OT: Deutschland Uber Alles!! (Athletically)

My mum, who was a child during WW2 always says she can't sing the hymn because it reminds her of the German national anthem, and it has coloured the hymn for her. Being much younger it doesn't for me. I think it's such a great tune and lyrics.

Every four years! Or maybe twice every four years, counting the Olympics.

It is the national anthem, though I understand the verse that either suggests loyalty to Germany should come before all else or that Germany is the tops isn't now part of the anthem, whereas the full version of the British national anthem still has "And like a torrent rush/ Rebellious Scots to crush" in reference to the '45 Rebellion (1745). Not that many people sing that nowadays, especially in Scotland.

As an American who has read and learned things about the game from this thread (and others like it which preceded it), I believe it is called "football." (Sorry, Mati, I have been (mis)calling it soccer for so long, I could not pass up the chance to correct someone else. Even though I know you already knew that).


There is soccer - I mean football - in the Olympics?

Yes, but it isn't worth much thanks to strange rules that turn it into a kind of youth championship. The reason is that FIFA doesn't want the Olympic football tournament to overshadow their own World Cup, and the IOC doesn't want football to overshadow the other Olympic events.

Congratulations to Germany, by the way! I think it was a most deserved victory.

Not to mention, as an atheist republican, I'm not especially enamoured to be singing, "God save our gracious queen" ...

It's always baffled me as to why the American game is called football at all given that the ball hardly ever makes contact with anyone's feet.

We also have a game on this side of the Atlantic called "Baseball". Bases are certainly involved in the game, yet the ball hardly ever makes contact with them. Go figure.

Basketball does have a name that makes more sense.

Well, after all the American national anthem is all about the U.S.A. successfully defying the military might of the British Empire... --C.K.

Good point! Perhaps we should sanitize that with a kinder, gentler, more politically correct version. Perhaps the "red glow" could refer to the neon lights on your local Wall Mart or TRUMP building?

Oops! I can think of another possible "red glow", but a freshly spanked bottom wouldn't be politically correct. And in any case, sounds far too British.