A Load of Old Balls (and some new ones)

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by obs20

We don't really care about soccer.

You really should take pride in the US national team. Considering the poor state of the professional game in the US, you have an excellent team. Certainly on a par with that of many nations where football is THE national game.

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by HarryT

What, as a matter of interest, was the reaction in Argentina to Maradonna's infamous "hand of god" goal? In this country, he was reviled as a cheat for years after (and probably still is by many), and the reason that England were knocked out of the tournament that year.

Well, I can only tell you my reaction: I didn't like it. And I find it sad that that goal was scored in the same game as the incredible, unbeleivable, unforgettable second goal, the best of all times.

In Argentina, "cheating" (simulating fouls, using the hands and wrongdoing while the referee is looking elsewhere), has become common practice, even part of the game for some people. I don't like it now and I didn't like it back in 1986.

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Ah, but we can't know that - if the 'goal' had been disallowed, the whole course of the second half would have been a different chain of events.

Reminds me of Asimov's The End of Eternity.