U.S. Soccer (50 Viewers)

X Æ A-12

Senior Member
Contributor
Sep 4, 2006
87,962
Totally agree buddy. There's a whole lot of personal interpretation, and arguing over semantics...

Of course Americans are pissed about Rossi. The Scots have reason to be pissed about Holden. We Canadians are pissed about Hargreaves. That's the way it is, it's the fan's prerogative to be pissed. Bitch if you wanna bitch, criticize if you wanna criticize.

But if someone holds a country's citizenship, it's all fair game - those are the rules, better to just accept them and move on. Save the energy for a more worthwhile cause...

Fred, of course you're Libyan, and if you feel like you're 'from' Libya because your entire family/heritage etc. is rooted there, then brother, that's where you're from.

It simply doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.



That's certainly a fair opinion, Andy.
Is that you in your avatar with Diego!? :shocked:
 

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Rollie

Senior Member
Apr 15, 2008
5,143
Can I say that I'm from Poland because my grandmother's parents were from there?
:D

If you want to, you can say you're from Tatooine, or Alderaan for all I care. After all, we do have freedom of speech.

Seriously though, if a person strongly identifies with the culture, if pretty much all their family lives there, if they have citizenship, if they're a student of the country/culture... why does a hardline definition of a word matter so much?

For me, this 'From' doesn't have to be that absolute definition that you've given it. It can become somewhat relative... I think there's flexibility. You're heritage would certainly be 'from' that country, so in a way you yourself would be 'from' that country.

It's not like Fred's lying to you, Andy. You know his situation, so I'm not sure why you're so hell bent on stuffing your definition of the word 'from' down his throat.

I'm just not sure what point it serves.
 

Rollie

Senior Member
Apr 15, 2008
5,143
Oh thats Melo?

He looks skinny and darker than usual in that pic.
Yeah, for me Melo always looks a little strange out of uniform (especially when he's rockin' his bling - ridiculous!)

I'm sure he's probably just in great shape, ready to dominate opposing midfielders, after enjoyinga mini summer in Brazil's sun.

:xfinger:

Edit: Alright, I'm out for a lil steak dinner. Catch you guys and this discussion later... play nice...
 

Salvo

J
Moderator
Dec 17, 2007
62,842
Or maybe he's not lying and the bolded part is true. I'm saying i don't know. I'm saying that living in a country for X amount of years does not necessarily make you from there.

Also, if its like Seven said, he went to Italy every summer. Then maybe he always considered himself Italian, but his parents had work in the US. Is that not possible?
i personally know this feeling, i dont go every summer but i have never considered myself australian. i have lived here all my life, but i have been brought up as an italian, spoken italian in my home, its just how i feel.

at school i would be labelled italian, i embraced it, was proud of it.
if i had the choice i would play for italy.
 

king Ale

Senior Member
Oct 28, 2004
21,689
So you can't understand how Rossi saying "I'm proud to be an American, but I'm too good for your soccer team" is insulting to some people? Rossi can do whatever he wants, but Americans can be pissed about his decision. They can even call him a traitor if they want.
Did he really say that or it is the way you interpret what he did? It's because you know yourself that Italy are a bigger team in football. If he had chosen say Mexican NT over yours you wouldn't have said "he was too good for our soccer team" as it is not any difference between the two team but you would have still felt insulted. So no, I don't understand being pissed at him because of the decision he made for his life and career. Sure you can be pissed about his decision and you of course can call him a traitor, but that's just silly.

And pointing out hypocrisy doesn't really add to your point when you consider there isn't a single poster here that isn't some form of hypocrite.:D
True but there are levels hypocrisy ;)
 

Seven

In bocca al lupo, Fabio.
Jun 25, 2003
39,346
It's the same old stuff. Everyone is too close-minded to accept each other's opinions even though they may not agree on the issue.:blah:
No offence, mate, but Andy's opinion about nationality is just downright stupid. It's not as simple as he claims it to be. It may look easy when your country is half a continent, but in Europe for example it's a different story. What one needs to take into account at all times is that nationality is something artificial. It is something that can change, it is something that can be lost and that can be obtained. It is by no means as static as Andy perceives it to be.

Andy just doesn't know enough about it to be able to debate.
 

Bjerknes

"Top Economist"
Mar 16, 2004
116,166
Did he really say that or it is the way you interpret what he did?
He didn't really say that, but it is what one can conclude through his actions.

"Off the field, I have always felt American. On the field, I've always felt Italian."

That's just pretty much nonsense. It's like saying when in bed I feel like a homosexual, but out of bed I feel like a heterosexual. If he means what he says then he's obviously a confused individual. If he doesn't actually believe that, then he's a liar.

This is my stance, and I'm not budging. Of course some Azzurri fans will love Rossi's decision, not just because he has Italian parents. So there isn't a point in discussing it with them. They are just as biased as we are.
 

Fred

Senior Member
Oct 2, 2003
41,113
Can I say that I'm from Poland because my grandmother's parents were from there?
Have you ever been to Poland? Do you speak Polish(at least at home)? Do you and your family identify each other as Polish? Do you plan on going back to Poland at some point in your life? Do you have a Polish passport?

The answer to all these questions is no. So no, you are not Polish, because you've cut all ties with Poland.


i personally know this feeling, i dont go every summer but i have never considered myself australian. i have lived here all my life, but i have been brought up as an italian, spoken italian in my home, its just how i feel.

at school i would be labelled italian, i embraced it, was proud of it.
if i had the choice i would play for italy.
:tup:

You're perfectly entitled to that.

No offence, mate, but Andy's opinion about nationality is just downright stupid. It's not as simple as he claims it to be. It may look easy when your country is half a continent, but in Europe for example it's a different story. What one needs to take into account at all times is that nationality is something artificial. It is something that can change, it is something that can be lost and that can be obtained. It is by no means as static as Andy perceives it to be.

Andy just doesn't know enough about it to be able to debate.
Exactly, and in the middle east its different too, in Africa its different than the middle east, in Asia its different than in Africa.

Like you said its artificial, and by no means as clear cut and as simple and as black and white as Andy makes it out to be.
 

Bjerknes

"Top Economist"
Mar 16, 2004
116,166
Exactly, and in the middle east its different too, in Africa its different than the middle east, in Asia its different than in Africa.

Like you said its artificial, and by no means as clear cut and as simple and as black and white as Andy makes it out to be.
So what's your point then? You say that you think nations should tighten policies on citizenship, but what you're really making an argument for is lax requirements. You're basically saying that a person should be rewarded citizenship based on what he/she feels no matter where they live or where they are from.

Sure, not all situations are clear cut, but most are. If you were born and raised in Poland, speak the language, and have a Polish passport but you now live in Madrid for a job, until you get their citizenship, you're Polish.

You lot are making the issue more complicated than it has to be.
 
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Oct 11, 2005
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    Did he really say that or it is the way you interpret what he did? It's because you know yourself that Italy are a bigger team in football. If he had chosen say Mexican NT over yours you wouldn't have said "he was too good for our soccer team" as it is not any difference between the two team but you would have still felt insulted. So no, I don't understand being pissed at him because of the decision he made for his life and career. Sure you can be pissed about his decision and you of course can call him a traitor, but that's just silly.
    You're not getting it. :sergio:

    He actually said that he loves America, his family is in America, he feels very much American, he acknowledged that he's always been thought of as American by the teams he's played with, cheers the national team, is American when he's not playing soccer. Yes that was in an interview.

    What I said is what the interview equated to in the minds of Americans. I've been trying to explain to you the thought process behind the feeling that Guissepe Rossi is a traitor. I haven't even shared my personal view on the matter.

    As for the Mexico thing, yes it would have been the same exact thing if he had said the same exact things that he said after declaring for Italy.

    If you don't understand the thought process or why some call him a traitor I'm going to suggest you ask a few questions so that you might understand. If you just continue saying "that's just silly" the conversation goes nowhere.

    And a player's National Team really has no bearing on his career. You still have to show the skills at the club level to even make it to that level, not the other way around.
     
    OP
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    No offence, mate, but Andy's opinion about nationality is just downright stupid. It's not as simple as he claims it to be. It may look easy when your country is half a continent, but in Europe for example it's a different story. What one needs to take into account at all times is that nationality is something artificial. It is something that can change, it is something that can be lost and that can be obtained. It is by no means as static as Andy perceives it to be.

    Andy just doesn't know enough about it to be able to debate.
    Why would your opinion on Andy's opinion on nationality offend me? :D

    For me, I think you can have multiple nationalities and probably recognize on some level with one in particular. But as for where someone is "from" I think it's more of a physical sense like Andy says, for example I was born in Athens, Georgia. I am from there, but I don't consider myself Georgian or a resident of the state etc.

    The whole entire question of nationality is almost relative to a personal basis. People that spend their entire lives in one place will almost always have a stronger tie and more static explanation. People that move around for most of their lives or live in nations with close proximity will have a much more flexible definition of nationality.
     
    Apr 12, 2004
    77,165
    He didn't really say that, but it is what one can conclude through his actions.

    "Off the field, I have always felt American. On the field, I've always felt Italian."

    That's just pretty much nonsense. It's like saying when in bed I feel like a homosexual, but out of bed I feel like a heterosexual. If he means what he says then he's obviously a confused individual. If he doesn't actually believe that, then he's a liar.

    This is my stance, and I'm not budging. Of course some Azzurri fans will love Rossi's decision, not just because he has Italian parents. So there isn't a point in discussing it with them. They are just as biased as we are.
    Which makes no sense.
     

    Boksic

    Senior Member
    May 11, 2005
    14,326
    Totally agree buddy. There's a whole lot of personal interpretation, and arguing over semantics...

    Of course Americans are pissed about Rossi. The Scots have reason to be pissed about Holden. We Canadians are pissed about Hargreaves. That's the way it is, it's the fan's prerogative to be pissed. Bitch if you wanna bitch, criticize if you wanna criticize.

    But if someone holds a country's citizenship, it's all fair game - those are the rules, better to just accept them and move on. Save the energy for a more worthwhile cause...

    Fred, of course you're Libyan, and if you feel like you're 'from' Libya because your entire family/heritage etc. is rooted there, then brother, that's where you're from.

    It simply doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.



    That's certainly a fair opinion, Andy.
    To be fair, I haven't met a Scot who cares about Stuart Holden.

    Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy however........:andyandbarcelona:
     

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