Franklin Foer Learns us some history
December 21 - 2006
When your new sister in-law utters the phrase, “I have a book for you to read,” you’ve every right to be nervous. Danielle Steele? The South Beach Diet? The Bible? Imagine our surprise when we were handed Franklin Foer’s very excellent How Soccer Explains the World; an unlikely theory of globalism.
Though Foer is known to most as the editor of The New Republic, we know him best as the brains behind our favorite World Cup blog of last summer, Goal Post. His work there was a perfect blend of fandom, soccer knowledge, and ethnic-humor-light, that we were more than willing to explore his clearly booze-fueled notion that soccer can explain such disparate phenomena as “The Jewish Question” and “Islam’s Hope.”
It took only 20 pages to prove Foer’s worth. In the opening chapter, he travels to the former Yugoslav Shitshow Republics to sort out the hooligan hornets’ nest that is Serbian football. The clubs, he tells us, are like most clubs forged out of Communist rule: they find sponsorship in ready-made institutions. Traditionally, Partizan Belgrade fans are affiliated with the army. And this is where the fun begins.
The army, in its possibly well meaning attempts to hold the former Yugoslavia together, developed a reputation as a suppressor of Croatian nationalism. Being a fan of a club like Dinamo Zagreb (and a hater of Partizan), then, became an expression of this nationalism. Put these two groups in the same stadium and you’re bound to get some ruckus. And, if….say… at the 1:23 mark…in the middle of a full scale riot…a ball randomly arrived at the foot of a guy running away from a charging mob…and he happened to casually flick it away with the outside of his foot while never breaking stride…well…that might provide some comic relief in an otherwise horrifying scene, no? Just saying.
Somehow, Foer’s book makes us feel less discomfort over scenes like the one above. These guys aren’t stomping each other over Champions League spots: they’re going at it because of deep seated ethno-political hatred. And we can sleep easier as a result.
Foer’s book gets an enthusiastic recommendation, especially as a gift idea for brother-in-laws. We love our new sister, and hope she keeps the pseudo-intellectual soccer swag coming.
I gave this a read over the summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. Magnificently written, I may have put it down once to fetch another beer, but otherwise read it in one sitting.
I’ve told all my other footy-loving friends about it.
And on a side note, doesn’t he ‘co-own’ a fantasy team with Hirshey?
Comment by Scott — December 21, 2006 @ 10:53 am
I think I played against one of those guys in my Tuesday night indoor league…the Yugos are maniacs. After getting an elbow for running by him I thought that might be followed by a punch. I wonder if he knew I was Czech?…could explain his violent actions towards me!!!
Comment by Lukey the Czech — December 21, 2006 @ 11:44 am
After his little flick he goes directly to kicking some poor sap on the ground, ha!
Comment by jobicoppola — December 21, 2006 @ 11:53 am
I was sad reading about a country I enjoyed and people I thought so friendly,(1968) in Foer’s book. After reading your earlier articles about the anti-Semitic actions still occuring and learning the history of so much of football’s disastrous legacies, I am again sad to see the game my family and I love be dragged down by ugly politics/religion. This game is a beautiful mind/body/interpersonal interaction that should be a relief for at least 90:00 minutes from the garbage of everyday world happenings.
Comment by pelican — December 21, 2006 @ 12:06 pm
Scott,
Hirshey’s team name is Foerskin United, so could be.
Pelican,
Check the “mind/body/interpersonal interaction” at 1:27
Yowsers.
Comment by garth — December 21, 2006 @ 1:30 pm
Pelican…step away from the computer.
Please grab Budweiser tall boy and return to couch.
By the way…that video is terrible.
Comment by Carlos — December 21, 2006 @ 2:23 pm
I read this recently too. As a book about soccer, the stories are fantastic. As a theory about globalization and whatnot, it is pretty far off the mark. I’m looking forward to reading Offside: Soccer and American Exceptionalism over break. Looks like it’s a bit more of a theoretical book, although probably a bit outdated.
Comment by Spectator — December 22, 2006 @ 3:02 pm
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