DavidWilliam, that situation where a team takes a safety for the field position came up two years ago, in a Pats-Broncos game. The Patriots, trailing by one late in the game, took a safety rather than punt from their own end zone. The gamble worked, as the Pats' defense held and the Pats' offense took care of business for the win.

I suggest "shit-tails" but I assume that's not the sort of word that can make a regular appearance in War Room articles.

I argued that the "soccer is boring" crowd demonstrate a parochial attitude which says it's ok to make fun of a game that isn't especially popular in North American, based on the typically North American position that if it's not popular with "us" then it must be stupid.

We make fun of sports that are popular in North America, too -- or did you miss the extended punchline that has been the NHL these last few years?

I find soccer boring. Stop trying to tell me why I don't dig soccer. I just don't find the sport entertaining. I don't like the NBA that much either, but there's no blowhard out there telling me that I'm an arrogant, small-minded ass for not liking it. Get off your high horse and stop conflating sports with jingoism.

The one billion people tuning in don't give a damn whether you like it or not.

I guess you're the exception, because you're still haranguing this crowd of American-football fans that still, amazingly enough, fail to give a shit about soccer, no matter how many times you waggle that giant audience in our faces.

So... we Americans don't like soccer because we're provincial, arrogant asses. Oh, you tried to frame it in some patronizing sociological hoohah, but that's what it boils down to.

Oh yes, how could I possibly have forgotten that classic match? You're right. Soccer is way better. I am a fool and a rube for ever having enjoyed American fauxball.

Now kindly shut it.

... because that way, you don't waste so many words dancing around the topic.

Good Lord. I understood perfectly what you were trying to say. I just preferred to cut to the chase. Please don't feel the need to name-drop any more books when you're just going to condescend some more. And sorry, but enjoyment of a sport is subjective -- so yammering at me about what a great game such-and-such match was is worth approximately one fart in a thunderstorm. I have said I find soccer boring, as have others here. Why on earth are you still going on about how exciting it is? Why are you pointing out to us how long American football games take? I know, I've watched a few -- and son, they're closer to three hours long than four, unless overtime is involved. See, that's why they're scheduled in three-hour blocks.

Name-calling doesn't offend me, but trying to seize some rhetorical or moral high ground on a message board with pretention does offend me. Yes yes, it's all in a book, I'm sure there was documentation -- but it still boils down to condescension.

I really don't care where you're from, or how smart or dumb you think I am, nor do I care to get into some kind of intellectual dick-waggling contest with you just because you appreciate the fine subtleties of soccer/football/thinking man's sport more than I do.

Still waiting on that whole "shut it" request, though.

... is that you don't need expensive equipment like pads, helmets, bats, skates, and ten-foot-high baskets to play it. You can play soccer with an inflated goat's bladder and some sticks sunk in the ground. Whereas we wealthy, world-conquering Americans have devised games with a larger financial commitment. See that? We like our kind of football because we have more money than the rest of you. There's probably a book about it too.

Your provincial arrogant American friend,

Asshole McJingo

I'm right there with you, Jim M. Somehow the message of peace, love, and charity got turned into judgment, exclusion, and power-mongering. I've heard way too much use of the codeword "Christian" as denoting only the very narrow stripe of rabid Evangelical Protestantism, excluding Catholics and Protestant denominations who don't believe in a literal Apocalypse and Rapture. It's the religious equivalent of the right-wing hijacking of the word "patriotism".

I was watching the 2004 election results roll in with a couple of friends, one of whom was an atheist. When the news from Ohio and Florida started turning grim, the atheist wailed, "God is the problem!" I corrected her. "God is not the problem. McJesus is."

If Mr. 23D was so offended by the shirt, he could just have gone over there and said, politely but firmly, "I find your shirt offensive, do you think you could put something on over it?" Maybe he would have gotten some sassy comment from the juvenile delinquent in question, at which point, it may well be the proper thing to complain to the flight attendant. It's passive-aggressive and lame to just sit there and stew and mutter about it and try to get the girl in trouble without talking to her first.

I suspect, however, that Mr. 23D was just happy to bitch and moan to everyone and anyone except the one person who could most directly change his uncomfortable situation. I find that a lot of people would rather complain uselessly about a problem than address it directly. I guess being offended is the closest thing some people get to emotional fulfillment in their stale, frustrating lives.