Americans...

It was the last item on Friday's Today programme, from 2:55 here.

I was in Dublin a few years back and was talking to an American student, she was very pleasant. I confessed, all the Americans I've ever met (bearing in mind I've never been to America) have been thouroughly nice/decent people and good company. So why I asked her do I not like Americans.

We aren't all like the idiots you see/hear on the tv and generally we as a race are not really worldly wise, most of us haven't even got passports let alone travel.

If there's one thing for which we Europeans definitely, definitely should not be criticising the Americans, it's the behaviour of sports fans.

The label 'American' never really covers it adequately in anyway as it covers a vast continent with cultural differences that makes our regional variations look very insignificant indeed. Some of its own inhabitants are unable to comprehend it let alone any outsiders. I've merely dipped a toe into American history and culture and it continues to be a complex, fascinating and sometimes completely unfathomable place but I've read enough to know that judging a nation on a golf tournament is probably a little short-sighted.

If you want to try the other side of the coin then the literature of Mark Twain is more than capable of making other cultures seem equally absurd.

http://espn.go.com/golf/rydercup12/stor ... -locked-us

Frank the tank wrote:

Europe win the Ryder cup 13.5 to 14.5.

Get in there.

What a comeback......Simply fantastic.

That will teach the Yanks for lowering the tone during the whole tournament........

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

Couldn't care less about the golf. So they are a bit partisan? Who cares?

It went a bit beyond partisanship: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/r ... teros.html.

Firstly well in to the European team. What a comeback, what a result!

I've been to the US many times - playing rugby mostly and have met americans from many walks of life and many parts of the states.

The first thing that I would say is to support Verylonglegs point that the USA (clue in the name) is made up of lots of different states with cultural and social difference between them. In my experience, the people from New Mexico are as different to the people from North Dakota as the Belgians are to the Greeks. It is nothing like the homogenous population that people over here sometimes think it is. People in Minnesota are as amused and mystified by the Californian pet psychologist using, therapist dependant loud mouth as we are.

Secondly, as far as sport is concerned, USA rarely gets to get behind a national team in anything relevant on the world stage. Golf and athletics (possibly cycling) are about it.

They are, without doubt, a sport mad nation - I'd say much more so than we are, but the sports that they are into are different from the mainstream ones over here. The other thing to remember with the US is the massive distances involved in getting to an "away" fixture. (I'm sure this is the reason that USA do not have world class football and Rugby sides . . . yet!)

The mainstream sports (including, of course, college sports) are, by and large, attended by a (large) home crowd. It is almost always a partisan atmosphere as there is no opposing support to counter the local support.

When faced with support that "shouts back" I think the reaction was to take this to the extreme by booing the opposition etc. As I said, most americans are not used to there being "away" fans at a fixture.

Bad sportsmanship yes, but no worse than any international soccer, cricket or rugby match - at least the national anthems weren't booed.

I've been to the states a number of times and to be honest they are a proud nation and when it comes to sport they like to get in your face, nothing wrong with that, they want to win. The issue is we europeans are a little more reserved when we kick arse. Having worked with a number of Americans over here, they fear the Europeans because of the way we go about our sport, they are a huge nation and could potentially beat everyone else at every sport known with the number of people they have to choose from. So for Europe to quietly chip away at them in the Ryder Cup was just so great to see.

It’s interesting to contrast this with the roadside support for the olympic cycling events. The time trial was absolutely fantastic as every single rider was cheered to the rafters. Wiggo of course took the roofs off but they must each have thought wtf and loved it. At least I hope they did as the good will was palpable.

Gosh darn even Americans were welcome!

is the chap with the trophy american? he appears to be wearing an american jacket.

rodgers73 wrote:

Daily Telegraph wrote:

The fan at the 16th tee — at present, it appears to be only one — shouted the obscenity during the fourballs match between Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar and Paul Lawrie and Colsaerts.
The words “F--- you, Seve” were clearly heard by those watching Sky Sports’ coverage on Saturday evening.
The fan shouted just as Johnson made his tee shot. It has been common during this Ryder Cup for fans to shout slogans at high volume just after a player has made contact with the ball.

I actually thought this was funny in a daft sort of way - what a crap way to try and wind up the opposition!

Seve always seemed like a lovely man and it was very touching to see Olazabal choking up on the 18th when he gave his first post match interview. American fan nonsense aside, I think this was one of the most pleasing results I've ever seen. I'm sure all the European players felt very very happy to have done that for his memory.

It was the comeback of all time Ryder cup wise, and to do it away from home in front of such a partisan and at time disrespectful crowd makes it all the more satisfying.Well done European golfers.
BTW, that's another team chucking their hat into the SPOTY team award ring.

The bloke who sits on the desk next to me is an American. He smells like he needs washing with caustic soda and wire wool. He's a gobshite and general know it all. I'd like to give the tw@7 a nice left hook and snap his jaw. I think I will one day.....

lc1981 wrote:

symo wrote:

I would say though can we not use 'American' with that you are also covering the lovely Canadians and Brazilians who also live in the America's.

What we are talking about is residents of the U.S.. One of my Brazilian friends gets really annoyed when he sees things about American behaviour.

The problem is, what's the demonym for someone from the US if it's not "American"? A "USian"?

An interesting point, and one that's crossed my mind a few times but never bothered to chase it up. I'd guess 'American' is the one most of those born in the US might use, however it's worth having a look at the term in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demonym

here are a few lifted lines from under the heading 'Cultural Problems':

To give a more specific English-language demonym for US citizens other than "American" however would be somewhat challenging: United Statian is awkward in English, but it exists in Spanish (estadounidense), French (étatsunien(ne), although americain(e) is preferred), Portuguese (estado-unidense or estadunidense), Italian (statunitense), and also in Interlingua (statounitese). US American (for the noun) and US-American (when used as a compound modifier preceding a noun) is another option, and is a common demonym in German (US-Amerikaner). Latin Americans (who are the most affected by this use of American) also have yanqui (Yankee) and the euphemism norteamericano/norte-americano "North American", which technically includes the USA, Mexico and Canada, but is frequently used in Spanish and Portuguese to refer to the United States only. Frank Lloyd Wright popularized Usonian, from the abbreviation for United States of North America".