FIFA have revealed that more than half of the players treated on the pitch during this summer’s World Cup were not actually injured.

The world body’s chief medical officer, Professor Jiri Dvorak, presented his findings to the FIFA referees committee today and they showed a cheating culture at the highest level of the game.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=387417&cc=5901

I could have told you that back over the summer! Seems like every five minutes someone else was down on the ground rolling around in agony, then after being taken off the field, minutes later were running around playing fine again. I don’t think this is good news for a sport trying to attract fans from people that are use to watching the NFL, where guys break bones and receive concussions (just to name a few) and still walk off the field.

I think to attract more fans a few new rules should be introduced.

1. “No blood no foul” (or “if you ain’t bleedin‘ we ain’t stoppin‘”)
2. Tackles should resemble NFL tackles, or at the very least, NHL body checks.
3. Get rid of the silly yellow and red cards, implement “The Stone of Shame” (ala The Simpsons)
4. Implement “Beer League” rules
   
1. You score a goal, you chug a beer.
2. You take a penalty shot, you chug a beer.
3. You commit a foul, you chug a beer.
5. Allow fighting. (I’m not talking about the riots in the stands.)
   
6. 3-point line.
7. Half time shows with hot cheerleaders.
8. Don’t introduce a “new and improved” ball for your biggest tournament.

Now, I’m not saying all of these rules need to be used (I’ll be the first to admit #4 is probably better left as a the start of a bad drinking game to attract fans) but using a few could definitely help.

I guess if nothing else, this at least gives me an excuse to use as to why the U.S. Team lost.

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