David Post has it about right:
Here's what interesting, though. I think that this is, paradoxically (and possibly perversely), part of what people who are obsessed with soccer (all 1.5 billion or so of us)find compelling about the game. It has, like life, an irreducible element of capriciousness and luck. American football deals with this by sending out about 15 referees and, since that does not seem to be enough to guarantee that calls are made correctly, using instant replay in addition. It is equally absurd, though in a different, and I think peculiarly American, sort of way. Tunisia got screwed; it is too bad. But that,sometimes, is the way it goes . . .
I've always played and loved sports. I've made my career in sports. If I have any unique insight on the subject it's that random chance plays an underrated role in outcomes. In soccer it's particularly acute, and that's an appealing feature of the game.
Posted by Walter at June 23, 2006 10:15 PM