What's with this free kick stuff?

[andydreisch]

What's with this free kick finale to the World Cup championship game? How weird is that?

Can you imagine a tied US football game done in this manner? Clear the field!! Let the placekickers attempt five field goals from the 50 yard line.

I've got it: let's settle a tied baseball game by clearing everyone from the field and setting up a home run derby.

If Wimbledom tied, we can always have Federer and Nadal wrestle for the prize.

It just seems odd to me that the entire game changes entirely just to determine the winner.

Andy

[longreach]

Of course - here in Canada we are getting used to the same thing in hockey - the penalty shot competition to break a tie - but only in the regular season - in the playoffs they have the good sense to put the silliness to one side, and wait for a winner in conventional play. Of course, with Italy's defensive posture, that might have been quite a while coming How about headers for a win - oops - sore point ...

[ftreml]

Of course, with Italy's defensive posture, that might have been quite a while coming

was still more boring some years ago, when FIFA tried to introduce the "golden goal" for soccer. Lead to dead end game in the overtime - no one took any risk to loose the whole game within seconds. in fact, the european championships in 2000 were won by france over italy with golden goal, but that's the only match I can remember ... by the way, David Trezeguet scored this golden goal in 2000, the same and only one who failed to score at the penalties last sunday ...

and it would be nice to see nadal crushing the swiss babyface in a wrestling match.

[brendanwalsh]

OK, I'll bite...as an Englishman who suffers from losing on penalties every 2 years in tournaments.

First - careful what you suggest on American Football being settled in a similar manner. Imagine the advertising opportunities - 5 kicks for both teams ... 30 second advert between every kick would sell for millions.

Second - you may not have watched many games where it has been 0-0 after 2 hours of football and as the old joke goes "both teams were lucky to have scored 0". Penalties are a blessed relief.

Finally, and as ftreml said - the golden goal was disastrous as both teams shut up shop for 30 minutes, before....penalties!

Now, try cricket. If a game is "rained off" they bowl at a single stump in a similar manner - whoever knocks the stump over the most times wins...equivalent to pitching at a glove to win the game!