World Coming to an End. I agree with Jaimie Trecker

Many people who have read my posts on YCS, (and judging by most people's interest levels, that is not many) know my hate-hate relationship with Fox Soccer Channel's Jaimie Trecker.

However, in the wake of yesterday's appellate ruling in the Italian match-fixing scandal, I agree with Trecker's assessment. This is the worst wrist-slapping I have ever seen.

First of all, I have to register my outrage at the fact that an appellate hearing was even held. Months of gathering evidence, witness testimony, phone call transcripts, receipts of bribes and payments were enough to send Juventus, Fiorentia, and Lazio down to Serie B, the triple-A of soccer in Italy, and to kick AC Milan out of the Champions League. Only a week of appeals was enough to redeem Milan (Back in Champions League), Fiorentia, and Lazio (sent back to Serie A), and drastically cut the points penalty Juventus had to start the 2006-07 campaign with.

On what grounds did these clubs appeal? New evidence? Improper trial practice? Nope. Too harsh penalties. For real. This is like a convicted felon appealing his case because he doesn't want to go to jail. All 4 teams involved in the biggest match-fixing scandal in history (Yes, even bigger than the 1919 World Series) could all be back in the top flight of their domestic league and lucrative European competition by this time next year. Juventus spokespeople have said that they will appeal again in civil courts. Again. No new evidence, just an unwillingness to admit that even after all available criminal courts of law found them guilty, that they fixed matches. The civil court proceedings will likely delay the start of the Serie A season, due to start in August, making fans of all teams 20 Serie A and all 22 Serie B teams suffer for the actions of a few selfish, cheating clubs who flagrantly broke the rules for their own financial and competitive advantage.

Why the leniencyfor the convicted cheaters? I'm totally befuddled. All I can come up with is Money, and then it makes perfect sense. Juve, Milan, and Lazio are three of the most well-known Italian clubs. Two seasons ago, tiny Genoa was ready to compete in Serie A for the first time in years until it was discovered that they fixed only ONE match, not two years' worth like Juve and one season's worth like Lazio and Fiorentia, or even a couple matches like Milan. Genoa were sent down to Serie C (double-A) and soccer obscurity. Where's their appeal?
As it presently stands, Inter Milan and AS Roma will be Italy's representatives in the Champions League Group stages. AC Milan ( pending the outcome of a UEFA emergency hearing on Thursday) and Chievo Verona will enter at the last qualifying stage.

This ruling pisses me off to no end, even though I don't follow Italian soccer as I do English and American soccer. It's because today I am sad for the game I love because it seems that rampant cheating is undeserving of punishment, at least in Italy. I can only hope this does not set precedent for future discoveries of wrongdoing.