# Thank god the damm thing is over **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 30, 2002, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692 "2002-06-30T13:26:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sirjamesp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sirjamesp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirjamesp)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/21 "2002-07-01T08:10:52Z")
Instead of abolishing the World Cup, let’s add some more major trophies on top of the Golden Boot and the Cup itself. This way, everyone gets a look-in. How about “Most Blatant Dive”, perhaps coupled with the award for “Most Miraculous Recovery on seeing that the Ref isn’t Fooled for One Minute.” Or “Best Time-Wasting When One Goal Up”? Or even “Most Bizarre Nervous System”, which could be given to a player who, for instance, cannot distinguish between a light blow to the thigh and a cricket bat to the face, and so grabs the wrong bodily part in agony. Oh wait, this would mean that the Brazilians would _still_ go home with everything. Well, except for the coveted “Fair Play” award… Well done Belgium. I guess the celebrations in Brussels must have rivalled anything in Brazil yesterday… Yes, it is just bitterness speaking. Well done Brazil - but keep that trophy safe 'cos England will be requiring it in four years time. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/22 "2002-07-01T08:21:51Z")
😃 Yeah, I especially loved how Diego, in a TV interview with a Dutch TV station, was quoted as saying: > [@](#): > > \*I don’t care that Pele won the player of the century award. I don’t care at all. There was an internet vote which I won, where Pele came second. And that was the vote of the people, not a bunch of corrupted journalists. > > Don’t get me wrong, Pele was a decent player in his time. And it’s not that I have anything against blacks, but Pele, well, everybody knows he fancies little boys.\* I shit you not. **Mersavets** , I didn’t know what “Malvinas” refered to when I read this last night. I just looked it up. That was low, man. ---
**Author:** ![Mersavets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@Mersavets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mersavets)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/23 "2002-07-01T09:59:05Z")
My sincerest apologies to **Estilicon**. His scathing reply to my clumsily facetious answer to **London Calling** really made me sit up and take notice. You can can consider me thouroughly chastised now amigo. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/24 "2002-07-01T10:06:30Z")
Good show. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/25 "2002-07-01T10:13:23Z")
Still, at least there’s bloody Wimbledon for people to incessantly talk about now. ---
**Author:** ![DemonSpawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@DemonSpawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonSpawn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/26 "2002-07-01T10:20:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > \*\* > > It’s not that impossible. Weren’t you guys known as the the feared “Orange Crush” or the “Dangerous Dikes” or “The Lost Dutchmen” … or something like that at one time? \*\* I always thought that “Dangerous Dykes” was the nickname of the US womens’ soccer team… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/27 "2002-07-01T10:36:28Z")
Sorry, Estilicon, I’m still happy that Brazil won! 😃 My favorite team! PD. Germany had good looking football players. ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/28 "2002-07-01T12:31:40Z")
Germany? Well, it’s your opinion 😃 In my opinion, Japan were the cutest. If only I had enough money to buy Junichi Inamoto for my own personal use. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/29 "2002-07-01T13:06:50Z")
Oh, I’m sorry Tansu, I just didn’t see all the games…Turkey and Senegal also had good looking players. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/30 "2002-07-01T13:15:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Estilicon \* > Returning to this thread subject. I propose the abolition of football, you have to put yourselves in my position. You can’t live near the brazilians. First of all they are always happy, dancing and singing. Imagine how they are everytime they win a world, in fact I can almost picture all those garotinhas dancing at the beach by a fire… It’s not a nice picture, and it isn’t because I’M FREEZING MY ASS DOWN HERE. Sorry for the outburst I am not having a nice day. > For all i mentioned above I say again: thank god the damm thing is over. I do hope that football is outlawed. If I am unhappy I don’t see why 187 million brazilians should be celebrating. Cheer up and join them! Dance thru the streets naked with feathers on your hair and back! Play the drums and sing! Forget the cold, the cold is just mental! : D&R : ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/31 "2002-07-01T13:36:58Z")
(MsGrenze - don’t take me too seriously) Senegal do indeed have some very nice looking young men. As do Turkey. Plus, the Turkish coach has the most beautiful eyebrows. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/32 "2002-07-01T13:44:57Z")
I’ve enjoyed the World Cup. I’m enjoying Wimbledon. I didn’t watch the football, and I’m not watching the tennis. However, my esteemed colleagues down in the Design Department _are_, and while they’ve got the sport on telly, they turn their stereo down, so I can get some work done. Satisfactory arrangement all round, really. Though I did, by chance, catch a classic exchange on the Wimbledon commentary over the weekend :- **Generic BBC commentator:** I must say, err, I don’t see why the umpire stepped in to change that call… **John McEnroe, with irony as thick and heavy as battleship armour:** I’ve asked the same question many times. ---
**Author:** ![apotheosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@apotheosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apotheosis)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/33 "2002-07-01T16:17:29Z")
Wow…and here I thought “malvinas” was just a reply to the question “What’s Spanish for ‘sour grapes’ ?”. Heck, I know zero Spanish…I just figured “mal” = “bad” and “vinas” kinda sounds like “vino”, which is made outta grapes… I’ll shut up now. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Estilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Estilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estilicon)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/34 "2002-07-01T16:42:44Z")
Mersavets apologies accepted. > [@](#): > > Heck, I know zero Spanish…I just figured “mal” = “bad” and “vinas” kinda sounds like “vino”, which is made outta grapes… Not bad at all apotheosis, but if you look up vinas in the dictionary you´ll find nothing (at least I think you won’t) however you will surely find Viñas that is the plant from where we get grapes. So apotheosis learn spanish it will be easy for you. ---
**Author:** ![sc913](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@sc913](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sc913)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/35 "2002-07-01T18:41:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tansu \* > \*\*… If only I had enough money to buy Junichi Inamoto for my own personal use. \*\* I believe Arsenal have given him a free transfer 😉 Call up his agent and offer up a contract. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/36 "2002-07-01T18:57:19Z")
**Estilicon** , several million Brazilians would celebrate even absent any _reason_. It seems someone in Rio, Belem or Salvador could just get up one morning and shout out his window: “hey, guys, guess what, it’s Thursday!” and there would be raucous revelry, complete with _garotinhas_ wearing a vanishingly small amount of fabric (if any). Oh, and yes, the Cariocas absolutely _know_ how much it annoys the south-of-the-river gang. That only motivates them even more 😉 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/37 "2002-07-01T23:23:23Z")
Hmm…sounds like home… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/38 "2002-07-01T23:31:32Z")
I find that **Mersavets’** initial response is of the highest order of British humour employing the double entendre. Argentine’s military defeat at an archeopelago named for bad vines is close enough to sour grapes to merit the award for SDMB pun of the year. And he came up with it in less than three minutes. Now for those who believe refering to the Falklands was a low blow, I have this to say Would **London\_Calling** consider a reference to Medway as English for sour grapes? Would **Coldfire** consider New Amsterdam as Dutch for sour grapes a low blow? Consideration for the pay phones there should be omitted. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2002, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/39 "2002-07-01T23:35:16Z")
I’m glad it is over… hopefully now people will stop talking about it ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692/40 "2002-07-02T00:27:57Z")
What? Are you joking? There’s less than four years before the next one starts. Anybody got a pick? I’m going with Germany to take it at home. USA will make it to the semis. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-god-the-damm-thing-is-over/116692.md?page=3)