or stub your toe or knock your ankle or shin, for example...
...do you then a) hop around in agony then hold onto the nearest person/upright object or sit down on the nearest available chair or the floor/ground depending on where you are, holding or inspecting the injured limb, cursing profusely
or, b) lie prostrate on the floor, motionless, as if you're dead. Actually dead?
No? Me, neither. So why do footballers do it? The rolling around, screaming in pain and beating the ground is ridiculous, especially when the player is inevitably up and running around moments later. But, no less pathetic, is the 'playing dead' posture so many adopt after a challenge. I've just watched Perez do it-he knacked his knee, and his response was to lie, face down and motionless on the turf.
When you think about it, it's just such a bizarre thing to do. If you're not entirely convinced what an utterly odd thing to do it is, next time you get a knock somewhere on your leg, wherever you are, lie down, face down, on the floor and don't move, see what sort of reaction you get.
Odd fellows, footballers.