What do You think about How Soccer Explains The World: An Unlikely Theory Of Globalization (2005)?
In honor of this year’s World Cup, I committed to reading a book about soccer before the end of the year. I had read strong reviews about Foer’s work – which is essentially a documentary about different social/political/historical events/movements and soccer’s relationship to them. For example, in one of the chapters, Foer walks the reader through Iran’s history and struggle between the strict religious rule of a clerical government and a desire for modernization and improved freedoms. Foer ties how Iranians viewed soccer as a symbol of modernization (the global superstars, the multinational corporations sponsoring teams and decorating stadiums with ads, the love of soccer worldwide, etc) and how different political leaders embraced or distanced themselves from soccer depending upon their stance between clerical rule and modernization. In another chapter, Foer ties the vying political powers of Italy (old rich vs new rich) with rival soccer clubs. While Foer paints very clear relationships between the game and larger happenings, I had two issues. First, the literalist in me felt annoyed throughout the entire book because of its title. That soccer’s fanbase has a global reach and a long history of passion everywhere, and that it is often linked to larger cultural movements is clear. But it’s such a screaming leap of post-hoc reasoning to state that soccer somehow EXPLAINS the world. It certainly REFLECTS what is going in a particular country at a particular time, but soccer isn’t the driving force behind these historic movements. Second, too many of the chapters end abruptly. Foer documents these long histories of governments or political parties concurrently with long histories of soccer clubs, and then ends with a quick anecdote or personal story and moves on to the next event. Many chapters felt abrupt, and the book as a whole felt disjointed and not cohesive. Fans of both soccer and nonfiction histories will probably enjoy this book. A pass for most people, methinks (pun intended).
—Tung
It's ectasy, anguish, joy and despair.It's part of our history.It's part of our country.And it will be part of our future.It's theatre, art, war and love.It should be predictable ... but NEVER is.It's a feeling that can't be explained but we spend our lives explaining it.It's OUR religion.We DO NOT apologise for it.We DO NOT deny it.They're OUR team, OUR family and OUR life.Football................We know how you feel about it.Because we feel the same...Well, few years ago, I caught myself lost in thought after I saw and heard a classic advert about 1997-1998 Premiership season football coverage and Sean Bean a movie star whose also known as a Leeds diehard fans who narrated this advertDANG!!! So true, so very true.. and those words hit me right betwen the eyes and "haunting" me eversince. For myself I will always considered those words are "holy" because somehow it's reflected my feeling about football. More importantly in my opinion reflected football as a whole.Not just that, I tempted to tape the advert. And the funny thing is that I can't help get rid the feeling that my life going down the toilet when I find myself video-taping a 120 seconds promo for a TV channel's football coverage. DANG!!!kalo penasaran bisa liat disinihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXac8J...Buku yang menarik. sangat menarik sebetulnya. Terus terang saya tidak terlalu "memperhatikan" aspek2 "globalisasi" yang ada di dalam buku ini . Secara pribadi saya lebih tertarik dengan sepakbola yang diceritakan di buku ini. Banyak sekali yang tidak saya ketahui semisal cikal bakal derby klasik Old Firm antara Glasgow Rangers vs Glasgow Celtic, bagaimana ribuan orang Irlandia Utara menyerbu Glasgow untuk menyaksikan Derby Glasgow. Trus bagaimana masyarakat Itali yang menggemari statistik tentang sepakbola termasuk statistik wasit. Terus kompetisi sepakbola di brasil yang carut marut dan banyak klub yang dikelola oleh pemilik2 oportunis yang korup tapi tetap melahirkan bintang2 baru seakan tak ada hentinya, suporter spurs yang memelorotkan celana mereka untuk membalas hinaan dari suporter lawan yah, hal2 unik seperti itulah.Sayangna untuk sepakbola inggris hanya membahas dari sisi holigan dan suporternya aja. Bagaimana tragedi Heysel yang menewaskan 39 suporter Juventus dan tragedi Hillsborough pd semifinal FA Cup yang menewaskan sekitar 98 suporter Liverpool memaksa pemerintah Inggris mengambil tindakan drastis untuk menekan kaum hooligan dan membuat stadion lebih aman dengan memerintahkan setiap klub memasang kamera dan tempat duduk di sektor North & South End, sektor tanpa tempat duduk alias tribune berdiri yang selama ini dikuasai suporter garis keras alias kaum hooligan. Kadang2 kalo liat siaran liga Inggris kita masih melihat suporter yang berdiri di tribun utara/selatan meski udah dikasi bangku.Sayang eyang Fergie ama eMyU nya gak disebut-sebut, pdhl ketika buku ini terbit (2004) eMyU telah menjadi sebuah kekuatan baru. Dalam kurun waktu 12 tahun terahir (1993-2004) mereka sudah merebut 8 kali juara Premiership. Total sampai saat saat itu pasukan eyang Fergie sudah mengoleksi 15 gelar juara semakin mendekati raja Premiership, Liverpool yang sudah mengoleksi 18 gelar juara. Naaah, kalo buku ini ditulis taun sekarang sepertinya seru, karena eMyU pada musim kompetisi 2008-2009 berhasil menyamai rekor Liverpool dengan merebut gelar ke 18. Sebagai fans bola terus terang saya tertarik mengenai "kampanye 19" ini, sapa neh yang duluan bisa nembus ke angka 19? Chelsea? ntar-ntar kali yah, soalna mereka baru 4 kali merebut gelar Premiership. Ato jangan-jangan Gunner yah yang udah 13 kali merebut gelar yang bisa nyalip. Iya gitu? bisakah? di Bab 7 menceritakan tentang sepak terjang dua klub penguasa Seri A Juventus dan AC Milan yang dijalankan dengan gaya berbeda oleh pemiliknya. tatapan mata terhenti cukup lama pada satu paragraf iniMusim kejuaraan kali itu bisa disingkat dalam pertandingan melawan saingan terberat mereka, Inter Milan. Setelah pemain Juve terang-terangan mengganjal badan penyerang Inter dari Brasil, Ronaldo, wasit enggan memberi Inter hadiah penalty. Tak lama berselang, di sisi lapang Inter, wasit malah memberi Juve tendangan penalty atas sebuah akting penuh kepalsuan. Seorang pemain Juve tiba-tiba tergelimpang di lapangan tanpa penyebab apapun yang bisa dijelaskan oleh hukum fisikahahaha, gw masi inget banget kejadiannya. Duh, pengen deh rasanya nyekek ntu wasit . Sayang buku ini ditulis tahun 2004 sementara skandal Calciopoli yang mengguncang sekaligus menurunkan pamor sepakbola Italia baru terungkap tahun 2006Apa lagi yah? doh, udah ah, saya sudahi saja sampe disini, gak bakalan abis kalo ngomongin bola mah“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.”Bill ShanklyGANTI NURDIN HALID!!!!esf
—Hippo dari Hongkong
Warning: Depsite the fact that I am a Yank, I might refer to soccer as football in this review. The term football makes more sense.In 2000, I was making my way back from Copenhagen (Ah Wonderful Copenhagen, Beautiful Copenhagen, where I lived down the street from a waffle factory. I would get hungery just stepping outside the building), I had a lay over in Paris. The only time I have ever been to Paris. (Do you have any idea how long it took to me find something affordable to eat? And this was before the Euro). Anyway, I was there a few days before the French won the Euro Cup (a football tournment, for those of you who don't know, along the lines of the World Cup, but just for Europe. And if you don't know what the World Cup is, I don't think I can help you).Paris seemed to be full of drums, chanting, drunken, happy Parisans (no doubt drunk on wine), and soccer, football, balls.It was fun!So fun that I was willing to forget that my beloved Dutch National Team (I'm not Dutch, but Netherlands is nice, and the de Boer brothers were playing) didn't make to the finals.I've been lucky enough to have been in Europe twice during Euro Cups. The first time was when I went to England. I was in Scotland when the Scots lost to the English in a game (yeah, I don't quite get or believe it either). What I remember most is the man dressed in full kilt playing the bagpipes after the loss. It was far more beautiful than the drunken cries I hear from the bar up the street when a local Philly team loses. (Though there was plenty of that on the Royal Mile too).America has nothing football fans.Foer explores the impact (change isn't the right word) football has on society and nations. He makes an agrument that soccer represents an aspect of globalizations, and while sometimes this point isn't entirely proved, he tells story, after story, usually funny ones.Foer explores the history of hooliganism.Okay, before I go any further, I have to disgress (again). Mr. Foer, dude, Oakland Raider fans are closest to English Hooligans? What are you smoking? Philadelphia fans threw snowballs and iceballs at SANTA CLAUS (he deserved it, but still). C'mon. People are frightened to go to our stadiums. (Not because of the teams [maybe the Phils:] but because of the fans).Sorry, just had to get that out.Foer explores the history of hooliganism, talking to honest to gosh Hooligans, who are old, as well as looking at the Protestant vs. Catholic football rivalary. Which is in Scotland and not Northern Ireland.He also explains the state of football in Brazil, including a story that will disappoint Pele worshippers. That section of the book is heartbreaking. He examines racial tension in European clubs.It is true that he is some what biased in some places, but hey, I like Baracelona too.Nice bit on Iran, espcecially considering the current state of affairs there.The only weak part is the section on America.Overall, if you like football (or soccer) it is an enjoyable book.
—Chris
