Topic: Please leave a comment on ESPN page 2

[EDGEER]

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http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hruby/081110

[redterror]

good article.  IMO foosball would not televise very well because it is TOO FAST to see.  unless they use hi speed cameras & slow everything down, it'll be nearly impossible to watch.

[foozkillah]

good article.  IMO foosball would not televise very well because it is TOO FAST to see.  unless they use hi speed cameras & slow everything down, it'll be nearly impossible to watch.

Even the smallest local TV vid crew has "Slo-Mo" and stopaction replay capability.  Even thousands of people on YouTube and other portals already do an instant replay in slow motion, a very basic feature of all editing software nowadays.. even in camphones!   This is in use especially for trickshots and "how-to" demos.  Have you ever had one of Jim's Inside Foos videos?  Why wouldn't that format transfer instantly to broadcast, since they ARE DESIGNED to be watched on your boobtube?  Netfoos has even already begun live netcasts of events!  Televised pro table tennis is a lot faster, but have a rabid following in Asia and Europe.

Foosball as a televised sport would do better if the interviewers were non-morons who actually foos.  And IMO, there are several others from ESPN who have played foosball in high school and college, and are completely familiar with what's out there media wise.   What they need is to follow Eric Clapton and similar foosmaniacs on their tour with their foostable, and similar other "sporty" themes, like the World Cup matches where the US team is playing.  And if they make foos an X-game, ESPN would surely show those, too.

[thebodygroove]

Eric Clapton is a foos-maniac??? Has anybody ever seen him play? Is he good?

[foozkillah]

Eric Clapton is a foos-maniac??? Has anybody ever seen him play? Is he good?

He and his crew definitely are...  When they request the accomodations, libations, and ready rooms while on tour, it is strictly stipulated that a private room for their foosball table is included.  Even as a guest, as when he stepped in as tour lead guitar for Roger Waters after the Pink Floyd split with David Gilmour, those stipulations were still included.  Mid-80's I had the chance to play them backstage in Philadelphia   He and his drummer were pretty good then, on that Roberto (I think).  Dunno what they play on nowadays, and Eric's a lot older, of course. The old tour supergroup, Journey with Steve Perry and Neil Schon, were also foosers from the TS days.

What we need is for Barack Obama to get a new foostable into the White House.  There has been, and will always be, a long long line of celebrities invited to the White House, and the "foosit or loose it" test would be a great photo-op.  Perhaps some enterprising Bonzini exec or Tornado/Brunswick exec (took them 4 years to upgrade Chandler and Joey's table to a Tornado) would gift a table to the White House, for the 2 girls to play on.   With our luck, some French or German or Chinese mfr will send them a TecBall, Fireball, Medalist or P4P way before an American table.

[thebodygroove]

He and his crew definitely are...  When they request the accomodations, libations, and ready rooms while on tour, it is strictly stipulated that a private room for their foosball table is included.  Even as a guest, as when he stepped in as tour lead guitar for Roger Waters after the Pink Floyd split with David Gilmour, those stipulations were still included.  Mid-80's I had the chance to play them backstage in Philadelphia   He and his drummer were pretty good then, on that Roberto (I think).  Dunno what they play on nowadays, and Eric's a lot older, of course. The old tour supergroup, Journey with Steve Perry and Neil Schon, were also foosers from the TS days.

Very interesting! Thanks a lot!

What we need is for Barack Obama to get a new foostable into the White House.

 
That would be so cool! By the way, has race ever been an issue in the world of foosball? I only know US foosball from some videos, and I've never seen a player of African descent on them. Is foosball a "white" sport?

[Daniel]

It is up to 70 comments let make it over 100 make sure to email this article to all foosers and tell them to post a comment.

[melissa]

72 now

[foozkillah]

That would be so cool! By the way, has race ever been an issue in the world of foosball? I only know US foosball from some videos, and I've never seen a player of African descent on them. Is foosball a "white" sport?

One thing I learned in junior high, high school, college, and bars all over the country here is that foosball has a curious magic like modern sports.  Players may bring racism, socio or economic and various dislikes to a venue, but once playing foosball, especially in pickups, they seem to forget them once they're playing.

But you are right, except in collegiate play, where I played many blacks (not just African, but American blacks, too) and a multitude of other ethnically diverse players, there just didn't seem to be many foosing minorities except Asians (including Middle-East Asians) in the bars and other places I played.  I guess the others tended to keep to themselves at their own venues.  Obviously they didn't get the same exposure to the national and regional tournament promotions that we got, and they didn't get to go.

[Daniel]

Up to 76 keep posting.

[thebodygroove]

But you are right, except in collegiate play, where I played many blacks (not just African, but American blacks, too)

I meant black people in general, but I wasn't sure if that sounds racist or something. Every black person has Arfrican ancestors if you go  back in time far enough, right?

and a multitude of other ethnically diverse players, there just didn't seem to be many foosing minorities except Asians (including Middle-East Asians) in the bars and other places I played.  I guess the others tended to keep to themselves at their own venues.

Oh, so the ethnic groups still go to their own seperate places? Like someone would give me a funny or even hostile glance if I went into a "black" club?

[foozkillah]

I meant black people in general, but I wasn't sure if that sounds racist or something. Every black person has Arfrican ancestors if you go  back in time far enough, right?

Black or African-American (not Afro-American, which is more of a modifier) is acceptable to Americans, IMHO.  It is now scientifically accepted and proven via DNA analysis across the world, that ALL people, including YOU, have African ancestors, with DNA all tracing back to the hominim humanoid, "Sally".  We are all African, unless your ancestors visited in their UFO after Sally and her companions started migrating across the former land bridges of Pangeia.

Oh, so the ethnic groups still go to their own seperate places? Like someone would give me a funny or even hostile glance if I went into a "black" club?

In larger cities, the clientele at clubs with foosball tables is definitely much more diverse, but your neighborhood "black" bars with foosball tables, particularly those I've gone to with black friends or workmates, (been to ones in eastern Ohio, Michigan, southern NJ, northern California, and south-side Chicago) just give a quizzical look to study Caucasian men the first time they appear.  Caucasian women are not ignored, but widely accepted anyway.   Hispanics and Asians merit a glance, but that's usually all.  Unless you came in with a beautiful black woman on his arm, then yes, they do have "funny" but not necessarily hostile glances, of course.

[thebodygroove]

Black or African-American (not Afro-American, which is more of a modifier) is acceptable to Americans, IMHO.  It is now scientifically accepted and proven via DNA analysis across the world, that ALL people, including YOU, have African ancestors, with DNA all tracing back to the hominim humanoid, "Sally".  We are all African, unless your ancestors visited in their UFO after Sally and her companions started migrating across the former land bridges of Pangeia.

Making it perfectly obvious how stupid racism really is...

In larger cities, the clientele at clubs with foosball tables is definitely much more diverse, but your neighborhood "black" bars with foosball tables, particularly those I've gone to with black friends or workmates, (been to ones in eastern Ohio, Michigan, southern NJ, northern California, and south-side Chicago) just give a quizzical look to study Caucasian men the first time they appear.  Caucasian women are not ignored, but widely accepted anyway.   Hispanics and Asians merit a glance, but that's usually all.  Unless you came in with a beautiful black woman on his arm, then yes, they do have "funny" but not necessarily hostile glances, of course.

Good to know. Maybe some glances would turn hostile if I told those guys where I'm from. Most ethnic minorities tend to have a dislike for the country with the most racist history of all...

[gitablok]

What's up bodygroove? Did you make it to the p4p tourney? If you did, did you introduce yourself to the InsideFoos crew that was there?

Let me first say I would never give you a hostile glance because of where you are from. I speak from personal experience in that I have been racially oppressed all of my life. Mind you things are not as they were but racism and prejudice still live. They are both a waste of time and the waste of the joy of life. Now on the other hand, if you exhibit the same prejudices as past or present people, then there would be a problem. It wouldn't be my problem because I don't have time for it.

Much like the wall coming down, the ignorance of racism is SLOWLY crumbling. Granted the stars were aligned for it to happen, but never did I think I would see a black president of the US in my lifetime.

What's really ironic is one of Germany's best players, Chris Marks, came to the US and played the open doubles event at the Worlds with me, a black man. I didn't care that he was German and he didn't care that I was black.

As far as why there aren't many black players, I think it's more exposure or lack there of than anything else. I didn't discover the game until my mid 20's. If kids are not shown an ultimate level of play in a sport, they will move on to the next one looking for that level. What's funny is the handfull of us who choose to compete at the tournament level all compete at the pro level.

So there you have it, black people do play foos, just not many. Some even know enough to teach others about the game,lol.

[thebodygroove]

What's up bodygroove? Did you make it to the p4p tourney? If you did, did you introduce yourself to the InsideFoos crew that was there?

Iceman, good to read from you, man! I haven't made it anywhere so far, except that I spent a weekend at pro master Oktay Mann's place and had him torture me at the table. Learning consists of pain and humiliation...

Let me first say I would never give you a hostile glance because of where you are from.

That's because you're smart and open-minded, you've travelled a lot and know better, which I appreciate. But I still wouldn't blame anyone for having prejudices against Germany.

I speak from personal experience in that I have been racially oppressed all of my life. Mind you things are not as they were but racism and prejudice still live.

The fight is still going on, but after a few victorious battles (Ha! YES WE F***ING CAN!) one thing is getting more and more obvious: In the end we will prevail! It might take a few more generations, but eventually racism will vanish from this planet.

They are both a waste of time and the waste of the joy of life.

And this is the reason for it.

Granted the stars were aligned for it to happen, but never did I think I would see a black president of the US in my lifetime.

Did you know that if Germans were allowed to vote for a US-candidate, Obama would have gotten 89 percent of our votes?

What's really ironic is one of Germany's best players, Chris Marks, came to the US and played the open doubles event at the Worlds with me, a black man. I didn't care that he was German and he didn't care that I was black.

Not ironic at all! You will hardly find a country with less racism than today's Germany. We've learned from the past. Not all of us, that is, but a vast majority.

So there you have it, black people do play foos, just not many. Some even know enough to teach others about the game,lol.

Should we ever meet, I'll beg you to teach me some US-style table soccer! That would be great!