An examination of public and cross cultural discourse through the analysis of football as reflective of ideological/religious/cultural belief and behaviour.
Hereafter ‘The Ball’ represents- the specific idea, issue, argument, knowledge claim or proposition under discussion or in contention.
The Player/man represents- the proponent, claimant, believer, non believer or advocate (and, importantly, their personality, character, reputation and integrity)
The ‘Codes’ of football represent- (Sometimes specific, sometimes a nexus) of the various religious, non-religious and national/cultural rules, traits, norms and expectations under and through which the specific issues are kicked around.
In Europe, Asia, Sth America, hell lets face it, most of the world the prevailing religion is Soccer.
Soccer is played with an almost total fixation on the ball/issue…control and skilled manipulation of the issue is paramount and made difficult by the prohibition against picking up and running with the issue. This curbs and diminishes the holding onto of any given issue/idea and any consequent sense of ownership. The issue/idea can be kicked around and must be rapidly passed to and fro to avoid interception…but it cannot be picked up and held as if it belonged to you. Only the Goalie, guardian against a point being made/scored in the argument, can, as a line of last defence, pick up or snatch the issue out of the air and briefly hold it.
In the Religion of Soccer you do not tackle the opponent at all, not allowed. If you kick another player in the shin with insult against his personality/intelligence he will lay on the ground holding his ankle and cry until the Ref gives a yellow warning card. If you should actually tackle another players character or integrity it’s a red card and off the field with you.
In essence Soccer is the religion of strict ‘Play the issue not the man’ with such highly developed foot-ball skills that it is rare, in the course of an exchange, for any given issue to be resolved in reaching the goal.
At the extreme other end of the Football spectrum is the Religion called Grid Iron (The very name is a dead giveaway).
Grid Iron religion is the Football almost entirely devoted to the foot never touching the ball/issue.
Grid Iron is the >ONLY< religion in which it is not only permitted but necessary to make personalised attack on another player who is not only NOT IN POSESSION OF THE BALL/ISSUE/POINT in contention but NOWHERE NEAR THAT BALL/ ISSUE/ POINT. In Grid Iron religion the ball/issue might be miles away but some unsuspecting soul is still getting poleaxed into the ground, without cause,reason or justification.
Such is the disinterest in the ball/issue and the brutal and barbaric nature of the personalised attack that the players must go >ARMOURED< to protect their character and integrity. No other religion in the world requires its practitioners to go armoured against such random savagery.
Also unique to Grid Iron is the necessity of a ‘Cheer Squad’ to encourage the game practitioners to display greater disinterest in the issue and undertake further personalised attacks.
The religion of Grid Iron may be summed up as- Play the man not the issue, if you have the issue in your possession throw it away before someone removes your armour with their teeth…and...above all, try to impress the Cheer Squad.
In regard both of the above religious codes their rules, practices and principles (or lack thereof) have a profound effect on the practitioners, their culture and their civic and international football dialogue and interplay.
As often happens the true football faith arises as a small obscure cult in a distant realm. It is frequently a fusion, adaptation and improvement on its predecessors and its organic expansion inexorably concludes in global domination and the liberation of millions from the shackles of mere superstition.
Aussie Rules is the religion in which the issue is the primary focus but not to the exclusion of the tackle. The opponent may be vigorously tackled but ONLY IN RELATION TO THE ISSUE/BALL HE IS HOLDING. No issue/ball, no tackle, no need for stupid cumbersome protective armour. The issue may be run with, bounced, kicked around and ‘handballed’ (punched) from one practitioner to another…but the issue is not thrown away just because some tank is running at you…that would be blatant cowardice.
The nature of the tackle and the rules governing it are vital tenants of the faith…an opponent may be tackled on the issue or on the stupidity of the pov expressed but if your tackle does not articulate precisely >why< the others pov is stupid you’re the one wearing egg. In like manner push and shove ad hom is acceptable play but ‘high tackle falsification’ or ‘around the neck fabrication’ of an opponents pov is seen as dirty play. ‘Putting the boot in’ is to kick an opponent with tackle attack on character and integrity…for such filthy play your just sent off. In the case of all tackles it must be clear that the opponent was actually in possession of the issue/ball you are attacking him over. If you accuse the opponent of having held an issue or expressed a pov and cannot/will not substantiate and prove the validity of your tackle…you are committing a foul, you’re weak as piss, and will not only be sent off by the Umpire but Booed off by the crowd. The requirement to >substantiate< the validity of an accusatory tackle establishes the precedent of scientific principle fused with football faith.
Aussie Rules football is the new/true faith, the rules and principles of which are only now beginning to penetrate and permeate the boring and barbaric predecessor codes.
It combines the ‘Play the issue not the man’ focus of Soccer while not abandoning the thrill of the legitimate pov tackle nor sinking to the heathen depths of Grid Irons brutal disinterest in the issue and focus on playing the man.
Nor does Aussie rules require a bunch of skimpy skirts to Cheer and cajole the practitioners on to greater acts of needless violence towards opponents not even near the issue/ball.
To assist in your inevitable conversion to the True Faith here are some audio/visual aids-
The ‘Mark’ or ‘Speckie’{ie ‘spectacular grab}…taking a leap up and over the opponents argument, indifferent to the danger, total ‘eye on the issue’ focus, to take possession of the arguement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtm9AVjqTUc&feature=fvwhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQitq7tTN-Mhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BAaCBC1V1Q&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZtX0ZmE1L4&feature=relatedHow the issue/point is resolved without wimpy protective armour-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BOzQwj4fSE&feature=related“Resistance is futile……you will be assimilated”
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