I am posting this link because it related to some of the topics we were briefly discussing in class. This article talks about the possibility of Michael Bradley coming back to the MLS instead of going to Europe as a possible sign that things are beginning to change for the better in the MLS. Bradley’s decision to play in the MLS could lead to more high profile players choosing to play in the MLS over European teams.
This article discusses the ways Italy wanted to restructure its approach to the game of football. The government sought to use football as a way to unite the nation through the cultural bond of sport, while also recognizing football as a vehicle for political cohesion. Football in Italy after 1926 not only represented physical dominance over other teams, but also was publicly viewed as fascism’s way of displaying its confidence.
This section talks about some of the difficulties faced when the popularity of football or calico began to rapidly increase. Teams began to see their number of fans steadily increase and also fans began to travel to games just to further support their home teams. Teams made it easy for such devoted teams to travel through travel aids that allowed for larger groups to afford the trip. The popularity of football led to the idea of traveling to see teams play to be a common and widely accepted means of spending leisure time. Continue reading
It’s fascinating to see how the Fascist government used soccer to manipulate the people. The article says, “The introduction of cup competitions was Fascism’s attempt to protect both big and small teams, while bringing the composite pieces of the puzzle closer towards an integrated national picture that would further develop the Italian game.” (Pg. 60) It was used to galvanize the people and contribute positively to the Fascist Regime, which used the game to change the cultural identities of the people. The article continues “It was an argument often employed during the Fascist era, whereby the roots of football were attributed to the ancient sport of calcio Fiorentino or calcio storico, a traditional folk game of the Middle Ages, which was also restored to prominence by the regime.82 (Pg 66) This is an example of how they used soccer to build a new national identity, by creating the game as a past time with cultural values that they could build. Then once they began having success with football and “as II Bargello was proud to proclaim in 1931: ‘even in sport, Fascism is teaching the old Europe and showing its greatest export.’ (pg. 72) It’s really cool to see how the government built this and compare it to how Spain, thanks to Isabelle and Fernando, united their nation through Christianity and the newly reformed language of Castellano.
Italian football in its infancy was riddled with arguments and fighting due to the smaller clubs holding a majority over the larger clubs in the FIGC. This struggle is very similar to the way the smaller states did not want to have the larger states always holding the power of decisions in the creation of the United States Congress. But the way the FIGC handled the situation led to a split in Italian club football, where the smaller teams were left to fend for themselves while the larger teams made all the money and got the best players. To add to these issues was the inability of the referees to keep control of the game and enforce the rules.
Although widely considered to have been the best referee in Italy at the time, Mauro was far away from the incident in question, which intensified the Bologna fans’ conviction that the ball had crossed the line for a goal. Among those supporters was the leader of the Bolognese Fascist Federation and future mayor, Leandro Arpinati, who, apparently, led a pitch invasion with his squadristi that culminated in shouting, pushing, threats and some skirmishes. 13 Choosing personal safety over conscience, Mauro reversed his decision and awarded a goal. (Martin, 54) Continue reading
About a month ago a Brazilian player walked off the field in La Liga after he was racially abused throughout the match. This incident was reported and fines were slapped on the alleged culprits of this act, but many feel that while FIFA has technically made efforts to cease racist remarks, it is “nonsense to fight racism with fines”. And while FIFA is under the spotlight with the impending 2014 World Cup in Rio De Janeiro, there is now another incident of not allowing a black couple to host the final World Cup event and decided to elect a white couple for the job. While this is still only an alleged accusation, this is simply a continued view that FIFA does not want to have and is furthering the image that they are racially intolerant.
Introduction:
-Italy felt the need to restructure football in order to gain the support of the masses. This in turn becomes another form of nationalism.
-The new league of calico formed in the early 20th century was the cause of much disapproval from the smaller clubs, which in turn caused a divide in big and small clubs and strayed away from the initial belief of “a healthy and chivalrous game that tempers the energies of the race”. Continue reading
The reforms that were made to the soccer program did not benefit the small clubs. This caused the smaller clubs to reject ideas that would benefit the larger clubs when things were voted upon. This made the larger clubs form other confederations. The issues that the small clubs faced were that they could not acquire the best players because the larger clubs got them all. This also forced the small clubs to drop into leagues where they could compete and make money. Large clubs were able to build up a following by paying fans to go to away games. Acquiring the best athletes was a vital part to the clubs success but we also see that fan support was a major factor in the outcome of games. While the game was developing so was the officiating aspect. We see from the article that the referees were conscientious about where they were when making calls and how the call would be received by the fans and later the committee.
The protracted season also only highlighted the stark division between the wealthy and poor clubs. A rich minority capable of winning the title had emerged but the demands placed upon them had also become more exacting as supporters demanded stronger squads, which required more money to attract the best players. Many games had also become unattractive mismatches between the rich and poor, the real business of the season commencing only once the play-off positions had been decided. Unable to break into the league’s elite due to their financial limitations, the poorer teams were left with little to fight for other than survival (Martin 56). Continue reading
In this article, the author makes many good points about how once a team has reached the pinnacle of club football, it is only a matter of time until they fall. Bayern Munich’s success is akin to that of Barcelona’s in the early 2000’s when, even if they did not hold the Champions League trophy, they were the team to beat. But right now, it seems that Bayern is holding onto this spot for the long run by signing “one of the best and most coveted strikers on the planet” and having Pep Guardiola (Barcelona’s old coach) to keep the winning momentum going.
This article, dated May 2012, highlights the fears of racism that cast a dark cloud in the run up to the 2012 European Cup. The Cup was hosted by both Poland and the Ukraine, countries known for xenophobia and racism. The article makes note of the effects racism has not only on the players but also on the fans and speculates how the Leagues, players and host nations will deal with any incidents.
In the aftermath of the destructive earthquake in Haiti, many opportunities for the advancement of women in society have been curtailed or eliminated. However, through an organization called HAVSERVE, the misfortunes suffered by Haitians are being ameliorated. A site dedicated to promoting volunteerism, this organization seeks to provide aid to penurious families and assist in the realization of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals in Haiti. Ms. Nicole Findlay has catalogued her experiences and hopes on the organization’s blog, HAVBLOG, empowering Haitian women through soccer playing. Not only promoting gender equality in sports, this project brings a new opportunities for women in the undeveloped world to gain a sense of community.
http://www.havserve.org/blog/gender-equality-and-empowerment-through-soccer/