National Holiday if England go all the way?

StoneCold Skywarp · Post by **StoneCold Skywarp** » Wed Jun 19, 2002 10:46 pm

Blair considers national holiday if England win World Cup

By Ananova

Tony Blair says he will consider calling a public holiday if England win the World Cup.

The Prime Minister is being urged to declare a day of official celebration on Monday, July 1 if the national team win the tournament the day before.

Former sports minister Tony Banks wants the whole country to be given the day off on the Monday after the final.

He says it will allow football fans to celebrate after the match - or drown their sorrows - without having to worry about getting up for work.

The Prime Minister, pressed by Mr Banks during House of Commons Question Time, said: "I would like to thank you for your interesting submission which I will consider carefully. Let us just get over the hurdle of beating Brazil on Friday."

Mr Banks wants the holiday to be offered to the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish as well as the English.

Mr Banks has tabled a House of Commons motion congratulating Sven-Goran Eriksson's team on their success in reaching the quarter-finals.

Mr Banks said: "I think that, given the fact that the President of Senegal gave a public holiday for that country getting into the quarter-finals, a holiday for reaching the final is not too much to ask.

He says he is sure Scottish, Welsh and Irish soccer fans would want to share in England's celebrations, and has secured the backing of five Scottish MPs for his early-day motion, which will not be debated in Parliament.

Shamelessly ripped from AOL's sport news.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 6:11 am

Well, if England do win, no-one'd be in work that Monday anyway, so Blair might as well make it look like he planned it

Do we get a national holiday if South Korea win?

Blaster_86 · Post by **Blaster_86** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 6:44 am

Oi you're our mother country I say Canada gets to celebrate that day to.

Claypool · Post by **Claypool** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 6:51 am

its just soccer though, a parade yeah maybe you could have one of thoes, but a national holiday? besides, hasent England won earlier world cups?

LordSixshot · Post by **LordSixshot** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 10:38 am

No, it's football, this is the biggest sporting event in the world in terms of how many people watch it. You might get a parade for hockey or whatever, but that's really because no one cares enough to make it a national holiday. Did the whole country come to a standstill when the Redwings won whatever it is they won? No.

Redstreak · Post by **Redstreak** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 1:53 pm

Originally posted by LordSixshot
No, it's football, this is the biggest sporting event in the world in terms of how many people watch it. You might get a parade for hockey or whatever, but that's really because no one cares enough to make it a national holiday. Did the whole country come to a standstill when the Redwings won whatever it is they won? No.

That would be the Stanley Cup, Sixy....no US sports team gets a national holiday declared when they win cuz they represent their city, not the entire country...it is rare for them even to get a local holiday(except in New York). It's not that they don't care, it's that the team represents its city alone, and thereby is the responsibility of the city to celebrate; they aren't gonna require the entire country to celebrate a championship that doesn't belong to their city or state. If you're in Colorado, the last thing you wanna see is Detroit win the Stanley Cup. A national holiday declared on account of our win would be like telling the country that you HAVE to root for the Red Wings, or Yankees, or whoever wins a title. That's like asking them to foresake their hometeam.

It's a far different situation with national teams, though. So it's really apples and oranges, Sixy. The two things are very different and can't really be compared to one another. The World Cup is a national obsession, especially over there. If England wins, it's a victory for the entire country, just like it would be for us if the US wins. But if Detroit wins, it's a victory for Detroit. If New York wins, it's a victory for New York. And so on. To force that upon the entire country, esp. the USA, as a holiday, would simply not be right.

LordSixshot · Post by **LordSixshot** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 3:37 pm

Exactly my point, hence the...

Originally posted by LordSixshot
Did the whole country come to a standstill when the Redwings won whatever it is they won? No.

I shouldn't have said no one cares, because obviously they do or you wouldn't have the NHL at all. And yes, I'm aware that one team in the NHL only represents a particular city, I was just trying to reverse the "its just soccer" to "it's just hockey, no one cares" and see how Claypool likes it. I suppose in my not giving a wank about hockey, I was a little careless with my wording.

TF @ The Moon · Post by **TF @ The Moon** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 4:50 pm

And England have only one once, but remember we did start it all and we don't get much opportunity to celebrate national success anymore.
shame I work for a Mayalsian really who has threaten to fire people if they do not come in no matter if England do win.

Claypool · Post by **Claypool** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 7:07 pm

it is just soccer (football) though. what else is it? If your from England, why do you care if your team wins? its not like you get a big check in the mail or something. Its the same liking any sport. If your not on the team, why do you care if they win? I for some reason like the Red Wings and when they won there was about 30 seconds of self satisfaction, but about an hour later, i didnt care, i got nothing out of it. Its not like they are the champs forever. I know im totally digressing, i just find it interesting why people like a professional team in any sport unless they play it.

LordSixshot · Post by **LordSixshot** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 7:47 pm

Originally posted by Claypool
it is just soccer (football) though. what else is it? If your from England, why do you care if your team wins? its not like you get a big check in the mail or something. Its the same liking any sport. If your not on the team, why do you care if they win? I for some reason like the Red Wings and when they won there was about 30 seconds of self satisfaction, but about an hour later, i didnt care, i got nothing out of it. Its not like they are the champs forever. I know im totally digressing, i just find it interesting why people like a professional team in any sport unless they play it.

Okay, fair enough, I thought you were dissin' football. I know it is just a sport, but it gives you the right to say "ha ha, our country is better than everyone else's at football" for a whole four years. If you watch a lot of it, you get involved, and the team becomes important to you. Plus most people like to drink a lot during/after a big football match, and so there will be a lot of people hungover on Monday who aren't gonna want to work. As long as England beat Brazil, and I feel all nervous about that.

Claypool · Post by **Claypool** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 7:59 pm

when does england play next, who do they play?

LordSixshot · Post by **LordSixshot** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 8:01 pm

Originally posted by Claypool
when does england play next, who do they play?

They play Brazil at 7.30am our time tomorrow morning, that'll be about 2.30am your time on Friday morning. Watch it, it should be a good match.

Claypool · Post by **Claypool** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 8:03 pm

alrighty!! a late game!! *gets another glass of coke*

LordSixshot · Post by **LordSixshot** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 8:07 pm

Originally posted by Claypool
alrighty!! a late game!! *gets another glass of coke*

Are you really going to watch it? We can post probably at least a couple of hundred times while we are waiting for it to start... and remember to cheer for the guys in red or white.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 8:10 pm

Originally posted by LordSixshot

it gives you the right to say "ha ha, our country is better than everyone else's at football" for a whole four years.

Well, two, if the English get stuffed by Norway or Switzerland at Euro 2004... Is that in Portugual, or am I confused?

Claypool · Post by **Claypool** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 8:12 pm

Originally posted by LordSixshot

Are you really going to watch it? We can post probably at least a couple of hundred times while we are waiting for it to start... and remember to cheer for the guys in red or white.

sweet, as long as its only with you sixy

.......the Red Wings wear Red and White.....should I cheer for them too?

LordSixshot · Post by **LordSixshot** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 8:26 pm

Originally posted by Claypool

sweet, as long as its only with you sixy .......the Red Wings wear Red and White.....should I cheer for them too?

I thought you already did. Is the Stanley cup what you get for winning the league? Or is it like a separate thing? Oh well, whatever it is, they won that in red and white... maybe it's another coincidence that means England will win. Yesssss.

Zombie Dave · Post by **Zombie Dave** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 8:32 pm

Sports support matter's a great deal to almost everybody I know. It's a coming together of many peole over one thing. how we compete is a concern of national pride.

I'd say it's a step down from warfare.

It's us or them.

Claypool · Post by **Claypool** » Thu Jun 20, 2002 9:05 pm

Originally posted by LordSixshot

I thought you already did. Is the Stanley cup what you get for winning the league? Or is it like a separate thing? Oh well, whatever it is, they won that in red and white... maybe it's another coincidence that means England will win. Yesssss.

yeah they won, i still like rooting for them in the off-season, its muy fun

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National Holiday if England go all the way?

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