Because more often then not the referee on the pitch falls for it.

If anything, it's been less prevalent then normal at this world cup.

http://online.wsj.com/articles/the-world-rankings-of-flopping-1403660175

The second half of Germany-Ghana was an example of how football should be played at the highest level.

That said, we're getting into the knockout stage, and that's where things usually start going negative.

BTW, I'm a fan of the Azzurri (and the US), but even I couldn't stomach their performance against Uruguay.

...and yet you tell to that to the average Yank and they'll laugh at you and point to the 2 - 2 score as proof that it is a boring game...

Scoring chances by both teams with the Mexican goalie Ochoa stopping
at least a half dozen quality chances with a few from point-blank distance.
Definitely the man of the match.

the 0-0 final in the women's world cup between the US and China ranks as my favorite scoreless draw.

(I say I might get flamed because some think women's soccer is inferior. I don't.)

That said, the BRA-MEX match was definitely a classic.

97% of the players that go down did not leave the game.

Of the 302 players that fell I believe that approximately 60 were legitimate fouls
while the remaining 240 were in part some sort of embellishment(s). And at times
these players sacrifice a real scoring chance to try and get a cheap foul in the
penalty area.

Until a real penalty is given for embellishment, like a yellow card or removed from
the game for a period of time, the players will continue to do it.

I believe that any player on the ground screaming of injury, should be excused to the sideline
for 90 seconds for "treatment" (hey you're on the ground screaming in pain, go get treated),
unless the offending player is issued a card.
The 90 second clock starts when the player crosses the sideline.

A player that gets knocked down and gets back up should be just a foul, and play continues.

I think that would limit this nonsense.

I'm sure there will be people that disagree, but soccer can be a beautiful game,
like the Brazil/Mexico game, which was the best 0-0 game I've ever seen.

It's a tiresome talking point that's been long since beaten into the dirt. Nobody is going to institute a "90 second clock" or similar nonsense; the sport is doing just fine without such proposed fixes.

Besides, flopping and diving are on the wane as far as I can tell.

The refs have even "let them play," from time-to-time, as in today's USA match where he was very hands off, imo. There have been a lot of hard fouls as well and no shortage of blood.

Italy-Uruguay was one of the only stinkers thus far. I do give Balotelli the award for the most embarrassing performance at the year's tournament, and I doubt anyone will come close. He was such a mental and emotional mess his coach wisely pulled him out at halftime.

long enough to perform, but god is he a trainwreck when it comes to his mental game.

It was certainly driving me up a wall, and I'm not a world-class striker on the pitch. All Italy had to do to advance was score a goal and they didn't even try until it was too late.