World Cup Fever....... Well in Those Other Countries.

With the FIFA World Cup underway soccer fans around the world tune in to watch all the "action" while North American fans watch baseball and the next UFC PPV. Analysts have tried (and failed) for years to understand why soccer just can't break the North American sports barrier. It has in places (Seattle just after the Sonics left for example), but overall it is somewhere below the PGA and the NHL on most American radars. The thing is, it isn't the sport. Sure it is slow, but ever watch an NFL game? Sure it can be boring, but ever watch two UFC fighters roll on the ground for 15 minutes or watch two National league teams in a pitching battle? The truth is that soccer, or indeed European sports culture, just doesn't mix with the North American sports culture. To make soccer work in North American markets, you can't have Euro sports fever.

The best team doesn't always (or even often) win

Lawyerball-

Round robins. Two teams have tied. In a US market it is a playoff game, in soccer it is on aggregate. Sure, you both have a 2-2 record, but team A scored more goals in an away setting while team B allowed more goals at home to team A than team A did to team B so by an aggregate setting Team A won. Lawyerball.

Shootouts-

I hate these in the NHL, but at least they keep them to the regular season. Teams have won World Cups in shootouts. Shootouts don't make you the best at that sport, they make you the best at one small artificial aspect of that sport. Imagine if the World Series was decided in a home run derby? UFC fighters go three rounds without a winner so they each punch a punching bag, hardest punch wins? Shootouts have the same problem as the round robin, it stinks of winning without really winning.

Diving-

here we see the best player in the world falling down

to get a free kick. He will not be penalized for this.

When diving became a problem in the NBA they introduced several new rules to curb it. Although not 100% successful it has been largely so. It is because flopping (as the NBA calls diving) was considered to be harming the credibility of the game and giving unfair advantage to inferior players and teams..... and they were right. In soccer it is a part of the game. While Europeans seem to be okay with this, it becomes a source of humour for sports fans on the other side of the pond. I am not saying that North American sports don't have cheaters (Hi Alex Rodriguez), but unlike FIFA, MLB actually do something about it (bye Alex Rodriguez).

Accusations of bribery and cheating seen reasonable-

Qatar got the 2022 cup because their Sultan paid FIFA a shit ton of cash, plain and simple. 

I am not saying that referees deliberately make bad calls, but with no instant replay and very few consequences for bad officiating, the accusation carries weight it never would in the NHL or MLB. When a Japanese official hands the six time champions and host nation a victory, one wonders how much of a contribution to his retirement fund the Yakuza made. Again, the best teams don't always win, though oddly enough the ones that generate the most revenue do........

Fags!

North American sports culture is, to be polite, masculine. Smashing someone in to plexi-glass, diving at the head first, and hitting them with a 90 mph fastball are all part of the game. While there are some genuine concerns that this sports culture has created a bunch of angry, unfeeling men, it is what it is.

a 7 Time UFC Champion

I have argued that rugby could break the NA market just fine, but there just isn't a big enough market for it (being filled by the NFL/CFL and NHL) but there is a real intolerance towards certain types of men in NA. Men who aren't "real men" (NOT be be mistaken for an intolerance for homosexuals, who are cool... you know.... as long as they aren't fags... you know... anyway, game on). For example, in 2006, seven members of the Italian national team were modelling in the off season. Try telling the average US sports fan that a bunch of injury faking models beat them on aggregate and see how long it takes for people to flip to the Yankees game. I am in no way endorsing this outright, but I have to admit that winning by diving in to aggregate does seem a bit, well, beta male to me.

only an asshole has a problem with this guy

This guy can't leave his house

Now you can call that aspect of NA sports culture barbaric, and many people do, but it isn't going anywhere. UFC is the fastest growing sport in NA by a wide margin. Despite criticisms, the rules are fair and competitors chosen based on skill and size. While judges do make bad calls (as in any sport) there is a real drive to be fair. And yeah, two guys beat the crap out of each other, awesome. You can't dive your way to a UFC championship, and fans know it. Just remember, in NA 

this guy is a golfer

Soccer Doesn't Actually Suck-

It doesn't. Really. Honest. MLS has done a great job of adapting soccer to the NA market. They still must use certain rules set out by FIFA that will keep it in the 2-3% of the market range, but lets be honest, that percentage is worth more than the entire market of most European countries. They actually do punish diving (not enough but they do), they have playoffs, they don't have aggregate scoring and winning. It has a base among immigrant communities and expats but it is growing. The sport itself isn't a bad one, in fact without all the bs is can be quite exciting. Attempts to import European sports culture with the game is what kills it. One only need look to Australia to see soccer adapted for a more masculine society successfully. While it will never compete with Australian Rules Football or National Rugby League, it has a solid base and enjoys the sort of position that the NBA enjoys in America. Not sure MLS can ever be that, but it also isn't going anywhere. 

NA sports = mens men and fair play. Without these things your sports doesn't stand a chance.

Most NA sports fans can get exited about this guy

Not so sure about this guy.

KOTESOL Conference

Saturday was the national KOTESOL conference in Daegu, where I went to hear Charles Brown from Japan speak on EFL words and vocabulary. It actually gave me some great ideas for a thesis next year. He was an interesting guy. There were a few other speakers, one from Abu Dhabi who was great and one who seemed a leftover from the 1960's (English is American imperialism man). Anyway, it was mostly interesting.

It was also held at Kyungpook University, which is a cool place in its own right. On a beautiful day I did cut out to take a few pics of the campus, though by 3pm it was 36 degrees and the university had aircon so I didn't go out much after that. Anyway, a few pics:

South entrance to KNU

The Campus

KNU "Central Park"

Campus

Old building

Statue, dunno of what exactly

After the dinner I went out with Jon, his wife and their friends to Wolgwang Lake park for dinner and drinks. It was great and I look forward to doing it again soon.

Very Hot

It isn't even June yet and Daegu is already in to the 30s.

Not that I mind that much (I'll take 30 over -10 winter here any day of the week) but the humidity is already intense. Last year it wasn't like this til July, though we did have a very mild winter so that may explain it.

Anyway, I am sweating as I type so I'll cut this one short. Summer is here.

North Korean Films

I was recently shown this 1986 film from North Korea, about the Korean War, sacrificing for the motherland and the party, glory of the DPRK etc etc etc. While it is comically ridiculous (and feels more like 1966 than 1986), wit over the top kung fu and super soldiers (if a North Korean soldier can kill 20 South Koreans by himself then why weren't they more successful?).

Anyway, interesting as propaganda and an insight in to how the North still is. Enjoy (or humour me and watch the first 20 minutes).

The film is called Order 027.

Igok Rose Garden and Godzilla

Last weekend we decided to head out to my old neighbourhood near Keimyung University.

We actually did the trip twice.

On Saturday we met and went with a friend of Yen's to a Filipino place that had excellent food and real San Miguel (not the stuff brewed here, it was even 24 pesos). Great food in a place called Pinoy Pride, I'll certainly go back.

On Sunday we got up and went back to visit the Igok Rose Garden.

One of our less talked about monarchs

It was nice, if a bit crowded. It has been nice this year to see so much more green in the area. The city council has been on a planting spree and it has made for a much nicer spring, with far less noticeable air pollution. Actually it amazes me just how much Seongseo has that I missed the year I lived there. Good thing it is only a 20 minute bus ride away.

After that it was off to see Godzilla, the title which would lead you to believe that Godzilla was actually in the film for more than five minutes. A second disappointing attempt at a Japanese classic.

A quieter weekend with beautiful weather.

Buddha's Birthday, Children's Day

For everyone that didn't have wed-fri off, it was still a four day weekend as Children's Day and Buddha's birthday fell on Mon and Tues respectively. Being a Moonkkanger I had work but I did manage to get out to the arboretum and relax a bit.

I was happy to see so many kids didn't come on those days though. The weather was great and many of them took to travelling around Korea with their parents. Children's day is a largely state created red day, but the kids still love it.

Buddha's birthday is important to Korean Buddhists but since it is not a uniform holiday (Christians all celebrate Christ's birth on Dec 25th, regardless of the fact that that was probably not his actual birthday) and Buddha has numerous birthdays in various buddhist countries. Still, the temples were all decked out and a few kids went to go see them (though far more students were in school Tuesday than were on Monday.

Finally, this song seems appropriate for the occasion.

Anyway, I don't have another long weekend til June, which is too bad as the weather is great.

Busan Week

This week, being a vacation week around much of Asia, saw many people travelling and enjoying the warm weather. My friend Stephanie, who I have known since my days at SFU and who has been teaching in Dalian, China for the last four years, was on holiday in Korea. Last time she was here, in 2011, I was in Taiwan and so missed her. We did catch up in Vancouver that year but only facebook and skype since.

I was planning to meet Mike on Thursday in Busan, so suggested that she come to Daegu/Busan on Wednesday. We ended up going straight to Busan and did much of the obligatory tourist stuff (Busan Tower/Yongdusan Park, Jagalchi market and Nampo). We started off in Chinatown and then walked to Nampo, grabbed a coffee and went for a sashimi lunch and quick fish market tour, then it was off to Yongdusan to enjoy the sea view and go up Busan tower, one of the few "towers" built that is really worth going up. Then she went off to see friends and I went back to Daegu.

A Few pics:

Busan Station

Chinatown

Crabs in the market

Lotte Department Store

Yongdusan Park

Busan Tower

looking south from Busan Tower

On Thursday I went back down to Busan to meet Mike and relax. We opted to get a motel and cab to Gwangalli beach. We ended up sitting on a patio enjoying a few beers and food until around 10pm. Then it was a quick dinner in Nampo and bed.

Pics:

The beach around 430.

Happy Monk

The bridge, same time

Towards sunset

again

Unfortunately, we were both hit with a bit of a stomach issue. I think something was wrong with the food, poorly handled fish etc. I didn't get much sleep and although Mike did, he was feeling rough the next morning. I still managed to get up and meet Steph at Nampo Starbucks for breakfast. Mike joined us and we went up Lotte Department Store to the rooftop garden to see the city until she had to go get the train to Seoul.

view from Lotte Department Store looking south

Looking north

After Steph left Mike and I decided to tough out our rough stomachs and go to Busan's famed Sea Temple Haedong Yonggugsa. The official website has some great info in Konglish here.

I had previously been in 2012 but it is a top sight in Korea and well worth the trek out there. The weekend before Buddha's birthday it was packed but still well worth it:

Oh Hai Siddhartha

The pagoda......

.......of traffic safety

Sea Temple

again

Buddha

Sea Temple

Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy)

from across the channel

out to sea

The temple is amazing and the surrounding areas are well worth taking an hour or so to explore. After that we headed back to Haeundae, an area which I normally despise. It is a small beach which the local insist on covering with umbrella's. The area is also surrounded by upscale restaurants and coffee shops. The entire thing was built twenty years ago as a tourist trap. Other beaches (including much more accessible Gwangalli), are much nicer and actually relaxing. However, I had never been during the week before. With the umbrellas put away and the shops not blasting K-pop it was actually very nice. I decided then and there I will never go back, as this is a great way to remember Haeundae.

This is how Haeundae usually looks on a normal weekend:

very relaxing

This is how it looks midweek:

After Haeundae we went back to Nampo. We wanted to try the new brewery (they've been popping up in Seoul and Busan since the brewing laws were liberalised last year) but being that neither of us were feeling amazing stomachewise we opted for a fruit platter with and IPA and a Pilsner. Both were quite good and we sat outside chatting until it got too cold. 

Out Front of Three Monkeys

Friday night

The IPA was great and not too strong

the Pilsner was alright too.

By 11 we were both feeling tired so called it very early and went back to Ace Motel to crash (at $55USD for two rooms in Nampo you can imagine how classy it was). The next morning I got up and went to grab a quick breakfast before we hopped on the KTX to Daegu/Seoul.

I always love Busan, in fact I like it more than Seoul. Another great weekend.