Chelsea is a classy squad...

[MC Moot]

Or not...but what the hell was the kid doing rolling around on top of the ball? Looks like he was trying to gain a breather for his team...punk ass prick...

http://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/chelsea-s-reputation-takes-another-hit-after-star-player-kicks-young-ball-boy-1.1127316

[HAL 9000]

He was wasting time because his team were defending a lead with time running out. On a second viewing, I think he kicked the ball out from under the kid rather than kicking him, but it doesnt look good.

[MC Moot]

Theres a part of me that thinks it looks just fine...I deplore when spectators try to influence the outcome of the game...

[Guy Incognito]

he wasnt a spectator, he's an employee of swansea city fc. he was out of order. Gaining a breather, do me a favour, it was enormous gamesmanship from some one who shouldnt be playing the bloody game. He's an assistant and he was 17 , he should have been thinking a bit clearer.

I'm not condoning what Hazard did. At the point the ball boy fell on the ball he should have turned round to the ref and asked him to sort it out and to strike the time off. But he didnt, he was eager to win and reacted. Wrong.

But if the ball boy wants to start really timewasting (being slow to give the ball back happens) and starts shielding the ball and deliberately obstructing the game then thats wrong. If he took it upon himself to start messing with the big boys then he's got to expect some sort of consequence (if hazard hadnt have reacted he still would have been in trouble with the club, the ref) although a kick in the stomach is going too far.

Seems to me that both parties were very quickly advised to apologise, no charges are being pressed, presumable cos the lads dad knew his son had crossed a line. Everyone's manned up and had a word, Hazard will be banned for a few games. End of story.

Hazard's young, made a mistake and he'll learn from it but he'll be on every football goals and gaffs dvd for the rest of time.

But it isnt the full on assault some are making it out to be. 2 wrongs dont make a right but the boy is at fault as well.

And compared to scumbags like cole and terry then well its nothing. And the chelsea fans applauding him were knobheads as well

[MC Moot]

I'm not condoning what Hazard did. At the point the ball boy fell on the ball he should have turned round to the ref and asked him to sort it out and to strike the time off. But he didnt, he was eager to win and reacted. Wrong.


Truth spoken...(y)

[MC Moot]

So apparently:

The boy posted on his Twitter account just hours before the game: "The king of all ball boys is back making his final appearance #needed #for #timewasting".

[MC Moot]

Seems to me that maybe British youth culture could use a good kicking in general...:D

[Guy Incognito]

So apparently:

The boy posted on his Twitter account just hours before the game: "The king of all ball boys is back making his final appearance #needed #for #timewasting".

someone at the club would have instructed them to be slow and there were other instances last night where the ball was rolled slowly back by other ball boys. And it makes sense they asked older lads to ball boy if they wanted them to slow it down a little But that would have been advised to just save the odd second, not delberately shield the ball and get a man sent off and make the game have 6 minutes of injury time. Too far.

[TurdBerglar]

why aren't unbiased "officials" used for ball boys? why are ball boys even needed?

there seems to be so many unnecessary elements in soccer that detract from the actual game.

[Guy Incognito]

why aren't unbiased "officials" used for ball boys? why are ball boys even needed?

there seems to be so many unnecessary elements in soccer that detract from the actual game.

its just usually members of home clubs youth team unless its a final. Think the rule is that they have to keep the same ball where possible but if it goes out for a few seconds another should come in. I think it is something FIFA were thinking about scrapping/changing but who knows with that mickey mouse operation

I gotta say that that's an interesting opinion from someone who likes american sports. I'm not having a go i just wouldnt have though little nuances of the game would be the thing you didnt like about it.

It is the greatest game in the world and there's always talking points

[TurdBerglar]

when ever world class soccer is ever being discussed it seems that things like politics, flopping/diving, fans, officiating, sportsmanship and so on seem to be the driving factor for the entertainment/discussion rather than the actual game.

it just seems from an outside observer that the actual game has taken a backseat to everything else. it seems to me that there's just a whole shitload of things that get in the way of the actual game.

im not really a fan of American sports. all I like is basketball. even the nba is a former shell of itself. most american sports are incredibly boring to watch including soccer. nothing really happens in american football, baseball, and soccer.

an American football game is like 3 hours long with 11 minutes of actual action. baseball is a lot of standing around waiting for the fucking ball to be hit. soccer is just watching a ball being volleyed back and forth around mid field. I guess all these theatrics are needed today for games that came into their own at least a hundred years ago to compete with the vast amount of today's frenetic and engaging entertainment.

[Guy Incognito]

sorry, i knew you liked the basketball so just assumed.

a lot of the "distractions" are part of the game for me and probably others. sometimes they do overshadow and dont show the sport in the greatest light, but it is ever evolving and constantly exciting. And i dont mean this to sound rude but if you think its all midfield then you havent seen enough.

I suppose the difference is that is a more flowing game than basketball or baseball. There's only one actual break, no real timeouts etc so i guess thats why it can seem a bit monotonous at times but even the dullest game can conjur a moment of brilliance from absolutely nowhere.

[MC Moot]

a lot of the "distractions" are part of the game for me and probably others. sometimes they do overshadow and dont show the sport in the greatest light, but it is ever evolving and constantly exciting.

si,si senor...(y)

[Yeti]

when ever world class soccer is ever being discussed it seems that things like politics, flopping/diving, fans, officiating, sportsmanship and so on seem to be the driving factor for the entertainment/discussion rather than the actual game.

it just seems from an outside observer that the actual game has taken a backseat to everything else. it seems to me that there's just a whole shitload of things that get in the way of the actual game.

im not really a fan of American sports. all I like is basketball. even the nba is a former shell of itself. most american sports are incredibly boring to watch including soccer. nothing really happens in american football, baseball, and soccer.

an American football game is like 3 hours long with 11 minutes of actual action. baseball is a lot of standing around waiting for the fucking ball to be hit. soccer is just watching a ball being volleyed back and forth around mid field. I guess all these theatrics are needed today for games that came into their own at least a hundred years ago to compete with the vast amount of today's frenetic and engaging entertainment.

College basketball is my favorite sport.

[TurdBerglar]

I suppose the difference is that is a more flowing game than basketball or baseball. There's only one actual break, no real timeouts etc so i guess thats why it can seem a bit monotonous at times but even the dullest game can conjur a moment of brilliance from absolutely nowhere.

it seems that the game is more about keeping control of the ball rather than scoring points. games seem to consist more of turnovers than scoring attempts. that's what I meant by the mid field volleying. the ball being turnover back and forth and play rarely coming close to the goal. that just isn't exciting at all to me. that's what I like about basketball and respect about hockey. there's a scoring play nearly every time down court. each play can be entirely different. from being a well thought out precision chess game to a full blown athletic explosion and sometimes just pure luck.

[Guy Incognito]

it seems that the game is more about keeping control of the ball rather than scoring points. games seem to consist more of turnovers than scoring attempts. that's what I meant by the mid field volleying. the ball being turnover back and forth and play rarely coming close to the goal. that just isn't exciting at all to me. that's what I like about basketball and respect about hockey. there's a scoring play nearly every time down court. each play can be entirely different. from being a well thought out precision chess game to a full blown athletic explosion and sometimes just pure luck.

i think the fact that is harder to score a goal than a basket is something that makes the game though. when a goal is scored the stadium erupts. Its also good to watch efforts that go close, or a good save or a good tackle.

Lots of people enjoy watching spain play because of their ball retention (i think its a bit of overkill at times) but the whole build up of scoring, the art of defending, a pass the vision of some players is amazing to watch.
And each goal can be the things you mentioned and more:

a well thought out precision chess game (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5W6vBI3mGE)

a full blown athletic explosion (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDuZpma_Oxs)

pure luck (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5loeV-_4og)

[TurdBerglar]

I think it's all down to my ADD nature. I've always needed something constant to keep me engaged. soccer just doesn't seem to be very dynamic all the time. it's dynamics seem to be very spread out and sparse with huge eruptions followed by calm lulls.

[Yeti]

Report: Man U value exceeds $3 billion
January 28, 2013
RECOMMEND741TWEET111EMAILPRINT
By Press Association
Manchester United has become the first sports team in the world to be valued at more than $3 billion, Forbes Magazine reported Monday.

A surge in the club's shares after a poor start when they were offered on the New York Stock Exchange in August has seen the overall value of United rise to $3.3 billion.

According to Forbes, United is comfortably ahead of the world's second-most-valuable sports team, the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, worth $2.1 billion.

The United shares were initially offered to the public at $14 and are now worth just under $17. The market cap -- or the outstanding value of the team's market share -- is $2.78 billion.

The demand for shares of the 19-time English champion grew due to better earnings and new sponsorship deals with Japan's Kansai and China Construction Bank, despite a drop in first-quarter earnings because of a reduction in television revenue.

Demand for shares may continue due to the club's EPL standings and Champions League potential.

It means a huge increase in the overall wealth of the Glazer family, who have a controlling interest in United, and billionaire investor George Soros -- the 22nd richest person in the world -- who bought a 7.5 percent stake in the club.

The Glazers sold 10 percent of their shares in the initial public offering sale in August but United vice chairman Ed Woodward insisted in October the family will not sell the club for "many, many years" despite ongoing interest.

[Guy Incognito]

^ despite ongoing interest = the fans want the fuckers out, club is £800 million in debt. Yes it turnsover a fuckload, but its paying their debts ffs.

the thing they need to worry about is replacing ferguson, get that wrong and shit will start to change

[Guy Incognito]

I think it's all down to my ADD nature. I've always needed something constant to keep me engaged. soccer just doesn't seem to be very dynamic all the time. it's dynamics seem to be very spread out and sparse with huge eruptions followed by calm lulls.

pieces of skill, technical ability can be appreciated without always having points at the end.

Also, football can produce games where one side absolutely pummels the other side but thru defensive ability, woodwork and luck , the underdogs go up the other end and score a belter and win. love stuff like that, except when united get beat!

[Freebasser]

club is £800 million in debt. Yes it turnsover a fuckload, but its paying their debts ffs.

Amen. I get so fucked off when I see how quickly some people have forgotten about our crippling debt. I'm still wearing my green and gold even if I stick out like a sore thumb (y)

Also, as a United fan, one moment of football magic stands out from above the rest. The Champions League final. A trophy some clubs can only ever dream of. In 1999 it was the first time we'd got to the final since 1968. I remember almost being in tears because we were seconds away from losing. Then this happened: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMiWFlMQNFs

The game's ending was so unexpected that UEFA President Lennart Johansson had left his seat in the stands before Sheringham's equaliser to make his way down to the pitch in order to present the European Cup trophy, already decorated with Bayern ribbons. When emerging from the tunnel at the final whistle, he was stunned. "I can't believe it," he later said, "The winners are crying and the losers are dancing."

I was still screaming and jumping around when the second went in.

Football brings so much joy, but also suffering. As much as it pains me to say it, this was great entertainment:

On the final day of last season we had to win our final game, and City had to draw or lose their final game for us to win the title. QPR, one of the weaker teams in the league had managed to somehow get a goal lead on City even after a coming together saw QPR's Joey Barton get sent off. QPR somehow managed to hang on with 10 men until 5 minutes to go. City pegged a goal back and carried on pushing. Both matches were being played at the same time, but the United game finished first with premature celebrations going around the ground. Everyone watching in the country flicked back over to the City game to see them make one last push when this happened: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ7k2Otl_vk

City had won their first league title in 44 years - nearly half a century. You can imagine how much it meant to their fans, and how horrible it was as a United fan to see our neighbours win the title. Every meeting with a City fan over the coming months was absolute hell.

This is what is great about football though. It is sheer drama. Everything is in the balance. A team can look cool, calm and composed for 89 minutes then suddenly lose concentration and let the opposition in. Then that's it - a trophy that has been contested for 9 months with teams swapping positions all the way to the final day is suddenly torn from the grasp of one club and plonked into the hands of another.

Plus, there's always something different/hilarious happening every week - The aforementioned beachball being a prime example, along with:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFLeTm46CqQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TFVuHrwgyY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzPMvAIrtQs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKJ4ZBYvYTw

Sheer entertainment.

[Guy Incognito]

^ the way city won it kinda softened the blow in a way because there was no arguing with the way they didnt give up.It looked like a case of old city throwing shit away but then they showed determination to come back. We've done that to so many teams that there was nothing to say but well done

not as good as the night at the nou camp though.

[MC Moot]

Never mind those bullock$,I'd rather buy Barca...;)

”CBS '60 Minutes' report on FC Barcelona” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AieW3xIdF0Q)

”Acadamia La Masia” (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504803_162-57562240-10391709/soccer-academy-la-masia-a-model-for-the-u.s./)

”Messi’s 91 in 2012” (http://www.postsbypanos.com/2013/01/messis-year-of-dominance.html#!/2013/01/messis-year-of-dominance.html)

[M|X|Y]

Never mind those bullock$,I'd rather buy Barca...;)

”CBS '60 Minutes' report on FC Barcelona” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AieW3xIdF0Q)

”Acadamia La Masia” (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504803_162-57562240-10391709/soccer-academy-la-masia-a-model-for-the-u.s./)

”Messi’s 91 in 2012” (http://www.postsbypanos.com/2013/01/messis-year-of-dominance.html#!/2013/01/messis-year-of-dominance.html)


nuff said. messi/barca .... argentina/spain = domination

[Guy Incognito]

yeah well, all good things come to an end.

thing with spain is that they would be a much better and dynamic sign if messi was spanish. Seems like they are geared to play the barca way with one vital agreement missing.

Plus for all the skill and passing and technique, still not as entertaining as this:

The Greatest Own Goal Ever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWNjWfIHXL4)

or this

BEst PL goal of last season (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmUXn7un-lU)

or this

Rooney! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOYcn0_fKHk)

seems all those clips leave City on the receiving end. Excellent.

[MC Moot]

The Greatest Own Goal Ever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWNjWfIHXL4)

I was scored on by my own mates 3 times last season...so,that smarts a bit...:rolleyes:


Rooney! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOYcn0_fKHk)

That's worth the cost of his hair plugs right there,alone...:D

[MC Moot]

I wonder,as players at any level,how many of us were ever coached to take a strategic,penalty or respite dive?...I was...as early as the age of eight...unsportsman like conduct or not,I can remember it perfectly to this day...

[Guy Incognito]

I wasnt but thats probably because i was shit.
I was born on exactly same day as Ryan Giggs and i think he must have been given all the footballing talent and all they had left for me was two left feet.
Still, i got all the good lucks and charm. Cough.

Well at least i didnt shag my sister in law.

Still a legend though, Giggsy. Still think he might end up managing the club at some point. But i also think he might shun football altogether after he's finished.

[TurdBerglar]

http://thechive.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/daily_gifdump_295_08.gif

[Helvete]

I was born on exactly same day as Ryan Giggs

OMG THAT'S AMAZING YOU HAVE THE SAME BIRTHDAY AS MY SISTER TOO!

[Pres Zount]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzPMvAIrtQs


LOOOOOL

The classy editing makes this.(y)

[Guy Incognito]

OMG THAT'S AMAZING YOU HAVE THE SAME BIRTHDAY AS MY SISTER TOO!

Amazing.