While Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock won Oscars for best actor and actress in 2010, the Academy has forgotten to include another category for some of the best acting performed in other categories:
The best acting for flopping in sports.
One of the biggest issues in sports has been players trying to lead on an official into making a call that can hinder a game. These calls often require more emphasis by the person who is being fouled in order for the referee to blow his whistle. This concept of over-emphasizing a foul on another player is called flopping and has become a consistent occurrence in many sports.
While flopping is non-existent in most sports because of the inability to emphasize a foul or infraction (such as non-team sports like golf or tennis), there are a few sports where the concept of flopping is a big issue. Although most team sports like football and baseball rarely deal with this issue, the two most notorious sports that have this problem are basketball and soccer.
The 2010 World Cup was a sensational tournament that showcased some of the greatest soccer talent from around the world. Despite its great ratings and high level of skill, the tournament has also been a display of some great acting as players flop to receive calls or to run the clock. Almost every game that has been played has had a player going to the ground with a look of being in agonizing pain in hopes of receiving a free kick, a penalty kick, or for referees to flash yellow or red cards to their opponents.
A big example of flopping for an advantage was in the match-up between USA vs Ghana in the first stage of the knockout round. After Asamoah Gyan kicked in the goal to give Ghana a 2-1 lead in the first overtime, players from the team began “getting hurt” on numerous moments in both overtime periods. Along with the countless times they flopped, they would remain down with a look of agonizing pain for as long as possible so that the clock would continue to run. The end result of the game: Ghana holds on to a 2-1 win over USA. Winning the best acting performance for flopping injuries to advance in the tournament: priceless.
(Click here to watch video content of a Ghana player faking an injury during the Ghana vs USA match)
The award for best flopping isn’t instantly given to the soccer world as the sport with the best acting. The NBA is equally infamous for a number of players who try to use their acting ability to get calls against players as well. Although there are fouls called due to players running over opposing competitors to score, sometimes the whistle for a call is blown because certain players make a dramatic scene. Some players would qualify that as being smart and forcing other players to the bench for foul trouble, but others would deem their actions as a negative portrayal on the sport of basketball.
A number of key players in the NBA are directly affected by others flopping in games. Stars like Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal have had to deal with opposing players acting as if they were hit hard in order to persuade the referees to blow their whistle on them. Both players are two of the biggest and most ferocious players in the game and make it difficult to differentiate if they foul their opponent or if they are acting like they are fouled.
Along with the two biggest targets of flopping in the NBA, Manu Ginobili is usually regarded as one of the most renowned floppers in the league. Throughout his eight year career in the NBA, Ginobili can be seen with his arms flailing in the air and his body flying around from the slightest contact of whoever he is guarding or being guarded by.
In a list of the top 10 all-time floppers created by ESPN writer Thomas Neumann, Ginobili was rated sixth all-time and was the highest rated active player on the list as well.
Although both basketball and soccer have issues with players flopping, both sports still have a strong appeal and competitiveness that keep the sport fair and genuine. They will always have an issue of players pretending to be fouled in order to be rewarded or put the other team at a disadvantage. Acting is just a part of both sports since they first began and will be for many years to come.
Maybe the academy will realize that and create an award for best acting in a sport. If they do, soccer and basketball players will be receiving most of those nominations.
Award For Best Floppers – NBA Basketball Players Or World Cup Soccer Players?
