# Brasil 2014
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [May 6, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840 "2014-05-06T21:19:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 13
### Author:  [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/241 "2014-06-13T07:31:54Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#):
>
> Why oh why is there no instant replay on PK calls? Play has already completely stopped. Games are completely swung by one fallible human’s split-second view of fast and confusing action. It’s really a joke.
Completely agree. There is no reason why it can’t be used in those situations.
Ref stops the games and asks the ref in the sky to advise. Then re-start with a penalty to Brazil or free kick/drop ball.
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### Author:  [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/242 "2014-06-13T08:01:04Z")
Having got that first win under their belts though, and the weight of expectation off their shouldera, do you not think they’ll play better in their remaining matches in the group?
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### Author:  [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/243 "2014-06-13T08:26:45Z")
Since discussion of this game is going on in two different topics and this one was made first, I’m merging them.
While I don’t have a problem with every game getting its own, new thread, it doesn’t stop this thread from having the same people talking about the same game throughout it…so it’s more logical just to have the discussion go on all in one place.
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### Author:  [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/244 "2014-06-13T09:14:27Z")
Wonder how well spent that million quid that William Hill would have paid out on their offer of evens that Brazil would win will turn out to be. That sentence possibly wasn’t very well-worded but I think it does make sense!
To explain: yesterday from noon William Hill (UK bookmaker) were offering evens on Brazil to win last night’s match, but they limited the offer to £20 per person and with an overall cap of £1 million. This means they will have had to pay out £1 million after the expected result eventually transpired (in addition to the payouts on all the backers of Brazil at shorter odds). I can’t believe they had a big liability on Croatia they were trying to cover, so this was simply a marketing exercise to tempt people in and bet more. Seems like a big gamble (ha!) to me. Sadly I didn’t get in on it - as I walked in the door at 12.40, they were just announcing that the offer had closed.
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### Author:  [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/245 "2014-06-13T09:24:07Z")
The Brazilians best player was the referee. WTF was that. I know FIFA is irredeemanly corrupt but that was too much.
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### Author:  [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/246 "2014-06-13T09:41:04Z")
I, for one, am delighted that, having drawn Brazil in the office sweepstake, I also appear to have got the officials as well.
More seriously, the standard of officiating at the World Cup is usually pretty variable - because they try and ensure refs from around the world get to ref at the World Cup - which means refs in Europe and South America who ref higher level games are passed over in favour of guys who ref in areas of the world where the standard of play isn’t as good (and thus makes it difficult for the refs to test themselves in games that are quicker or more technically demanding). I don’t think it’s worth ascribing to corruption what can mostly easily be explained as incompetence. This is unlikely to be the last game in this World Cup where the refs make some bad decisions that affect the outcome.
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### Author:  [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/247 "2014-06-13T09:41:31Z")
Now I remember why I stopped watching football. Terrible, inconsistent refereeing decisions, no recourse for the opposing side when these decisions are made, cheats ruining every match with their constant diving, and no match bans forthcoming to punish something that every TV viewer in the world saw but the referee apparently didn’t. Is there another major professional sport where this bullshit is tolerated? Even Rugby League, with a fraction of the resources of international football, has managed to incorporate video referees and post-match boards of enquiry with the power to impose lengthy bans for cheating into the game.
I honestly believe between the Qatar bullshit and FIFA’s inability to reform the game for the better the big European FAs should split from FIFA and make their own competition.
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### Author:  [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/248 "2014-06-13T10:17:56Z")
The problem is that the money no longer comes from Europe, it comes from Asia, so thats a non starter.
As it is, in cricket ever since they introduced the TV umpires, the field officials have actually increased in quality, since they now know the main situations where errors are made and the type of the same.
Why not in football?
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### Author:  [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/249 "2014-06-13T10:40:50Z")
They justify the lack of TV officiating with some bullshit about wanting to keep the game the same at all levels of ability (as if the Sunday League game is anything remotely like the Premier League as it is), from the amateur leagues right through to the Premier League and National Sides. Somehow cricket, rugby, and players of virtually every other major sport somehow manage to make the progression from playing on waterlogged pitches with a 20 degree incline at the local park to professional level games with TV-assisted officiating without the sports completely falling apart.
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### Author:  [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/250 "2014-06-13T11:28:40Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#):
>
> Per Nate Silver, FIFA has asked US Soccer to have an organizing committee ready for 2022 WC if it is not held in Qatar.
We’re going to turn to Nate Silver for football journalism now? I don’t think so
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### Author:  [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/251 "2014-06-13T12:10:02Z")
Was I the only one who thought that the turnover that led to the Brazilian third goal came off a clear uncalled foul by Brazil? They didn’t show any close ups on the broadcast, but when the Croatian player has the ball at his feet in front of him, a Brazilian comes from directly behind him, and then they both fall down entangled with each other as the ball slowly rolls away, well, it’s hard for me to see how that’s not a foul on the Brazilian.
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### Author:  [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/252 "2014-06-13T12:51:58Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#):
>
> We’re going to turn to Nate Silver for football journalism now? I don’t think so
You realize he left the New York Times and took his blog to ESPN? He’s always been more interested in sports than politics.
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### Author:  [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/253 "2014-06-13T13:01:05Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#):
>
> Now I remember why I stopped watching football. Terrible, inconsistent refereeing decisions, no recourse for the opposing side when these decisions are made, cheats ruining every match with their constant diving, and no match bans forthcoming to punish something that every TV viewer in the world saw but the referee apparently didn’t. Is there another major professional sport where this bullshit is tolerated? Even Rugby League, with a fraction of the resources of international football, has managed to incorporate video referees and post-match boards of enquiry with the power to impose lengthy bans for cheating into the game.
>
> I honestly believe between the Qatar bullshit and FIFA’s inability to reform the game for the better the big European FAs should split from FIFA and make their own competition.
Same here. Like an idiot I welcome ever major championship thinking it’ll be fun and then instantly get a reminder as to why international football is such a shit sport.
And there is never any progress. I fully understand why people (usually Americans) go on about it being crap and a bit of an embarrassment.
The game did remind me of one thing that isn’t discussed very often because everyone wants to kiss their arses: Brazil, especially when they go behind, can be a very dirty and under hand team.
Exhibit A: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiW0IPrv1Ro](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiW0IPrv1Ro)
Exhibit B: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B5C2U4UmO0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B5C2U4UmO0)
And in this game: the dive for the penalty and the clear elbowing - on at least two occasions - of a Croatian player in the head or neck.
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### Author:  [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/254 "2014-06-13T13:01:09Z")
> [@Quercus](#):
>
> Was I the only one who thought that the turnover that led to the Brazilian third goal came off a clear uncalled foul by Brazil?
That’s what I thought as I watched it too. As someone else pointed out, the ref called 21 fouls on Croatia to only 5 for Brazil. Croatia did commit more fouls, but it was not that many more.
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### Author:  [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/255 "2014-06-13T13:11:12Z")
> [@Erdosain](#):
>
> You realize he left the New York Times and took his blog to ESPN? He’s always been more interested in sports than politics.
I know, I know, but his interest has always been in numbers, and in US-based sports. What he writes about football I don’t find very convincing and I would not turn to him as an authority. I don’t think I’ve seen this claim elsewhere.
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/256 "2014-06-13T13:13:11Z")
I only watched the second half, but it looked like neither team deserved to win. The defending was atrocious - nearly as bad as the penalty. I was particularly gnashing my teeth every time I saw Croatia’s backs knocking it around between themselves; it was like they were daring the Brazilian forwards to take the ball away and score a cheap goal.
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### Author:  [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/257 "2014-06-13T13:28:54Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#):
>
> I know, I know, but his interest has always been in numbers, and in US-based sports. What he writes about football I don’t find very convincing and I would not turn to him as an authority. I don’t think I’ve seen this claim elsewhere.
I agree with you in that I’m suspicious that soccer is susceptible to his data analysis, but a story like this is just a leak from member of the US Soccer Federation. Nate Silver is a big deal right now; I can see leaking to him instead of some more obscure sports journalist. The US doesn’t have any prominent soccer journalists.
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### Author:  [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/258 "2014-06-13T13:48:37Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#):
>
> Per Nate Silver, FIFA has asked US Soccer to have an organizing committee ready for 2022 WC if it is not held in Qatar.
Do you have a link for this? There’s somebody I’d like to read this. Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/259 "2014-06-13T14:19:14Z")
The [original source seems to have been (Uruguayan commentator) Jorge Ramos](http://www.buzzfeed.com/mrloganrhoades/fifa-tells-us-to-be-ready-if-qatar-gets-stripped-of-2022-wor), and he’s deleted the tweet.
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### Author:  [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2014, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/260 "2014-06-13T15:39:14Z")
> [@Knorf](#):
>
> I wouldn’t call it beautiful, except in so far as the circumstances made it so. The Croatian keeper should have saved it. Neymar has far prettier goals in him than that one.
>
> Still looking for Brazil to win this, but it’s been a dull second half.
Couldn’t disagree more, Mr. Germany (“But I’m not, really!”) Fan. Neymar, in many ways, is hard for me to watch but his non-P.K. goal yesterday was EASILY the best one of the match. You say Pletikosa should have saved that shot? How? His arms aren’t 3 meters long! (Granted, one might argue with his positioning on that shot but he had no idea where Neymar was going with that shot and later he was beaten near post by a toe poke)
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