Football, or "soccer" as you call it over there, is a huge sport almost everywhere in the world, but why not in the US?
Match between the US and England is played this afternoon, should be interesting!

Because in what is supposed to be "The Premier Event" you have a 90 minute game end in a 1-1 tie!

Get rid of ties and you have a game. Otherwise, I want that 90 minutes of my life back...

Because we'll reject that which everyone tells us that we should love "because everyone else does".

We have plenty of American sports to keep us occupied.

It's not that we hate it; we just don't pay any attention to it. It's generally used as a baby-sitter for children.

For some reason, parents feel obligated to sign up their three-year-olds in municipal or private leagues. The kids have no idea what they're doing, but they run around while the parents and coaches scream at them. By the time they're twelve, most are bored with it, many hate it and a few stick with it till injuries take them out. But no one beyond those parents care.

For adults, it's too much effort for too little reward to participate in. It doesn't televise well, because there are no natural commercial breaks. And we don't want to see us lose to some little unpronouncable country which doesn't even have flush toilets.

I get to see a lot of non-American sports on TV when I'm on layovers in other countries. I'd much rather watch Rugby or even...Crickett...than most "Footbool" matches. However, I was in a bar in Barcelona during the last World Cup, and when Italy won, the place went Nutz! Not just the one bar I was in, I mean the entire city! It was as if Spain had won. I guess they just wanted Italy to win. The crowds poured out into the streets and held an impromptu parade down to the big Columbus statue, then a couple drunk kids climbed up the statue and were taunting the Polizi!

Now, that was fun...to watch. Ahh youth, wasted on the young!

It's just taking a while to catch on. There have been grass roots efforts to grow youth soccer in the US - there have been youth soccer leagues all over the country for some time now and it's becoming almost as (if not more) popular as youth baseball. It's slowly starting to attract the attention of the adults. Personally, I'm looking forward to the US taking part in a real world sports competition - though I realize we have a long way to go to build an adequate continent based supporting league to be competitive. I'm dialing in to the game this afternoon with the UK - it will probably be the first soccer match I've watched more than 20 minutes of.

The US exposure of the World Cup this year is 10 times what it's received in the past.

Good stuff!:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-june-10-2010/world-cup-2010--into-africa---two-teams--one-cup

As was mentioned above, it does not lend itself to American style TV coverage, not enough comercial breaks to pay for the air time. On a kids level, it's a cheap and easy sport to get into, shin pads and a ball, you're good to go. But on an adult level, well, you know we like to eat and sit on the couch here in America, right? And it's too friggn' hot to be running around in circles in the south, 6 mo. of the year! It's going to be 97f (36C) here today!

Most of us adults were not raised on it, so we really don't understand some of the rules (offsides? What is that?)

American Adults today played baseball, American Football, basketball or hockey when we were kids, soccer was for the kids who couldn't hit a fastball, make a free-throw or cried when they got hit in football or had to eat a slapshot.

I've got 4 kids and each one of them played "Soccer" when they were young, ages 5-12. Hell, I even helped coach it for some of their teams. But like was mentioned above, it was more of a babby sitting gig than a real game. They also played basketball and baseball. The parrents I spoke with never played soccer as kids, so they really didn't know what to teach their kids, in the "skills" dept.

Ice Hockey is the only real -skill- game anyway, anyone can kick a ball...

;^)

UNH Wildcat Hockey rules! http://unhwildcats.com/sports/mice/index

ESPN has figured out how to cover it while also showing sponsor's messages. During the Indy500 a couple of weeks ago, most commercial breaks saw the racing action reduced to a small video on the side while the commercial played in a larger portion of the screen...then the race zoomed back in. You still got to see the action. Though I believe that advertising method was aimed squarely at viewers like me (who record the race and start watching it an hour after it starts so we can fast forward through all the commercials) - it would work here too.

What time is the game (match)? I'll try to catch some of it...if there's no wind. ;^)

I was introduced to soccer when I was 11 (1971) at Culver Military Academy Summer School, a culturally diverse program. I specifically remember then going home and telling my friends about this great new game I had learned, where you kick the ball, but can't touch it with your hands. My friends, being typical Hoosiers (basketball players) said: You can't touch the ball with your hands? That's STUU-PIID!! And I never mentioned the game again. When I got to high school, the drafting teacher from Rhodesia organized a team, but only skinny weird kids joined.

"...but only skinny weird kids joined."

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are!

Jake, thanks for the Daily Show link! I'll be laughing about that all day!

"Have you told your parents you play soccer yet...?"



If any of you Americans are interested, the US vs. England match is today at 1:30 pm east time, on ABC.

your parents sent you to military school...that's funny too

Because there's no V-8 engines involved.

Seriously, my niece got a full ride to a New York university to play soccer.

Hey, ESPN just did a great peice on the new ball, explained about the spin, or lack of spin, etc. Very interesting.

BUT...why did they go to a new ball in the first place? I came in late to their program, maybe they did explain that but I missed it.

Family tradition, and the best sailing school in the midwest. www.culver.org

Well that didn't take long...3:46 into the game and England scores first...

But...at 41 minutes the England goalie gave the US a gift! Tied at 1-1 now.

OK, 90 minutes to a 1-1 tie. Well, that sucked.

I rest my case.

Thank GOD the Celtics will be playing the Lakers tomorrow night, and -somebody- will WIN!

Ahhh, good illustration that you guys just don't understand the game ....this is a great result for the U.S.!

how did you know what the score was going to be!!!!!!!!!


Bloody seppo's don't even know what to call it but we still can't beat them!!!!

I "understand" they are just playing to get points, to move on to the next round.

I just think it's WRONG! At this level, to allow ANY of the matches to end in a Tie, is LAME! What are they, 5 year olds? It will NEVER catch on in the US if the Top Tallent can't produce a WIN, or at least make an effort. Allowing them to "Tie" only allows them to slackoff.

"Bloody seppo's don't even know what to call it but we still can't beat them!!!!"

Maybe you guys should get a goalie! You were very lucky that second shot hit the post or you'd have -lost- to the bloody Seppo's!

Personally ive always watched soccer, way more interesting then baseball, what kind of sport has a stretch built into it? Although those US beauty pageant costumes are not working for me.

You know the only reason we go to baseball games is to get away from the wife and drink beer, right? The -stretch- is just to go to the bathroom...

Hey Arie, it what round do they actually have to finish their games, ie. win a game, no ties? I'll start watching again in that round.

thats the next round this round is 3 games per team and 2 move on from each group, after that its all win or loose. even overtimes and shootouts if needed

Thanks, I'll be waiting for that.

You guys must be kidding.. that it won`t take off in the US because it doesn`t allow for (what do you call it again??) Natural advert breaks. Clearly the rest of the planet don`t understand you.. and I was rooting for the US - even wore a USA Jersey (That`s how much I 'hate' the British, must be my French heritage coming through..) Anyway, glad the US evened the score, would hate to see the UK win something.
I HATE ad breaks with a passion, and I`m glad there were none in the footage I saw. Please tell me you yanks are no different..

Someone should keep an eye on your keeper tonight.. make sure he doesn't hang himself or anything.

Steve, it's not that we like to sit and watch adds, we HATE the adds too, but we need to get up and get another beer, and more nachos, and go to the bathroom, etc. We need to -not- miss any action when we do that!

Tivo!!

Yeah...but who's going to -pay- for all the TV time? With the way our sports are set up now, the comercials pay for it.

And a question for you Euro-Footbool experts, the announcers were talking about which teams some of the players play for in their day jobs, I thought they mentioned the US Goalie is from England? I thought each National team had to be made up of...Nationals? No? Is this like the teams in the America's Cup, where they can get "nationality" anywhere they want, and then play for that team?

Actually not all Americans hate soccer. Mexicans love it and it's no secret that Mexico will take over the US.

i think he was trying to make up for the whole bp thing



The US keeper is american. The teams in the world cup are national teams, the rest of the time he plays for a english premier league team. Its like a nba basketball player going and playing for the US olympic team or such.

Timbo, that`s the beauty of football. You CAN get up to go to the bathroom, get another beer etc, and not miss any of the action, even WITHOUT ad breaks. That`s how most games end in a 1-1 draw..
Anyone watch the Le Mans 24 ? Now THAT is endurance television.
And I don`t really hate the Brits.

Soccer rules the world. What is Baseball about?

Hey, somebody has to say it: there are also Germans who hate soccer! I can't imagine anything more boring ... billiard?

My dad was a very good soccer player in the '70s. I always hated it. He wouldn't let me join rugby so I started playing soccer. My team was pretty good and as a right back I'd sit down on the field and chill out for minutes at a time, driving the trainer nuts. My reaction was like "hey, the ball isn't coming back here any time soon, so what's your problem!" The up side was running at the strikers with the look of a madman on my face (think "Braveheart", but without the blue paint), in the hopes of intimidating them into making dumb butt mistakes. I still smile when I think back to those "moments of glory" LOL!
Naturally I got kicked off and all was well from then on.

Not all Dutchmen are soccer fans either! I also prefer ice hockey!

Not a clue.

Anyone have an idea of what the buzz is from the TV (ooops, sorry I meant Tele )? Sounds like 1,000,000 flys swarming the microphone.

"Commentators have described the sound as "annoying" and compared it with "a stampede of noisy elephants,",
"a deafening swarm of locusts," "a goat on the way to slaughter" and "a giant hive full of very angry bees."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vuvuzela


In Holland we have found another name for it, a combination of the word "horn" and a word I cant say here

BRILLIANT ANALYSIS!!!
BRAVO.

Truer words were never spoken............

That's exactly how I played soccer at Culver! Since most of the the kids who were good at it were little South American or European kids, and I was a big fat American, when the ball was coming toward me (being controlled by a small kid) I would run straight at him screaming with my arms out. Invariably, the other kid would turn and run for his life, leaving the ball with me.

. . . FWIW, dated today in the updated wiki . . .
"On 13 June 2010 the BBC reported that the South African organising chief Danny Jordaan is considering a ban of the vuvuzela during matches. Jordaan noted that "if there are grounds to do so, yes [they will be gotten rid of]" and that "if any land on the pitch in anger we will take action."

While I am a rare Brazilian who doesn't care much about it, soccer is the sport with more viewers in the World and moves more money than any other. It is strange that US sports enterprises aren't involved in it but, on the other hand, knowing a little bit about how professional soccer is managed, this is actually meritorious for US enterprises.

By the way, Brazil is an important name in professional soccer, but the country has won more Olympic medals in sailing than in any other sport.

Lastly, to whoever wrote that "anyone can kick a ball", it is a lot easier to throw and catch a ball with your hands than without them.

That was me, and it was in comparison of soccer to hockey, not American Football, which I also played as a kid. Hockey was quite a bit tougher (skill and hits) than football. You ever played hockey?

Right now I'm -trying- to watch the GER-AUS game, GER is up 2 nil at the moment, all that Buzzzz from those horns is very annoying.

When I see icehockey, I think anger management.

So, you've never played the game?

At least I'm not alone in my dislike of those horns!

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/...e-killing-world-cup-atmosphere?GT1=39011

The beauty of sport comes due to the fact, that you can really see the differences between the good and bad players. More than in any other ball sport. There are some players who really have a love affair with the ball... And yet skill alone isn't enough to win.

Thanks for that and right back atcha!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my7Q6aWsDbc&feature=related

And here's a guy who can score points with a basketball...using his Foot!

Anyone can put a ball in a huge goal, but let's see Beckham do this; (watch to the very end, they show it in slo-mo)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzC11oNYx64&feature=related

freakin' horns..... very annoying.

Not impressed..would never be able to repeat that. Not to mention adding a few people trying to break his legs as he does it.

"...would never be able to repeat that"

He did it every day, it's part of the act.

And as I recall, the socceer ball kicking vid from above was just as staged...

looks like that last hockey player played lacrosse very reminiscent of that haha.

as for the other thats not as hard as it looks we usto shoot around with indoor soccer balls at basketball goals even as kids could make it, soccer is more on making it past the defenders/keeper much easier without several people to get past

These vuvuzelas are great, they are a joyful expression of the locals having this event in their country.
It would be a shame if they get banned. May be FIFA should make sure that next time a country like Switzerland is chosen, there will not be any problems with too much noise ...

Soccer is a game of extreme skill played by premadonnas and actors ( OMG he touched me, must be a free kick ). For a real mans sport watch some Aussie rules footy.

not so sure about that

Looks like they are over compensating:)

Hahah

(says the man with 10000 watts in his trunk) ;~p

don't watch soccer, but those horn things ROCK. I need one on a boat for the pre-start sequence to thow off the competition...

i could really get into soccer if it was like this

A funny part of soccer is when the players talk live on TV. Once one thanked (say) Miller, his team´s sponsor, for the Buds they gave to the team...

Hat tricks are interesting too.
Joga Bonito

Letterman did a Top 10 on this tonight. Check out the website in a few days, pretty funny (and perfectly timed)...

Mike

This is really funny!
There is a Dutch beer brand called Bavaria but they are not official sponsors of the Worldcup.
They thought most marketing campaings where too much male-oriented so they came up with something called the Dutchdress.
They then hired 36 girls to go to the match Denmark-Holland and somewhere halfway during the game they stripped down
to the little orange (Dutch national color) dress (which does not have any sort of brand name on it btw).
Stewards had them removed from the game and they where held for questioning for hours, very unsportmanlike behaviour from the FIFA if you ask me.

If they did nothing but cheer (in orange) it seems very unrezsonable to kick em out, and esp to detain them.

I could get into any sport with those "cheerleaders"

Why did they kick them out?
Or is that a joke?

Looks no different than the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders or any of the wannabees....

Where can I get a vuvuzula(?)? I think it would make a great signaling device. Between races we could all form a band, kind of like a kazoo band but different.

Perfect, we finally have something to compete with those singing, hull-drumming Puerto Ricans between races!

Mike

HERE

Great! How many should we order? Is it true they will soon be required on all beach cats?

Someone just told me that there are more people from the USA going to watch the World Cup than any other nation. I suppose you would have to exclude South Africa. That does not sound like we hate it.

I know Delta is flying two full 777's back and forth, ATL to Joburg, every day.

and thats just for all the vuvuzula's

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/37731680/ns/sports-world_cup/

We need to have Andi and Martin 'splain this for us.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/27240414/ns/sports-world_cup/displaymode/1247/?beginSlide=1

Now I get it.

Speaking of which, Andi and Martin broke their (carbon) mast yesterday, he wasnt sure what caused it exactly.

Where?

Texel

Why dont I watch soccer? simple.. remember the "hand of god" goal that won Argentina the cup??? remember various players taking diver to get a penalty? Fact is an Italian player just made a dive and sort a penalty when he was obviously a distance from any other player!! Did anyone else see the hand ball that won France over England in the European cup? Seems the players are trained actors and seek to fraudulently win games. FIFA has no interest in making sure the games are fail.. They rejected TV umpires so agree with the status quo.

Im on my way back from Africa.. Those horns are annoying!! monotone droning.. Heck if I was on a jury and someone was on a murder charge for killing someone carrying one of them.. I would acquit on the grounds it was a mercy killing!!

This weekend its England vs Australian Wallabies Rugby Union test...

It was against Ireland

Wouter

+1

You seems to be a tolerant man.
And you are looking for a perfect fair world. Ok, but why are you sailing? I don't know any other sport, where so many winner are declared by a race commitee, jury or court instead on the water. Not speaking about rating systems.

And I say this after the 7 yellow cards in the Germany - Serbia match.

Cheers,

Klaus

that and you can get a handball with your face now and have goals called back through the power of the refs imagination. some shotty refing today

Sorry but the limited viewing I have unfortunately wasted watching soccer.. Seems the umpires tend to win the game not the players.


Btw the Umpiring in the England vs Wallabies wasn't great either..

Inconsistent and poor umpiring at "world" level seems to be the bane of all sports.. At least in sailing there is a jury who decide an infraction. Not a short sighed wannabe who wants to be the game..

"Argentina won a Cup with the hand of God...." well Stewart,
you don´t need to repeat what English fans cry about every single day of their life.

Sport games are not that fair, as mentioned by Smithcats.

Do you know England won a cup with a goal that never entered or passed the line? against Germany in 1966? did you know that?
I don´t see Germans complaining, its due, its over.

And yes , the only thing that won the Cup for Argentina was the hand of god.... and not the 2nd goal that is the most incredible goal in history and all the other matches and the best final so far :Arg 3 Ger 2

Before saying that you should talk to Gary Lineker or Gascoigne, what they've would done in the same situation.

Its simple the referee did not see it, bud luck for England, same for Germany in 1966, same with last game with USA where they've should have won it right away 3-2.

So it is not a fair 100% game, as any other sport and as Life too.

So I guess that's why they allow a game to end in a Tie! That way, no matter how bad the officiating, at least nobody loses over it!

FIFA could resolve all this referees huge mistakes with TV repeats as American Football and now Rugby Union does in key Try situations .

Using a TV replay USA would have won last match easily as it was badly denied a win, awfully I must say.

But I don´t know why fifa does not apply this, it would solve many unfair situations!

As I stated there are many examples of soccer games being won or drawn by the umpires and not the players.. FIFA wants the status quo to remain as they need the media circus.

Yes Rugby (both codes) us a TV umpire.. I dont know about gridion. As do many other professional sports..

remind me what the score was in the '66 game.

If I naiming Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne (one of the most talented players I've seen) you can tell I appreciate English football and I like the way the Premiere style, simple and more entertaining.
This is not a Arg-Eng thing... forget it!

I respond clearly and to the point of that silly argument of winning a whole world cup process by the hand (and the foot of "god" , leaving the other aspects behind.

Doubtfull goal for England in 66 final, and as we have a doubtfull penalty charged in the 90's final... and the list can go on for ever

All cups are full of unfair decisions, that´s the real issue here, and I guess Baseball and NBA have their share of errors too.

Personally I agree with US fans, football need more score situations ,
fifa even analyzed to make a bigger goal fit, that´s a good idea.

The NBA has started using video replay for some situations, but only in the last two minutes of play. They really could call a foul on nearly every play, there is a lot of pushing and shoving, and the guy with the ball is traveling half the time. Baseball is now using video replay as well, but not for the balls/strikes calls, only for other inbounds/out of bounds and home runs that hit the pole or fence, type situations.

The technology exists that where a computer could call balls/strikes with 100% accuracy, but then whom would you -pay off- to have the game go your way?

But I think FIFA (and all other professional sports) should jump into the 21st Century and start using video replay for any call that could change the outcome of the game, such as questionable hand balls, goals and offsides leading to a goal.

And what's with all the "flopping"? Geez what a bunch of bad actors! There should be a penalty kick awarded to the other team, just for the bad acting! That would stop that crap quickly.

And no more Ties! Let them continue to play into "sudden death" overtime until somebody scores a legitimate goal, video reviewed of course...

The acting is why I quit watching professional basketball. It drives me nuts. It bothers me in the soccer as well ... and it's probably much worse. I saw a guy get hauled off on a stretcher near the end of the game on Friday and someone just barely touched his calf muscle. Man up! I bet I could get into watching rugby.

First you make video decissions, some years later you will introduce court decission. The dead of any sport. It is good, that the decission is made instantly, even with the risk of being wrong. There would never be a an after-match party, if you have to wait for the official result.
A bit coincidence is good for any sport. Like shifty winds. With video analysis, todays Italy:NZ would be 1:0, or 2:0 or more because of a yellow-red card for this one Kiwi guy who uses always his elbows... anyway it adds a lot of spice that Italy now has to win and in NZ is big party tonight. If you can't bear that, don't look it. But before you judge it, trz to understand it. At the end, those mistakes lift soccer games to an epic dimension. I am sure in NZ, people will still speak in ten years about the match od today. Even today we Germans speak (speak, not complain) about the lost final in 1966, we even have an expression in our language for it. Matches like Germany-England or Ger-Ned, France-Italy and so on are classics, exactly because of those uncertainities.

And by the way, don't reduce Maradonna to that single goal. He is one of the best, maybe the best footballer so far. And there is a good chance that he will win the cup a second time. Or maybe -as 2006 Germany- kicks Argentina out of the games, not because we have the better player (we don't have), but a fighting team and a bit of luck.

Cheers,

Klaus

Jake, I agree, the Lakers and that big pussy Artest, with his backflop when Rhondo touched his arm, too funny! And I too prefer watching Rugby, no flopping there, the same with hockey and American football, put your pads on and go take some hits, no flopping or yellow cards for getting hit too hard! Soccer has just proven itself as a game for cry babies.

Way beyond that goal... some just insist to reduce all to it.

To definitely close my point:
Today Brasil won with a goal made with TWO (2) "hands of god" in the same play by the same player...

But no big deal will be made, as it is not an elimination match and he, of course, is not Maradona...

So here you have an example of the extreme animosity to the Argie.

What you need to understand is that he comes from the low of lowest poorest neighborhoods, nothing granted, no high education, and being a 10 year old child he had a dream (caught on film by tv): "When I grow up I want to play a World Cup and become World Champion with Argentina" , well he did just that! and many other sport achievements.

Besides his rants outside the field, that are private matters and no one agrees are right and only hurts himself , he is just an Unique talented human being.

Not all argentineans, just the porteños... and that´s only ´cause they speak spanish with an italian accent to pretend that they´re english...



...but the other "achievements" were in winter sports, weren't they? I heard it had to do with snow or something... he probably had an accident in the snow, for he spent a lot of time in a cuban hospital afterwards

Back to reality, soccer is not a sport, it's show business, much like the Harlem Globe Trotters, only with a lot more money involved. Keep that in mind and you'll understand everything.

One example: during the S.American eliminatory series for this cup Paraguay led the scoreboard very early and needed one win to guaranty its classification. Then I predicted that the team would not win until others would catch up. Why?

Simple: after a team's position is safe the remaining games are of less interest, so tickets and tv rights yield less profits. Guess what: three defeats in a row.

Cheers!

So a TV umpire would have disallowed those "goals". end of case..
You may just get the umpires together before the series and select the winner..

btw looking forward to the expanded tri-nations going to a 4 southern 4 nations in two years.. The Pumas should have been included in a series years ago.

why not then have the umpires have a two-up game before the series and decide the "cup winner".

I disagree, the errors either mistakes, or deliberate decisions to help a side, has made the cup a farce. What a TV umpire allows is a consistent and fair application of the games rules.


cheers

TV umpire analysis certainly seems to work during the six nations rugby. If the spectators can also see the incident review on the pitch screens it may also help address tensions in opposing fan groups by providing clear evidence for the decision. The knowledge that incidents have been addressed in a way that does not influence the rest of the game can not be a bad thing.

Cheshirecatman

I agree that if the umpire would be more consistent it would be better. This depends on the guidelines the FIFA issues before the cup.
However you take things too serious and make it too complicate. It is a game, people make mistakes, and most people who watch it can live with it. No player of the Cote Ivoire team complaint about the second goal with two hands. Because they are sportsmen and they know that the true reason for the goal was the poor defence and not the "hand". It would more hurt the game, if we have to wait 3 or 5min after a goal, to get an official video confirmation and take away a lot of the dynamics of the game.
However red cards would be helpful for the two harsh fouls. And in those cases it is possible to issue a red card or other forms of penalty to the player after the match by video analyses.

Lighten up, take a game as a game. And nobody forces you to watch soccer, if you can't bear it.

First, it's hard to argue with the popularity of football (soccer) worldwide...but for me, if they scored more often it would make the game more exciting AND it would make the game much less sensitive to one bad ruling. When the teams are only scoring 1 or 2 points a game, one bad call can drastically change the outcome. If they're scoring 7 to 9 points per game, they have a chance to overcome the bad call.

Sometimes, those 0:1 or 0:0 results can be boring. But sometimes a 1:0 game can be quite interesting, if there a lot of near mises and some other actions. So far the cup was a bit boring with a lot of the teams play defensive...
Bad ruling is a bit overrated in this discussion. Maybe because of the poor showing of the jury in this cup. Well it is life and the teams have to show character instead of crying to deal with it.
So far all European teams are struggling, African teams are desolate. But South American teams are ruling. Still: Germany go!, or in our language: SCHLAND!!!!

er and guys were are your votes?
TonyF18, what is your favorit?
How far USA will go?
Luiz, will Dunga or Maradonna follow Franz Beckenbauer in winning both as player and trainer the cup?

I prefer not to watch a rigged game.. Hence I rarely watch soccer... Then some love WWE which is almost as rigged as soccer..

add hot chicks in skimpy clothing as refs!

maybe goalee's shouldn't use their hands either... that would increase the goals...

release 1 hungry lion or tiger mid game, that would add some excitement...

make body checks and fights mandatory.

maybe some trap doors for players to fall into?

Both certainly could make it, but understanding the "business" rationale doesn't suffice to make this type of forecast.

Before the great Beckenbauer brazilian Zagalo won two cups as a player and one as team coach. After Beckenbauer he won again as coach advisor - but he was there for luck only.

They definitly need to allow more full contact. Take the acting out of the game, or upon faking a hit to the face allowing the offended party have a free shot pending TV review.
Bring the MMA to soccer!

the minute you put fame and or fortune in ANY game, it no longer becomes a game of skill or finesse - it's business.

what about minefields on the soccer pitch?

Think this says it all

That's great!

my ear! err...nose?

Not a sport, as I said. This is 100% show business.

The way I see it, the referee favoured Brazil during the game and gave Kaka the first yellow card to disguise it. The second yellow card to Kaka was actually to his benefit: now he is excused from the game against Portugal, so he can start the next phase without the threaten of a yellow card, rested and clean. Show business to provide fuel for bar discussions, nothing else.