Alas, the World Cup is over. After writing how much I had looked
forward to it, it makes sense that I write some kind of review.
It’s hard to go back and comment on everything that occurred over
the last month, even though I could write three columns worth on
why I favored or didn’t a particular team
“I don’t see why Americans have a problem with soccer. We are a country that will spend hours watching a baseball game go 1-0, and watch a bunch of cars race round and round an oval track.’
~ Byrant Gumbel
“A good goalkeeper stops shots. A great goalkeeper stops goals.”
~ Phil Benjamin, Phil Benjamin School of Goalkeeping.
Alas, the World Cup is over. After writing how much I had looked forward to it, it makes sense that I write some kind of review. It’s hard to go back and comment on everything that occurred over the last month, even though I could write three columns worth on why I favored or didn’t a particular team. But everything is shadowed by the final and the actions of France’s Zinedine Zidane. The announcers called him “The Great Zidane” so much, you’d think his first name was TheGreat.
I love watching Zidane. He reminds me so much of Joe Montana during the 49ers’ apex – that shy, polite demeanor off the field, total control and performing a couple of levels above everyone else on it – and an appealing rags-to-riches story.
Why would Zidazne ram his head into the chest of Italy’s Materrazzi?
Given my rather severe stance on sportsmanship, I should be outraged, but I am not. I don’t know if it’s because I admire Zidane because he has the smarts to shave his prematurely bald head, or because he reminds me so much of Montana. Although I know Joe Cool had his petty moments during the QB controversy with Steve Young, none could imagine him headbutting anyone.
When I saw it, I just wanted to laugh. Whatever happened to a slap or a punch? I’ve seen the head butts on TV and they look like they hurt, but not to the chest. And yet, I’m still not outraged. My only thought was “finally, something that will make that guy stop.”
I think my insufficient anger has a lot to do with how I feel about how the Italians play. As much as I’d like to support them because of the common ethnic heritage/paisan thing, back in 1982, I saw them nearly pull 21-year-old phenom Diego Maradona apart in the penalty box. One defender had both his arms wrapped around one arm pulling one way, another had the other arm going in an opposite direction, one defender had one of his legs in both hands(!) – and Maradona was still stretching to get the ball with the one free appendage he had. The refs didn’t call it. I had so looked forward to the Italians playing, but I was disappointed that their play was less than honorable.
Their strategy hasn’t changed. As poster-boy cute and media darlings as some of their players always become after a World Cup, I don’t like them as a team. They play like scrappy dogs, nipping and biting at the ankles all game long, trash-talking with impunity.
And when someone calls them on it, they raise their palms and shrug and say “What did I do?” They’re like the Jerry Sloan-led Chicago Bulls of the ’70s, the Raiders of any decade, playing so close to the boundaries, frequently over them, only stopping when they’re caught, and then only to start up again.
I guess the best way to sum up my reaction is it’s like the loudmouthed, bigoted lout or the boorish drunk at the baseball game who is dumped on his bum, then led out of the stadium, and everyone cheers. I don’t want to see others follow suit and head butt anyone, but that’s how I felt when Materrazzi got it in the chest.
I would guess that Zidane’s stature won’t be hurt by his impetuous action, just as Montana’s stature wasn’t hurt by his reactions to Steve Young. (I know, I know Joe never headbutted anyone. I just don’t feel the outrage). Anyway, the aftermath continues – Materrazzi claiming ignorance of what the word “terrorist” means and that mothers are sacred, slurs toward the French from right-wing Italian officials.
It’s interesting, too, how AFTER it happened, Zidane was more Algerian immigrant than French to the French. The Times had great coverage of the Cup and scooped every other paper in the nation by having Brian Hall give the ref’s eye view, quite a coup. Good job, folks! So, back to normal life without four to six hours of great soccer on TV … sigh … three years, 11 months to go to South Africa.
