What's the problem with video replay?

Is it me, or are the people at FIFA really dense? I was happy to see the Germans send the English packing after an impressive 4:1 display by the young German team, but unfortunately this victory was tainted by yet another blown call. England's Lampard looked to have knotted up the score 2:2, but the refs didn't see the goal. Video replays showed clearly that England did indeed have the equalizer, but play just went on.....

I don't want to blame the refs, after all, they have no reason to pretend it didn't happen.....I guess in the thick of things, they just didn't see it going over the goalline. But this is where FIFA has to wake up to the 21st century. Have video replay assist these officials when it comes to judging whether a goal counts or not. It won't destroy the game, it won't hold up play that long, and it will still keep the game controlled by humans.

I think FIFA really needs to just wake up to reality, and stop being so stubborn.

Enough with the diving already!

I'm no huge soccer fan, but living in Germany, it's nice to follow things like the World Cup (and the European Cup as well). It's a fun time, with the country gripped with the results of each game....

Actually I find soccer not a bad sport at all (much better than basketball). But there are still somethings about it that keep me from being a real fan of the game. The first is the low scoring nature of the game. I actually like defence and good defensive play, but when there are less than two goals per game (from both teams) on average, I think it's a bit too low scoring. I guess I'm biased from hockey, but I would think that an average of 4-5 goals per game would be nice. I'm not into American scoring demands like in Basketball, where you are supposed to score - but I would like to see a team up by two goals still try to score, rather than go into a full defensive shell.

But I think the most annoying thing about soccer is all the diving going on. Players act like they are mortally wounded if they've just been brushed by the opposing player. I'm not sure why this is tolerated by the referees, or by the fans. I mean the sight of a soccer player clutching their shin, looking like they are irreparably wounded, only to sprint down the soccer pitch two minutes later is just a joke. I think the penalty for a soccer player that dives is that they have to block 10 hockey slapshots at an NHL net. I think that would make them much tougher in a hurry......

The Big-12 is saved

Well, it seems like the Big-12 is saved! Hurray for Texas! Well they were really in it for the money, but regardless, I think it's good for football to have a strong Big-12 conference.

Note that the Big-10 will have 12 teams now (once Nebraska joins), while the Big-12 will have 10 teams (once Nebraska and Colorado leave). Ha ha ha ha, these college conference names are weird.....

Soccer Corniness

Is it EVERY soccer game that has those kids that come in hand in hand with the soccer players? What's up with that anyway? What do they contribute to the ceremony anyway? I think nothing is gained aside from CORNINESS.....

More's the pity...

Well, today we got news that Colorado will abandon the Big-12 and join the ranks of the Pac-10. Nebraska will probably also abandon the Big-12 and flee into the arms of the Big-10. The Big-12 is thus severely weakened, and may come to an end depending if Texas wants to bolt or not.....

The decisions of the Cornhuskers and Buffaloes to leave seem purely based on financial considerations. They think that they will reap a larger share of the revenue pie in their new conferences. Unfortunately, this means the end of Big-12 football, which has been arguably the source of the best football games over the past decade or two.

Texas vs. Oklahoma, Nebraska vs. Oklahoma, Nebraska vs. Missouri, Texas vs. Texas A&M, Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma, and Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma St.....these rivalries won't mean the same anymore....

All in all, a sad day for college football.....