Posts tagged "football"

FIFA has tried a thousand different ways to make Americans care about football soccer. Nothing has worked, not even when they let us host the World Cup in 1994, or the subsequent creation of the MLS.

Well, it seems to us that the English Premier League has just stumbled on a new strategy. When this stray cat wandered onto the pitch in the middle of a match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, it certainly grabbed out attention. So, FIFA officials, why not make cats a regular part of soccer? Sure, you'd have to rewrite the laws of the game fairly drastically and almost certainly infuriate all the footie loyalists in every other nation in the world. But you say you want America's eyes and hearts on soccer. How badly do you want it really?

If this can't get Americans interested in the most popular sport in the world, nothing can.

Here's a video of a soccer match that was interrupted when a dog ran onto the pitch. Now, two things for which Americans are notorious are (1) being really into their pets and (2) not caring about soccer. If FIFA is going to keep on whining and complaining that the world's superpower doesn't pay enough attention to the world's most popular sport, maybe they should see this incident as an opportunity instead of a random nuisance.

It's summertime, and everybody's got World Cup fever, even pets! This cute kitten apparently got a little overexcited during a pre-Cup exhibition soccer match -- oops, we mean association football match -- between Tunisia and France. Fortunately, player Yassine Mikari of the Tunisian team was quick enough on his feet to catch the furry feline and carry it to safety.

The South Korean penguins might not have much in the way of soccer skills, but that hasn't stopped their coach for putting them on the field. The 11 flightless footballers can be found wearing the national team colors at the Everland aquarium, located about an hour outside of Seoul.

The penguins' trainer, Lee Kwang-hee, hopes this spirited group of admittedly wobbly players will inspire the South Korean team to reach the next round at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, as you'll see in the video below from the New York Post.

What do you think Paw Nation? Is this a charming display of national spirit or should these animals have been left to romp and play without tiny jerseys and balls?



More Animal Videos

Remember when Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick led an illegal dogfighting ring, a cruel bloodsport that pits canine against canine for the sole purposes of gambling and violence, often resulting in the death of innocent animals? Remember that guy? Yeah, well, he's getting a TV show.

Tentatively titled "The Michael Vick Project", the BET docu-series will follow the athlete-cum-convicted felon (who was accused of "directly participating in dog fights and executions") as he seeks remorse for his actions. In doing so, the program will chronicle Vick's return to the NFL, as well as his attempt to find redemption for his actions, which have not been forgotten among the animal activist set. In fact, PETA spokesman Dan Shannon tells the L.A. Times, "People who abuse animals don't deserve to be rewarded, [nor should they] be given multimillion-dollar contracts ... or the privilege of being a role model."

We must agree with PETA (although that shouldn't come as a surprise). No matter how regretful Vick may (or may not) be of his actions, the fact that he has so quickly bounced from behind prison bars to the front of a camera lens seems blatantly opportunistic and ultimately in poor taste. Furthermore, Vick's claim that the show will be "a blueprint for so many kids" is laughable. Considering all the societal ills threatening children today, remaining a filthy rich sports star after being punished for killing dogs for more money isn't necessarily at the top of the totem pole.

Exactly what good will "The Michael Vick Project" do? More over, what good can "The Michael Vick Project" do? An idea such as this says less about genuine redemption than it does about both ratings-hungry television executives and overeager public relations staffers eagerly taking advantage of "how entertainment works now." The prospect of handing Vick a reality show steeped in themes of atonement and salvation -- for which his compensation hasn't been disclosed (um, hi, animal rights charity?) -- should read less as a socially conscious act and more as a tactless, crafty method of image repair, all in the name of -- you guessed it -- money.

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