h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

HI! How's it goin', eh?
I've noticed you're interested in English. I'm married to a Brit and we just had visitors from England, so language is a popular topic around here. I (think) am finally clear on 'chuffed' and 'canny'...
Soccer is called Soccer because football is a game in which one throws or carries the ball mostly and has one designated kicker who ocassionally kicks the ball with his foot. None of the other players touch the ball with their feet; hence the name football, all clear?
Soccer players generally wear socks, but I don't think they're mandatory. There's also Rugby... Are rugby and rugger the same?
Anyway, we're no good at it.
Hockey, on the other hand, is Hockey. Wait, "grass hockey" exists, but it's not Hockey. Floor Hockey and Street Hockey are still hockey; played, generally, informally without "gear" on, so there's less 'contact', but it's still hockey...this is more comlex than I had anticipated. From September to June, though, if someone asks, "Did you see the game last night?" they're referring to Hockey. The Saturday broadcast is called "Hockey Night in Canada", naturally sponsored by a brewery...
Soccer (football), somehow, isn't very popular as a large-venue spectator sport, even though millions of people participate themselves; I can't explain that. There are lots of Sporting (Portugal) and Italia fans here, of course. One guy at work set up a shortwave radio in his forklift so he could recieve broadcasts (may have been BBC?) of the games. He's got "I (heart) Sporting" bumper stickers and T-shirts, too! What's 'your' team? I've heard of Manchester United and Arsenal but that's about it...
Is the World Cup the big deal, or is there another national championship as well? I have a lot to learn...
PLT, Mick.

Hoooo, lots of questions!

I _think_ that the word 'soccer' comes from the 'soc' in 'Association Football'. Rugby and rugger are the same. However, there are two codes - Rugby Union (the sort that Canada plays) and Rugby League, which has 13 players, no line-outs and only a rudimentary scrum. Take heart at being a _lot_ better at rugby as a nation than the USA.

On another thread in this page I talk to Kaeori about who I follow in football.

The World Cup is a HUGE deal everywhere (except for North America above Mexico it seems). There is a European Championship (which has just finished - France won) and a South American Championship which are also big deals. Europe and South America are the two 'powerhouses' of world football. Over here we try and play Ice Hockey, but the teams are full of Canadians and Americans who aren't good enough to make it in Canada or the US.

We're reasonable at Field Hockey (Olympic Champions 1988).

Now, the World Cup, European Championship and the South American Championship are for _National_ teams. However, there are corresponding competitions for club sides, such as Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United and Arsenal. These are the World Club Championship, the European Champions League and the Copa America respectively.

I think that's enough for now. I've got to go to bed.