[Closed] World cup. It's finally here!!!!

Grow up, its only a few games of football.

I hardly think it compares to Christmas.

Yeah it's only a game!......

Loads better than Christmas. Christmas is over by tea time, we have weeks of the world cup. Can't wait.

Woke up like a kid on Christmas morning

Exactly how I feel about the latest Big Brother programme..

Come on Bafana Bafana!!!

Seriously, even if we got into the final I wouldn't watch the game. I'd be happy for everyone else but even happier not to be watching a game of football that everyone was making such a spectacle of.

I am exactly as excited by the world cup as I am about big brother.

....and like Christmas i will be about a stone heavier afterwards.

Can someone explain to me why, if they hate football so much, they feel the need to make endless posts about how they hate it to the degree they do?

If I have an intense dislike for something I just ignore it.

Can someone explain to me why, if they hate football so much, they feel the need to make endless posts about how they hate it to the degree they do?

It's a bit like vegetarians and people with no TVs, they're probably yoghourt weaving Guardian readers too.

So basically, it's just folk trying to come across as a little bit edgy and failing horribly.

Can someone explain to me why, if they hate football so much, they feel the need to make endless posts about how they hate it to the degree they do?

I can explain that for you. It's because they hate football so much.

Not seeing any hate on this thread yet though, just some people professing indifference to something in the time-honoured STW way by posting about it.

And if you don't understand how wrong the haters are just wait till an open-top bus parade in London takes place (will thee be such if England beat USofA?).
It's finally upon us, time to buy some beer, crisps, BBQ chicken, send the other half with kids away to her mummy, move the sofa so it's in front of the altar, sorry - TV, crank up the sound and enjoy!

I'm with you wrightyson, it's gonna be a great 4 weeks, but I'm keeping my head down after yesterday!

😯

Which supermarkets sell those trumpet things - I feel I need a few for tomorrow night!

INGERLAND!... INGERLAND!... INGERLAND!, INGERLAND! - NAH! NAH!

I don't hate football at all, played it all my twenties in various leagues in the north east, support Newcastle, and have loved other world cups, but for some reason this one isn't doing it for me. I think its the british media, I hate the jingoistic crap they spout. Hopefully I'll get into it, but at the moment there's only one sporting event on my radar.

vive le tour!!!

I'm off to buy a paper right now and buy into some more of that media frenzy. Love it, love the whole country coming together. Bar the idiots, football really does unite the world! However our neighbous may disagree with that sweeping statement after Saturday night!

What happened yesterday SA 10?

Well Ill pitch in with the first I hate football post. I just dont get it. Its like standing watching a large proportion of society descend into some kind of psychosis.

The thing that really gets me is the fact that if you dont like it, you are generally regarded as some kind of social leper! Everywhere you go, its "oh your from Glasgow, what team do you support then?" "Ah, Im not really a football man mate" Conversation ended.

And thats before you even start with all of the ritual, my town is better than your town bollox! And all this sh*t about how it brings the world together. What a load of crap, it causes more social issues than anything else I know! Jumped up little muppets with the intellectual capacity of a gnat, who because they can kick a bit of dead cow in the right direction, get Ferraris and mansions thrown at them, unbelievable. Then there is the whole bling thing, and the wags, and a whole generation of equally mentally challenged muppets who idolise the football crew and their wag, and decide that they need some of the bling at any cost. Cue credit crisis.

But hey, at least the trails will be quieter this summer! 😀

Sorry, but it winds me up so much when people use the whole "footballers are stupid" line. So what? are they paid to be clever? are scientists paid to be great at football? And yeah they earn millions of pounds, should they say "actually mister chairman, I don't need all that money, why don't you keep it instead?" If someone paid you vast amounts of money for something you loved doing, you'd take it, wouldn't you?

Footballers cant be that stupid if they manage to make many millions for playing a game.

I had a big poo this morning to celebrate.

Its just a totally unsustainable amount they get paid, and the clubs going bust are proof of that. And because they are "football clubs", they are allowed to run up massive debts, which ultimately will cost everyone in the end. And because they are football clubs, the finance industry allows it. Again reinforcing my mass psychosis theory! It would be great if every struggling business was allowed limitless finance whilst the directors were all alllowed to take limitless salaries, but in the real world people have to be realistic. Im not closed to the fact that someone could educate me as to the how the whole thing works, Ive just never managed to be persuaded that there is anything good about football at all. I can see the benefit of guys playing footie for a laugh or five a sides to keep fit, but the whole club football thing escapes me.

SUPERB!!!!!!

I don't mind it as I can turn the TV off. I do despise the desire to spend money on badly-made tat from China so dull people can 'decorate' their houses and cars with ENGLAND flags. That I can't turn off.

Perhaps the conversation ended coz you're a miserable ****er? Just a thought. 😉

I think the paid millions thing is very funny. Without football these guys wouldn't be able to hold down a job stacking shelves and yet here they are bankrupting their clubs[1] with the completely offensive wages they get paid.
The top guys earn more in a week than most of us do in a year, where does this money come from? Johnny poor guy who sacrifices everything so he can get his coaldust stained hands on a 2 grand season ticket.
Then what happens? Johnny idolises the guys who are bankrupting him.

It'd be hilarious if it wasn't so sad.

[1][url] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2301797/Deloitte-football-finance-review-Club-by-club-Premier-League-analysis.html [/url]

Well, I suppose its arrival is a good thing, as that means we're a step closer to it being over.

And regarding the 'turning the TV off', if only it was that easy. You can't get away from it - you're a freak at the water cooler for not liking it, every form of media is spouting it, misguided friends stop riding their bikes, and drunken football fans coming home singing at 2am wake you up. It's even on cycling forums.

If I was dictator, I'd ban everything I don't like. Then the world would be a better place.*

*For me, apart from the fact I couldn't go on the street without a lynching.....

LOL Wrightson, you may have a point! 😀

Totally agree Samuri it is pretty sad. I know guys like you say that seem to give up everything to get a season ticket, even to the neglect of their families, and you cant help but think that it has something to do with an early learned need to belong to some kind of group. I think its that element of it all that makes me feel uneasy about it all.

For the record i hate football. People drink too much, pretend to support England once every 4 years, have crap little flags to display their selective patriotism and the TV listings get re-arranged! Not to worry though because as soon as England are out (very soon i'm sure) then it'll suddenly become "World Cup?...what World Cup?!!!

scottyjohn - Member

Its just a totally unsustainable amount they get paid, and the clubs going bust are proof of that. And because they are "football clubs", they are allowed to run up massive debts, which ultimately will cost everyone in the end. And because they are football clubs, the finance industry allows it. Again reinforcing my mass psychosis theory! It would be great if every struggling business was allowed limitless finance whilst the directors were all alllowed to take limitless salaries, but in the real world people have to be realistic. Im not closed to the fact that someone could educate me as to the how the whole thing works, Ive just never managed to be persuaded that there is anything good about football at all. I can see the benefit of guys playing footie for a laugh or five a sides to keep fit, but the whole club football thing escapes me.

What is the difference with a movie star getting paid £20M for a film, or the Rolling stones getting paid to perform at a festival, Lance Armstrong or Steve Peat getting paid to give a talk at an evening dinner? They are entertainers and they get paid to entertain.

As I said in the op, to all the haters, on yer bikes. Give you all something to do whilst we all socialise and generally have a good old knees up with our mates.

You have to wait four years to socialise. No wonder fans are getting excited 🙂

Yep the world cup will be over soon enough - and then in France millions will line the streets to wave flags and cheer as a load of overpaid drug cheats riding push bikes wizz by!

😉

🙂

wrightyson - I started a thread to ask why English people seemed to be so "unpatriotic". It was a bit like bonfire night after that 😯

I have no interest in football at all - have watched a few games and just find it really dull unless it goes to a penalty shootout!

However I love the world cup because I can guarantee the times when the roads and the trails will be very quiet.

I'm a "glass half full" type of person.
😆

[i]What is the difference with a movie star getting paid £20M for a film, or the Rolling stones getting paid to perform at a festival, Lance Armstrong or Steve Peat getting paid to give a talk at an evening dinner? They are entertainers and they get paid to entertain. [/i]

I agree, I fail to understand why movie stars and singers get paid huge amounts either. All that money is coming from us.

the big question is should i watch spain play honduras before i go out for a midsummer ride?

or ride for longer and watch the highlights afterwards

I agree, I fail to understand why movie stars and singers get paid huge amounts either. All that money is coming from us.

Stop buying Nike shoes, trek bikes, CDs and going to the pictures and they'll soon start earning less! simply really!

Yup, I am excited too. Not a huge football follower, but it is the WORLD CUP!!!!!

[url= http://www.marca.com/deporte/futbol/mundial/sudafrica-2010/calendario-english.html ]Clicky for a usefull interactive WC schedule thinghy...[/url]

I wore a [s]motherland[/s] err, France shirt all day yesterday and no one said anything. 😕

Alas I am at work this evening so no pastis or football related attire, although my poor (mostly English) colleagues will have to suffer my misty-eyed memories of past non-cheating France moments of brilliance, and very badly rendered terrace chants.

South Africa 2010:
wrightyson - I started a thread to ask why English people seemed to be so "unpatriotic". It was a bit like bonfire night after that

No it was not.

the-muffin-man, are you after one of these? It is called a vuvuzela.
Everyone I have spoken to back home has had enough of them and the WC has not even started yet. 🙂

[IMG] [/IMG]

[i]Stop buying Nike shoes, trek bikes, CDs and going to the pictures and they'll soon start earning less! simply really! [/i]

Works for me.

God almighty, can all of the 'haterz' please just **** off!!

Being an Englishman with close ties to South Africa (currently wearing my United 4 Bafana Bafana wristband 🙂 ) I am very excited about the whole thing.

I will be supporting (in order of preference):

1. England
2. South Africa
3. Holland ( I've been to Holland several times, including an upcoming bike tour, and they play good football, plus van Persie is ace)
4. Portugal (coz I stand to win money from the Sure deodorant company as thats the team i got when i bought a promotional can, this goes against my intense dis-like for that showy winker, but hey money's money)

Wooohooooooooooo!!!! Another mindlessly excited person here. And I'm a Man Yoo fan. And we're apparently not meant to do England supporting 😉

I'm sorry but if you're not having a barby tomorrow so you're stuffed full of charred meat and fizzy lager in time to get seriously giddy for kick off, then there's something wrong with you IMHO

I am right-royally looking forward to the next four weeks. I have no more to add.

Beautiful. Last coupla posts are what it's all about.
Lagertastic!!!!

the-muffin-man, are you after one of these? It is called a vuvuzela.

That's the one (probably not quite that big though!) - could sort of remember the name of them but had no idea how go about spelling it!!

I have no more to add.

I also have a pass-out for tomorrow night and, as I have to get my little girls to bed so I will be rushing, all my mates are getting a taxi to MY local so we can sit together and cheer on England over a beer. Then we are going into town for a curry.

Seriously - I have butterflies in my stomach right now. **** off Christmas, Santa would have to get me some serious gifts to better how I feel right now.

I, on the other hand, couldn't give a flying **** 😉 😆

I'm with the lovers. Italia 90 coincided exactly with the 4 weeks in between finishing the last of my finals at Uni and graduation (the day of the Final), and was the best 4 weeks of my life, ever.

And i can't put my finger on it, but I've been getting the same excitement building for this one.

Only issue is that my 2 traditional football watching mates are already off to SA to see the group games live. Any bike riding / football loving folks in the Guildford area fancy a 'quiet' pint and a watch tomorrow night?

I, on the other hand, couldn't give a flying ****

I'm with the lovers. Italia 90 coincided exactly with the 4 weeks in between finishing the last of my finals at Uni and graduation (the day of the Final), and was the best 4 weeks of my life, ever.

When we got to Germany two days later we expected to see a nation celebrating. How wrong were we? Miserable ****ers.

Lol@MF!

they're probably yoghourt weaving Guardian readers too

You know, the Guardian are actually really into football.

But in any case, I am seriously excited about it. I get excited about any big international sporting event - Olympics, Winter Olympics, anything. I just love the atmosphere, watching two teams I care nothing about slog it out with all the passion and fervour they can muster.. the true pinnacle of the heart of sport. Love it.

Course I don't ski, sprint, curl, fence, box, play football, rugby, or cricket or any of the rest of it, but I still love it.

Vive la sport!

Supporting:

1) England
2) USA (through marriage)
3) RSA

BTW jonv, for 2002 I was off work, so my days were: get up, get coffee, watch football til afternoon, then ride in the sunshine. That was one of the best times of my life!

My brother was made redundant earlier in the year and he has delayed looking for a job so he can watch the whole tournament. Fortunately he is financially secure so he didn't need to find anything straight away.

I was footie mad all the way through school, college and uni, but lost interest when I gave up playing. I'll still watch some matches on telly if I'm in the house, but probably won't go out of my way to be near a TV for any of the games though.

Nevertheless, looking forward to seeing whatever games I can see and I will almost definitely watch the final regardless of who is in it.

Argentina 1978 and Italia 90 were the best tournaments - magic atmospheres and the game was purer, less cynical, less commercial back then.

Btw I do not follow domestic football, but love the world cup. Is this wrong?

come on the winners!

**** off Christmas, Santa would have to get me some serious gifts to better how I feel right now.
Pisser ha ha.

 

@molgrips. Not a single problem with that, I follow (ahem) derby but that's about it, dont care who's in European games, I support them all, including gers and Celtic. But when it comes to England I follow with a passion, house move scuppered any chances of going out there. When people ask who I support I just generally say the England team, have done since listening to the 90 semi final on a radio whilst washing pots in the local bistro! I still regret taking that job!!

headfirst - Member

God almighty, can all of the 'haterz' please just * off!!

How about all the 'supporters' and 'fans' * off to a football forum?

Just another option to be considered here, on a mountain biking forum. 😕

Just another option to be considered here, on a mountain biking forum

What we need is for the forum owners to divide the forum in two, one for the bike posts, and another for the rest. That would be great!

[edit] mogrim beat me to it. I think the thread title is fairly obvious. I know my wife who also frequents this forum just won't bother reading it.

Not long now!!
[IMG] [/IMG]

Cheer up you miserable old bugger. We only get to do this every four years. Get involved. You never know. You might enjoy it 🙂

I'm sorry I thought this was the chat forum, for things not related to bikes, such as politics, stuff people know nothing about but like to comment on and even football you ejits! I'm sure the one titled bike forum might cover that area! Oh and if you don't like it don't read it, coz I can assure you over the next 4 weeks there's gonna be a whole lot more like this. So shut up, go away and read about headsets or tyres xx

What we need is for the forum owners to divide the forum in two, one for the bike posts, and another for the rest. That would be great!

Just saw on SA news that Madiba won't be at the opening ceromony & match as previously planned - his greta garand daughter was killed in a car crash late last night/early this morning 🙁

All the haters are in the proper place, they are mountain biking lovers.

Can all the football fans please bugger off to a football forum?

I suspect the answer is no.......

No

We'll have no talk of other things around here.

Even if it is in the 'chat' forum.

Waderider - Member
Can all the football fans please bugger off to a football forum?

As long as all the sad losers promise to stop posting about their disasterous lives, impending joblessness, borked relationships, busted cars, and million pound watches 😉

I'm sorry but if you're not having a barby tomorrow so you're stuffed full of charred meat and fizzy lager in time to get seriously giddy for kick off, then there's something wrong with you IMHO

I'll be doing 105 miles on the bike instead. so I'll probably be giddy before kick off as well...

Having a few problems getting into this world cup thanks to that Thierry Henry chappy and his ****ing left hand!

Off to France at the weekend and taking my Ireland cycling top to shove in there embarrassed faces...........

I can still remember my first world cup in 1970 with the legendary Brazil team really well. Didn't see many foreign players back then, or games on tv, so a real revelation to see Pele and co play the beautiful game.

I am a football fan, although I don't follow a domestic team as there are no premiership teams near me and I'd much rather be out on my bike at the weekend (even in the winter!) than watching a game live. However, I cannot wait for the world cup to start, I'm finishing early today to catch as much of SA v Mexico as possible. I don't expect the haters to understand why, can't really explain it myself really. I have a table in the pub booked with a bunch of mates tomorrow and, best of all, I just found out we've got table service so no queueing at the bar missing the action, bring it on!!

Just consider for a moment the temporary insanity that is religion and vitriol that gets poured onto that subject on this forum and you'll have an insight into why I hate football so much.

ScottyJohn had it terribly right when he referred to the whole 'mass psychosis'.

Football is basically second only to religion in terms of tribalism IMO. I can perfectly understand the need for people to feel 'affiliation' and of course I need it myself. I think the problem comes when that affiliation turns into something more repugnant like the vain, shallow, vaccuous culture that surrounds football. It's very difficult to hate the game itself, after all it's just a game. I suspect what people hate is the culture that accompanies it.

bring it on.
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