The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Thread

[champagne supernova]

I like to hear the spanish supporters, the greeks, the japanese, the mexicans, the brazillians and the english. A full array of supporters. Not 1 toned horn which drowns all the diversity out.

The fact this horn is being requested a ban should tell you how absurd your view of this subject actually is and how ridiculous your defence. More holes than the Titanic.

This is the WORLD cup not AFIRCAN cup. I want to hear the atmosphere of ALL countries not 1 horn. Beggars belief that there are those trying to compare 1 toned noise to a band... jesus, do we let you vote??

You see, I personally watch the World Cup to watch football, not to hear people sing. I go to concerts for that. And I don't personally like the noise the vuvuzela makes. But I am not going to complain and try stuff my opinion down people who have paid money to go watch these games. I paid roughly $150-$200 per ticket and I don't see how people sitting at home miles away have any right to dictate what instrument I choose to blow while I am there.

More to the point, the foreign tourists are equally bad. I saw many of the famed English singing support running around blowing their vuvuzelas, so don't quite see how this is an African thing. So are the Dutch, the Danes, the Germans, the French, basically everybody!

And I've heard from my brother that they are being blown around England as well. Football Association themselves said they can't be banned, so don't see why they need to be banned from the World Cup.

And as much as it is the World Cup, it is South Africa that has built or renovated these stadiums, put into place the necessary infrastructure and have been immensely accommodating to all the fans travelling into the country. So, I think some instrument that is part & parcel of our game should be allowed in the stadiums that we paid for. If the World would like to come and help foot the bill, then we'll reconsider.

If it is that much of a problem in your life, there are many solutions, from dropping the 300Hz from your TV, to a song you can download and play through your hi-fi during the game, to the BBC's red button stripping down the noise from the game so you only have commentary. So, there is a solution to everyone's complaints.

[Laddy]

Precisely. I hate the smurfing thing as much as Nickelback, Styx, and Fall Out Boy combined, but to whine incessantly about it even though it's typical of the damn country it's plyed in makes you looks like well...

an American.

[Old Manus]

You see, I personally watch the World Cup to watch football, not to hear the sound of a thousand idling dustbin lorries

In other news, I hoped for a crushing victory for Ivory Coast over Portudive, but Jesus, that was boring. We're stuck in the middle of a World Cup that is suprisingly devoid of goals

[champagne supernova]

Precisely. I hate the smurfing thing as much as Nickelback, Styx, and Fall Out Boy combined, but to whine incessantly about it even though it's typical of the damn country it's plyed in makes you looks like well...

an American.

Precisely! As I said, I don't like them, but the continuous whinging about them is equally annoying. And unlike the vuvuzela, there isn't a way to fix the noise coming out of the television.

They are also really cool in a stadium. It really does build spirit amongst fans and makes it real fun. But on TV, yeah, they sound like a droning insect.

[Laddy]

Precisely!

[Aerith's Knight]

Why do we hate those stupid horns? Maybe because the cable network hasn't figured out of a simple gap filter works and I get a smurfing headache while watching sports, for christ's sake.

How on earth can YOU even stand it if someone is blowing that 120 decibel horn next to your ear? It's a wonder you're not deaf yet.

I should not have to get a headache from hearing sports, that's just beyond ridiculous. Maybe you guys build up an immunity or have all gone deaf, but that doesn't mean we have.

And if you want to cheer on your club, fine, then I'd just avoid games with South Afrika and such, but no, tourist supporters are stupid and they started imitating.

[Laddy]

Look, we all hate the stupid horns too. God damn it do we hate those mothersmurfing piece of goddamn asshorns. But banning them is silly.

[Loony BoB]

Are you at the matches, AK? Or do you just turn up your TV really loud?

[Aerith's Knight]

Are you at the matches, AK? Or do you just turn up your TV really loud?

Like I said, unlike British TV (which I've watched a few times), Dutch TV hasn't figured out how to do a simple bandgap filter, and the horns are as loud as the commentators. Droning sounds, like this and music in clubs as well, gives me a headache. Now I take the ones in the bar by simply getting drunk, but I shouldn't have to do that while watching sports.

Again, this wouldn't be a problem if the TV network had smart people working there, such as they apparently do have in Britain.

[champagne supernova]

The talk is that vuvuzelas are to be filtered out of World Cup broadcasts after a number of complaints were made about the constant buzzing sound of the plastic horns used by fans in South Africa. To think, World Cup crowds making noise...have they no shame? What is the point of awarding the World Cup to a country like South Africa if any points of cultural difference are to be filtered out to accommodate the pedestrian viewing expectations of western armchair dwellers?

And I think the tourists must find something good about them if they're busy blowing them.

Back to the football, Portugal looked very narrow and lacking a spark in midfield. Hopefully they thump North Korea and go through on goal difference.

But the World Cup's best kept secret will be let out in a couple hours when the world will see what the North Korea kit actually looks like! And whether they are any good. Should be exciting. I reckon Brazil is going to end up drawing this. Or thump them 4-0. But nothing in between

[Aerith's Knight]

The last game was just pathetically boring. I have 4 - 0 for Brazil tonight, let's hope they make it happen.

[Loony BoB]

AK, I would complain about the broadcasts rather than the vuvuzelas themselves if that is the case. Perhaps you could watch a streaming feed from another country if it would help. BBC is free to air over here so I wouldn't be surprised if there are a lot of feeds online you could gain access to fairly easily.

I agree with the following points I found in Wikipedia:
1. He [BBC sports commentator Farayi Mungazi] also said there was no point in taking the world cup to Africa and then "trying to give it a European feel".
2. President of FIFA Sepp Blatter commented, "I have always said that Africa has a different rhythm, a different sound. I don't see banning the music traditions of fans in their own country. Would you want to see a ban on the fan traditions in your country?"[

Not often I agree with Mr. Blatter, mind you.

EDIT: supernova - Portugal were basically boring, but you want them to go through? Or do you mean that you hope they find their spark?

[champagne supernova]

Can't believe a Saffa and a Kiwi are in agreement, hey Bob. It must come from years of beating the northern hemisphere teams in rugby hehe.

I've got tickets to runner-up of Group G and winner of Group H. And the winner of Group H will be Spain, so I hope I just get a Spain - Portugal game hahaha. But I hope Portugal find their spark too, so I can watch an epic Spain - Portugal match. I remember watching one in Euro '04 between the two which was quite cool.

[Cuchulainn]

It's now officially the worst world cup I've ever seen. This is my 7th (6th, I remember bit of 86 but not much). 2006 was epic.


NEVER HAVE THE WORLD CUP IN AFRICA AGAIN.

[Madame Adequate]