At first I thought it was just me, when everytime I listened to a talking head "soccer expert" from ESPN, all I heard was negative commentary and derogatory references to the Italian national side and Serie A. Never mind that every Italy opponent has been picked to win by ESPN, and its consistent overplaying of the "match fixing through referee selection" scandal, coupled with the "controversial Italian keeper Johnluigi Bafoon" and his gambling problem. Yesterday's depiction of Lippi as a "manager coming uhinged from all of the pressure" due to his outburst at stupid questions from clueless reporters was only topped by today's over the top biased reporting of yesterday's match results. While the Italian PK victory has been described at best as "controversial" and the Italian side as "always controversial", the Ukraine PK shootout result AND the Ukraine keeper's save of a Toni shot made the ESPN Top 10 Plays of the Day. Vafa****ESPN for your lack of class and respect for one of the beautiful game's greatest sides, and your continued display of ignorance and lack of knowledge of the world's most popular sport. You would think they would be a little greatful for Grosso doubling the US goal total for the tournament. Alas, no good deed goes unpunished. Is it jut me, or has anybody elsed noticed this? Anybody else sick of hearing Italain names continually butchered on air?
Sadly, this is nothing new. FSC isn't any better. For that matter, if you look at the foreign press, it's pretty much the same thing. I just got done reading an article on Gazzetta.it which outlined what the foreign press had to say about yesterday's game. It wasn't pretty. All the more reason why I want to win this trophy...
Living in Sweden I have been enduring much of the same thing for over 4 years now. I really think that Italians get shitted on a bit too much, and I can't come to understand why. In the Euro 2004, when it was all set that Danmark would meet Sweden, the media here went into overtime talking about a 2-2 result. Making it seem like all of Italy had already condemned the game before it was even played. Being Italian and reading Italian newspapers daily I wasn't really seeing the same type of coverage in Italy. Sure we were aware of the possibility of a 2-2 outcome, but no one had cried of any conspiracy. I even recall our players laughing at the thought of the two teams actually playing for a 2-2 outcome. That didn't stop the Swedish media from building up this story. They kept running with it and when an eventual score of 2-2 came, they celebrated as if they had just won the entire tournament. Fast forward two years later and there is much the same attitude. Since the game, I've heard nothing but negative press towards Italy and the Italian players. I have seen the Grosso clip played from every which angle now, and heard my nation mocked by every journalist and commentator. It really breaks my heart, because I'm seeing first hand their total bias when it comes to football. On Saturday, Henrik Larson dove like a sack of potatoes in order to get a penalty kick, which he missed. Not once have the replayed the clip of him falling over. They showed him missing the kick, but never any question of it being a penalty. I don't doubt that Grosso might have fallen on propuse. The fact of the matter is that in that situation 9 out of 10 players would have done the same exact thing. This stigma about bad Italian sportsmanship is really starting to drive me crazy. Why don't they crucify Figo for what he did in the game against Holland, which in my opinion is far worse? I have lost a lot of faith in this team over the course of this tournament, but now I want us to win even more just so I can laugh at all of these people.
sore losers; after having hyped US Team so much, they have to resort to some kind of excuse to avoid looking like ignorant fools. same goes for the majority of US posters on this site
Calm down. ESPN announcers aren't biased against anybody. They'd have to have some knowledge of the game to be biased. And from what I heard most anouncers on ESPN said the penalty was legit. The FSC announcers agreed also the penalty was legit. The only US based commentators that thought Australia were robbed were the GolTV crew. And they are the home of Serie A in the US. I also just watched MOTD(BBC) and both commentators said it was a penalty. So I don't know where you are seeing all this anti-Italian sentiment.
LOL, good one. Yes, the ESPN guys actually said it was a good call. It's only in reading the English-language press coverage that I've really come to sense any bias "Bad call helps Italy squeak through", "Aussies robbed", etc etc. What I do hate (and is this just me?) is ESPN having the clown that is Giorgio Chinaglia in the studio acting as a caricature of all Italians. I guess he maybe doesn't realize they have him there for the humor of it.
I just got through reading the most ridiculous article in the Toronto Sun. The dumb a s s reporter, thought that Totti's sucking of his thumb celebration was meant to imply that the australians were babies. Its this kind of uneducated journalism that gives us bad names. Its unbelievable. Here is some reporter ripping on the italians character for something that he has totally fabricated.
People generally dislike the Italian national team for a history of cheating and arrogance. Overall though, ESPN is just crap.
OK. Maybe... let's see. They just said that "When Brazil plays is like music"... if we were winning 2-0 at the half playing like Brazil today they would have been ripping us mercilessly. Brazil got an early score on a breakaway. Ghana dominated possession. Ghana had 4-5 clear chances of scoring. Ghana was without Essien. Dida got hit in the leg by the ball and they called it "a great save". Brazil scored the 2nd goal on a clear offside, Adriano was offside twice on the first pass (it was passive, but it became active...) and on the second pass. Brazil is waiting them in their half and hitting them in breakways... if they do it is genius, if we do it is "catenaccio". Ronaldinho is a joke and makes yesterday's Del Piero performance look good in comparison. Yet, for ESPN is all good... they are all GODs walking on Earth. *PUKE*
Cheating like England in 1966? Really "People" should be read as "English speaking people populating the boards and English speaking media". England supporters don't like us... so be it, that's fine. We don't like you either since you have a history of being violent, arrogant and overrated. One (1) (numero uno) (ein) (single) Final of WC in 1966... at home. Enough said.
really? I thought it was because Italy often plays a boring football (with plenty of drama and scoring chances though). Italians certainly don't cheat more than the rest, that's just a prejudice that is passed over generations because there are so many people for whom thinking is too hard of a challenge. But the accusation of arrogance comes out of the blue for me...would you care to explain?
ya i have heard the same stuff said about the Italians by ESPN. I was watching the game and remember when the announcers went off on the Italian goalies (buffon?) problems for a damn near 5 minutes. I was like "wtf does this have to do with anything in the game". The ESPN announcers are a bit confused at times. i wouldnt blame them though. id be confused too if my NT got raped in the group stages....which it did.
I hate him in the studio, really makes Italians look bad..he's a clown. You can tell Wynalda is ready to punch him half the time.
I know what your saying but the praising of Brazil is more a lack of knowledge than a bias. Brazil isn't even playing well today and they were making every pass seem like a work of art. But eventually Balboa started to criticize abit towards the end of the match. But then he threw in this clunker: When asked who he thought was MOM he said: "I think the whole Ghana team is MOM". Yes Marcelo, the whole Ghana team is MOM in a match they are losing 2-0, errr 3-0
espn?...try every article in ireland,scotland,england,canada,the states and the world................i laugh......u watch luis figo headbutt a guy in the face and not get suspended 1 stinkin game,but all anybody wants to talk about is an, in game elbow by derossi.THE STATES USED COMPLETE THUGGERY AND THE ENTIRE GAME THEY WERE "FEET IN" ON THE ITALIAN TEAM,YET EVERY ARTICLE LAMBASTED THE ITALIAN TEAM LIKE WE WERE THE AGGRESSOR,WE GOT THE SHIT KICKED OUTTA US BY THE STATES!...yet we were the bad guys,LOL..............ive played soccer,elbows get up....yet derossi this,derossi that,the scandal,the italian job.italians are divers,theatrics,poor australia.....U KIDDING ME?....IVE NEVER SEEN SO MUCH DIVING AND THEATRICS AS I SAW IN THE GAME BETWEEN PORTUGAL AND THE DUTCH......its insane.....every game ive watched i see players,tripped,mugged,dive and fall........YET ITS ONLY THE ITALIANS?......every 4 years i realize how much the italians are hated......................and i love it,hate me cuz im beautiful!....FORZA AZZURRI! its the world against us.....simple.
Did I touch a nerve? Should I remind you of your One (1) (numero uno) (ein) (single) win in nearly 70 years or your One (1) (numero uno) (ein) (single) final appearance in 35 years? Italy are cheats, just like England are overrated.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CllT_iZEblE&search=gerrard dive You cheat as much if not more than us... "if you ain't cheating you ain't trying" Your attempt at rebuttal on team's record is pathetic... how many Final Four appearances you have?? How many do we have?? Do you really want to count them?? Since 1974 we don't lose a WC match played in Europe, except for PKs... can you count how many did you guys lose?
lmao....all soccer players try and get the advantage for their team.....yet only when an italian gets the advantage does the world weep like bitches....brits are the worst,they knock italy the most.... hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.the world weeps when italy wins in football and the brits lead the way...why,cuz they are inferior and are hell bent on denigrating the italian game....true kuntz i tell ya.
Italian teams often prevent the other team from ever looking good because they shut you down. This frustrates the hell out of them. Who enjoys looking like a crap team? Therefore they start with the sour grapes. "If only they didn't cheat! If only they didn't foul us! If only they didn't dive! If only, if only, if only ..." It's been like this for a long time. All excuses. - Paul
yeah, I forgot one of the main reason why they're disliked and slandered: they win more often than not. Especially against the Brits
YES IT WAS. heres the link.. http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/Columnists/Longley_Rob/2006/06/27/1655668-sun.html that guys a joke, its an unbelivable article to read