Brent Nyitray
Fairlington Blade
Let the mutherfuker burn!
jnc4p
Kevin S. Willis
Michigoose
lmsinca
markinaustin
Arcanaut
novahockey
quarterback
ScottC
yellojktI just read on ESPN that John Terry, Chelsea’s center back and captain of the England national football (read: soccer) team, is to face criminal charges for allegedly uttering a racial slur in a match against Queens Park Rangers.
England captain John Terry will face a criminal charge over allegations that he racially abused an opponent in the Premier League.
Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service said Wednesday that there is sufficient evidence to prosecute the Chelsea defender for his on-field exchange Oct. 23 with Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.
The Telegraph has the history of the case.
This is complete insanity. It is not at all clear what Terry is alleged to have said (which is bizarre in itself – the “victim” is reported to have told police that he did not accuse Terry of making a racist remark), but it doesn’t really matter to me. It is just words, said on a football pitch. I’m not going to defend racist remarks, and if the league wants to punish Terry for any remarks he may have made, more power to them. But for this to be a legal matter, that there actually exists laws prohibiting the uttering of racial slurs, shows how utterly confused our good friends across the ocean have become regarding the notion of freedom that they themselves did so much to introduce to the world.
Our polticial, legal, and indeed national culture owes much to the UK, and I have long been a fan of the nation, both historically and contemporarily. But contrasting this foolishness with the recent events between the Cincinnati and Xavier basketball teams where real, phsyical harm was done, and the fact that it will lead to no criminal charges, shows how very far apart our cultures, and the role government should play in it, have grown.
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All Things in Moderation 
Comparing this and the Cincinnati/Xavier fight and drawing conclusions about the appropriate role of government seems a bit much. Legal precedent is that there is an assumption of the risk when players are on the field or court. I suppose you can extrapolate that precedent to be a reflection on role government should play in our lives but I think there are practical business and fairness concerns that play a more important role. That said, it seems utterly ridiculous to me that Terry could face criminal charges for what he said on a football pitch. Another player, Luis Suarez, who plays for another big club, Liverpool, was just suspended by the league for 8 games, after making racist remarks to another player during a game. I wonder what the difference is between what the two players said.
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ashot:Yeah, I read about Suarez too. As I said, I don't have much complaint about the league having rules of beahvior and enforcing them. Making it a legal issue is what bugs me. (If anything should be illegal on the soccer pitch, it should be diving!)
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shows how very far apart our cultures, and the role government should play in it, have grown.I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill here, Scott.But I also agree with you that it's pretty crazy that an athlete faces criminal charges for something he said in the heat of competition, especially since the "victim" didn't make the complaint.If anything should be illegal on the soccer pitch, it should be diving!Totally, 100%, concur!
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Scott-I agree on allowing the league to dole out punishment as they see fit. It is similar to the NBA fining Kobe Bryant for uttering a gay slur at an official. I do think the league is making an example out of Suarez. FIFA has been trying very hard for several years to eradicate racism in soccer, yet just last year several players had bananas thrown at them. So I think the FA is trying to be a bit sensitive to that. As for diving, it drives me nuts. I have long advocated for after game reviews leading to suspensions for players. I think it's awfully hard for officials to tell a dive from a legit foul, but it would be easy on replay. If players knew Big Brother was watching, they might stop all the play acting.
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Soccer doesn't have a penalty for diving? You get 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct if you take a dive in hockey.
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Mich:I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill here, Scott.I hope I am not. I would like to think that our culture is not even close to finding it acceptable to outlaw certain kinds of "offensive" speech. It is obviously acceptable in Britian (and Canada too!), and that depresses me.
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NoVa- Refs could hand out yellow cards for diving but rarely do so. It really is a big PR problem for the sport. One thing about the NHL's diving rules that always puzzled me was that refs seem to be able to give out diving penalties and at the same time tripping, holding etc penalties that the diving player presumably faked. Maybe it doesn't happen as often as I think, but I feel like I have seen it happen several times to the Red Wings.
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NoVA:Soccer doesn't have a penalty for diving?If the referee determines it was a dive, he can issue a yellow or red card. But the problem is that, in real time, it can be nearly impossible for the ref to make a reasonable judgement. So players get away with it all the time.The solution, as ashot mentions, is post-match video reviews, and draconian suspensions. That will end this vile practice of, what is at its core, cheating.
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Several countries have laws against various kinds of "offensive" speech (even the US).
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Mich:That link does not suggest that the US has such laws. It only says that:"In 2004, the United States House of Representatives and Senate approved a comprehensive proposal giving the State Department the authority and the obligation to monitor outbreaks of anti-Semitism and racism in the world and to publish reports on these subjects."And yes, lots of other countries have such laws. It is too bad that the UK and Canada has joined them.
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"that refs seem to be able to give out diving penalties and at the same time tripping, holding etc penalties that the diving player presumably faked"It can be both. If you embellish the original penalty to draw attention to it and "buy" a call, that's diving. example: I'm in front of the net and getting cross-checked to the point where I fall over. cross-checking penalty. If i go down "too easy" or like I've been shot, I'm embellishing it and it's dive. total judgment call. the trick in drawing a tripping penalty is to keep your legs moving. if i go down but keep trying to stake, it's a trip. if i superman across the ice, that's a dive.
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It is soccer after all.
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Ouch.
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It can be both.I guess that makes sense given that the penalty is for unsportsmanlike conduct. Diving is a problem, but the writhing on the ground after an actual foul is a black eye for the sport, too. Especially when 2 seconds later the guy is sprinting down the field.
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I challenge you to a duel, Mr. Troll McWingnut.
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Here's a good example. You be the ref. just a hook, or a hook and dive. personally, i'd call a dive and no hook.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmIZWRiZBZ4&
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Fist-de-Cuffs at dawn? Marquis of Queensbury rules good sir?
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NoVA:I thought soccer players were bad. I agree…diving and no hook.
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Troll- Of course Marquis of Queensbury rules. What do you think I am? Some sort of scoundrel?NoVa- Likes like a dive only to me, too. If that's all it take to knock Semin off his skates, I can't imagine he can skate in a light breeze.
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Just wanted to make sure we maintained civility, unlike those soccer loving Euroweenies.
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I bet Semin loves soccer.
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Plus the way he fell looked like a little girl. he should have gotten added penalty minutes for embarrassment, not just embellishment.
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Semin is an incredible talent with no work ethic and a habit of taking poor penalties. As a Pens fan, this pleases me to no end.
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Speaking of Marquess of Queensbury rules…
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You know what they say about eople who live in glass houses, NoVa.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihs9a1N0L7Y
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that's the think about divers — once you get the label, right or wrong, it's really hard to shake.
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The AP reports:" Eight U.S. soldiers have been charged in the death of a fellow GI who apparently shot himself in Afghanistan after being subjected to what a community activist said were assaults and racial taunts from his comrades."
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Despite being a Red Wing fan I don't hate Crosby. He's just too good to hate. It stinks that concussion are robbing him of his career.
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bsimon:Here's the link."The Army said Wednesday that eight soldiers in his company have been charged with crimes ranging from dereliction of duty to manslaughter."
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Yep – and he's only 24.
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Thanks for posting the link. Using my phone its a PITA to cut n paste.
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also, based on the headline, I've been humming the Sex Pistols all afternoon.
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NoVA:…humming the Sex Pistols all afternoonHeh. The connection hadn't occurred to me, but I thought it had a nice ring to it. Now I know why.
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NoVA;Check out image number 28.
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I'm not sure if he looks better now or then.
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NoVAH, what did you think of the Admin leaving the definition of medpolicy essentials to the states rather than defining them?
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Hi Mark — i think it's flexibility in name only. I'll do a post on it for you.
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