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Football: first division, collective hysteria at the start of the new millennium . We were under the illusion that everything could go better, thanks to the drawing of referees and the astral influence of the new millennium, combined with some television proof in order to better explain the various events of the match. Yet, we had not considered the moviola, which for somebody (mainly the Italians) is the most important invention of the century just like penicillin, and which is used to remedy all mistakes, to heal the wounded heart of supporters after a smarting defeat, and also to help some coaches who, when they are in difficulty, go on saying "if only we had been assigned that penalty". The pacifist spirit that characterized the start of the year having now vanished, war has broken out once again. In fact, the football world seems to be pervaded with a brainstorm of collective hysteria that involves virtually everybody. Everything started with the Christmas scandal of the gifts given to referees by some clubs. In particular, some Rolex watches worth several million lire were first accepted and then returned by Italian referees, which fuelled some suspicions about eventual discriminating treatments during matches. Then the escalation of resentments has gradually involved all the main clubs, which started to complain about penalties given or denied. The Italian championship has thus turned into a sort of open kennel from which every week comes a bark of laments for having been ill-treated, ignored or let down by referees. Virtually no club is free from guilt and thus, thanks also to the great interest aroused by the press and TV, every day the immense public of football lovers is regaled its piece of news. In the name of the huge economic interests now linked to football, we have heard all sorts of news in such a limited period. In chronological order, this spiral started with complaints from Juventus, followed by Roma, Milan, Parma, Fiorentina, Inter and Lazio. The last weekend this senseless escalation maybe reached its climax, first with the brawl in the dressing rooms between Mancini and Galliani, and then with the hidden row between two teammates, Del Piero and Inzaghi, because of an assist denied in the goal area. And then to finish with the annulment, in Apulia as a whole, of all matches from "Eccellenza" to the third division for the beating up of some referees occurred some weeks before. Yet, this was only a short pause in a situation of total chaos where no one has ever stopped for a moment to look at the fuss he was creating. What is more, oral punishments by referees no longer seem to be sufficient to discourage some people from saying strong words. Everybody knows that football is not a sport for delicate people, but today talking of insults, provocations and apologies really seems to have become something that nobody can renounce. Yet, it should be underlined that, at least in Italy, this is the only team sport that regularly leaves behind it an unpleasant sequel of controversy and protests. What if the irritating news blackout, which is also harmful to the press, should be once in a while applied by those who stand on the other side of the fence, i.e. the journalists? It is now time to invert an annoying trend, which is going to worsen year after year. In fact, more and more often, trainers and athletes refuse to be interviewed, which is really embarrassing for journalists. Once in a while, it would be a good thing if journalists in their turn refused to interview these persons when they start complaining about everything. Something would change, and surely the face of those overpaid athletes who often choose not to talk with the press using childish expedients. This tendency to shouting should only be followed to a certain extent. Maybe it is more appropriate to remind everybody that silence is golden and that it should not be ill treated with coarse tricks.  Paolo Ghisoni

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