It's probably like that in most countries, and perhaps if I lived in France, the French might be similarly annoying about the subject. Mob mentality is kind of a human thing. But I live in England, so I'm singling them out because they're the ones I have to live with.
I am very suspicious about group jingoism about unimportant things anyway, like games or race or whatever. As a half German I have a duty to be! :D
It would be deeply impressive if people who called it the Beautiful Game did in fact feel passion for the beauty of the game, rather than the importance of victory above all else.
That said, my housemate Neil wants to have a "Germany party" in honour of the Germany-Argentina match next weekend, where everyone (including me) has to choose fake German names and he would cook sausages. Because the Argentinians are "cheating bastard" and he "would rather lose to Germany one thousand times than lose to Argentina once".
I don't know whether to be amused or disturbed by this amount of negative sentiment, but at least the desire for cheaters not to win is a far FAR nobler sentiment than naked jingoism. I can kind of get behind that.
Especially if sausages are involved...mmmmm.... :-('''''''
That was a loooong time ago (although I still don't approve of attacks of "cramp" in the extra three minutes, which is a sordid tactic and should be punished with a flurry of yellow and red cards) but, as Spike pointed out, Maradonna looks like the only coach to really be passionate about the game. He's very entertaining.
Its probably not just the Maradona thing, their first goal in the Mexico match was about 3 yards offside as well.
I think the British have very little to be proud of sport wise over the last 60 years, so we have to harp on about old victories, especially when its against the germans. My rose tinted glasses tell me that we always used to be better friends with Germany than France, and its a hangover from that, but people are too socially inept to keep it joshing.
Disagreements over Argentina are more likely to be vindictive, just because they are seen as having been stirring things up recently, and we are worried that if they win, they'll gloat in the same way we would have done...
I am very suspicious about group jingoism about unimportant things anyway, like games or race or whatever. As a half German I have a duty to be! :D
It would be deeply impressive if people who called it the Beautiful Game did in fact feel passion for the beauty of the game, rather than the importance of victory above all else.
That said, my housemate Neil wants to have a "Germany party" in honour of the Germany-Argentina match next weekend, where everyone (including me) has to choose fake German names and he would cook sausages. Because the Argentinians are "cheating bastard" and he "would rather lose to Germany one thousand times than lose to Argentina once".
I don't know whether to be amused or disturbed by this amount of negative sentiment, but at least the desire for cheaters not to win is a far FAR nobler sentiment than naked jingoism. I can kind of get behind that.
Especially if sausages are involved...mmmmm.... :-('''''''
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I think the British have very little to be proud of sport wise over the last 60 years, so we have to harp on about old victories, especially when its against the germans. My rose tinted glasses tell me that we always used to be better friends with Germany than France, and its a hangover from that, but people are too socially inept to keep it joshing.
Disagreements over Argentina are more likely to be vindictive, just because they are seen as having been stirring things up recently, and we are worried that if they win, they'll gloat in the same way we would have done...
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