MetaFilter posts tagged with sports and football

The Manliest Game On Earth

gman — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:11:23 -0800

Calcio Fiorentino was an early form of football (YT) that originated in 16th century Italy (YT). The modern version (Foto Gallery) allows tactics such as head-butting, punching, elbowing, and choking, but forbids sucker-punching and kicks to the head.

The Hand of God, Part Deux

lovermont — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:49:12 -0800

The world of soccer has been rocked by a French player's game-defining handball in the much-anticipated qualifier match between France and Ireland. Thierry Henry has admitted to the offense, but said ultimately it is the duty of the linesman to make the call. His action and subsequent admission have drawn strong reactions, including attempts to vandalize his Wikipedia page. This sort of thing isn't new to the World Cup; in fact, Henry's move has been dubbed "Le Hand of God” by British tabloid The Sun, and “Hand of Gaul” by The Australian, both in reference to Argentinean player Maradona's “Hand of God” goal in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal match between Argentina and England. Is it time to introduce video replay? Tournament organizer Danny Jordaan says videos wouldn't end these kinds of mistakes. There are others who disagree. In an added layer of controversy, last month, Ireland's goalkeeper Shay Given had voiced his displeasure with FIFA's decision regarding seeding the playoffs; Republic of Ireland assistant manager Liam Brady speculates that seeding decision may have influenced the linesman, something he expressed concern about going in. Despite all the hoopla, FIFA insists there will be no rematch. See Le Hand of Gaul here.

Danish Dynamite

reenum — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:20:20 -0800

The Guardian recently published a beautiful article about Danish Dynamite, the '80s Danish national soccer (football) squad. Rob Smyth and Lars Eriksen write about how the success and failure of the national team highlighted national traits that Denmark has. The writing about the matches is among the most inspired I have ever read. In addition to the film, a documentary about the team has also been made.

14 who bucked "the Cowboy Way"

liketitanic — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:31:56 -0800

The airing of the upcoming PBS documentary Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons, will bring new attention to a protest event against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that raised important questions about free speech, the rights of student athletes, and the state of the Civil Rights Movement in the Mormon Church. On October 17, 1969, 14 football players at the University of Wyoming were suspended for threatening to wear black armbands onto the field in an upcoming game against Brigham Young University. The squad members, who were known as the "Black 14," were protesting the the Mormon Church's exclusion of people of African descent from the priesthood. Other student athletes whose teams were members of the Western Athletic Conference had refused to compete against Brigham Young that year, including eight Black track team members at the University of Texas, El Paso. Others, including athletes at San Jose State, would protest in support of the Black 14; protest later extended to the University of Washington. This was not the earliest anti-LDS student-athlete protest, nor were athlete boycotts a totally new general protest tactic; in 1968, Black student athletes participated in 130 protest actions. But this case was one of the best-known, in part because of the civil lawsuit Williams v. Eaton, which alleged an infringement of the students' First Amendment Rights. At Wyoming, the Black Student Alliance first publicized the idea of a boycott and protest of BYU on October 15; the group urged students and players to protest a matchup scheduled for three days later. Despite the warning of Coach Lloyd Eaton to each of the 14 that team rules prohibited participating in demonstrations or protests, they together decided to wear armbands as a sign of protests. In a meeting with Eaton on October 17, the day before the game, the coach berated them publicly, revoking their scholarships and suspending them. Eaton remembered the event as "simply a matter of discipline. Black or white, it didn't matter to me. They broke the rule and I told them they were no longer members of the team." Yet Eaton, almost in the same breath, evoked conspiracy theory: "Why haven't we had a demonstration before? . . . we've had Negro players here since 1960. I'll tell you why. This is the first year the Black Student Alliance has been on campus. Now they're organized and ready to act. The WAC was picked because of Brigham Young. And we were picked as the trigger because of our rule against demonstrations. It all fits." And other accounts allege that Eaton told them to "shut up," and that without his team "they would be out on the streets hustling." Game-day student protests (archival footage), a 17-1 vote in the student senate to support the players, and faculty support, which extended as far as 7 faculty members threatening resignation, were not strong enough to drown out Eaton's supporters, which included the University trustees and leadership. The 14, with the help of the NAACP, became plaintiffs in Williams v Eaton, a $1.1. million civil suit filed on October 29, 1969. The Federal District court, upheld on appeal, ruled against the players, arguing in support of Eaton's no-protest policy. A subsequent appeals decision, in 1972, ruled that their free speech rights had not been violated when Eaton and the University Trustees forbade armbands. Eaton resigned in 1971, after the protests were accompanied by a wave of losses (and a worse season the following year). Ten of the 14 players graduated from college, and players Tony McGee was the best known of the four who went on to play football professionally. The LDS Church would not allow blacks to ascend to priesthood until a 1978 Revelation received by President Kimball Spencer Kimball apparently extended the office through God's providence.

The "boy-killing, man-mutilating, money-making, education-prostituting, gladiatorial sport."

phrontist — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:55:54 -0800

Does american football unavoidably lead to brain damage over time? Does a culture favoring perseverance at the expense of well being begin in high school?

Ball ball ball, footie footie footie, ball ball ball, football!

Artw — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:14:26 -0800

The future of soccer in America is black, female and from the inner-city.

Apparently Some Barriers Need to be Broken More than Once

Navelgazer — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:17:35 -0800

October 18, 1997, Liz Heaston becomes the first woman to score points in a college football game (NAIA), kicking for Willamette in their victory over Linfield College. August 30, 2001, Ashley Martin kicks three extra points for Jacksonville State University, helping them in their 72-10 defeat of Cumberland, and becoming the first woman to score points in a Division 1 game. August 30, 2003, Katie Hnida becomes the face of women in college football when she scores two extra points in New Mexico's victory over Texas State University. She received harassment and (alleged) assault from her former teammates at Colorado University before becoming the first woman to core points in a Division 1-A game, as well as the first to suit up for a bowl game. Five years later, Kacy Stuart, a 14-year-old High School Freshman who can kick 50-yard Field Goals, is facing opposition for suiting up for the New Creation Center Crusaders, first from the league, and now from the other teams...

Journal of Footballing History

Kattullus — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:48:56 -0800

The Journal of Footballing History is a scholarly journal about the history of football (soccer) all over the world. You need to register (or "subscribe" as JOFH calls it) but it's free. Gloriously, gloriously free. After you've subscribed you can enjoy articles on matters such as France's footballing culture, a back and forth about the state of African football, a pair of articles about Euro 2000 and what England's dismal failure at that European Championships tells us about the national side and on shooting from free kicks. There are also short histories of kits, boots, passing and squads and a book review section.

North Korea's Soccer Hero

Chinese Jet Pilot — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:46:49 -0800

70 year old Pak Doo-Ik will lead North Korea's prestigious Olympic torch bearers to Beijing this summer. In the 1966 World Cup at Middlesborough, Pak scored the goal that lead his team to a stunning 1-0 upset win over Italy (video). Pak Doo-Ik and the team returned home as heroes, but ultimately fell under the suspicion of North Korean leadership. The team underwent "mental re-education" and were exiled, Pak Doo-Ik spending ten years as a forest laborer. Dear Leader Kim Jong-il later allowed Pak to coach North Korea's national soccer team, and a fascinating 2002 BBC documentary brought Pak Doo Ik back to the international stage.

Football's Ironman. (Sorry, Cal.)

absalom — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:50:49 -0800

Through alcohol and vicodin addicition, trauma, grief, and loss, Brett Favre has thrown the ball for the largest muncipally-owned professional sports team in the United States. After reinventing himself several times over, and leading his team to an improbable string of wins and accomplishments a year after almost retiring, he is Sport's Illustrated's sportsman of the year.

Ridiculous game winning play from Div. III football

tdstone — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:46:25 -0800

Trinity University won their football game this Saturday on a crazy play, (somewhat reminiscent of "The Play" minus the mayhem of the fans and band rushing the field.) This one looks more like a grade school game of keep away. What happened to the defense??

A Great Display of Sportsmanship

Deep Dish — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:27:30 -0800

On the same day that Sevilla's Antonio Puerta passed away in Spain, Clive Clarke, a defender on loan to Leicester City from Premiership side Sunderland, suffered a heart attack after collapsing in the dressing room during half-time of a League Cup match with Nottingham Forest, a series of events was set in motion that resulted in a truly great display of sportsmanship

Live NFL Video

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 09:00:51 -0800

Streaming NFL Games This was on the front page of Digg last November, so I don't feel I'm allowing any cats out of any bags here.

They say what boys do in these fields makes them fast. Is it a coincidence that there are so many of them in the NFL?

kyleg — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 22:58:53 -0800

"I'm not from here, so when I was told that what these boys do in the fields makes 'em fast, I didn't believe it." Welcome to Muck City.

European Fields: Landscape of Lower League Football

psmealey — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 08:41:57 -0800

European Fields: Landscape of Lower League Football Gorgeous shots of some football pitches throughout Europe. Taken by Dutch Photographer Hans van der Meer. From SpoFi

Chris Creamer loves logos

kyleg — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 11:37:09 -0800

Chris Creamer's sportslogos.net is a vast archive of current and historical sports logos from leagues large and small, brand new or defunct. Some of my favorite retro logos involve mascots (often anthropomorphized) performing sports-related activities. Of course, some were retired for good reasons.

street soccer and we are homeless, homeless

kliuless — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 20:42:56 -0800

The Homeless World Cup: "Yes, there is a World Cup for homeless people, made possible with help from corporate sponsors such as Nike, Adidas, Coca-Cola and Bank of America."

espectaculares!

CunningLinguist — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 07:06:05 -0800

Jugadas Espectaculares WorldCupfilter: clipshow of some staggeringly fancy footwork. Even non-fans should love this. (youtube)

God Loves Arena Football

Otis — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 12:24:09 -0800

I can't think for you. You'll have to decide. Whether the Birmingham Steeldogs have God on their side.

Super Bowl XL Commercials

jne1813 — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 20:46:39 -0800

Super Bowl XL Commercials

Steelers Win

allkindsoftime — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 19:44:58 -0800

The Steelers were 7-5, then won their final four regular-season games to secure the AFC's last playoff spot. They went to Cincinnati and won a wild-card game. They won at Indianapolis, which had the league's best record. And then they handed Denver its first home loss in the AFC championship game. And now they're the first 6th seed playoff team ever to win the Super Bowl. History made.

Bobby Martin, 17, football player with no legs

cerebus19 — Wed, 28 Sep 2005 21:13:39 -0800

Bobby Martin, 17 years old, is a noseguard and special teams member for Colonel White High School in Dayton, Ohio. He also happens to be three feet tall, having been born with no legs. He was recently removed from a game during halftime because he wasn't wearing shoes, thighpads, or kneepads. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed shortly thereafter.

William Perry's scrawny ass

matteo — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 14:08:10 -0800

Supersized in the NFL Analyzing data from the 2003-2004 season, researchers say "more than a quarter of NFL players had a body mass index that qualified them as class 2 obesity" -- equivalent to a 6-foot man weighing between 260 and 300 pounds. Even those players weren't the biggest ones: the study counted more than 60 players -- 3 percent -- with body mass indexes placing them into class 3 obesity, with individual weights approaching 400 pounds. "I don't know what's going on in the minds of coaches", said lead researcher Dr. Joyce Harp, an assistant professor of nutrition and medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Players' growing girth "is a major concern," said Dr. Arthur Roberts, a former NFL quarterback and retired heart surgeon (.pdf file) whose Living Heart Foundation works with the players' union to evaluate heart-related health risks faced by current and retired players. More inside.

Game? What game?

rooftop secrets — Wed, 09 Feb 2005 19:22:10 -0800

Some people said they sucked, but either way they're all here: the 2005 Super Bowl Commercials courtesey iFilm. Meanwhile ESPN dished up an all-time top ten list for Super Bowl commercials and had the readers do the same. (previous posting attempt credit to Doohickie)

Major Soccer/Football Prospect

quam — Thu, 27 Jan 2005 18:42:28 -0800

Sports Illustrated explains seven or eight professional soccer/football teams, including highly regarded Manchester United and FC Porto, are interested in "a phenomenon, probably the best player to come out of Brazil" : Jean Carlos Chera, nine years old and 4' 6". A video (additional source) [wmv format, 8MB] demonstrates Jean's abilities.