04/27/24
November 25, 2003
The world's dullest sport.: The Eton wall game is played by the students of England's most prestigious private ("public") school. "[T]he playing area: bounded on one side by a high brick wall, it is 110 metres long but only five wide ... Massed beside the wall in a scrum, a half-dozen mud-caked players, collectively called the "bully", try laboriously to push the rival half-dozen―as well as the ball, usually invisible and almost incidental in this struggle―to the far end of the field." It actually looks more fun than at first glance. If I were a schoolboy. (from the Economist via Coudal Partners)
posted by worldcup2002 to other at 06:53 PM - 10 comments
Weird that it's only a thirty minute game. Feels like it should be cricket, played for several days, with tea breaks. [BTW, I definitely second the 'thanks' from smithers...]
posted by tieguy at 09:10 PM on November 25, 2003
Sure, but is there a Flash version?
posted by Bryant at 09:15 PM on November 25, 2003
I really thought this was interesting. I like the class struggle of the scholarships vs. those paying their own way. It would be more fun, however, if the kids sitting on the wall could drop water balloons. Or bowling balls.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:27 PM on November 25, 2003
Ah, the English. ;)
posted by dusted at 10:25 PM on November 25, 2003
I liked the part where, after a gargantuan struggle, you might get a chance to score a "try", by pushing the ball up the wall with your leg, and then trying to touch it with your head. It's mad, but in a fun sort of way.
posted by worldcup2002 at 10:25 PM on November 25, 2003
Sounds a lot like watching Aston Viler, but with a bigger crowd. That was an interesting link wc2002. Cheers.
posted by squealy at 02:42 AM on November 26, 2003
I've seen a clip of it on a television program once. ..but St Andrew's Day games have been goalless since 1909. That's uncannily similar to the Blues too. What happens if the wall falls over?
posted by BigCalm at 03:10 AM on November 26, 2003
Hahahaha. That, my dear Calmy, would be a Monty Python skit. btw, someone estimated the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow.
posted by worldcup2002 at 09:57 AM on November 26, 2003
That, by God, is information I needed for my Thanksgiving trip home. My Python-loving friends will be greatly impressed. Help! Help! I'm being repressed!
posted by wfrazerjr at 02:19 PM on November 26, 2003
Boring game? yes. Boring article? no. Thanks for the neat link worldcup....