Sorry Sam, I had to give up Soccer years ago. I played from 5th grade, until I signed with the Tulsa Roughnecks in the mid eighties. I had a few GREAT years, like signing with a pro team. I also had a few horrible times,like when a striker missed the ball and put my left kneecap up to mid-thigh, and when my team folded right after signing me. {in the background is Erkel saying “Did I do thaaaattt?”}
I played on a few pick up teams when I was in Germany in the late eighties, and I count the day I shook Pele’s hand, and the day I had lunch with Mia Hamm as the best two days of my life. With apologies to my daughter.
Having said all that, I gave up Soccer after the 1998 World Cup. I can not support a league that encourages it’s players to dive. ANY of my coaches would have sent me to the hospital if I was carried off the field in a stretcher. Watching bitch-boy after bitch-boy carried off the field like he had just broken his back, only to jump off the stretcher when it got off the field and DEMAND to be let back into play, makes me want to kick the shit out of them. Every last one of the nancy boys should be banned from international play for a year. For the first offence, after that the gloves come off.
If I seem particularly vitriolic about the subject,it’s because worthless excuses for players have forced me to quit watching one of the true loves of my life.
They have a diving rule in Hockey, and once in a while it gets called, when they start calling diving in Soccer, I MAY return, maybe.

Until then, I hope every team looses. Twice on Sunday.

I have the Celtic matches on in high speed feed here. Then I watch whatever EPL is on. I’m not much for the MLS, or South american leagues – at least until the Fire gets rid of that asshat blanco.