if by cheap, you mean "costs more to sign-up for soccer than baseball and football combined", you're right
to spice up the game i'd put small boxing gloves on players and allow punching other players at any time. Widen the goal to the entire width of the field. And where's the cheerleaders?
Does that red card result in the player that the ball hit in the shoulder geting tossed? Does Australia have to play a man down the rest of the game? ETA: Never mind. I heard 'em say the Aussies are playing a man down.
My problem with international soccer is summarized by Rick Reilly in #s 7&9 (6 too) here. Couldn't agree more. 2010 World Cup: Rick Reilly runs down the 10 most annoying things about the World Cup - ESPN Hate the ties, and what's up with the mysterious stoppage time - soccer needs to be more transparent, and have a decisive ending.
Yes, because making a "T" with your hands is very intimidating... Why is someone bothered by this? In the opening rounds of the WC, winning isn't the point. Scoring points and advancing is the point. It's slightly smaller than the Lombardi. It's looks like four Oscars supporting the world. Kind of a lame point to argue and if you ask me, Reilly was struggling to complete a top ten list and thew this in the middle because he attempts lame humor to fill the space. If you're looking for excitement, how is knowing in advance how much time is left going to improve that? Isn't being surprised to know that your team has four more minutes to pull out the win or defend their win or break the tie more exciting than knowing in advance? Terrible. He should have stopped after the vuvuzelas...