Football

Probably a knee pad as required by the rules. Shocking I know but almost certainly true.

While Balotelli's actions are not acceptable, are they any worse than some of the antics of Rooney? The difference is that Rooney never gets booked for them.

Yes they are. He's a loon.
Clearly the reason that Rooney never gets booked, apart from the six times that he's been booked already this season, is that it's all a CONSPIRACY. I blame the Masons, the lizards, dark forces, lack of appropriate respect for Abramovich's/Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan's yachts/wads etc. etc. etc.