Mendes Is A Cheat ?

[ian1964 10,720]

IT was one of those car-crash TV moments that got worse with every replay.

 

The attacker leaping high to meet the ball arrowing his way. The defender shoving a desperate arm in his back to put him off.

 

Then a second defender, leaping head-on, butting him square in the face.

 

Suddenly, you realised why NFL players wear helmets.

 

Because without one, who knows what condition Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin would be in today.

 

We were playing pool and having a cold beer in a Toronto sports bar after running the marathon last Sunday when the whole place sucked in its breath and gave a loud Ooooh ...

 

We looked up at the big screens � then gawped as the director showed every conceivable shot of one of the worst assaults ever committed on a sports field.

 

There were only 27 seconds left when Boldin jumped in the end zone to try and score a touchdown, only to be pummelled by New York Jets safety Eric Smith.

 

For a while, you wondered if he�d ever get up again. Thankfully, he did and was later released from hospital with no permanent harm done. Thank God for that.

 

But as we stood there watching it all unfold, one thing struck home nearly as hard as Smith�s forehead had.

 

That football�s probably the only sports where players want to lie and PRETEND they�re injured.

 

Only ten days ago, I watched Pedro Mendes slap the Firhill turf in mock agony after a nothing challenge. The second he realised ref Steve Conroy wasn�t giving a foul he was back up and sprinting.

 

Now, if any man should know better than to cry wolf, it�s Mendes. After all, it�s not so long ago that he lay spark out on Man City�s turf after a horrific forearm smash by Ben Thatcher that could have killed him.

 

Yet still he wants to roll about pretending. It�s crazy, it�s embarrassing � and, sadly, it�s also rife.

 

Then you look at American football where receivers, quarterbacks and running backs are battered to the ground all the time.

 

Do they roll about the turf screaming? No way. Why? Because that would be showing weakness.

 

You have to ask what happened to turn our own game into one played by men acting like children.

 

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Some pundits and coaches say it�s a skill to fall down without any contact to win a penalty. It�s not � it�s blatant cheating.

 

In the same vein, it wasn�t right for Reading to accept that ghost goal against Watford two weeks ago. That was totally unethical.

 

This desperation to win at all costs is one of the reasons football is turning rotten and we should learn from other sports to clean out the game�s very core.

 

I�m all for technology to sort out big decisions.

 

If there�s any doubt in American football or rugby they go straight to the video booth.

 

It takes away room for debate, eliminates any thought of bias and provides transparency for all.

 

Reasons for decisions are as clear as a bell.

 

As for punishments to fit the crime? Again, football has a lot to learn.

 

Rugby bosses this week hammered Northampton forward Neil Best with an 18-WEEK ban for gouging an opponent�s eyes.

 

And the NFL didn�t hang about in the Boldin-Smith case either, handing him a one game ban and a $50,000 fine.

 

No wishy-washy disciplinary meetings weeks after the dust had settled. Just a quick look at TV evidence, an instant guilty verdict and a hefty slap.

 

Surely that�s what football needs � a short, sharp retrospective system of discipline to weed out those who shame the game.

 

American sports may have their problems off the park but on it honesty and respect are two things fans and coaches alike demand of their heroes.

 

They have no place for time-wasters and expect full commitment at all times.

 

Even if it means taking a helmet in the puss along the way.

 

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/columnists/desmckeown/article1766680.ece

[calscot 0]

While I hate cheating and think there is too much in football, I think some people don't have a clue what they are talking about when it comes to pain in football.

 

I have no idea what happened with Mendes but from playing football, I know that what looks like a nothing nick in the shin can hurt like hell - and then stop hurting after a minute. Not only that while the pain is something to make you limp, I can ignore it for a few seconds to make a run and interception and so it could look like it's nothing only for me to limp about afterwards.

 

I've heard fans tell some nancy boy to get up as he was hardly touched and then read later the player has a broken leg or some other long term injury from the incident.

 

So while we need to get rid of the attitude that a player is "clever" rather than a dirty cheating lowlife and try to eliminate from our game, I think we should be wary of making over quick judgements on people when they are genuinely feeling short term pain.

[craig 5,199]

Again biased reporting.

 

Whilst they mention Mendes (I never saw the incident) why don't they balance it up when they speak about "artform in diving to obtain a penalty" by using Nakamura as an example ? Ohhhhh, that would just not be right would it ?

 

I always thought you guys were over the top in thinking that the media were biased but the prevalence of it is incredible.

 

Whilst we are at it, he uses the NFL as some standard to aspire to. Perhaps if he watched enough of it he would see that there is plenty of blatant cheating in that sport too - a simple instance I see EVERY week is where a pass is thrown, the receiver catches it (but after it has hit the turf) and then claims (elaborately) that he has made the catch.

 

That sport is no less tainted than ours.

 

Ridiculous journalism which uses one sport as a standard yet whilst pillorying (is that a word) another sport doesnt realise that the very sport he uses as a standard has the very same issues regarding cheating.

[ian1964 10,720]

While I hate cheating and think there is too much in football, I think some people don't have a clue what they are talking about when it comes to pain in football.

 

I have no idea what happened with Mendes but from playing football, I know that what looks like a nothing nick in the shin can hurt like hell - and then stop hurting after a minute. Not only that while the pain is something to make you limp, I can ignore it for a few seconds to make a run and interception and so it could look like it's nothing only for me to limp about afterwards.

 

I've heard fans tell some nancy boy to get up as he was hardly touched and then read later the player has a broken leg or some other long term injury from the incident.

 

So while we need to get rid of the attitude that a player is "clever" rather than a dirty cheating lowlife and try to eliminate from our game, I think we should be wary of making over quick judgements on people when they are genuinely feeling short term pain.

 

 

Agreed, if anyone has slightly stubbed their toe they will know how excruciating that can be, al be it for a couple of seconds.........just more piss poor lazy journalism i'm afraid

[pete 2,499]

Agree with you all. If you have no major news to fill your newspaper fill it with shite

[Zappa 0]

Had to come from the lavatory of journalism we all know as The Sun.

[bmck 117]

why anyone buys this pish is beyond me.

[Zappa 0]

I never ever buy it myself, but if I did it would probably just be for a swatch at a pair of breasts on page 3. My guess is that page 3 sells more copies of the Sun than any of their garbage journalism.