pretty funny Look...What Zidane did was stupid and wrong. Regardless of what was said, he should have left it alone. The best revenge would have been shoving that beautiful trophy in Materazzi's face. He may not have lost the Cup for France, but he gave them a much less chance of winning it. Most likely, he's taking the kick that Trezuget missed. If Materazzi did what was alleged, then he is the worst kind of human being. It just isn't right to use such slander, especially in this day and age. There is no defense of it, and if true, he should receive some sort of punishment from FIFA. If they are truly standing up to racism, this is the perfect way to do it. Suspend him for 10 games. I guarantee Zidane hasn't slept. He is human. Sometimes, people push the right button. Materazzi is a know thug and a-hole. He is one reason why I don't care for Italian soccer. It's a shame for ZZ's career to end this way. We should only be talking of what a great World Cup this was. Drama all the way to the very last second. I don't care what Marcelo Balboa says, it was very fitting that it ended with PK's. There was no better way to finish it off. EDIT: One last thing...I have to say shame on the mods here for not making this a sticky. While I don't think it ever left the 1st page, it was kind of a slap in the face and lack of respect for what must be one of the largest threads ever on this board, Hangout or not.
So ZZ was red carded, so France lost, so what? ZZ has done a lot, I mean a lot, for France, French soccor and soccor fans around the world. This time, he did it for himself, and the ones he loved. I still aplaud him for being a man. And the WC trophy wouldn't make me applaud for Materazzi.
World Cup final scores for ABC, Univision NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - The down-to-the-wire World Cup final was a hit on this side of the Atlantic too, with both ABC and Univision reporting strong viewership Sunday. Almost 12 million people watched on ABC as Italy beat France in a 3 1/2-hour game that featured double overtime and a round of penalty kicks, according to preliminary data released late on Monday by Nielsen Media Research. Final numbers won't be in until Thursday. That's a huge win for ABC, which said it was the third-highest-rated men's soccer game and the third-most watched since 1994. The record is still the 14.5 million viewers for Brazil's defeat of Italy in the 1994 World Cup. It beat the 2002 final handily; 3.9 million people tuned in to see Brazil beat Germany, 5-0. Sunday's game averaged 5 million viewers for Univision. That's up 75 percent compared with the 2002 Brazil-Germany game. It's also up 16 percent compared with 1998's final, when France beat Brazil 3-0. Univision and its sister network, Telefutura, got monster ratings for this year's World Cup and through the semifinals had outdelivered English-speaking coverage on ESPN and ABC. Univision's average viewership for the entire Cup was 2.3 million viewers, up 136 percent from 2002 and up 81 percent from 1998. It received similar bumps in every major demographic. Telefutura averaged 472,000 viewers for the games it aired, up 62 percent compared with the ones it televised in 2002. And Univision said that 50 million people tuned in to some part of its coverage, including 29 million Hispanics and 21 million non-Hispanics. ABC averaged 3.8 million viewers up to Sunday's game, compared to 1.7 million in 2002. ESPN's 20 games averaged 2.3 million viewers up 76 percent from the 1.3 million who tuned in 2002. Reuters/Hollywood Reporter Great ratings for ABC. Should keep them coming back for more. Although, they should not be considering 2002 as a comparison. IIRC, that final started at 6 am Central.
Is this what your little tirade is all about? The fact that you're in law school and have taken some very important classes, so you feel the need to make up an argument with me and insist that I'm racist on an internet message board? Wow, I'd suggest that you take a step back and evaluate yourself. You obviously seem intent on PROVING that I'm racist (which I'm absolutely not). Not sure why you'd want to do such a thing, but if it makes you feel better about the very important things you've learned in your law school classes, go on with your bad self. You go, boy. Materazzi won the mental battle with ZZ. You have to be mentally tough in sports - ZZ was not on Sunday. I do not condone racism at all. End of story. You'll likely try to continue to twist my words to "prove" that I do, but I'm telling you that I do not condone it. Period. Now go retreat to your books and hope that someday I'll hire you to as a corporate lawyer (although you'll likely have to take a spot in line behind SamFisher, who I feel is much more capable than yourself). cheers
I think it's time to take a step back and not ruin this epic WC thread. What ZZ did was a classic "What the F**K" moment in sports - on the biggest stage imaginable. Everyone I was with roared with laughter when the replays started running. What made it so great was the fact the Italian wasn't hurt -- he jumped back and fell over like he had been shot with a 12 gauge, but in the end he survived. Had he been seriously hurt - then all of this wouldn't be so fun and Zidan would really have reason to worry that his legacy would be ruined. Yeah, Zidan blew it utterly, but 10 years from now he will be looked at like Maradona after the drug scandal (do we really even remember that now). /Btw - I think the second weirdest thing at the WC final this year was the random shot of Clinton drinking wine out of a big coke glass. That shot might have caused a louder roar of laughter from our crowd than the headbutt.
I think its funny that thacabbage has baited texxx just like zz was with a completely specious argument and texxx's reaction is headed in the same direction as zz's. Way to teach texxx about human nature cabbage.
Except that I was the bigger man here and he repeatedly insulted me and slandered me. I will accept the idea that I have the career achievements on this bbs that ZZ has in soccer, though.
Yeah and he did just as well as Barthez...neither one of them was really close to getting a block on the PK. Actually Barthez came the closest i think he got a hand on one...the only miss came because of the shooter....other than that...they both allowed every goal in the PK...nothing to be proud of. Regardless they won..but both Keepers did well enough during the game...PK's they both were lost.
Materazzi seems like a prick. Zidane shouldn't have lost his cool, whatever Materazzi said. Anyway, it has always been a joy to watch Zidane play soccer. He's probably the most elegant and stylish player I have watched play. So much of what he did seemed effortless. I really usually like Italy and Italians more than France and the French, but I was rooting for France because of Zidane. It is a pity that he had to end his career on a sour note. However, as King Cheetah said, this will go down as one of the classic "WTF" moments in sports history. One question/request I have - has anyone saved the flash game posted by leroy420, or is there a mirror site? Thanks.
The Italian goalkeeper is amazing, even though he didn't do much in the penalty kicks, they guy is the reason why Italy even made it that far!
Yes i know he is a great goal keeper..i didn't mean to single you out it was more the statement everyone was saying how Barthez should stop one of the PK's and how he sucks...he is definitly not as good as Buffon...that guy was on top of his game this WC.
I don't know why so many insisted France lost because Zidane got ejected. The game was heading to PK shootout, like it or not by either team, with only 10 minutes to go in the 2nd OT. In PKs at this level of competition, superstardom doesn't give anyone an aurora of invincibility. Historically in WCs, missed/blocked PKs by most famed footballer are just as common as by those "lesser" players. In the classic quarter-final match between Brazil and France in the '86 WC, for instance, Zico, Socrates, and Platini -- three of the biggest names in the sport then -- were the victims of immense presssure by not scoring on their PKs. Socrates was in particular known as a "PK expert." Likewise, legendary Roberto Baggio missed the last PK for Italy in the '94 WC Final. On the flip side, relying on heroics of supposedly more brilliant goalie in PK proves unsafe bet too, as Italy's Buffon was shown a nonfactor in the shootout -- more so than his French counterpart. In Sunday's match, the Azzurri were outplayed by the Les Bleus for much of the 2nd half in regulation and in OT due to French's superior mid-field. I was rooting for the Italians initially, but their less than inspiring plays later in the game disappointed me. Zidane was the tragic figure in the Final. I am saddened he had to end his illustrious career this way. PK shootout is a cruel way to decide a match but it's fair to both sides IMO.
You could make an argument that if Zidane(head injury) and Henry(leg injury) had stayed on France would have stood a better chance. Trezeguet came on in the last few minutes of the game...you don't really get a feel of the game...plus you have early game jitters...could be the reasons he missed. I also don't think PK should resolve the world cup winner...gives the weaker team a chance...
