F1 angers many Australians as it trademarks the “Shoey”

Well, well, well. Here we go again. As you probably know by now, I’m not really a fan of commercialization of sports. Because of this and because I have quite a few friends in Australia I felt really annoyed when I heard the news coming from the Formula One last week.

F1 decided that they felt the need to trademark the Shoey – the podium celebration of Australian F1-driver Daniel Ricciardo. Whenever he wins a race (which, now luckily) is not every other weekend, the man from Perth, Western Australia, enjoys a sip of champagne. From his boot.

Youtube.com/Jacques Erasmus

How could you possibly want to trademark something like that in a sport that decided only a few weeks ago to ban the grid girls, because the F1 wanted to improve their image and their family friendliness. Now, on the other hand, they start trademarking a word that represents drinking alcohol out of a shoe. In my opinion that is somehow hypocritical.

But it’s not only about that. Not at all. The reason why F1 decided to trademark the Shoey is not that they want to encourage people to start drinking from their shoes. It’s, obviously, money. They didn’t trademark the entire word, they also can’t ban anyone from doing a Shoey (good news for any Australian). What they’re eligible of doing now is to be the only one who can sell mugs, flaks, glasses, bottles, sculptures and figurines with the word “Shoey” on it.

As you can see, some people on Twitter really aren’t happy with that:

F1 claiming the ownership and rights of a 'shoey' is everything that's wrong with the sport

— BILLY RS 🏁 (@billyrsofficial) May 2, 2018

I just banned #f1 @F1 entirely for basically stealing the #Shoey from #aussie The Mad Hueys. It is NOT yours, you did not invent it, did not bring it to the world. #banformula1. Bunch of money hungry criminals.

— Erwin van Londen. @evl@ioc.exchange (@elonden) May 1, 2018

The Shoey has, since about 15 years, somehow been part of Australian (drinking) culture. When I explored the country as a backpacker a few years ago it was already a thing to do it among the locals and it was great fun. The term has mainly been branded by the Australian surfing and fishing brand “The Mad Hueys”. It’s also them who kept the term trademarked in the clothing category – so there probably won’t be any F1-Shoey-shirts for sale anytime soon. Who really invented the Shoey in the end remains kind of unclear, though.

Obviously, what the F1 did is perfectly fine from a legal perspective, I want to make this clear here. Yet, I also believe it’s questionable if they really had to take this term – that obviously means a lot to some Australians – and trademark it as theirs, just because Daniel Ricciardo celebrates like that and they feel like generating some extra bucks from selling a few Shoey mugs would really make that much of a difference.

To prove, how pissed of some Australians are about this: watch the hilarious (and obviously slightly overexaggerated) video of Australian comedian Frenchy reacting to the news:

What‘ s your opinion on the F1 trademarking the Shoey? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Featured image source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_from_shoes

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Video of the week: Uruguayan Goalkeeper has to Borrow Shirt From Fan

What sounds like a story from your local Sunday League team has actually happened last week in Uruguay’s Premier Division: While warming up for the game against Progreso, Penarol keeper Kevin Dawson realised that somehow there was no match short for him. Either himself or someone from the staff must have forgotten to pack it for the away game.

Luckily, a supporter in the stands was wearing a replica goalkeeper-shirt and went on borrowing his kit to the goalkeeper, receiving a Penarol jacket from the bench in return.

After the referee allowed this unusual shirt swap, the game was set to go. And apparently the fan’s shirt proved to be a lucky charm for Dawson and Penarol, as they were able to keep a clean sheet and ed up winning the game 1:0.

Penarol is still well positioned in the fight for the national crown, being ranked 2nd after 14 rounds.

In order to maintain this position after the clash with Progreso, they really had to count on their „12th man“ this time.

Featured picture source: Twitter.com/nicopirri

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Video of the Week: Only in Russia – a Brown Bear Being Used as Ball Kid.

Nastrovje! This week’s video of the week is proudly presented to you by mother Russia. To be precise, by the third Russian football division and the game between Mashuk KMV and FC Angusht Nazran where probably the most Russian thing ever has been pulled off.

Instead of having the referee or some lucky kids presenting the match-ball for this football game, they came up with another idea and used a tamed brown bear for this job instead. Wow.

In footage that is going viral currently, the bear can be seen walking into the stadium simply accompanied by one brave guy. Obviously he doesn’t need anything like a leash, as that would obviously be not what you’d expect from your average fierce Russian dude. After arriving in front of the seats the bear starts to act like a proper mascot and claps with the crowd. It is then handed the ball and passes it on to the referee.

See for yourself: The Russian Bear Ball Kid in Action

YouTube / Fontanka Ru

The scene is, however, rather unfunny after all and doesn’t only upset animal right activists. Also I believe that this isn’t the treatment this animal deserves and that the whole project is highly questionable and should – obviously – not be done. I mean, if the bear would be in his natural, free spirit he’d never act tame like that.

Still, I decided to pick this scene as video of the week, since I do find it absolutely strange and hence noteworthy. Especially, when you take into consideration what unconfirmed reports spread through the internet about this scene. According to them, this scene could have been a rehearsal for the World Cup opening ceremony in Russia this summer. And that’s what makes it even more strange. A brown bear opening the World Cup? Only in Russia.

What do you think? Is this a funny way of changing the ball kid game or is it animal abuse that should be stopped immediately? Share your opinion in the comment section below!

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Video of the week: Bayern Munich player Niklas Süle produces ridiculous own goal

Bayern Munich has sealed the title in the German Bundesliga for the approximately 643th time in a row. After a 4:1 away win in the Bavarian derby against Augsburg, Bayern secured their 28th championship in early April already. One has to admit: their dominance in their own country’s football is thoroughly impressive.

But the football universe is used to see Bayern celebrate titles way before the season ends. So, what actually stays in mind from last weekend’s game in Augsburg is the hilarious own goal produced by Bayern’s young defender Niklas Süle to give Augsburg an early 1:0 lead.

It was an own goal that actually makes you feel sorry for the 22-year old, who now actually has become the youngest Bundesliga player to ever have scored three own goals with 22 years, 7 months and 6 days.

Not only this inglorious record should awake our pity for Süle, but, even more, the fact that the own goal was absolutely not his fault after all. And that’s what makes this goal so brilliantly hilarious, too.

This slapstick-goal started out with his teammate, Jerome Boateng, losing the ball due to a horrific stoppage error, resulting in an Augsburg attacker being able to have a one on one with Bayern’s keeper Ulreich, who then was actually able to clear the ball away. However, as you’ll probably be able to imagine by now, the ball goes straight into Süle’s face and from there it finds the back of the net. Ouch.

See for yourself: Süle’s own goal against Augsburg (from 01:35 onwards)

At least he’ll have the silverware soon to chill his face a bit after that hit.

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Pun of the Year: Scottish Football Team Names his Mascot „Lionel Nessi“

Is there anything more Scottish than Irn Bru and the Monster of Loch Ness? I hardly doubt it.

Now when you see a picture that contains both, the legendary fizzy drink that will cure the worst hangovers you could imagine (just a little advice from me) and the legendary creature supposedly living in a deep, black lake in the form of life size football mascots, you know the story is gonna be lit.

And this one definitely is. The story is coming straight out of Inverness, the city next to the world famous Loch Ness and the castle from which MacBeth brutally used to rule his kingdom. Inverness also has got a football team: Inverness Caledonian Thistle, currently ranked 7th in the second Scottish division. And Inverness Caledonian Thistle just happened to get a new mascot.

New mascot Lionel Nessi is making his debut with us today! #ICTFC https://t.co/I56fccLeSv—
Official ICTFC (@ICTFC) March 24, 2018

A Mascot that has been named after a suggestion from season ticket holders Bob and Kath Fraser and that has been introduced at last week’s final of the Irn Bru Scottish Challenge Cup against Dumbarton FC.

The mascot that resembles some sort of reptile has received the brilliantly punny name of Lionel Nessi, combining the local mystical creature and the mystical creature from Argentina that is known as the best footballer to ever be seen on earth.

Gotta love the Scottish humor. And it’s not even entirely unrelated, as the shirt of Inverness Caledonian Thistle somehow reminds us of the one worn by the players of the blaugrana from Barcelona.

Up until now, Lionel Nessi seems to have brought a slight touch of Messi-magic into the stadium, leading Inverness to a cup victory against Dumbarton and a streak of four undefeated games (3 victories).

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Say goodbye to the Wednesday Shortlist – and welcome the video of the week! (Week 1: Hilarious defender fail from England)

Hi everyone! I hope you’re doing amazing. Spring is finally coming and that makes it necessary to do some proper spring cleaning. Also on this blog. I have recieved some criticism concerning the Wednesday Shortlists and the way there was one every week.

Now I’ve decided that quality should come before quantity. Hence, the Wednesday Shortlist will be put aside, however I will from time to time post some entertaining listicles with some proper banter in it.

But since I want to stay in touch with all of you at least once every week, I’ve decided to introduce a new category: The Video of the Week.

In this category I will introduce to you, probably every Wednesday again, the most hillarious sports video that crossed my path in the last week. And when does this new category start? Today!

Video of the week: Woking FC defender produces hilarious fail that makes his team lose the game in 94th minute

The first video of the week comes right from the motherland of football. And it represents the absolute beauty of lower league football. Woking FC was playing Macclesfield Town at home in England’s National League that is the 5th tier of the coutry. Everyone was expecting a 2:2-draw as we were deep in stoppage time alread. But then Joey Jones, a Woking defender, produced the fail of the season and let the visitors sneak away a 2:3-victory when he turned away from a ball that he believed to go in but that was stuck in the mud actually, allowing the opposition to score the late winner from a ball that he could easily havecleared away.

Remember what every youth coach used to tell you in your early years of playing football? „Focus your eyes on the ball!“ Well, Joey Jones probably won’t forget that anytime soon again.

Watch for yourself:

Here’s another view of the bizarre goal:

🤣🤣🤣

What a way to win the game… you have to see this!

Woking 2-3 Macclesfield: another classic in @TheNationalLge 👏 pic.twitter.com/UaOwsRMKsY

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 30, 2018

What do you think about the new category? Will you miss the Wednesday Shortlists? Let us know your opinion in the comment section!

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How to prove that VAR is garbage with just one video (What really grinds my gears #17)

So here we go again. Actually, I was planning not to write much about VAR in modern football anymore. I think I’ve sufficiently stated how much I dislike this new feature and how much I think that it’s rather destroying football than actually adding something useful to it.

But not too long ago, VAR has been confirmed at the World Cup in Russia this summer. How exciting… As we’ve clearly seen an the Confed Cup – nothing less than the official trial in international football for the VAR – the technique has way too many problems to be used at the most important and biggest football tournament in the world.

Well, apparently FIFA has another opinion. And from my point of view I only have one explanation for this decision: FIFA officials have not watched a single game of football in Germany, Australia, Italy or Portugal this year.

Because in these leagues, among a few others, VAR is being used since the beginning of the seasons. And failures haven’t been rare. Many people that were longing for VAR to be introduced have since changed their minds and see VAR – as it is now – as harmful for their beloved sport.

Why? Because it may provide a little bit more fairness in the game, having goals disallowed because of players being offside by five centimetres, not visible for the linesman to see. But what’s the price we’re paying for that? Emotions! Having to wait after every second goal of your club if some guy in front of a plasma screen a few hundred kilometres away will allow it or not kills what makes football so special – the power of instantaneous emotions.

Don’t believe me? Have a look at this video from last weekend then.

It shows AC Milan player Patrick Cutrone after allegedly having scored a goal. However, he, all his teammates and every Milan fan couldn’t celebrate it instantly. Instead they had to wait for minutes while the goal was under review by VAR. After the goal is allowed, Cutrone tries to celebrate. Well, he’s the only one who really does. No collective ecstasy in the stadium, no relief after having scored an important goal, nothing.

This episode proves how much harm VAR does to football. For a rather unimportant league game this might be not so terrible after all. But imagine if Mario Götze’s World Cup winning goal from 2014 would have been reviewed like that. Do we really want this to happen?

How do you feel about VAR being used at the World Cup? Let’s discuss in the comment section!

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Hogwarts United: Secret Siblings of Harry-Potter-Characters in the world of football (Wednesday Shortlist #24)

Hello Boys and Girls. Dumbledore NeinSports has prepared a new Wednesday Shortlist for you. Here are some footballers from around the globe that could have starred in the latest Harry Potter movie too.

And to emphasize musically, how bad this shortlist is, there will be – for the first and only time – a Wednesday Shortlist Soundtrack to go with it:

Here they are: The players of NeinSports very own Hogwarts United FC

Alfie Potter (Mansfield Town, England)

Harry Granger (Partick Thistle U20, Scotland)

Dean Riddle (Sheffield United, England)

Dean Thomas (Retired)

Paul Black (Nort Carolina FC, USA)

Will Longbottom (Kidderminster Harriers, England)

Dean Crabbe (Tynecastle FC, Scotland)

Benjamin Delacourt (Cercle Brügge, Belgium)

Tom Tonks (Stourbridge FC, England)

Hedwiges Maduro (Omonia Nikosia, Cyprus)

Tobi Adebayo-Rowling (Sligo Rovers, Ireland)

Coach: Peter Snape (Currently without club)

Hit the comment section in order to tell me which one was your favourite, who I missed in my list and what subjects you’d like to see covered in an umpcoming edition!

Have a great week, everyone.

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Madness in Greece: Club president storms onto the pitch with a gun!

Ooooohh, Greece. The land where the sun always seems to shine. The land that brought us Aristotle, Socrates, science, theatre, culture and so on. However, nowadays Greece is rather known for its government’s debts and its shattered economy. However, from time to time the beautiful southern European country makes into the global headlines for other reasons too.

One of them being sports. But ever since 2004 and their sensational victory at the football European Championship in Portugal (however with playing a disgusting kind of defensive football that still has negative impacts on European football up until today. But that’s not the point now, I’ll eventually get back to it another time) these news have never been too positive. Especially the headlines from Greece’s national football league are mostly shocking and or ridiculous. Like this week.

https://twitter.com/FootballPersian/status/972970244275924994

During the top clash between PAOK Thessaloniki and AEK Athens, ranked second, respectively first in the league table, the world of football has been shocked once more by the sheer violence that seems to have taken over this country’s football. After the regular ninety minutes were almost over, the home side, PAOK, scored the alleged winner. But referee Giorgios Kominos decided not to give it due to an offside position. That was way too much for some supporters. They stormed onto the pitch and threatened the referee and the players, who eventually had to hide in the catacombs of the stadium.

So far nothing too special, aye? But wait. Among these supporters there was club president Iwan Savvidis, being escorted by bodyguards and threatening the ref. Still not convinced by the story? Well, he was carrying a f*cking gun at that time. Yep, that’s right. A club president storms the pitch with a gun (that he luckily didn’t pull though) which leaves referee and players with no other choice but to run into the catacombs fearing for their life.

Greek football league suspended after gun controversy – https://t.co/a145mYZsAa top-flight football championship was suspended indefinite… pic.twitter.com/vwoe91GWQK

— http://www.meerut.com (@meerutdotcom) March 12, 2018

Savvidis is now being searched via arrest warrant and the Greek league will be on hold for an indefinite time, as the national government confirmed today. This has been decided since it’s by far not the first incident of this kind. Greece probably has one of the least stable and most violent football leagues in Europe. Now this is where the violence and the power games have gotten league, clubs, presidents and fans: To a suspended league and to Greek football being the laughing stock of the world again.

Let’s finish our thoughts on this matter with the words of a philosopher. Not one of the ancient greek ones (even though they’d be disappointed of this scenes too, I guess) but with Isaac Asimov who said „Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.“ How true that is for club presidents storming the pitch with a gun.

Farcial scenes in Portugal: Huge flag blocks VAR during goal review

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all fine and having a good time.

I surely have, because right now I’m filled with glee. And there’s hardly any better joy than that, is there?

As you hopefully remember from my other posts, I’m not really a fan of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in modern football. I think it’s rather destroying the game than actually adding value to it in its current form and stories from every league where VAR is installed seem to prove me right for once. Kind of a big deal for me, you know.

But what I’ve read the other day exceeded my expectations so hard, I felt it was inevitable to share this gleeful joy with you.

What I’m talking about is a scene from a Portuguese league game between Desportivo das Aves and Boavista Porto, which the home side won 3:0. So far, so unspectacular. But the last goal in this game was probably one of the most bizarre I’ve ever whitnessed.

Not because of the goal itself, but because of the ridiculous VAR failure that went along with it. When the referee wanted to review the goal to see if there has been an offside or not, he simply wasn’t able to do so. Why? Because a huge flag swung by the away supporters blocked the f*cking camera. Can you believe that?

Watch the hilarious incident here:

They spend millions and millions in order to install a high tech system with cameras and even more officials that slow the game down and kill emotions in order to make it fair for everyone and still manage to get blocked by a single peace of fabric. Ooooh, the irony.

What’s your opinion on VAR? Is it useful or harmful for the game? LEt us know your opinion in the comment section!

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