What is your pet peeve with pro soccer?

I have watched pro soccer for over thirty years and I must say, it is getting harder to defend some of the stuff that is tolerated in the modern game. Among my personal pet peeves are: Rolling around like you have been shot when even minimal contact has been made. Outright faking and diving. The grabbing and holding that goes on at corner kicks,many times right in front of the ref!! And finally, the crying over every decision made by the ref by players who chase him around the field. It seems to me a lot more of the diving and rolling around takes place in the Spanish and Italian leagues. Having said that, there now seems to be plenty of it in the EPL now also. Has FIFA tried to crack down on this nonsense? Upon review of a game, what action can ruling bodies take with any cheating they spot. I can understand how some quarters in this country mock soccer, when they see some of this stuff going on. The penaltys should be made much stiffer and you would see a lot less of the cheating and theatrics and hand holding.





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Re: What is your pet peeve with pro soccer?

I have watched pro soccer for over thirty years and I must say, it is getting harder to defend some of the stuff that is tolerated in the modern game. Among my personal pet peeves are: Rolling around like you have been shot when even minimal contact has been made. Outright faking and diving. The grabbing and holding that goes on at corner kicks,many times right in front of the ref!! And finally, the crying over every decision made by the ref by players who chase him around the field. It seems to me a lot more of the diving and rolling around takes place in the Spanish and Italian leagues. Having said that, there now seems to be plenty of it in the EPL now also.

In MLS too. I've seen a certain Revs striker, not Taylor Twellman, hit the turf recently for no apparent good reason. And I'm not always convinced by Khano Smith's stumbles.

Pro players have an economic incentive to dive or clutch. If a striker isn’t otherwise quick enough or skilled enough to beat a defender, he’ll get replaced. Same goes for a defender who can’t keep up with a speedy midfielder. And when the team loses, goodbye postseason revenues.

Then again, I’ve also heard it argued that players dive to dramatize true fouls and shame the ref into blowing his whistle.

Re: What is your pet peeve with pro soccer?

I have watched pro soccer for over thirty years and I must say, it is getting harder to defend some of the stuff that is tolerated in the modern game. Among my personal pet peeves are: Rolling around like you have been shot when even minimal contact has been made. Outright faking and diving. The grabbing and holding that goes on at corner kicks,many times right in front of the ref!! And finally, the crying over every decision made by the ref by players who chase him around the field. It seems to me a lot more of the diving and rolling around takes place in the Spanish and Italian leagues. Having said that, there now seems to be plenty of it in the EPL now also.

In MLS too. I've seen a certain Revs striker*, not Taylor Twellman, hit the turf recently for no apparent good reason. And I'm not always convinced by Khano Smith's stumbles.

Pro players have an economic incentive to dive or clutch. If a striker isn’t otherwise quick enough or skilled enough to beat a defender, he’ll get replaced. Same goes for a defender who can’t keep up with a speedy midfielder. And when the team loses, goodbye postseason revenues.

Then again, I’ve also heard it argued that players dive to dramatize true fouls and shame the ref into blowing his whistle.

*Adam Cristman, that is.

Can you comment, do they act the same when on NT duty? I don't watch enough to know, just curious.

I certainly agree this is one of the things non-fans make fun of, and certainly they have plenty of opportunities to do so

Diving is the worst.

Taking out offensive players in the box and relying on the officials' fear of actually calling a penalty is the worst.

What I can't stand is when they quit playing the ball to call for a foul (which of course there isn't one). I would cut them from the team.

Managers also can have an effect on curbing the cheating. Look at the difference in Ronaldo since he started playing under Ferguson. Drogba too is not flopping about the place as much!

you're not REALLY referring to MLS as "pro" soccer are you?

Sure they get paid, but less than 1/2 of 1% of them could play in any of the real leagues...give me a break!!

My pet peeve is the drunken, foul-mouthed yahoos in the stands at Gillette who make Revs games miserable for those seated nearby. For example, the big woman who constantly shouts obscenities at Taylor Twellman, preening in the attention from her foul-mouthed seatmates. Or the four young men who spit chewing tobacco directly behind the seats of the fans in front of them. Or the guy who sits near the front and rants at one or two opposing players the entire game. Fortunately, you can usually find empty seats away from these "fans."

Watched the Galaxy v Chivas game the other day. At least the crowd was loud and into the game. Donovan should be a hurdler the way he accentuates any contact. The Refs seem to be intimidated by Beckham. Any time he protested after a challenge he gets the free kick. The standard is risingin MLS and so is the mix of players. I remember when it first started it was pretty whitebread now it is much more diverse.