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Can you imagine how Coach Bennett or Coach Doherty or (even worse) Coach Hyndman would react if one of their players pulled that act? I'm sure the Italian defender was talking smack, but there's nothing he could have said that would warrant that reaction in that situation. That's one of the biggest meltdowns I've ever seen in any sport. Going in, I didn't really care who won the final. But after that act, I'm glad ZZ was on the losing team.

I lost it once on the golf course and head butted the cart...............

I don't condone what he did, but I understand him losing his cool. Apparently the Italian players kept pinching his nipples and crap. Sheesh.

Btw, it's Zidane, not Zinadine.

Like all flagrant fouls, its usually the retaliation that's called. Stupid. So, what if you are getting pinched and prodded, you take it and go after the guy the right way. You can pinch back, kick the ball and follow through into the guys calf, any number of subtle but painful paybacks. Or follow the hockey lesson, let one of your goons do it for you. If you're the best player on your team, you don't get a red card in the second OT. Ya think they could have used ZZ in the penalty kick phase.

If you're going to pull that crap though.. why not at least hit the guy with a wicked uppercut? I mean he's retiring after this game and it's not like they can suspend him? I played soccer my entire life.. also for 2 years at SMU.. don't headbutt the guy, knock him on his [deleted] with your fist!

Typical French.. they don't even hit correctly. Use your fist not your head!

Actually, it's Zinedine Zidane

Actually, I think it's spelled D-U-M-B-A- . . .

Think about this. The last point scored by M. Jordan was a push with the left hand to get the other player out af the way, a step back and the shot.

Somewhat the same attitude shown by Frenchy guy. One difference, MJ got away with it ALL THE TIME.

I know that one is more drastic but it is similar.

Comparing Zidane and MJ is any aspect is a joke. Please refrain from doing so...Thanks.

Actually, I agree with BUS completely.

Each had otherworldly talent, and in my opinion, and as good as they were, each is lionized more than he should be.
Each was adored in his country at hero levels, and in other countries, as well.
Each got lots of calls that more pedestrian players never got.
Each played with a mean streak a mile wide and unbelievable competitiveness.

Superstars get away with fouls/penalties and get calls other players don't get. Maybe it's the amount of money they make, and the TV ratings they create. Michael Irvin and Cris Carter were the same way (to a lesser degree, of course) in the NFL -- no receivers in history pushed off as much as those two did. Dwyane Wade and LeBron James are now starting to get those calls in the NBA.

And Shaq doesn't commit offensive fouls. Never has, right? But there's a difference here. A push off, an elbow to the ribs, standing on your opponents foot before a rebound, those are fouls committed trying to gain a competitive advantage not to injure the other player. A headbutt to the sternum is just plain stupid. Unless of course you are the worst player on your team headbutting the other team's best player (see hockey). Last year the Penguins sent one of their goons after Ovechkin and kneed him in the groin. The next time they met, the Capitals had called up a goon from the minors, he had one job, to lay out the creep who had kneed Ovechkin. That's how its supposed to work, except that night Pittsburgh kept putting their biggest goon on the ice with the creep and the big goon kept dropping his gloves before the puck was dropped and calling out the Caps goon. So Ovechkin had to do the job himself and did.

EastStang wrote:And Shaq doesn't commit offensive fouls. Never has, right? But there's a difference here. A push off, an elbow to the ribs, standing on your opponents foot before a rebound, those are fouls committed trying to gain a competitive advantage not to injure the other player. A headbutt to the sternum is just plain stupid....

That's true, and looking back, I kind of got off on a tangent there with the other stuff. You're absolutely right -- Shaq flattens people all the time, but that's when he's trying to clear space in the low post within the context of the game. Zidane should have the Golden Boot taken away. His performance was embarrassing, at best.

There is not a present day athlete in MJ's range. Zidane or whoever you want to say. And to say ... "and in my opinion, and as good as they were, each is lionized more than he should be" is laughable.

The guy should be lionized to the farthest extreme. 6 titles, and if he was playing in todays NBA he would be averaged 40 a game, with no hand checking.

Please calm it on the Zidane or Shaq to MJ references.

Before we scratch Jordan's mug into Mount Rushmore, how many titles did he win without Scottie Pippen -- a sensational player in his own right -- playing Robin to MJ's Batman? Zero.

The instant credibility he was supposed to take to Washington never materialized, either. When he played, he was the reason the Wizards were on TV, not the emerging young players. That was an icon playing with just "a bunch of guys." (We won't even get into his effort as the team's player personnel guy -- can you say "Kwame Brown"?) Through moves which, admittedly, he had nothing to do with, the team is much better since his departure.

He was great, but he didn't reinvent the wheel. Zidane is no MJ, but MJ didn't walk on water, either.

Swamp Gas wrote:Before we scratch Jordan's mug into Mount Rushmore, how many titles did he win without Scottie Pippen -- a sensational player in his own right -- playing Robin to MJ's Batman? Zero.

At least Jordan didn't refuse to go into a game because his feelings were hurt.