Vuvuzelas stir online debate at World Cup

*walks into room.

Eh, woah, sorry, I didn't realise you were generalising in here!!

I'm so sorry, really!

*shields eyes, runs out

[edit on 13-6-2010 by J.Clear]

I think it all comes down to familiarity, if you have grown up watching a sport and it becomes a part of your household culture then it is easier to understand and love. I think most Americans just haven't had so much access to soccer, it only became somewhet prevalent within the last two decades.

And to make it clear, most Americans do not much care for baseball and we know it is boring. It just happens to be the national passtime for whatever reason, so it wont likely go anywhere. Much like soccer it is easier to enjoy live and in person.

As far as the person before talking about American fans not being alive and involved in their sports, I dont know what sport you are watching or where you go to games, but Americans are some of the most insanely fanatical sports fans in the world. Keep in mind when you see a professional sports game being played, a lot of the fans in the lower expensive seats are only there for show. Most are business men who dont know their arse from a hole in the ground.

Go to an NFL playoff game or any college football rivalry game, it is beyond chaotic. Same for basketball, depending what area of the country you are in. Here in North Carolina basketball comes before everything, it is a religion.

Hockey, most Americans havent really jumped on that wagon yet either, but personally I love it. Cant imagine how anyone could get bored watching hockey.

Personally I can't stand golf, NASCAR (not a sport), tennis. It's not that I don't like soccer, and it isnt that I demand constant scoring or action. I can appreciate the art of good defense and some of the best games IMO are low scoring and hard fought. Im not sure why Americans havent latched on to the sport by and large. To be honest, it probably has to do with the culture at the high school level.

Here in the states if a kid is very talented athletically he usually plays football in high school, it is what is most popular, it gets the girls, and it is seen as a more masculine and physical sport.

Soccer, and keep in mind Im not agreeing or saying it is right, but the kids who typically play soccer are the ones who arent so gifted physically, and in many cases too frail or fearful to play football. So in turn, even though you and I know it is very physical and demanding, the sport is viewed as weak and unimportant.

I could have never played soccer because it takes serious cardio to run that much and I respect the abilities of those who play. Im going to give it another look today and see how things go. If nothing else at least I can learn more about a passtime that I havent had the chance to experience and enjoy something different.

Cheers.

Ha, ha - all these comments are amusing.
To us that vuvuzela noise has been around not only football, but recently, increasingly, rugby too for a while. Cricket may be spared (for now).
The vuvuzelas were around football in the 1980s, but they were made of metal (or tin, as the above Wikipedia pieces explain), and they were blown occasionally.
The irritation to the sound however seems to decrease with exposure, and now one hardly notices it.
If you think the stadiums are bad, think of us poor South Africans - it's blown in shopping malls, out of car windows, at traffic lights, public transport, people's houses and in the street at 5 am.

As a conspiracist I was reminded at times of the buzzing of bees, and the Merovingian bloodline and how they raise energy with specific events. The beehive is a supposed symbol of that bloodline, which alledgedly also planted the Mormon religion (the insignia of Utah is the beehive). Even the colors the SA sheeple currently wear is akin to yellow and bees.

More realistically: There was much paranoia about TB germs being blown into the air with vuvuzelas (The TB my friend, is blowin' in the wind). However, doctors assured us that nobody with TB had the lung capacity to blow one.

Whatever its history, its deeply embedded in culture now, and I doubt it can be banned. It's better than thousands of djembe drums, and in many ways a lesser evil.
It's probably a great way to release pressure and rids people of negative energy. Well, people here are having a great time.

[edit on 13-6-2010 by halfoldman]

reply to post by BlackOps719


Well i've seen a lot of sport events in the USA, be it on TV or live.
I was more than once in the United States. I went for example to the Joe Louis Arena (Detroit Red Wings), St. Petes Time Forum (Tampa Bay Lightning), so Hockey and the Crowd was boring. I watch a lot of NHL Games also on TV and basically the only Fans who are really outgoing are seen at Montreal Canadiens games (and they use traditional football chants )
I also watch American Football, been to the Raymond James Stadium (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and while the stadium is kick-ass, the crowd was boring. I also watched Super Browl and somehow the Fans went crazy at the Half-Time Show, everything else was rather uninteresting.
And i saw a MLS Game, New York Red Bulls vs Kansas City Wizards at the Giants Stadium, it was nothing special from the atmosphere and the fans.

And i think you'll find the most crazy and wild crowd in either south america (Brazil, Argentina especially) or southern europe, Italy for example. Americans? Only at Pro-Wrestling Events (Really, the best american crowd i ever saw was at a Ring of Honor Show i had the chance to visit, they were awesome and wild)

And to be honest i think it's a bit sad that americans aren't that much interested in Football. I mean, the USA have a long way behind them, they developed from a crap team (World Cup 1990) to a really good team who can hold their own against the best teams, like at the World Cup 2002 were they even defeated Portugal and then played pretty good against Germany in the Quarter-finals. I would be excited for such a team (even though they played really bad at the World Cup 2006)

reply to post by BlackOps719

So yesterday USA vs England I had some friends over, cooked some food on the grille, popped a few cold ones - hot d**n we are gonna watch the World Cup and see what all of the fuss is about!

By the end of the first half, two people were fast asleep in front of the tv snoring like mad, two others were outside playing with the dog having lost interest, and I forced myself to spend 90 minutes watching what I could term as one of the most mind numbingly boring events I have ever witnessed.

Like watching snails fornicate.

You know...I enjoy watching the world cup...but I'm not a big soccer fan otherwise. I like the event...like the olympics...I usually wouldn't watch track and field...but in the olympics I will. I find the idea of a "world" tournament fascinating...I wish more sports would have a true "world" tournament like this. I like the exchanging of pennants at the beginning of the match and the trading of jerseys at the end....it is a fun event.

But soccer in general...I'm with ya...blah.

It didn't help that the USA vs England match had the world's most boring British announcers...OMG...we changed the channel over to telemundo and watched/listened to it in spanish...I didn't understand a bit of what they were saying...but a totally different experience. There was excitement in their announcing...which in turn made the match much more exciting to watch.

I have no idea why ABC/ESPN decided to have these boring british tarts announce the game...I've heard more exciting announcers at a spelling bee...even after a goal...NOTHING...it was torture. Maybe by the end of the world cup I will learn some spanish...since that is what I'm going to be watching it in from now on.

Tbh, I don't even notice the horns much any more, it's just background noise.

At the end of the day, it's an African World Cup and this is how African crowds choose to watch football and if it was that annoying in the stadium then obviously people wouldn't do it. The TV viewers will just have to deal with it, if you don't like it then go and watch tennis or something.

well the disinterest in soccer is far from 'feigned' thats for sure.

soccer here is a kids game, for the most part. they play it until they are big enough to start taking/dishing out hits in (american) football. All the top athletes either start playing football, or basketball if they are tall enough. That is why america is no good at soccer, our best athletes are not raised to play it. The ones who can't compete in those other sports use it as a fallback (meaning no offense, and there are exceptions)



pigskin football, by far and away, america's favorite sport. it is much more a game of strategy then just lineing up large men and crashing into each other, and i find it to be the best sport in the world. as far as not being able to defend and attack, sure they can. but its so specialized that noone is going to be in the top 30 players in the world at more than one particular thing. you would be at a disadvantage and lose every game if you put the best QB in the world at safety. we want the best safety back there defending, not some guy who sucks there but is awesome when we get the ball back.

baseball though, its a game you really have to be into and understand every aspect of the game. if you watch a game and have no idea if the pitcher just threw a changeup/curveball/slider/fasteball whatever, then you aren't quite there. also the way the sport is run alienates half the teams at the expense of the large cities like new york, boston, chicago, los angeles.

as far as the guy who went to a lightning and buccaneers game, yeah..you have probably the worst 2 fanbases in those particular sports. If you happened to be in Pittsburgh instead of Tampa, and went to those same sports, you would have an entirely different perspective..Steeler fans are scary.

I wonder if the U.S ever thought of using Vuvuzelas to torture folks at Guantanamo? Would've worked a treat I'm sure...

It took me ages to get to sleep last night because all I could hear in my head was that drone...incredibly irritating, and they must be banned immediately!!!

Am I the only one that thinks the games are subdued because the players can't relax into the game as they can't think straight let alone hear each other? That drone, over and over again is just awful. In the opening game (S. Africa vs. Mexico) I don't even think it let up when S.A scored! I don't care what anyone says, that's not "atmosphere". There's no sense of the tension and anticipation of the support, and that's something that helps make a brilliant game.

Just to illustrate that point, listen to the crowd here*...




There's a lull, you feel the anticipation, then an outpouring of unrestricted joy. We haven't had that at this world cup so far. Even when England scored all you could barely hear their fans over the Vuvuzelas.

They simultaneously suck AND blow. Get them gone...now!


*Sorry 'Gers fans, it was the first thing I could think of as an example, but gerritriteupye anyway (just jestin').

___________________________________________________________

Originally posted by stumason

Just saving you from any rampaging Scotsmen that might be about today.

Thanks for saving me the bother!

___________________________________________________________

Originally posted by neformore

Me, I hate the fact that the england band plays "the great escape" constantly throughout England games.

Me too!

And not just because I'm a Scot. It just sounds so...lacklustre. Maybe it's just because I'm watching on TV but that's what I think. I'd rather they put those trumpets to good use and played some improvised jazz in time with the pace of the game!

It's surely got to be better than "parp parp...parp paaarp pa-parp parp..." ad nauseum....

Ok...I have to step in here and explain to all you non-Americans a thing or two

First of all...you should thank your lucky stars that we aren't interested in soccer...even with our very limited interest...Americans are starting to compete toe to toe with "soccer fanatic" countries.

The reason America is not dominating soccer (as we do almost every other sport...ahem....how are those Olympic medal counts???) Is because NO ONE CARES...and our best athletes choose REAL sports to compete in...not soccer.

Here is the reality in America...the kids that play soccer are the ones that can't cut it in other sports. If you are too much of a sissy to play football, not coordinated enough to play basketball, and if you can't even cut it in baseball...you play soccer. Soccer players are made fun of in America.

And someone talking about the "no contact" in American sports like basketball... ...yes Hockey and Football has so little contact in it. At least our players don't fall down and cry to try to get a foul. Honestly...that is probably the thing I hate worst about soccer...a bunch of sissies crying that they got knocked down trying to get a foul. Man up...take the hit and keep playing...if you need a foul to score than maybe you aren't that good. Bunch of little girls...actually that is an insult to girls...calling a girl a soccer player would be more of an insult.

And as for it being "action packed"...please...give me a break. Yes...they do a lot of running...so do marathon runners...but it still isn't exciting. LIke it or not...it is a boring sport played by sub-par sissy athletes.


The world cup should be enough soccer for anyone for four years...and I think that is why they only have the tournament every four years...so people forget how damn boring it is.

well this guy has an interesting view
also a solar eclipse on final day ..


[edit on 6/13/2010 by dashar]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/adf15225ad14.jpg[/atsimg]

What more is there to say!!

As for it being racist, for God's sake get a life!!!

I really hate them, it ruin the atmosphere.

Originally posted by OutKast Searcher

And as for it being "action packed"...please...give me a break. Yes...they do a lot of running...so do marathon runners...but it still isn't exciting. LIke it or not...it is a boring sport played by sub-par sissy athletes.

Typically Amurrican attitude that. If it doesn't involve violence, pain or homo-eroticism then it's just no good.

You'll find that 99% of fans hate to see players rolling about in "agony" in order to win a foul, even when it benefits their own team. That's something that's crept in to the game over the years as it becomes less of a sport and more of a big-money business. The fans don't like it, but there's not much we can do about it.

Football (by which I mean exactly that, the game where you spend 99% of the time kicking the ball with your foot) is not just a game of extreme endurance, it is also a game of extreme skill, where the deftest touch can make all the difference. It is known as "the beautiful game" for a reason. It's okay with the rest of us if most of you yanks don't like it, we aren't losing any sleep over it.

There is indeed a cultural reason for it not taking off in a big way in the U.S. It's because of that entrenched attitude of "might is right" you all have. This is the world of 2010 AD, not the Sparta of 500 BC. It doesn't have to be about who's the toughest anymore. Maybe the U.S needs to grow up a bit and stop behaving like an arrogant attention-seeking brat in the planet's school playground.

Anyway, if you took a worldwide vote on which is the best sport I don't think ice hockey, basketball, baseball or American "football" would be anywhere near winning it.

Billions of (real) football fans can't be wrong...

England's tears and drunken rage makes me happy when they tied with the U.S. The british were convulsing with sadness on the floor. They pulled their hair out in agony. They were defeated once again and their pubs were filled with the screams of the terrified.

Originally posted by OutKast Searcher
Ok...I have to step in here and explain to all you non-Americans a thing or two

First of all...you should thank your lucky stars that we aren't interested in soccer...

The reason America is not dominating soccer (as we do almost every other sport...ahem....how are those Olympic medal counts???) Is because NO ONE CARES...and our best athletes choose REAL sports to compete in...not soccer.

Football (soccer) is the most played Sport in America.

You just have your own sports that nobody else plays.... they're slow and boring and about as exciting as a game of chess.

Granted, Basketball and Hockey are pretty action-packed sports.... but B-ball is just a variation of netball.... and Ice-hockey I'll let you have.
All other sports are sports nobody else in the world plays, and they don't play them because they suck.

I find the idea of a "world" tournament fascinating...I wish more sports would have a true "world" tournament like this.

Well funnily enough the rest of the world actually has these types of tournaments... and they're truly "world" events and tournaments... unlike your "World series" which only has 2 countries involved.

Football is THE biggest sport on the planet, It's like mathematics..... it's a universal language and was even played between English and German troops on Christmas day in the first world war man.

Football is THE sport.... believe me, the entire world knows it, you guys will catch up one day... I'm sure of it.

Also as for it being the "soft" kids who play football over there? Yeah right... as opposed to the big tough guys who have to wear pads to play a crap, slow, bastardised version of Rugby?

Our tv channels are already filtering the vuvuzela with respect for the commentary. In case of a goal the stadium volume goes up..Still its sucks, i would love to hear the songs especially those provoking the opponent[and in their own language]..
If we score against Germany the winning goal in the semi or final i want to hear our supporters scream.."Schade Deutschland alles ist vorbei!, alles ist vorbei, alles ist vorbei!" thank kind of stuff




[edit on 13-6-2010 by Foppezao]

Originally posted by sotp



There is indeed a cultural reason for it not taking off in a big way in the U.S. It's because of that entrenched attitude of "might is right" you all have. This is the world of 2010 AD, not the Sparta of 500 BC. It doesn't have to be about who's the toughest anymore. Maybe the U.S needs to grow up a bit and stop behaving like an arrogant attention-seeking brat in the planet's school playground.

which is why MMA is growing so fast in the US, but south america, asia, europe all can't stand it..

oh wait..

reply to post by Conspiracy Pianist


Hai OP I think this pictures is applicable to this thread..it made me laugh and think about this thread

The US likes american football, baseball and basketball, most other places like football, some others like golf or rugby or cricket, who cares really?

These discussions don't always have to degenerate into a 'my way is better than yours' competition. There are plenty of different sports for everyone and what one country likes isn't gonna be the same as another.

Plenty of US citizens care about the world cup and there's room for them in the global football family. Equally, those US citizens that aren't too keen on it have their sports they can enjoy in their country. We've had NBA and NFL games staged here in the UK which were very well attended so I think a little diversity is good for all.

Lets not start a pissing contest over something so trivial.



[edit on 13-6-2010 by Chris McGee]

reply to post by Crimson_King


Haha! that was exactly how I experienced it!

Damn swarm of bees coming from all corners in my livingroom!

Ban the crap!