I guess this was entirely predictable: any event or activity where the US does not dominate is dismissed in Washington neoconservative circles as "subhuman". And so the neoconservative Weekly Standard dismisses the beautiful game as a sport better suited to donkeys than human beings:
Actually, the donkey would have a significant advantage over humans in soccer. It has four legs rather than two. The donkey has no hands or opposable thumbs, nor any need of them in order to play soccer. And smashing its head into a soccer ball probably would not cause any diminution of equine IQ. Soccer, then, would appear to be a game better suited to dim-witted quadrupeds than to human beings.
But what really makes the neocons froth at the mouth in anger is the success of the European teams. That alone proves the utter worthlessness - or nothingness - of soccer:
Soccer is the perfect game for the post-modern world. It's the quintessential expression of the nihilism that prevails in many cultures, which doubtlessly accounts for its wild popularity in Europe. Soccer is truly Seinfeldesque, a game about nothing, sport as sensation.
So if the Germans - or, God forbid, the French - prevail, watch for paroxysms of scorn to erupt in Washington among the right-wing media types.
Meanwhile Extrablog highlights some of the anti-German semtiments expressed by some right-wing American bloggers.
What does a Neocon have to do with Soccer?
Is the connection based on some type of fact, or just fear.
You say,
"Soccer is the perfect game for the post-modern world. It's the quintessential expression of the nihilism that prevails in many cultures, which doubtlessly accounts for its wild popularity in Europe. Soccer is truly Seinfeldesque, a game about nothing, sport as sensation."
Either I am a stupid redneck or just an evil Neocon, but I don't have a clue what you are trying to say.
The truth is, Soccer in Europe at this moment IS about everything. It is more than just a sensation, and it is about much more than nothing. Americans will not understand Soccer, and Europeans will not understand Baseball until these sports become mainstream in their respective countries. There is nothing political about it. Nothing Neocon or Liberal about either sports.
Don't think so much about it. Just play, watch and enjoy. It took me over 10 years of watching my kids play Soccer before I finally really understood the game and now have respect for it. I am even interested in the World Cup and hope Germany wins. (But not France. And not for political reasons either.)
Of course, I still love Baseball too. So maybe I am now a sophisticated hick, NeoCon.
It is not political. It is sport.
Posted by: wc | June 29, 2006 at 09:24 AM
@wc: actually I think this was a quote of the weekly standard, not DI's words. But I'm with you. It should be all about sports, not about politics.
OT: I moved over to http://word2go.blogsome.com
and would be glad if you could update the link (and for a visit from time to time:))
Posted by: Jochen | June 29, 2006 at 11:33 AM
Welcome back, Jochen. I will certainly change the link!
Posted by: David | June 29, 2006 at 05:01 PM
You're wrong. There won't be paroxysms of rage if Germany or France win. Americans don't care about soccer or the World Cup enough to bother to get angry about it. Even the evil neo-cons won't get angry.
I'm pretty sure, the author bringing up donkey's playing soccer was satire. You known, humor.
Americans have played donkey basketball for decades. Check out http://www.donkeyball.net/ for pics of Donkey Basketball.
Does that mean Americans (or Neo-cons) hate basketball?
Posted by: Jabba the Tutt | July 02, 2006 at 12:32 PM