CoryS

The 2010 World Cup finals have finished with Spain taking the win. It began, last month, with so many key players being knocked out of the games, a highly controversial French-Irish play-off, the German team captain Ballack controversy [was his injury really a blessing for the team?], and many people favoring anything but Europe FTW. The U.S. team had an incredible showing right up to the Ghana game and, while they weren't really favored, I had hopes for Germany and the Netherlands right up to that intense 2nd ET... Funny, though, since I was favoring Brazil prior to the opening match, lol.
Now that it's over [until 2014 in Brazil!], Spain has the Cup. But most of what I'm reading now, at many sites, is that this was the worst finals in history for bad refs and bad calls and that Spain didn't deserve the win.
I'd be very interested in hearing others views of the games this year.

__________________
Sunlight makes plants grow and people live. -Me

saltydad

I found the referees to be abysmal, and this is coming from a referee! While I wouldn't go far as to say Spain doesn't deserve the Cup, the outcomes were definitely swayed by a number of bad calls. However, I found this round to be one of the most exciting I've seen.

__________________
Men In Nursing- "A Few Good Men"

"Gardening is the purest of human pleasures." - Francis Bacon





"If by a liberal, they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind; someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions; someone who cares about the welfare of the people, their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, their civil liberties; someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicion that grips us; that is what they meant by a liberal, I am proud to be a liberal."
John F. Kennedy, September, 1960


http://flickr.com/photos/saltydad/ and
http://community.webshots.com/user/saltydad
http://s751.photobucket.com/albums/xx151/saltydad/

CoryS

Great to hear from a referee on this point! Yeah, I don't think the bad calls were able to shape the final outcome very much... except to start a lot of heated debates, lol. But it was some of the most exciting matches I've ever watched! And yes, I do personally agree that Spain earned the World Cup title. They played very well and, in the Germany/Spain match [despite being so close to the wrap up], played a very clean game with few fouls...
Viva Espana! They definitely proved themselves to be a worthy opponent.
Btw, [imho] I think the Ballack absence was a blessing in a way. Good players definitely need the chance to prove themselves.

__________________
Sunlight makes plants grow and people live. -Me