QUOTE
The legendary Pierluigi Collina may have earned a reputation over the years as the world’s best referee -- but he was definitely offside if he thought he could continue doing his job and take money from a car maker that also serves as a sponsor for AC Milan.
We had all grown accustomed to seeing Collina’s lanky body and bald head bobbing up and down the field. What I never thought we’d ever see was the arrogance Collina exuded when it came to light that he had signed an endorsement deal with Opel.
Whether it was arrogance or something else, Collina never should have thought that he could continue refereeing Serie A games. Rightly so, Italy’s refereeing association saw a conflict of interest and told Collina last month that he had to tear up the contract or referee Serie B games.
Collina refused both and threw in the whistle. Seems to me like Collina prefers the endorsement deal over the credibility of the sport. He insisted the deal wouldn’t influence his refereeing decisions. Did he really think he could get away with that?
The bug-eyed Collina is no stranger to endorsement deals. I recall a TV commercial that ran in Italy where he peddled a brand of Gorgonzola cheese (you know, the kind with the funky green colors in it that smells like toes) and blew his whistle at other cheeses declaring them to be offside.
This time you’re offside, Collina!
Collina also appeared in worldwide TV ads for Adidas during the 2002 World Cup. Ironically, it was at that tournament he also refereed the final between Germany, who were sponsored by Adidas, and Brazil, who donned the Nike swoosh. No one made a big fuss over Collina’s Adidas connection and Collina was flawless in Brazil’s 2-0 win over Germany.
At the time, Collina defended the deal by saying, "A business can sponsor my shoes -- never my conscience."
The Serie A is not the World Cup. Italy’s top flight is a league marred by conspiracy theories and constant suspicions of match-fixing. For that reason, Collina should have known better (particularly after this summer filled with scandal) than to sign the Opel deal.
Of course, Collina’s decision to quit brought out the hypocrites.
"I feel bitter about a decision that has deprived us of a sportsman who has always been fair and right up to the mark,†said Juventus coach Fabio Capello. "I hope he reconsiders."
Great sound byte. I’m sure you would change your tune if Juventus were to lose to AC Milan following a controversial Collina call. I can picture Capello – wanting to put the blame somewhere -– thinking up a conspiracy theory after the loss.
The word is that Collina may be entertaining an offer from Japan to referee games there. Not a bad gig. But if Collina does decide to referee games there, I hope he just checks with someone before going ahead and signing a deal with a product that also sponsors a J-League team.
Resident Paisan, Clemente Lisi, is a freelance writer living in New York
We had all grown accustomed to seeing Collina’s lanky body and bald head bobbing up and down the field. What I never thought we’d ever see was the arrogance Collina exuded when it came to light that he had signed an endorsement deal with Opel.
Whether it was arrogance or something else, Collina never should have thought that he could continue refereeing Serie A games. Rightly so, Italy’s refereeing association saw a conflict of interest and told Collina last month that he had to tear up the contract or referee Serie B games.
Collina refused both and threw in the whistle. Seems to me like Collina prefers the endorsement deal over the credibility of the sport. He insisted the deal wouldn’t influence his refereeing decisions. Did he really think he could get away with that?
The bug-eyed Collina is no stranger to endorsement deals. I recall a TV commercial that ran in Italy where he peddled a brand of Gorgonzola cheese (you know, the kind with the funky green colors in it that smells like toes) and blew his whistle at other cheeses declaring them to be offside.
This time you’re offside, Collina!
Collina also appeared in worldwide TV ads for Adidas during the 2002 World Cup. Ironically, it was at that tournament he also refereed the final between Germany, who were sponsored by Adidas, and Brazil, who donned the Nike swoosh. No one made a big fuss over Collina’s Adidas connection and Collina was flawless in Brazil’s 2-0 win over Germany.
At the time, Collina defended the deal by saying, "A business can sponsor my shoes -- never my conscience."
The Serie A is not the World Cup. Italy’s top flight is a league marred by conspiracy theories and constant suspicions of match-fixing. For that reason, Collina should have known better (particularly after this summer filled with scandal) than to sign the Opel deal.
Of course, Collina’s decision to quit brought out the hypocrites.
"I feel bitter about a decision that has deprived us of a sportsman who has always been fair and right up to the mark,†said Juventus coach Fabio Capello. "I hope he reconsiders."
Great sound byte. I’m sure you would change your tune if Juventus were to lose to AC Milan following a controversial Collina call. I can picture Capello – wanting to put the blame somewhere -– thinking up a conspiracy theory after the loss.
The word is that Collina may be entertaining an offer from Japan to referee games there. Not a bad gig. But if Collina does decide to referee games there, I hope he just checks with someone before going ahead and signing a deal with a product that also sponsors a J-League team.
Resident Paisan, Clemente Lisi, is a freelance writer living in New York
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