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Questions for Americans
Topic Started: May 14 2008, 11:44 AM (681 Views)
The Palentine
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One reason that football is popular, in my little part of the world(Northern panhandle of WV, and Western PA), is because of all the great players that have come form here. Lou Groza, John Unitas, Joe Namath, Jim Kelly, Joe Montanta, Mike Ditka, and Dan Marino, are all from the area.during the late summer and fall, every Friday night, the local high school statiums are full of fans watching the games. On saturdays college games are watched either on TV or live. And of course Sundays a lot of people watch the NFL.
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Gruenberg
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Kenny,May 27 2008
05:07 PM
There is a certain affection for baseball, but nothing at all like the way it is romanticized in American television, cinema and George Will columns. :rolleyes:

That was definitely an impression I had: that baseball isn't nearly as central to American culture (now) as it's portrayed as being.
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Antarctic Kawaiians
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Gruenberg,May 27 2008
07:01 AM
Are there particular regional/age/gender/race differences in which sports Americans watch? For example, in the UK, (as a generalisation) rugby union is a Southern English/Scottish/Welsh game, whereas Rugby League is a Northern English game (and more working class).

Depends on the sport. One of the enduring stereotypes about American sports are that there are no (or at least very few) black hockey players, and no (or at least very few) white basketballers. The former comes from the fact that hockey in the US was first popular mainly in the predominantly white nothern tier states. The latter, however comes from the fact that basketball is an urban game--it doesn't take much space to set up a basketball court compared to other field sports. It became very popular with urban blacks in the US, and the rest is sports history.
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The Palentine
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I've a question for our British friends, though Cob might be the best one to answer this one. Here in the USofA, the US Navy has preserved The USS Constitution, and has kept it commisioned. It still has a crew of active naval personel and its Captian is a Navy Commander. Old Ironsides is still used for special occasions(like the bicentenial, and the turn of the Millenium). I'm curious about the Royal Navy and the HMS Victory. Is the HMS Victory still commissioned, and does the Royal Navy still sail her for special occasions?
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Snefaldia
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a quick scan of wiki indicates HMS Victory is a museum ship, but is still commissioned in the Royal Navy as the flagship of whoever is the Second Sea Lord. She has a commanding officers (currently a Lt. Cdr. John Scivier). She is the oldest commissioned warship, but Old Ironsides beats her in the regard of being the oldest commissioned warship still afloat.

Perhaps Cob can elucidate on the more obscure aspects of HMS Victory? I'm sure there are interesting anecdotes and stories.
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Cobdenia
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HMS Victory is, as Sneffle's says, still a commissioned warship, however, it can't sail, and is in dry dock, and unfortunately looks like it will be that way forever, albeit for the best of reasons (EU law means that all sailing ships must have a pwered engine as well as sail, in case something goes wrong. To stick an engine in it would somewhat undermine the restoration efforts!). Not much more I can expand upon what Snefaldia said. The Second Sea Lord is in charge of naval personell and shore establishments, and the Victory is often used to host formal banquets by the RN, usually in Nelson's cabin, and does have it's own complement.

The interesting thing is that only about 10% of it is original, the rest of it having been replaced over the years in the attempt to bring it back to the condition it was in at Trafalgar, and due to the rotting of wood etc. over the years. Furthermore, they recently discovered that the plaque marking were Nelson died is probably in the wrong place (although the one marking where he was shot is believed to be in the correct place). If you're in the UK, it is definately worth a visit ;)
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The Evil Smurfs
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Heh. At what point does Ulysses's ship cease being Ulysses's ship?
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The Palentine
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I do have one obscure fact about the HMS Victory. From what I understand they preserved Nelson for the trip back to England, by placing his body in a cask of brandy. However sailors, being sailors, used pieces of macaroni to syphon off some of the "Nelson" flavored booze secretly. :o Ever since that time, drinking abord a Naval vessel has been quaintly refered to as "Tapping the Admiral."

I like to think that Nelson would have approved.

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Gruenberg
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Gruenberg's Questions for Americans, Vol #874

Is college football a lot more interesting than professional football? I've been watching quite a few games from a download site over the last few months to improve my ability to bullshit about sports (sorry, I just find basketball and baseball incredibly tedious, and ice hockey is only good for the checks and fights) and most of the really exciting games, and interesting plays, seem to be at the college level. Furthermore, the games don't take like 5 hours to play. I used to stay up to watch the NFL highlights on Channel 5, but I'm not that enthused about it anymore.
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New Leicestershire
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Gruenberg,Dec 16 2008
02:31 AM
Gruenberg's Questions for Americans, Vol #874

Is college football a lot more interesting than professional football?

Yes. The NFL was much better in the 70's and 80's than it is now. Television, free agency and over-specialization have ruined the game. I'll have a better explanation later today when I'm awake.
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The Palentine
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I find College Football to be a bit faster paced. Some QBs seem to have more speed and run as much as they pass. Also there are more interesting Defensive formations like the 3-3-5(You'ld get killed in the Pros if you tried that one). I like the option play(the QB can either and off to the fullback, run with the ball, lateral to the Halfback, or pass the ball.) I also enjoy a good trick play, like the Halfback or Wide Reciever pass. Defenses have to be ready for just about anything.


However for hard hitting games, the Pros are the best(especially when your teams defense is ranked number one overall, and number one against the run and pass. Dick LeBeau is a freaking genuis! Go Steelers! :) )
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New Leicestershire
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I really, really, really hate all the graphics and flashing doo-dads on NFL telecasts. I want to watch a football game, not a computer game (that I can't interact with) on my TV. To me anyway, the graphics are a distraction and an annoyance. I just want to see football, maybe show the score and the clock and that's it.

The college game is faster and more exciting. It still seems like a game. The NFL is a TV show.

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The Evil Smurfs
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New Leicestershire,Dec 16 2008
05:19 PM
I just want to see football, maybe show the score and the clock and that's it.

I like the highlighting of the first down line. That's handy, especially on running plays. But I so rarely watch football...

All I know is I really hate Fox's Football Playing Robots. Why am I watching a robot doing jumping-jacks and pushups?
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Cobdenia
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Another random question:

What was the deal with the trucker craze in the 1970's?
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Iron Felix
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Cobdenia,Jun 16 2009
08:30 PM
Another random question:

What was the deal with the trucker craze in the 1970's?

My late step-father was a truck driver and I remember him thinking the whole thing was just idiotic.

As I remember, it was triggered by the introduction of the national 55 mph speed limit and all of the methods the truckers developed to violate it and not get caught (convoys, CB radios, etc). This led to a really popular novelty song called "Convoy" which was a hit on both the C&W and Pop charts. Then there were a slew of Trucker themed movies, including the spectacular Smokey and The Bandit starring Burt Reynolds and a black Trans-Am. It was just one of those spontaneous pop culture things which in this case cast the trucker as folk hero. Americans embraced it because the truckers symbolized the rugged individual fighting back against the establishment.

I kinda miss it myself. Today there are probably 10 times as many trucks on the road as in the 70's and nobody pays any attention to them.
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