European Apathy = Bad Soccer

I'd like to now make a deliberately inflammatory generalization about millions of people based on one anectdote:

Europeans are apathetic about the effects of their ridiculous diving antics and judicial incompetence on the game of soccer.

Example, this quote in The Times from a Slovenian midfielder after his team was screwed out of a World Cup Qualifier point because of Wayne "Who me? I never dive!" Rooney.

Hamidovic’s complaints were echoed by Nejc Pecnik, the midfield player. “It didn’t look like a penalty to me, but we must accept it,” he said. “Rooney went down far too easily and because he is a big name it made it easier for the referee to make a decision.

"Lots of people dive in football, that’s sport, and if the referee whistles, it’s a penalty. Maybe he fell, but I don’t know. When Rooney went down he kicked Cesar and he’s twisted his ankle. We were very unlucky — our player was injured and somehow England got a penalty.”

HOW IS THIS OK?


No, Mr. Pechnjaiskjdik, just because the referee blows his whistle, it is NOT a penalty. Oftentimes, the referee just blows.

Why isn't there outrage, rioting in the streets? (Continentals/Frogs, I'm looking your direction since you do it for everything else...)

In basketball, the commish Stern has come out pretty strongly against flopping, even though flopping isn't anywhere near the main problem in basketball. (That, of course would be the lack of respect for Ron Artest's right hook). But you just don't see it in soccer. The general attitude is "Oh well, my team got totally jobbed by a bad call in this crucial game... that's soccer."



On a more reality-based note: I think it's time people actually found out if certain teams are more frequently being awarded penalties. This would be pretty easy data to collect, especially since you know who refereed each match. Does referee X give Arsenal penalties at a higher rate than to Boro? My hunch is that certain things could be shown to effect the probability that you get a penalty:

(Let's table the myriad endogeneity problems for now)
1) Home/Away: I bet the home team gets more penalties awarded, and not just because they attack more (potential endogeneity problem)

2) Size of club: I bet big name clubs get awarded penalties more often, even controlling for similar endogeneity problems.

3) Referee heterogeneity: I bet some referees give penalties at different rates overall.

Etc.

UEFA, as soon as you start reading my blog, send me a large check and I'll do this research for you. Or I'll do the research for free if Drogba and Kaka agree to sing "Ebony and Ivory" at the next FIFA awards banquet.