Can we ban football please?

[Cockney Corner]

As I'm sure everyone in Blighty knows, the England football team lost against France last night. The result - riots up and down the country. And it's the same every time. Just what is it with footie fans? When I go to rugby matches, I and everyone else can drink alcohol and mix with supporters of the other team without feeling the need to give them a kicking or throw bricks at the Police.

[Sleuth]

That's because you folks play the wrong KIND of football. Here, in the (formerly) rebelious colonies, we only riot if our team wins or loses the big game at the end of the season. Or against our 'special' rivals. Or on a warm night.
How about Down Under? With (from what I have been told) no rules for Ozzie football, there can be no winners or loosers.

[Ex-plod]

It is a shame our football fans are such morons, dont we have a war on somewhere hot and dusty we could send them to if they have such energy?
But on the other hand, two goals in Extra time, who were we playing, Man Utd? Svens fault replacing Rooney with that Donkey Heskey, he defends as well as he attacks and thats pretty ****e! didn't his being sold to Birmingham tell him anything?:confused:

[PC August]

I don't understand your soccer fans, but I have a theory.

Since contact is not allowed in soccer the fans get frustrated and need to have their bloodlust for physical play satisfied in another way. Thus they must beat one another endlessly, working out their frustrations at watching a game where slight contact earns one a "card".

We in North America, with sports like hockey and football don't have that problem.

And as for baseball, the fans are all asleep by the end of the game, so no problems there. :D

[NSWCop]

Originally posted by Sleuth
That's because you folks play the wrong KIND of football. Here, in the (formerly) rebelious colonies, we only riot if our team wins or loses the big game at the end of the season. Or against our 'special' rivals. Or on a warm night.
How about Down Under? With (from what I have been told) no rules for Ozzie football, there can be no winners or loosers.

If I was a footie fan I'd seriously consider being insulted by that remark!!:D :D

Fortunately, Australian fan rarely riot after a game. That is because, not matter how fanatical a fan you are, most rational people realise It's only a freakin' game!!

Also, in Australia we have 3 major codes: Australian Rules, Rugby Union and Rugby League. We also, in major towns and cities play fringe type games like soccer and grid-iron.!! :cool:

There may be the occasional stoush during the games, usually at the League 'cos the're all Neanderthals anyway!!

Union is, of course the game they play in heaven, no matter where you are!!

AFL is quite popular and pulls larger crowds that all the other codes combined. Pity it resembles ballet performed by simians on drugs!!

Soccer gets the odd riot and is only usually followed by people whose surnames end in a vowel!!

Grid-iron is usually played by people who can't play any of the above!!

:D :D :D

[rugbyman]

NSWCop speaks with wisdom beyond his years. Rugby is indeed the game they play in heaven, anyone who disagrees with that should just watch the mighty All Blacks play :D

[PC August]

Originally posted by NSWCop

There may be the occasional stoush during the games, usually at the League 'cos the're all Neanderthals anyway!!

Union is, of course the game they play in heaven, no matter where you are!!

AFL is quite popular and pulls larger crowds that all the other codes combined. Pity it resembles ballet performed by simians on drugs!!

Soccer gets the odd riot and is only usually followed by people whose surnames end in a vowel!!

Grid-iron is usually played by people who can't play any of the above!!

:D :D :D

Same language (more or less) different cultures, crazy sports. To me the AFL evokes images of Joe Namath, I assume League and Union are different versions of rugby(?), and I dunno what 'Grid-iron' is for you guys...here it's what we sometimes refer to a football field as.

As for soccer it's mostly ignored...some of the wealthy kids who live in the suburbs are rumored to play it, but that's just a rumor. No one's actually ever seen it.

[NSWCop]

Originally posted by PC August
Same language (more or less) different cultures, crazy sports. To me the AFL evokes images of Joe Namath, I assume League and Union are different versions of rugby(?), and I dunno what 'Grid-iron' is for you guys...here it's what we sometimes refer to a football field as.

As for soccer it's mostly ignored...some of the wealthy kids who live in the suburbs are rumored to play it, but that's just a rumor. No one's actually ever seen it.

:confused:

Oh Dear.

Well, you are indeed correct in thinking that League and Union are variations of Rugby. As Heaven and Hell are two sides of the same theological coin!!

In a nut shell, League is similar to American football in that there are a limited number of times a team can be tackled. In League this is six times, however there is no yardage limit as the 4/10 in American Football. This makes for a smoother flowing game than traditional Rugby Union, on which it is based.
(I am not even going to go into ARL & Superleague:mad: )
Rugby League, or just League as it is known, is governed by the National Rugby League, or, as I like to refer to it, the "Neanderthals = Rugby League".

Soccer is becoming increasingly popular as a junior sport in Australia,(the most popular ever), however, because the governing body, Soccer Australia, can't even decide what colour the sky is, it is not a popular adult game. All of our budding stars have to go to Europe or (if they are lucky Britain) to earn a living!

Grid-Iron is what we call American Football. We call it that cos, it would be stupid to call it American if it is being played in OZ?
It is enjoying an increasing popularity in OZ. In fact, when the Chargers and the 49'ers (I think) played an exhibition game in Sydney a few years ago they pulled a crowd of around 90,000!!
The League commentators couldn't believe the attendance figures and tried to poo-poo it!! (this also had a lot to do with the ARL/Superleague fiasco).

Now AFL, formerly known as Victorian League Football is based on Gaellic Football. Once confined to the dark recesses of that reclusive State, it enjoyed a brief upsurgence during the ARL/Superleague debacle, and has now gone national.
There are, to my knowledge, only 2 countries in the world who play this game, Australia and Ireland. Even then the rules have to be amended to suit both sides.
So, this is one of those quirky Aussie sports (like dwarf hurling) that, whilst enjoying a "cult" following, and being mildly entertaining, we don't really like to talk to strangers about!
:eek:

Rugby Union, or, simply, Rugby, IS the game they play in heaven. Just as the streets of Heaven are guarded by United States Marines (according to the song), you will also find them doing post at a Rugby game!! :D

Hope this has cleared some things up!!:D

[PC August]

All is clear, more or less, and good point about the Grid Iron/American football thing. I can see the potential confusion there.

Though I kind of expected to find St Peter on ice skates and holding a hockey stick when I got to Heaven...I guess time will solve that mystery. ;)

[Sleuth]

I need a good laugh, so tell me, is there a place on the net that has the ""rules"" for Austrailian Football? Or do they take up too much romm on a computer?

[NSWCop]

Try this for size:

Aussie Rules?? (http://afl.com.au/)

:D

Should get a good belly laugh out of it!!

Enjoy Sleuth!!

[Cockney Corner]

I will add that the US can hold its head up high in the rugby (by which of course I mean Union) world - the US team isn't half bad. Perhaps however some of the other users of the Forum can remind me who the current World Champions are. I seem to have forgotten.

[Sleuth]

Thanks NSW, It looks interesting - took me a while to find that the game has no rules, but does have "laws". Do they have 'courts' for the law breakers?

[Ex-plod]

well done Cockney, an excellent point brilliantly made!:p

[NSWCop]

Originally posted by Cockney Corner
Perhaps however some of the other users of the Forum can remind me who the current World Champions are. I seem to have forgotten.

Ha, bloody, Ha!!:mad:

You know very well that England are the current World Champions:mad:

Relying on the boot of Jonny Wilkinson, the Poms bluffed their way through the World Cup.

I watched the Test on Saturday night.

Australia 51

England 15

Guess who didn't play???:D

The World Cup was obviously a fluke result, and Australia has resumed it's place as the premier Rugby nation of the world!!!!!!

[NSWCop]

Originally posted by Sleuth
Thanks NSW, It looks interesting - took me a while to find that the game has no rules, but does have "laws". Do they have 'courts' for the law breakers?

;)

Yes. The disiplinary bodies of the AFL, and NRL are known as the "judiciary". They have the power to fine and ban players for varied offences. They can also fine and ban clubs for breaches.

A couple of years ago, the Canterbury-Bankstown "Bulldogs", an League team, were leading the NRL competition. It wa sfound they breached their salary cap, so the NRL judiciary handed them a huge monetary fine, and took away all their competition points.
This effectively dropped them from 1st to last place and cost them the Grand Final and Premiership.

So, they have a lot of power. Individual player being fined in the 1000's of $ is not unusual!!

And yes, they are like courts in that the Clubs and players can be represented by "civilian" lawyers! There are even appeal processes!!

[Sleuth]

All of these are JUST GAMES! Lawyers, courts, big fines. I understand national/local pride, but, these are not life or death issues. Watch the movie Mr. Baseball with Tom Selleck. These are a bunch of men being paid big $$ to play a game!

And, as long as I am ranting, how dare they call them ""heros""! WE (collectivly) face down killers, pull people from wrecks and out of burning buildings, and THEY get called HEROS! Stop, OK, just STOP.
[Think about that the next time you watch a bunch of grown men get paid lots and lots of money, for participating in a childs game, while you drive an ageing car and try to make ends meet!)

Edited to add: I include Baseball, Basketball, "gridiron" football, golf, and all other games.

Rant mode disconnected!

[PC August]

Agreed. No spoiled brat athlete will ever get called 'hero' by me or my kids.

[NSWCop]

Originally posted by Sleuth
All of these are JUST GAMES! Lawyers, courts, big fines. I understand national/local pride, but, these are not life or death issues. Watch the movie Mr. Baseball with Tom Selleck. These are a bunch of men being paid big $$ to play a game!

And, as long as I am ranting, how dare they call them ""heros""! WE (collectivly) face down killers, pull people from wrecks and out of burning buildings, and THEY get called HEROS! Stop, OK, just STOP.
[Think about that the next time you watch a bunch of grown men get paid lots and lots of money, for participating in a childs game, while you drive an ageing car and try to make ends meet!)

Edited to add: I include Baseball, Basketball, "gridiron" football, golf, and all other games.

Rant mode disconnected!


Amen Amen and Amen....

This is my problem with not only sports, but the bloody stupid commentators who have the vocabulary of a year 7 drop-out!!

I won't continue....I only have dial-up.....:mad: :mad: :mad:

[oscarmitre]

Australian Rules has been buggered - I mean - "corporatised". Speaking as a Croweater it is now impossible for me to get into the Hate Week mode necessary before the old interstate games and - *sob* - the Interstate Football Carnivals.

I don't give a rat's arse who the Crows or Power are playing, it has lost its tribal attraction for me. No I sate my need for footy at the SANFL and refuse to join the mob who have been sucked into pumping money into the AFL Corporate monster. McFootball indeed. :mad:

[Brushfire]

Originally posted by PC August

Though I kind of expected to find St Peter on ice skates and holding a hockey stick when I got to Heaven...I guess time will solve that mystery. ;)

YES! The St. Pete triple deek, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost-- Fakes the devil out of his pads and SCORES!!!! :D :D :D