NY Times article on Spurs and WHL

[mattie g]

For the record, I don't like Americans treating football clubs like an object. Tottenham ARE not IS !!

Do Americans refer to the Red Sox as IT, or the Democratic Party ?

Nothing to do with it being an object. It's all about collective nouns and whether they get singular or plural verbs. Here in the US (not sure about elsewhere), collective nouns are followed by singular verbs.

It's all a matter of what you call the team. People say "Spurs are" but also say "Tottenham Hotspur is." Same goes for teams over here. Usually when they refer to the team by using the city name, they'll use the singular form of the verb, while when referring to the team name, they use the plural form.

Political parties get the singular verb treatment.

 

[mattie g]

I agree, I didn't really get the point of the article. There definitely are passionate fans and larger rivalries. I think the biggest difference is the separation of the supporters at the games. When you go to a sporting event in the states it's likely you'll be seated next to fans of the opponent. As far as foul language goes, there's plenty of that here in the States also...

And if you try to give it too large, you're bound to get your ass kicked by someone happy to put you in your place.

 

[nickspurs]

Have to say. My first NLD at the Lane and I took the 7 year old. Brilliant atmosphere but loads of new vocab for nickspurs jr.

I'm normally a west upper kind of guy with the children but east lower was the plan at the weekend. I assumed the language would pass him by but it was pretty much:

nickspurs jr: "Is that a rude word?"
nickspurs: "Yes, never say it"
nickspurs jr: "Is that a rude word?"
nickspurs: "Yes, never say it"
nickspurs jr: "Is that a rude word?"
nickspurs: "Yes, never say it"
nickspurs: "What are they saying about Ozil?"
nickspurs: "Er, he's not very good."
nickspurs jr: "What's a ****?"
nickspurs: "A rude word that we never say"

I fear for the playground banter this week...

 

[DaSpurs]

For the record, I don't like Americans treating football clubs like an object. Tottenham ARE not IS !!

Do Americans refer to the Red Sox as IT, or the Democratic Party ?

I think it's because of the singular names, while we're familiar with plural team names like the Yankees, Packers, Bruins, etc. So we refer to the Sox and the others as they, simply because they've clearly plural names, while as it's consequently "unnatural" for us to refer to a singular FC as a "they."

Basically, it's baseball's fault.

 

[riggi]

What's the point in football if you can't call someone behind a line of police and stewards, a ****?

 

[coyspurs18]

And if you try to give it too large, you're bound to get your ass kicked by someone happy to put you in your place.

Obviously there are situations like that which I occur. It's not too frequent though tbh. I was just replying suggesting that the author of the articlle made a point of mentioning the separation of fans because it's not done in the USA.

 

[mattie g]

Obviously there are situations like that which I occur. It's not too frequent though tbh. I was just replying suggesting that the author of the articlle made a point of mentioning the separation of fans because it's not done in the USA.

I completely agree. Separation isn't standard, but sometimes you have away fans in pockets who run their mouth a bit too much and literally end up taking it on the chin. And you tend to see it happen between very specific sets of fans.

 

[WalkerboyUK]

It's only taken this guy 2 years to get this article written/published.
It's all about a home game against Man City and closes with:

“Keep the passion” the words said. “Lose the language.”
He was giddy with anticipation. Spurs lost that day. We kept our ears open and, afterward, our mouths shut."

We beat them 2-0 this season and 4-1 last season.
We lost to them on May 3rd 2015!!

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Have to say. My first NLD at the Lane and I took the 7 year old. Brilliant atmosphere but loads of new vocab for nickspurs jr.

I'm normally a west upper kind of guy with the children but east lower was the plan at the weekend. I assumed the language would pass him by but it was pretty much:

nickspurs jr: "Is that a rude word?"
nickspurs: "Yes, never say it"
nickspurs jr: "Is that a rude word?"
nickspurs: "Yes, never say it"
nickspurs jr: "Is that a rude word?"
nickspurs: "Yes, never say it"
nickspurs: "What are they saying about Ozil?"
nickspurs: "Er, he's not very good."
nickspurs jr: "What's a ****?"
nickspurs: "A rude word that we never say"

I fear for the playground banter this week...

It's all good. I went with my dad from the age of about 4

Never did me any harm as I grew up. It was for many many years the only place I ever heard such words

As I got older every **** was saying fuck this and fuck that but it's only wankers that swear a lot and they should fucking know better the shit ****s

He'll be fine

 

[teok]

I really enjoy articles like this, cheers for posting.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

So this American expat is complaining because people cursed? God, I hope he's never been to an American sporting event

But you lot don't know how to say ****.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

Fun article - reminds me of this video - NSFW

 

[yankspurs]

As far as I know there isn't any assigned seating...fans buy tickets for wherever they would like to sit.

In the US, you buy assigned seats. Luck of the draw who you or the people tour with sit next to. There isnt any assigned seating areas for opposing fans though, if that what you mean. Its partly why there are plenty of free night stays in places earned at sporting events. Especially at yankees/red sox games.

 

[Grapo2001]

In the US, you buy assigned seats. Luck of the draw who you or the people tour with sit next to. There isnt any assigned seating areas for opposing fans though, if that what you mean. Its partly why there are plenty of free night stays in places earned at sporting events. Especially at yankees/red sox games.

Is there any trouble at US sporting events? The tail gate partys seem to suggest there aren't. Can you imagine a load of spurs fans having a nice beer and BBQ at the lane without any trouble from away fans!?

 

[teok]

Is there any trouble at US sporting events? The tail gate partys seem to suggest there aren't. Can you imagine a load of spurs fans having a nice beer and BBQ at the lane without any trouble from away fans!?

I don't think there is trouble but the high school/college level of american football is where the real local rivalries are. I think the nfl is to big and corporate for that sort of stuff.

 

[coyspurs18]

In the US, you buy assigned seats. Luck of the draw who you or the people tour with sit next to. There isnt any assigned seating areas for opposing fans though, if that what you mean. Its partly why there are plenty of free night stays in places earned at sporting events. Especially at yankees/red sox games.

Yeah I live outside Baltimore haha....I was just replying to the poster questioning Red Sox vs Yankees games.

 

[coyspurs18]

Is there any trouble at US sporting events? The tail gate partys seem to suggest there aren't. Can you imagine a load of spurs fans having a nice beer and BBQ at the lane without any trouble from away fans!?

It's just like anything else...things are usually chummy and full of fun banter prior to games. It's once the game gets going that things can change. Between the score and people having had a few beers things can get interesting.

I don't think there is trouble but the high school/college level of american football is where the real local rivalries are. I think the nfl is to big and corporate for that sort of stuff.

College is one of the few venues where there is (to some small degree) segregation. There are usually sections dedicated to alumni as well as student sections. high Schools also usually have separate home and away stands. While I think it's mainly done for atmosphere it does keep things a bit more civil imho.

 

[thinktank]

Vic, pass to walker there.

 

[guiltyparty]

Nothing to do with it being an object. It's all about collective nouns and whether they get singular or plural verbs. Here in the US (not sure about elsewhere), collective nouns are followed by singular verbs.

It's all a matter of what you call the team. People say "Spurs are" but also say "Tottenham Hotspur is." Same goes for teams over here. Usually when they refer to the team by using the city name, they'll use the singular form of the verb, while when referring to the team name, they use the plural form.

Political parties get the singular verb treatment.

Same with bands. Depeche Mode is playing tonight, etc

 

[DaSpurs]

Is there any trouble at US sporting events? The tail gate partys seem to suggest there aren't. Can you imagine a load of spurs fans having a nice beer and BBQ at the lane without any trouble from away fans!?

I don't think there is trouble but the high school/college level of american football is where the real local rivalries are. I think the nfl is to big and corporate for that sort of stuff.

^ This is exactly right. Professional sports very, very rarely see any violence, but college and high school can more often see things kick off.

While the age difference there is obvious (along with inclusion of alcohol), I think the more significant contributor is location. Not only are our professional teams relatively young compared to British football clubs, but they were bred in major cities well away from each other, while you have clubs in your top flight that were formed in nearly adjacent neighborhoods over a century ago.

Hooliganism has also just never really been a part of sports for us. I think your demographics who wanted in on gang violence found these clubs to rally around, while for us in the states they initially rallied via racial lines in our immigration culture.