re: One of the dirtiest things you'll see happened in soccer this weekend (video)

quote:

---

Yes, all the millions of Americans who don't like soccer are just "incestual" rednecks from Alabama who are just making up all this stuff about the girly flopping because they're dumb.

---

No not at all. But flopping has a context that I think people miss. I'd argue flopping has increased the last decade because teams in general value possession of the ball more, and flopping in certain cultures (especially South American and southern European) is how smaller players protect themselves against larger ones, as in they go down at the first sign of contact rather than ride through challenges. So you'll often see it with better players who realize there is little value in riding through challenges because continually riding through those challenges will lead to constant injury. You see the culture clash in the most cosmopolitan leagues, but there is plenty of physical play where flopping isn't involved.

Relating it to notions of manhood, for me, will always be silly though. I can understand why people would be turned off by it, but all of it is done with the intention of getting the best of the opponent. It'd be nice if it would stop, but I don't even notice anymore unless it is particularly egregious.