Viva Italia!!!!
So wow... that was some finish, huh? Going all the way down to PKs with David Treziguet hitting the crossbar to miss the goal... what a nail-biter. It's been a euphoric month, but the effect had to wear off at some point or other. The unsung hero of the final game had to be Materazzi because he got Italy to tie it 1 - 1. Then again, he could have been the goat for causing the foul (that only the ref apparently saw) inside the box for Zidane's penalty kick. However, Fabio Cannavaro definitely kept the team together as captain throughout the tournament.
I'll admit, I was cheering for Italy, but it would have been neat to see France win it too, especially with it being Zinedane Zidane's final game. Thierry Henry was especially amazing to watch throughout the match.
By this time tomorrow, everyone on the planet (yes, I'm exaggerating a bit) will have seen the headbutt heard 'round the world that Zidane gave to Materazzi near the end of overtime. Sure, it was vicious and unnecessary, and no doubt, he should have gotten a red card for it. But during the game, Julie Foudy, Eric Wynalda, and whoever that old dude was commenting on the game for ABC pissed me off for sounding so retarded, particularly since Julie and Eric are soccer veterans. For at least five minutes, they were milking the whole "Oh, that last moment is all Zidane will be remembered for" attitude, which basically all the press will have to say about such an amazing soccer player tomorrow in the paper. I would hope that I'm not the only human being on the earth that sees this as crap and that should just turn the tv off as soon as that sort of attitude is presented.
It's sickening to see how we as human beings focus and value so much on the negative just because it so rarely occurs as opposed to all the positive. Hell, Zidane came out of retirement to help his country win. He contributed to stopping the defending world cup champions (Brazil for all you people who are clueless about soccer) in this tournament, and was the main threat back in 1998 when France won the cup, scoring two of three goals in that game. At the age of 34, he was dribbling the ball around on the field with the speed and skill of the best out there. Undoubtedly, he was frustrated to have the game go as it did when he headbutted Materazzi, but he took a hit to his shoulder before that that almost made him ask for a sub. Yet like a trooper, he pulled through it. If there's anything disappointing about it, it's just the timing that he gave for his actions, but for anyone that says that's all Zidane will be remembered for, go shove your head right back up your ass and asphyxiate yourself.
Perfect game? No. Beautiful game? Definitely, for that's what soccer is.
I'll admit, I was cheering for Italy, but it would have been neat to see France win it too, especially with it being Zinedane Zidane's final game. Thierry Henry was especially amazing to watch throughout the match.
By this time tomorrow, everyone on the planet (yes, I'm exaggerating a bit) will have seen the headbutt heard 'round the world that Zidane gave to Materazzi near the end of overtime. Sure, it was vicious and unnecessary, and no doubt, he should have gotten a red card for it. But during the game, Julie Foudy, Eric Wynalda, and whoever that old dude was commenting on the game for ABC pissed me off for sounding so retarded, particularly since Julie and Eric are soccer veterans. For at least five minutes, they were milking the whole "Oh, that last moment is all Zidane will be remembered for" attitude, which basically all the press will have to say about such an amazing soccer player tomorrow in the paper. I would hope that I'm not the only human being on the earth that sees this as crap and that should just turn the tv off as soon as that sort of attitude is presented.
It's sickening to see how we as human beings focus and value so much on the negative just because it so rarely occurs as opposed to all the positive. Hell, Zidane came out of retirement to help his country win. He contributed to stopping the defending world cup champions (Brazil for all you people who are clueless about soccer) in this tournament, and was the main threat back in 1998 when France won the cup, scoring two of three goals in that game. At the age of 34, he was dribbling the ball around on the field with the speed and skill of the best out there. Undoubtedly, he was frustrated to have the game go as it did when he headbutted Materazzi, but he took a hit to his shoulder before that that almost made him ask for a sub. Yet like a trooper, he pulled through it. If there's anything disappointing about it, it's just the timing that he gave for his actions, but for anyone that says that's all Zidane will be remembered for, go shove your head right back up your ass and asphyxiate yourself.
Perfect game? No. Beautiful game? Definitely, for that's what soccer is.