<p>So embarrassing. </p>
<p>Okay, I saw some better angles. He clearly bit the guy. WTH is wrong with this guy?!</p>
<p>He needs some kind of punishment that will actually get his attention.</p>
<p>Some guys can’t hold it together. Suarez can’t. But remember Zidane head butted a guy in the Cup final. Just rammed him. Got tossed. France still won and he’s an idol … as Suarez will be, as Maradona is despite his multitude of problems. </p>
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<p>^^^I’m no soccer history expert, so far from it, but wasn’t Zidane’s action seen as an aberration, or at least as a severe overreaction to provocation, whereas this is Suarez’ third bite that we know of? </p>
<p>And what do you mean, “France still won”? Didn’t Italy go on to win the game after Zidane was sent off? </p>
<p>Yes, Italy beat France in the 2006 final… which included the famous Zidane headbutt.</p>
<p>Nrdsb4, Zidane did not have a history of head-butting people. He was definitely rough on the pitch, but he was considered fair and sportsmanlike. Matarazzi insulted Zidane’s sister, an unacceptable offense in the North African culture. Zidane should have controlled his temper, but he didn’t, and that’s that. Off the pitch, Zidane is one of the quietest and most humble athletes of his stature (widely regarded as one of the top 5 soccer players of all time).</p>
<p>At any rate, I am loving this world cup so far. Surprised by the less-than-impressive start of the pre-tournament favourites (Argentina and Brazil), but very pleased with the performance of France, Germany, Colombia, Holland and Belgium so far. Can’t say I was sad to see Italy, England and Spain exit early!</p>
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<p>Yes, that is what I thought, thanks for clarifying. Suarez, however, has now established a clear pattern of behavior. </p>
<p>There is definitely something wrong with this guy, talented though he may be.</p>
<p>I had a brain freeze about the winner of that game, which is funny because I typed that while sitting in an Italian neighborhood. My point was that it happened on the biggest stage of all and that he lost his bleep over words - the kind of incitement that happens all the time in every sport (which if you sit near the floor of an NBA game you can sometimes hear). This wasn’t a group game but the final. And it doesn’t affect the way he’s revered. </p>
<p>^^^^^I may be wrong, but I believe that’s because it was viewed as an aberration, not as an all too frequent sign of lack of character.</p>
<p>Suarez has done this 3 times that we know of; likely it’s happened many more times when cameras weren’t there to record every angle. Really, you don’t view this as just kind of bizarre? I would bet this doesn’t even occur to most players as an option to reject, much less does it happen repeatedly, and perhaps instinctively. Really odd, fetish-like behavior in my mind.</p>
<p>Argh. Ivory Coast, so close.</p>
<p>Suarez quote after the game:</p>
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<p>His coach:</p>
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<p>Really? Really?!</p>
<p><a href=“http://sports.yahoo.com/news/game-bite-suarez-could-trouble-180414910--sow.html”>http://sports.yahoo.com/news/game-bite-suarez-could-trouble-180414910--sow.html</a></p>
<p>Suarez should be tossed from international play until June 24, 2016 (if not June 24, 2018).</p>
<p>I love watching him play soccer; he is one of the best strikers in the world. But seriously, this is ridiculous.</p>
<p>Suarez is a goon. His only excuse is that violent plays are not unusual in Uruguay. Look at the reaction from his coach and the country journalists. The coach of Uruguay should have … apologized. Now it is up to FIFA. </p>
<p>By the way, the above posts about Zidane are way too romantic. Zidane had a dozen red cards in his illustrious career, and crossed the violence line more than a player of his stature would have liked. He was suspended on several occasions including at TWO WC. Aberrations is not a correct appraisal of Zidane’s outbursts. He was no angel! </p>
<p><a href=“Zidane red cards (career) - YouTube”>Zidane red cards (career) - YouTube;
<p>This said, there are no comparisons to the vicious, devious, and ridiculous attempts to bite an opponent. Head butts are pretty bad, but often uncontrolled reactions to provocations. Suarez is a psychopath who happens to be a great soccer player. Gifted and utterly flawed. </p>
<p>I wrote something but I like what xiggi wrote so I will just say I agree with xiggi.</p>
<p>The distinction I would make between Zidane’s headbutt and Suarez’ biting is that Zidane didn’t try to hide what he did. It was all out in the open. Suarez still hopes to get away with it.</p>
<p>Entertaining game between Argentina and Nigeria!</p>
<p>I have to say, listening to the crowd singing their songs of support, I am so enjoying the lack of vuvuzelas. God, those were annoying.</p>
<p>Again, the point about Zidane and Suarez is not that one is good, the other bad but that their fans won’t care. Period. I have to admit I was annoyed by the post that suggested Zidane was somehow justified because the guy insulted his sister because Zidane is N. African … yet another excuse for misbehavior because he’s only N. African or only Arabic. Can’t hold people / players to different standards of behavior based on their origins. When between the lines, they are professional soccer players and must act that way, no excuses.</p>
<p>The Nigerian keeper seems to be jovial sort of fellow. I wonder what he and Messi are saying to each other to cause so much laughter.</p>
<p>Bummer…Argentina took Messi out. Messi was awesome.</p>