# Why do Europeans seem so ungrateful to the US **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 2, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199 "2012-08-02T18:08:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Dublin11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Dublin11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dublin11)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/141 "2012-08-14T19:02:34Z")
> [@Docta\_G](#): > > Fine, but my point is that the game is thoroughly international now. Can you find something more substantive to talk about than semantic tiddlywinks? How can it be thoroughly international if foreign players have to go **to** America to play it at the highest level? If it was thoroughly international, there would be domestic competitive leagues in other countries, there would be national teams from other countries and there would be championships held to decide the best national team in the world held in a different country, every time the event was held. Like they do in all the other global sports. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/142 "2012-08-14T19:11:23Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I, for one, think Europeans should show some gratitude to Americans. > > Specifically, I think Monica Bellucci should show some gratitude to me. Or Sophie Marceau. > > By this, I mean Sophie Marceau should show that gratitude to me and not to Monica Bellucci. > > Upon further reflection, Sophie Marceau showing gratitude to Monica Bellucci would be an acceptable outcome, as long as I got to watch. Ooo, can I sign up for some gratitude from Benedict Cumberbatch or Jude law? But as you say, I’m perfectly happy with them showing gratitude to each other. I don’t even need to watch. Provided they get some video. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/143 "2012-08-14T20:01:10Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Exactly! We allowed them to come over here to kick English butt. You can go ahead and fight my ignorance here but I believe they still haven’t paid their tab. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/144 "2012-08-14T20:11:55Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > “World Series” is still a ridiculous name. So is “World Cup.” It’s not a cup. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/145 "2012-08-14T20:13:26Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > We call it “football” because, in the course of playing it, one strikes a ball regularly with one’s foot. Your national sport should really be called “handegg”. Or “rugby for pussies who need armour”. (Insert smiley of your choice here) It should just be renamed Move. Ball. With the periods and said in a very caveman like cadence. Seriously though, I’m with the Limeys on this one: Football makes much more sense for “soccer.” If we were forced to pick a new name for our sport (which is actually kickass, IMO), I’d vote for Gridiron. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/146 "2012-08-14T20:28:34Z")
ENOUGH! Let’s stop the infighting. We’re all first world nations here. And look at Antartica. For godssake, look at her! Sitting there quietly, cold and alone. Never attacking any of us, but beckoning us with its warm whisper of peace. And do we show Antarctica gratitude? For everything it’s shown us, taught us, and warned us. We arrive on its shores and take from her, but what do we show in return? Whaling and melting her ancient ice. It’s time to tell Antarctica what—huh? It’s not a sovern country? No natives?.. Fuck you for what you did to Shackleton and his men, you bitch! ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/147 "2012-08-14T20:31:53Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > So is “World Cup.” It’s not a cup. Is it a lie? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/148 "2012-08-14T22:29:29Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > So is “World Cup.” It’s not a cup. Of course it is. It’s just not a cup in the sense of a concave vessel. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/149 "2012-08-14T22:45:41Z")
Topologically it’s the same as a cup. Just sayin’ in the nerdiest way possible. ---
**Author:** ![Dublin11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Dublin11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dublin11)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/150 "2012-08-14T22:54:37Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > So is “World Cup.” It’s not a cup. The original FIFA one was. Mind you, when it was first made, it wasn’t _called_ a cup, either. It only got called a cup to honour the Frenchman who started the competition and so it was called The Jules Rimet Trophy or Coupe du Monde. The one now’s not a cup, that’s true. You can blame the Brazilians for that, they got to keep it for winning it three times. The clever old things. 😃 So it was the French who called the thing a cup in the first place. And then an Italian made a new one with no cup in it. So all in all, I suppose Brazil, France and Italy had a hand in the nomenclature. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/151 "2012-08-14T23:19:43Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Your national sport should really be called “handegg.” _ **Sunday Night Handegg!** _ I like it. > [@RedFury](#): > > No hablo Ingles. Quien tiene la culpa? Ah, y me encanta el fútbol! You’re in America now, pal. Speak spanish. …Oh. Wait a minute… . ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/152 "2012-08-15T19:34:41Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > No hablo Ingles. Quien tiene la culpa? Ah, y me encanta el fútbol! Pues si no hablas ingles, ¿cómo ostias hiciste un hijo? [spoiler]inglés (no capital, tilde): English, either the people or the language ingles (also no capital, but no tilde): groin So if he don’t speakee groin I wanna know where did his son come from, cos you know, the _usual_ procedure…[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/153 "2012-08-15T20:09:16Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Yup. BTW, why is this a banabke offense? It’s not. It’s a bubbake offense - big difference! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/154 "2012-08-16T11:49:29Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > he don’t speakee groin Maybe he could learn some sign language from [Nicolas Batum](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=661583)? ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199/155 "2012-08-16T12:23:04Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > Some days, I can’t bear my children. Maybe I could send them to Europe. **Ellen** , if the process of labor and delivery is so protracted that you not only have time to post about it on the Dope but to ponder the wisdom of delivering them in the European Union, might I respectfully suggest you speak to your Obstetrician? You may be suffering from UteroEuro, a rare condition that compels a woman close to term to travel to The Isle of Wife to deliver her child. 🆒 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-europeans-seem-so-ungrateful-to-the-us/630199.md?page=7)