Soccer

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I really want to like soccer, but I cannot stand that it cares what you call it.

The Athletic is a sports journalism website probably circling the drain. They had a thing where you could subscribe for a year for $1 a month, so whatever, I took them up on it. I went to use my hot new login tonight and I saw this headline:

Why there are no football matches on Christmas Day

??? There were at least two that I saw in the background today. Lemme click on the article and --

This Christmas Day, after ingesting uncomfortable amounts of food and medicinal levels of alcohol, people across the USA will be able to flop down on the couch and gorge themselves on sport too.

If the three NFL games — including reigning Super Bowl champions the LA Rams hosting the Denver Broncos — don’t grab you, then perhaps the three NBA fixtures might, with the LA Lakers in action, among others.

Not so for Premier League fans in England, though. There will be no fixtures this December 25, just as there haven’t been for the last 57 years. The last men’s professional football to be played on Christmas Day in England was in 1965, while 1971 saw the most recent round of games in Scotland.

Look, it's called soccer in the US. Make it a fucking setting for paid accounts where it shows up as "soccer" or "football" and users can pick. Decide which word to send to the screen based on IP location. Do something other than continue this stupid waste of everyone's time.

I bought a soccer game off Steam and was enjoying it and now those days are over. Thanks, The Athletic!!

[Jizaboz]

Got into World Cup about 12 years ago for the first time.

World Cup 2022 was in Qatar. Fuck Qatar. Did not watch and did not care.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I guess slave labor to create a stadium and possibly murdering a journalist could be seen as black eyes for the whole event, sure.

[Jizaboz]

I guess slave labor to create a stadium and possibly murdering a journalist could be seen as black eyes for the whole event, sure.

LOL just a bit sir.

[RealNC]

And buying corrupt politicians in Europe. Not sure if this was in the news over there. If not, search for "qatargate."

[Tdarcos]

I guess slave labor to create a stadium and possibly murdering a journalist could be seen as black eyes for the whole event, sure.

I think you've misunderstood what has happened. It was Saudi Arabia, under the direction of its de-facto ruler, Prince Salman (the King being a figurehead) who had journalist Jamal Khashoggi murdered in the Saudi embassy in Turkey. I was unaware of Qatar having any reporters murdered. And no, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are neither same nor related countries.

[AArdvark]

But they all wear towels, no?

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

And buying corrupt politicians in Europe. Not sure if this was in the news over there. If not, search for "qatargate."

I had heard a little about it!

I want to stress that I do enjoy the sport. Hell, one of the nicest evenings I've ever had in my life is when Greg and his sister and I went to a soccer game at "Dick's Sporting Goods Park" a few years ago. I enjoy soccer games. I like almost all of it. But man, the craziness behind the corruption of FIFA and the NFL is insane.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I guess slave labor to create a stadium and possibly murdering a journalist could be seen as black eyes for the whole event, sure.

I think you've misunderstood what has happened. It was Saudi Arabia, under the direction of its de-facto ruler, Prince Salman (the King being a figurehead) who had journalist Jamal Khashoggi murdered in the Saudi embassy in Turkey. I was unaware of Qatar having any reporters murdered. And no, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are neither same nor related countries.

There is a second incident that happened that is rich with conspiracy theory! It happened recently!

Grant Wahl was a soccer journalist who was in Qatar covering the World Cup, as was his nature and his profession. At one point he wore a shirt with a rainbow insignia. I guess Qatar has a rule against that, they are the ones that are going to stomp out homosexuality, even though it's impossible to do so, and Christ, who cares at this point, just let people live their lives.

Wahl died of an ascending aortic aneurysm. I didn't have the absolute latest news. Here is is:

His wife, Dr. Céline Gounder, revealed the cause of death — a burst blood vessel — during an appearance Wednesday on CBS Mornings.

His body and belongings were flown back to New York City on Monday, where an autopsy was performed at the NYC medical examiner's office.

In a statement, Dr. Gounder said, "No amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him. His death was unrelated to COVID. His death was unrelated to vaccination status. There was nothing nefarious about his death."

There are people who think the government of Qatar had him killed for the HORROR of showing up their backwards theocracy. Maybe I should say that there are people who thought that. If you murder people to make a stadium, you don't get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to people dying in your country. However, years of unfounded conspiracy theories hurt people. I can't imagine what his wife is going through right now. It's terrible. So, as hopefully the last serious thing I'll say on this BBS in 2022, I am going to believe Dr. Gounder and refrain from blaming his death in particular on a murderous theological dictatorship. The stadium deaths we can all agree to still blame on Qatar.

[gsdgsd]

I want to stress that I do enjoy the sport. Hell, one of the nicest evenings I've ever had in my life is when Greg and his sister and I went to a soccer game at "Dick's Sporting Goods Park" a few years ago.

We were almost killed by a tornado that night!

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I blame Qatar for that too.