Bloody Football

[poliphilo]

I should have been doing the housework but my country needed me, so I sat down and watched the England game instead.

The more I see of this World Cup the more I'm confirmed in my opinion that football is the dullest game on the planet.

I watched the wome's tennis final at Eastbourne on Saturday. Justine Henin-Hardenne and Alexandra Myskina contrived between them to do something amazingly athletic, skilful and exciting every thirty seconds or so. By contrast the whole 90 minutes of the England-Ecuador game threw up four of five such moments.

Why is football the world's game of choice? Why does David Beckham make more money than Justine Hardin-Hardenne? Why do people invest so much emotion in a sport that delivers so few thrills?

Comments

[four-thorns.livejournal.com]

i find american football and baseball to be very exciting to watch. in my experience, the only people who find them boring are the people who don't understand the rules, so they just see a bunch of men and a ball, whereas for those who understand the rules there is a lot of excellent suspense-- if it's 4th down, will they go for it or punt? if your pitcher's just given up a run, and the next batter has a good average against him, do you pull him, or take your chances? things of that sort. i like the strategy of it. and then there are moments of sheer athletic skill-- adam vinateiri's 40-yard field goal kick through driving snow in the 2001 playoff game against oakland, or pedro martinez's 20 strike-out games, or david ortiz's numerous walkoff home runs-- that are just thrilling to watch.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Good point.

My team sport of choice is cricket- and, like baseball, it's all about strategy and willpower and morale. The more you know about the rules and history of the game the more you appeciate what's happening on the field.

[four-thorns.livejournal.com]

indeed. i find there's always more to learn about baseball (that's what makes it so interesting!) and i imagine it's much the same for cricket.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The rules and lore of cricket are a lifetime's study. And, yes, that's part of the fun!