this post was submitted on 11 Feb 2024
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Unpopular Opinion

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No offense or judgement meant to anyone if that's your thing (to each their own). That's just how I see pretty much all professional sports - the super bowl is just the poster child for it.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (3 children)

A man from England told me this, when talking about the difference between Rugby and American Football. Rugby is a thug sport played by gentlemen. Football is a gentleman's sport played by thugs.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

This is a very well known phrase in England, but it refers to football (soccer) and rugby. I have never heard this in reference to American football and cannot even imagine how the meaning would translate.

The meaning of it comes from football being a supposedly gentle game of skill, but played and loved by the common people and with a long history of bad behaviour on and off the pitch, versus rugby being a rough, bruising, injury riddled sport that was played by aristocratic rich kids in private schools who are all excellent young men destined for greatness.

Of course this is mostly oversimplified bollocks, but with just enough truth behind it to make it funny.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I think you confused football with Amerixan football. It is referring to what you would call soccer.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago

Nope. This was a comment from a Brit when we were discussing the difference between Rugby and American football. I found it an apt description at the time.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Feels… vaguely racist.

Maybe not even vaguely. Like I really cannot think of what the distinguishing line between “rugby players” and “American football players” is that would make one group ‘thugs’ other than “one of them is predominantly black”

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

I read it as American vs British, disregarding race.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

He was describing American football players/teams as thugs. It is not meant with race in mind at all. For a little context there was some big argument going on the TV and the American team was throwing a hissy fit and screaming at the officials.

Edit, to add: Rugby can be quite violent, but the players have some respect for the game and officials. I don't really follow sports, but I found Rugby fascinating when I was over there! What a neat game.