VOX:
The hand-wringing over these athletic thespians is all too familiar for fans of soccer. It’s now become an infamous part of the game: the anguish. The contortion. The howls of pain. The eye-rolling. It infuriates loyalists and reinforces soccer skeptics. Some Americans frequently cite diving as unfair and unsportsmanlike, and the reason they won’t watch the World Cup. Of course, no one who plays the gentleman’s game openly advocates for such deception, and the rules prohibit this skullduggery. Yet it remains a frequent feature on the pitch.
Despite the (feigned) drama, there is a cold logic behind these actions.
I’m a fair weather soccer fan but am familiar enough with the game to understand why players do it. But the more egregious flops can really take the fun out of watching a game.
“…flops can really take the fun out of watching a game.”
I’m trying to figure out how to put the fun into watching the game.
Sounds a bit like pro wrestling, no?
You have to have played soccer at a young age to learn to appreciate it, just as with any sport.
Players you see in a World Cup have all kinds of demands on them. Some handle it better than others. Referees come from all over the world and judge a bit differently. Players overdo it and feign to make sure the referee notices that they were tripped, kicked, pushed or pulled.
Those small nudges and kicks can be very painful. They only have a small piece of plastic under their stockings to avoid breaking their legs.
The spikes on the shoes are just horrible when you get stepped on.
No player wants to be forced to go on playing until the pain fades, because he probably has to run full speed seconds later.
LOL I’ve never played soccer in my life and I appreciate it just fine.
“Referees come from all over the world and judge a bit differently” That would make sense if players only flopped in the World Cup. Obviously, they don’t.
“Players overdo it and feign to make sure the referee notices that they were tripped, kicked, pushed or pulled.” Sure but there are *hundreds* of instances where the player full on fakes the flop. Where he wasn’t even touched but he throws himself to the ground as if shot anyways. 🙂
Sure, it all started in the 80’s when some players started cheating – and got away with it. Unfortunately no one is very eager to put a stop to it – being very difficult to do.
I guess the only way would be to have referees go through the whole game on video minute by minute, after the game is over, and then fine those who are obvious cheats.
The problem is that only the World Cup has the resources to do such a thing…what about all other games in countries that can’t afford it?
“Some Americans frequently cite diving as unfair and unsportsmanlike, and the reason they won’t watch the World Cup.”
I call B.S. We watch NBA Basketball, where flopping is an art-form and is so ridiculously intentional and overdone that it brings about belly-puckering outbursts of laughter regardless of which team you’re backing. But we still watch!