World Cup and European leagues

[sac]

The buzz has been strong so far with the World Cup -- and I'm not talking about all those vuvuzelas the South African fans like to blow.

In the first eight matches, ESPN and ABC averaged 4.27 million viewers, an 80 percent increase over the first eight games of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Of course, that number was highlighted by last weekend's U.S.-England match, which had a 7.3 rating and an estimated 13 million viewers, and was the most-watched first-round game since 1994.

Another 1.3 million viewers also have logged on to watch the World Cup on ESPN3.com.

Those figures don't take into account Univision, which had a record 5.4 million viewers for the World Cup opener, Mexico vs. South Africa. ESPN "only" had 2.85 million viewers for the same game.

Total numbers should continue to rise as the tournament goes on and the stakes are raised.



It was estimated today the US had 50,000 fans in South Africa......and it was estimated the US had more fans in attendance than dear old England.

[ECSUalum]

I am sorry to say, but FIFA is a freaking JOKE.  What happened to the USA team in the Slovakia match today brought back to me the nightmare of the Ireland vs France TH handball which was not seen and in this case the goal was granted.

Where does FIFA get these bogus officials!!

It was announced today that FIFA will NOT announce any clarification on the call against the USA,  which is par for the course for the joke of an organization.

+k to sac on the 2002 World Cup video of Republic of Ireland vs Germany and the Robbie Keane goal off flick from Niall Quinn in 47th min in injury time ,  ONE OF MY FAVORITES!!!!!

What do you expect from a Rep of Ireland homey

[BoBo]

The last sentence of Michael Davies comments on ESPN.com indicate that the referee responsible for everyones screams, Koman Coulibaly, was born...you guessed it...on the Fourth of July. I guess being from Mali, he doesn't understand what that means.  I doubt he gets his invite as Grand Marshal to a parade in a couple weeks!! 

[Mr. Ypsi]

The best response I've read to Ralph's query about the 'quadrennial fan':

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/06/18/the-goal-that-wasnt/?eref=sihp

AND it is an interesting read, regardless.  Not only Coulibaly, but even more so FIFA, should be embarassed for the damage they have done to soccer.  Make the official explain the damn call!!!

[Gray Fox]

I hate that stupid kicking contest to break ties.

Why don't they just play on and slowly decrease the number of players on each side?

[BoBo]

The best response I've read to Ralph's query about the 'quadrennial fan':

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/06/18/the-goal-that-wasnt/?eref=sihp

AND it is an interesting read, regardless.  Not only Coulibaly, but even more so FIFA, should be embarassed for the damage they have done to soccer.  Make the official explain the damn call!!!

Interesting article and well written...jopo is a good read.

Furthermore, Yahoo Sports is reporting that FIFA sources will conduct an expedited review on Coulibaly's performance and he likely will be excluded from the remainder of the WC:

"If he is found to have made a serious mistake, especially one that affected the outcome, then he would be highly unlikely to play any further part in the tournament," said the source, who is close to senior figures on the refereeing panel. "FIFA is determined to keep refereeing standards high and does not want high-profile mistakes."


I guess this would qualify as a serious mistake that affected the outcome and is rather high-profile in nature!!  

[Hoosier Titan]

The best response I've read to Ralph's query about the 'quadrennial fan':

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/06/18/the-goal-that-wasnt/?eref=sihp

AND it is an interesting read, regardless.  Not only Coulibaly, but even more so FIFA, should be embarassed for the damage they have done to soccer.  Make the official explain the damn call!!!

Excellent piece, Ypsi. 

As to the official, it is true that mistakes happen all the time.  Perfect games are lost, blocking gets called charging.  In the last World Cup, one of the best referees in the world, Graham Poll, gave three yellow cards to one player before sending him off (and in this case the sideline fourth official was at least equally at fault).  Poll's FIFA career was over, but he had the guts to face the public and explain the mistake.  Yesterday's official's refusal to do so speaks volumes, and he should face the consequences.

[ECSUalum]

Here is referee list for 2010 World Cup :

Look who is first on the list,  Hand of God Martin Hansson!!!

Coulibali a "financial inspector"??!!!

Martin Hansson, Sweden, Firefighter
Howard Webb, England, Referee
Stéphane Lannoy, France, Video games distributor
Viktor Kassai, Hungary, Travel agent
Roberto Rosetti, Italy, Physiotherapist
Olegário Benquerença, Portugal, Insurance agent
Wolfgang Stark, Germany, Bank employee
Massimo Busacca, Switzerland, Managing director
Oscar Ruiz, Colombia, Lawyer
Marco Rodriguez, Mexico, PE teacher
Jorge Larrionda, Uruguay, Clerk
Carlos Amarilla, Paraguay, Electrical engineer
Alberto Undiano Mallenco, Spain, Sociologist
Frank De Bleeckere, Belgium, PR manager
Hector Baldassi, Argentina, Businessman
Pablo Pozo, Chile, Auditor
Carlos Eugenio Simon, Brazil, Referee
Khalil Al Ghamdi, Saudi Arabia, Teacher
Ravshan Irmatov, Uzbekistan, Instructor
Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh, Malaysia, Teacher
Yuichi Nishimura, Japan, Referee
Koman Coulibaly, Mali, Financial inspector
Mohamed Benouza, Algeria, Businessman
Jerome Damon, South Africa, Teacher
Eddy Maillet, Seychelles, Referee co-ordinator
Joel Aguilar, El Salvador, Teacher
Benito Archundia, Mexico, Lawyer
Carlos Batres, Guatemala, Bachelor of science
Peter O'Leary, New Zealand, Teacher
Michael Hester, New Zealand, Naval officer

[ECSUalum]

From FIFA.com:

France striker Nicolas Anelka has been sent home from the FIFA World Cup™ after after refusing to apologise for his half-time rant at coach Raymond Domenech.

He one of only a few decent guys on the  team!!!!

French national team seems to be in shambles, seems no one wants to play for Domenech, which is understandable, yet sad for the nation

Also sad that they qualified vs Ireland  

[Ralph Turner]

IMHO, the red card that Soccerroo's Harry Kewell's received was another controversial call.

It looked like the ball struck his chest and the upper arm simultaneously.  The upper arm seemed to be perpendicular to the ground and not adducted (the anatomical term meaning not sticking straight out) from the chest wall.  Even tho' the forearm and the hand were extended, the ball did not hit them.

Ball to the arm, not arm to the ball.

[Ralph Turner]

The best response I've read to Ralph's query about the 'quadrennial fan':

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/06/18/the-goal-that-wasnt/?eref=sihp

AND it is an interesting read, regardless.  Not only Coulibaly, but even more so FIFA, should be embarassed for the damage they have done to soccer.  Make the official explain the damn call!!!

Excellent piece, Ypsi. 

As to the official, it is true that mistakes happen all the time.  Perfect games are lost, blocking gets called charging.  In the last World Cup, one of the best referees in the world, Graham Poll, gave three yellow cards to one player before sending him off (and in this case the sideline fourth official was at least equally at fault).  Poll's FIFA career was over, but he had the guts to face the public and explain the mistake.  Yesterday's official's refusal to do so speaks volumes, and he should face the consequences.

Pull quote from the article...

But what made Coulibali's Call-of-Folly so maddening is that even soccer experts could not tell us why it happened. Even an honest bad call — even Jim Joyce's imperfect game call, for instance — is something digestible. He thought the guy was safe. OK. But this... what did he see? What mistake was made? Can a referee simply disallow a goal for fuzzy reasons that only he seems to know?

Joyce's acknowledgment and confession was accepted by fans because he understood what he had done and was repentant.  Such is the nature of the game, and that may become the second most famous perfect game.

As for the referee from Mali, the cynical American fan can easily imagine the real reason behind that non-call.  The US didn't deserve to win..."America hate" manifested in a referee's call.

[BoBo]

Here is referee list for 2010 World Cup :

Look who is first on the list,  Hand of God Martin Hansson!!!

Coulibali a "financial inspector"??!!!

Martin Hansson, Sweden, Firefighter
Howard Webb, England, Referee
Stéphane Lannoy, France, Video games distributor
Viktor Kassai, Hungary, Travel agent
Roberto Rosetti, Italy, Physiotherapist
Olegário Benquerença, Portugal, Insurance agent
Wolfgang Stark, Germany, Bank employee
Massimo Busacca, Switzerland, Managing director
Oscar Ruiz, Colombia, Lawyer
Marco Rodriguez, Mexico, PE teacher
Jorge Larrionda, Uruguay, Clerk
Carlos Amarilla, Paraguay, Electrical engineer
Alberto Undiano Mallenco, Spain, Sociologist
Frank De Bleeckere, Belgium, PR manager
Hector Baldassi, Argentina, Businessman
Pablo Pozo, Chile, Auditor
Carlos Eugenio Simon, Brazil, Referee
Khalil Al Ghamdi, Saudi Arabia, Teacher
Ravshan Irmatov, Uzbekistan, Instructor
Subkhiddin Mohd Salleh, Malaysia, Teacher
Yuichi Nishimura, Japan, Referee
Koman Coulibaly, Mali, Financial inspector
Mohamed Benouza, Algeria, Businessman
Jerome Damon, South Africa, Teacher
Eddy Maillet, Seychelles, Referee co-ordinator
Joel Aguilar, El Salvador, Teacher
Benito Archundia, Mexico, Lawyer
Carlos Batres, Guatemala, Bachelor of science
Peter O'Leary, New Zealand, Teacher
Michael Hester, New Zealand, Naval officer

Just thinking out loud here, but do you think it's time for someone to "inspect" the "financials" of Mr. Coulibaly?   

I like Carlos Batres' occupation. Imagine, a referee with B.S. for a job!! Say what? 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Ralph and BoBo,

While I'm as cynical as the next guy, I certainly hope the call was neither political not corrupt.  But that is exactly why FIFA is a threat to soccer.  NOT requiring referees to explain their reasoning on 'controversial' calls (or even to tell anyone what the hell the call even was! ) is an open invitation to suspect the worst.  Sometimes I think FIFA exists to make the NCAA look good!

It is the parenthetical above which is the most maddening - to this day NO ONE even knows what the call was!!  In every other sport known to man, you at least know WHAT the official called!   [With the possible exception of gymnastics, figure skating, etc., where there is no indication of why a judge gave a 9.4 vs. a 9.8.]

[Ralph Turner]

Ralph and BoBo,

While I'm as cynical as the next guy, I certainly hope the call was neither political not corrupt.  But that is exactly why FIFA is a threat to soccer.  NOT requiring referees to explain their reasoning on 'controversial' calls (or even to tell anyone what the hell the call even was! ) is an open invitation to suspect the worst.  Sometimes I think FIFA exists to make the NCAA look good!

It is the parenthetical above which is the most maddening - to this day NO ONE even knows what the call was!!  In every other sport known to man, you at least know WHAT the official called!  [With the possible exception of gymnastics, figure skating, etc., where there is no indication of why a judge gave a 9.4 vs. a 9.8.]

But we are old enough to remember the Olympic figure skating scores in which they threw out the highest and the lowest of a set of 9 scores.

I wonder how many pounds sterling the betting swing in London was for the US tie versus the win?
+1 on the NCAA/FIFA assessment!

[BoBo]

It is the parenthetical above which is the most maddening - to this day NO ONE even knows what the call was!!  In every other sport known to man, you at least know WHAT the official called!   [With the possible exception of gymnastics, figure skating, etc., where there is no indication of why a judge gave a 9.4 vs. a 9.8.]

I'm sure someone in FIFA, through their Saturday review of Mr. Coulibaly's performance, has an idea why the referee disallowed the goal.  They appear to be preparing a response (i.e. PR department burning the midnight oil coming up with a positive spin) to announce on Monday. Only FIFA would wait until Monday to make their anouncement. My guess is that they are getting Mr. Coulibaly out of S.A. and back to (obscurity in) Mali, essentially making him unavailable for comment, before the announcement is made.