Stop The Flop

Somewhere in Serbia Vlade Divac is smiling as NBA players have mastered the art of flopping. And somewhere in Germany Bayern Munich players and fans are living on the wrong end of karma after forward Franck Ribery flopped in yesterday's UEFA Champion's League Final. As the match was nearing its end, Ribery fell to the pitch in an attempt give his team a chance at getting a potential game-winning penalty shot. After the referee had signaled for the penalty shot Ribery was attended to by the ever-so-deliberate medical unit before being taken off the pitch where he would watch his teammate take the shot. As Ribery looked on, the little pain that he was feeling from his "injury" quickly shifted from his foot to the pit of his stomach.

Click HERE to view the entire video of the foul.

Bayern's Franck Ribery drawing a foul in the penalty box

Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Cech had done the impossible. He made an unbelievable save to keep Chelsea's hopes alive and extend the match into extra time.  After 30 minutes of extra time the score remained 1-1 forcing a penalty shoot-out that would seal the fate for both teams.  In the shoot-out, Didier Drogba - the man who made the "foul" on Ribery and almost cost Chelsea the match - had an opportunity to win the match for Chelsea taking the potential game-winning shot. And, as destiny and karma would have it, Drogba scored the match winner to give Chelsea the Champion's League crown while all Ribery and Bayern Munich could do was watch helplessly.


This was a great match of football but it could have been a disaster had Bayern made the penalty shot from Ribery's flopping.  Some people consider what Ribery did to be a smart play, but to me it was gutless and inappropriate.  The act of flopping and drawing a foul is tarnishing the integrity of sports, specifically soccer and now basketball.  Luckily, like I mentioned before, Chelsea came away with the win and Bayern players and fans now know that karma is truly a bitch.

A well-deserved win for Chelsea's stars - goalkeeper Peter Cech and striker Didier Drogba 

Anyways, congratulations to Chelsea for an improbable victory and season.  Going in as the prohibitive underdog, playing in Bayern Munich's home stadium, and being outplayed the entire match, they found a way to overcome all of that and win the biggest prize in European football.  Well done.

I'm taking off, you take it easy.

Bisq