Royal Irish Rifles in a communications trench on the First Day on The Somme, 1 July 1916.

• by Joe Curtis, writing from Coral Gables, FL

War and Football. Part One: Here

The world was a different place before the First World War. The world was beautiful. War was beautiful. There was progress, and Faith. But all this was changing. Modris Ekstein uses the ballet "The Rites of Spring" to show this change in his book with the same title. The ballet debuted in Paris and was different from what people were used to. The Rites of Spring did not have beautiful music and perfectly choreographed dances. It instead used complex rhythmic dances that almost never went along with the music to tell the story of a girl who was to be sacrificed to the God of Spring. It was primitive compared to other ballets, but this is what choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky and composer Igor Stravinsky wanted. They wanted to shock people by creating something that went beyond the accepted standards. This was the Avant-garde movement, but it went beyond art and literature.

The Rites of Spring used its primitive style to make the point that there is something beyond what society had accepted. Nijinsky and Stravinsky believed that things would be more authentic and meaningful if they were more primitive. The sacrifice of the girl broke the beliefs of morality. Morality placed limits on humanity, and morality was a western creation. The western world, some believed, had placed limits on human potential. This is how Germany felt prior to WWI. They wanted to break through the boundaries placed by England and France. They did not want to play the "game" anymore.

This view that morality placed limits on people was also the belief of a German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche believed that everyone made their own moral code. He called this "might makes Right", or the Will to Power. Will was something I mentioned in part one, it was what Vince Lombardi used to separate winners and losers. In the real world, to the Germans at least, it signified that they were above the western powers of England and France. Nietzsche admired “greatness”, talent, skill, and resourcefulness. He argued that in order to succeed you must be creative, assertive, bold, strong-willed, competitive, and determined. These were the characteristics of his Ubermensch. These were the characteristics of Germany.

There's a breathless hush in the Close to-night
Ten to make and the match to win
A bumping pitch and a blinding light,
An hour to play, and the last man in.
And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat.
Or the selfish hope of a season's fame,
But his captain's hand on his shoulder smote:
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!"


The sand of the desert is sodden red -
Red with the wreck of a square that broke;
The Gatling's jammed and the colonel dead,
And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.
The river of death has brimmed its banks,
And England's far, and Honour a name,
But the voice of a schoolboy rallies the ranks -
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!"



This is Sir Henry Newbolt’s famous 1898 poem “Vitai Lampada”. The poem connects the sport mentality of the playing field, and the battlefield. On July 28th, 1914 the game made the transition from one field to the other. This was the beginning of a war that would change the world, physically, and emotionally.

The game of football entered its modern state in the 19th century, but the world wouldn't enter its modern state until the 20th century. For football it was the creation of rules, or laws. For the world, the birth of the modern age was World War I. This "War to End All Wars" was also a war to end the "Old World". The German Empire had grown tired of the "Old World" and its beliefs and values. They were tired of the sense of duty to the team. They wanted a new world, with new freedoms. A world of the individual, and not the "team".

Germany were supporters of the avant-garde movement. The Germans were not just innovative when it came to art and culture, their innovation followed them onto the battlefield, just like the "game" followed the British. The Germans were the first to use submarines and planes in warfare. They were also the first to use chemical weapons and flamethrowers. Why did the Germans use all these different methods of warfare? Well, they had to. They were fighting a two front war. France and Great Britain in the West, and Russia in the East. Their original plan was the Schlieffen Plan, created by Alfred von Schlieffen. This strategic plan was designed to win a possible two front war and involved moving troops from the north through Belgium and invade France. Once France was defeated and secured, the army would rotate back to the Eastern Front and attack Russia as they finished mobilizing their army.

While Germany is fighting a war to change the world, Britain is fighting a war to preserve the world. To the British, Germany's use of unconventional methods of warfare were seen as "unsporting". Germany was nothing more than an "insensitive, regimented brute" that "was incapable of playing the game". The reason why Germany was seen this way was because of their innovative methods of war. Using planes, chemical weapons, and flamethrowers were not playing by the rules.

British and German troops meeting in No-Mans's Land during the unofficial truce.

Playing by the rules was important to the British. The Christmas Truce of 1914 was an example of them "playing by the rules". Giving the Germans the opportunity to enjoy Christmas was "playing fair". The truce is important for another reason, it also shows how different the world was before and at the start of World War I. To the British the Germans were an opponent, not an enemy. They were just the other team they were playing against in the game that was WWI. There was no real hatred for the other side, and this made it possible for something special to happen. This allowed for a Christmas day football match in no man's land. This would only be possible in a world that had not seen the horrors of the First World War. A world that had not begun to split between the Left and Right of the political spectrum. A world were you were either "with us or against us".

The war went on and the death toll began to rise. Over time soldiers would forget what it was that they were fighting for. They lost their connection with reality. The world they lived and fought in was nothing like anyone had seen before. War had made the land barren, it made the earth look like another planet. Nothing but death surrounded them all day, every day. Even through all this, the game continued to united the British and keep their morale up. In 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, Captain W.P. Nevill lead his men across no man's land by dribbling a football. Just like Sir Henry Newbolt’s poem, Nevill wanted his men to "Play up! Play up! And play the game!".

Part Three Coming Soon.

• by Joe Curtis, writing from Pembroke Pines, FL

"'Play the game!' That's what life is all about. Decency, fortitude, grit, civilization, Christianity, commerce, all blend into one - the game!" - Modris Eksteins

It is not unusual for sport to be a source of inspiration in life. It may be just a game, but in these games we see some similarities to our every day lives. A game is made up of rules, and within these rules a player or team works towards a goal. However, in order to achieve this goal that player or team will have to overcome challenges. In life we also have rules, or laws, and within these rules we work towards a goal while overcoming challenges. Vince Lombardi once said: "The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will." In sports you have to have will. You have to have the determination to overcome obstacles so you can, hopefully, win the game. This also applies to life. We all have the power to control what we can and will do. Only through hard work will a person, family, player, or team, be successful.

Teamwork is also important in both life and sport. In life you will have to work as team with your co-workers. Being a “team player” will benefit every member of the team because his or her duties will be fulfilled. Not being a team player will most likely cause problems. A sports team is no different. Each member of the team has a role, and the success of the team depends on each and every player. A player needs to be able to fulfill their duties. If a player fails, chances are the team will fail.

So what does this have to do with War? Besides the common comparison of the playing field and the battlefield, where each team goes to war, War and Football have a relationship. This relationship can be traced back to the 14th century. From 1324 to 1667 football was banned in England for two main reasons. The first reason was its unruly nature. Early football is the father of Soccer, Rugby, Australian Rule’s Football, and American Football. Early football was known as "mob football", where one would do anything to win the ball. By anything I mean kicking below the waist, punching, etc. As you could imagine, this was not something a King wouldn’t want going on in the streets. So it was banned. The second reasoning behind the banning of football was because it distracted the people from practicing archery. Archery was important in warfare, so it was obvious that the King wanted everyone to be trained and ready.

These two views of sport changed in the 19th century. Thomas Arnold, educator, historian, and head of Rugby School, believed that games were an important part of education. He believed that sport would give "young men the body of a Greek and the soul of a Christian Knight". In 1864 The Clarendon Commission insisted that:

"the cricket and football pitches are not merely places of amusement; they help to form some of the most valuable social qualities and manly virtues, and they hold, like the classroom and boarding house, a distinct and important place in public school education"

In the 19th century football was beginning to resemble the modern game. Football was no longer seen as savage or a distraction for the British people. Football, and sport in general, was now the tool used to promote civilized society. The importance of the game soon began to develop; it was a source of encouragement, determination, and team spirit. Through this game children would learn about the sense of duty, duty not only to the team, but also to their role in the "game." Disguised in this simple game was a secret. Yes, the game was key to helping build a child into an "individual" and to "integrate him into the group", but it was not done just to play the game. It was done for something bigger. That new sense of duty to the team, and to an individual’s role as a player was really a sense of duty to your country, and your role as a citizen. The game was preparing men for war.

In the second half of the 19th century football was no longer just a game, it was a passion for the British people. This is where Will comes back into play. Passion and Will go hand in hand. Passion can actually be used to define Will. Football, and sport, will become a passion for both sides of the battlefield in World War I. For the British it was the passion for the "game", for duty to King and Country. For the Germans it was the passion against the "game", to break away from the old world, and create a new future for Europe. This was a future where the individual was not bound to the “team” and their ‘duties”, but instead was his own master. In 1899, after the English Football Final, Times said the game was a "great value 'in the battles of life'." The country, and the world, would soon fight in the battles that would shape the first half of the 20th century.

Part Two. Here

photo by Jonathan Assink

• by Joe Curtis, writing from Pembroke Pines, FL

College is arguably the best years of your life. It is the last “carefree” years before you put on grown up pants and start doing grown up things. For most it is their first taste of independent living. The first step into, what we believe is, the real world. When those four years are up, however, the majority will learn how hard life really is. No more mommy and daddy holding your hand. Yes there are a few who are lucky enough to have grown up in mansions and have parents who are successful executives, but the average person will have to work hard to achieve their lifetime goal. This lifetime goal is sometimes called a “dream”. These dreams usually begin forming in a person’s childhood. A person’s dream is/was most likely influenced by their parents. As a result that dream most likely is or is similar to what one or both parents do for a living. However, some may dream of being or doing something totally different. Maybe they want to be the exact opposite of their parents, or maybe they want to be like their childhood hero. That hero may be an astronaut, a police officer, a pilot, and NFL quarterback. Those jobs might be a little boring, so some kids instead dream of being superheroes, like Batman and Spiderman. Who wouldn’t want to drive the Batmobile, or swing from building to building? As kids become teenagers, and teenagers become adults those dreams start to change. People begin to realize that it won’t be possible to become Batman. They will see how difficult it is to become an astronaut. Those dreams are abandoned. Luckily, there a few that work hard and never give up on that childhood dream and achieve it.

Outside of the United States, Soccer/Football is king. Children all over the globe dream of becoming the next Messi, or Cristiano Ronaldo and imitate them in the streets and at local parks. They dream of the fame, glory, and of course money. Not everyone will be able to be the next superstar, but they may be able to become a professional player. The road to becoming a professional footballer is not an easy one. Some will find the ugly truth of the path to the beautiful game, but those are not the stories that are told over and over again. The stories that are told are those of success. These are the stories that people want to hear because it gives them hope. Hope that they will live their dream. Hope that they will be able to live a better life than they currently are.

The 2005 film Goal! is about such a story. It may not be a true story, but it is a great example of those success stories told all over the world. The film follows Santiago Munez, a young man who entered the United States illegally from Mexico with his father. He works with his father in landscaping as well as a busboy at a local restaurant. Santiago’s dream, like many around the world, is to become a footballer. This is a hard dream to pursue due to his family’s economic status, and as a result he begins to accept the fact that his dream may never become a reality. Luckily for Santiago, a former Newcastle United player and scout, Glen Roy, notices his skill and offers him a chance to try out for Newcastle. Santiago rushes home to collect the money he has saved to fly to England. When he arrives at his house he realizes that his father had used that money to purchase a new truck for their business. Again, luckily for Santiago his grandmother sold some of her jewelry in order to pay for his ticket to London. Glen Roy greets Santiago and invites him to stay at his house while he is on trial with Newcastle. Santiago’s trial, however, is a disaster. Once again, luck saves Santiago. Glen is able to convince the manager that Santiago’s poor performance was due to jetlag and Santiago is given a second chance. Santi eventually makes the reserve team, and then is called up to be a substitute for the first team. Thanks to injuries in the lineup, Santi makes his first appearance in a Premier League game against Fulham, wins a penalty, and helps his team come out with a victory. Later in the season Santiago scores a free kick goal that earned Newcastle a place in the Champions League.

Goal! is a great story, mostly because it has a happy ending. Santiago fulfilled his dream. This story is true for many. A real life example of Santiago is Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, a Mexican kid who was signed by Manchester United. In one season he went from unknown to indispensible. These are the stories that make the headlines. These are the stories that mislead people into believing that the road to becoming a footballer is an easy one. This is far from the truth. In the real world not everyone is as nice and helpful as Glen Roy was to Sanitago. Yes, the real world is filled with people who will offer trials with big teams to young players, but the majority of those people will abandon that player if he turns out to be not worth his time and money. The ugly truth is that money does talk, and everyone does listen. People do what it takes to get money. That most likely involves doing the opposite of what is morally correct.

Africa is the victim of the majority of these “soccer trafficking” acts. Kids in Africa grow up in poverty. Families in Africa hope and pray that they will be lucky enough to have children who can help provide for their family. Families see superstars like Didier Drogba, and Michael Essien who also grew up living in small shacks who are now football superstars. They and other players who were fortunate enough to make it to the top were able to move their families into new two-story houses on the other side of town. Families hoping that they too could be as fortunate as Drogba and Essien begin pushing their children to train in order to become the next superstar. Families feel that chances are good because more and more Africans are making it to the top. In 1989 there were four African players in the English Premier League. All of them were white. In 2009 there were 60 African players, nearly all black. This is where agents from Europe come in and “sell hope” to the families. These agents convince families that their son will be a superstar, and that they will be able to move out of the slums. They guarantee this, and all they ask in return is an upfront payment to cover travel and expenses for the trial with a team. In order to make this payment families make huge sacrifices, just like Santiago’s grandmother did. In Africa, however, this meant selling the family car, which could have been used for business purposes to bring in more income for the family.

Once the payment is made the families believe that they had just taken the first step to living a better life. The ugly truth is that the trial that was promised for their son does not always happen, and even if it does, they don’t always make the team. When this happens the agent just abandons the player. It is estimated that 20,000 soccer players are stranded across Europe. This is very different from the story in Goal! were Santiago also didn’t make the team the first time around, but Glen Roy (his agent) was able to arrange another trial. In the real world agents don’t always care because if you aren’t going to make them money you are not valuable. This leaves the families in Africa living worse than they were before, and missing a child. And yet families keep trying. If families know that they may give up their life savings and lose a child but are still willing to try it tells you something. The risk does not outweigh the benefits; losing a child is worth the chance to live a better life. It isn’t just agents who are involved. Local coaches can purchase the rights to a player once they turn 15. Coaches then sell the rights to agents, and in return get a percentage if that player signs a contract with a team. Players can also be sold to other local youth teams. Soccer/Football has become a business, a “total business”.

FIFA has made some efforts to stop soccer trafficking. Earlier this month FIFA blocked over 100 requests to transfer young players across national borders. FIFA official Mark Goddard said Thursday that more than 10 percent have been rejected since tougher transfer monitoring began last October. FIFA hopes that by making it harder to transfer youngsters it will change the behavior of agents and clubs who are involved in trafficking. "We don't necessarily think all minors are going through the system, but we're working on ways to make sure that becomes a very bad decision," Goddard said. FIFA received reports from South America that suggested that trading minors had become so difficult that clubs were beginning to wait until they turned 18. Hopefully this is the beginning of the end, but clubs will conitnue to find a new way to gain an advantage on competition.

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Sources: "Soccer's Lost Boys" by Vanguard, GOAL!, NBCSports.msnbc.com