Kenders' Musings

Feel free to add to this. It isn't completely developed yet.

I have a theory that a nations favorite sport reflects that nations general demeanor to an extent. Now there is one small exception to this rule. In England the favorite sport sems to be soccer, but that doesn't fit into the theory completely. Luckily the english have cricket.

Allow me to explain. I will start right here at home in the Good Ol' U.S. of A.

Once upon a time the biggest sport in the U.S. was baseball. It is still called the national pastime, but I think it is past time to change that designation to football. Back when baseball was the nations favorite game America fit that game to a tee. (No golf jokes here please) Back then American life moved slower. People were kinder to one another and we were a nation that would take the time to sit in a park for hours on end watching a gentlemanly game that really did reflect the country of the day. Baseball has a more relaxed attitude about it and the country did them too.

Now though it is football. Not that ever moving yet little scoring game that I will get to in a bit, but American football. American football reflects our country now. There is a time limit in football. How many of you are always facing deadlines at work huh? Football resembles war. You attack in the air and on the ground, attempting to get through your opponents territory to score. There are arcane rules that deal with situations in minutiae. The real world calls it "fine print". There are serious penalties for getting caught breaking the rules. (Martha Stewart) American football is a fast paced, violent game. But they get the job done. (scoring) A perfect reflection of America today.

Britain has cricket. Stodgy, boring, sometimes incomprehensible and occasionally puntuated by a quick burst of action. Now does that sound like the england we all know and love or what?

Several countries have as their most beloved sport the game we call soccer. They call if futbol, probably because they couldn't come up with a better name. After all saying "Let's go down and play Kick the ball for hours and score one point" is just a huge mouthful. Also you just need one little ball and a big open field. That is a great equipment list for a poor group of people. Almost anyone could afford that. And 3rd world countries being less built up than developed countries makes for lots of open spaces.

Soccer is fast paced. The ball is always moving. There is almost always alot of furious action on the field. It is a passionate gogogogogo all the time. That sounds like alot of 3rd world countries to me, especially in latin america. They talk fast and excitedly. Soccer also has the lowest scores I have ever seen in a game. 1-0...1-2...you get the picture. I think that illustrates alot of those countries perfectly. Lots of talk and action, but they rarely get anything done, in other words they don't get to the goal.

Australia has RUGBY!!!! American football without padding and looser rules. Those fuckin' Aussies are TOUGH!!!! Glad they're on our side.

France has........well france has.....uuummm...whining? Uuummmmm.....surrendering...no...they haven't actually done that in awhile, mostly because they haven't actually fought anyone in awhile, at least not alone they haven't. Hell, I don't know what france has for a national sport. Someone told me soccer. That may be. It would fit in with the whole "create alot of action, (bitch about America) while rarely scoring points, (face it, right thinking people don't like france)" thing that france has going on lately.

Give me your ideas on this. Who did I miss?