# Beckham Expect'em Girl Child



## garza (Mar 13, 2011)

David and Victoria Beckham are expecting their fourth child. Reports are they have been told it will be a girl. Perhaps the psychological damage will not be as great on a girl as on the three boys, growing up as they are, knowing their father, once haled as one of the all-time football greats, is now playing in a country and for a team that do not even know the name of the game.


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## Writ-with-Hand (Mar 13, 2011)

Are you talking about soccer, garza?


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## garza (Mar 14, 2011)

I'm talking about football, so named because it's played primarily with the feet. Football is called 'soccer' in the Far Frozen North because up there they play a very strange derivative of rugby and call _that_ 'football'. They also misspell dozens of words, but that's another story and brings back painful childhood memories of school teachers trying to pry my Oxford Concise dictionary out of my hands.


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## Sam (Mar 14, 2011)

It's football. There's a lot of Americanisms that I can tolerate but calling football 'soccer' is not one of them. It is a word I despise. Football is one of the oldest games on the planet, created long before anyone knew what the heck a 'gridiron' was. As such, I take umbrage with people calling it 'soccer'. Sorry, I do. 

As for the Beckhamses: I don't think the boys will ever be the footballer their father was. I still have fond memories of that goal against Wimbledon on the opening day of the 1995/96 Premiership.


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## garza (Mar 14, 2011)

He was so amazing to watch for so long. I wish he had gone into an honourable and well-earned retirement from the field while he was still on top; not from football, of course, but from playing. Football can use up the physical body while the mind continues to grow, which is why so many footballers try to extend their careers beyond the time they should. There are many ways for Beckham to remain active in football while leaving the field itself to younger players. 

Maybe having a Spice Girl for a companion has some bearing on the case.

If someone were to put me in charge, I would disallow any nation to vie for the World Cup until they learned to call the game by its proper name.


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## Patrick (Mar 14, 2011)

Maybe she'll grow up to bend it like Beckham. ;-)


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## JosephB (Mar 14, 2011)

The rest of the world should be glad "soccer" isn't so popular here. Millions of kids play it, but the best athletes quit and go on to football, baseball, basketball -- otherwise if it were to ever really catch on, you all would be in for a serious ass-kicking.


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## Patrick (Mar 14, 2011)

JosephB said:


> The rest of the world should be glad "soccer" isn't so popular here. Millions of kids play it, but the best athletes quit and go on to football, baseball, basketball -- otherwise if it were to ever really catch on, you all would be in for a serious ass-kicking.



But you prefer to be world champions in sports played almost exclusively by Americans in American competitions. :thumbr:


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## JosephB (Mar 14, 2011)

Yeah, that's about it. Those sports have been around longer are just more established and popular. Part of the problem is in high schools, soccer always takes a back seat. The coaches really aren't qualified and the programs don't get any money. My high school coach didn't have a clue -- he'd coached a girls YMCA team for a few years. 

So, naturally, kids are going to gravitate to the sports where they get more attention and that might lead to college scholarships. I don't see any of that changing any time soon. The best soccer players come up through the club systems, but the clubs can't really compete in popularity with high school sports, which are a huge deal here.


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## alanmt (Mar 14, 2011)

Little girls rock!


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## Writ-with-Hand (Mar 14, 2011)

LOL @ garza and Sam.

I thought everyone had cheerleaders until an Italian (real one from Italy) looked at me a bit sharply and told me he thinks that's just Americans (United Statesians, garza, if you prefer). So, when is soccer - I mean football - going to get female cheerleading squads? Maybe you cats wouldn't riot over games so much.


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## Baron (Mar 14, 2011)

garza said:


> I'm talking about football, so named because it's played primarily with the feet. Football is called 'soccer' in the Far Frozen North because up there t*hey play a very strange derivative of rugby and call that 'football'.* They also misspell dozens of words, but that's another story and brings back painful childhood memories of school teachers trying to pry my Oxford Concise dictionary out of my hands.



Yes, and they seem to be afraid of getting hurt because they have to wear armour to play.  They've also taken a game called rounders, played by girls over here, and changed the name to baseball in the hope that nobody will notice.


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## Bruno Spatola (Mar 14, 2011)

I thought baseball was invented in Britain as well. That's what I heard on Q.I, anyway. Stephen Fry's never failed me before .


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## KangTheMad (Mar 14, 2011)

I refer to real football as futbol, usually, and for the gridiron gamen over here "American Football" if I'm talking to my non-American friends.


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## KangTheMad (Mar 14, 2011)

Bruno Spatola said:


> I thought baseball was invented in Britain as well. That's what I heard on Q.I, anyway. Stephen Fry's never failed me before .


 

You're either thinking of cricket or rounders.


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## JosephB (Mar 14, 2011)

I played here with kids from all over the world -- and they all called it soccer. The people from elswhere who are actually involved in the game don't care. Here, it's soccer. And football is football.


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## Bruno Spatola (Mar 14, 2011)

Thanks for telling me what I was thinking of, but I was definitely thinking of baseball. There's a bunch of evidence that suggests cricket, rounders and baseball all originated in England. Some is on Wikipedia actually, I just checked.

_Baseball Before We Knew It: A Search for the Roots of the Game_ (2005), by David Block, suggests that the game originated in England; recently uncovered historical evidence supports this position. Block argues that rounders and early baseball were actually regional variants of each other, and that the game's most direct antecedents are the English games of stoolball and "tut-ball".[3] It has long been believed that cricket also descended from such games, though evidence uncovered in early 2009 suggests that the sport may have been imported to England from Flanders.[4]
The earliest known reference to baseball is in a 1744 British publication, _A Little Pretty Pocket-Book_, by John Newbery. It contains a rhymed description of "base-ball" and a woodcut that shows a field set-up somewhat similar to the modern game—though in a triangular rather than diamond configuration, and with posts instead of ground-level bases.[5] English lawyer William Bray recorded a game of baseball on Easter Monday 1755 in Guildford, Surrey; Bray's diary was verified as authentic in September 2008.[6] This early form of the game was apparently brought to North America by English immigrants. Rounders was also brought to the continent by both British and Irish immigrants. The first known American reference to baseball appears in a 1791 Pittsfield, Massachusetts, town bylaw prohibiting the playing of the game near the town's new meeting house.

I won't say it's fact. . .because it isn't, but it's out there .

Edit: I'm sorry this was off topic.


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## Sam (Mar 14, 2011)

JosephB said:


> I played here with kids from all over the world -- and they all called it soccer. The people from elswhere who are actually involved in the game don't care. Here, it's soccer. And football is football.



I've never heard anyone, other than Americans, call it 'soccer'. It seems pretty ludicrous to me that you call American football 'football'. The only time someone's foot touches the ball is during a field goal, punt, or kick-off. It's kind of a misnomer, don't you think? A bit like us calling football 'handball'. 

Just saying.


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## JosephB (Mar 14, 2011)

Sam W said:


> I've never heard anyone, other than Americans, call it 'soccer'. It seems pretty ludicrous to me that you call American football 'football'. The only time someone's foot touches the ball is during a field goal, punt, or kick-off. It's kind of a misnomer, don't you think? A bit like us calling football 'handball'.
> 
> Just saying.



Say all you want. You're just not familiar with the history of the game. You see, the original game ball was exactly one foot in length. People naturally referred to the game as "foot" ball, to differentiate the game from those games played with balls of a different size. Over time, it became football. There's nothing ludicrous about it.


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## Patrick (Mar 14, 2011)

The Aussies call it soccer, too. I don't actually care about the whole soccer/football deal. It's not a big deal so long as we know what we're actually referring to.We called it "footy" at school and rugby "ruggers", so it's all good.


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## garza (Mar 14, 2011)

Joe - Those other kids were calling it that funny name just to be polite.

Patrick - I didn't know about Australia. That's strange. But then...


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## Baron (Mar 14, 2011)

FIFA = Fédération Internationale de *Football* Association - International Federation of Association *Football*

FIFA.com - Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)


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## Gumby (Mar 14, 2011)

Baron said:


> Yes, and they seem to be afraid of getting hurt because they have to wear armour to play. They've also taken a game called rounders, played by girls over here, and changed the name to baseball in the hope that nobody will notice.
> 
> 
> 
> I am not a sport follower, but I've heard that for all the protection worn by American Football players, they are still injured more often and seriously than other countries who aren't wearing the protection. Speculation is that the protection encourages rougher play, _as they think_ they are protected more from injury. Don't know how true this is though.


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## Baron (Mar 14, 2011)

Gumby said:


> Baron said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, and they seem to be afraid of getting hurt because they have to wear armour to play. They've also taken a game called rounders, played by girls over here, and changed the name to baseball in the hope that nobody will notice.
> ...


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## Olly Buckle (Mar 14, 2011)

JosephB said:


> Say all you want. You're just not familiar with the history of the game. You see, the original game ball was exactly one foot in length. People naturally referred to the game as "foot" ball, to differentiate the game from those games played with balls of a different size. Over time, it became football. There's nothing ludicrous about it.



So how about the history of the game called football, or camp ball, camp being the field of play, that was banned in 1314 by the Mayor of London and throughout the kingdom in 1331 by Edward the third, and again in 1363 because it interfered with archery practise and caused violent disorder and damage to crops. In 1321 William de Spalding petitioned the pope for an indulgence because his friend ran into him so hard during a football match his knife went through  his sheath and killed him. Traditionally played on Shrove Tuesday the size of the camp (field of play) was determined by the number of players,and it was played with balls of all sorts of sizes from about football size made from a pigs bladder to about tennis ball size made of leather. When several hundred played it resembled a small war without weapons (Usually). This is typical of the sort of thing that Englishmen have always done for the fun of it, back a good hundred years before anyone even discovered America and when "a foot" was not even a standardised measure.


And Spurs beat Milan the other day.


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## Writ-with-Hand (Mar 14, 2011)

Gumby said:


> Baron said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, and they seem to be afraid of getting hurt because they have to wear armour to play. They've also taken a game called rounders, played by girls over here, and changed the name to baseball in the hope that nobody will notice.
> ...


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## garza (Mar 15, 2011)

In real football physical contact is only incidental as players try to maintain control of the ball or take control of the ball from an opposing player. In most instances both players are running in the same direction, so the contact mostly consists of sideways shoving and tripping. If the tripping is deemed deliberate the aggressor may be shown a yellow card. Deliberate, head-to-head, possible injury-causing collisions are not part of the game. Football is all about control, not brute, mindless, force. There are youtube clips of Ronaldo, Beckham, and others that demonstrate how football should be played.

The link is to a Ronaldo collection.


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## JosephB (Mar 15, 2011)

"American" football is an amazing sport that takes so much skill, strength and athletic ability. People who think it's boring simply don't understand the game. A lot of strategy is involved and memorization of complex plays. It's not all about hitting and powering through. I would contend that quarterback is the toughest position in all of sports, requiring strength, nerve, memory, intelligence, intuition, leadership skills and just plain guts.

Baseball is a great sport too. It takes a lot of strength and skill to hit or throw a 90+ mile an hour fast ball, make a double play or diving catch in the outfield. It also involves a lot of strategy, nerve and concentration. Again, people who think it's boring don't really understand what's happening on the field. I played little league ball for years, but dropped out when I was overwhelmingly surpassed by kids with more skill and ability. There's no room for mediocrity in baseball.

There's a lot of tradition involved in both games too, which makes it really fun for fans. To me, there's no better way to spend a fall day than at a college football game, getting into town early, tailgating and hanging out with friends, watching the game and celebrating or commiserating afterward. In a small college town, the pre-game atmosphere is electric, you can feel the excitement in the air, and everyone is out for a good time. It's a fantastic experience. So is a major league ball game. I can't wait for opening day -- less than two weeks away!


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## Bilston Blue (Mar 15, 2011)

Baron said:


> They've also taken a game called rounders, played by girls over here, and changed the name to baseball in the hope that nobody will notice.



And when one of the baseball players hits the ball a long way, do the crowd shout "roun-der, roun-der, roun-der" in an excited high pitched squeal?

This will make sense only to those who have watched a girls P.E lesson on a cold English playing field.


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## Writ-with-Hand (Mar 15, 2011)

garza said:


> There are youtube clips of Ronaldo, Beckham, and others that demonstrate how football should be played.
> 
> The link is to a Ronaldo collection.




 Touché, garza. 

For the record... I prefer to watch football (soccer) over baseball. But I don't watch much sports period. When I do my greatest preference is for MMA and boxing. I like K-1 when that was still touring the U.S. too. Unfortunately, it could not build a string enough fan base to remain. The European Andy Hug brought Karate to a whole nother level with his axe kick (it helped he had a good physique as well). But even big, strong, guys are brought humble by disease.

Speaking of which, a good size rugby player can remain big, strong, and healthy into his late 60's. His once larger - possibly stronger - peer in American football might be reduced to a shadow of that rugby player by the same age in his late 60's. The human body and endure and heal from a lot but constant battering on it will lead to some potential long term problems latter in life.

I've heard many Karate guys from the 1960's and 70's era are often physically screwed up now. They can walk and move but not without great pain and often times surgery. I know one. The constant popular beating the hell out the body in your 20's and 30's that was popular in the 1960's and 1970's Karate has taken its toll. You don't see that much with the Kung Fu and the Filipino Martial Arts guys.

I still respect American football though.


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## garza (Mar 15, 2011)

Writ-with-Hand - Very, very, little of what was passed off as 'karate' in the U.S. 30 and 40 years ago was karate. Much of it was, like the movie 'Karate Kid', actually Kung Fu. The rough stuff that did the damage you are talking about was just street brawling with a little posturing. I have seen karate and Kung fu masters in their 70s still in excellent physical condition.


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## JosephB (Mar 15, 2011)

"Kung Fu Kid" just doesn't have the same ring to it.


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## Sam (Mar 15, 2011)

garza said:


> In real football physical contact is only incidental as players try to maintain control of the ball or take control of the ball from an opposing player. In most instances both players are running in the same direction, so the contact mostly consists of sideways shoving and tripping. If the tripping is deemed deliberate the aggressor may be shown a yellow card. Deliberate, head-to-head, possible injury-causing collisions are not part of the game. Football is all about control, not brute, mindless, force. There are youtube clips of Ronaldo, Beckham, and others that demonstrate how football should be played.
> 
> The link is to a Ronaldo collection.



24th of April, 2003, Old Trafford: Manchester. 

I had the pain -- at the time it was pain; now I consider it a pleasure -- of seeing _El Fenomeno_ (The Phenomenon) score a hat-trick for Real Madrid against Manchester United in a Champions League quarter-final tie. I have never seen a better performance at Old Trafford by an opposing player to this day. The guy I was sitting beside in the Stretford End -- a die-hard Manchester United fan like myself -- stood and applauded the third goal. When Ronaldo was substituted, everyone -- and I mean _everyone_ -- in the ground stood and gave him a deafening ovation. 

He was ridiculous. One of the greatest players to ever play. People always say Pele, Maradona, and Best. Ronaldo is right up there for me. Probably just behind Pele.


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## alanmt (Mar 15, 2011)

I like the other ronaldo.


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## Sam (Mar 15, 2011)

So do I, Allen, but he is nothing compared to the Brazilian. In terms of football ability.


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## Bilston Blue (Mar 15, 2011)

Sam W said:


> He was ridiculous. One of the greatest players to ever play. People always say Pele, Maradona, and Best. Ronaldo is right up there for me. Probably just behind Pele.



As a kid growing up in the 80s, I was, and still am, in awe of Diego Maradona (as a footballer). There will always be arguments over who is/was the greatest. Pele, Maradona, George Best, the two Ronaldos, or Robin Friday (though as a City fan the younger Ronaldo comes no where near the genius of the others).

To say Maradona was a genius with a ball at his feet is one thing, but then it is necessary to acknowledge he played half his career whilst off his face on cocaine and amphetamines. I will happily watch my Maradona dvd collection whilst imposters perform in the modern game.


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## alanmt (Mar 15, 2011)

Agreed, Sam!


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## Leyline (Mar 15, 2011)

Sweet. A baby!


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## JosephB (Mar 15, 2011)

Yeah, if they weren't so darned cute, people wouldn't keep having them.


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## ppsage (Mar 16, 2011)

With regard to origins, I don't see where there is any room for argument, that all pastimes wherein hulking idlers amuse themselves by the batting about of various mutilated-animal-part-semi-spheroids were initially devised by denizens of _That Sceptred Isle_. Having settled that, I hope we may now return to intense debate over the proper nomenclature for the most widespread of their inventions, which, in its myriad manifestations, is by far my most favored of forum debate threads. The recent decent of this particular instance, into a mutual admiration for athletic prowess, I find completely unentertaining.


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