Confusing times
breed more
confusion
THE other day an American footballer ran half the length of the field before being spectacularly tackled by one of his teammates, just short of his own goalline.
I'm not sure what the rule is in American football for placing the ball across your own line – in rugby, of course, it would be a five-metre scrum, the opposition's put-in – but for all I know it could be more like the "own goal" in soccer.
At any rate his teammates in this high school match in California certainly didn't want him to dot down, the incident captured on Sky TV.
Clearly the fellow was badly disorientated, had lost his sense of direction. What could have caused this?
Maybe the kid had been reading up on the impeachment proceedings for his contemporary history classes. Maybe he'd been trying to make head or tail of events in Syria where allies have been abandoned by Nato's senior member; to be attacked another Nato member; only to be supported in turn by a pretty ghastly government that is in cahoots with Nato's sworn enemy.
It's enough to confuse any footballer kid as to who's who on the field of play, in which direction to run. (If he'd also been exposed to the Brexit shenanigans the other side of the Atlantic, he wouldn't even have found his way to the football field.)
Yes, these topsy-turvy developments come at a psychological cost. We live in Interesting times - as in the ancient Chinese curse.
Origins
WHERE and how did American football originate?
The best explanation I've seen is that two university sides met, way back in the year dot.
It turned out that one side played Association Football (soccer), the other Rugby Football. But rather than call off the match, they played by both codes.
Hence the long passes thrown forward (like soccer passes), the body tackles, the scrimmages.
It kind of makes sense. Are there any other theories?
World Cup
COMMENTARY comes this way on that Rugby World Cup thriller between Japan and Scotland.
"Well, what a game! A country and a language that very few people understand or respect.
"They even receive criticism for what they eat and their strange dress code.
"A country and a population that has been battered by extreme weather conditions.
"A nation not known for its rugby … and now they've lost to Japan!"
Trick or treat
IT'S Halloween costume time as October 31 approaches – that spooky time of year, especially in the US, with jack-o'-lanterns and trick or treat door-to-door.
Doubles costumes are in vogue this year, according to Huffington Post, his-and-her outfits for the Halloween parties.
One is styled "Deer in the Headlights". Don't tell me ordinary Americans are also obsessed with Boris Johnson and Brexit.
But no, this has nothing to do with Boris or Brexit, even if the Brexit deadline coincides with Halloween. With the "Deer in the Headlights" costume for doubles, he has antlers and a moose's head, she has headlights on her, er, headlights.
Trick or treat!
Tailpiece
HIS phone rings. He answers.
She says: "The car's broken down. There's water in the carburettor."
"Where is the car?"
"It's in the river."
Last word
When the politicians complain that TV turns the proceedings into a circus, it should be made clear that the circus was already there, and that TV has merely demonstrated that not all the performers are well trained. - Edward R Murrow
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