\PUR-fuh-dee\, noun:
The act of violating faith or allegiance; violation of a promise or vow; faithlessness; treachery.
The blogosphere is finally piping up and most of the sneering is against France in general and Zidane in particular. What a stupid meme. Personally, I blame Brent Musberger, who went high-handed on Zidane's headbutt during and after the World Cup Final yesterday. Every American who was 'shocked, just shocked' owes something of that sentiment to the pantywaist commentary of Brent and his lickspittle colleagues at ABC. The unforgivable word in all of this is 'unforgivable', although I'm equally disgusted with 'inexcusable'.
Every American who has been muttering under his breath about 'flopping' as a reason to continue their loud disrespect of the sport is now caught in a splutter about how Zidane's act was inexcuseable. If that's inexcuseable, so is all of hockey, all of football, boxing, wrestling, karate, sumo... I could go on but why bother? Zidane's red card is inexplicable to Americans because we don't play soccer. Let me try to give the clueless an analogy: Shaq Attack. The red card is as much a part of soccer as is fouling out in basketball, and every coach worth his salary knows that he can play tactics to his advantage. I'm not suggesting that this was the case, but if Zadane's headbutt went beyond the pale in soccer, then we would be talking criminal charges. It's a technical foul, period.
Now you can call me a brute because I'm pro-war and yes I did defend Ron Artest when he went into the stands. But I think there's a time for playing by the rules, and I think there's a time for somebody to get stomped. And I firmly believe, especially as the word comes down, that Matarazzi said something that went beyond the Shaq Attacks of world class soccer. So the high minded moralists will have to re-evaluate their pompous pronouncements if and when Zidane gives full disclosure.
Considering that it happened on the field of play, thoughtful people should ask, when should unsportsmanlike conduct be met with roughneck retaliation? Take it as a given that Matarazzi uttered fighting words, what right does he have in an athletic competition to say them on the field? None. He started the fight, and if all was fair, he would have been given the red card as well. But that didn't happen and Zidane decided to even the score himself.
Now I don't expect that sportos need to comport themselves as gentlemen. So long as they don't break the law or cheat in the game, I'm happy with any kind of personality they may display - that is if their on-field skills merit. I liked Dennis Rodman as much as any non-fan could, and more than many fans did. Let accountants be boring, sports stars should never be boring. With that in mind, I'm not going to make any suggestions about how Zidane need recover his 'dignity'. Nevertheless, the coolest thing he could do here, with regard to manly ethics, is to simply say that nobody needs to know what Matarazzi said - that the issue has been settled.
But it won't be because everybody is going to opinionate on the matter. Still I think that anyone who remembers what manhood is essentially all about needs to leave that matter between Zidane and Matarazzi. The rest is just talk.
BTW, Yes I am using 'perfidy' in the same context as asymmetrical warfare, Sadrist Militias and Breaker Morant, if you're curious. And I bet you Matarazzi won't make that same mistake again.
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