# The David Beckham Controversy **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2004, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-david-beckham-controversy/269003 "2004-10-13T14:07:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-david-beckham-controversy/269003/21 "2004-10-13T21:42:40Z")
I’m sure I’m showing my football ignorance here, but how is this kind of thing different from the deliberate fouling that goes on near the end of a basketball team when one team is down and trying to get the ball back as many times as they can? If the rules give an advantage to an undesirable strategy, then **change the rules!** You can hardly fault a player for playing to win (in this case, in the long term). A really easy fix for this one is to let a player voluntarily take whatever a red card punishment would be in order to clear a yellow card. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-david-beckham-controversy/269003/22 "2004-10-13T23:44:42Z")
Personally, I loathe intentional fouls almost as much as game situations that make them desirable. Intentional fouls should always be met with suspensions and fines. And injuries should be taken into account…if a player is unable to play, he should be unable to work off a suspension. Thus, Becks should be suspended when he is finally healthy enough to play, not while he is recovering. Plus some heavy fines to boot. I have railed against basketball for this very reason. You should never, ever, at any point, be in a situation where it is better to foul than not to foul. Even my beloved NFL has some instances of this\*, which annoy me, but they do not approach the level of basketball or (apparently) soccer. \*If the DB is beat, it is advantageous to hold the WR, because drawing a PI penalty is better than allowing a TD. ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-david-beckham-controversy/269003/23 "2004-10-14T09:59:19Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > Well I blame the referee for the whole thing. Beckham is always liable to do something really stupid and dangerous in a game, so I think the ref. should have sent him off before that happened. > [unhappy Welsh supporter] That’s a great idea. I think other proffesions could profit from using it. We should defrock all the preists _before_ they become kiddy fiddlers, bebar all lawers _before_ they become shysters, sack all actors/actress _before_ they make embarrassing Oscar speeches, impeach all Presidents _before_ they become war criminals… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-david-beckham-controversy/269003/24 "2004-10-14T10:00:42Z")
…and ban all posters before they make typo’s. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-david-beckham-controversy/269003/25 "2004-10-14T10:18:06Z")
Compare and contrast Beckham and that other up-his-own arse Man Utd wanker (I know that doesn’t narrow it down, but I’m specifically on about the au-pair shagging, 16 year old beating, bigger than my own country, one; Roy Keane) Keane admitted some time after the event that he had deliberately piled into Alf inge Haaland (sp?) and was pretty much responsible for ending his career. In other words he made a decision to plough into him, and hurt him. He got punished. Pictures here: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/photo\_galleries/football/2190003.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/photo_galleries/football/2190003.stm) I don’t see that there is a huge difference, especially as botyh admitted the malice. And to think that Beckham comes from a decent family (his grandad is a season ticket older at White Hart Lane). ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-david-beckham-controversy/269003/26 "2004-10-14T12:00:48Z")
[Beckhams apology:](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3738324.stm) Quote: “I was asked a question and made a frank and honest admission to counter the negative speculation. I now know that was wrong and apologise to the FA, the England coach, my team-mates and all England fans.” Is he apologising for making a “frank and honest admission” or for making a cynical foul? ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-david-beckham-controversy/269003/27 "2004-10-14T12:09:09Z")
Beckham apology mark two: "I am sorry that I went in wildly with my tackle, without considering the possible consequences and the media brou-ha-ha. I should have pulled out while I had the chance. Im dead glad that i twatted that Welsh muppet though" ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-david-beckham-controversy/269003/28 "2004-10-14T18:21:11Z")
> [@legion](#): > > That’s a great idea. I think other proffesions could profit from using it. We should defrock all the preists _before_ they become kiddy fiddlers, bebar all lawers _before_ they become shysters, sack all actors/actress _before_ they make embarrassing Oscar speeches, impeach all Presidents _before_ they become war criminals… :rolleyes: Well **legion** I suppose I could have put a few more smilies in to help you see what was meant to be a humourous remark, but I don’t suppose you would have seen it even then. You can take your :rolleyes: and shove it up your arse. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Yorklebees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a5b964/32.png) [@New\_Yorklebees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Yorklebees)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-david-beckham-controversy/269003/29 "2004-10-15T17:55:35Z")
He’s just bending it like Beckham. Bending the _rules_, that is! Har har harrrrrr. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-david-beckham-controversy/269003.md?page=1)