Protest cont'd...

I'm not sure how many of you are watching the World Cup, but it didn't go well for the French. Not only are they out of the tournament, they thoroughly embarrassed themselves and their nation by being absolute ninnys. Here's what happened. During one of the games a player on the team wasn't happy with the coaching and the way the game was going. When he came off the field at half-time he said something not very nice to the coach. The coach subsequently took the player out of the game and then, when the player didn't apologize for what he said, the French federation kicked the player off the team. The player continued to make snide and demeaning comments to the media and about the state of the team and how they would do, but what did the French team do? They went on strike. Naturally. They literally would not go to practice for one of the days because they wanted to prove a point to the French Federation. In the following days they ended up losing their last match of the World Cup and were officially out of the tournament. (the argument could be made that they never should have been in it to start, given they only got in because of an illegal handball that prevented Ireland from being in instead)
Now. I think what the players forgot is that this wasn't about them, or even about the guy that, in my opinion after what I have read, was rightfully kicked off the team. This wasn't just some professional game where they'd all get paid anyway and no one really cares. This is the World Cup. These men represented their nation and their history and, while I have no official polls to back this up, being in the country and reading the newspaper and hearing from French people in bars, this team was a disgrace to everything the French want to represent. Sure they love to strike here and show their affinity for making a statement, but not here, not in this arena and now when this kind of reputation is at stake. Unfortunately, to the rest of the world, the French just took a step backwards because an over-paid group of soccer players forgot that it isn't about them, it is about the country they represent.
Update: Just read the headline - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704853404575323063067778590.html