Didn't look like that to me and it didn't look like that to the referee either until a bunch of portuguese guys got in his face.

I don't see how you can adjudge that he trod on the guy when he was basically being tackled to the ground, seemed to me like he was just trying to get his footing as he was being fouled by the guy (and had been for about 10 seconds with the referee for some reason not blowing up). Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. How you could tell either way from the footage is beyond me, and after having watched it 5 or 6 times I still can't see anything that looks particularly bad.

Seems to me refs are just looking for excuses to brandish cards in this tournament. Wouldn't surprise me if FIFA are giving them incentives for flashing as many as possible. It's not even been a rough tournament or physical, there's been no punchups (except the one at the end of the Arg-Germany game), little serious foul play, yet we've had (by some distance) the most red cards ever in a world cup. It's ridiculous. And the two things that piss EVERYBODY off (players pathetically (and often POINTLESSLY) rolling around feigning injury, and players trying to influence the referees by waving pretend cards or complaining and trying to get opponents sent off) have not been punished AT ALL. This'll be remembered as a really good world cup because there's been lots of goals, some exciting games, some very good play, but it's left me really cold because of the way it's been officiated (I also admit I'm slightly disappointed by the lack of shocks or smaller teams getting anywhere; it's been a bit too predictable).

If the English Premiership was refereed like this world cup has been there would probably be an average of 4 to 5 players sent off every match. I think the next logical step for FIFA is to make tackling people a yellow card offence....

[url]http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup2006/story/0,,1811719,00.html
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Well Ronaldo says everythings been brushed under the carpet between the two, though I dread to think what the text messages between a Portugese native and the ever erudite Rooney were like.

"Why do they ALWAYS choke?"
A paralysing fear of failure.

What's the cause of this?
The all-powerful British media heaps enormous expectations onto a group of players who, although the best their country has produced from many years, are nevertheless not world-class (Rooney and Gerrard aside).

What can be done about it?
Very little, because what's needed is an almost Blakean revolution of the heart. We have a culture that sticks two fingers up at success, choosing instead to celebrate/support mediocrity and the underdog. From the latter came the rise of the Trades Union movement and emancipation. The flip side, however, is that people continue to buy newspapers that take delight in destroying success/talent wherever they find it.

I'm not a cultural snob, though I may have sounded like one. There's always a place for trash TV etc as everyone needs a bit of escapism from time to time, but my gripe is more with the sheer quantity of it. I wouldn't mind so much if the important issues got proper coverage when they arose - but often they don't.

For instance, the government will introduce a bill that changes our civil liberties at a time when most people only want to talk about Big Brother. It's not necessarily an intelligence thing either - most of the people I work with sould be seen as intelligent, but few are interested in much other than celebrity tittle tattle. The media sets the agenda for what people talk about, and if the media doesn't deem civil liberties "sexy" enough to cover properly, then it's understandable that many people won't be bothered to take an interest in what's happening.