With the World Cup almost upon us, there is a mass outbreak of St George's flags on cars ; driving round the prolier parts of town is a bit like sailing through a Fleet Review, but without the royal family in the back seat, getting sloshed.I saw a picture of someone face-painted with a flag, and it reminded me of an oven-ready chicken. So I did this picture, which I humbly offer as a contender for England's mascot.
As someone commented on a Guardian feature,
As a member of the "straight" community (and I really don't subscribe to the idea of us being different "communities", but I can't find a better word), events like "The World Cup" and "the FA Cup" are just ways for the footballing "community" to scream out to the rest of us "Hey - look at us - we're different!". Surely this just builds barriers. My point is that we should strive, as a society, for football-loving people to blend in with the rest of society...
Actually, they were talking about trans people, but obviously the principle works just as well with any other group, doesn't it?
Superb World Cup post, I noticed that comment too, but was more startled by others around the good trans v bad trans theme. Goalkeepers who play in dull green strips are Ok they blend into the grass but those in exotic brightly coloured silky shirts- they are just exhibitionists.
ReplyDeleteLove the St. George's Chicken.
A rose by any other name is still a rose - I hope everyone appreciates how accidentally appropriate that is.
ReplyDeleteHere in France our chickens are live (well cocks actually – must be Freudian)
Cups (cup jocks) were standard issue when I played high school soccer: athletic supporters with aluminum inserts. Red crosses optional. I hadn't heard of the World Cup yet.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Claire. There were so many different flavours of guff going on in that thread, that things like this were getting lost in the noise and clutter, weren't they?
ReplyDeleteI *think* I managed to deconstruct it, Anji. Is a cock the 'other thing' in French too?
I Googled 'cup jocks', Larry, and found a whole bunch of stuff that made me want to wash my eyes with TCP, and was almost certainly NSFW...
I just checked in the Dictionnaire du français argotique et populaire. No - but 'it' can be called just about everything else, it seems
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