QotD

[libertango]

While riding in to work this morning, Frank Deford on NPR's Morning Edition:

And now, coming to a stadium near you to save the sport of soccer, will you please give a great big American welcome to Posh Spice and David Beckham. Soccer apologists are sure that Beckham, who has been signed by the Los Angeles Galaxy, will, along with his has-been wife, give soccer the glamour here that it has never had before.

I've spent time with Beckham. He's a lovely guy and the sport couldn't ask for a better ambassador. But soccer people on the incipient success of soccer are like President Bush on victory in Iraq. It's always just around the corner. There's no doubt, as current events show, that sports has never been more intertwined with celebrity. But Beckham and Posh are, I'm afraid, just the American soccer surge. (emphases added)

As I said to Ulrika, "...and vice versa." Meaning, Bush on Iraq is just as credible as US soccer enthusiasts.

It all depends on what the meaning of the word "is," is.

Comments

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Hey, hey, hey. Let's not denigrate soccer enthusiasts needlessly here, shall we?

Bush on Iraq is just as credible as US soccer enthusiasts on the incipient success of soccer. It's important to retain both subordinate clauses, because part of why that parallel works is because both Bush and the enthusiasts have too much personal emotion and sense of self invested in the specific topics to be credible or trustworthy sources on them. I'm sure soccer enthusiasts are credible on a whole range of other subjects. (Needless to say, I'm am less certain about the credibility of Mr. Bush.)

[daveon.livejournal.com]

Let's not denigrate soccer enthusiasts needlessly here, shall we?

Indeed, I mean it's only the most popular game on the planet. They even have a "world" cup which involves lots and lots of countries from all over the world. ;)

I think it would do the US good to join in.