Questions for Our Brothers and Sisters Across the Pond

[c.d.]

I think Sleek Viper is right. Before the widespread use of electric lights baseball was strictly a day game. Teams played half of the games at their home stadium and half of their games on the road. Since people have different work schedules etc. they could only get to a home game on a certain day. Owners were trying to accomodate as many people as possible. The leagues expanded and new teams were added but the same principle applied.

c.d.

[lynn cates]

American football encapsulated

Hello Robert. Interesting take on American football.

There is a story, told locally, about an East Texas farmer who attended his first football game. When asked how he liked it, he replied, "Ah didn't lock it. When they was ready t' play, they all got in circles and started whisperin' 'bout each other. Then they lined up lock they was goin' to play. Just then, some smart aleck stuck his nose up another guy's rear end and in a few seconds, the darnedest fot [fight] broke out that ah ever did see. They never did play football."

Cheers.
LC

[sleekviper]

Hi John,
No map of the area, but states are contiguous here so at some points more than two meet. Thorpe would have hit it sometime before 1913, probably around 1910, so there may be photo's of the location, but I have not seen one. Football is more of my game, and the New Orleans Saints just drafted some of the best players that college had to offer. If Greg Romeus has fully recovered from his torn ACL, they will be scary good.

[Canopy]

Well, I'm glad this thread has now turned its attention to all things good rather than the stuff I read on page 1/2!!!

[belinda]

Hi Belinda,

I have always heard that Australian women find American men quite attractive. Hopefully this is true.

c.d.

Interesting

I'd heard that American men thinkAustralian women are quite attractive

[Robert]

Hi Lynn

Another one whose appeal escapes me is basketball. The pattern seems to be, there is a bit of perfunctory ball-bouncing and then a 7ft tall bloke drops the ball in the basket from a great height. A few seconds later after some more perfunctory ball-bouncing, a 7ft tall bloke at the other end drops it in the basket from a great height. This continues for several wearisome minutes, until one of the teams beats the other by a margin of 100 points to 92, or something similar.

[johns]

Hi Lynn

Another one whose appeal escapes me is basketball. The pattern seems to be, there is a bit of perfunctory ball-bouncing and then a 7ft tall bloke drops the ball in the basket from a great height. A few seconds later after some more perfunctory ball-bouncing, a 7ft tall bloke at the other end drops it in the basket from a great height. This continues for several wearisome minutes, until one of the teams beats the other by a margin of 100 points to 92, or something similar.

Here here!! terrible sport as far as I'm concerned.... I was one of the tallest kids when I was at school, and used to waltz round the court laughing at the shorter kids.... looking back, it's a very "heightist" sport and the scoring as you superbly describe makes it a bit like a "your turn, my turn" kind of affair. yawn!

[sleekviper]

LOL...well I suppose that no one played with guys like Tucker. He showed that size is not a problem by winning the slam dunk contest. 5' 10", and from Illinois, we all enjoyed his air show...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HXA-8yDFlU

[c.d.]

Interesting

I'd heard that American men thinkAustralian women are quite attractive

Hi Belinda,

Well as Sarah Palin would say "you betcha!" I think it has something to do with that accent, very sexy. Same goes for English women.

c.d.

[c.d.]

What is the legal drinking age in England? Here in the U.S. it is 21.

What about marijuana? Is there any sort of marijuana for medical use movement like there is in the U.S.?

[johns]

What is the legal drinking age in England? Here in the U.S. it is 21.

What about marijuana? Is there any sort of marijuana for medical use movement like there is in the U.S.?

Buying from an off-licence (liquor store) and drinking in pubs is 18, but I understand that certain drinks can be taken with a meal in a restaurant if a person is over 14 (total guess) and with adults.

As for marijuana/cannabis/soft drugs in general, I think (from what folk tell me) that the police turn a blind eye if it's under a certain amount. I think there is quite a strong "for medicinal use" lobby... rightly so too....

[Robert]

As a boy, I read some of the Superman/Batman etc comics. One thing about them still puzzles me : whenever there was an advert trying to sell the kids something, the pitch was always "Be the first kid on your block with a (whatever was being advertised)". Do Americans think of themselves in terms of street blocks?

[lynn cates]

risque business

Hello Robert. Not my favourite sport.

I know a clever basketball joke; unfortunately, a bit too risque for public consumption.

Cheers.
LC

[c.d.]

As a boy, I read some of the Superman/Batman etc comics. One thing about them still puzzles me : whenever there was an advert trying to sell the kids something, the pitch was always "Be the first kid on your block with a (whatever was being advertised)". Do Americans think of themselves in terms of street blocks?

Hi Robert,

That's more of an expression and not to be taken literally. It means be the first in your neighborhood to have this product.

If somebody has just started a job and been there for only a short time they might describe themselves as the new kid on the block or a new product going up against products that have been around for a while might be described as the new kid on the block. So it is an expression.

c.d.

[c.d.]

I should have added that we still use the word block. For instance, if somebody asked you for directions you would point and say it is two blocks that way.

c.d.