In Defense of World Cup Enjoyment: A Response to Dalrymple

http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=2561 ^ | William M. Briggs

[mattstat]

The much loved, and surely respected, Theodore Dalrymple does not like soccer. He says of soccer fans, “Try as I might to expunge the thought from my mind that this enthusiasm is a manifestation of human stupidity, I cannot.”

However, it appears Dalrymple’s dislike of soccer is nothing more than a disgust of his adopted homeland’s national team. Nine-tenths of his essay is given over to picking on the French; nowadays, an all too easy avocation. He reminds us of the French soccer team’s on-camera attitude toward the Marseillaise: “[They] refused to sing it or accord it any respect.” This is just as well. Do you even know the words of this catchy tune? Here’s the first verse and chorus:

Marseillaise

Come, children of the Fatherland. The day of glory has arrived! Against us, Tyranny’s Bloody banner is raised, Do you hear in the countryside Those ferocious soldiers roaring? They come up to your arms To slit the throats of your sons and wives!

To arms, citizens, Form your battalions, Let’s march, let’s march! May an impure blood Water our furrows!

Our National Anthem has a whiff of far off battle, of bombs bursting in air; at least there are no reports of shrapnel or casualties. But he French song is a detailed recipe for cooking up aristocratic sausage. Vive la Révolution! Let the heads of chemists be used as footballs.

But to return to soccer:

[flowerplough]

Enthusiastic soccer players remind me of nothing more than a little dog trying to mouth too big a ball, and the way the dog holds his open jaws sideways against the ball and joyfully rolls it all around the yard ‘til he’s exhausted.