I believe I indicated in a post that politics plays a part in the World Cup, but it was pooh poohed. Any further comments?

Just wondering. Also wondering why everyone "accepts" the hand ball during the US game which would have tied it, but rails on the transgressions during Spain's game. If the US would have tied Germany, who knows what would have happened with penalty kicks, or overtime.

After watching the hand ball several times, I can't believe it wasn't intentional, since the defender had his arms spread down by his side, palms facing the offensive player. It essentially was a blocking position, and if the position of his body/arms was intentional then so was the hand ball. But... of course... no politics in this thing is there?

Wolf (Who isn't going to specifically say, "I told you so!," even though I did. )

Sorry, but Spain played TERRIBLE. They did not deserve to win. As a top ten world ranked team, Spain should have had 10 goals! Even if Korea got one bad out of bounds call,the other offsides WERE offsides. Like 98, Spain seemed to get nervous and lower their level of soccer. Senor sweaty Camacho is the real man to blame. His coaching of Spain is pathetic. Senor Camacho changes players all of a sudden because Spain doesn't "need" to win against S. Africa.But Spain DOES need to keep a cohesive winning stride the rest of the way. Hello? So here comes a game against a Korean team/nation. The only real strong player on the field with Korea was Juaguin. Where was Luis Enrique? Morientes? You can ALWAYS blame the refs, but the fact remains; Spain crumbled and would do far better in the future by looking in the mirror and start by changing their coach!

GO KOREA!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, that 1 goal disallowed incorrectly means the match would have been 1-0. Also, you are mistaken, the other offside call was incorrect, and the Korean goalie moved forward off the line during one of the penalty shots.

What's done is done, but "played terrible" is not an accurate description, considering how these are the best 32 teams of some 200 and the opposing team was in their home field - football on this level does not "deserve" to be won, it's a struggle enough without poor referees.

If a person takes the time to check the records of past World Cup play, they'll find there's a "home field advantage" to almost all of them. For the most part, the only cups won by European teams have been won when the tournament is held in Europe. South American teams hold the same advantage. Why would anyone think that it wouldn't apply in Asia? Does anyone remember the Seoul Olympics, and how American & European athletes were constantly being "mis-judged?"

The Koreans "least favorite American" is Ohno, because a judge disqualified a Korean in speed skating during the past Olympics. What frosts me most is the fact that a Korean won a Gold Medal in a similar manner, due to a disqualification, but that didn't seem to matter. Hell! World wide sporting events (except track and field sometimes) are a version of "civilized warfare," no matter what anyone thinks. I'm waiting for some nation to change the rules for cross-country skiing and shooting to a "paint ball" shoot out on skis...

Then the Palestinians would add their own sport. It's called "The Mall blast." The suicide bombers would get 3 points for each "kill," and 1 point for each wounding. The winners would receive their medals "posthumously," and the flags would only be raised to half staff in honor of the bomber, not the people who were killed and maimed.

Like Nevado said, when you're close to the scene, and can see the true reaction of the Korean people, when someone gets injured, etc... it tells another story. World wide sports are political, not sportsmanship. It appears that died somewhere along the line. A pity.

Wolf (Who's attended two Olympics, and found both to be totally irreverant to what they stood for, just like the World Cup. I'll never waste my time attending them again.)

Sorry Wolf but I don't agree. Doesn't matter the tendencies on referees, you can see them in every competition, there's always mistakes and favors.
If you love football you have to follow the World Cup, although the referee's favors are bigger, the kind of play is the best.
I love the World Cup, only each four years one month of the best football.
Now, go for the Eurocup '04 in Portugal. It'll be almost like playing in home.

Well, South Corea are out now anyhow, another 1-0 to a rather tediously effective German side (all European referees after the Spain scandal).

Miguelito,

Enjoy it? Yes. I do. But I'll stick to watching on TV. It's a better seat anyway. I've just resigned myself to the fact that sports = civilized warfare and home court advantage always comes into play. If going to an event where you're confident your team will get a "home field advantage" is cool with you, so be it. It just don't get me that excited.

I keep thinking about the big scandal with the pairs ice skating in the Salt Lake City Olympics. The guy from the Ukraine, who was "fixing the rankings" had been caught doing it before, and had received a one or two year suspension for what he did. It tells me that even organized groups like the Olympics can't control the political garbage that goes on behind the scenes. Letting him back in was like telling the whole sports world it was fine to cheat. It might interest you to know, that as of now, the Ukraine official is only on "temporary suspension," despite the fact he was the organizer rigging the outcome of the event. What's the odds he'll be back, at least in the background, during the next winter Olympics? Pretty solid I'd guess, or he'd bring down dozens of others who have been involved in similar situations.

I attended two world championship heavyweight boxing matches in my life, and in both cases, the loser was knocked out by "phantom punches." For that, I paid good money? Sheesh! Why would I bother to attend any sporting event where the results are pre-ordained when I can watch the fiasco on TV?

Wolf (Who laughed when he heard the outcry about Formula 1 drivers blocking, and letting their teammates pass to gain points for the team, and add towards world championship points. It ain't new. I knew about it years ago, when it was alleged Ronnie Peterson, who was Mario Andretti's teammate in the John Player cars, did exactly that. Peterson ended up second in the world despite getting killed. But before he died, he helped Andretti win the championship, by allowing him passes, and blocking to insure it. Of course it was never proven. Peterson was probably the better driver, but ... so it goes. They still call it sport.)

Wow, it's amazing how quiet the streets are tonight! Maybe now I can get some packing done in peace. Oh, better not forget to grab my German flag off the balcony, wouldn't want to forget that. Four more days...four more days!

Wolf, maybe I didn't explain correctly.
I agree with you, I watch matches on TV (except for the Atletico de Madrid, where I have a card).
It's a petty this mafia on FIFA and Olympic Comite, although it's a show that still worths, for the show itself, not as a clean competition, what has never been, that's why I wasn't surprised at all, more even when I'm an Atletico supporter...

Of course there is a homefield advantage, and one expects certain things to go in favor of the home team. Watching Korea/Portugal and Korea/Italiy, I was still thinking that there was nothing worse going on, although Italy made me very suspicious. HOWEVER, the Korea/Spain game was a true disgrace. Yes, Spain should have put them away early, but this is the World cup, and all it takes is one goal to win. The first goal annulment could be charitably described as incompetent officiating, as there was just the normal, standard, bipartisan shoving going on. Spain was acting no worse than Korea, nor did it give them an advantage; thus, there should have been no call.

The phantom out of bounds was beyond the pale, however. If you can find a replay that has the linesman in it, take a close look at him. While he is close by, he waits until the ball is heading toward the center and Morientes is in the air to call the out of bounds. Plus, of course, the ball was nowhere near over the line. To me, this is either the most incompetent call in all of soccer history, or, more likely, evidence of bribery and favoritism. As far as I am concerned, all the referees from this game need to be banned from ever officiating again, and very, very thoroughly investigated. Sadly, given the current state of FIFA, this will not happen. Now that it is too late for Spain and Italy, of course, FIFA brings in the world's top refs, as if the world cup didn't deserve good refereeing until the semifinals.