# The Amazing Race 2/26: "You Know I'm Not As Smart As You!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 27, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107 "2012-02-27T02:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/61 "2012-02-28T19:24:17Z")
Yes, but that isn’t a random case. Andrew Weber is (was? I think he’s out of MLS) [a professional soccer player](http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/andrew-weber) so his knowledge of world soccer figures is probably greater than average. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/62 "2012-02-28T19:25:51Z")
> [@Lare](#): > > Didn’t one of the racers recognize (although since he was an imposter, “mis-recognize”) him? I would swear I saw and heard one of the two guys (Elliot and Andrew?) say something about him being famous and headed the ball back and forth for a few moments. [Andrew](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Weber) is a Major League Soccer goalie. He did indeed (mis)recognize Maradona. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/63 "2012-02-28T20:32:52Z")
This has gone completely off topic, so I’ll drop it after this post, but I have to say this: All the responses that are saying “I’m an average American and I’ve never heard of him, and we don’t give a shit about soccer anyway” are the very definition of “Ugly American” even if you don’t mean to be in any way. The term is a very real phenomenon and isn’t always a derogatory term (though it often is.) Not recognizing a country’s national hero is a classic symbol of it, regardless of whether you lived your entire life in western Kansas and don’t know a soccer ball from a lacrosse stick. It’s not a term you get to define. And yes, **Fenris** , I’ve read the book. It was assigned reading for me. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/64 "2012-02-28T20:39:00Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > All the responses that are saying “I’m an average American and I’ve never heard of him, and we don’t give a shit about soccer anyway” are the very definition of “Ugly American” even if you don’t mean to be in any way What does it mean then if I can’t even recognize most American sports “national heros”? (and I’m American) ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/65 "2012-02-28T20:43:12Z")
Hmmm. If UglyAmericanism was the flu, not recognizing Diego Maradona would be a random sneeze. I think UA requires a deeper and wide-spread cultural insensitivity. for the record, I’m an average American who doesn’t give a shit about soccer, and I recognized him (at least to the point of, hey…is that supposed to be whatshisname…Maradona?) ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/66 "2012-02-28T20:52:27Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > What does it mean then if I can’t even recognize most American sports “national heros”? (and I’m American) Maradona is not a sports hero, he’s a national hero. This is exactly the point. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/67 "2012-02-28T20:54:25Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Maradona is not a sports hero, he’s a national hero. This is exactly the point. …for playing a sport. My point is someone who’s a “national hero” for such meaningless merit wouldn’t rate on my meter regardless of country of origin. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/68 "2012-02-28T20:55:50Z")
I could agree that learning nothing about a country you’re visiting (and especially if you don’t think you should) is an Ugly American. I’m not sure that being able to recognize all the famous people in a destination country is necessary (I certainly never have) and I’m wondering how many mentions Maradona gets in Fodor’s as prep for walking the streets of the fine nation of Argentina. But I’m really thinking slack has to be cut for people who didn’t know they were going to Argentina until they were actually on their way there. I couldn’t tell you anything about the major political issues currently at hand in Malawi, and if I knew I was going there in two weeks I’d spend some time looking into it. But hand me a plane ticket now and quiz me when I land and I’m going to fail. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/69 "2012-02-28T20:57:58Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > …for playing a sport. My point is someone who’s a “national hero” for such meaningless merit wouldn’t rate on my meter regardless of country of origin. And yet he is in Argentina, and that’s why you’d be an Ugly American. You’re not getting the concept. Anyway, I’m done. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/70 "2012-02-28T20:58:42Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > You’re not getting the concept. And that’s where you’re mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/71 "2012-02-28T21:51:42Z")
This is funny. An extended disagreement over the UglyAmericanism of reality show contestants that can’t even do long division. I really don’t think not knowing a former national sports star by sight is their biggest problem. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/72 "2012-02-28T22:03:33Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > This is funny. An extended disagreement over the UglyAmericanism of reality show contestants that can’t even do long division. I really don’t think not knowing a former national sports star by sight is their biggest problem. To be fair, he is literally a clown. I can’t imagine long division EVER comes up in his life. That’s [somewhat] similar to criticizing me for not being able to juggle. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/73 "2012-02-28T22:26:07Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > To be fair, he is literally a clown. I can’t imagine long division EVER comes up in his life. That’s [somewhat] similar to criticizing me for not being able to juggle. If the size of the inside of a car is 120 cubic feet, and the average clown takes up 4 cubic feet, how many… ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/74 "2012-02-28T23:01:34Z")
Ah, so that’s what they teach in Math 201 at Clown College. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/75 "2012-02-28T23:08:29Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > If the size of the inside of a car is 120 cubic feet, and the average clown takes up 4 cubic feet, how many… 😛 You are hilarious. Since this thread is barely on-topic, I’ll take this opportunity to say that I thought of you the other day because I took my kids bowling. I was every bit as good at it as I was last year. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/76 "2012-02-28T23:40:39Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > Ah, so that’s what they teach in Math 201 at Clown College. I’d appreciate if you wouldn’t characterize Princeton that way. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/77 "2012-02-28T23:40:48Z")
Wow, I really stirred up a hornet’s nest, didn’t I? The truth is, I actually somewhat _agree_ with Lamar Mundane here. Maradona is far more than just a local sports icon - he is undoubtedly the most famous Argentinian since Eva Peron, he may very well have been the greatest soccer player of all time, and he’s such a train wreck that he’s maintained a pretty high profile since his retirement. I totally agree that if there’s a single Argentinian who ever lived that even Americans should recognize, it’s Diego Maradona. The thing is, the dude at the mat A) was not really all that convincing, B) was wearing a very cheap knock-off replica jersey, and C) _was supposed to be the most famous human being in the entire country casually hanging out for hours on end in the middle of town in his old soccer jersey!_ It’s exactly as if Michael Jordan showed up in his Bulls uniform in downtown Chicago for the taping of some obscure Bolivian TV show, hung out for three hours waiting for people to show up, and then _didn’t even bother to say anything._ What are you supposed to say? “Wow, you sure do almost look like someone famous.” Or perhaps, “Umm… are you Maradona? Cause, like, what are you doing here? And who dressed you? And why aren’t there thousands of screaming fans and a police cordon?” ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/78 "2012-02-29T00:11:36Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > I’ll go out on a limb and guess that some American soccer fans are extremely sensitive about the fact that most Americans don’t give a rat’s ass about the sport that so excites their passion. From the responses in this thread, I’d say that’s pretty accurate. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/79 "2012-02-29T00:12:06Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > This has gone completely off topic, so I’ll drop it after this post Ha! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107/80 "2012-02-29T00:25:04Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > First of all, STFU. Second, I get your point and maybe even agree with you. > > My point was that to Americans he’s just some dude. To the rest of the world he is well known and not some “local sports hero” as someone said he was. > > And again, STFU asshole. > [@Laggard](#): > > Is that frowned on? > [@jsc1953](#): > > Yes. A moderator will be by shortly to slap your wrist, and tell you that personal insults are forbidden outside the BBQ Pit. > [@obfusciatrist](#): > > Moderators will do what moderators will do. What this moderator is going to do is issue a warning for personal insults. It is beyond belief to me that someone with your join date would be unaware that this is not acceptable behavior in Cafe Society. And the rest of you – stay on topic, please. **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-amazing-race-2-26-you-know-im-not-as-smart-as-you/614107.md?page=5)