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Shanghaiist was looking for a diversion this morning. Something that would hold us back from angrily posting about the fact that AUSTRALIA WAS ABSOLUTELY ROBBED in that World Cup match last night.
And fortunately we found it, in Shanghai's subway. It's an advertising campaign for a mobile phone company, with posters splashed liberally around the tunnels of the city's underground railway system.
Now, we don't know about you, but the slogan -- the whole ad -- just doesn't sit right with us. It's something about the combination of a sexy woman pouting at the screen and the use of the word "chocolate" as a verb, in the slogan "I Chocolate You". It just sounds ever so slightly like something you might hear whispered in the kind of film that was touched upon in South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut. There's another version of the poster too, with a man saying the words "I Chocolate You". Again, this makes us a bit uneasy.
Or is the Chocolate advertising campaign completely innocuous and we just have our minds in the gutter?
Actually, we only have our minds in one place, and that's back at the Fritz-Walter Stadion in Kaiserslautern, as we ponder the criminally inept refereeing decision in the dying seconds of that game last night.
But hey, we agreed we wouldn't mention that.
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If you can't say it - I will!!
WE WAS ROBBED.
No shame losing to Italy - but having a free kick in the box in the last 8 seconds from a rolly polly Italian prima dona is a bit rich.
they weren't robbed. the guy laid down in the box and didn't touch the ball! you cannot stop a player from attacking by just laying down like that...anyway, regardless, it was a stupid mistake by the australian player with no seconds left. and that i think we can all agree on!
Daylight robbery.
You've got to feel aggrieved Shamus, but you've also got to look on the bright side. Australia did excellently all in all and have a very good future to look forward to with growth of the sport in the country.
MAYBE YOU'LL LIKE THIS PEACE OF NEWS FROM XINHUA.
MAN, THE CCTV-5 COMMENTATOR WAS A F***ING PRICK!
DOWN WITH ITALY!
LONG LIFE SPAIN!
Chinese commentator in spotlight for losing his cool in World Cup
broadcast
By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie
BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese World Cup commentator
caused an uproar in the country as he shouted "Long Live Italy"
and declared "I don't like Team Australia" after Italy knocked out
Australia on a last-minute penalty shot in Cologne of Germany on
Monday.
Huang Jianxiang, a commentator for national broadcaster China
Central Television (CCTV), lost his cool as Francesco Totti scored
a penalty in the last minute of stoppage time to give 10-man Italy
a 1-0 win over Australia in the World Cup second round.
The 38-year-old Huang shouted himself hoarse after Italian
defender Fabio Grosso tumbled over Lucas Neill's challenge in the
Australian box. As Francesco Totti blasted home the penalty, Huang
shrieked in excitement.
"Biased and crazy as he is, Huang Jianxiang has to quit as a
soccer show host," a netizen named Ximen Yidao posted on Xinhua
News Agency's portal Xinhuanet.com.
Popular Chinese portals such as Sina.com and Sohu.com's online
discussion forums were flooded with messages about Huang's
outburst on Tuesday. More Web surfers blasted at Huang than those
siding with him.
"Huang went too far," said a message on Sina. "He shouldn't
extol an ugly-playing Italian team and ridiculed the brave
Australian squad."
As Australia coach Guus Hiddink disputed Italy's last gasp
penalty which killed Australia's World Cup dream, Huang said
Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo's decision was wise.
"It was an undisputed penalty," shouted Huang in the last
minute of the game.
"Grosso made it! He made it! Don't give Australia any chance!
Great Italian left defender. Grosso alone represents the long and
deep tradition of Italian soccer. He is not fighting alone.
"Totti! He is about to take the shot. He shoulders the
expectations of the whole world.
"It's a goal! Game over! ... Italy didn't fall to Hiddink's
team this time (Hiddink had led South Korea to oust Italy in the
2002 World Cup). Happy birthday to Paolo Maldini (born on July 26)!
Long Live Italy!"
Huang then turned to the Socceroos: "Go home! But they don't
need to fly back to Australia which is too far away. Most of them
live in Europe. Bye-bye."
Huang was unrepentant for his controversial comments in the
post-game satellite linkup with the Beijing newswroom.
"I am a human being, not a machine, and I can't be impartial
all the time," he said.
"Australia reminded me of a lousy team which eliminated China
in the World Cup qualifiers in 1981. Australia is just like New
Zealand team that beat us in 1981.
"It (Australia) is full of neutralized Australians who play and
live in Britain. I don't care about the Australian team and don't
want to see Australia have good results in the World Cup.
"Australia (which has joined the Asian Football Confederation)
now will fight for an Asian World Cup berth and it may not be good
enough to handle South Korea and Japan. But it will very likely
take advantage of the Chinese team. So I don't like it."
Beijing newsroom host Zhang Bin tried several times to
interrupt Huang to avoid further damage, but Huang rattled on
until the linkup was severed.
Zhang then tried to make up, apple-polishing the hard-fighting
Australians and guru coach Hiddink in the rest of the program.
Despite Chinese soccer remains at a low level, its soccer media
is as racy as its English and German counterparts.
Chinese TV hosts' preferences can be easily heard in their
comments. CCTV reporters and commentators usually favor
traditional powers such as England, Italy, Argentina and Germany.
In the 2002 World Cup, CCTV hostess Sheng Bin stunned millions of
Chinese audiences as she openly wept at Argentina's early exit.
China's sports media took off after the nation launched a
professional soccer league in 1994 and began broadcasting English
and Italian soccer on state television.
A newfound passion for the sport, combined with rising incomes,
fuelled demand for more colorful and informative news. As the
market becomes more competitive, China's fledgling soccer
paparazzi can do anything for a story. Enditem
I heard the guy SCREAMING.
All the Chinese commentators are SO CHINESE. They support the better team in every single game. In fact during the Premiership season they practically blow Chelsea, Arsenal and Man U.
Italy are better so the little chinese guy supports them so that he can say 'yay'. Glory hunters.
and yes, VIVA ESPANA!!! ESPERO QUE ESPANA GANARA!!! After they beat France they will face Brazil though, what a match that will be.
I heard some French expats screaming out loud over there.
Spaniards were quite disapointing, compared to a good French team.... Viva Francia !