The game is over, and the Battery lost 1-0 against the Puerto Rico Diving Team. The sad thing about this match is not that we lost but what it showed about what has happened to soccer. The Puerto Rican team had beautiful footwork, but they won't be remembered for that. No, they will be remembered for the number of blantent dives they took to pull fouls. Of course it is similarly disgraceful that the person passing himself off for a referee fell for it. Instead of being awarded the fouls, the fallen players should have been carded and sent off the pitch. Again, the Battery played well but just couldn't find the back of the net. I am not complaining about the fact that we lost. What I find totally disheartening and what really turns you off in general from the sport is the theatrics of a team like Puerto Rico. And they didn't need to pull the cheap stunts. They lowered their game by doing that kind of thing. They should be hanging their heads in shame right now - win or loose. Because in the larger sense of the game, they lost. They lost self-esteem, they lost the respect of other players, and they lost the respect of any honest fan who watched that game no matter which side they were on. Well, that is my soapbox for the night!
To bad about the match. anytime the Referee get more attention that the play on the field it is a bad thing. The best refs are the ones that don't get commented on. Diving is something I really abhore in soccer. it really cheapens the experience. I may as well go watch a Italian match knowing it had been fixed. Playing the ball to your advantage is onething looking for a way to fall down. Next week ATL and I would love to get 6 point of of them over the next two weeks. mikey
It was worst than shameful. How a player can devote his life to rising to the pro ranks of soccer and then lower himself by cheating in front of 3,000 fans is beyond my imagination. Surely not all PR players were involved with diving and feigning injuries (very poor acting most of the time), but everyone connected with the team, from innocent players to coaches to fans to management are equally responsible for allowing it to happen! Is there no pride!! Surely, the players cannot act like that at home as there would be few fans in the stadium. I know one fan who would not be in the stands if the Battery put up with blatant cheating for a second. This is not sour grapes because the Battery lost. Everyone has suffered through games where your team outplayed the other team, but just could not finish. Last night was one of those nights for the Battery. No team will out shoot the other team 21 - 3 and lose many of those games.
One of the officials did the lines in our play-off game last week, so they're not exclusive to the USL.
The performance of Puerto Rico was disgraceful. They actually aren't a bad side, but that won't be remembered. What will stick in everyone's minds is a bunch of muffinheads flopping around trying to ruin the game we all love. Makes me almost like Atlanta - at least you know you'll get a legitimate match from them.
Just thought you all might like this article about Saturday's match that is posted on the USL Fans site... http://www.uslfans.com/Stuckart/stuckart,2006,0521.shtml
So, I miss 1 game while I'm hanging out with my mother in law and you guys let this happen? Good grief Charlie Brown. While, I don't want to let the air out of anyone's rant on diving, I fail to see how their diving prevented us from scoring at least 1 goal. Shame on us for failing at the things we could control. Now, we just have to take out all this emotion on Atlanta and Sherman-ize their asses.