Wide World of Sports Soccer mirrors globalization and its discontents.

Reasononline ^ | April 13, 2005 | Michael Young

[jolie560]

In one chapter of How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization, Franklin Foer evokes this alleged effetism by using soccer to help explain America’s culture wars. Foer distinguishes two camps that emerged in the U.S. after 9/11. One is cosmopolitan, shares values with Europe, opposes war in Iraq, and, presumably, is amenable to soccer; the other believes in American exceptionalism, views Europeans as lax and degraded, and regards soccer as “a symbol of the U.S. junking its tradition to ‘get with the rest of the world’s program.’”

[jolie560]

This is an interesting way to compare a sport with current events. Makes sense in this analysis.

[Red Badger]

Now is the soccer of our discontents........

[Strategerist]

http://www.soccersucks.org

[Tacis]

Only read the posted paragraph so I don't know who is talking. Hoever, notice the usage of the American term, "soccer," instead of the annoying label that the Eurinals use, i.e., "football." There was a Brit on TV last night (PBS?) who also said "soccer." Does this mean that the Eurinals are abandoning their mistaken label and adopting proper sports terminology?

[AmishDude]

Soccer is a good 10K, spoiled

[rdb3]

Never could get into soccer. I found it boring even when playing it.

Now, lining up as a DE on the weak side using a rip technique on a run blitz is a thrill like no other, provided that you don't hit a 320lb. pulling guard first. That's a real sport.

[elkclan]

Hi,

I live in England and the terms soccer and football can be (and have long been)used interchangeably, but with a preference for football, especially for official usage. For example, the Football Association (FA) is the governing body for that sport in this country. And soccer is the older game - so why get worked up if that's what folks here want to call it? I personally hate it when they call me on using the term "trunk" instead of "boot" (and sensible people don't do that - they know what I mean)

And why the term Eurinal? - honestly - they're not so bad. Name calling is unhelpful.

BTW - I support two football teams - the England national side and the Tennessee Volunteers. (Go Vols!)

[wideawake]

The word "soccer" in the UK refers to "football" played under Association rules.

[Strategerist]

Funny thing is that most players for much of the game aren't even running.


What I've never been able to understand is why the English bothered with Soccer when they had a perfectly good sport, Rugby.

[KC_Conspirator]

This ia a stoopid, stoopid article. NASCAR might be a better comparison.

If anything, Europeans don't like Americans getting good at soccer because its the last thing they can still beat Americans at.

[AmishDude]

Interestingly, in most other parts of the world -- nearly all, in fact -- women's soccer is rarely played and not even popular as a women's sport. Soccer is too manly.

It's the one sport that penalizes upper-body strength and it's considered masculine!

[El Conservador]

Well, unlike American football, original football (soccer) is ACTUALLY played with the feet... whereas football rarely uses feet for playing.

Interesting, huh???

[cooper72]

Only read the posted paragraph so I don't know who is talking. Hoever, notice the usage of the American term, "soccer," instead of the annoying label that the Eurinals use, i.e., "football." There was a Brit on TV last night (PBS?) who also said "soccer." Does this mean that the Eurinals are abandoning their mistaken label and adopting proper sports terminology?

Maybe the Brit called it soccer because that is what Americans call it. However, is there not a bit of arrogance at your calling the WORLD term (football) for soccer a mistaken label, when "Football" was the name used for soccer before (American) football even existed.

As for "Eurinals", does that go for the British soldiers who are in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting alongside Americans and the mothers of the dead British soldiers, or are you just being puerile?

[Tacis]

As for "Eurinals", does that go for the British soldiers who are in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting alongside Americans and the mothers of the dead British soldiers, or are you just being puerile?Perhaps you've not been paying attention. "Eurinal" is a term of derision that applies to those countries that abandoned perfectly good currencies and adopted the "Euro" (how could Greece give up a curriency mentioned in the Bible; how could France abandon the FrF?).

These countries constitute what will be the German Fifth Reich when their economies fail (they look ok on paper but they've reported fake numbers) and only Germany and the DM will be strong enough to bring them round.

Sure, the Brits have avoided becoming Eurinals, so far. But, let's see what the next election brings, eh?

[dr_lew]

I recall a videotape of Osama in one of those post 9/11 brags that he did, where he used a soccer metaphor, with Al Qaeda and USA as opposing teams. Wasn't it presented as a dream he had had ? Anyway, one commentator wrote that the downfall of Al Qaeda would be that they didn't understand football ( meaning REAL football, of course. )