Boycotters

[Satchmo Distel]

Scotland's boycott is not going well: lost 2-0 in Peru yesterday just five days before the 40th anniversary of the Cordoba match.

Clubs not happy about their players going on a Summer tour. Not sure how many first-teamers made the XI.

[ursus arctos]

Russia are going to give South Africa a run for the title of worst hosts ever.

[San Bernardhinault]

Until 2022.

[Satchmo Distel]

South Africa got 4 points. Russia might equal that with being in such a weak group but won't get a scalp as big as France's.

I have to believe that 2022 could still be switched.

[ursus arctos]

If Uruguay have a meltdown at all similar to France’s in 2010, Russia could beat them in a dead rubber.

I was going on more subjective views of the teams’ inherent quality.

[Satchmo Distel]

Fair enough. I did think that South Africa were garbage in their first two games and IIRC the draw v Mexico was due to refereeing error(s) that would (presumably) not happen with VAR.

[Hot Pepsi]

And content they buy from other studios, presumably.

I have no idea how much content they produce in house now, but then I never watch “network” television other than for sports.

Yeah, but increasingly, networks don’t really like to use content they don’t own.

Network TV is in decline and it feels like they’re not really trying anymore.

[ursus arctos]

I will take your word for that, but the entire plan only makes sense for the Murdochs if they don't share the view expressed in your first paragraph.

[imp]

Watching a tournament on non-PPV TV isn't economic participation though is it? You can't even argue that you're contributing to viewing figures unless you have a BARB box. It won't make even a token difference to international politics if you watch or not, so why not just enjoy the football?

If you've spent this season (or indeed the last 10 years) watching Stoke, I can completely understand why you'd be looking forward to enjoying some football.

[Hot Pepsi]

I will take your word for that, but the entire plan only makes sense for the Murdochs if they don't share the view expressed in your first paragraph.

Well, they don't seem to like scripted shows that they don't own because they don't make as much money off of those in the long run, I guess.

But sports and pro wrestling are different.

This kind of explains it. But the deal hasn't gone through yet, of course.

https://deadline.com/2017/12/what-ha...ts-1202220975/

It's just more consolidation of media. Probably not really good for anyone except shareholders.

[matt j]

Not going to watch a second. I'm not sure how I feel about international (in the sense of countries playing each other) sporting events at all these days. I know too much now.

I can not really argue with this at the moment. I have been just avoiding everything for the most part, and skipped most of qualifying news and highlights. But now, in Japan, and I think it might be fun to be a part of the experience while I am here (and would probably regret not doing something), and since I do not have to support the US team...

I am honestly very torn at the moment.

[Hot Pepsi]

#fuckFIFA

http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_...influence-fifa

[imp]

Look how the World Cup in open, tolerant Russia brings people from all kinds of diverse backgrounds together!

[Satchmo Distel]

I think we will see more of this now they don't have to conceal their bigotry from FIFA and do not give a fuck about bad press.

[diggedy derek]

Peter Tatchell is due in court on 26 June after being arrested for protesting against Russian LGBT laws a few days ago.

So, fellow boycotters, how are you getting on? I miss it a bit, though not as much as I’d have expected. I was always fully prepared for the ‘lost fun’ - there are many other, generally more productive things I can do. I never regret boycotting the 2012 Olympics, for instance.

What’s a bit more unsettling is that there will forever be a gap in my World Cup knowledge; I’ll never be able to speak with any knowledge on the great Portugal-Spain 3-3 thriller. Still, that’s not good enough a reason to watch it.

I thought I’d spend the time getting into some other sport, so I’ve been catching up with lots of boxing on YouTube. It’s been good.

[Sits]

Been on holiday so far, which has probably made it easier as that doesn't feel like "real life" anyway. I'm allowing myself to look up results etc. on LiveScore.com - these are football matches regardless of we're they're taking place.

I made the mistake of mentioning to a colleague my personal "boycott" of this and the next WC. He called me out as a hypocrite (in a friendly way) for my assorted airline choices for this and other travel. I didn't deny it, but said I still wouldn't be watching. The current FIFA regime warrants it regardless but I've just taken the tack with my friend/colleague of saying "yeah I'm a hypocrite, but I'm still not watching".

Mrs. S asked me what I would do if England got to the business end, to which I replied that my superstition tells me they do better without me watching anyway.

[Etienne]

Not missed it so far.

[ad hoc]

The hypocrite line is just a way for people to justify doing nothing to themselves. The implication being that if you are not totally pure in all your deeds you may as well not try and do anything to make a difference. It's like berating a vegetarian for wearing leather shoes. At least they've made a start. I fucking hate people who do the "hypocrite" thing. I'm a hypocrite? You're a cunt.

[Sits]

The hypocrite line is just a way for people to justify doing nothing to themselves. The implication being that if you are not totally pure in all your deeds you may as well not try and do anything to make a difference. It's like berating a vegetarian for wearing leather shoes. At least they've made a start. I fucking hate people who do the "hypocrite" thing. I'm a hypocrite? You're a cunt.

All of the above. He's a very close colleague of twenty years, and a friend through that shared history and mutual loyalty and support. But we're people who would never be friends in other circumstances. I get a bit of the veggie thing too but he gives up after a while. Over the years I've managed to drag him in a more "small-l" liberal direction too, although he'd never admit it.

[Furtho]

The hypocrite line is just a way for people to justify doing nothing to themselves. The implication being that if you are not totally pure in all your deeds you may as well not try and do anything to make a difference. It's like berating a vegetarian for wearing leather shoes. At least they've made a start. I fucking hate people who do the "hypocrite" thing. I'm a hypocrite? You're a cunt.

I’m not boycotting the World Cup, but I totally understand those who are and strongly agree with all the above.

[Duncan Gardner]

Hear hear to Furtho and other posts above.

[Satchmo Distel]

Also you've not been missing much except the Portugal-Spain 3-3. European and South American squads with more big game experience grinding down or riding their luck against more attractive sides like Peru. Egypt and Morocco hugely disappointing.

[Bored Of Education]

Yeah, while I don't understand what boycotting the TV coverage is going to achieve, I completely respect people if they want to do it and it isn't at all hypocritical. As mentioned on another thread, I do wonder if, after this and Qatr, people will also boycott US/Mexico.

[Ray de Galles]

Also you've not been missing much except the Portugal-Spain 3-3. European and South American squads with more big game experience grinding down or riding their luck against more attractive sides like Peru. Egypt and Morocco hugely disappointing.

Iran are an example of “European and South American squads with more big game experience”?

[imp]

Wow, I didn't realise there were so many on the boycott train - excellent work, comrades!

It's been surprisingly easy so far. I looked at the schedule yesterday with four games and thought, "Some poor buggers are going to sit through all of those." On Friday I was out and about all day, and most of yesterday too. I got home from refereeing a long tournament, though, and did think that under normal circumstances it would be nice to crash out in front of the 9pm game with a beer, and then I really started cursing Fifa for having put me in that position. But then you see the results, and you see that it wasn't a great game and immediately you lose any sense of regret. Even missing Spain-Portugal didn't bother me. Let's be honest - there aren't going to be more than half a dozen memorable games throughout the whole tournament. If that.

On Friday I'm retreating to a habitable farm outhouse in the French countryside with no internet or TV for three weeks, so it'll be even easier after that.