sad

[mkenuk]

All Englishmen at the moment.

Congratulations, Italy. You played very well
England did well too, but were once again beaten by their nerves during the penalty shootout.

[pat]

At least we're spared from having it pushed down our throats for the next 50 years! The pundits have only just about got over us winning the world cup 55 years ago.

I wasn't very impressed by the way that half the England team immediately removed the runners up medal before they were even clear of the man who put it round their neck. Churlish.

[mkenuk]

Saddest of all, however, was the report that within minutes of the end of the game, social media trolls were at it - sending racially abusive messages to the young lads who had missed the decisive penalties.

Disgraceful and totally unacceptable.

[pat]

You won't have seen it, Mike, but someone posted on Facebook a snapshot of some Twitter posts. When England beat Germany the camera focused briefly on a little 10-year-old German girl crying because her team had lost. Some vile racist posted on Twitter that he'd never been more proud to be British than when he saw a whole pub erupt into cheers at the sight of that little girl crying. I won't repeat the actual words he used to describe her but they were truly despicable. I always find it grimly ironic when nasty far right racists use the word Nazi as an insult!

I must confess I felt deep satisfaction that that vile person is now experiencing exactly what that little girl went through.

[mkenuk]

I must confess I felt deep satisfaction that that vile person is now experiencing exactly what that little girl went through.

Except I'm not sure that these Untermenschen are capable of experiencing any emotions at all other than anger and hatred.

Sociologists and psychologists have been trying for decades to determine why football matches and football grounds are a magnet for such mindless, racist, homophobic thugs. It seems to be something to do with the fact that it affords them the opportunity to bond with similar types, all of whom are driven by a kind of atavistic tribalism.
They become rather like the group of hominids at the start of '2001 - A Space Odyssey' shouting at the tribe on the other side of the watering hole and then discovering that a bone can be turned into a weapon.

What saddens me is that I love football - I loved playing it when I was younger and I still love watching it now. Unfortunately the sport I love has over time become tainted by association with the morons who attach themselves to their various local and national clubs and teams.
 

[yelnats]

The pundits have only just about got over us winning the world cup 55 years

I was in Germany when the 1966 cup was on and one of the German phrases I remember seeing was `der dritter tur wart nicht ein`; Not following any football I have to believe that England didn`t win because `the third goal was not in`!

[whisky]

Sociologists and psychologists have been trying for decades to determine why football matches and football grounds are a magnet for such mindless, racist, homophobic thugs.

What saddens me is that I love football - I loved playing it when I was younger and I still love watching it now. Unfortunately the sport I love has over time become tainted by association with the morons who attach themselves to their various local and national clubs and teams.
 

I have heard the following, after observing that these actions are far less prevalent in AFL ( Australian Rules Football ).

A typical winning score in an AFL game is 10 goals, and sometimes even 20 goals.
So at a game the fans have lots to shout and cheer for.
Thus it is a good and frequent outlet of emotions.

Soccer ( Football ) has a much lower score rate.
So the fans have fewer ( sometimes nil ) opportunities to shout and cheer.
Thus they seek other emotional outlets.
Often inappropriately.

How could 'they' elevate the score rate without altering the game too much ??

Michael