The World Cup

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 12:46 pm

I spent the very latest stages of the night in a place called the Ghana Cafe in D.C. two weekends ago. I can't help but think that the place is quite a happy place to be today.

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:32 pm

Excellent job by ESPN to hype Team USA, though. People actually watched on T.V.

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THE STRETCHER WHEN SOMEONE GETS A BRUISE?

I think, in four years, we should just send a rugby team to the W.C.

BelgradeBobcat · Post by **BelgradeBobcat** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:45 pm

Bleedinbluengold wrote:WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THE STRETCHER WHEN SOMEONE GETS A BRUISE?

Time wasting. The clock doesn't stop and the ref is supposed to add time at the end of the half for injuries, but players will lay on the ground and pretend to be hurt in the hopes the ref doesn't add on all the time taken. It's also a way to kill momentum. Players will lay on the ground hurt to in effect give their team a time out (there are no time outs in soccer). So to hurry things along a bit they put the guy on the stretcher to get him off the field to get the game going again. Often times the stretcher crew has to push the team training staff out of the way to get the guy on the stretcher-the trainers are in on the time wasting thing too. It's all gamesmanship as usually the guy is quickly healed and back on the field in a matter of seconds/minutes.

Go Holland!