Hey, we’re playing the septics. I wonder who among our Petainist pundit class will counsel us not to take unseemly, anti-American pleasure in the event of victory.
Me, I’d like to be the first to say: remember 1812.
The troops then turned north down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the White House. First Lady Dolley Madison remained there after many of the government officials — and her own bodyguard — had already fled, gathering valuables, documents and other items of importance... She was finally persuaded to leave moments before invading soldiers entered the building. Once inside, the soldiers found the dining hall set for a dinner for 40 people. After eating all the food, they took souvenirs (e.g., one of the president's hats) and then set the building on fire.
‘Oo are ya! ‘Oo are ya!
Everybody sing along!
Posted by: Phil | December 05, 2009 at 09:51 AM
Better link.
Posted by: Phil | December 05, 2009 at 09:56 AM
Playing the 'yeah, but our ex-colonies are better at football than yours' game scores it as a dead heat between the Spanish and English on 6 each, with France on 3, Japan on 2, and Portugal on 1. But that's scoring Cameroon to France rather than Germany - what do you think, pop-pickers?
Posted by: Chris Williams | December 05, 2009 at 10:49 AM
As it goes, they're the only USA team I habitually support.
Posted by: ejh | December 05, 2009 at 11:23 AM
1812 was just an insurance scam to get the place repainted.
Posted by: skidmarx | December 05, 2009 at 12:33 PM
1812 really is the drunken one-night stand between flatmates of wars, isn't it? Right down to the strange burning sensation...
Posted by: Richard J | December 05, 2009 at 01:11 PM
I'd really like the USA to get far enough to encounter DRK in the quarters or wherever. And to watch it go to penalties.
Posted by: chris y | December 05, 2009 at 02:21 PM
I usually softly support the Yanks and the Aussies because of my belief - based on nothing more than gut feeling - that they would wind up first and second in FIFA rankings in 10 years if we could convince them to take the sport seriously. Say what you like about both nations, but they know how to churn out world-class athletes, and I reckon both the Americans and the Aussies could play like Brazil, if they really put their minds to it.
Plus, I'm Scottish so obviously I won't be supporting your lot.*
*Well, maybe a wee bit, in the group stages and the second round, just for local interest. Come the semi-final though, I'll be making deals with Satan in the hope England don't make the final - even the words "England make the final" fill me with horror. Brrrr.
Posted by: FlyingRodent | December 06, 2009 at 12:02 AM
The trouble with the Aussies is they spread themselves too thin - they play all five codes, from Association to American. I reckon if they concentrated on the kickabout they'd be very hard to beat.
I can't see football taking off in the USA, though, for very much the same reasons that apply to cricket.
Posted by: Phil | December 06, 2009 at 11:32 AM
I think that success in sports like football is probably a bit more complicated than merely 'concentrating' on the sport. As the GB Olympic team has proven, you can put money and coaching into minority sports like Yachting and Rowing and achieve success, but a mass participation sport like football is a bit different. I think it is a bit dodgy to assume that the US and Australia have some kind of cultural superiority when it comes to sport.
Posted by: Igor Belanov | December 07, 2009 at 08:58 AM