# 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 10, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677 "2010-06-10T17:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 112
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2221 "2010-07-03T09:25:42Z")
> [@indian](#): > > Who will win tonight ? Before anyone else does . . . . football will win! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2222 "2010-07-03T09:34:47Z")
> [@PrettyVacant](#): > > Before anyone else does . . . . football will win! 😛 😛 Yeah ! I love this game. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2223 "2010-07-03T09:41:02Z")
Sometimes I feel it is equal fun watching maradona reacting to the game ! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2224 "2010-07-03T09:48:09Z")
So does Maradona. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2225 "2010-07-03T10:33:20Z")
\*\*Argentina vs Germany 10:00 A.M. EST [size=5]España vs Paraguay 2:30 P.M. EST\*\*[/size] Got about four hours of sleep 2nite – bet you can all guess why. Isn’t football a blast? Vamos España! A por ellos! ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2226 "2010-07-03T11:06:24Z")
> [@carm](#): > > The key part is _dishonest_. > > As for the Germany Austria game, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with the conduct of either team - their goal is to qualify, not to entertain. They both achieved that goal. That was the result of a badly-designed tournament; not cheating. That match was the reason why the third group matches kick of at the same time. There were brief ‘highlights’ shown in the UK, Barry Davies, the BBC commentator “Stielike, Rummenigge
 names that roll off the tongue and leave a nasty taste in the mouth” Great commentator
 I wouldn’t recommend his autobiography to my worst enemy though
 ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2227 "2010-07-03T11:10:05Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > Japan scored a few nice ones. Commentator was saying that they’ve been using the ball for a while now and really have a handle on it. > > FIFA have admitted that there may be some problems with the ball. > > [http://www.betonworldcup2010.com/news/fifa-admits-to-balls-up-new-jabulani-ball/2740](http://www.betonworldcup2010.com/news/fifa-admits-to-balls-up-new-jabulani-ball/2740) > > They’ll have a look at fixing it after the WC so that OK then :rolleyes: Perhaps they’ll allow football players to actually kick the ball about on an outdoor pitch with real weather conditions in order to test the next one, instead of giving the job to some guys in white coats? ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2228 "2010-07-03T11:36:15Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > The referee should have had it within his power to turn and point towards the middle of the field, awarding a goal to Ghana based on the fact that, but for the handball, the ball would clearly have gone in. What if the ball had actually hit Suarez’s head and bounced clear, but because of the swinging motion of his arms the ref thought he had handled it, so sent him off and incorrectly awarded the goal? The “penalty goal” is a good idea, but it completely relies on video technology being accepted and used first. Without using replays, you cant have refs awarding goals on what will always be judgement calls. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2229 "2010-07-03T11:45:19Z")
If you can’t give a “compensation goal” when a goalkeeper takes down a striker as he is about to tap the ball into the net, you shouldn’t be able to get one as in the Suarez case. It’s not as if the ball had actually crossed the line and the “goal” was denied. Suarez commited an instinctive infringement of the game and payed the consequences with his sending off, and making his side face a penalty kick. It’s like a tennis player making one last desperate shot to keep the ball in play and make his opponent play a winner. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2230 "2010-07-03T11:56:17Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > Forget it **straight man** , he doesn’t get it, I suppose if he was Suarez he would let the ball in, and so his team would be eliminated in 4th finals. Actually yes. And it is demonstrably the case that _not_ every footballer that could stick out a hand in such situations, does so. > [@carm](#): > > A handball on the line will almost never be missed by the referee. Diving is an attempt to con the referee. So why do footballers never catch the ball? After all, this would make the oh so important distinction crystal clear. A player grabbing the ball is doing the “honorable” thing for his team, and not trying to get away with a foul. > [@](#): > > As for the Germany Austria game, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with the conduct of either team - their goal is to qualify, not to entertain. They both achieved that goal. That was the result of a badly-designed tournament; not cheating. This is the corner you’ve boxed youself into. Anything that can help a team win is good, no matter what, oh except diving because it’s damn dishonest (and I don’t like it). Personally I don’t give a toss whether the rules allow certain loopholes. I’m free to deplore whatever behaviour I like. I don’t like when the draw rule in chess is abused. I don’t like tax fiddles that let millionaires pay no tax etc ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2231 "2010-07-03T11:56:48Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > Perhaps they’ll allow football players to actually kick the ball about on an outdoor pitch with real weather conditions in order to test the next one, instead of giving the job to some guys in white coats? Spot on. It seems like almost every World Cup there is an issue about the ball. I don’t recall hearing any complaints about the ball in the Champions League or the European Championships. Why test a new ball in the biggest competition? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2232 "2010-07-03T12:07:35Z")
LESS THAN TWO HOURS TO GO!!! In case you weren’t aware already. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2233 "2010-07-03T13:53:43Z")
My heart says Argentina, my head says Argentina, but as a neutral, it’ll be funny as fuck if Germany win via The Hand Of God. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2234 "2010-07-03T14:05:09Z")
What a terrible start. The defense indeed looks shaky as hell. ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2235 "2010-07-03T14:11:07Z")
Wow. I thought it was no big deal that I’d woken up a couple minutes late
 ETA: can you hear that sound? Eighty million Germans are whispering, “Don’t pull a Brazil!” ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2236 "2010-07-03T14:25:39Z")
Hell of a porous defense by the Albis. Keep playing like that and I can see Germany running away with it. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2237 "2010-07-03T14:32:59Z")
Jabulani doing it’s own thing – not even Messi can control it! ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2238 "2010-07-03T14:38:24Z")
Obvious offside call on that score but Germany is playing with fire. Way too early to give up possession, especially with such a meager lead. ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2239 "2010-07-03T14:43:32Z")
This is looking like the best game of the tournament ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677/2240 "2010-07-03T14:44:08Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > Obvious offside call on that score but Germany is playing with fire. Way too early to give up possession, especially with such a meager lead. Yah, no question. They aren’t getting many opportunities to score, and they’re letting too many chances happen. Hopefully the coach will ream them out before the second half. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677.md?page=111) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-fifa-world-cup-south-africa/542677.md?page=113)