Re: Read my lips: the taunt that made Zidane snap

"Jules" wrote in message
Italy is full of brilliant black professional soccer players, yet none is
found to be good enough to represent the country at the national level.
France on the other hand is 90 percent black, including Zidane, who is
born
in France of Algerian mother and father. Materazzi is said to have made
similar racist comments toward black players in the past.

Thank you for the background.

In the heat of the moment. Zinedine Zidane has earned the right to be a be
a
human being who reacts on sheer instinct, even if only for a moment. Even
if
it occurred at the nadir of his rich and starry football career.

Disagree- how could he 'earn' it?
If he has played as a professional, he should act as one even at an amateur
event. If he has played at such a high level, it would seem he has been
taunted in the past. Why is this time different? Perhaps he has handled the
razzing poorly in the past. In that case, a good coach would instruct his
team to play to that weakness in the hope of Zidane reacting poorly and
being ejected. Sportsmanship goes out the window in war and Zidane has been
around long enough to know better than to stoop to the enemy's level.
Instead, the 'pro' played into their hands.

D.


.