We Wouldn't Believe Him If He Were Bleeding Like Nash

The most common complaint Americans have toward soccer is that the players are always flopping and diving and pretending like they're hurt. (One guy even tried to lamely defend it.) The flipside, and the side in which we can find a modicum of joy, is that the more a player earns a reputation for diving — like, say, Cristiano Ronaldo — the less people believe him when he's writhing on the ground after a legitimate gut shot.

Let that be a lesson to you, young soccer players: You musn't cry wolf too often, less some dude stomp on your chest.

Christian Ronaldo Clearly Cannot Take A Kick To The Gut [The Fanhouse] In Defense Of Diving [Slate]