Thread: Which Sport is the "Floppiest?"

With the possible exception of hockey & baseball, you'll see players flopping from time to time in order to get calls they don't deserve. I couldn't find the video on YouTube, but wasn't it Geno Smith who did what was probably last NFL season's most laughable flop when he pretended he got hit in the head by a DL who jumped over the line prematurely? It might have been more believable if his reaction was so delayed. When I started watching football in the late 70's punters were taught to flop anytime someone came anywhere near them. The NFL put a stop to that by passing a rule that made it a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for trying that.

As far as the 2 sports that I think are in the running for being the "floppiest," that would be basketball & soccer. In terms of quantity, I think its to close to call. In terms of percentage of flops that are so obvious that you don't need replay, I think its basketball hands down. In terms of who goes to the greatest lengths to sell their flops, its soccer hands down. Seriously, I watched the Cote D' Ivoire vs. Japan & the 2nd half of USA vs. Ghana. I swear that there's at least a half a dozen time per game in which players were so dramatic that you'd think that they broke their leg, shin, ankle, etc.; only for them to get up after a few second & run off without any limp what so ever. I've never seen anything like this in any sport I've ever watched.

Happens in all sports with maybe the exception of baseball, but there isn't any physical contact between players in that sport.

Soccer, basketball and hockey top the list. Football is getting there. Can't remember the last time I saw and incompletion with a defender within 3 yards and the receiver isn't looking for a flag...or a pass rusher looking for a holding call.

Originally Posted by CoachChaz

Can't remember the last time I saw and incompletion with a defender within 3 yards and the receiver isn't looking for a flag...or a pass rusher looking for a holding call.

I consider that more whining than flopping. For me, flopping is when someone barely touches you, are comes close to touching you, & you...

a) ...fall down like you just got clobbered.

b) ...roll around on the ground like you need a stretcher.

You might have done better to just come out and say international football is full of flopping wussies. It's pretty easy to see your point.

It's one of the things that can turn you off to the game. I don't like it either. Some teams are worse than others. Especially in a World Cup.

Originally Posted by Slick

You might have done better to just come out and say international football is full of flopping wussies. It's pretty easy to see your point.

It's one of the things that can turn you off to the game. I don't like it either. Some teams are worse than others. Especially in a World Cup.

Actually, I think that a strong case can be made for basketball by some measures. I'm honestly open the people making a case that another sport could be worst.

P.S. I'm a fan of Team USA, no matter the sport.

It's definitely the worst, and by a large margin. I can't watch the Italian league because of it. Those high def replays expose a lot of players as pure frauds looking for a call. In my most humblest of opinions, of course.

Originally Posted by Slick

It's definitely the worst, and by a large margin. I can't watch the Italian league because of it. Those high def replays expose a lot of players as pure frauds looking for a call. In my most humblest of opinions, of course.

I see your Serie A and raise you a Manu Ginobili.

Originally Posted by MOtorboat

I see your Serie A and raise you a Manu Ginobili.

Lol! Touche.

Soccer easily, but in spite of how annoying it is, you get over it because you realize that it is a universally used strategy by all teams and all players.

But sometimes when you get up quickly and don't act injured things like Switzerland's game winning goal VS Ecuador yesterday happen.

On the topic of diving in soccer - I find it annoying how easily guys go down in the box on the attack trying to draw a penalty. Instead of using their strength to power through a little contact, some guys will go down instantly as if they've been trained to hit the deck with any contact.

I think all the major sports have their fair share of flopping, sans baseball.

Originally Posted by Buff

On the topic of diving in soccer - I find it annoying how easily guys go down in the box on the attack trying to draw a penalty. Instead of using their strength to power through a little contact, some guys will go down instantly as if they've been trained to hit the deck with any contact.

I think all the major sports have their fair share of flopping, sans baseball.

Hey now. Baseball has fake fights, stepping into it and "the unwritten rules."

It's just a different type of gamesmanship.

I will say about soccer flopping...if NFL running backs went down that easy they'd outlaw running the ball.

Originally Posted by Buff

On the topic of diving in soccer - I find it annoying how easily guys go down in the box on the attack trying to draw a penalty. Instead of using their strength to power through a little contact, some guys will go down instantly as if they've been trained to hit the deck with any contact.

I think all the major sports have their fair share of flopping, sans baseball.

I think what most don't realize is its easy to get "tapped" when running full speed and lose your balance. Especially when you weigh 120 pounds.

The worst flop of all time was when Favre flopped for Strahan.

I normally don't defend soccer players but I will say this. The official who makes the call in soccer may be a few acres away so you have to overdramatize the foul for the official to even see that something occured. In basketball, the ref is usually *right there* except on breakaways and they still flop all over the place.

The problem with flopping is - it works. The officials of all sports call what they think they saw, not what really happened so when you can make your body fly to the ground at an odd angle, the mind thinks *something* must have happened to cause that reaction so they assume a foul was committed. Just look at how many "helmet-to-helmet" calls are made now when replay shows clearly the player led with their shoulder or hit them in the upper chest. NFL receivers are learning to flop just like NBA players.

Originally Posted by OrangeHoof

I normally don't defend soccer players but I will say this. The official who makes the call in soccer may be a few acres away so you have to overdramatize the foul for the official to even see that something occured.

I'll buy that explanation, to a point.

Originally Posted by OrangeHoof

In basketball, the ref is usually *right there* except on breakaways and they still flop all over the place.

The problem with flopping is - it works.

I’m not so sure that it works out as well in the long run as advertised. For every time that someone gets a tricky-tack foul by over acting, how often does someone not get the call at all after being mugged? It’s the old adage of crying wolf all the time. If you do it too often, people start ignoring you.

Originally Posted by OrangeHoof

Just look at how many "helmet-to-helmet" calls are made now when replay shows clearly the player led with their shoulder or hit them in the upper chest. NFL receivers are learning to flop just like NBA players.

Your right about the refs often get those calls wrong, but I don't think those receivers are flopping. If you get hit as hard as they do, whether with a legal or not, your going down.