>> ^artful_codger:
^ riiiiiight, because you'd heard a Vuvuzela before last week.


Yup.

Your video, Invictus With Vuvuzela Horns, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.

Check out this one: Vuvuzela comes to the sift

Soccer bores me to death (too slow paced). NBA is awesome though.

I even made a poll about this vuvuzela madness in http://www.aqfl.net/?q=node/8178 ...

>> ^nanrod:

Vuvuzela! There's an app for that!


Actually, There is! ~Vuvuzela App~

^ riiiiiight, because you'd heard a Vuvuzela before last week.

Boo hiss.>> ^shuac:

I'm going to start downvoting all these Hitler Downfall vids. The first two were passably funny...passably. But now, it's not even funny in a it's-so-unfunny-it's-funny sort of way.
Nothing personal, gwiz. I'm left with no choice. This meme just won't die. Someone's got to do something.

Vuvuzela! There's an app for that!

Dude how far away do you think the pitch is from the stands? We're not talking a dramatic distance here...some players have already expressed their opinions, you don't need to speculate.

There are two things people should keep in mind:

1. It is NOT South Africa's *WORLD* Cup. They are hosts. It is a position you apply for against many other countries and you win the privilege to host. The responsibility comes with some conditions like meeting official standards for stadiums etc, which the host nation is ENTIRELY in charge of and accept BEFORE applying, these aren't snuck up on you, in fact you need to show that you can provide all these things before you're even considered.

2. People seem to be missing the response of South Africa. Look at how they're responding to criticism, how they're ignoring it completely, how they're showing they can be just as arrogant as "European" countries and how it's presenting a clear picture of how they'll treat the World Cup and other events in the future.

This is more than the vuvuzela, take in the whole attitude of South Africa in the host role. To me it's just not showing a positive picture, I don't really care how they want to host the event, it will be a blimp in the radar soon enough. I'm more concerned with what it's doing to African football reputation which is already having enough trouble with political corruption and ego players, it does not need "terrible hosts" on top of it and I sincerely hope the perception changes.

>> ^Tymbrwulf:

>> ^mizila:
>> ^Tymbrwulf:
I think everyone is getting their panties in a bunch for no reason. In my eyes, use the vuvuzela if you want, whatever.

Great argument. So if I just start following you around blowing a whistle in your face as loud as I can non-stop, your reaction is going to be, "that's cool, use a whistle if you want, whatever."?? No, I imagine your panties would be mighty bunched, sir.
Anyone who doesn't see what's wrong with this thing is either (A) Dumb... err I mean deaf, (B) South African, (C) Not a soccer fan, or (D) Trollin.

Are they following the players blowing it in their ear? Is it a different decibel level when hearing it in the stands when you're on the field? I imagine my response would be to walk away from the Vuvuzela player.
Also, good job on the inflammatory comment on calling anyone who see's anything wrong with this an idiot. I AM a football(soccer) fan, I'm NOT trollin', and quite frankly I couldn't care less about the Vuvuzela.

>> ^Deano:

Some good points there. What the hosts might need reminding about is how this World Cup will be remembered. Currently the football's not great (and that might well be due partly to the vuvuzelas themselves) and so you'd hope the atmosphere would make up for it. These trumpets don't create atmosphere - I learned today they are primarily there to distract opposition players and obviously they do that very well.
The fact is that regardless of how bad the organisers screw this up, the World Cup is not coming back to Africa for sometime. Next up is Brazil and no African country is bidding for 2018 or 2022. Given that it's 44 years since England hosted I'm guessing it could be a similar gap for African countries as I don't know many who would be better equipped that South Africa.


I'd like to add that it's not African fans that blow those horns in games like Netherlands - Denmark. It's our fans who do it now and they won't really care if they're banned since they only know about vuvzelas since last week. I agree that it should be Africas World Cup and not our way forced upon them. That's why I'd say ban them for games without African participation. That way they can celebrate their games the way they normally do and we'll still have our atmosphere come the quarter finals.

FIFA screwed up big time here. Giving the WC to SA was questionable from the getgo, but we knew about the vuvuzelas since last summer's Confed Cup, and they did absolutely NOTHING. No noise cancellation, no filtering, nothing! Italy supporters had their own song in 2006. I bet they sang it yesterday, but I'll never know. England fans are known for creating a great atmosphere, singing their national anthem during the game. They probably did that during the game vs the US, but we will never know. It's a shame really, because this is what people will remember aout this World Cup. Ask people if the WC should go to Africa again and they'll say no. Ask 'em why and they'll say one word: vuvuzela.

>> ^mizila:

>> ^Tymbrwulf:
I think everyone is getting their panties in a bunch for no reason. In my eyes, use the vuvuzela if you want, whatever.

Great argument. So if I just start following you around blowing a whistle in your face as loud as I can non-stop, your reaction is going to be, "that's cool, use a whistle if you want, whatever."?? No, I imagine your panties would be mighty bunched, sir.
Anyone who doesn't see what's wrong with this thing is either (A) Dumb... err I mean deaf, (B) South African, (C) Not a soccer fan, or (D) Trollin.


Are they following the players blowing it in their ear? Is it a different decibel level when hearing it in the stands when you're on the field? I imagine my response would be to walk away from the Vuvuzela player.

Also, good job on the inflammatory comment on calling anyone who see's anything wrong with this an idiot. I AM a football(soccer) fan, I'm NOT trollin', and quite frankly I couldn't care less about the Vuvuzela.

>> ^Tymbrwulf:

I think everyone is getting their panties in a bunch for no reason. In my eyes, use the vuvuzela if you want, whatever.


Great argument. So if I just start following you around blowing a whistle in your face as loud as I can non-stop, your reaction is going to be, "that's cool, use a whistle if you want, whatever."?? No, I imagine your panties would be mighty bunched, sir.

Anyone who doesn't see what's wrong with this thing is either (A) Dumb... err I mean deaf, (B) South African, (C) Not a soccer fan, or (D) Trollin.

I think everyone is getting their panties in a bunch for no reason. In my eyes, use the vuvuzela if you want, whatever.

>> ^yellowc:

First of all, you HOST the World Cup, it is a privilege countries FIGHT for. You host this for an estimated viewership of 2 BILLION PEOPLE, almost 1/3rd of the WORLD'S POPULATION. When you accept the responsibility to host a World Cup, you INVITE the world to your country.
Second of all, when your local culture completely and utterly destroys the culture of football (as the rest of the world understands it), the common decency would be to understand this and accommodate the world and football before your own local interests, you are a HOST, good hosts put their VISTORS before themselves.
Third of all, reducing viewership is basically tying your own noose. Pissing off advertisers is never a wise move, the World Cup is no more immune to this than any other event.
Fourth of all, generally you're supposed to highlight your country's strengths and tourism when you host such an event. Not turn off millions of people from even considering a visit, all from one very silly over-bearing issue. Do you really want your country's image tarnished from a little fucking plastic horn? I hear virtually nothing about South Africa, all I heard in the Beijing Olympics was "China great host this", "China great host that".
Fifth of all, if you don't watch football (even just for the World Cup), please shut the fuck up, as you have no appreciation for the issue at hand. I'm sick of tolerance nazi's butting in to the discussion with no appreciation of the complaint, all you can do is scream blue murder.
Many South African comments are in the nature of "This is OUR World Cup, if you don't like it, leave/don't watch!". Yes well people are taking those options and if the numbers are big enough; The only thing that's going to hurt is African nations holding the World Cup in the future. Both in selection and future attendance.


Some good points there. What the hosts might need reminding about is how this World Cup will be remembered. Currently the football's not great (and that might well be due partly to the vuvuzelas themselves) and so you'd hope the atmosphere would make up for it. These trumpets don't create atmosphere - I learned today they are primarily there to distract opposition players and obviously they do that very well.

The fact is that regardless of how bad the organisers screw this up, the World Cup is not coming back to Africa for sometime. Next up is Brazil and no African country is bidding for 2018 or 2022. Given that it's 44 years since England hosted I'm guessing it could be a similar gap for African countries as I don't know many who would be better equipped that South Africa.

Your video, Vuvuzelas: the tiny plastic horn "ruining" the 2010 World Cu, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.