And oh, it's not like Higuain and Heinze are male versions of Mother Teresa, anyway. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) They are plain and simple thugs, the later one in particular. But you'd think someone like Messi should know better. Guess not. What's next, you'd have people calling Messi a fat midget with chicken legs. Not racist, but disgraceful nonetheless.

Racism should be out of all fields in life in general, sports in particular, and football first and foremost.

You know, you're always so quick to call players thugs whenever it pleases you. Now, I won't deny it when you mention the various Pepe, Marcelo, Dani Alves etc, but what has Higuain ever done to be called a thug? If anything, he's one of the most correct players at Madrid, for what I've seen. Let's not jump the gun at every occasion here, please.

Marca is reporting Barca has reached an agreement with Gareth Bale.

I wonder how well he'd fit into their team...

Yeah, I can't think of anything either. It's one of the reasons I like him.


------------------------- Valdes -------------------------

----------------- Puyol ---------- Pique -----------------

Alves ------------------ Busquets ----------------- Bale

----------------- Xavi ----------- Iniesta ----------------

------------------------ Fabregas ------------------------

----------------- Sanchez -------- Messi ----------------

Or drop Fabregas, put Messi there and have Villa up front.

If referring to a black man as negro is common and ordinary and they see nothing wrong with it, then it can only be called ignorance.

I find one thing hard to understand though, all of them have black teammates, if they were racist and meant it when they called a black opponent negro or something, then their own teammates would take offense at that too. but you don't see any problem between Higuain and Lass, or Messi and Keita.

Maybe it's just me, I don't think these guys are being racist or truly mean what they say. they're just ignorant.

-

And I agree with X-Off, Higuain hasn't done anything to be called a thug. maybe a little scuffle here and there, but so has anyone you mentioned in your post, acid. Kaka, Sheva, Pato, Nesta, Maldini, etc. that's football and these guys are human beings. don't read too much into it.

What Messi said to Drenthe was 'Hola Negro!'....it's not the same as 'abusing racially'...but yeah it's a sensitivity thing.

He just did now on the training pitch didn't he?! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) But no, seriously, I'm old fashioned that way, when it comes to the sanctity of the sports. It's called a sport for a reason, and I'd love it were kept that way. If I wanted to see a fight, tussle, roundhouse kicks, I'll much rather tune in to WWE/UFC or any other similar programming.

While I agree, Higuaian may be the closest to the cleaner versions of professional athletes, and that's why I said "particularly the later". Heinze is not just dirty, but full of himself as well, remember his incident with the cameraman in the World Cup, and various other similar deeds. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Higuaian to a lower extent, but still.

As for the various Pepes, Valdes and other dirtbags, I have other stronger words for them, and frankly if I had my way they'd get much stringent punishments. They have no right to end someone's career, or threaten the opposing player's life in the name of sports/game. I call them animals, violent animals. Thugs is too small a word for me.

That's probably because I categorically hate violence (and violent behavior), or probably I am spoiled by the highest standards displayed by all the players I've followed/liked in my life, right from the early 90s (when I was mere 5-6 years old). None of them did this, and surely never on purpose. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) You can say I'm spoiled.


I don't know man, saying someone is negro is one thing, but insulting someone is another. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) I mean, clearly the intent was to work Drenthe up in his mind so he can't concentrate. But like I said, it's a very cheap way to do it, offending someone just because he/she has a little extra melanin in their skin.


Well I have seen Higuain do stuff on the ball and off it, during matches, that let's just say I wouldn't call him overly graceful like some of the more classier names of football. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) But I think it depends on the definition of the word thug, if you use it like I do in a mild manner, then I think he is. If not, then well Higuain is standard stuff.

I do agree he does not have all those animalistic instincts like other dirty players, but hey, like I said, I'm spoiled.

I know, but let's keep it out of the game (as popular a sports such as football) as much as possible. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Football is a uniting factor for the world, the last thing it needs are displays of such low nature. I mean, almost everyone can be abused racially, but you'd think this ambassadors of the game would know better.

Some may not think of it that much, but I'd be worked up if anyone (not just Messi, even any other player that I liked) did it. Discrimination based on race, religion, sex, build, color, creed, heck even age or money, is just not on in my books. Now you may call me vanilla this way, but these are just my rules that I always stick to.

I'm not so sure in Messi's case. It's not like he grew up in South America and then says it likes it's normal, didn't he grow up in Europe? Where I am pretty sure it's not normal to say that.

He was in Argentina till 14. Most of your cultural upbringing is done by then I guess. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

According to wiki he was 12. You don't really start to grow up properly until you're about 10/11 in my opinion anyway, not until you go to high school and actually learn things outside of how to count and read and whatever.

Villarreal relegated.

Rossi! But we're all stocked up. Fyck...Juve just creamed their pants! There is their striker!!

Rossi will be out for another six months. That's one year of inactivity in total. I'd wait before signing him.

+1