Out of the Mouths of Our Children...

Ellen tells this story about when she was in Prague studying. While there, she was lucky enough to be able to see a qualifying match for the 2012 European Championship between Scotland and the Czech Republic. Days before the game, Prague was invaded by what appeared to be thousands of Scottish soccer fans who more or less took over the city. Ellen learned that these folk called themselves the Tartan Army and followed the team around the world attending matches.  They were a good-natured and amazingly exuberant lot, and inhibited is not a word that would naturally spring to mind to describe them.  While the Scots were in Prague, they generally hung out, held parades in full Scottish regalia and partied a lot.  She ended up falling in with one group and had a pretty boisterous night in one of the local pubs (even though she had supported the hometown team).

Anyway, perhaps you have seen Ann Coulter's recent piece that decries the current American passion for soccer sparked by our team's modest success in Brazil.  AMERICA'S FAVORITE NATIONAL PASTIME: HATING SOCCER.  So, knowing Ellen's past association with soccer, I shared with her a little of Coulter's column today by email. Here’s the discussion:

Me:

Finally, I've got the latest from Ann Coulter on the recent American enthusiasm for soccer.  Coulter writes:  "I've held off on writing about soccer for a decade — or about the length of the average soccer game — so as not to offend anyone. But enough is enough.  Any growing interest in soccer can only be a sign of the nation's moral decay.”  How do you think your Tartan Army would respond to this?

Ellen:

Haha, the Tartan army wouldn't pay her any mind. They're too busy getting drunk in public and dancing on tables. We should all probably follow their lead.

Out of the mouths of our children comes truth and wisdom.

Ellen and HWS friend with two footsoldiers in the Tartan Army