking: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8370327.stm
"I'd be more annoyed with my defenders and my goalkeeper than Thierry Henry. How can you let the ball bounce in your six-yard box? How can you let Thierry Henry get goal-side of you? If the ball goes into the six-yard box, where the hell is my goalkeeper?
"These are skills and lessons you learn as a schoolboy.
"Ireland had their chances in the two games and they never took them. They had chances at Croke Park (in the first leg) and they had chances on Wednesday.
"They didn't take them, but it's the usual FAI (Football Association of Ireland) reaction - 'we've been robbed, the honesty of the game...' It's rubbish."
And Keane pointed out that controversial decisions went Ireland's way in the qualifying campaign, not least a harsh penalty award against Georgia which helped them to clinch a 2-1 qualifying win in February.
"There was one match against Georgia where Ireland got a penalty and it was one of the worst decisions I've ever seen which changed the whole course of the game.
"I don't remember the FAI after the game saying we should give them a replay."
France got what they
France got what they deserved on World Cup. Now I feel much better. Paris is the only nice thing that they have.
Who says bribing and
Who says bribing and coercing isn't one of the tools to get an advantage in this world. rip blu ray
I do not want to blame
I do not want to blame anybody. I just wanna to say all are responsible for their decision. They all had suffered for that. I Diamond buying guide do not agree it.
this is a great discussion.
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Too bad that the video is no
Too bad that the video is no longer available, but I do remember hearing about this. It makes me livid too, because they are setting a new standard for unfairness and it can happen to anyone now. Why has it been removed from youtube in the first place? hmmm....looks a little shady to me, but perhaps that's the way that FIFA is doing things now days.
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