[Marxism] Socialism and Football: A Personal Note

[<i.lagardien-alumni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Comrades and Friends

I have two points to make about the socialism and soccer/football post. The 
first is not quite serious, just an anecdote, the second may warrant a 
discussion, but this is, in general, just train of thought stuff.

First, I've listened to Jim Rome on the radio, here, in the USA a few times. 
Actually, I haven't heard his show in about three years, so...

During one show, about three years ago, he completely dismissed football, and 
received mucho support from callers when he referred to it as a "European 
socialist" sport. Among others he dissed women's basketball, and women's 
football etc. Regular sexist, male macho bull. With regard to basketball 
players from the US being traded to Toronto, he said "they would rather their 
children be educated in the US" ... callers agreed, and said that the "metric 
system was communist". 


Second, I love football, (and couach 7 - 9 year-olds) and enjoy the world cup 
finals, but... the symbols of national pride, patriotism, triumphalism and 
general hubris is a major let-down.  Ditto the Olympics. 

In a conversation with Greek friends last year, they laughed and were quite 
appalled when recalling how a Greek television commentator spoke of "the 
competitive Olympic spirit that ran in the blood" of one Greek athlete. They 
found it laughable in general, but saw the irony in the fact that the player in 
question had become a Greek citizen a couple of years previously - he had been 
a refugee from Albania. 

So, the question, apart from the confounding capitalist greed that surrounds 
these events, which is probably a bigger issue, how does one enjoy a football 
tournament and NOT get reeally upset at the petty patriotiam, nauseating 
nationalism etc..

One of the reasons I don't attend or even watch sport in the US is the national 
anthem thingy they play at sports evenst. Believe me, I am not even patriotic 
about South Africa - and I was part of the anti-apartheid movement, but in my 
journalism and activism.

Enough raving for the day... Onward Arsenal to the Champion's League Final. I 
would like to support Barca, but the racism in Spanish sport is too much!

Peace, solidarity.

Ismail
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