729 replies to this topic

[glenn__davis]

Almost as if it was meant to go down that way.

 

I've seen a few comments like this elsewhere and don't really get it.

 

2 of France's goals were scored on PKs.  Didn't see any blatantly bad calls for Argentina or against France.

 

Plenty of reason to be distrustful of FIFA and I'm sure they loved Messi going out like that, but I didn't see any major evidence of bias.  I'm seen far worse at NFL games.

[Old Man]

I've seen a few comments like this elsewhere and don't really get it.

 

2 of France's goals were scored on PKs.  Didn't see any blatantly bad calls for Argentina or against France.

 

Plenty of reason to be distrustful of FIFA and I'm sure they loved Messi going out like that, but I didn't see any major evidence of bias.  I'm seen far worse at NFL games.

Just ask the Colt fans, how they feel about the refs, after their last 2 officiated games.

 

One of those was the ref celebrating with the other team, when the Colts got stopped.

 

I say every bloody year, the refs keep getting worse and worse.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I've seen a few comments like this elsewhere and don't really get it.

2 of France's goals were scored on PKs. Didn't see any blatantly bad calls for Argentina or against France.

Plenty of reason to be distrustful of FIFA and I'm sure they loved Messi going out like that, but I didn't see any major evidence of bias. I'm seen far worse at NFL games.

I thought the ref who did the FInal was really good.

[glenn__davis]

Just ask the Colt fans, how they feel about the refs, after their last 2 officiated games.

 

One of those was the ref celebrating with the other team, when the Colts got stopped.

 

I say every bloody year, the refs keep getting worse and worse.

 

You mean the Colts game on Saturday, when they took way 2 defensive touchdowns from the Vikings due to bad calls?  I don't think Colts fans had much reason to complain.

[NewMarketSean]

Excellent finale. Best soccer match I've watched, although I will admit, I haven't watched many.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

I am as critical as anybody of officiating. I thought the ref crew in the final was outstanding.

 

1. All three PKs were correctly called and called without hesitation. That is exactly how it should happen. The center ref should make all his calls immediately and with conviction. If he has missed something or it needs more looks that is what VAR is for. The worst thing a fef can ever do IMO is to pause for any longer than a fraction of a second before awarding a penalty or pulling out a card. Sure don't make a snap judgement but there are literally a billion eyes on you. Make the call and make your mechanics strong and firm.

 

2. I watched the ARs a lot to see their positioning on the touch line for watching offsides and ball over the end line. Notice how quickly the Argentine goal was called when the defender "saved" the shot. Clearly inside the goal and the AR and center both got it straight away.  As an aside if you have kids playing for are coaching show that video to your defenders. Its classic on why you MUST know where you are on the field. The defender on that was exactly where he should have been side to side. But sheesh dude you are 2 yards inside the goal.....lol.

 

Already trying to figure out how to get to as much of 2026 as we can. $$$$$

[Mike in STL]

I've seen a few comments like this elsewhere and don't really get it.

2 of France's goals were scored on PKs. Didn't see any blatantly bad calls for Argentina or against France.

Plenty of reason to be distrustful of FIFA and I'm sure they loved Messi going out like that, but I didn't see any major evidence of bias. I'm seen far worse at NFL games.

I didn’t watch it, just seems like movie script stuff. But games like that happen in all sports. But the nature of soccer is ripe for fixing. Football even looks that way at times. It’s just not run by as shady of a group of people, though that’s debatable these days.

I don’t want to say convenient, but it seemed easy for Mbappe to score a couple goals fast. Makes me wonder what the hell they are doing the rest of the game? I don’t know soccer but it’d be like if Michael Jordan didn’t take a shot all game, then in the fourth quarter decides to drop 35 points.

That’s part of why I can’t get into it. I don’t know what is going in on the 95% play that takes place in the middle third of the field.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I am as critical as anybody of officiating. I thought the ref crew in the final was outstanding.

1. All three PKs were correctly called and called without hesitation. That is exactly how it should happen. The center ref should make all his calls immediately and with conviction. If he has missed something or it needs more looks that is what VAR is for. The worst thing a fef can ever do IMO is to pause for any longer than a fraction of a second before awarding a penalty or pulling out a card. Sure don't make a snap judgement but there are literally a billion eyes on you. Make the call and make your mechanics strong and firm.

2. I watched the ARs a lot to see their positioning on the touch line for watching offsides and ball over the end line. Notice how quickly the Argentine goal was called when the defender "saved" the shot. Clearly inside the goal and the AR and center both got it straight away. As an aside if you have kids playing for are coaching show that video to your defenders. Its classic on why you MUST know where you are on the field. The defender on that was exactly where he should have been side to side. But sheesh dude you are 2 yards inside the goal.....lol.

Already trying to figure out how to get to as much of 2026 as we can. $$$$$

The refs in the Final vs 3rd place game. Night and day.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

I didn’t watch it, just seems like movie script stuff. But games like that happen in all sports. But the nature of soccer is ripe for fixing. Football even looks that way at times. It’s just not run by as shady of a group of people, though that’s debatable these days.

I don’t want to say convenient, but it seemed easy for Mbappe to score a couple goals fast. Makes me wonder what the hell they are doing the rest of the game? I don’t know soccer but it’d be like if Michael Jordan didn’t take a shot all game, then in the fourth quarter decides to drop 35 points.

That’s part of why I can’t get into it. I don’t know what is going in on the 95% play that takes place in the middle third of the field.

What was going on in the middle third for the first 80 minutes is that Argentina's one touch quick ball movement had France chasing their tails. They just had no answer. Then a stupid lapse in the midfield led to a turnover and the semi break for France. Stupid foul in the area and its PK time for Mbappe. Huge momentum shift.

 

Shoot if you want to talk fixing explain how the Vikings overcame a 33 point defecit? LOL

 

Weird stuff happens in sports. 

[Mike in STL]

What was going on in the middle third for the first 80 minutes is that Argentina's one touch quick ball movement had France chasing their tails. They just had no answer. Then a stupid lapse in the midfield led to a turnover and the semi break for France. Stupid foul in the area and its PK time for Mbappe. Huge momentum shift.

Shoot if you want to talk fixing explain how the Vikings overcame a 33 point defecit? LOL

Weird stuff happens in sports.

I mean, that’s a me problem. I don’t know what having a team chasing their tails looks like.

Let’s not pretend that soccer isn’t the hot bed for match fixing. College basketball had some incidents. Tim Donaghy in the NBA. The Black Sox were over 100 years ago, then you have guys caught betting on sports they play in. Pete Rose, Calvin Ridley.

I’m missing some, but Soccer match fixing is absolutely rampant where as it’s more a one off in other sports.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

I mean, that’s a me problem. I don’t know what having a team chasing their tails looks like.

Let’s not pretend that soccer isn’t the hot bed for match fixing. College basketball had some incidents. Tim Donaghy in the NBA. The Black Sox were over 100 years ago, then you have guys caught betting on sports they play in. Pete Rose, Calvin Ridley.

I’m missing some, but Soccer match fixing is absolutely rampant where as it’s more a one off in other sports.

I agree that its much easier to fix soccer matches simply because its such a low scoring affair. One PK, red card, etc can for sure change the outcomes. But I strongly disagree that match fixing is rampant. And maybe its more semantics as surely it occurs more than in other sports if for no other reason that its has order of magnitude more matches than any other sport across the globe. And I think a lot of the match fixing that does occur happens most often in third world countries and not the big Euro leagues, MLS, or big South American Leagues.

[Mashed Potatoes]

I agree that its much easier to fix soccer matches simply because its such a low scoring affair. One PK, red card, etc can for sure change the outcomes. But I strongly disagree that match fixing is rampant. And maybe its more semantics as surely it occurs more than in other sports if for no other reason that its has order of magnitude more matches than any other sport across the globe. And I think a lot of the match fixing that does occur happens most often in third world countries and not the big Euro leagues, MLS, or big South American Leagues.

Yea Mike, do you have any evidence to back up the claim that match fixing is "rampant" in soccer and at a far higher level than other sports?

[BSLChrisStoner]

The Ringer: The 2022 World Cup Exit Survey

[Mike in STL]

I agree that its much easier to fix soccer matches simply because its such a low scoring affair. One PK, red card, etc can for sure change the outcomes. But I strongly disagree that match fixing is rampant. And maybe its more semantics as surely it occurs more than in other sports if for no other reason that its has order of magnitude more matches than any other sport across the globe. And I think a lot of the match fixing that does occur happens most often in third world countries and not the big Euro leagues, MLS, or big South American Leagues.

 

 

Yea Mike, do you have any evidence to back up the claim that match fixing is "rampant" in soccer and at a far higher level than other sports?

 

ESPN: How FIFA is taking precautions to combat match fixing at World Cup.

https://www.espn.com...world-cup-qatar

 

I mean, you don't see headlines like this before the Super Bowl, World Series, March Madness etc...

 

"600 potentially manipulated matches in the first nine months of 2022". Mostly at the lower levels where guys are underpaid and likely to take a payoff. They don't specify what "lower levels." 

 

A 2016 World Cup qualifier saw a referee get banned for life after an investigation led to belief he was match fixing. 

 

Lower levels or not, 600 matches in 9 months is "rampant", IMO. Enough that they call in seemingly all the high level authority agencies in the world to make sure it doesn't get to the higher levels. 

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Mike

 

Good information. As I said earlier that much of this is likely in 3rd world countries. Also remember that FIFA is the overarching body for 211 nations that play organized soccer and many of those countries have numerous leagues. For example, if you just consider levels 1-4 as professional leagues in England that comprises 92 teams. They play around 3500 matches in a year.

 

Not trying to discount 600 matches as trivial. Surely its not. But trying to put that number in some context.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I like that it’s fixed. Adds an interesting element.

WC 2026 qualifying yet to start.

Costa Rica 0 - 0 Jamaica

[Mashed Potatoes]

Mike

Good information. As I said earlier that much of this is likely in 3rd world countries. Also remember that FIFA is the overarching body for 211 nations that play organized soccer and many of those countries have numerous leagues. For example, if you just consider levels 1-4 as professional leagues in England that comprises 92 teams. They play around 3500 matches in a year.

Not trying to discount 600 matches as trivial. Surely its not. But trying to put that number in some context.

I think to properly make the case, you'd need the percentage of the total matches fixed across all of FIFA compared to the percentage of total games fixed in X sport. Even then you'd want to distinguish between fixed matches in the top tier of the sport compared to the Boreham Wood vs. Solihull Moors matches in the fifth tier.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Here you go baseball fans! US tv viewership  

[Pedro Cerrano]

More people watched one match that happens every 4 years versus a series that happens every year?

 

Impressive.

[Mike in STL]

Why the giant drop from a peak in 2014 to 2018?