Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini during their match Tuesday, and suddenly the World Cup has another controversy.
Head butting and flopping have been a couple of major topics, but now Suarez has become the greatest soccer villain of our time.
Discussions are running on TV and radio around the world about how Suarez should be punished if found guilty, and he will be found guilty because ESPN must have shown the replay 500 times of Suarez acting like Chiellini's shoulder was an ear of Arkansas-raised corn.
Suarez has a history of biting. This is the third time he has been accused of such heinous behavior. The first time, he received a seven-game suspension, and the second time drew a 10-game suspension and now comes a third offense.
Apparently being suspended for a few games has not gotten Suarez's attention.
While some are calling for a lifetime ban from soccer, that seems harsh. How about one year and his two front teeth? He might be less tempted to attack opponents with his teeth if he were missing a couple.
Of course, one man actually made money off the incident.
Thomas Syversen, a Norwegian, went to the online gambling site Betsson and saw a bet that interested him. The site was offering 175-1 odds that Suarez would bite someone during the World Cup.
Syversen placed a bet equal to $5.25 and collected $916 in return.
That's putting your money where your mouth is.
He wasn't the only one to get in on the action.
The Fort Worth Vaqueros, a minor-league soccer team that plays in the National Premier Soccer League, announced Wednesday they will hand out free Suarez "fangs" to the first 50 fans at their match Sunday.
Most likely whatever the powers of soccer decide will be the proper punishment -- and it probably won't cost Suarez his two front teeth -- but the debate will continue for weeks.
Everyone who has cable television had a chance to watch the replay, which left no doubt that Suarez tasted more than tested Chiellini during the match that eliminated Italy.
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Here is one from the email box:
"I have been reading your column for about 15 years. As one would expect, you write almost exclusively about the SEC in football and basketball, but I don't ever recall an article about SEC baseball.
"For the last 7 consecutive years an SEC team has played in the finals of the CWS. Vanderbilt is playing Virginia tonight for the championship.
"It would be nice if you would occasionally write about SEC baseball."
I do write about SEC baseball, just not about Vanderbilt. But the writer can consider he got what he wanted.
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I am not one of those people who believe poker is a sport.
It is a game. It's a game that I like to play, but it is not a sport.
However, Pat Bradley, who will be inducted into the University of Arkansas Sports Hall Honor this fall, asked if I would play in an upcoming fundraiser for Youth Home.
It is the fourth annual Casino Night and Texas Hold 'em Tournament, and it will be held July 19 in the Genesis Room of Next Level Events on Markham in Little Rock. Doors open at 4 p.m.
There are all types of games and prizes, but the poker tournament is limited to the first 160 who sign up. All players must be at least 21, and there will be various refreshments for participants.
This is a great event for a great cause.
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It is the dog days of summer, and while the World Cup and Wimbledon are going strong, now is the time for yours truly to take a few days off.
Sports on 06/26/2014