Did Mike Jones blow the call? Yeah, sure. I suppose it could be also be argued that Darren Bent struck the ball flush, that it’s path was not diverted by the beach ball and that Pepe Reina should have kept his eyes on the more important ball. But the question of far more importance is why would any fan, let alone one at his own team’s end, bat a beach ball onto the pitch? Hideous. Embarrassing. And all too American.
At Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles the fans have a tradition of knocking a beach ball around the stands. It’s all rather fun and diverting. But it’s sunny southern California. More importantly, it’s baseball. The only things a football fan needs at a match are a belly full of beer and a throaty voice. Liverpool fans would be wise to remember that while they continue cursing the hateable inflatable.
