Dodgeball - exciting than soccer?
Jun 23rd, 2006, 07:30 PM
#3
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I will admit that the way Americans (men) play soccer, it is not very exciting. Of course watching the home team fail to win even one match on the world stage is not very thrilling.
Other than that, teams like Brazil and Germany seem to draw millions of frenzied fans. Perhaps Americans, in their insular smugness, are missing something the rest of the world has embraced with almost religious fervor.
Afterall, we don't do so well team wise in international competitions. A basketball team of NBA players could only a bronze medal in the last Olympics.
At least the girls can play well both soccer and basketball at the international level.
Other than that, teams like Brazil and Germany seem to draw millions of frenzied fans. Perhaps Americans, in their insular smugness, are missing something the rest of the world has embraced with almost religious fervor.
Afterall, we don't do so well team wise in international competitions. A basketball team of NBA players could only a bronze medal in the last Olympics.
At least the girls can play well both soccer and basketball at the international level.
Jun 24th, 2006, 01:17 AM
#4
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If football is so boring, why are Americans on this forum getting their knickers in such a twist about it?
It's like children standing on tip-toe to try and see something exiting going on in the playground, over the heads of the bigger children.
When they can't see what's going on, they drift off and say, "It's probably boring, anyway".
I wouldn't go to the bottom of my stairs to watch a match in any sport, but people from Andorra to Zanzibar get excited by football.
Could the hostility to the game be traced to a feeling of being left out?
It's like children standing on tip-toe to try and see something exiting going on in the playground, over the heads of the bigger children.
When they can't see what's going on, they drift off and say, "It's probably boring, anyway".
I wouldn't go to the bottom of my stairs to watch a match in any sport, but people from Andorra to Zanzibar get excited by football.
Could the hostility to the game be traced to a feeling of being left out?
Jun 24th, 2006, 03:22 AM
#5
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>Perhaps Americans, in their insular smugness, are missing something the rest of the world has embraced with almost religious fervor.<
Just because one is a religious fanatic doesn't mean that one has found the "true" religion.
It is rather sad that there are so many people in the world whose lives are so confined, squalid and repressed that they believe that if their national team wins a sports award that their nation, and they themselves, are somehow enhanced.
Just because one is a religious fanatic doesn't mean that one has found the "true" religion.
It is rather sad that there are so many people in the world whose lives are so confined, squalid and repressed that they believe that if their national team wins a sports award that their nation, and they themselves, are somehow enhanced.
Jun 24th, 2006, 04:26 AM
#6
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I think my vote goes to dwyle-flonking or welly-whanging:
http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-dwi1.htm
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Welly_whanging
Nytraveler may not know just how exciting croquet has suddenly become in the UK:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/30052006/14...ard-place.html
Apparently sales of croquet sets have shot up several hundred per cent. I knew there must be some reason for the weather turning so b.-awful in the last few days.
http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-dwi1.htm
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Welly_whanging
Nytraveler may not know just how exciting croquet has suddenly become in the UK:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/30052006/14...ard-place.html
Apparently sales of croquet sets have shot up several hundred per cent. I knew there must be some reason for the weather turning so b.-awful in the last few days.
Jun 24th, 2006, 04:34 AM
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Not a thing to do with soccer, but I couldn't help but post...
I'm leaving in an hour to participate in a charity field day event where all the proceeds go to the Special Olympics.
I'm part of a team of 12 from work, and two of my 5 events are Dodgeball and Speed Croquet!!!
Have a great day!
I'm leaving in an hour to participate in a charity field day event where all the proceeds go to the Special Olympics.
I'm part of a team of 12 from work, and two of my 5 events are Dodgeball and Speed Croquet!!!
Have a great day!
Jun 24th, 2006, 04:44 AM
#8
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Well dwyle-flonking is a good game, but not a patch on Knur and Spell.
Now, I'm sure that Sheila would agree with me, that if you want a real game of football, you have to go to Kirkwall, Orkney where the Uppies fight it out with the Doonies in an annual match.
Now, I'm sure that Sheila would agree with me, that if you want a real game of football, you have to go to Kirkwall, Orkney where the Uppies fight it out with the Doonies in an annual match.
Jun 24th, 2006, 04:49 AM
#9
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Why are we Americans so obstinate in refusing to call the sport <i><b>foot</b></i>ball... and that other thing, with the shoulder pads and the helmets... in which you carry the ball in your <i><b>arms</b></i> - - why don't we call it <i><b>arm</b></i>ball?
Best wishes,
Rex
Best wishes,
Rex
Jun 24th, 2006, 04:51 AM
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Don't forget the annual match in Ashbourne in Derbyshire.
That one starts at 2.00 p.m. and lasts until 10.00 p.m
I think that the only rule is that you may not kill anyone.
Personally, I think that the most exciting game is Stoolball which was invented by milkmaids.
The men pinched it and renamed it cricket.
That one starts at 2.00 p.m. and lasts until 10.00 p.m
I think that the only rule is that you may not kill anyone.
Personally, I think that the most exciting game is Stoolball which was invented by milkmaids.
The men pinched it and renamed it cricket.
Jun 24th, 2006, 05:06 AM
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Ahhhh, soon the real football season starts when Baton Rouge, Knoxville, Austin, Gainesville, Auburn and college towns will be a buzz with excitement over the new college football season.
Rockytop, The Gator growl, Ugga woofin, and those Cajun Tigahs of Batown Rouge, Bevo,Hokie High, Tomahawk chopin' Seminoles, Men of Troy, Ramblin wreck of Jawja Tech and many others. Bratwursts grilling, red beans and rice, BBQ, Hot wings, ice chests full of cold beer.
Ahhhh, College football, but not so fast my freind, still 2 months away. 2 months and counting
Jun 24th, 2006, 05:35 AM
#14
There's a great surge of patriotism going on in Europe right now because of the World Cup. As long as the team is winning, that "we are winners!" feeling stays. It will all fade away after the World Cup.
Switzerland's been lousy in skiing. Sportswise, this make us feel like we can successfully compete in something again.
Switzerland's been lousy in skiing. Sportswise, this make us feel like we can successfully compete in something again.
Jun 24th, 2006, 09:33 AM
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My friend's husband is a fanatical football (not soccer!) fan! They live in LA - she's English, he's American - and he's forcing all his colleagues to get into it as well!
The only downside is that he supports Manchester United (I'm an Arsenal girl) but unlike most Man U fans, he does actually go to Old Trafford whenever he's over!
I went to visit in March - and he was delighted to have somebody he could talk to about it. Alas it's just not big in the States (though bet it would have been if they'd won the World Cup!)
The only downside is that he supports Manchester United (I'm an Arsenal girl) but unlike most Man U fans, he does actually go to Old Trafford whenever he's over!
I went to visit in March - and he was delighted to have somebody he could talk to about it. Alas it's just not big in the States (though bet it would have been if they'd won the World Cup!)
Jun 24th, 2006, 09:36 AM
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"It is rather sad that there are so many people in the world whose lives are so confined, squalid and repressed that they believe that if their national team wins a sports award that their nation, and they themselves, are somehow enhanced."
Couldn't we say the same thing about American Idol in the U.S. context? The illusion of one's vote actually counting for something?
Couldn't we say the same thing about American Idol in the U.S. context? The illusion of one's vote actually counting for something?
Jun 24th, 2006, 09:36 AM
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As an American living in Italy (long enough for this to be my 5th World Cup), I have to say it's grown on me. I am actually keen to see the Italy games - and not just when it lets me take an hour and a half out of the workday. (Oh, yes, we had the Italy-Czech game on at the office, and anyone who wanted to was welcome to watch it, right along with the boss.)
I never cared about sports, still don't, and am baffled by most of the American ones, especially "football". The usual Italian soccer season leaves me cold because, just as in American professional sports, who wins seems to depend more on business savvy (keeping enough money rolling in that you can buy the best players) than local ability - why root for the Milan team when it is merely a reflection of Berlusconi's considerable bankroll? (I groused about this years ago, see http://www.beginningwithi.com/oped/football.htm )
Much the same is true of most Olympic events - countries that pour money into certain sports (whether as individuals or as governments) tend to win those events.
World Cup soccer is somewhat more level. It doesn't take much equipment to practice soccer, so good players come from all corners of the world nowadays. And when it's World Cup time, they all go home, and you can see what a country's really made of on the sports field.
It's interesting to observe cultural differences on the field. For example, France is already a mature multicultural society - some of the stars of their winning World Cup team four years ago were north Africans, and it was amusing to see Jaques Chirac having to face the fact that these "colored" people are contributing something valuable to France. It was even funnier to see the supposedly English-hating French celebrating in the bars afterwards, singing "We are the champions" - in English.
Italy, on the other hand, is far less mature as a multicultural society, and you can see this reflected in its World Cup team - every player is ethnically Italian, though they're from all parts of Italy and all social strata.
Part of the joy of soccer, to me at least, is the uncertainty - it ain't over til it's over, and a goal in the last 30 seconds can turn a game upside down. A formerly-overlooked country can score a surprising win against the team everyone assumed was going to win. I enjoy rooting for the underdogs, and soccer is practically the only major sport in which Americans are underdogs (cricket doesn't count - Americans don't even try to play cricket).
And, last but not least, soccer gives me an opportunity to watch a bunch of good-looking men, wearing far less than American football or baseball players do, running around getting sweaty. It's a pity the shorts are so long and baggy this year. <grin>
best regards,
Deirdré Straughan
beginningwithi.com (personal)
www.tvblob.com (work)
I never cared about sports, still don't, and am baffled by most of the American ones, especially "football". The usual Italian soccer season leaves me cold because, just as in American professional sports, who wins seems to depend more on business savvy (keeping enough money rolling in that you can buy the best players) than local ability - why root for the Milan team when it is merely a reflection of Berlusconi's considerable bankroll? (I groused about this years ago, see http://www.beginningwithi.com/oped/football.htm )
Much the same is true of most Olympic events - countries that pour money into certain sports (whether as individuals or as governments) tend to win those events.
World Cup soccer is somewhat more level. It doesn't take much equipment to practice soccer, so good players come from all corners of the world nowadays. And when it's World Cup time, they all go home, and you can see what a country's really made of on the sports field.
It's interesting to observe cultural differences on the field. For example, France is already a mature multicultural society - some of the stars of their winning World Cup team four years ago were north Africans, and it was amusing to see Jaques Chirac having to face the fact that these "colored" people are contributing something valuable to France. It was even funnier to see the supposedly English-hating French celebrating in the bars afterwards, singing "We are the champions" - in English.
Italy, on the other hand, is far less mature as a multicultural society, and you can see this reflected in its World Cup team - every player is ethnically Italian, though they're from all parts of Italy and all social strata.
Part of the joy of soccer, to me at least, is the uncertainty - it ain't over til it's over, and a goal in the last 30 seconds can turn a game upside down. A formerly-overlooked country can score a surprising win against the team everyone assumed was going to win. I enjoy rooting for the underdogs, and soccer is practically the only major sport in which Americans are underdogs (cricket doesn't count - Americans don't even try to play cricket).
And, last but not least, soccer gives me an opportunity to watch a bunch of good-looking men, wearing far less than American football or baseball players do, running around getting sweaty. It's a pity the shorts are so long and baggy this year. <grin>
best regards,
Deirdré Straughan
beginningwithi.com (personal)
www.tvblob.com (work)
Jun 24th, 2006, 02:47 PM
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Lemme (let) me ask this?
Some on this forum think American football is a wussy sport, which is totally absurd since you have guys who are 6-6 and 340 pounds who run the 40 in frikkin 4. 5.
They wear all of the pads because people would get killed if they did not wear this protective equipment.
Back to my question? Do you think some of the best soccer players could play in the NFL?
I imagine there are some who could, but I think many could not hold up under the intense hitting that happens in American football.
So wussy? Cah mahn. You know better than that, or should know better!
Some on this forum think American football is a wussy sport, which is totally absurd since you have guys who are 6-6 and 340 pounds who run the 40 in frikkin 4. 5.
They wear all of the pads because people would get killed if they did not wear this protective equipment.
Back to my question? Do you think some of the best soccer players could play in the NFL?
I imagine there are some who could, but I think many could not hold up under the intense hitting that happens in American football.
So wussy? Cah mahn. You know better than that, or should know better!
