# England! YESSSSSSSSS! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 22, 2003, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664 "2003-11-22T11:28:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/61 "2003-11-25T13:11:41Z")
Well you f\*ckers try and do something better! I’m too busy flouncing, thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/62 "2003-11-25T13:26:10Z")
Ahem, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ For balance, might I quote Einstein: _Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of the world._ I never was an egg chaser. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/63 "2003-11-26T14:44:02Z")
[For sale at eBay: Australian Rugby Union trophy cabinet, no longer required due to lack of use in forseeable future.](http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2362150346&category=20487) ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/64 "2003-11-26T15:55:49Z")
This comment from the Times made me laugh: If you want to f\*\*\* a Wallaby, get a Jonny. V ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/65 "2003-11-26T19:50:02Z")
I know this question comes up time and time again, but remind me again why the UK gets to enter multiple teams into international competitions? Maybe if there was a joint English/Scottish/Welsh/NI team, they’d win more often. ---
**Author:** ![hawkeyejo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19b73/32.png) [@hawkeyejo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawkeyejo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/66 "2003-11-26T20:39:56Z")
**hee hee hee…** I love it when someone beats the Aussies. Nothing personal mind, but methinks they win too much (like all the time) Well done England (now at least they’ll stop their whining for a while…at least until the football world cup) [rubbing my hands in delight] ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/67 "2003-11-26T22:48:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gyrate \* > \*\*I know this question comes up time and time again, but remind me again why the UK gets to enter multiple teams into international competitions? Maybe if there was a joint English/Scottish/Welsh/NI team, they’d win more often. \*\* Scotland, Wales and NI might win more often, England probably wouldn’t ---
**Author:** ![auliya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/90db22/32.png) [@auliya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auliya)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/68 "2003-11-27T11:47:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Floater \* > \*\*[For sale at eBay: Australian Rugby Union trophy cabinet, no longer required due to lack of use in forseeable future.](http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2362150346&category=20487) \*\* arrrgghhh :eek: what else can I say except Wendell should just give it up and go back to the Broncos (On second thoughts maybe not…) ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/69 "2003-11-27T12:27:34Z")
**London\_Calling** , two things: 1. That flag is very, very clever (thinking outside the smiley) 2. You are clearly quite insane. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/70 "2003-11-27T12:49:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > **That flag is very, very clever (thinking outside the smiley)** What am I missing here? Is it the winning goal on its side or something? ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/71 "2003-11-27T13:12:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gyrate \* > \*\*I know this question comes up time and time again, but remind me again why the UK gets to enter multiple teams into international competitions? Maybe if there was a joint English/Scottish/Welsh/NI team, they’d win more often. \*\* Because we invented the sport? Not only that, but we invented the sport it was derived from as well. There is a British team, the British Lions, but it is just representative games. Nothing competetive. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/72 "2003-11-27T13:14:16Z")
“just for …”, obviously. Curse my typing skills. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/73 "2003-11-27T13:23:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gyrate \* > \*\*I know this question comes up time and time again, but remind me again why the UK gets to enter multiple teams into international competitions? Maybe if there was a joint English/Scottish/Welsh/NI team, they’d win more often. \*\* It goes back to the fact that we invented the game. The first International ‘soccer’ match was England v Scotland in 1872. The first non UK team we played was Austria in 1908… I’m not sure if it still holds true, but for a very long time the four home nations had 50% of the voting for any rule changes. I can see (and hope for) an all Ireland team in the near future, but don’t hold out much hope for a mainland British team. Better dead than Ned… ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/74 "2003-11-27T13:31:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mascaroni \* > \*\*It goes back to the fact that we invented the game. The first International ‘soccer’ match was England v Scotland in 1872. The first non UK team we played was Austria in 1908… > I’m not sure if it still holds true, but for a very long time the four home nations had 50% of the voting for any rule changes. > I can see (and hope for) an all Ireland team in the near future, but don’t hold out much hope for a mainland British team. > Better dead than Ned… \*\* Just to clear up any confusion. Football: Invented in Great Britain. No British team. Separate Northern and Republic Irish teams. Rugby Union: Invented in Great Britain. A British team, the British Lions (respresentative only). United “Irish” team. It will be a cold day in hell before we see a British football team. Amongst other internal reasons, UEFA is just itching to reduce the number of teams from Britain entered into European competitions, which obviously is not in the interest of any of the constituent nations of the UK. For the reason you’ll notice that GBR doesn’t appear in the Olympic football competition, despite beign the sport’s inventor, one of only six or so countries to ever win the World Cup and been sniffing around the top ten of the FIFA rankings for just about always (except for the odd period of madness). ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/75 "2003-11-27T13:39:10Z")
Was my post confusing? I curse your typing skills… ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/76 "2003-11-27T13:42:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mascaroni \* > \*\*Was my post confusing? > I curse your typing skills… \*\* Only in that we were talking about rugby and then it suddenly became football. I was thinking about the poor chaps who come from a country where neither are particularly popular. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664/77 "2003-11-27T14:00:06Z")
[memo to self: Smilies are your friends…] Same goes for rugby… can you imagine a couple of years ago Italy becoming a part of the Three Nations Championship? Which is what it would be with a united UK side… maybe four if Ireland were independent. Spot on re The Olympics… There have been attempts to force us into a UK/GB team… the words ‘Brian Clough’ and ‘Spearchucker’ come to mind… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/england-yesssssssss/214664.md?page=3)