It's a classic strategy to have a dedicated goon to rough up and psych out the opposing team's star. Hockey informally recognized the position for decades:
Where Clark's team failed was not having someone to fill this role and reciprocate. There should have been someone tearing off the bench to meet out immediate justice and force the refs to call double flagrants.
In football (soccer) it's the exact opposite they're incentivized to take a dive over any contact. I miss the good old days of Vinnie Jones making people sing with a testicle squeeze, or Cantona practicing his karate on trash talking fans
it's pro sports. Can't complain about a little contact
^ This, TBH.
It's a classic strategy to have a dedicated goon to rough up and psych out the opposing team's star. Hockey informally recognized the position for decades:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enforcer_(ice_hockey)
Where Clark's team failed was not having someone to fill this role and reciprocate. There should have been someone tearing off the bench to meet out immediate justice and force the refs to call double flagrants.
This is one reason why I gave up on pro sports. Players are incentivized to get away with as much as they can in order to win.
In football (soccer) it's the exact opposite they're incentivized to take a dive over any contact. I miss the good old days of Vinnie Jones making people sing with a testicle squeeze, or Cantona practicing his karate on trash talking fans