Football/Soccer Is The Greatest Game On Earth. | Page 76 | Golden Skate

Football/Soccer Is The Greatest Game On Earth.

TMC

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
I'm pretty sure a lot of people would say that about figure skating. To each their own.

If you really must know, football is popular because it's a game that's relatively easy to play, it costs pretty much nothing to play, the rules are simple, it's relatively safe (at least when playing recreationally), and it can be fun to watch if the game is interesting and the players are skilled. The game has immense international appeal, particularly in places like Africa where many sports aren't the most affordable or accessible (I mean, you don't need ice and $1000 skates just to compete at an elite level).

And because it's a team game, people can really get behind a team representing their city/country, rather than an individual.

I agree that football/soccer isn't for me the most exciting sport to watch, but there's no denying the power the sport has to bring people together. Figure skating doesn't have that (save for the team event, I guess), which is probably a huge reason why it isn't even marginally as popular as football. I mean, look at the passion football fans have for their teams (they live and breathe their favourite team's successes/failures)... there are fans of skaters, but most fans of Asada aren't as emotionally invested in her success/failures the way that people who live in Chelsea or Brazil are emotionally invested in their team's success.

Ahhh GSK I love reading your posts! You almost always say exactly what I'm thinking plus stuff I hadn't even thought about but is clearly relevant and interesting, and you say it in a way that is so civil and respectful. Kudos :)
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Ahhh GSK I love reading your posts! You almost always say exactly what I'm thinking plus stuff I hadn't even thought about but is clearly relevant and interesting, and you say it in a way that is so civil and respectful. Kudos :)

Thanks TMC. :)

That was a thriller of a tennis match. I had predicted that Djokovic would win, but wanted Federer to win. Still a great match.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Has anyone seen the football-based movie Victory? It's not a top-flight film, but I find it very interesting and enjoyable. It's set in World War II and concerns a bunch of POWs who are recruited to play a match with a German team in a Paris stadium as a propaganda stunt by the Nazis. There's adventure and intrigue involving the French Resistance, and the last scene is exhilarating. One plus for the film is that most of the football players of both sides are played by actual soccer stars of the era, including the great Pele. (His backstory is that he's from Trinidad and was fighting with British forces when he was captured by the Nazis.) Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone are the actors on the football team, and I believe other actors include Max von Sidow. As part of the ending credits, the cast is introduced one by one, with the actual footballers shown in freeze-frame, each with his name and country shown over his image.

It's not an entirely realistic film, of course, but as a pure adventure, it's lots of fun, and the soccer is well done. It's very rare to have a soccer film, at least in this country. Most films with sports themes are (as you'd expect) baseball or (American) football films, with some basketball movies such as Hoosiers thrown into the mix. Anyway, I wondered whether this was a film anyone else here had seen. Just the enjoyment of watching Pele play (including his bicycle kick, which is done in slow-motion replay several times just to make sure you know it really happened!) is a delight.
 

Alba

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
Chelsea. I felt a little bit sorry for United last season, but I guess next season they should feel sorry for us.:laugh:

You don't have to worry about it then, Mourinho is No.1. ;) :biggrin:
You're also buying a lot of good players, if I'm not mistaken.
 

Alba

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
Has anyone seen the football-based movie Victory? It's not a top-flight film, but I find it very interesting and enjoyable. It's set in World War II and concerns a bunch of POWs who are recruited to play a match with a German team in a Paris stadium as a propaganda stunt by the Nazis. There's adventure and intrigue involving the French Resistance, and the last scene is exhilarating. One plus for the film is that most of the football players of both sides are played by actual soccer stars of the era, including the great Pele. (His backstory is that he's from Trinidad and was fighting with British forces when he was captured by the Nazis.) Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone are the actors on the football team, and I believe other actors include Max von Sidow. As part of the ending credits, the cast is introduced one by one, with the actual footballers shown in freeze-frame, each with his name and country shown over his image.

It's not an entirely realistic film, of course, but as a pure adventure, it's lots of fun, and the soccer is well done. It's very rare to have a soccer film, at least in this country. Most films with sports themes are (as you'd expect) baseball or (American) football films, with some basketball movies such as Hoosiers thrown into the mix. Anyway, I wondered whether this was a film anyone else here had seen. Just the enjoyment of watching Pele play (including his bicycle kick, which is done in slow-motion replay several times just to make sure you know it really happened!) is a delight.

That's a great movie. :)
 

skatedreamer

Medalist
Joined
Feb 18, 2014
Country
United-States
It's a terrible movie.

Welcome, midorichen! But how about telling us why you think it's terrible? To me it sounds intriguing. After reading a few reviews on Amazon & Netflix, though, I did get the sense that people either love it or hate it...
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
That's a great movie. :)

I knew that either you or LRK would have come across it. Glad you enjoyed it too.

As I said, it's not at the level of On the Waterfront or anything, but it's got a couple of high points that reach me every time, especially the ending, which in my heart of hearts I wish had really happened at least once during the occupation of France. Especially today, when all those players are long since retired (the film is just about as old as Michelle Kwan, made in 1980 or 1981), it's a treat to see them playing even in a choreographed game.

Welcome, Midorichen! Does your name mean that you're a fan of the great Ito? Glad to have you here!
 

Alba

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
I knew that either you or LRK would have come across it. Glad you enjoyed it too.

As I said, it's not at the level of On the Waterfront or anything, but it's got a couple of high points that reach me every time, especially the ending, which in my heart of hearts I wish had really happened at least once during the occupation of France.

No, it's not on that level - besides they're two different subjects - but I like Caine and von Sidow and it's very entertaining to see real football players in it.
In Italy is a classic. I do personally enjoy that movie and watch it many times. :)
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
No, it's not on that level - besides they're two different subjects - but I like Caine and von Sidow and it's very entertaining to see real football players in it.
In Italy is a classic. I do personally enjoy that movie and watch it many times. :)

There are a few feel-good movies that aren't on anyone's list of Ten Greatest Films Ever but that just hit the spot when you want a satisfying viewing experience. Maybe it's something particular in the premise of the movie (like Music and Lyrics, which shows two people creating a song) or nicely depicted relationships between a couple or among a group of friends or co-workers, or a particularly appealing performance by a favorite actor, or the music, or the way things turn out in the end. Whatever it is, watching it always makes one feel a bit better. Another movie that does this for me is Secondhand Lions, which also features Michael Caine. Sometimes we're lucky and a favorite movie is also one of film history's high points, as with Casablanca or Judgment at Nuremberg. But often, a seemingly minor film can be the right movie to lift the mood. To me, Victory is one of those. I'm glad to hear that it's got such a good reputation in Italy! An enlightened country, obviously. (As one could already tell by the cuisine, the music, and the Renaissance.)
 

BusyMom

Medalist
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
No it isn't a bad movie at all. But for me personally I don't like it. Only watch it to see Bobby Moore(Only English Team Captain who lucky enough to hold the WC trophy). My dad who wasn't fond of football loved it because of the history bits in the movies since it was based on the actual story (there are also the myth story too which is just a bit variety from the actual facts).

I'm also guilty of being a fan of bad movies/cheesy music. Who cares! Critics are overrated and there are so many bad ones in every genres. At the end of the day we are the actual consumers who pay for the product one way or another.
 
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