blandy Posted February 20, 2023 Moderator Share Posted February 20, 2023 1 hour ago, Marka Ragnos said: Do English people like to beat up on their idols, watch them break to pieces, and then welcome them back with warmth the next year -- before moving on to the next? There’s definitely a “tall poppy syndrome”. It’s not unique to England, but it is different to the US. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 20, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 20, 2023 3 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said: Do English people like to beat up on their idols, watch them break to pieces, and then welcome them back with warmth the next year -- before moving on to the next? It's the very foundation stone of our free press. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted February 20, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 20, 2023 (edited) 4 hours ago, blandy said: There’s definitely a “tall poppy syndrome”. It’s not unique to England, but it is different to the US. I still remember what historian Ian Mortimer writes: "You might now be thinking that the medieval English character is composed of cruelty and violence. If so, you would not be far wrong—it has been formed through an intense awareness of both."* He discusses the brutal sense of humor that's deeply woven into the culture, the laughing at the hapless misfortune of others, the delight at watching someone else's bones get smashed, etc etc. Never seen or heard about that at a football ground, that's for sure. Definitely not solely English. I remember my childhood friend almost knocking me out with a baseball thrown when I wasn't looking, and he just could not stop laughing at the blood streaming out of my nose. * Mortimer, Ian. The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century (p. 65). Touchstone. Kindle Edition. Edited February 20, 2023 by Marka Ragnos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Did @rjw63 integrate into his local community and partake in this? NSFW 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjw63 Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 6 minutes ago, Xela said: Did @rjw63 integrate into his local community and partake in this? NSFW Did I ****. Although the wife did say "we should go and watch that". I'll show her this when I get in, absolute loons, surprise if nobody gets serious injury. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 With the Atherstone ball game fights and the Tamworth v Nuneaton game being abandoned yesterday because of crowd trouble, who said living in the shires was quiet and relaxing?! I'll stick to town. Mate. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted February 22, 2023 Moderator Share Posted February 22, 2023 54 minutes ago, Xela said: Did @rjw63 integrate into his local community and partake in this? @The_Revwent and took some photos, he posted them in the photogrpahy thread 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannedfromHandV Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Well that’ll be that banned for next year then, unless it’s like that every year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 (edited) 6 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said: Well that’ll be that banned for next year then, unless it’s like that every year? Pretty much like that all the time. Police just stand there and watch Unless someone is killed or stabbed, then it'll carry on I imagine. Rules are simple: "The game itself has few rules, two being that play is restricted to Long Street and participants are not allowed to kill anyone. The winner is declared at 5.00pm, the title going to the person who has possession of the ball when the whistle sounds" Edited February 22, 2023 by Xela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 22, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 22, 2023 1 hour ago, Xela said: Did @rjw63 integrate into his local community and partake in this? NSFW Can't break these ancient traditions. Good to see the stewards keeping on top of proceedings to ensure nothing gets out of hand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted February 22, 2023 Author VT Supporter Share Posted February 22, 2023 7 minutes ago, Xela said: participants are not allowed to kill anyone Political correctness gone mad. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mottaloo Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Having worked in the big A for longer than I care to remember, I can confirm that this "sporting event" is also a useful way of settling gang/pub/family rivalries - a legal punch-up if you want. One year I popped down to a local pub nicknamed "sweeties" (white lion) for my evening lunchbreak and the winner was in there, clutching the ball....his nose halfway around the other side of his face, torn bloodstained t shirt and about 3 teeth missing. He didn't look too much out of place in that pub compared to the other regulars. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, bannedfromHandV said: Well that’ll be that banned for next year then, unless it’s like that every year? It’s been going since the year 1199 so it’s one of those cultural oddities the police can’t stop. I’ve been a few times (Atherstone is near Bodymoor Heath if you’re unaware) and the fighting is very much opt in. The game lasts two hours, 3pm-5pm and the first hour and a half are practically ceremonial, there will be scuffles here and there but they’ll also let kids and old folk on the ball too. (these were both taken about an hour in to the game) The last half hour is where it gets serious. You’ve got absolutely no chance of winning unless you’re part of an organised team. They’ll have made a plan about where they are going to hold the ball and how they are going to defend it, they’ll even rotate guys in and out to defend (or attack) and the people on the front line are pretty bloody handy. Like big dudes who have probably been training for it since New Year. edit: @sidcow a lot of those ‘stewards’ were kinda playing too. I’m not sure the vests were entirely legit. Edited February 22, 2023 by The_Rev 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted February 23, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 23, 2023 (edited) 19 hours ago, Xela said: Did @rjw63 integrate into his local community and partake in this? NSFW And from there, we will funnel them into the mountain pass we call the Hot Gates. Now in that narrow corridor, their numbers will count for nothing. Edited February 23, 2023 by Mark Albrighton 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted February 23, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 23, 2023 The ball game is always like that. There's video of it a few years ago where a bunch of guys basically held the ball in the door way to a bank and then set up a body guard of defence around the door, which eventually lead to guys literally punching the shit out of each other whilst stood on the shoulders of other players who were also fighting. The town should be proud of its developing the innovative 'double decker fight'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 23, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 23, 2023 24 minutes ago, Mark Albrighton said: And from there, we will funnel them into the mountain pass we call the Hot Gates. Now in that narrow corridor, their numbers will count for nothing. This is the kind of shit you just won't get on other football forums. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 5 hours ago, sidcow said: This is the kind of shit you just won't get on other football forums. Have you tried Sparta Rotterdam? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colhint Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Looking at the man city away kit. When they play Brentford away, which team would be the bees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 27, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 27, 2023 Are Cadbury's Mini Eggs THE most moorish food ever? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mjmooney Posted February 27, 2023 Author VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted February 27, 2023 6 minutes ago, sidcow said: Are Cadbury's Mini Eggs THE most moorish food ever? Couscos, tagine, shakshouka, hummus... Oh, MOREISH... 4 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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