Buffon Saves the Day (and Euro 2008?) For Italy

2009-09-05T15:34:11-04:00

2008-06-13T14:38:17-04:00

2008-09-10T06:38:34-04:00

2008-06-15T14:07:26-04:00

john cothern

Chula Vista 119861

You could put tracking on the players and the ball without using micro-chips. It could be done with cameras alone or with RF ID tags and a triangulation signal. It's not really a complex problem to solve. Using RF ID tags probably makes more sense as that would less maintenance and expense in my opinion. It would solve the issues with off-side calls. It's not that most of them are wrong, it's just that the situation arises so often in a game. It's one of the more frequent calls. They could also do with a video judge in these big tournaments who could signal the referee for big calls and give him quick feedback just like a side judge does. The game is still in the hands of the head referee or umpire, he or she is just getting more help this way. There's no need for a video box on the field. They can just talk over wireless. it's still a fun game to watch, even for a yank who doesn't know the game that well. 1984106

2008-06-14T11:10:55-04:00

damcdono

Parkville 438309

Unfortunately, Slainte has a great atmosphere, but I'm not sure if it has HD, but Claddagh's in Canton is pretty good. There is a place called Racers on Harford Road close to the City/County line with a very good beer selection and a soccer crazy bartender/owner, plus free hard pretzels and peanuts.... 1979819

2008-06-13T22:46:30-04:00

propelahed03

Washington 440292

Grant, why don't you come to Lucky Bar in DC for the big games? The atmosphere is always great there, and they have 2 giant screens! Today it was filled with cheering dutch and french supporters. Come check it out! 1978592

2008-06-13T22:45:16-04:00

propelahed03

Washington 440292

Grant, why don't you come to Lucky Bar in DC to watch the big games? The atmosphere is incredible there! Today it was packed with cheering French and Dutch supporters. 1978607

2008-06-13T22:39:20-04:00

275

no_trolling_please

No City 128849

If Italy had any quality at all, the disallowed goal wouldn't have mattered. But since Italy sucked AGAIN, they are no concentrationg on that one moment instead on their bad performance. You don't win if you don't score. 1978548

2008-06-13T18:27:26-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/115/960/thumb/2007-02-25_085.jpg 49 XX

nelsonorange71

No City 116259

A foul is a foul people. in the box or 30 yards out. he had his arm around his neck. hey Grant! this isn't the NBA 1977567

2008-06-13T17:55:47-04:00

giuseppe

Tuckahoe 438464

Thanks DriveC 1977373

2008-06-13T17:40:37-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/286/29/thumb/images.jpg 1386 CO

j11forbes: Go Jo-Jo Go!

Denver 28709

I am amazed that people still think the Lucas Neil tackle wasn't a penalty. He went to the ground in the penalty box, got between the man in possession and the ball, didn't touch the ball, and brought the man in possession down. How is that not a penalty? Was it unfortunate to see a game end in that fashion? Yes. Was Neil stupid for going to the ground in that situation? Yes. 1977267

2008-06-13T17:21:12-04:00

DriveC

Madison 210470

I don't hate Italy just trying to point out that there are times when they get the benefit of favorable calls. And I certainly thought that offsides call was wrong and that the penalty was dubious at best. The calls even themselves out all the time but of course no one wants to see shotty officiating in such important games. Sorry if I came off as just a hater. 1977112

2008-06-13T17:18:01-04:00

amerinfrance

No City 439801

I'm not sure about the Toni offsides call, but I agree with Wahl that the penalty in the box shouldn't have been called in the 2nd half, and that refs should avoid being game deciders. Call obvious fouls in the box only in the late stages of the game! Poetic justice was served with Buffon's save. All things said, I think a tie was an appropriate result. 1977085

Three thoughts after Italy’s dramatic 1-1 tie with Romania in Zurich: • Man of the Match: Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. One day after Poland’s Artur Boruc had set the bar for goalies in Euro 2008, the amazing Buffon was even better, saving the Italians’ pancetta in almost every way imaginable. Gigi made an epic save on Adrian Mutu’s 81st-minute penalty attempt, diving to his left and parrying Mutu’s drive (first with his right hand and then his right foot). The world’s best goalkeeper (sorry, Petr Cech) also came up huge on two screaming Romanian shots in the first half by Mutu (who was in alone on goal) and by Gabriel Tamas (on a low-driving free kick). With only one point Italy is going to need a win against France to have any shot of qualifying, but Buffon at least allowed that to happen. Now if we can only figure out why Gigi wears that black bandanna around his neck ... • Inconsistent refereeing is becoming a huge problem. For the second straight game a referee whistled an outrageous late penalty for contact in the box on a set-piece attempt. This time it was Norwegian ref Tom Henning Ovrebo nabbing Italy’s Christian Panucci for having his arms around Romanian forward Daniel Niculae. I understand that the penalty-box scrum on set pieces is a problem, but this is your typical big-stage over-reaction. If you’re a player (or a fan, for that matter), all you want is consistency from referees, and to have the standard change like this in the middle of a major tournament just isn’t right. Referees can affect the outcome in soccer more than in any other sport I can think of, and for games to be decided by off-the-ball penalties that don’t even involve clear goal-scoring chances hurts the sport—and what’s shaping up to be a memorable tournament. If you ask me, justice was served when Buffon saved the resulting penalty. • Italy got a raw deal on what should have been a first-half goal. Speaking of the refs, they botched another call when Luca Toni’s first-half goal was disallowed for being offside. Romania’s Cosmin Contra was clearly keeping Toni onside when Gianluca Zambrotta made contact with the ball on his cross to Toni. Here’s my question: if we can put a man on the Moon, why can’t we design some sort of laser-guided system that uses computer chips in the ball and on the players’ jerseys to know beyond the shadow of a doubt whether a player is offside or not. It shouldn’t be that hard, should it? Through-balls: Italy’s outside backs were an attacking force in the first half with left-sided Fabio Grosso and right-sided Zambrotta delivering a blizzard of dangerous crosses, but they had much less impact in the second half, especially Grosso. If you want to see a big difference between the world powers and say, the U.S., count how many crosses the Yanks get off in a game sometime. There won’t be many ... Sweet knock-down header by Zambrotta; too bad it was in his own box to Mutu for the Romanian goal ... Many thanks to commenter DMB27 for <a href="http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/06/13/the_joy_of_six_groups_of_death.html" target="_blank">providing a link</a> helping pinpoint the origin of the term Group of Death. The man credited for coining the term was Uruguayan coach Omar Borrás at the draw for the 1986 World Cup when his team drew West Germany, Denmark and Scotland. Thanks also to Blog pal Pedro Arellano, who notes that the press began using the term Group of Death only a year after thousands had died in a terrible earthquake in Mexico City. Not exactly the best choice of words, journos ... Italian coach Roberto Donadoni is most definitely on the hot seat, but hey, things could be worse: He could still be playing for the MetroStars. Check out a link to Johnette Howard’s <a href="http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1010206/index.htm" target="_blank">1997 feature on Donadoni from the SI Vault</a> ... Donadoni also came up when I was interviewing Paolo Maldini a couple years ago about why foreign stars want to come to MLS. “They want to have the experience of living here, and there's no stress,” Maldini told me. “I spoke with [former Milan teammate] Donadoni about playing for the MetroStars, and he said it was good: He got to play golf all day.” ... Separated at Birth: Christian Panucci and a Victory-era Sylvester Stallone; Daniele De Rossi and Eminem ... I’m trying to find a good (read: atmosphere-filled) place in Baltimore to watch the World Cup qualifying showdown between Argentina and Brazil next Wednesday. Any suggestions? Do you think Italy got hosed against Romania? Post your comments in the section below and come back after France-Holland for a Blog update ... 1335 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/194/315/thumb/wahl_grant.jpg 11 MD

Grant Wahl

Baltimore 194615