The Zidane Mystery: What Set Him Off?

If it's on anyone's shoulders, it's Trezeguet. He was the one who missed the PK, and had a lackluster tournament to boot.

If Materazzi did say something like that, it's not an isolated incident in European soccer. There have been racist incidents in Italy and Spain fairly recently, and Nike has a "Stand Up, Speak Up" campaign in Europe featuring Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo to counter racism.

The Italian team has some ties to fascism. Gianluigi Buffon touched a nerve last year when he wore a t-shirt with a fascist slogan under his jersey, and picked the curiously high number 88, which was interpreted by Jews as a coded reference to a Hitler salute. Striker Paolo Di Canio, who didn't make the WC squad, has given the fascist salute after a Serie A match. That's not an excuse to attack them on the field, but it is reason not to dismiss the accusation out of hand.

I had no idea of the history of racism in European soccer.

I suspect that in American sports, no one seems to use the "n-word" because they know they'll get a heck of a lot more than a head-butt.

Zidane's red card was anything but unusual. He was sent off 14 times in his career at the club and international level.

Only one act?

"I'm Zidane @!$%#!" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

It is funny to see how these pro's don't use their hands for anything.

@Rukh

No, "I'm Zidane @!$%#!" doesn't have a nice ring to it. But, "I'm the ZIZOU-NAUT, @!$%#! does sound pretty nice.

or, I'm the ZIDANAUT, @!$%#!

If it is ok at some level to be like Zidane, than Germany has an entire history to rewrite since Hitler was a great motivator. Being great at some skill does not allow a person to skate on everything else.

Acupuncture?

lip-reading on Brazilian TV?

They can lipread an incident that happened on the field. HDTV rules!

The Fantástico crew have got into trouble with Parreira (Brazil's coach) for the lip-reading stunt before. They like it. Whether they're good at it or not, is another story :-)

On Materazzi's video: the first time he did I thought it looked like a mistake, but the next clips show how many times he does it. He definitely shouldn't be visiting France any time soon.

I must say the first time I was called that (terrorist), I really wanted to do something stupid. Thankfully I was wearing my work shirt and I was in front of my retail store, therefore I ignored the comments of these 4 little @!$%#ing high school kids, and went into work.

I must mention that if I was anywhere else on the planet, I would have done something very stupid, a la Zidane.

Black people don't want to be called the N-word, Middle Easterners do not want to be called the...I guess you could call it the T-word.

I really can't put it into words how irratating it is, to see so much ignorance is plain sight, and that so many millions simply don't give a @!$%# and refer to all muslims as crazy talibans because that's what they see on their little TVs.

I'm not gonna go too off-topic. France forgives Zidane, but Zidane will never forgive himself.

It's really too bad that people who know nothing of the sport and of the history of france football jump in this conversation, with outburts that Zidane is the worst person on the planet because of this incident. We don't condone that behavior, but it is what it is, another dangerous play on the field, another red card. There's been plenty of red cards during this world cup, there will be more during the next one. How would Americans feel if Michael Jordan, during his last game, made a stupid mistake where he hit a player and got sent off? Would you only remember that, or his many years of great game?

Zinedine Zidane is the inspiration of all the youth. Every kid in France wants to be him. His popularity everywhere on the planet. He is the best player in the sport in the past 15 years. His fans are from everywhere, from Marid in Spain where he played, to Italy with Juventus. He even made fans in Brasil when people could not deny his impressive skills during the 1998 world cup final, and the 2006 world cup quarter-finals (brasil 0 - 1 france).

I don't mean to be an evil frenchman, but I am getting sick to have to draw all these damn parrellels so that people would "get" what the @!$%# I'm talking about.

But let's not be too damn cocky, I like to explain @!$%# to people who want to understand, yet can't draw the relations. I don't know everything in life, but the few tiny things that I do know, if I can put it into words that you will understand, that you will be able to feel at the exact moment the feeling I am describing, then my job is done.

If I walk down the street and call out "Dirty terrorist" (for example) to someone and they then come punch me in the presence of a police officer, they are in trouble, not me.

Umm no, you would be in trouble for inciting racial hatred.

Inciting racial hatred.

Ummm. Perhaps. But that is way down the list for a typical judge compared to clear physical violence.

I agree completely. Materazzi was at fault for saying what ever he did, but insults have been around for a long time, and if it was racial, France isn't one to talk, being that they are one of the most racist countries in the world. But all that aside, Zidane went way over the line. That kind of conduct is not acceptable from anyone, especially someone who is looked up to by everyone, and someone of his calibre.