YET ANOTHER REASON TO HATE IT :

Spain Suffers Again, but This Time Not in Vain (GEORGE VECSEY, June 16, 2002, NY Times)

Spain always suffers in the World Cup, and usually quite early, but tonight, at least, its suffering was not in vain.

Giving up a goal on a penalty kick in the 90th minute after a foolish foul by its captain, Fernando Hierro, Spain hung on to defeat Ireland, 3-2, on penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 tie in the first 120 minutes.

Penalty kicks? They decide their world championship games on penalty kicks? C'mon. Can you imagine the Yankees and D'backs being tied after twelve innings of a World Series game so the umps stage a Homerun Derby to decide the winner? Posted by Orrin Judd at June 16, 2002 11:57 AM