barely fatal » Football

Can you kick it?

Jarod — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 16:18:24 +0000

Now there’s an idea. In Berlin, another football was found today. Filled with concrete – 10 kilos. It was ball number eight. Close by, a graffiti said “Can you kick it?”. The balls were all tied with chains to benches, trees or poles. Two young guys got light injuries trying to kick.
>> Source (German)

That’s creative, me says. I usually just keep telling everyone how I would only go to the final if I get the tickets for free – scares ‘em off, too.

(Source: German Police)

By the way, a colleague of mine paid more than 500 Euros on Ebay for one ticket to the semi final today, a last minute purchase, and the worst category available. What a freak. You can get a really great graphics card for that! *Sigh*

The same guy has his right hand in bandages. Why? Because in the quarter final he kept waving a flag for two hours straight. What’s wrong with this world?

Update: They caught the guys and found more primed balls. They are from Austria. Of course.

Barely Episode 1

Jarod — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 13:53:32 +0000

This gonna be a blogging series. Lets make it a trilogy, trilogies always rock by default. I deliver this post in three episodes, just like the latest installments of Sin or Half-Life 2 come. Yes, we’re always fresh, we recognize a trend when we see one, we here at barely fatal.

So, Episode 1:
Lets start with a link. Do not click it if you despise the WorldCup, ’cause it’s a football link. It features a Patriotism-Meter. It leads to a German site, but you get the idea, I guess.
The lovely thingy measures the mental state of the nation, as I’d like to say. They talk about flags and banners on cars, balconies and, basically, everywhere else. So you know I didn’t exaggerate in the other post a few days ago. The ‘football soul’ of the nation is in high spirit, see, the WorldCup starts today. That’s good news, because it means the end of it all comes a step closer.

That’s it for Episode 1. What, you expected more for your bucks? Hey I mean, you gotta stop on top of things, don’t ya? So we have even more exciting stuff for Episode 2 left – like pictures I plan to take on my way home, more news on the most overrated event in the world and more. More!

A Time To Make Friends With … ME?!

Jarod — Fri, 26 May 2006 07:29:57 +0000

Ok, just one thing to start with. Just a small, quiet little plea I have for you. YOU, that’s all those football-loving guys and gals currently on the fritz in your home countries and soon here in Germany:

I have nothing against you (nothing that actually works, anyway). But please, please CAN’T YOU JUST LET ME ALONE, M’KAY?

I don’t know if you know how it is in Germany so shortly before the Soccer WorldCup, but for me non-interested, even latently despising anti-football guy it’s hell on earth. You cannot switch on a TV or radio, cannot read a newspaper (not even on the net), cannot take a foot out of your door without being drowned in WorldCup ads, news, fan accessories.

Maybe – maybe – the retarded football player on that 5-meter-tall poster helps selling Sony Computers, I think he is still just a guy running behind a small ball with his friends trying to kick it, and for no obvious reasons. Worse, the even more retarded (present readership excluded) fanbase has not yet arrived, since the stupid “World Event” has not yet started. And at my workplace, some people are bending to get offtime at those days with early matches.

I mean, do what you want, okay? If the most popular sport on earth was to stick toothpicks through eyelids, be it. Have a party, drink yourselves to death, drool over 22 men running around, whatever. You have a right to exist on this planet, too (unfortunatly). But why can’t you let ME out of this? I’ll buy less, watch less, read less of anything with a WorldCup sticker on it. I probably won’t make a difference, but heck, I have a right to not like football as well, don’t I?

Update:
Sorry, only for German readers: Artikel in der Faz

Update 2:
On tickets and security (English)