CoachRich Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 http://www.dailybreeze.com/sports/articles/8145807.html Commentary: Is soccer scripted? Some believe U.S.-Mexico Gold Cup final appears ... predetermined, and Canada's potential game-tying goal being waved off is fanning the flames. By Billy Witz Staff writer It has taken two weeks of twists and turns, but the United States and Mexico have ended up in the Gold Cup final, as if according to script. Which, of course, is the problem. Canadian players, incensed that a last-second, tying goal was waved off in Thursday night's 2-1 semifinal loss to the United States, chased referee Benito Archundia off the field at the final whistle. What they couldn't chase away was the feeling that the outcome was as pre-ordained as a wrestling match. "We had a feeling from the beginning we were playing not just against the States but against the officials," Canadian midfielder Julian DeGuzman told reporters after Atiba Hutchinson was ruled offside by the linesman - incorrectly according to television replays. For this, the Canadians can stand in line. One of the major themes of this year's Gold Cup has been whether CONCACAF - the governing body for North and Central America and the Carribean - has rigged the tournament to ensure that Mexico, by far its biggest draw, and the United States, its sponsorship meal ticket, reached the final Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago. Panama coach Alexandre Guimaraes raised the issue after his team's 1-0 loss to Mexico in the final game of group play - a defeat that came with a pair of red cards and another yellow that cost Panama three starters for its 2-1 quarterfinal loss to the United States. Then Costa Rica coach Hernan Medford charged after his team's 1-0 loss to Mexico in the quarterfinals, a game which the Ticos finished with eight players, that he was given documents before group play was settled showing that Mexico - which could have finished first, second or third in its pool - and the United States were in different brackets. "I don't know what kind of association this is when it already has everything planned," Medford said. "I'm not saying the tournament is fixed at all, but it puts doubt in my head. It does." Imagine those comments coming in another major sport in this country. Sure, the Duke basketball team might get a few calls, Derek Jeter's strike zone might shrink come October and in Seattle they're still wondering if those were penalty flags or Terrible Towels the officials were throwing around in Super Bowl XL. But if Phil Jackson said he had doubts about whether an NBA game was fixed, David Stern would have both hands in Jackson's wallet. At CONCACAF, they've responded with ... well, nothing, really. No fines, no statements, no news conferences. Then again, that's the problem with soccer - there's nothing much to say. In the past three years, there have been match-fixing cases in Vietnam, South Africa, Brazil and the German Bundesliga. Then there was the scandal that rocked the soccer world last year when Italian powerhouses Juventus, the Serie A champion, and AC Milan were among clubs implicated in rigging games. "If what happened in Italy - this was a big revolution in football," said Galaxy defender Abel Xavier, who has played in Serie A, the English Premier League, the Bundesliga and Spain's La Liga. "If it can happen in one of the best leagues in the world, it will happen where the control is not so obvious or not so strong." In other words, if CONCACAF president Jack Warner, who was investigated by FIFA's ethics committee - and his son fined $1 million - for his involvement in a ticket brokering scam at the World Cup, comes across as the emperor of a banana republic, he has got company. As a result, when it comes to keeping an eye on referees, there is seldom a distinction between crooked and incompetent. It also helps explain why officiating is often a sidebar storyline, just as it was in last summer's World Cup. In most soccer-mad countries, one of the top stories leading into a game is who the referee will be. So, perhaps the end result was expected Thursday night - not the United States' victory, or Mexico's tight 1-0 win over Guadeloupe. Rather this: a yellow card given to Frankie Hejduk and a straight red to Michael Bradley, which means two valuable Americans - Hejduk scored a goal against Canada and Bradley has played central midfield - will be on the sidelines against Mexico. The cards were both handed out by Archundia, who as circumstance would have it, hails from Mexico. It says so right here in the script. billy.witz@dailynews.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john tv Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 This guy got it right,amazing I never even thought about this angle. Let the Americans win,but make sure some of these players can't play in the final because of cards.Than again that guy who just about killed Julian and gat awy? Anyway the plot thickens and in the meantime it all looks bad on soccer. -- Reading this rag I also tumbled into an article called breaking point,which questions the status of US tennis and the lack of US stars and the reason. Yap I responded with my "crap", it is all about soccer backgounds ,training and highly skilled coaching as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrpopulistfutebol Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Even though this was the best Gold Cup in terms of overall quality of play, you have to wonder if this was scripted somewhat?? ummm.... Maybe Hernan Memford was right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Rumour had it that Vince McMahon was going to had out the Gold Cup today. But seriously, I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Andrew Jennings' book about how corrupt FIFA is. Has anybody here read it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rujulus Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 If guys like Julian De Guzman are saying our team thought it was fixed from the beginning, and Hernan Medford is saying he thinks the tournament might be fixed, this gives me no inclination not to go with my gut... ... which is saying, "This tournament is fixed". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Rujulus If guys like Julian De Guzman are saying our team thought it was fixed from the beginning, and Hernan Medford is saying he thinks the tournament might be fixed, this gives me no inclination not to go with my gut... ... which is saying, "This tournament is fixed". :D:D:D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by BearcatSA But seriously, I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Andrew Jennings' book about how corrupt FIFA is. Has anybody here read it? Yeah. VERY depressing read about CONCACAF and the dishonourable Jack Warner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Daniel Yeah. VERY depressing read about CONCACAF and the dishonourable Jack Warner. So I guess I should get a prescription for blood pressure medication before I read it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meteor Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Warner= Crook CONCACAF= joke ...but it doesn't matter, because no matter how they try and screw us again, and they will try, we'll still qualify, and Warner and the US can shove their Gold Cup up their collective arses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipeg Fury Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Very good article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soju Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 This seems cut and dry scripted to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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