Dilemma? What dilemma?
By: Joe | October 28th, 2007“I am a fan, with no duty to toe the moral line whatsoever.” - Nick Hornby, Fever Pitch
When Adriano was suspended last season after officials reviewed video replay of his shameless attempt to draw a penalty, I cheered. “It’s about time” I muttered from my high horse as I surveyed the land of divers and cheats. It’s a great view from atop this beautiful beast. You can look down and pass judgment on one and all. The act of intentionally launching yourself in the air while in the 18-yard box, especially after a poor first touch has turned a genuine scoring opportunity into nothing more than a half chance, is cowardly and criminal. Roberto “Pampa” Sosa made me sick last year when he had an incredulous look on his face after being issued a yellow for a blatant dive.
I had no such feeling of incredulity when I saw videos of the Napoli flying forwards yesterday. To be sure the performances of Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marcelo Zalayeta were admirable only if you are budding thespian or aspiring to represent your country in the 10 meter dive next year in Beijing. The players most certainly a deserve yellow card and the officials should rescind the card given to Gigi Buffon who was booked for his “tackle” on Zalayeta. Gigi must have drawn inspiration from my exploits as a 2nd string cornerback on my High School football team. I made plenty of those “tackles” in my day. You know the kind where you close my eyes, lower your shoulder and pray to God you actually make contact.
The point being, this was Juventus. Horrendous refereeing decisions follow the bianconeri like ’skanks’ follow the word ‘cheap’ or ‘implants.’ Did someone at the Lega Calcio offices decide to cash in their karma check and pay Juve back for some dubious decisions that went there way earlier this year? Did DeLaurentis make a late night phone call and send a bucket of cash to get an accomodating referee of questionable moral fiber? Or are the refs, and Bergonzi in particular, in need of some more training? I don’t know and for the time being, I don’t care. A victory over Juventus in the league hasn’t happened in a very long while and fans have to be excited over the victory.
Juventus President Giovanni Cobolli was justifiably indignant after the match wondering why not one of the officials questioned either of the half-gainers, double pikes fouls. To his credit, Cobolli’s Napoli counterpart, Aurelio De Laurentis agreed and called for the use of slow motion video replays. Five words: Close. Barn. Door. Animals. Left.
More to follow later … pumpkin picking and carving and familial obligations and all…and to all Juventus fans: I’m sorry but not sorry enough to give back any points.
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Comments
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Diving in the Serie A, and most of football, has become quite an issue in my opinion, and something that may need to be looked at with a very close eye. Today Milan Roma had a lot of embellished fouls, even from Doni, the actor extrodiniare. It just seems to affect the game a bit to much sometimes, and you it is hard to blame refs when they cannot watch the play again, let alone from seven angles. Imagine if they just went a whole game and called nothing but blamant challenges, things would be real different, real fast…
Posted from
United States
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I think simulation is a better word than diving, because some attacking players are clever enough to initiate contact before flopping to the ground. The player will defend himself by pointing out there was contact and he couldn’t possibly have taken a dive.
It seems that as long as calcio exists players will try to manipulate the referee. I guess it’s the Italian nature.
Good luck to Napoli againts Fiorentina, after this game they will not be given the benefit of the doubt by refs for a while.
Posted from
Canada -
Joe,
Zalayeta has been banned for two matches. sounds like the Generals are trying to keep a lid on the Juve’s anger and here’s the scapegoat, pronto! Demanding of him to tell the referee there was no contact with Buffon, although a nobile gesture, would have won him the ‘only fool in the village’ award (although we all hope one day circumstances would lead ALL players to act this way).
I am still with Mazzola in claming Zala’s jump is the only possible option at that point. OK, here’s experiment for all: look at the replay and imagine what would have happened if Marcelo would have kept on running! do you see what I see? it’s not nice!
Zala was running like crazy and had nowhere else to go once Buffon gets in the way (BTW, entering with both feet first, dangerous play or obstruction anyway), while in Lavezzi’s penalty there was contact, ‘though right after the ball was touched.
Call me naive but I maintain the trust in the honest intentions of the Napoli players. We have also see Lavezzi been pushed and kicked and getting back on track even when a more theatrical reaction could have earned red cards and penalties. In short: we ain’t talking about Inzaghi here!!Posted from
United Kingdom -
Karl, when I saw the replay of the Zalayeta penalty incident, that was my read on it too…he had the choice of jump or collision, because there was no way he was going to stop short. What player in that position is going to choose a collision that could potentially injure one or both players?
Posted from
Italy -
yes Lisa.. it makes even more sense considering the two have been team mates for so many years. BTW the press release from the Napoli has confirmed our view (although they decide not to appeal - just Like Milan with Dida!!!).
But juve is still not happy. Now we read they are after the heads of Mauro (ex Juve) and Mazzola (ex Inter) for straying outside the screenplay that has to be!Posted from
United Kingdom -
I don’t see why they’re not appealing. Milan not appealing made sense, Dida’s theatrics were clear cut and appalling even to Milan’s own supporters. This seems more like caving in to Juve’s whining. If Juve really want to be treated like everyone else, part of that involves learning that sometimes you get crappy calls against you and you have to suck it up and get on with it. That’s part of the game, and unless we’re going to start having stoppages for the refs to review the video, it’s always going to be part of the game.
Posted from
Italy -
re. Dida I was being sarcastic. Milan did appeal despite what happened was obvious and for everybody to see. Those poeple live in their own world were everything is due to them and nothng they do is wrong (let’s not forget Galliani commented on the possible Falso In Bilancio by saying it wasnt a big deal! how this attitude remins me of a certain italian politician!?!)
Latest news is that after watching new footage Napoli might still appeal.
New footage (low quality but can be seen here: http://napolitube.blogspot.com/ ) seem also to show a clearly irregularity from Legrotaglie. Let’s see what happenes. Dela & Marino have been maintaining a real gentleman & professional attitude all throughout their tenures. Although I admire and respect such posture I am not sure it works on the long run in serie A against the Barons and the Dons.Posted from
United Kingdom -
here’s the other footage:
http://mediacenter.gazzetta.it/MediaCenter/action/player?uuid=d1405ff6-86bf-11dc-8e38-0003ba99c667Posted from
United Kingdom
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