Author Topic: Soccer thread (2014/15) (Read 109550 times)

Dave B · « **Reply #2675:** May 28, 2015, 10:55:16 AM »

Quote from: tomterp on May 28, 2015, 10:11:14 AM

I don't understand the legal theory under which we had them arrested, but note that the Swiss police must have thought we had grounds to do so. And while I don't doubt there were questionable dealings in getting the Olympics to Salt Lake, I would bet you they are orders of magnitude greater in scale for the World Cup.

And these guys are going to sing like canaries when they get here and see the evidence compiled against them.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/rweb/top/how-the-us-can-arrest-fifa-officials-in-switzerland-explained/2015/05/27/70616f1bf90dfe8e18af96d9f8b3a393_story.html?tid=kindle-app

mitlen · « **Reply #2676:** May 28, 2015, 10:57:38 AM »

Quote from: tomterp on May 28, 2015, 10:11:14 AM

And these guys are going to sing like canaries when they get here and see the evidence compiled against them.

They're all scavengers and rats. They'll sing and sing and sing .... Gitmo still open? If the Feds can simply tie any of this money to terrorism.

OldChelsea · « **Reply #2677:** May 28, 2015, 11:03:25 AM »

Surprisingly favourable editorial from The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/27/guardian-view-on-fifa-arrests-football-game-changer - one would have thought they'd have gotten up on their high horse ranting about US imperialism and such.

(Now everyone in Europe knows that FIFA, to use Ty Cobb's quote about baseball in his day, is 'as respectable as a kick in the crotch' - but I could see Europeans being a bit resentful about the 'non-soccer nation' USA lowering the boom on those officials.)

mitlen · « **Reply #2678:** May 28, 2015, 11:05:48 AM »

Quote from: OldChelsea on May 28, 2015, 11:03:25 AM

Surprisingly favourable editorial from The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/27/guardian-view-on-fifa-arrests-football-game-changer - one would have thought they'd have gotten up on their high horse ranting about US imperialism and such.

(Now everyone in Europe knows that FIFA, to use Ty Cobb's quote about baseball in his day, is 'as respectable as a kick in the crotch' - but I could see Europeans being a bit resentful about the 'non-soccer nation' USA lowering the boom on those officials.)

I was thinking the same thing OC. In public they may "say" they're resentful but I think in the back rooms, they're glad somebody finally stepped up. As you know, the Brits especially take particular pride in "their" game.

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #2679:** May 28, 2015, 11:06:59 AM »

My guess is that the more above board associations are happy and the less above board are happy that they move up in line for bribes

mitlen · « **Reply #2680:** May 28, 2015, 11:07:54 AM »

Quote from: HalfSmokes on May 28, 2015, 11:06:59 AM

My guess is that the more above board associations are happy and the less above board are happy that they move up in line for bribes

UMDNats · « **Reply #2681:** May 28, 2015, 11:09:44 AM »

Quote from: HalfSmokes on May 28, 2015, 11:06:59 AM

My guess is that the more above board associations are happy and the less above board are happy that they move up in line for bribes

OldChelsea · « **Reply #2682:** May 28, 2015, 11:12:14 AM »

I was on my annual November/December London trip when the story broke that Qatar had bagged the 2022 World Cup - I was incredulous beyond belief and the story tied up the media over there for the next several days (especially in the wake of Britain's massive star-studded, royalty-rich presentation to host one of the WC's awarded at that time). Here is a country whose national team had never made it to the Group of 32 for the round-robin stage of the tournament, with no world-class soccer stadium currently within its borders, and with goshawful weather/climate during the normal period when the tournament is held, and probably not much of a domestic league of its own - in fact not much of a soccer history at all - breaking on top. It was as if Andorra or Tonga or Mauritius had landed the tournament.

Money talks and BS walks.

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #2683:** May 28, 2015, 11:13:29 AM »

No British World Cup since 1966...little love for FIFA there, considering they were *supposed* to get 2018 before Russia bought it out from under them.

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #2684:** May 28, 2015, 11:14:42 AM »

any chance that UEFA just throws their own tourney and invites the best national teams in the world?

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #2685:** May 28, 2015, 11:16:23 AM »

I wouldn't rule anything out at this point

houston-nat · « **Reply #2686:** May 28, 2015, 11:40:03 AM »

Quote from: OldChelsea on May 28, 2015, 11:03:25 AM

Surprisingly favourable editorial from The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/27/guardian-view-on-fifa-arrests-football-game-changer - one would have thought they'd have gotten up on their high horse ranting about US imperialism and such.

I think after the way England lost its World Cup hosting bid, they'd be excited to see anybody take Sepp Blatter down. They'd be excited to see space aliens vaporize him.

houston-nat · « **Reply #2687:** May 28, 2015, 11:40:32 AM »

I don't understand why Michael Garcia's full report hasn't been leaked to the press by an "anonymous insider."

mitlen · « **Reply #2688:** May 28, 2015, 01:03:20 PM »

Quote from: houston-nat on May 28, 2015, 11:40:32 AM

I don't understand why Michael Garcia's full report hasn't been leaked to the press by an "anonymous insider."

I was curious why he didn't keep a copy. He couldn't have trusted them to do right. Then again, maybe he did and that's what got the Feds sniffin' on the big man's trail.

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #2689:** May 28, 2015, 01:41:02 PM »

I wonder what would happen if Russia lost the '18 WC? Tanks into frontline NATO states, or straight to ICBMs?

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #2690:** May 28, 2015, 01:43:54 PM »

Quote from: Ali the Baseball Cat on May 28, 2015, 01:41:02 PM

I wonder what would happen if Russia lost the '18 WC? Tanks into frontline NATO states, or straight to ICBMs?

not going to happen- third world votes make up the majority of the fifa electorate- blatter is getting reelected tomorrow

mitlen · « **Reply #2691:** May 28, 2015, 01:45:18 PM »

Quote from: Ali the Baseball Cat on May 28, 2015, 01:41:02 PM

I wonder what would happen if Russia lost the '18 WC? Tanks into frontline NATO states, or straight to ICBMs?

OC should stay away from the Baltic states in '18.

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #2692:** May 28, 2015, 01:46:20 PM »

Which will be about as meaningful as votes in the UN General Assembly. FIFA in its current form is done.

Dave B · « **Reply #2693:** May 28, 2015, 02:04:09 PM »

If 2022 isn't moved from qatar, there is a huge opportunity for an alternative tournament. Nobody wants to go there: players, fans...

Maybe that was blatter's end game. One last huge payday before death or jail

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #2694:** May 28, 2015, 02:06:29 PM »

Quote from: Ali the Baseball Cat on May 28, 2015, 01:46:20 PM

Which will be about as meaningful as votes in the UN General Assembly. FIFA in its current form is done.

maybe 30 years ago it would be doable, but does europe have the stomach to create a new governing body that excludes 'corrupt' countries and deal with people screaming colonialism/imperialism when the new group just happens to exclude a couple of continents?

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #2695:** May 28, 2015, 02:18:43 PM »

I see that Etihad has gone into some sort of cooperative relationship with Monument ("Etihad: official airline of YOUR Washington Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics! Wooo!!!"). I wonder if we'll have a Winter Classic in Abu Dhabi.

OldChelsea · « **Reply #2696:** May 28, 2015, 02:40:42 PM »

Quote from: Ali the Baseball Cat on May 28, 2015, 02:18:43 PM

I see that Etihad has gone into some sort of cooperative relationship with Monument ("Etihad: official airline of YOUR Washington Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics! Wooo!!!"). I wonder if we'll have a Winter Classic in Abu Dhabi.

Something else that could possibly happen: the three teams' home ground being renamed Etihad Arena, Etihad Centre or something of that sort once Verizon's naming rights end (not being renewed).

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #2697:** May 28, 2015, 03:43:01 PM »

In terms of quality of product being flogged, that's a big step up. I haven't flown Etihad, but if it's anything like Emirates, it blows US carriers away. And Verizon...Soviet service lives on.

Quote from: OldChelsea on May 28, 2015, 02:40:42 PM

Something else that could possibly happen: the three teams' home ground being renamed Etihad Arena, Etihad Centre or something of that sort once Verizon's naming rights end (not being renewed).

Dave B · « **Reply #2698:** May 28, 2015, 06:08:55 PM »

Quote from: HalfSmokes on May 28, 2015, 02:06:29 PM

maybe 30 years ago it would be doable, but does europe have the stomach to create a new governing body that excludes 'corrupt' countries and deal with people screaming colonialism/imperialism when the new group just happens to exclude a couple of continents?

What choice would the poor countries have but to go along with a Europe-based group? That is where almost half the teams in the world cup come from and where all the good players earn money. The best thing for poor countries is to not host the world cup. It's a win win

tomterp · « **Reply #2699:** May 28, 2015, 08:55:16 PM »

Brazil stirred into action.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/28/soccer-fifa-brazil-idUSL1N0YJ1VP20150528

Quote

May 28 Brazilian police began investigating allegations of corruption in its soccer industry on Thursday, prompted by the arrests of top officials at world soccer body FIFA in a U.S. bribery probe.

And the country's Senate, led by former national soccer star Romario, who is now a prominent legislator, moved to open a formal inquiry into alleged bribes paid to obtain contracts with the Brazilian Soccer Federation (CBF).

"There is no other alternative. Either these guys all go to prison or they will continue sucking the blood out of Brazilian football until its final death," said Romario, who led Brazil's national team to World Cup victory in 1994 and has since become an outspoken critic of corruption in soccer.

Justice Minister José Eduardo Cardozo ordered federal police to investigate whether the alleged corruption at Zurich-based FIFA was practiced in Brazil, his office said in a statement.

Brazilian officials and executives featured prominently in the indictment released on Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Justice that named 14 defendants accused of crimes including bribery, money laundering and wire fraud.

Former CBF president José Maria Marin was among those charged and arrested, while José Hawilla, the Brazilian founder of sports marketing company Traffic Group, was named as a convicted defendant who had pled guilty to U.S. corruption charges.

Brazilian law enforcement officials said they were collaborating with the U.S. Justice Department. On Wednesday night, police raided the offices of a sports marketing company owned by Kleber Leite, the former head of Rio de Janeiro's Flamengo soccer club, and seized documents. Prosecutors said the details were secret.

The U.S. initiative, which led to arrest of seven FIFA executives in Zurich on Wednesday, was welcomed by Brazilians who are unhappy with the quality of their national sport and suspect moguls of enriching themselves.