Hellas futebol

[H]

USA is a funny country. I've heard that Europe is a country and its capital is Paris.

But then again, what can you expect from a country where 4 out of 10 people believe in Creationism? They still teach it in schools in at least 14 states I think, hahaha!

[Festivus]

800 years battling the Spanish to get out of our country, and there are still people thinking we are part of Spain

I don't want to start it again, but we actually are part of Spain( Spain = Iberian península)

The peninsula is no longer called Hispania. And after Castille took over the other regions in the peninsula they renamed the country Spain in hope of eventually taking Portugal over in the near future. Didn't work, so basically the name "Hispania" ended up getting hijacked.

We're Iberian.

[H]

The peninsula is no longer called Hispania. And after Castille took over the other regions in the peninsula they renamed the country Spain in hope of eventually taking Portugal over in the near future. Didn't work, so basically the name "Hispania" ended up getting hijacked.

We're Iberian.

Take that, you Spaniards!

[T1n0_SLB]

Talking about muslims in UK  i think UK( and France btw) is paying for the mess they did in ME during and after WWI.

If you look, 90% of the muslims there are from south east Asia where they don't speak arabic, yet you have those things in in rabic, you can clearly see who is behind of all that.

And they allow a IS suporter(Anjem Choudary) to their tv shows, that's crazy when you know they government is conservative.

PS: Saudi Arabia is bombing Yemem right now.

[Festivus]

Talking about muslims in UK  i think UK( and France btw) is paying for the mess they did in ME during and after WWI.

If you look, 90% of the muslims there are from south east Asia where they don't speak arabic, yet you have those things in in rabic, you can clearly see who is behind of all that.

And they allow a IS suporter(Anjem Choudary) to their tv shows, that's crazy when you know they government is conservative.

PS: Saudi Arabia is bombing Yemem right now.

The Treaty of Versailles was a joke and because of it another worldwide war blew up 2 decades later. Also Germany got all the blame for it since France was still bitter about the Franco-Prussia war and wanted Alsace and Lorane back.

Who knows what would have been different nowadays if the Ottoman Empire was still around. The ME would be better off but there'd have been a big conflict in the Balkans sooner or later.

[H]

Balkans... Catholics, Orthodoxes, Muslims (especially if all in the same country)... Add a bit of Gypsies here and there and an Imperialist Turkey and there you go, perfect recipe for a giant mess!

[T1n0_SLB]

Talking about muslims in UK  i think UK( and France btw) is paying for the mess they did in ME during and after WWI.

If you look, 90% of the muslims there are from south east Asia where they don't speak arabic, yet you have those things in in rabic, you can clearly see who is behind of all that.

And they allow a IS suporter(Anjem Choudary) to their tv shows, that's crazy when you know they government is conservative.

PS: Saudi Arabia is bombing Yemem right now.

The Treaty of Versailles was a joke and because of it another worldwide war blew up 2 decades later. Also Germany got all the blame for it since France was still bitter about the Franco-Prussia war and wanted Alsace and Lorane back.

Who knows what would have been different nowadays if the Ottoman Empire was still around. The ME would be better off but there'd have been a big conflict in the Balkans sooner or later.

You had greek turkish war.

I'm not talking about what they did to Germany but what they did with otoman empire in ME.

The mulstiple promises they made to many parts, the way they divide it betwen the Hussein bin Ali sons, the promise they made to jews and other arabs tribe.

In resume the Versailles Treaty was completely shame.


EDIT: I have to add the suport and agreements with the house of Saud, all in the same time.

[T1n0_SLB]

USA is a funny country. I've heard that Europe is a country and its capital is Paris.

But then again, what can you expect from a country where 4 out of 10 people believe in Creationism? They still teach it in schools in at least 14 states I think, hahaha!

A Country of morrons.

[Festivus]

USA is a funny country. I've heard that Europe is a country and its capital is Paris.

But then again, what can you expect from a country where 4 out of 10 people believe in Creationism? They still teach it in schools in at least 14 states I think, hahaha!

The Bible Belt could almost be a different country.

[H]

First time I heard the expression "Bible Belt". Thanks for cultivating me.

[Festivus]

First time I heard the expression "Bible Belt". Thanks for cultivating me.

I bet all of said states where creationism is taught at schools are in the Bible Belt. Or at least most of them.

[H]

That wouldn't be surprising in the slightest.

Now hand me that moonshine jug and some of that roadkilled raccoon, Billy Bob II.

[Faliro]

Firstly may I congratulate Festivus on his long post last page. Super post and I agree with virtually all of it.

Concerning country's global images, I can't fault what he stated. Clearly some countries have built a better global identity than others.. and I believe this process is an ongoing one and begun 100s of years before we were born.

My father was an antique dealer and there was a time where he collected quite a few Piranesi prints. Piranesi was a very interesting artist who did much to sell the idea of beautiful and romantic crumbling Italian ruins. Many people's idea of Italy before the age of TV and newspapers came from Piranesi's urban landscapes. Here is an example:



What I find fascinating is even then, Germans and English were saying the purest and cleanest idea of classicism is of Greek, not Roman origin. Instead of just getting on his with his life, Piranesi was so offended anyone would suggest something Greek is superior to anything Roman, that he wrote illustrated books explaining why everything Roman was better than anything Greek. From column capitals to temples - he was obsessed. Now what is interesting is that every country needs a Piranesi - people who go out of their way - rightly or wrongly, to intellectualise why their country has some sort of global value. Italy has had many such characters and that is one of the reasons Italy is such a spectacular global brand. Countries like Greece and Portugal have failed to large extent in this arena. Spain on the other hand has succeeded. I say Spain, you don't need to leave Cataluyna to find a culture of people who obsess about what makes them different, why they eat what they do and how you can benefit by loving their small nation.

In Europe, many are obsessed with culture, part of my degree at university was in the 'culture industry.' As a result, you get many leftists who simply go the other way... ''There is no difference between people.. we all eat sleep and need to work..'' Strange.. even animals of the same species vary in their habits, but a guy from Bangladesh is suddenly no different to a Swede because that helps some guilt ridden middle class intellectual sleep better at night believing that?

Festivus commented on how I would probably see myself as Greek..My own story is a microcosm of this lunacy that we have covered. From the age of 0 to 9 I believed I was 100% English. This was until English would tell me I am not English. Even though I am pale, my hair is jet black.. something was clearly wrong... So after the 10th time of someone asking me where I was from and not being contented with my answer, 'I am English.' - I famously asked my idiot mother.. She said.. 'you are English.' I said, 'than why do English say I am not English?' My mother's response..'Well I actually see you as Greek, if my father was still alive, he would have raised you as a Greek..' So I am like... 'I am Greek... ' My mother says 'yes... but also Austrian, my mother was from Vienna..'    I am like... fuck this shit..  I ask my Dad where I am from. One word answer.. 'British.' I say really? He says 'look at your passport.. British.' That same year I ask my mother where my second name comes from... She says..'it is from Barcelona.. your father's family were originally from there but he doesn't like to talk about it.. he also has an English mother.'  So basically I am  the result of my parent's inability to understand or deal with their own backgrounds.

Now there are probably quite a few like me - especially in London where Europeans mixed... however Islam is a different kettle of fish as we say.. These guys play for big stakes when it comes to cultural identity.

[Festivus]

Well I guess I shouldn't have assumed that you identified yourself solely as Greek. I take back what I said.

Took you that long to find out you were Greek? When did you become an Olympiakos fan? And do you or did you ever support any EPL side? Now that I think about it, I've never seen you talk about the EPL before. Only mentioning that you grew up watching La Liga and that you disliked Serie A.

[Faliro]

I started following Olympiacos about 8 years ago - as a fan. Before that I was always curious to watch teams like AEK and PAO in Europe if could. Even these days if a Greek side is playing in Europe and I can watch it, I do - simply for the entertainment value.

The club I have been supporting since a boy was always Barcelona, even before I knew I have ancestry from there. I was simply seduced by the football they played. To this day I love watching them play however dont have the time to watch the smaller games, so only watch the clasico and their CL games.  I have been lucky enough to attend Barcelona playing at home in La Liga at the Camp Nou and watch them in an away CL game at Anfield. I have also attended Olympiacos games, home and away in in the CL and some friendlies.

Despite growing up and basically being a Londoner, I have always absolutely despised English football. I find it exceptionally agricultural.  It always reminds me of the type of football the apes would attempt to play in Planet of the Apes, if they had their own league. Aggressive and anarchic.  Despite this, my old boss used to give me his season ticket, so I went to around 10 games home and away for chelsea. I have also been to Fulham and Brentford games and a couple of internationals.

Two years ago I went to Cruzeiro vs Atletico in Belo Horizonte - played in Estádio Independência as the Mineirao was being refurbished at the time and Cruzeiro had to play all their games at Horto.

PS - I knock English football, however as you stated, I also find Serie A close to unwatchable. Any games involving teams like Genoa simply does not resemble football to me..