The end of today's world Cup Quarterfinal between Ghana and Uruguay was like none that I have ever seen before. It wasn't that Ghana lost in PK's, but rather how they got to PK's in the first place. With the game tied at 1 in the 120th minute, a Ghanaian player beat the keeper from 6 yards out. On the goal line were two Uruguayan's who both were unable to get the ball legally with their heads or chests. So Luis Suarez did something that you don't see often - he intentionally batted the ball out with his hand. That resulted in an instant red card and a PK for Ghana. Up stepped Asamoah Gyan, the player who broke the American's hearts, to take the PK. He started his approach...and hit the crossbar. Somehow, Luis Suarez and Uruguay regained life as quickly as they had lost it. They had just avoided giving up the game winner and being that the game was over, they never had to play a man down. Just a stunning turn of events.
The Suarez handball is the most amazing moment of selflessness I have seen in sports. He decided to break the rules to keep his team alive. He decided to break the rules knowing that if somehow a miracle happened, he would not be able to play in the Semi-finals. He decided to break the rules knowing that a PK offered his team a glimmer of hope while not playing by the rules offered his team no hope. He decided to break the rules because that's just what you do in that situation if you care about winning. It's either fight or flight. Some I'm sure will be disgusted by the handball. Some will see it as a slap in the face to the integrity to the game. I am here to say that it was a brilliant play and hands down the play of the tournament. Hats off to you, Luis Suarez. [Editor's note: In high school my buddy had an intentional handball in overtime of a 0-0 game where we were underdogs by 3 goals and had drawn our opponents offsides 25 times. They hit their PK and we lost 1-0...]
Unfortunately the play resulted in heartbreak for the Ghanaians. I think any person with an ounce of compassion had to be pulling for the Ghanaians in the shootout. Losing in the fashion they did was excruciating. The only consolation was the Gyan was able to step up and hammer home his PK in the shootout, even if it was 5 minutes too late. He may be a goat, but he would have been an even bigger goat had he missed the second PK as well.
I agree with your analysis, but I would not say this was a selfless act. Sure he sacrificed any chance he had at playing in a potential next game, but he selfishly out weighed the penalty for cheating versus potential pay-off. Selfless to me means that you do something without profit for yourself. I bet no one in Uruguay is mad at this guy.
ReplyDelete-JWill
Maybe it wasn't technically illegal, and you could argue that it was a brilliant tactical move, but I think it was just cheap. He knew exactly what he was doing and what the consequences would be. It was unsportsmanlike.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't a local park pick-up game (during which I hope even a casual player wouldn't manipulate the rules,) it was the World Cup. On a world stage, I would hope that athletes would represent themselves, their teams, and their countries better than that.
I think it raises the question about which is more important: winning or ethics. The choice for me is clear.
I have to disagree - every single professional athlete would cheat if it meant that they gained an advantage. It is simple as that. Athletes in every field disgrace their sport by knowingly breaking the rules. Whether its through the use of illegal substances (which are prohibited by actual laws) or by cheating an ump, athletes cheat all the time. And they know it.
ReplyDeleteSuarez, while technically breaking the in-games rules, took advantage of the rules the way they are written. If the penalty resulted in an instant goal or a 5 game ban he would have acted differently. Same thing as when a baseball player corks their bat or uses steroids - the penalties aren't great enough to stop them.
I know pro athletes are undoubtedly role models even if they don't want to be, but the role of morals and ethics is something that parents teach to their kids - Luis Suarez is not responsible to anyone but his own kids. He will have to explain to them - the rest of us have to explain to our kids what went down and whether it is moral or not.
And you know what else is unsportsmanlike - trying to fool the refs by diving and flopping.