Luis Suarez never fails to draw controversy. He has now topped Dennis Rodman as being the most controversial athlete in the world. Suarez is seen here with the award for the most valuable player of the 2011 Copa America - LGEPR photo

SENT OFF!!! - FIFA has banned Luis Suárez for four months from any football-related activity and Liverpool will suffer AGAIN! - Badudoy photo Suárez suspended four months

SPORTS NOTES EXTRA- LUIS "JAWS " SUAREZ BAITS DEBATE

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

The debate goes on but one thing is certain, without a doubt Luis Suarez has topped Dennis Rodman as being the most controversial athlete in the world. He joins our bad boy team of Rodman, Mike Tyson, Ron Artest and Joey Barton. Given that he is doing his thing on the World Cup stage, the most watched television event in history, at this point he must receive the TOP BAD BOY AWARD

Saturday, June 28, 2014

BAD BOY, BAD BOY, WHATCHA GONNA DO?

Prior to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa Uruguay's Luis Suarez was relatively and unknown. His rise to controversial notoriety began in the quarter-final against Ghana he blocked Dominic Adiyiah's goalbound header with his hands, committing a professional foul to save what would have been the game winner and was sent off.

Asamoah Gyan then hit the crossbar with the ensuing penalty kick and Suárez, who had stopped to watch, celebrated the miss before heading down the tunnel. Uruguay won the shootout 4-2 and advanced to the semi-finals.

That incident was the start a stream of controversy regarding Suarez that peaked this week when FIFA handed him a four month suspension from all activity related to football for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini in their World Cup match June 24th. It was a game that Uruguay won 1-0 which enabled them to move forward to the TOP 16 knockout stage one off competition.

The FIFA decision has created a debate around the football world. Some fans and players state that the punishment is too severe and others consider it's not enough. The greatest point of disagreement with the FIFA verdict is that Liverpool will suffer from the ban and will be without his services until November well into the English Premiere Leagues season.

The bite victim Chiellini also feels that the punishment is too harsh. He feels that the appropriate punishment would have been a red card when the attack happened. The feeling is that it could have changed the final result and could have benefited Italy when it mattered most.

A television program World Have Your Say on the BBC Friday, June 27, 2014 featured video calls from fans around the world. It presented the most balanced and articulate responses on the subject. One Liverpool fan said Suarez should be punished but only from International competition not league play. He suggested that a proper punishment would be to ban Suarez for two years from International competition. He pointed out why should Liverpool be punished for and incident that occurred in International action.

The sanctions means that, in addition to his World Cup immediately being over, Suarez will miss nine Premier League games as well as Champions League and Capital One Cup matches before the end of October -- assuming he stays at Liverpool.

One recurring argument is the bite occurred during the heat of play in the game. Many feel that is a weak position to take given that this is Suarez's THIRD BITE INCIDENT.

The 27-year-old striker was suspended for seven matches after biting PSV midfielder Ottman Bakkal while playing for Ajax in an Eredivisie game in November 2010, and banned for 10 games after doing the same to Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in 2013. The gravity of the penalty is also factored in his history of being a disturbed bad boy with his racist remark history towards Manchester United's Patrice Evra. The sub total of all of his erratic behavior compounds the magnitude of the punishment.

One analyst said the he felt when Suarez bites someone he doesn't know what he's doing and that it is a triggered reaction. He also felt that Suarez is in need of medical help.

Some fans calling in to the BBC program agreed with that suggestion. Most of Suarez's support came from Uruguay fans. Some Uruguay fans agree and feel that he does need medical help but FIFA's four month ban was over the top.

The Uruguay national team will feel the impact in their match TOP 16 match against undefeated Columbia June 28th. The gravity of a Uruguay team without Suarez who was recovering from an injury was evident in their opening match 3-1 World Cup loss to Costa Rica. He then made a miraculous return in their second match against England and scored both goals in their 2-1 win.

His two goals are half of the team's total of 4 in the group stage. . His two goals are half of the team's total of 4 in the group stage. The squad will be hurting for goals since Columbia's 9 tallies in the group stage are second only to the Netherlands 10. Columbia's defense is frugal letting in only two scores thus far. Only Mexico, Costa Rica and Belgium have defended better with each letting in letting in only one goal.

Much has been made of the manner in which Suarez has been treated. Some feel that he's being treated like a criminal the way he was dismissed from the stadium and his hotel and sent back to Uruguay. It has been reported that his departure was conducted by the police. Those of that opinion believe the punishment does not fit the crime.

Some feel there is no precedence for a decision to be based on to achieve a proper judgment. Uruguay federation president Wilmer Valdez said on Thursday that the federation will lodge an appeal.

The English media conspiracy theory was dispelled with the reality the English media voted Suarez as the Player of the Year. The next questions are how will Suarez react to the punishment? Will he remain at Liverpool where he wanted to leave as he wished following the Ivanovic biting incident and the controversy surrounding it? Barcelona has been interested in acquiring his services but given the ban carriers over to any team he's associated with will their interest diminish?

Sponsors such as Adidas are reviewing their association with the player. Adidas will no longer include Suarez in their World Cup advertising but failed to state that they will sever their ties with debatably, one of the best players on the planet.

The debate goes on but one thing is certain, without a doubt Luis Suarez is challenging Dennis Rodman as being the most controversial athlete in the world. He joins our bad boy team of Rodman, Mike Tyson, Ron Artest and Joey Barton. Given that he is doing his thing on the World Cup stage, the most watched television event in history, at this point he must receive the TOP BAD BOY AWARD. Stay tuned…

NOTE: 136 goals have been scored in this World Cup's group stage which is one less than all the goals scored in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

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