After all the speculation, it nothing more than a few "yo mama" jokes.. PARIS (AP) -- French soccer star Zinedine Zidane has apologized for head-butting an Italian opponent during the World Cup final, saying he was provoked by insults about his mother and sister. In his first interview since being tossed from Sunday's game, Zidane specifically apologized to the children who watched the match. Zidane did not specify exactly what Italian defender Marco Materazzi said that enraged him, but that it was insulting to his sister and mother.
It may not seem like much, but you have to take into account, that Zizou's mother has been really sick recently. I dont agree with what he did, but I can see how it pushed him over the edge.
big deal; has there ever been a hard fought football match without some exchange of compliments of that sort to female relatives of players? so Materazzi is a mediocre human being and Zidane a hot head... you know who's cutting the poorest figure in all this miserable affair? Those characters (relatives of Zidane, french players and maybe more) who condone Zizou's act of violence and are even contemplating revenge on Materazzi and the Italians in general.
He tried to walk away,but he kept saying them over and over until Zindane reacted..Dirty tactics as usual just like they did to Enrique in the 1994 World Cup..Cheap and away from the goal.
That is true i guess, my mom dies a few years ago, and i probably would have been just as pissed as he was.. But isnt he a pro, he's been subjected to this for years, one would think he would let things roll off his back at this stage of his career. also I think That Materazzi has been vilified a little to much here, People seem to forget that Zidane has been red carded about 14 times in his career for some violent acts, not just violent accidents, but deliberate attacks on others, he's no saint. And all you people would be dilusional to think that he hasn't said similar if not worse things to opponents during his long career. someone please correct me but i believe that he's been sent off more times than Materazzi has during their careers. Also, i was very dissapointed to hear that he doesn't regret doing it. that pretty much renders his whole apology worthless...i don't know, the whole things leaves me a little unsatisfied
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...7&call_pageid=1044529386722&col=1044529386490 Zizou: Still a superstar Now that the pop psychologists, kinesiologists and Italian lip readers have had three frenzied days to assess Zinedine Zidane's battering of Marco Materazzi, let's consider the incident calmly. It wasn't "shameful" or "an ugly end to a great career" or "a shadow over the game" — all descriptions used recently. It was understandable, excusable and, in a bizarre way, admirable. We know the Italian started it. Materazzi has admitted to goading Zidane. And Materazzi is a man who knows how to get under someone's skin. Much has been made of Zidane's famous temper — the Saudi he stomped on in the 1998 World Cup, the 14 red cards over a 17-year career. But whereas Zidane is a superstar with a mean streak, Materazzi is a journeyman known for little else. The Italian's two-footed horror tackles are legendary. He was once suspended for two months for cold-cocking a former teammate in a post-match tunnel brawl. He has been derided by his countrymen as an "animal" and booed the length of Italy. So what we really had here was the artist and the enforcer trading barbs after a tangle well off the ball. We may never know exactly what was said. Does it matter? How much would it matter to you if some chirpy goon who'd been tailing you for two hours insulted your mother or your wife or your race? There's also been talk of a tug on Zidane's injured shoulder or a nipple tweak. Whatever it was, it was annoying enough in Zidane's opinion to warrant action. Zidane could have waited for an opportunity to spike the lanky defender later in the game. He could have faked an injury the next time Materazzi brushed against him in the hopes of getting him sent off. That's what most of today's soccer stars would have done. Instead, he squared up to him, took one purposeful step and gave him the old "Marseilles handshake." How Materazzi was caught totally off-guard is more curious than why the head-butt was delivered in the first place. It was inelegant. It was wrong. But it was a far sight more manly than a sneak attack or a kick in the privates. For me, watching infamous divers like Francesco Totti or Thierry Henry step up to give their post-match two cents about Zidane's "madness" was more nauseating than the attack itself. After he hit Materazzi, Zidane quietly waited to be sent off. When his (perfectly correct) punishment came, he turned and walked away without complaint. Meanwhile, Materazzi thrashed about on the ground as if he'd been beaten with a mallet, rather than knocked on the chest. I know who I thought looked more dignified. All sports are about aggression. We prefer that aggression controlled. But it will come spilling over now and again. This does not mean that villains have taken over and there is no more good in the world. It means the players are not emotionless cyborgs. Spontaneous outbursts of violence — and we're not talking about malicious attacks meant to cause serious injury — are part of every contact sport. Also, let's leave the "he let the team down"' angle out. Zidane speared Materazzi 110 minutes into a 120-minute contest. Ten men can defend just as easily as 11 for 10 minutes. Zidane was injured. He'd also nearly missed a penalty early in the game, so it's not clear if he felt confident enough to take one during the shootout. The game came down to steel and luck. Italy's penalty shooters had more of both. Zidane's presence wouldn't have changed that. Zidane could have calculated all these factors in that instant between hearing the jibe and launching himself at Materazzi. After all, few players ever made decisions more quickly on the pitch. We don't know how it happened. Zidane has chosen not to explain himself yet. Frankly, he doesn't need to. He walks into history rightly regarded as one of the sport's gentlemen. He may not have turned the other cheek, but nor did he dive or whine or fake injuries or give up or badmouth his opponents or blame others when the team did badly. He was also the game's greatest exponent of the past 20 years. Nothing that happened Sunday changed any of that.
that just shows that there is really something wrong with referees and rules in football. Materazzi has always been a disgrace to the game. this guy deserves a red card each game he plays.
Much Ado About Nothing So much for the "racial" taunts. The newspapers that printed that garbage should issue apologies to Materazzi. As for the insults of his mom and sister, Materazzi denies insulting his mom. His sister on the otherhand LOL What a joke Zidane is. Proves our point that he's a psycho and lost it.
[quote='Uaglio]Much Ado About Nothing So much for the "racial" taunts. The newspapers that printed that garbage should issue apologies to Materazzi. As for the insults of his mom and sister, Materazzi denies insulting his mom. His sister on the otherhand LOL What a joke Zidane is. Proves our point that he's a psycho and lost it.[/quote] SO this is funny to you? Besides, Zidane didn't say he didnt make any racist remarks...... No place for trolls here.... Off with you!
You know if Materazzi did insult Zidane racially, Zidane would probably not be allowed to tell people.It would only increase tensions between the Muslims living in France and the Italians.That could be why Zidane is so emotional about the whole thing.He is probably frustrated that he is not allowed to say what really was said.That might also be why Barthez has not been around since he is also frustrated with the whole situation.Many lip readers did say that a racial slur was used.So we might not be hearing the whole story.
[QUOTE='Uaglio]Much Ado About Nothing So much for the "racial" taunts. The newspapers that printed that garbage should issue apologies to Materazzi. As for the insults of his mom and sister, Materazzi denies insulting his mom. His sister on the otherhand LOL What a joke Zidane is. Proves our point that he's a psycho and lost it.[/QUOTE] Zidane was stupid and wrong, and has apologized. Materazzi is a gutless coward. A lower form of life than a snake. He has no honor, no manliness. There can be no respect for Materazzi. Rolling around on the ground like he had been shot -- what an immature, gutless coward.
Of course, Zidane's attack on another player was some kind of honorable act? And where has Zidane apologized? I have yet to hear him say "Sorry Materazzi" for the attack. Instead, he continued to slander him. Regardless, Zidane was the provocator because he was the first to spew a comment after Materazzi marked him.
He didn't apologize to Materazzi becasuse, right or wrong, he's not sorry. He did apologize to the children of thhe world who saw what happened. That is honorable. And how does he slander Materazzi when he only tells what was said. He never called him out of his name. He just said that he did not regret the act toward him based on what was said. That's not slanderous in the least.
Omg... If i could classify anyplayer as world class, and a class player, Zidane would be on the top of the list. Materazzi obviously said something extremely offensive to Zidane to make him do what he did. Materazzi is a scumbag. Plus watch the replys, Zidanes headbutt had NOT NEARLY ENOUGH POWER to make Materazzi flying back like that, it was a partial dive. I do not blame Zidane for losing his temper. France deserved the WC in IMHO.
Some extraits from his interview (sorry for the lack of accents) "[oui] C'est des gestes qui sont pas tolerables. mais regretter cette action, ca veut dire en fait qu'il avait raison de dire ce qu'il a dit; et non, il a pas raison de dire ce qu'il a dit, surtout pas, surtout pas." "Ce que j'ai envie de dire surtout c'est qu'on parle toujours de la reaction. on parle toujours de la reaction. forcement, le reaction est punisable. Elle doit etre punie. Mais si y a pas reaction, enfin si ya pas provocation, il peut pas en avoir une reaction. Donc, il faut d'abord dire qu'en fait il y a une provocation. Et le coupable, c'est celui qui provoque. Et ca en fait, j'ai envie de le dire, j'ai envie de le defendre, parce que ca suffit de toujours sanctionner la reaction... si je reagis, c'est qu'il s'est passe quelque chose. Est-ce que vous croyez, vous, dans la finale de coupe du monde comme ca, alors que je suis dix minutes de la fin de ma carriere, je vais aller faire un geste comme ca, et c'est un geste qui sera comme ca parce que ca me fait plaisir de faire ce geste? Est-ce que vous pensez a ca, une minute? De sang froid....Vous avez pete les plombs? "Non! parce qu'il y avait une provocation, et la provocation tres grave, c'est tout. Maintenant, je vous dis, mon geste, il est pas pardonnable. C'est parce que je suis en train de vous dire la. Je vous dis juste, qu'il faut sanctionner le vrai coupable. Et le coupable c'est celui qui provoque."
14 red cards over a 20 year career with approximately 500 games give or take.....I'd say that's not really a big deal for a passionate player. The red card in the 1998 WC....very minor...that had nothing on Wayne Rooney's crotch seeking missle. No Zidane is no angel. Some of these red cards were probably retalitory in nature after being man handled, fouled repeatedly, etc. I suspect that if Maradona had been a bit bigger chap he might have sought out some retaliation for all of the savagery he suffered over a career. Maybe it is unfortunate that Zidane is a big enough lad to actually stand up for himself. Retaliation to me isn't as big an offense as some "Jack A$$" that repeatedly comes in with slide tackles from behind to hurt someone,or other general conduct of the like, without provocation. Motheryahtzee being villified in this situation has not as much to do with what happened here as it has to do with generalized brutal behavior and being an otherwise "piece of $hiite". Kind of a "guilt by association" due to previous overall bad behavior. If Zidane had done this to say...Ronaldinho(or insert another footballer with pretty good character)...then I think he becomes much more of a villian.
Zidane never said it to be a racist remark, but isn't it possible to have a racist remark that insults your family at the same time? As far as not apologizing to Matisyahu. What reason is there for it? If a person gets in a fight with someone who offended them, why should they make nice after? Also for people that think Zidane a savage, an animal, a mad man, lacking class. Whatever! He lost his cool at a very inopportune moment. He give his time, his money, and his name to many charitable events and organizations. I haven't seen Matterassee rescuing any kittens from trees.