Not sure if this has been linked already, but even if it has, it’s awesome enough for another look.
It gets worse: Not only is he responsible for this abomination, not only does he express admiration for a murderous, mindlessly destructive dictator, but he’s apparently also started selling earplugs, a solution to a problem that he is responsible for.
The noise didn’t bother Carragher? So how DOES he account for his horrendous performance in that game?? 
I love the World Cup, but have to add my voice to the buzzing cacophony of vuvuzela detractors. The high-pitched monotonous droning of the vuvuzela really does ruin the atmosphere, at least from the perspective of a television spectator, which, let’s face it, is the perspective for the vast majority of World Cup spectators. The noise was terrible at the Confederations Cup last summer (also staged in South Africa, as it tends to be regarded as a warm-up to the following year’s WC), and it’s even more annoying this year.
Posho
I went to nearby Princethorpe College.
The mute button is there for a reason. Use it. And don’t give me that shit about hearing what is going on from the announcers. It’s soccer. Nothing is going on.
Not bad for a first attempt Ivan, but to really get the authentic vuvuzela sound you need to modulate it a bit. So its not a flat vuuu but rather vuvuvu, like this:
VUVUVUVUVUVUVUVUVUVUVUVUVUVUVU!!!
I was tempted to stick a few more “V’s” in there as well. Bah!
(I am from the UK, but have lived in Australia, the USA and throughout Europe) Only people I know who live in either Australia or the USA don’t know what I mean when I say ‘football’, so it’s generally easier to refer to the sport like that. My friends in France, Belgium, South Africa etc know what I’m talking about, it’s the game that much of the world plays. Aussie Rules football is completely ignored, and when we have to make the very rare reference to football in the USA it’s always called American Football.
Comments on how boring it is, all just seem to have a trollish tint to them to me. I personally don’t enjoy watching football, and any sport for that matter, though I’ll happily play them. Even though I don’t like them, I don’t feel the bizarre need to tell people who thoroughly enjoy it how terrible and yawn inspiring their sport is. Kind of childish really. Do you argue over whether the PS3 or the Xbox 360 is the best too?
The constant horde of bees on the TV is really fucking annoying and has pretty much ruined what little interest I had in it anyway. It’s a pity, because the atmosphere for the World Cup is usually pretty incredible.
Okay, I’m used to xenophobic retards pissing on soccer like they knew a goddamned thing about it anyway, and I’m appreciative of the TeeVee ESPN investing in it a little – at least Neil Everett doesn’t smirk quite so hard when he’s forced to say the word “nil” – but in my opinion, if you’re a sports commentator and you don’t know shit about the sport or the tournament you’re commenting on, then shut the fuck up.
Heard on ESPN Radio this morning (paraphrased): “What’s so exciting about a tie, anyway? And this Langdon (sic) Whatever Donovan or whatever his name is …”
I mean, come on. You’re ESPN. It’s the World Cup. Get your shit together or clam up. Imagine hearing “What’s so exciting about tying the series 2-2. And this Kobe Whatever Beef guy …”
I swear, every four years is both the most exciting and the most exasperating time in sports for me.
To paraphrase Homer Simpson:
“To Saddam Hussein! The cause of, and solution to, all of soccer’s problems!”
We love our football and it’s played by millions around the world.
Americans love their American football but it’s not played by millions around the world. Sour grapes from the US. I’m glad not to be watching ESPN then Jack Batty. I don’t have a radio presently, but when I do I usually tune in commentators there while watching on TV too.
Were you listening to something on earlier than Mike & Mike? They’re both pretty respectful of the World Cup, even though neither is a fan.
I left my place at about 7:30 this morning, and ESPN radio was the last station I was tuned into.
After punching the car radio, I tuned to a new station, so I don’t know what the program was.
WTF are you on about? I’ve never even replied to any of your posts. I quoted sven and I addressed my remarks to sven. Next time don’t make gross generalizations about another poster’s posting habits until you’ve got the right poster.
Jeebus.
I’m laughing my ass off about that one.
Go fellate a leprous goat, you ignorant pillock.
I love this! But I’d listen to Cleese read the phone book. It’s all true. IMO, such deep dislike of soccer/football has to be taught. Someone when these guys were young inculcated them with a contempt of the game. Add to that the ordinary testosterone pissing contests that make up 99% of all Pit threads and you have what we see here: people who can’t just say, “It’s not my thing, but it’s cool to see the world excited about this event” or even, “not my thing, but go USA! because I’m American” etc.
I hate hockey and American football, but I was thrilled that the Blackhawks brought home the Stanley Cup and loved when the Bears won the SuperBowl (back in the day). Hell, I’m tepid on baseball, but want my Cubs to win a “World” Series at least once in this century. But I’m female, so of course I don’t understand the constant threat that soccer reveals to American male sports fans.
:rolleyes:
I once heard a few years ago some commentator on ESPN say something like " Pro soccer will never become popular in the USA". And I thought to myself, you arrogant, ignorant prick–it’s in your best interests for pro soccer to take off; consider it job security or at least a challenge. But I think he was pandering to those buffoons who can’t appreciate what they don’t understand or like. I’m fine with it not being shared by everyone; I’m not fine with soccer being dismissed or mocked–ya’ll that are doing it come across as immature, stupid and boorish. Go USA! :dubious:
So draws effect the overall standings in a similar way that wins effect the standings in American sports like Baseball or Football. I will admit that I forgot about the American football rule that has allowed for ties, roughly 14 in the last 35 years and none since 2008, but imagine if you were able to score gameday tickets to your favorite teams’ match, got time off work and someone to watch the kids (if you have em) get all excited, buy a beer and a sausage and a foam something or other and perhaps a vuvuzela to root and cheer for your team, and it ends up being a draw.
Perhaps it’s too American of me, but the idea that nothing actually equals something makes me dislike soccer that much more.
We call soccer, soccer, because football is already taken and came, if I’m not mistaken, from rugby “football” which as we all know is English in origin. So Cleese can suck it.
And for what it’s worth, American football is in more than just America…
Internationally
In Japan
In Germany
It will never be as popular as soccer because you can’t get a real game of American football together in a dusty lot, but the fact remains it has its’ appeal.
It’s a bizarre attitude even if you’re American. There is nothing inherently unsatisfying about a draw; sometimes teams are just evenly matched. The idea that they must continue to play until one of them (often almost arbitrarily) wins is weird, but worse still is the potential that they’ll have to decide the match by playing a mini-game which essentially eliminates most aspects of the sport - such as in US college football, or the penalty shootout that decides post-group-stage World Cup matches.
I think the basis for it is the American system of playoffs, which is itself truly Byzantine. You play some of the other teams - not even all of them! - just to get to the actual contest, and then you start all over again with a knockout tournament. Weird.
In a David versus Goliath scenario like last weekend’s USA-England match, a draw has even more significance - by not losing, the US “won”. That result would not have been possible had the teams been forced to play extra time, since it was clear as the match went on that England was going to score sooner or later.
Post #28