'If someone throws a banana at me in the street...

[robby1]

prandelli has done a good job with this team, they are a team and with helping mario, they are acting like a team which is a very big help for them on the field. come on italy. it will be tough as england are playing well with walcot on fire and rooney finally stepping up but still go italy

[Mariangela]

Ok...okaaay...you guys are going to make me a , limoncello sipper, Lemon Drop Martini toting soccer viewer...I saw viewer, not the F word not F bomb...there's a difference, because it takes time for me to become a fan of any sport except the dance sport.

Anyway, I was in San Diego yesterday for various reasons, business, personal and pleasure. My friend and I managed to see each other before I took off for Orange County but as we were being sitted at our table this cocktail area had 6 TVs, all blasting a soccer game with Milan, Italy as one of the teams playing. I said to my friend is that a soccer game? And preceded to tell her about Balotelli. I asked our server if that was a game with Italy as one of the opponents. I spotted the Italian flag on their jersey. He wasn't too interested so I knew the other team was not Mexico's team playing. I said, that's the Italians. Server says it's Milan and I say, that's right...Italy like I said. Server, draws a blank look. I try to look on with a start face and decided to shut up and drink my Martini. Boy did that taste good!

I'll have to ask my brother Lee to explain the game to me. Cough. What?!!! All I know about soccer is it takes a super long time to make a goal and you run and run and run. Every player is drenched in sweat. Ick. Then you can get kicked really hard in the shin. The game according to Leah.

Never mind...I'll be quiet now and go back to surfing the web for some really good deals.

@Mariangela I like all the links to photos you provided, but I'm not seeing the attachment 3108.


@Divus until I see that video...I can't comment. Can you give us the title and poster's name of the youtube. Or did I misunderstand and it is no longer available for us to see even at youtube?

Leah

I have corrected the post. This is the picture that was supposed to be an attachment.
http://www.theprovince.com/6806715.bin
There are dozens of similar pictures.

All it shows is Bonucci putting his arms around Balotelli, and then clapping a hand over his mouth.

All the video did was show the same thing. The English press is maintaining that Balotelli was looking toward his own bench when he started shouting. I have no idea if that's the case; if it's true, then perhaps Bonucci was trying to keep him out of trouble with the Coach, because he didn't want him to get benched. (Balotelli may very well have been upset that he was only brought on in the last twenty minutes of the match.) Maybe he was shouting about the Irish defender practically pulling his shirt off to stop him from scoring. What does it matter? The other team members acted on this occasion, as they have done on others, to keep Balotelli out of trouble. (In one clip I saw, he started talking during a ceremony, and one of the guys cuffed him, the way Italians do, on the back of the head. A couple of minutes later, the two of them were hugging.)

You are being asked to believe, on no evidence whatsoever, that they are all doing all this not for the good of the team, and in order to win matches, but to "politically exploit" him. I presume that the poster means by this that all the players, and the coach? (at the urging of whom? the government?) are involved in some sort of conspiracy in order to promote some politically correct vision of the world.

There will eventually be other home versions of the footage, but for now, this is a series of still shots that show the events. I was actually watching every minute of the game, and this is exactly what happened.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq62UuSe3Pk

[Mariangela]

You can tell I'm having soccer withdrawal. Here is a similar video of Balotelli's absolutely stunning display of athleticism, and his reaction afterwards. The video is sort of *** backwards, as the reaction comes first, and then the goal. I can't guarantee how long it will be up.

[leahjr]

You can tell I'm having soccer withdrawal. Here is a similar video of Balotelli's absolutely stunning display of athleticism, and his reaction afterwards. The video is sort of *** backwards, as the reaction comes first, and then the goal. I can't guarantee how long it will be up.

I like the fact that they rally around Balotelli. I think they are showing team spirit and what it is all about. The goal is to win and also to protect one of the important team players. I am touched to see how they all rally around him. He gets in trouble and they all get in trouble. If he works his magic with these games they all stand to win. I think that's what team work is all about. And I love the fact the Italian team is showing solidarity. That's what I am talking about. Kick the opposing team where it counts...win the game. That's the bottomline. I assume Italy won. Sorry...I'm not following the thread so closely...I'm not a sports fan. For example, I only watch the Super Bowl games for the half time show. What?!!! At least I'm honest about it.

I once met a former running back, the guy played for college football and I had to ask him what position was that? He kindly explained. Man what agility and speed he must have had to maintain that position.

I have met the wife of a former Super Bowl winner. Met her and took a cruise with her and our group of people at the Sport gym I used to belong to years ago. Her and her husband ex football player for the Jets get to see the Super Bowl every year in the special boxed section. Anyway, my busniness partner at the time, was a huge Dallas Bronco fan and that year his favorite team were playing in the Super Bowl. He says if I get a chance to go, to please take him with me. Huh? The woman only gets two special tix and if she ever got to extra and gave me the op, he's not the one I'm taking...Sorry Joe, I love you but at the time I loved another more. Hahhahhhhhhhhhh.

What was he thinking??? Desperate football fan. Sheez. Hypothetically speaking, I might relinquish said tickets for that Gucci Python Soho bag. A good swap in my mind. That might be worth it to me. Then he'd have some explaining to do to his wife (incidently my friend) when she sees the glaring charge from a Gucci boutique on his card.

To Joe, don't look at me to bail you out buddy...you knew full well what you were getting into when you entered the deal. I'm saying NOTHING.

You'd love Joe, he was this big teddy bear kind of guy. Very kind man with a great soft heart. Everyone loves Joe. He was Italian too and taught me to make meatballs and his sauce. Btw, he and his wife are excellent cooks.

[Mariangela]

These Croatian fans just won't stop. They pulled their shenanigans during the game against Spain too. I guess the people of Spain are also racially inferior.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18525723

Obviously, it's going to take more than fines. Security must be really lax if they can get all this stuff inside the stadium.


This piece has a nice interview with Bonucci, who explains why he always tries to have Balotelli's back.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18525723

"Bonucci was on hand to calm Mario Balotelli down earlier this week, when the Manchester City striker began to celebrate his late goal against Ireland in typically flamboyant fashion.

But the defender has backed Balotelli to do his talking on the pitch and cause England problems - if selected to start by Prandelli.

"I played with Mario on Inter's youth squad and I know him better than anyone else here," Bonucci said.

"He was just 17 but I was already scolding him back then. That's just how he is, and that's why I took care of him during the celebration against Ireland. And he then thanked me for that.

"Unfortunately sometimes he does crazy things. He's spontaneous but he's a good kid.

"If he can smile a bit more, he's a player who can make the difference for us. He's unpredictable, he's strong and he's powerful.

"Physically and technically, he can be very dangerous to the England team.

"I don't know yet if he can be in the starting line-up because this is our manager's decision.

"But, if he trains in the proper way, I think he can really be useful to beat England."

[DivusIulius]

You are being asked to believe, on no evidence whatsoever, that they are all doing all this not for the good of the team, and in order to win matches, but to "politically exploit" him. I presume that the poster means by this that all the players, and the coach? (at the urging of whom? the government?) are involved in some sort of conspiracy in order to promote some politically correct vision of the world.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18519395

They are not denying it anymore.

[Mariangela]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18519395

They are not denying it anymore.

What?

What on earth does this have to do with the racist taunts sometimes directed at players of color by soccer fans of the opposing teams, Balotelli's problems with self-control, or any strange conspiracy by the ITALIAN government on behalf of Balotelli? It makes absolutely no sense.

Prandelli and the Italian management team wanted to win so badly that they promised to hike fifteen miles to a monastery if they made it to the quarter finals, which they in fact did after going through to play England. I'm sure Prandelli would love to have a more reliable striker than Balotelli, and one not given to such volatile behavior, but he has to make do with what he has, and he also wants to build an Italian team for the future now that so many of the Italian stalwarts are retiring due to age. Reasons enough for any rational person to make the decisions he has made.

[DivusIulius]

No one threw a single banana or made any racist chants but Mario Balotelli stormed off the pitch after losing the Euro to Spain. It's not only a disgrace to be a sore loser but his actions has degraded the dignity of his teammates.

It didn't have to be this way. For too long he's been allowed to act in a very un-European way. I said it before and I'll say it again they should have corrected his behavior with a suspension, a hefty fine, and a public apology, but as the old adage goes..."you reap what you sow".

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/eur...=feeds-newsxml

[rfirma1]

No one threw a single banana or made any racist chants but Mario Balotelli stormed off the pitch after losing the Euro to Spain. It's not only a disgrace to be a sore loser but his actions has degraded the dignity of his teammates.

It didn't have to be this way. For too long he's been allowed to act in a very un-European way. I said it before and I'll say it again they should have corrected his behavior with a suspension, a hefty fine, and a public apology, but as the old adage goes..."you reap what you sow".

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/eur...=feeds-newsxml

i'll have to disagree with you on this one Divus.......Mario did very well during the game....he was double and triple teamed and never once did he lose his head. he sustained numerous fouls and even when it was plain to see that he was fouled......the calls just did not come he still kept himself in the game...........as a team it was his teammates that let him down........when your top striker is being double and triple teamed......there is always somebody else open.........when it was obvious the spaniards were covering Mario heavily they should have used him to open spaces for others to fill and overloaded the spanish defense.
he has nothing to apologize for.....if you watched the game he was the only guy pressuring the spanish defense from the front.........he expended more than his fair share of energy yesterday trying to keep the italians in the game...........he's young and he's a brilliant player.....in time he will mature..........and use this game as a lesson and an impetus to never allow that to happen again.

[DivusIulius]

i'll have to disagree with you on this one Divus.......Mario did very well during the game....he was double and triple teamed and never once did he lose his head. he sustained numerous fouls and even when it was plain to see that he was fouled......the calls just did not come he still kept himself in the game...........as a team it was his teammates that let him down........when your top striker is being double and triple teamed......there is always somebody else open.........when it was obvious the spaniards were covering Mario heavily they should have used him to open spaces for others to fill and overloaded the spanish defense.
he has nothing to apologize for.....if you watched the game he was the only guy pressuring the spanish defense from the front.........he expended more than his fair share of energy yesterday trying to keep the italians in the game...........he's young and he's a brilliant player.....in time he will mature..........and use this game as a lesson and an impetus to never allow that to happen again.

I didn't watch the game so I can't comment on who let who down but the bottom line is in 'professional sports' one must be 'professional' and gracefully accept losing.

He's a poor role model to say the least and making excuses won't help him. If he doesn't receive a good chastisement he'll never be corrected.