thee brutish tabloid press & england/germany football

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I just popped up to thee newsagent to get some fizzy pop. Wif my OWN EYES, i SAWN to-day's copy ov thee "Daily Mirror" (Note to non-uk posters - a brit "red top" tabloid "news"paper) I felt sick to my stomach, for there, on the black-printed front kover ov this cheap & nasty, toxic, smelly rag was a pic of a pair of burning goalkeeper's gloves, accompanied w/a hateful, "little-englander"-type screed. As usual, the tone was "those nasty germans, they don't like it up 'em" etc etc.

What a load of small-minded bigoted jingo-istic shit. I have several german customers (and I'll most likely feel embarrased next time they come in) who are all very nice. We deal w/several german bicycle/parts companies, most notable reise und muller gmbh who are nice folks with an excellent product. I think of these peole when I see shit like this on the front pages of our tabloid press, and it makes me ashamed to be british. Right now, I hate the tabloids w/every fibre of my being, and I wish harm unto those responsible for writing and publishing them. Last time the mirror pulled a lame stunt like this (pictures of brit footballers wearing WW2-style helmets, w/the caption "achtung! Surrender! I mean FOR FUXAKE!!!!), they actually lost readers - something which gives me some hope for the future. I hope they lose more this time. I hope they lose so many that they go out of business, and wind up turning tricks for pocket change in provincial bus-depots. (rant, rave, steam comes out ov ears etc etc)

― die!!!! vile tabloid editor!!!!, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I agree totally. I'm sure they gained some readers aswell though. It's funny this has been brought up because my brother was over here (Dublin) with his girlfriend and she's english, she was telling me she almost didn't want England to win because she hated the xenophobic headlines so much. How shocking is it that many of the people who read this shite actually have votes?

― Ronan, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It is appalling, Ronan, everyone should have their IQ tested before voting and if it is too low or if they have a copy of the Sun under their arm they should not be allowed to vote. Or were you joking?

― Emma, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Thread mutation in two messages! Blimey Emma, that was quick!

xoxo

― |\|0|2/|\4|\| |=4'/, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I am feeling very mutant today. Sorry.

― Emma, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes the lower classes are getting unruly Emma, we'll have to stop giving them their crust of bread, it's terrible. Seriously though of course I'm not saying they shouldn't have votes, but it is scary that xenophobes and racists have authority in any form. Why have I had to type a careful reply when I know you know I didn't mean that, fucking bully

― Ronan, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ronan, you will thank me when you are a top journalist because your literary skills have been honed by ILE and its fucking bullies.

― Emma, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Emma in fucking bully shock! Bullies are all cowards etc. so just beat her up and she'll leave you alone.

Actually, Ronan, you'll find that being in favour of withdrawing rights from 'stupid' people is quite common on ILE - see mutation of this thread.

― Nick, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Well, no, we didn't know that you didn't mean it, did we? Some people do espouse those views so it's not immediately obvious from what you wrote that you were joking/exaggerating/whatever it was you were doing. If you fling around lazy crap like that people will call you on it.

― Richard Tunnicliffe, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ha! In the absence of Pete I have a new bullying partner.

Ronan, give me your lunch money OR ELSE. (I am not a coward either, I am really hard and get in mini cabs on my own and everything.)

― Emma, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

What's lazy about it? I don't even see how you're making the connection you're making. Are you saying that it isn't disturbing that racist people have votes? I never said theres anything we can do about it but its pretty scary. And clearly thats what these sort of headlines do, promote racism. I'm not saying anything about IQ or background as much as you seem to wish I was, I'm just saying I'm no big fan of racism, god what a fucking radical I am.

― Ronan, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Emma the day is coming when I will tell an adult................but since there are none on here I'll have to go elsewhere

― Ronan, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

(Picks up toys, puts them back in the pram, does the same with dummy). Ronan, you said it was shocking that the readers of British tabloids have votes. Not that xenophobes / racists are in positions of power. I felt you were being unfair. OK?

― Emma, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

(ppl who read mirror/sun = not necessarily racist, despite obnoxo content of redtops as all agree)
(also ppl who call the dutch "cunts" for losing to ireland not necessarily racist, despite momentary redtop-style spasm eh?)

― mark s, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Don't mention the score!

― Nick, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes, let's not be beastly to the Germans, and yes, the Brit tabloids are today full of repulsive jingoistic trash, but I think any football team who wrote off the English apart from Beckham, and who scheduled friendly matches at the same time as the play-offs, could/should be accused of a certain degree of arrogance, regardless of pathetic national stereotypes.

― Andrew L, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The assumption that everyone who reads the Mirror is a racist is at the very least ill-thought out. And the tabloid readers shouldn't be able to vote line is an old cliche often hawked by people who have an advanced superiority complex. That's what I meant by laziness.

― Richard Tunnicliffe, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I didnt say the readers of British tabloids in fairness. I referred to people who read and tacitly or otherwise support the sort of articles k rad was complaining about. I apologise because obviously I wasn't clear enough but to me it seemed crystal. I think Richard was quite harsh all things considered, because I really think you need to draw your own conclusions a little bit to decide that I was somehow suggesting all tabloid readers shouldn't have votes. As for what Mark says, I think its pretty clear in the context of that thread that I was not being racist, and also I am not a potential influence to millions of people as a newspaper is. Also there is history between England and Germany thus making their headlines more insensitive and possibly more influential particularly since a few of them play on that history to evoke a reaction. However since this always seems to happen me on here, I'll try and be alot more careful in future.

― Ronan, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Actually I better elaborate further, of course not everyone who reads the Mirror is a racist. However it must be reasonable to presume that a significant percentage of the papers readership support the publication of the articles in question and other insensitive articles which have been published in the past, otherwise surely they would stop buying the paper. The Mirror knows who its target market is, and I'm not saying all of this market are racists or thugs or any such thing, however clearly they feel they can get away with this type of article, and regularly, the reason for that surely must be as I said above.

― Ronan, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Just wait 'til you see what I fucking did!

― dave q, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Are we not allowed to say that the Germans don't like it up 'em when, oh fuck me, it appears that they don't like it up 'em? Why aren't we allowed to have a laugh about it? We fucking did them, so why can't we be proud of it? Maybe seeing as football's become fashionable in the last few years some people might realise that to be supportive of your team isn't a crime. (Don't assume I'm saying anything any football fan does is OK.) Almost all of the tabloid jokes are totally harmless.

By the way, scheduling friendlies when the play-offs are is good planning. It's much easier to cancel a friendly than to arrange one at the last minute. That's not German arrogance, that's German efficiency - a different stereotype altogether.

― Greg, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Perhaps the Mirror is making a calculated swipe at the mentality of football fans. If so, good on them.

― dave q, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm all thinked out. I'm staying well away from anything remotely serious on these pages from now on.

― Ronan, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

wuss.

― jess, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah its true. I'm taking my ball back

― Ronan, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

DaVe Q SeZ:

Just wait 'til you see what I fucking did!

WoT??? WoT??? We'Re STiLL WaiTiNG DaVe!

x0x0

― |\|0|2/|\4|\| |=4'/, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

K-Rad: the Mirror cover was in the manner of The Sporting Times' mock obituary of English cricket (1882), i.e. The Ashes. Not sure if you got the reference. I'm not saying it was *equivalent* (obviously the language was a little more charged, and it's clearly not a German paper printing a lament for the death of German football, it us Brits having a good crow about it), but I didn't find it terribly offensive.

I think they avoided mentioning the War, for one thing - just a series of jibes against German football. Good - they've had it coming ever since that '82 semi against France.

― Michael Jones, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Harald "Toni" Schumacher, you're boys took one hell of a beating.

and that goes for Andi (Moe Syszylack) Moller and Lotthar Mattheus too, the two smuggest men football has ever seen.

After so many horrible defeats by the Germans please give us this chance to feel a bit jubilant for goodness' sake

― cabbage, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

you're = your

damn this heavy weekend recovery

― cabbage, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Besides, what's wrong with mentioning the war? It's not like it was a harmless little peccadillo.

― dave q, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There's nothing wrong w/being jubilant over a footballing victory - I just don't see why there has to be this stupid nationalistically charged language, esp against a country who've done better than us, by just abt any standard U care to name for the last 50 yrs at least. It's just a load of stupid m0+h3rf-ck!ng shit, and IMO detracts a lot from the actual sporting victory, y'know? The same morons who write this stuff would prob go on abt brit fair play, which in this instance, clearly includes crowing over those you've beaten. Nice.

xoxo

― |\|0|2/|\4|\| |=4'/, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Didn't see the thing you guys are on about - but I like what Steady Mike has to say. Especially the last bit.

― the pinefox, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh I don't know, isn't all this hysteria directed towards the tone of tabloid newspapers just a storm in an egg-cup? I mean, does *anyone* really take their tone seriously in this day and age?? Personally, I find their Bosch-bashing rather comical, in the true "Jocks and the Geordies" sense of the word [very old comic strip from the "Dandy" that I don't expect anyone apart from me to remember].

What I'm really trying to say is..... I'm getting jolly fed up of being expected to feel guilty because of my elation at the greatest English footballing victory since 1966, just because of a tiny minority of moronic meatheaded xenephobes. I mean, what was it, FIVE arrests or something? They're not my problem, maan.

― Trevor, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The greatest irony of all is that this victory has been achieved by the most "European", least up-and-at-em, least jingoistically-run and least nationalistically-motivated England football team ever. And Eriksson has achieved something that remained beyond those bleeding- heart patriots Bobby Robson, Graham Taylor, Terry Venables and the rest. Now *there* is a fact for the tabloids to chew.

I loathe the tabloid worldview, but even I wouldn't equate making a joke about, say, mullets or The Scorpions with trying to start the Fourth Reich: it's just tedious outmoded bollocks, and there's no more to it than that. England have done themselves proud and, by achieving it with a Swedish manager and a mainland European outlook (i.e. no longer dominated by the drinking culture) they've similarly put two fingers up to the warlike Little England mentality of the tabloids who, lest we forget, almost universally opposed Eriksson's appointment. Now that *is* something to be proud of.

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm getting jolly fed up of being expected to feel guilty because of my elation at the greatest English footballing victory since 1966, just because of a tiny minority of moronic meatheaded xenephobes.

Who's expecting anyone to feel guilty abt england winning? Not me! All I'm saying is that is sux0r that some of those moronic meathead xenophobes work fer thee k-shitty tabloid press.

Xrist. Ann Widdecome's on the radio (groan)

PS DG - this is my first post from (fanfare) HOME! Hence different addy/source. This is MEEEEEE! Not an impostor....

x0x0

― |\|0|2/|\4|\| |=4'/, Monday, 3 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Football365 has a translation of what Das Bild had to say about the Mirror cover:

"Oh, there are gentlemen who find the Mirror shocking and who are ashamed. But anyone who has seen a bloated, sunburnt Tommy git in Majorca can imagine him, with his BSE belly, dancing for joy around the bonfire."

Brilliant.

― Greg, Wednesday, 5 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Okay, here's the gossip. the bastard fetid Queen Mum is ackchooly DEAD, but this fact will not be announced until *after* the England/Albania match.

Cue weeks of totally turgid television. Bugger.

― suzy, Wednesday, 5 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

BBC News 24 right now: Place spokesperson, "There is no need to be concerned...She is getting stronger and stronger every day".

This is one serious conspiracy if you're right.

― Graham, Wednesday, 5 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Place=Palace

― Graham, Wednesday, 5 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Dead? Really? Hooray!

― DG, Wednesday, 5 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"There is no need to be concerned... She is getting stronger and stronger every day" = phrase from a horror movie; soon she can crush a brigade of guardsmen with just one hand; then juggle dreadnoughts

― mark s, Wednesday, 5 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Queen Mother can not die until I have a job, so that I can I have a day off work.

― jel, Wednesday, 5 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Not that I wish the Queen Mum ill.

― jel, Wednesday, 5 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Exactly how long after the England/Albania match, Suzy?

― Graham, Thursday, 6 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

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