I've been following the J-League for many years now through the "rising sun" football website (FANTASTIC english coverage and reviews of teams, results, history, players etc). I highly recomend the site.
anyways, for about 5 years the J league has been suffering from almost incredible bad calls (IE: Ref calling a penalty for having a forward bump into a defender, etc.). This has been going on for years and they even put videos up lately and to my amazement..............they were right. I mean there's not even 1 shred of doubt that these refs are bought.
--NOW, for the last 3 years , the J- League title has been (shockingly) decided on the LAST GAME. For each of these games the nation was hit with : "J league fever", millions upon millions gained through media and interest. etc.
Last year's famous: "Gamba vs. Cerezo" last game finish (where about 5 teams could have won the title on the last day) was great but at the end fans started to become skeptical.
ANYWAYS Flash to 2006 and 2 teams lead the race the entire year: Gamba Osaka and Urawa Reds. SHOCKINGLY , the final game of the season was made to be Gamba vs. Urawa. Ooooooooooook- No big deal , these things happen (its like putting Chelsea/Man U a year before and being shocked that both would lead the table at the end........no big deal)
- About 3 weeks ago, Gamba started to lose a few games and dropped down 7 points to Urawa (who were by far the best and most stacked team in the J league). Suddenly it seemed like this "dream final" would never happan as Urawa would face 3 easy matches along the way before the final day.
Fans and media said 3 weeks ago that if Urawa was to tie/lose all their games to set up the final, then it was obvious the J League was fixed.
Soooo- Game 1 - Urawa loses after getting 2 red cards in the first 10 minutes and conceding a Penalty that would make even corrupt refs blush.
- Game 2- Similar happening as Gamba pretty much get the game handed to them by the ref.
NOW- The last game before the big final. Urawa needed to tie and Gamba to win in order to secure the final. All fans and media are now extremely skeptical and actually predict the results ahead of time. (((As did the site down here))).
This article is incredible.
______________________________________________ "
. . . if you already know the script? The Rising Sun News has raised the question of manipulated results in the J.League more than once in the past. This week was just more grist for the mill. This writer has seen some dodgy performances in the past which have raised our suspicions to very high levels, but there are some things that simply defy credibility. If I predicted that when I flipped a coin it would come up heads, and it did come up heads, you would just assume that I made a lucky guess. Even If I predicted the result five times, and was right each time, you would think I was lucky, but would not necessarily start looking around for hidden magnets or fixed coins.
But how about if I predicted that the coin would land on edge? If I proceeded to flip the coin and it DID land on edge, what sort of conclusion would you draw?
Well, that is the situation that we find ourselves in at the Rising Sun News. Looking at the table prior to this weekend, I told a neighbour that I strongly expected the Reds to be held to a scoreless draw, while Gamba would win. The fact that both results came up as anticipated is intersting, but it does not defy belief. But with ten minutes remaining in both matches and the scores 0-0 at Ajinomoto Stadium, and 2-2 in Osaka, I turned to my wife and said: "I predict that Urawa will not get off a single dangerous shot on net for the remainder of the match. Gamba will score the winning goal in extra time, less than a minute before the final whistle."
"You can't possibly know that" she scoffed. "Fine." I responded, "But if that DOES happen, then the J.League is fixed. There simply isnt any other explanation."
The Reds match ended 0-0, with no truly dangerous chances created by the Reds over the final 10 minutes. In fact, on the one truly dangerous breakaway, when Tadaaki Hirakawa took off down the right wing with four teammates all streaking into the box, Hirakawa inexplicably opted to take a shot on goal from over 35 meters and an impossible angle.
With a sense of deep foreboding, I flipped the channel to the Gamba-Sanga match. In the second minute of extra time, Kyoto for some inexplicable reason pushed every one of their field players into the Gamba end to contest a corner kick, and when the obvious counterattack came, the defenders failed to show much effort as they chased back. But possibly due to fatigue, or possibly the slippery surface, Magno Alves slightly mis-hit his final pass to Shinichi Terada, and Terada was unable to strike it home, as he easily could have done had the pass been on target. As Terada chased after the loose ball, three Kyoto players who had been following the play arrived in the penalty box. While Terada collected the ball, turned back towards goal and dropped the ball back to Akihiro Ienaga, all three stood perfectly still, not making even the slightest move to come out and challenge the ball or deny Terada's pass to Ienaga. As Ienaga waited for Magno to get into position, at the far post, the Kyoto players CONTINUED to stand motionless. In fact, none of them even bothered to move towards Magno, "inexplicably" leaving him unmarked at the far post. When everyone was in position, Ienaga looped a gentle cross that Magno headed home.
A spectacularly exciting finish? Oh absolutely! Without question!
But Im afraid that I just dont buy it. Not AGAIN. Not after all the other inexplicable and outrageously unlikely incidents that have taken place over the course of this season, and helped to set up such a situation in the first place. Not after all the other dodgy results which also ensured that the J.League title would be decided on the final day of the season in 2005 . . . and in 2004 . . . and in 2003 . . . . and . . . .
This writer has no particular preference for either Urawa or Osaka. We could not care less which one of the two teams ends up winning this title. But it would be nice to at least be able to maintain the ILLUSION that everything is fair, honest, and the result of human efforts on the football pitch alone, rather than some highly orchestrated script. Next week J.League fans will get a big, high-stakes finale which will get lots of press and earn lots of money. There will be a tremendous sense of "suspense" and lots of hype in all the major media. What a wonderful way to end a movie . . . with a head-to-head clash between the two top contenders, in which the title is decided at the last minute of the last week of the season.
But some things are just a bit "Too Good" to be believed.
Count me out.
Here are the results of Sunday's matches. If you want reports on this week's action, write to the J.League and ask them to send you a copy of the script."
____________________________________________________
:funny: (All I can say)
. It really is too bad (If you've been following the league as I have for the last 4-5 years, you'd know this is no surprise as 2 years ago it was obviously all scripted.........but this is just ..WOW.)
anyways, for about 5 years the J league has been suffering from almost incredible bad calls (IE: Ref calling a penalty for having a forward bump into a defender, etc.). This has been going on for years and they even put videos up lately and to my amazement..............they were right. I mean there's not even 1 shred of doubt that these refs are bought.
--NOW, for the last 3 years , the J- League title has been (shockingly) decided on the LAST GAME. For each of these games the nation was hit with : "J league fever", millions upon millions gained through media and interest. etc.
Last year's famous: "Gamba vs. Cerezo" last game finish (where about 5 teams could have won the title on the last day) was great but at the end fans started to become skeptical.
ANYWAYS Flash to 2006 and 2 teams lead the race the entire year: Gamba Osaka and Urawa Reds. SHOCKINGLY , the final game of the season was made to be Gamba vs. Urawa. Ooooooooooook- No big deal , these things happen (its like putting Chelsea/Man U a year before and being shocked that both would lead the table at the end........no big deal)
- About 3 weeks ago, Gamba started to lose a few games and dropped down 7 points to Urawa (who were by far the best and most stacked team in the J league). Suddenly it seemed like this "dream final" would never happan as Urawa would face 3 easy matches along the way before the final day.
Fans and media said 3 weeks ago that if Urawa was to tie/lose all their games to set up the final, then it was obvious the J League was fixed.
Soooo- Game 1 - Urawa loses after getting 2 red cards in the first 10 minutes and conceding a Penalty that would make even corrupt refs blush.
- Game 2- Similar happening as Gamba pretty much get the game handed to them by the ref.
NOW- The last game before the big final. Urawa needed to tie and Gamba to win in order to secure the final. All fans and media are now extremely skeptical and actually predict the results ahead of time. (((As did the site down here))).
This article is incredible.
______________________________________________ "
. . . if you already know the script? The Rising Sun News has raised the question of manipulated results in the J.League more than once in the past. This week was just more grist for the mill. This writer has seen some dodgy performances in the past which have raised our suspicions to very high levels, but there are some things that simply defy credibility. If I predicted that when I flipped a coin it would come up heads, and it did come up heads, you would just assume that I made a lucky guess. Even If I predicted the result five times, and was right each time, you would think I was lucky, but would not necessarily start looking around for hidden magnets or fixed coins.
But how about if I predicted that the coin would land on edge? If I proceeded to flip the coin and it DID land on edge, what sort of conclusion would you draw?
Well, that is the situation that we find ourselves in at the Rising Sun News. Looking at the table prior to this weekend, I told a neighbour that I strongly expected the Reds to be held to a scoreless draw, while Gamba would win. The fact that both results came up as anticipated is intersting, but it does not defy belief. But with ten minutes remaining in both matches and the scores 0-0 at Ajinomoto Stadium, and 2-2 in Osaka, I turned to my wife and said: "I predict that Urawa will not get off a single dangerous shot on net for the remainder of the match. Gamba will score the winning goal in extra time, less than a minute before the final whistle."
"You can't possibly know that" she scoffed. "Fine." I responded, "But if that DOES happen, then the J.League is fixed. There simply isnt any other explanation."
The Reds match ended 0-0, with no truly dangerous chances created by the Reds over the final 10 minutes. In fact, on the one truly dangerous breakaway, when Tadaaki Hirakawa took off down the right wing with four teammates all streaking into the box, Hirakawa inexplicably opted to take a shot on goal from over 35 meters and an impossible angle.
With a sense of deep foreboding, I flipped the channel to the Gamba-Sanga match. In the second minute of extra time, Kyoto for some inexplicable reason pushed every one of their field players into the Gamba end to contest a corner kick, and when the obvious counterattack came, the defenders failed to show much effort as they chased back. But possibly due to fatigue, or possibly the slippery surface, Magno Alves slightly mis-hit his final pass to Shinichi Terada, and Terada was unable to strike it home, as he easily could have done had the pass been on target. As Terada chased after the loose ball, three Kyoto players who had been following the play arrived in the penalty box. While Terada collected the ball, turned back towards goal and dropped the ball back to Akihiro Ienaga, all three stood perfectly still, not making even the slightest move to come out and challenge the ball or deny Terada's pass to Ienaga. As Ienaga waited for Magno to get into position, at the far post, the Kyoto players CONTINUED to stand motionless. In fact, none of them even bothered to move towards Magno, "inexplicably" leaving him unmarked at the far post. When everyone was in position, Ienaga looped a gentle cross that Magno headed home.
A spectacularly exciting finish? Oh absolutely! Without question!
But Im afraid that I just dont buy it. Not AGAIN. Not after all the other inexplicable and outrageously unlikely incidents that have taken place over the course of this season, and helped to set up such a situation in the first place. Not after all the other dodgy results which also ensured that the J.League title would be decided on the final day of the season in 2005 . . . and in 2004 . . . and in 2003 . . . . and . . . .
This writer has no particular preference for either Urawa or Osaka. We could not care less which one of the two teams ends up winning this title. But it would be nice to at least be able to maintain the ILLUSION that everything is fair, honest, and the result of human efforts on the football pitch alone, rather than some highly orchestrated script. Next week J.League fans will get a big, high-stakes finale which will get lots of press and earn lots of money. There will be a tremendous sense of "suspense" and lots of hype in all the major media. What a wonderful way to end a movie . . . with a head-to-head clash between the two top contenders, in which the title is decided at the last minute of the last week of the season.
But some things are just a bit "Too Good" to be believed.
Count me out.
Here are the results of Sunday's matches. If you want reports on this week's action, write to the J.League and ask them to send you a copy of the script."
____________________________________________________
:funny: (All I can say)
. It really is too bad (If you've been following the league as I have for the last 4-5 years, you'd know this is no surprise as 2 years ago it was obviously all scripted.........but this is just ..WOW.)
. sucks to be a fan of such a league tho, when you know everything is planned, and you realise the wins your team has are not earned, and neither are the losses.
