First, one from the latter match:
Can't find a video of this anywhere, even almost 12 hours after the match.
Just after Costa Rica opened the scoring in a DISMAL match (which did pick up right at the end of regular time), Greece committed a blatant handball in the box which should've given Costa Rica a second goal.
However, the match turned cynical and chippy, Costa Rica got a player (rightly) sent off (and was lucky more didn't follow from either side!), and time-wasting was duly punished by a stoppage-time equalizer.
But more bullshit from the other match:
Robben actually has admitted he dove -- for the first-half penalty claim (that was probably the best of the three!) that actually broke Moreno's tibia!!
An irate Mexican coach has basically said he dove for all three penalty claims, the third (and lightest!) of which, he got for the 2-1 win.
I actually have found a video for the SECOND claim, which the video calls a classic Robben "hop and flop":
If you take a look at the third one which WAS called a penalty, howinhell is this second one not called one as well?
Monday, June 30, 2014
Sunday, June 29, 2014
And yet more shenanigans in Brazil...
Well, well, well, well, well...
That was a fine kettle of fish, wasn't it?
Netherlands go through, 2-1, on two goals in seven of the last minutes of the match.
It's the second goal, and two other calls NOT made in the match, all involving the Dutch's Arjen Robben, that I want to talk about here.
Here, from "Goooooooal" and their Vine account, was the first one...
Robben, coming off the goal line in the box, carries the ball forward, and goes down over the foot of a Mexican player to appear to draw the game-winning penalty.
So why do I think this is a bullshit situation to rid the tournament of very-pesky Mexico?
First, from the first half, a better penalty claim for Mexico when a guy gets kicked in the head in the box...
Now, I'm going to show you two other penalties Robben, by that standard, suffered in the match.
1) Stoppage time, first half. Robben in the box, appears to beat one Mexican player, and is chopped down by Hector Moreno.
I'll give you a link on that one for now, but it's a clear video from ESPN.
If the penalty at the end of the match was a penalty, not only is this one a penalty as well, but Mexico should've played the balance of the match with ten men. Moreno should've been sent off for this foul for Denial of a Goal-Scoring Opportunity.
(He was injured and substituted.)
So, not only is Moreno not sent off or penalized, no call is made on the play at all. And yet, chips down on the table, you call that ticky-tack penalty?
2) Can't find a video on this one at the time I'm posting this, but Robben went down in the box again in the second half after playing a ball.
In this case, the Mexican did get to the ball, but Robben went down afterward as it appeared the Mexican left his foot out there -- far more obviously than the one the official finally did call in stoppage time.
When even Klinsmann, the USA coach who used to coach Germany, is saying the heavyweights are getting benefits, you know something is wrong...
That was a fine kettle of fish, wasn't it?
Netherlands go through, 2-1, on two goals in seven of the last minutes of the match.
It's the second goal, and two other calls NOT made in the match, all involving the Dutch's Arjen Robben, that I want to talk about here.
Here, from "Goooooooal" and their Vine account, was the first one...
Robben, coming off the goal line in the box, carries the ball forward, and goes down over the foot of a Mexican player to appear to draw the game-winning penalty.
So why do I think this is a bullshit situation to rid the tournament of very-pesky Mexico?
First, from the first half, a better penalty claim for Mexico when a guy gets kicked in the head in the box...
Now, I'm going to show you two other penalties Robben, by that standard, suffered in the match.
1) Stoppage time, first half. Robben in the box, appears to beat one Mexican player, and is chopped down by Hector Moreno.
I'll give you a link on that one for now, but it's a clear video from ESPN.
If the penalty at the end of the match was a penalty, not only is this one a penalty as well, but Mexico should've played the balance of the match with ten men. Moreno should've been sent off for this foul for Denial of a Goal-Scoring Opportunity.
(He was injured and substituted.)
So, not only is Moreno not sent off or penalized, no call is made on the play at all. And yet, chips down on the table, you call that ticky-tack penalty?
2) Can't find a video on this one at the time I'm posting this, but Robben went down in the box again in the second half after playing a ball.
In this case, the Mexican did get to the ball, but Robben went down afterward as it appeared the Mexican left his foot out there -- far more obviously than the one the official finally did call in stoppage time.
When even Klinsmann, the USA coach who used to coach Germany, is saying the heavyweights are getting benefits, you know something is wrong...
Friday, June 27, 2014
Playing Fair With Isaiah Austin, Part II
Deadspin reports that Isaiah Austin, ceremonially selected in the first round of the NBA Draft last night after his career was ended with a discovery of Marfan Syndrome, will have at least two opportunities to continue in basketball.
According to Jenny Dial Creech, beat writer for the Houston Rockets in the Houston Chronicle, not only has Baylor University already offered Austin a position with the program, but Adam Silver himself has stated that, should Austin decide once he gets his degree, that Silver will find a position for him with the National Basketball Association.
According to Jenny Dial Creech, beat writer for the Houston Rockets in the Houston Chronicle, not only has Baylor University already offered Austin a position with the program, but Adam Silver himself has stated that, should Austin decide once he gets his degree, that Silver will find a position for him with the National Basketball Association.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Time For Me To Play Fair Again...
In a continuing occasional series, when someone in sports whom I usually flame does something so right, it cannot be ignored.
I have had many cross words over the years for the NBA, but Adam Silver, much more than his predecessor, I do believe, for the most part, when the old boys' network gets out of the way (or is forced to!), tries to do the right thing.
Tonight, he succeeded at the annual NBA Draft.
Midway through the first round, Silver stopped the proceedings a moment and went to the podium.
Baylor University had a very prominent center who was predicted to be drafted tonight. His name is Isaiah Austin.
Austin will never play in the National Basketball Association, and it's not his fault.
During the pre-draft combines and medical checkups and all that, Austin discovered he had Marfan Syndrome, a genetic disorder which, under pain of death, prohibited him from professional-level sporting activity. According to a USA Today article (linked below, just above the video, which the article drew from) about tonight's event and the Mayo Clinic, Marfan Syndrome effects the eyes, heart, skeleton, and circulation.
His career, tragically, was forced to end.
However, the story making it to the national news led to a moment in the NBA Draft when Adam Silver did the following:
It probably doesn't mean any kind of monetary help for the situation Austin now finds himself in. It is hoped he will quickly translate his skills to something which his condition will allow him to participate in.
But the NBA was not going to let Isaiah Austin's hard work go unmerited.
For that, even with some of my issues with the NBA and during all the crooked nature of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, it's time to play fair again.
I have had many cross words over the years for the NBA, but Adam Silver, much more than his predecessor, I do believe, for the most part, when the old boys' network gets out of the way (or is forced to!), tries to do the right thing.
Tonight, he succeeded at the annual NBA Draft.
Midway through the first round, Silver stopped the proceedings a moment and went to the podium.
Baylor University had a very prominent center who was predicted to be drafted tonight. His name is Isaiah Austin.
Austin will never play in the National Basketball Association, and it's not his fault.
During the pre-draft combines and medical checkups and all that, Austin discovered he had Marfan Syndrome, a genetic disorder which, under pain of death, prohibited him from professional-level sporting activity. According to a USA Today article (linked below, just above the video, which the article drew from) about tonight's event and the Mayo Clinic, Marfan Syndrome effects the eyes, heart, skeleton, and circulation.
His career, tragically, was forced to end.
However, the story making it to the national news led to a moment in the NBA Draft when Adam Silver did the following:
It probably doesn't mean any kind of monetary help for the situation Austin now finds himself in. It is hoped he will quickly translate his skills to something which his condition will allow him to participate in.
But the NBA was not going to let Isaiah Austin's hard work go unmerited.
For that, even with some of my issues with the NBA and during all the crooked nature of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, it's time to play fair again.
And now the plot thickens even further with Ghana...
I am now convinced, given several hours doing other things and thinking about it, that we have witnessed a bought-and-paid-for fixed World Cup match this morning in Brasilia.
Information from a Dirty Tackle blog on Yahoo! Sports post indicates the situation surrounding the Ghana soccer team now clicks all the checkmarks to indicate today's match with Portugal was a bought and paid-off farce.
Last night, this surreal scene played out...
(Source: BBC Africa Twitter)
"Here's the $3m cash owed to Ghana's World Cup team, being carried in convoy through Brasilia (Photo via@rede_globo)"
Rede Globo is a Brazilian television network.
Then, before the game today, THIS surreal scene went viral at about 5:30 AM Pacific (USA) time this morning...
(The source of the photo is unclear -- the Twitter account (an unofficial World Cup Twitter feed) gives no attribution, and neither, apparently, did the Yahoo! post.)
"Ghana's John Boye seen kissing his $100K stack from $3mil share.#GHA"
The evidence mounts, world.
John Boye would, in the match, score an own goal to aid Portugal, and, hence, the United States of America.
Information from a Dirty Tackle blog on Yahoo! Sports post indicates the situation surrounding the Ghana soccer team now clicks all the checkmarks to indicate today's match with Portugal was a bought and paid-off farce.
Last night, this surreal scene played out...
(Source: BBC Africa Twitter)
"Here's the $3m cash owed to Ghana's World Cup team, being carried in convoy through Brasilia (Photo via
Rede Globo is a Brazilian television network.
Then, before the game today, THIS surreal scene went viral at about 5:30 AM Pacific (USA) time this morning...
(The source of the photo is unclear -- the Twitter account (an unofficial World Cup Twitter feed) gives no attribution, and neither, apparently, did the Yahoo! post.)
"Ghana's John Boye seen kissing his $100K stack from $3mil share.
The evidence mounts, world.
John Boye would, in the match, score an own goal to aid Portugal, and, hence, the United States of America.
We Were Looking At the Wrong Group G Match
The biscotto (prearranged result to benefit both teams in a group-phase situation) did not come into play, Germany gets the 1-0 win in a flood in Recife to win the group.
It's the other match people needed to see.
In just the last couple of days, the Ghana team basically fell apart:
So what happens in the match?
As I said, Germany won 1-0 .
In the 30th minute of the other match, this happened:
John Boye scored an own goal to give Portugal the 1-0 lead.
Within 3 minutes of the Muller goal in Recife which had Germany win their match, Ghana equalized, and, under the "goals scored in group" tiebreaker, Ghana would need only to win 2-1 to oust the USA from the World Cup for the third consecutive time.
Then, THIS happened in the 80th minute:
Ball is headed high into the air by the Ghana defense, and usually, the goalkeeper is able to go up and get the ball in a two-handed catch.
What happened instead was the goalkeeper fisting the ball down with both hands right to the feet of an unmarked Cristiano Ronaldo, who cashed in, and didn't even celebrate the goal which would win the match.
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM....
I don't think there's much doubt on this one. USA gets at least one more game of big ratings (and, I would assert, a very realistic shot at at least two!)....
It's the other match people needed to see.
In just the last couple of days, the Ghana team basically fell apart:
- Two of it's best players were thrown off the team (Kevin Prince-Boateng and Sulley Muntari), one for cursing out his coach, the other for an attack on an official of the Ghanian soccer federation.
- The president of the country airlifted $3,000,000 to the team to prevent them (ostensibly) from boycotting the match with Portugal as part of a dispute... over pay.
So what happens in the match?
As I said, Germany won 1-0 .
In the 30th minute of the other match, this happened:
John Boye scored an own goal to give Portugal the 1-0 lead.
Within 3 minutes of the Muller goal in Recife which had Germany win their match, Ghana equalized, and, under the "goals scored in group" tiebreaker, Ghana would need only to win 2-1 to oust the USA from the World Cup for the third consecutive time.
Then, THIS happened in the 80th minute:
Ball is headed high into the air by the Ghana defense, and usually, the goalkeeper is able to go up and get the ball in a two-handed catch.
What happened instead was the goalkeeper fisting the ball down with both hands right to the feet of an unmarked Cristiano Ronaldo, who cashed in, and didn't even celebrate the goal which would win the match.
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM....
I don't think there's much doubt on this one. USA gets at least one more game of big ratings (and, I would assert, a very realistic shot at at least two!)....
Suarez Ban: What. A. Fucking. Joke.
The hammer came down quickly, and, for a player with the record of Luis Suarez, it's a joke.
A.
Farce.
- Nine International Match Ban for Uruguay
- Banned from all of soccer for four months. (This includes his club team, and a stadium ban.)
- Fined 100,000 Swiss Francs, about $112,000.
A.
Farce.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
OK, FIFA, Now We're Getting Completely Ridiculous
So, halfway through the third phase of the Group Stage, let's go over some things:
Group A:
Brazil gets three goals from Neymar after he should've been sent off for a forearm to the face in the first match: Check.
Mexico gets two Dos Santos goals wrongly disallowed for comical offside calls: Check.
Brazil 2 wins and a draw Goal Difference: +5
Mexico Same record Goal Difference: +3
As a result:
Brazil get this R16-quarterfinal setup:
Brazil vs. Chile
Colombia vs. Uruguay (more on that in a second)
Mexico get European power Netherlands (one of the last Euro powers left, with both Spain and Italy now eliminated!)
Costa Rica face Greece in the other match of that quarter.
Fortunately, those are quarters in the opposite half of the draw, but this is getting awfully gift-wrapped for Brazil.
And we have Luis Suarez of Uruguay to thank for that.
AGAIN.
For the third major time in his professional career, Suarez, seen by many as one of the top players in the world, is under a suspicion of a long ban for literally sinking his teeth into an opponent today.
In the second half of a scoreless match with Italy, Luis Suarez appeared to lean his head in and headbutt and bite Italy's Giorgino Chiellini, resulting in a clear bite mark on his shoulder.
Suarez, for those who need a reminder:
And here's the thing:
At that point, the match was scoreless. Uruguay scored a short time later, and Italy were eliminated as a result of the 1-0 loss. A draw would've sent Italy through, second in the group.
The referee and the official on that side didn't see it.
Now, as a result, both the Italian national team coach and the president of Italy's football association have both resigned as the result of what appears to be yet another referee-induced/unfair/rigged/scripted early exit in the World Cup.
(Not unlike Bosnia-Herzegovina's, referenced earlier in this blog.)
Luis Suarez is a man who cannot control his emotions on the pitch, and, even though he is still considered one of the top ten players in the world, that cannot excuse a continuing pattern of this conduct (and may actually explain his undefensibility, to coin a word -- as well as his status as one of the ten best footballers in the world).
I mean, would you want to be the guy marking someone who might sink his teeth into you at a key moment?
Suarez needs to be banned -- for LIFE. No more football, no more soccer, no more of it.
The problem with this is that FIFA by-laws appear to max out at twenty-four months.
If I were running FIFA, not only would Suarez be banned for life, Uruguay would be disqualified from the World Cup and replaced with Italy.
That's for starters...
And then, if that's not enough, we have continuing allegations coming out from the Ghanian camp that a video has surfaced in the continuing investigation into match-fixing in soccer (which has all but been lifted from the work of Declan Hill, thankyouverylittle), confirming that no less than the president of Ghana's football federation has been in direct communication with the likes of Mr. Tan and Mr. Perumal for fixing of matches.
Hmmmm...
Let's see here...
The last USA match had ratings, at the least, comparative to the recent NBA Finals, the last bastion of the Big Three in Miami.
Ghana has a much easier road to the second round with a victory and a USA defeat than Portugal does...
HMMMMMMMMMM....
Group A:
Brazil gets three goals from Neymar after he should've been sent off for a forearm to the face in the first match: Check.
Mexico gets two Dos Santos goals wrongly disallowed for comical offside calls: Check.
Brazil 2 wins and a draw Goal Difference: +5
Mexico Same record Goal Difference: +3
As a result:
Brazil get this R16-quarterfinal setup:
Brazil vs. Chile
Colombia vs. Uruguay (more on that in a second)
Mexico get European power Netherlands (one of the last Euro powers left, with both Spain and Italy now eliminated!)
Costa Rica face Greece in the other match of that quarter.
Fortunately, those are quarters in the opposite half of the draw, but this is getting awfully gift-wrapped for Brazil.
And we have Luis Suarez of Uruguay to thank for that.
AGAIN.
For the third major time in his professional career, Suarez, seen by many as one of the top players in the world, is under a suspicion of a long ban for literally sinking his teeth into an opponent today.
In the second half of a scoreless match with Italy, Luis Suarez appeared to lean his head in and headbutt and bite Italy's Giorgino Chiellini, resulting in a clear bite mark on his shoulder.
Suarez, for those who need a reminder:
- Exited the Netherlands side Ajax with his first bite incident in late 2010, when the Dutch league suspended him for seven matches and Suarez was shopped to Liverpool during the ban.
- Was suspended by the English FA for eight matches less than a year later and fined 40,000 British pounds for a racial epithet at Patrice Evra of Manchester United.
- Was banned by the FA for ten matches in April of 2013 for his second bite incident, this one against Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea.
- AND I FORGOT THIS ONE: Edit to add: His deliberate handball on the line in the last World Cup to progress Uruguay to the semifinals, a semifinal they had no right to be in...
And here's the thing:
At that point, the match was scoreless. Uruguay scored a short time later, and Italy were eliminated as a result of the 1-0 loss. A draw would've sent Italy through, second in the group.
The referee and the official on that side didn't see it.
Now, as a result, both the Italian national team coach and the president of Italy's football association have both resigned as the result of what appears to be yet another referee-induced/unfair/rigged/scripted early exit in the World Cup.
(Not unlike Bosnia-Herzegovina's, referenced earlier in this blog.)
Luis Suarez is a man who cannot control his emotions on the pitch, and, even though he is still considered one of the top ten players in the world, that cannot excuse a continuing pattern of this conduct (and may actually explain his undefensibility, to coin a word -- as well as his status as one of the ten best footballers in the world).
I mean, would you want to be the guy marking someone who might sink his teeth into you at a key moment?
Suarez needs to be banned -- for LIFE. No more football, no more soccer, no more of it.
The problem with this is that FIFA by-laws appear to max out at twenty-four months.
If I were running FIFA, not only would Suarez be banned for life, Uruguay would be disqualified from the World Cup and replaced with Italy.
That's for starters...
And then, if that's not enough, we have continuing allegations coming out from the Ghanian camp that a video has surfaced in the continuing investigation into match-fixing in soccer (which has all but been lifted from the work of Declan Hill, thankyouverylittle), confirming that no less than the president of Ghana's football federation has been in direct communication with the likes of Mr. Tan and Mr. Perumal for fixing of matches.
Hmmmm...
Let's see here...
The last USA match had ratings, at the least, comparative to the recent NBA Finals, the last bastion of the Big Three in Miami.
Ghana has a much easier road to the second round with a victory and a USA defeat than Portugal does...
HMMMMMMMMMM....
Saturday, June 21, 2014
And we've got another tournament-turning (almost certainly fixed) howler...
Day Ten
Group F -- after the world was digesting the electric second half that left Ghana and Germany deadlocked, Bosnia-Herzegovina played Nigeria today.
This happened...
As a result of that and a later Nigerian goal (for the first Nigerian win in their last 10 World Cup games), Bosnia-Herzegovina have been eliminated from contention with one group match to go.
Group F -- after the world was digesting the electric second half that left Ghana and Germany deadlocked, Bosnia-Herzegovina played Nigeria today.
This happened...
As a result of that and a later Nigerian goal (for the first Nigerian win in their last 10 World Cup games), Bosnia-Herzegovina have been eliminated from contention with one group match to go.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Day Two, And More Referee Howlers
Didn't look as if the problems with the officiating cost anyone a match (though there have to be serious questions as to whether Spain decided to mail in their tournament after the debacle yesterday in Sao Paulo and actually getting a challenge from the Dutch after a penalty (more a matter of drawing the foul than a true dive) was equalized with a van Persie golazo -- a flying header which opened the second-half floodgates), but the second Group A match had a couple real howlers which could've turned the tide for Cameroon.
11th minute, and Giovani Dos Santos should've made it 1-0 on this effort:
The blue line shows the third defender in the box made Dos Santos onside.
30th minute, off a Mexican corner, Dos Santos again is incorrectly denied!
Even so, Mexico rallied from those two questionable decisions to snag a 1-0 victory.
Perhaps the bigger questions (more off the pitch than on it) are going to come from the four-goal second-half collapse of the soon-to-be-no-longer-defending champions, Spain, as the Netherlands took them to the woodshed for a 5-1 embarrassment.
Could Spain have seen Day 1's debacle and decided, at the first real sense of adversity, not to bother?
11th minute, and Giovani Dos Santos should've made it 1-0 on this effort:
The blue line shows the third defender in the box made Dos Santos onside.
30th minute, off a Mexican corner, Dos Santos again is incorrectly denied!
Even so, Mexico rallied from those two questionable decisions to snag a 1-0 victory.
Perhaps the bigger questions (more off the pitch than on it) are going to come from the four-goal second-half collapse of the soon-to-be-no-longer-defending champions, Spain, as the Netherlands took them to the woodshed for a 5-1 embarrassment.
Could Spain have seen Day 1's debacle and decided, at the first real sense of adversity, not to bother?
Friday, June 13, 2014
More on the Brazil-Croatia Bullshit...
Reaction spewing forth from the opening rig-job/farce/"match" of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where, with help of referee Nishimura from Japan, the hosts escaped with a 3-1 "victory" over a Croatian side...
""Everyone saw that," Corluka added when asked if Nishimura had specifically favored Brazil. "Not just the Croatia players. Every 50-50 decision goes to them. It was the opening of the World Cup and you expect something more.""
A straight red-card for Neymar not only eliminates him from the match and puts Brazil to ten men, but suspends Neymar for the next three matches, all the way through the Round of 16 in the knockout phase.
But they wouldn't have that. Nishimura also had no control of the players over his decisions, not willing to book numerous players (in both questionable incidents favoring Brazil) for dissent or even possibly sending off for violent conduct.
- .... who feels so screwed that a boycott of the rest of the tournament is at least being vocalized to make themselves feel better.
""Everyone saw that," Corluka added when asked if Nishimura had specifically favored Brazil. "Not just the Croatia players. Every 50-50 decision goes to them. It was the opening of the World Cup and you expect something more.""
- And one of those key 50-50 decisions that went Brazil's way could've seen Neymar sent off before he scored either of the first two Brazilian goals.
A straight red-card for Neymar not only eliminates him from the match and puts Brazil to ten men, but suspends Neymar for the next three matches, all the way through the Round of 16 in the knockout phase.
But they wouldn't have that. Nishimura also had no control of the players over his decisions, not willing to book numerous players (in both questionable incidents favoring Brazil) for dissent or even possibly sending off for violent conduct.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Gee, One Game In And Declan Hill Looks Good Already!!!
The hosts couldn't even wait to get out of the first match before we had a blatant World Cup controversy that was ON the pitch.
69th minute, and the hosts are being held to a 1-1 draw.
As anyone who's been following the World Cup knows, rioting has been threatened (and occasionally spilled over) in Brazil during and since the Confederations' Cup warm-up last year. Protests led to clashes even today, a Brazilian national holiday for the start of the tournament.
Then, Yuichi Nishimura of Japan stepped in with this howler off his whistle (if FIFA allows this YouTube post to stay up for any length of time -- har har):
The angle at 26 seconds shows it perfectly. In a sport where a foul at midfield is not a foul in the penalty area (the ensuing kick is a 95% chance of a goal, due to the rules of a penalty kick -- Brazil converted and eventually won 3-1), Brazilian star Fred (one name) goes down after being, if at all held, held lightly.
But he falls backward, simulating a foul for which the defender is given a yellow card (and, if Nishimura were then smart about the fix, he'd have sent him off for dissent (a second yellow) during the ensuing crowding of the official, and might've sent off another Croatian for abuse).
If anything, that's a foul on Brazil and a yellow card on Fred.
Croatian coach Niko Kovac, perhaps giving a tell here:
"If that’s a penalty, then we can just stop playing football right now," said Croatian coach Niko Kovac, suggesting biased officiating could be a tournament long problem. "…It's ridiculous. If we continue in this way, we will have a circus. …If that’s how we start the World Cup, then we may as well give up and go home now."
If the match-fixers from Asia are in Brazil, as Declan Hill also has posited, they might well have another willing target now...
EDITED TO ADD: The post-call scrum with the Croatians relates to a past incident with Nishimura, upon further investigation -- he was banned from the 2008 African Cup of Nations for not sending off several players from Angola for shoving him during a similar melee.
69th minute, and the hosts are being held to a 1-1 draw.
As anyone who's been following the World Cup knows, rioting has been threatened (and occasionally spilled over) in Brazil during and since the Confederations' Cup warm-up last year. Protests led to clashes even today, a Brazilian national holiday for the start of the tournament.
Then, Yuichi Nishimura of Japan stepped in with this howler off his whistle (if FIFA allows this YouTube post to stay up for any length of time -- har har):
The angle at 26 seconds shows it perfectly. In a sport where a foul at midfield is not a foul in the penalty area (the ensuing kick is a 95% chance of a goal, due to the rules of a penalty kick -- Brazil converted and eventually won 3-1), Brazilian star Fred (one name) goes down after being, if at all held, held lightly.
But he falls backward, simulating a foul for which the defender is given a yellow card (and, if Nishimura were then smart about the fix, he'd have sent him off for dissent (a second yellow) during the ensuing crowding of the official, and might've sent off another Croatian for abuse).
If anything, that's a foul on Brazil and a yellow card on Fred.
Croatian coach Niko Kovac, perhaps giving a tell here:
"If that’s a penalty, then we can just stop playing football right now," said Croatian coach Niko Kovac, suggesting biased officiating could be a tournament long problem. "…It's ridiculous. If we continue in this way, we will have a circus. …If that’s how we start the World Cup, then we may as well give up and go home now."
If the match-fixers from Asia are in Brazil, as Declan Hill also has posited, they might well have another willing target now...
EDITED TO ADD: The post-call scrum with the Croatians relates to a past incident with Nishimura, upon further investigation -- he was banned from the 2008 African Cup of Nations for not sending off several players from Angola for shoving him during a similar melee.
Minneapolis, You Are Our Bitch Love, The NFL
Story's gotten quite a bit of play in the media, but I felt the need to touch on it before Brazil takes everything over for about the next month, barring any further developments in Donald Sterling's madness or the O'Bannon trial kicking off...
Over the weekend, the NFL'sransom note list of requests for potential Super Bowl LII hosts was leaked to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
The direct .PDF file of the demands on whoever was going to host the 2018 game is here.
It reads that basically the NFL is going to own the city of Minneapolis, at no cost to the NFL (and that exact phrase is repeated over once a page in a document that is 153 pages long!!!) for several days previous to and the day of (and probably days after) the February 4, 2018 holy grail.
The NFL has control over the stadium, and most, if not all, the areas around it. It starts to take realistic control about the moment the conference championship games are over. A 300-foot security perimeter around the stadium, as well as the stadium itself, are effectively the property of the NFL (at no cost to the league for any necessary actions thereto, cleaning (both before and after) included (p. 25) 15 days before the game until 48 hours after it's completion.
Any Internet/social media/wifi improvements needed also come at no cost to the league. (p. 25-26)
A 14,000 foot concrete barrier will fortify the stadium, and 300 feet around it -- at no cost to the league. (p. 30) Any businesses within this 300-foot area must CLOSE for the duration of the lockdown, 96 hours prior to the game until the NFL reopens the area.
This, almost certainly, will be used as an opportunity to drive out businesses which might not be corporate enough for the NFL's liking, whether they fall into the zone or not!
The NFL controls ALL advertising in the Super Bowl stadium. (p. 33-34)
The NFL also demands an area in which 2500 people can work to prepare the Super Bowl Halftime Show, for a week before the game. That building, and all parking thereto, at no cost to the league. (p. 34)
In fact, let's save time -- all improvements to anything to bring the stuff up to Super Bowl standards, no cost to the league.
At least 19,000 "top-level" hotel rooms must be made available to the NFL and it's partners. (p. 49)
At least five hotels (one for the headquarters, and two for each team) must be made 100% exclusive to the NFL. (p. 51-55)
And, if they need extra hotel meeting space or Saturday night meeting rooms, they come... at no cost to the league. (p. 55)
300 top-quality busses, 65 limosuines, and 10 elite-quality busses (5 for each team) must be available. (p. 56)
Transportation Operations office with a staff of 250 and a bus yard for the 300 busses -- no cost to the league. (p. 57) The bus yard is for a 15-day period -- 10 before the game, to 5 after.
Within one mile of the stadium, six blocks of the NFL Experience site, and six blocks of the NFL headquarters will be made a "Clean Zone". No temporary structures, no unauthorized signage, etc. (p. 66)
All public safety and security measures necessary -- no cost to the league. (p. 67)
The NFL will take possession of Super Bowl Boulevard, a street system meant to link the stadium, the NFL Experience, and other relevant areas. (p. 73)
A tailgate party of at least 400,000 square feet (and it would be indoors in Minneapolis) near the stadium -- at no cost to the league. (p. 80)
A building for the NFL Honors awards event -- no cost to the league. (p .84)
NFL House, a place for the league's "most valued and influential guests) for hospitality and schmoozing, at no cost to the league. (p. 89)
Rent free, a 75,000 square-foot-plus venue for the Friday Night concert event. (p. 91)
80,000 square-foot media center, no cost to the league. (p. 97)
50,000-65,000 square-foot credential center, no cost to the league. (p. 104)
Also, the bowling alleys for a bowling event during the week, no cost to the league.
--
Basically, they own the city of Minneapolis, the moment the bid was agreed to.
And, basically, at no cost to the league.
This, for what studies are finding is a $30-120 million spending by the visiting parties to the Super Bowl.
Indianapolis lost at least a million dollars for hosting the 2012 event.
If this list of demands was any indication, it sounds like Minneapolis will lose far more.
And, if they said no, well, word is the Vikings aren't going to be very good in the years to come to begin with....
Over the weekend, the NFL's
The direct .PDF file of the demands on whoever was going to host the 2018 game is here.
It reads that basically the NFL is going to own the city of Minneapolis, at no cost to the NFL (and that exact phrase is repeated over once a page in a document that is 153 pages long!!!) for several days previous to and the day of (and probably days after) the February 4, 2018 holy grail.
- The NFL gets EVERY PENNY of the tickets. The city gets ZERO. (page 18)
- Any additions to the seating must be approved by the league, at no cost to the league, and must be installed by the first home game of the 2018 NFL season. (page 18)
- No cost to the NFL for any ADA modifications necessary due to Super Bowl LII. (page 19)
- Any costs to ensure cold-weather access to the stadium, no cost to the league. (page 19)
- Though the NFL will pay for utility costs (power, water, sewage, etc.), the access to the utilities is at no cost to the league. (page 20, 25)
- Though the NFL will pay for any required monitor replacements (NFL or sponsor-branded, naturally), the signal to power them? No cost to the league. (page 20)
- If the league or television network need temporary lights... No cost to the league. (page 20)
- Stadium's audio engineer? No cost to the league. (page 21)
- If the PA system must be improved to meet Super Bowl standards? No cost to the league. (page 21)
- The video control system, same thing. No cost to the league for operation or needed improvements. (page 21)
- Equal locker rooms for both teams. If the visiting locker room needs upgrade? You guessed it. No cost to the league. (page 22)
The NFL has control over the stadium, and most, if not all, the areas around it. It starts to take realistic control about the moment the conference championship games are over. A 300-foot security perimeter around the stadium, as well as the stadium itself, are effectively the property of the NFL (at no cost to the league for any necessary actions thereto, cleaning (both before and after) included (p. 25) 15 days before the game until 48 hours after it's completion.
Any Internet/social media/wifi improvements needed also come at no cost to the league. (p. 25-26)
A 14,000 foot concrete barrier will fortify the stadium, and 300 feet around it -- at no cost to the league. (p. 30) Any businesses within this 300-foot area must CLOSE for the duration of the lockdown, 96 hours prior to the game until the NFL reopens the area.
This, almost certainly, will be used as an opportunity to drive out businesses which might not be corporate enough for the NFL's liking, whether they fall into the zone or not!
The NFL controls ALL advertising in the Super Bowl stadium. (p. 33-34)
The NFL also demands an area in which 2500 people can work to prepare the Super Bowl Halftime Show, for a week before the game. That building, and all parking thereto, at no cost to the league. (p. 34)
In fact, let's save time -- all improvements to anything to bring the stuff up to Super Bowl standards, no cost to the league.
At least 19,000 "top-level" hotel rooms must be made available to the NFL and it's partners. (p. 49)
At least five hotels (one for the headquarters, and two for each team) must be made 100% exclusive to the NFL. (p. 51-55)
And, if they need extra hotel meeting space or Saturday night meeting rooms, they come... at no cost to the league. (p. 55)
300 top-quality busses, 65 limosuines, and 10 elite-quality busses (5 for each team) must be available. (p. 56)
Transportation Operations office with a staff of 250 and a bus yard for the 300 busses -- no cost to the league. (p. 57) The bus yard is for a 15-day period -- 10 before the game, to 5 after.
Within one mile of the stadium, six blocks of the NFL Experience site, and six blocks of the NFL headquarters will be made a "Clean Zone". No temporary structures, no unauthorized signage, etc. (p. 66)
All public safety and security measures necessary -- no cost to the league. (p. 67)
The NFL will take possession of Super Bowl Boulevard, a street system meant to link the stadium, the NFL Experience, and other relevant areas. (p. 73)
A tailgate party of at least 400,000 square feet (and it would be indoors in Minneapolis) near the stadium -- at no cost to the league. (p. 80)
A building for the NFL Honors awards event -- no cost to the league. (p .84)
NFL House, a place for the league's "most valued and influential guests) for hospitality and schmoozing, at no cost to the league. (p. 89)
Rent free, a 75,000 square-foot-plus venue for the Friday Night concert event. (p. 91)
80,000 square-foot media center, no cost to the league. (p. 97)
50,000-65,000 square-foot credential center, no cost to the league. (p. 104)
Also, the bowling alleys for a bowling event during the week, no cost to the league.
--
Basically, they own the city of Minneapolis, the moment the bid was agreed to.
And, basically, at no cost to the league.
This, for what studies are finding is a $30-120 million spending by the visiting parties to the Super Bowl.
Indianapolis lost at least a million dollars for hosting the 2012 event.
If this list of demands was any indication, it sounds like Minneapolis will lose far more.
And, if they said no, well, word is the Vikings aren't going to be very good in the years to come to begin with....
Friday, June 6, 2014
And here's the NBA Finals Study for 2014...
MIAMI HEAT VS. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
(San Antonio leads series 3-1.)
Game 1 (June 5): San Antonio 110 - Miami 95
Otherwise, San Antonio was a 5 point favorite, with a 5.5 at the South Point (and, I think, at the Mirage). (BIG COVER)
O/U: 198.5 - 199.5 (OVER)
Free throws: San Antonio 17-22 Miami 9-11
That, and a failure in the air conditioning, which caused LeBron James to leave the game with cramps, pretty much tells you all you need to know about Game 1.
Game 2 (June 8): Miami 98 - San Antonio 96
San Antonio was a 3.5 - 4 point favorite. (UPSET)
O/U: Anywhere from 198.5 - 201. Definite middle possibilities. (ALL UNDER)
Free Throws: Miami 16-21 San Antonio 12-20
See what giving equal free throws does? :)
Game 3 (June 10): San Antonio 111 - Miami 92
Miami was a 4 - 4.5 point favorite -- I'm going to ignore that late blip at the LVH as a computer error. If that line jumped at about game time to 10.5, somebody got some big wrong information. (UPSET)
O/U: 197.5 - 198 (OVER)
Free throws: San Antonio 26-32 Miami 18-24
Somebody wants this series to go se-ven... Thirty-two free throws for the Spurs in Miami????
Game 4 (June 12): San Antonio 107 - Miami 86
Miami was a 5 - 5.5 point favorite. (UPSET -- favorite is 1-3 in the Finals)
O/U: 195.5 - 196.5, with a 197.5 at the Peppermill. (UNDER)
Free throws: San Antonio 18-25 Miami 13-20
Could the end be near for the Big Three? Are they going to end this, and the Stanley Cup too, quickly, or is the road team going to mount a huge comeback in Game 5 (of both series) to set up these series going long?
(San Antonio leads series 3-1.)
Game 1 (June 5): San Antonio 110 - Miami 95
Otherwise, San Antonio was a 5 point favorite, with a 5.5 at the South Point (and, I think, at the Mirage). (BIG COVER)
O/U: 198.5 - 199.5 (OVER)
Free throws: San Antonio 17-22 Miami 9-11
That, and a failure in the air conditioning, which caused LeBron James to leave the game with cramps, pretty much tells you all you need to know about Game 1.
Game 2 (June 8): Miami 98 - San Antonio 96
San Antonio was a 3.5 - 4 point favorite. (UPSET)
O/U: Anywhere from 198.5 - 201. Definite middle possibilities. (ALL UNDER)
Free Throws: Miami 16-21 San Antonio 12-20
See what giving equal free throws does? :)
Game 3 (June 10): San Antonio 111 - Miami 92
Miami was a 4 - 4.5 point favorite -- I'm going to ignore that late blip at the LVH as a computer error. If that line jumped at about game time to 10.5, somebody got some big wrong information. (UPSET)
O/U: 197.5 - 198 (OVER)
Free throws: San Antonio 26-32 Miami 18-24
Somebody wants this series to go se-ven... Thirty-two free throws for the Spurs in Miami????
Game 4 (June 12): San Antonio 107 - Miami 86
Miami was a 5 - 5.5 point favorite. (UPSET -- favorite is 1-3 in the Finals)
O/U: 195.5 - 196.5, with a 197.5 at the Peppermill. (UNDER)
Free throws: San Antonio 18-25 Miami 13-20
Could the end be near for the Big Three? Are they going to end this, and the Stanley Cup too, quickly, or is the road team going to mount a huge comeback in Game 5 (of both series) to set up these series going long?
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
More Allegations Coming Out from the Nigeria-Scotland Friendly
As "Securing The Game", an anti-match-fixing site for soccer put it: "The hits just keep on coming."
Two British newspapers have uncovered that, in fact, two Nigerian players had been contacted and offered significant money for "spot-fixes" in the match.
Obviously, neither player is named in the articles, this one from the Daily Mail.
A yellow card by either promised player would net that player about 41,000 British pounds -- 50,000 Euros.
A penalty would net about double that amount.
No money was claimed -- the only card of the match was a yellow to a Scottish midfielder.
Perhaps most ominously, however, is the claim that the match-fixers are going to go to Brazil to oversee the Nigerian team.
Two British newspapers have uncovered that, in fact, two Nigerian players had been contacted and offered significant money for "spot-fixes" in the match.
Obviously, neither player is named in the articles, this one from the Daily Mail.
A yellow card by either promised player would net that player about 41,000 British pounds -- 50,000 Euros.
A penalty would net about double that amount.
No money was claimed -- the only card of the match was a yellow to a Scottish midfielder.
Perhaps most ominously, however, is the claim that the match-fixers are going to go to Brazil to oversee the Nigerian team.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
And Here's Part Two of the Declan Hill New York Times Article
Just went up tonight on the New York Times site here.
And, even though I'm giving a Cliff's Notes version and some opinions, you really need to read and see this stuff for yourself. Declan Hill has done a tremendous job -- so good, I'm surprised he's still living.
It starts with an anecdotal situation about a team in the north of Finland, who has apparently been contacted for having their matches fixed by the same old Singaporean kingpins who run this sort of thing.
After a few days of disbelief, guess who they found in the north of Finland?
Yep, Mr. "Football 4 U" himself, Wilson Raj Perumal, who proclaims himself the largest match-fixer in the world -- and, as Part One of Declan's work in the Times noted, was so braggadocious about it that a World Cup referee couldn't trust Perumal to shut up enough to take $400,000 to fix a World Cup match!!!
Threatened with extradition back to Singapore (and their obvious penalties), Perumal talked about how there's no way soccer can be taken legitimately anymore.
You see, in the guise of making soccer/football the world's game, soccer has become the main sport in many very poor countries -- countries which cannot realistically pay their players very much, and, sometimes, nor even what they are promised to be paid!
This opens the door for the largely-unregulated Asian sports gambling scene to send people like Perumal in to ensure certain results.
For example, going back to part one. Mr. Chaibou from Niger...
In 2012, the UN reported that the per capita Gross Domestic Product of Niger was in the bottom ten nations of the world, at a per capita $395 US.
Is it any wonder a corrupt referee would gladly take $60,000-$100,000 from "Football 4 U", and would've gotten more if he'd gotten on the field for the final South African match, rather than being locked in the referee's room so a more respected official could take the field?
Just as a matter of comparison, if this were to happen in the United States to this factor, it would take somewhere between $7.77 million and almost $13 million to do the same here.
(This could be one answer to Brian Tuohy's recent questions regarding why US sports think they are immune.)
Perumal then told authorities about how he started in the process, and brought up a name familiar to fans of Declan Hill: Dan Tan.
The two routinely were rigging matches through Singapore and Malaysia, and were so proficient at it that not only was it estimated that 70% of all the games played in that league were fixed, but Tan, Perumal, and their associates actually physically killed the main soccer league in Singapore and Malaysia.
The top man back in the day in that syndicate was a man who routinely attempted to fix World Cup matches.
Then, out of nowhere, something any United States soccer fan needs to read before this World Cup starts:
An ominous warning came from the president of the football association of the United States' first opponent in the tournament this month, Ghana:
"“In every competition you find gamblers around,” said Kwesi Nyantakyi, president of the Ghana Football Association. “Yes, every competition. Every competition, they are there. It is done all the time in major competitions. In all the major tournaments, World Cup, Cup of Nations.”"
In fact, a 2007 match was believed fixed when the Singaporeans were seen around the Ghanian goalkeeping coach. It turns out that he had been working with them for a decade!
Another common target is Eastern Europe, with far less money in their economies, leagues, and salaries than their Western European counterparts.
You really need to read about the system and the sophistication (and the number of people they would attempt to target) for a given match. Often, the amount they would wager on a fixed match would depend on how many people they were able to pay off!!!
Two Croatian brothers, now serving time in Germany for fixing soccer matches there, targetted a vast array of players, referees, coaches, anybody they could find, to help the cause of the match-fixing/betting syndicates.
How much money could be involved?
By comparison, in 2012, Las Vegas estimated their sports books took in about $3,450,000,000 of action.
An executive of a government book in Hong Kong said the Asian sports book market took in... $1,000,000,000,000.
ONE TRILLION DOLLARS.
What's $60,000 to a referee of a pre-World Cup friendly in THAT environment?
Or $400,000 to rig a World Cup tournament match?
Now try this on for size: How about the match-fixers actually having everybody in a four-team tournament on the take?
Four national sides played in empty stadiums, in games not televised, for a national tournament.
The entire thing was a sham... Every goal in the tournament (all seven), penalty kicks awarded by the crooked refs.
The Asian fixers made a mint!
And the United States has not been immune. Many of El Salvador's players took money for fixing two 2010 matches in the USA: One against MLS club DC United, and the other against the US national team (February 24, 2010, the USA won 2-1).
---
I want to ask one question, as I implore anyone reading this blog to read both parts of Hill's excellent work:
How can anyone expect the 2014 World Cup, in a strife-ridden Brazil, not to be fixed by this trillion-dollar underground industry?
And, even though I'm giving a Cliff's Notes version and some opinions, you really need to read and see this stuff for yourself. Declan Hill has done a tremendous job -- so good, I'm surprised he's still living.
It starts with an anecdotal situation about a team in the north of Finland, who has apparently been contacted for having their matches fixed by the same old Singaporean kingpins who run this sort of thing.
After a few days of disbelief, guess who they found in the north of Finland?
Yep, Mr. "Football 4 U" himself, Wilson Raj Perumal, who proclaims himself the largest match-fixer in the world -- and, as Part One of Declan's work in the Times noted, was so braggadocious about it that a World Cup referee couldn't trust Perumal to shut up enough to take $400,000 to fix a World Cup match!!!
Threatened with extradition back to Singapore (and their obvious penalties), Perumal talked about how there's no way soccer can be taken legitimately anymore.
You see, in the guise of making soccer/football the world's game, soccer has become the main sport in many very poor countries -- countries which cannot realistically pay their players very much, and, sometimes, nor even what they are promised to be paid!
This opens the door for the largely-unregulated Asian sports gambling scene to send people like Perumal in to ensure certain results.
For example, going back to part one. Mr. Chaibou from Niger...
In 2012, the UN reported that the per capita Gross Domestic Product of Niger was in the bottom ten nations of the world, at a per capita $395 US.
Is it any wonder a corrupt referee would gladly take $60,000-$100,000 from "Football 4 U", and would've gotten more if he'd gotten on the field for the final South African match, rather than being locked in the referee's room so a more respected official could take the field?
Just as a matter of comparison, if this were to happen in the United States to this factor, it would take somewhere between $7.77 million and almost $13 million to do the same here.
(This could be one answer to Brian Tuohy's recent questions regarding why US sports think they are immune.)
Perumal then told authorities about how he started in the process, and brought up a name familiar to fans of Declan Hill: Dan Tan.
The two routinely were rigging matches through Singapore and Malaysia, and were so proficient at it that not only was it estimated that 70% of all the games played in that league were fixed, but Tan, Perumal, and their associates actually physically killed the main soccer league in Singapore and Malaysia.
The top man back in the day in that syndicate was a man who routinely attempted to fix World Cup matches.
Then, out of nowhere, something any United States soccer fan needs to read before this World Cup starts:
An ominous warning came from the president of the football association of the United States' first opponent in the tournament this month, Ghana:
"“In every competition you find gamblers around,” said Kwesi Nyantakyi, president of the Ghana Football Association. “Yes, every competition. Every competition, they are there. It is done all the time in major competitions. In all the major tournaments, World Cup, Cup of Nations.”"
In fact, a 2007 match was believed fixed when the Singaporeans were seen around the Ghanian goalkeeping coach. It turns out that he had been working with them for a decade!
Another common target is Eastern Europe, with far less money in their economies, leagues, and salaries than their Western European counterparts.
You really need to read about the system and the sophistication (and the number of people they would attempt to target) for a given match. Often, the amount they would wager on a fixed match would depend on how many people they were able to pay off!!!
Two Croatian brothers, now serving time in Germany for fixing soccer matches there, targetted a vast array of players, referees, coaches, anybody they could find, to help the cause of the match-fixing/betting syndicates.
How much money could be involved?
By comparison, in 2012, Las Vegas estimated their sports books took in about $3,450,000,000 of action.
An executive of a government book in Hong Kong said the Asian sports book market took in... $1,000,000,000,000.
ONE TRILLION DOLLARS.
What's $60,000 to a referee of a pre-World Cup friendly in THAT environment?
Or $400,000 to rig a World Cup tournament match?
Now try this on for size: How about the match-fixers actually having everybody in a four-team tournament on the take?
Four national sides played in empty stadiums, in games not televised, for a national tournament.
The entire thing was a sham... Every goal in the tournament (all seven), penalty kicks awarded by the crooked refs.
The Asian fixers made a mint!
And the United States has not been immune. Many of El Salvador's players took money for fixing two 2010 matches in the USA: One against MLS club DC United, and the other against the US national team (February 24, 2010, the USA won 2-1).
---
I want to ask one question, as I implore anyone reading this blog to read both parts of Hill's excellent work:
How can anyone expect the 2014 World Cup, in a strife-ridden Brazil, not to be fixed by this trillion-dollar underground industry?
Will Need To See Where This Goes, But...
... on first glance, it appears Donald Sterling may have some friends in very low places.
V. Stiviano, the woman who released the Donald Sterling tapes which felled him out of the NBA, has been assaulted outside a hotel in New York, as reported by ABC News tonight.
V. Stiviano, the woman who released the Donald Sterling tapes which felled him out of the NBA, has been assaulted outside a hotel in New York, as reported by ABC News tonight.
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