defending rooney, zidane

both players made what are being described as giant blunders, and both are renowned for their temper. but from where i sit, both did what i wish more soccer players would do. rooney, after getting mauled all game and watching portuguese players drop to the ground at the drop of a hat, finally snapped, and tried to muscle through two players that had dropped to the ground while hauling on his arms. in the process, he stepped on a player THAT WAS LYING ON THE GROUND. sure, it might have been intentional, but how can you tell? rooney refused to collapse to the ground, so the referee had no idea how to handle the situation. if he was in doubt, ronaldo helped him out, getting in his face, screaming for a red card, and when said card was granted, the weasel turned to his bench and winked.
in another act of greasy, zidane got his short fuse lit again, this time by an italian player that is well known for his dirty tactics, having been previously suspended four months for punching another player in the face. it's now believed that materazzi called zidane a 'dirty terrorist,' and zidane would not let his algerian roots bare the insult. as was expected, the headbutt led to the immediate collapse of materazzi, which drew the attention of the ref and resulted in zidane's justifiable exit from the match.
what the two events showed me about soccer was that the diving, complaining, taunting unsportsmanly individuals are rewarded for their uniquely criminal talents, while those that stand up for themselves are ultimately punished. as strange as it may sound, i respect zidane more now than before the headbutt. those complaining that the headbutt was seen by children and that it will serve as a bad example are dead wrong. first, it showed that tempers lose tournaments, as zidane was punished for his actions. second, it showed that dirty talk and greasy play can at times be met with retribution, which might even disuade some from playing like weasels in the future. if anything negative is to be drawn from the event, it's that children might realize that the sport itself rewards dirty tactics, diving, and complaining to referees.
short of canada qualifying for the tournament, i have watched my last world cup.