it always saddens me to watch ANY sport where a team is showing amazing skill and energy.....and then to discover some of the petty, hateful, angry, violent aspects that accompany it...(in BOTH players & fans!)....

I saw that game lost when a player drew a red card for intentionally grabbing the opponents shirt from behind....and I have seen serious kicking, elbowing, tripping and faking of injuries....all in a game where, unlike American or Australian football, contact is NOT the point!....after several world cups, I begin to see which cultures/teams are the most gratuituously agressive.

I watched Croatia 4 years ago play quite well...but lose my sympathy when they fouled and cheated at every opportunity. (they seemed to have one 'expendable' player whose job it was to see of he could injure a major opponent before he was sent off..*sigh*)

....as I said earlier, it is too bad when entire nations get their pride tied to a game..(Italy angry that the Korean guy had the temerity to SCORE against them!..Mexico 'shamed' that the USA won a game..)

...as you might imagine, I do NOT watch hockey!..*grin*

well, it would be interesting to see Turkey/Korea....but....