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APRIL 26, 2006 at 10:32 PM
Posted by GERI
Source: The Guardian
In an odd column complaining about football commentary in the UK, the author asks the question "Is quidditch the worst fake sport ever?"
While watching the latest Harry Potter movie, the author questions the rules of the game; its popularity in the wizarding world and sportsmanship.
The author equates
quidditch to basketball and the worthlessness of the game:
Running simultaneously are: a version of basketball, where players are required to punt a ball called a quaffle through various hoops; a perversion of the kind of bodyline swingball favoured by hyperactive 10-year-old boys, where the aim is simply to whack one of two balls called bludgers at your opponent; and the search for a tiny flying ball called the Golden Snitch, which must be captured for the game to end, and is worth an instant and wildly disproportionate 150 points.
So to clarify, I am required to keep my eye not simply on three balls at any one time, but also on a winged snitch (which is virtually invisible to anyone in the crowd anyway), the capture of which almost without exception renders the preceding however many minutes or hours entirely worthless.
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Prefect
Points: 384
AvadaK says:
Quidditch IS the best fake sport ever. It's intricate details are awesome. JK has a wonderful imagination and I applaud her for this 'fake sport'. Good job JK.
Posted May 6, 2006 at 10:02 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 30
dancingdiscochickens says:
The author of that artical really doesn't know much of Harry Potter of Quidditch.
A: It is the Beaters responsibility to protect their teammates from the Bludgers.
B: It is the Chasers responsibility to whack the Quaffle into the hoops.
C: The Seeker is the only player who is trying to find the Golden Snitch.
Therefore, all the players have one ball in mind to play and they all work as a team to win.
Gosh. I didn't think that was so hard to understand. I believe that there should be a real sport where we fly around on our own brooms. That would be exhilarating and I think that Qudditch is the most clever 'fake' sport, thank you very much. =]
Posted May 7, 2006 at 1:26 AM EST
Witch
Points: 732
Dumbledores~Fave says:
QUIDDITCH RULES, this this guys imagination obviously needs a bit of work!!
Posted May 7, 2006 at 8:09 AM EST
Witch
Points: 828
Elphaba_Thropp says:
personally i think quidditch is much more entertaining than football or any other sport for that matter. I would love to see people flying around on broomsticks performing wronski feints etc. Espescially if it was Harry Potter!
Posted May 7, 2006 at 10:13 AM EST
Chief Brain Washer
Points: 2881
Chogiiiirl says:
I guess someone out there has nothing to do but talk about the "worthlessness" of quiddich. I think it is similar enough to real sports to make it entertaining and easy to follow, with enough imagination to make it truly unique for the wizarding world.
Posted May 7, 2006 at 2:09 PM EST
Order of the Phoenix
Points: 4073
Eleanor says:
I'm sorry, but this person who has writtan this doesn't realise that the sport is ment to be fake. It is just a made up sport, nothing more. He doesn't have go into it like it is a real one! *Rolls her eyes*
Posted May 7, 2006 at 4:00 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1668
Looooney says:
Is quidditch the worst sport ever? NO! I'm sure there are PLENTY worse... the author seems to not have read much. And really? Why is this person commenting on fake sports? Their own writing doesn't sound like it's going so well.
Posted May 7, 2006 at 5:36 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 364
dansbabygirl89 says:
WHAT!!!! How can a person say that about Quidditch, its the best fack game.They just don't know what they r talking about.
Posted May 7, 2006 at 8:41 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1383
Tabitha Black says:
you know I've never really heard quiddich critized before this is definatly a first!
Posted May 8, 2006 at 1:19 AM EST
Queen of the Yarn Ball
Points: 3844
red&gold says:
I didn't realize there were that many fake sports... I guess there probably are many, but none so popular as our quiddich!!! :) I can see how JKR must have felt bad when they had their last game in HBP.
Posted May 10, 2006 at 1:30 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2209
Scarlett Kent says:
I'm conflicted about writing something in response to this author's curmudgeonly statement about the most noble and ancient sport of Quidditch. On the one hand I make it a point not to "feed the trolls",which in the HPANA forums is expressly forbidden,but on the other hand I don't think a churlish muggle like this author should be allowed to make such remarks with impunity.
The author should stick to things she knows about,which is apparently very little indeed!
Posted May 12, 2006 at 8:43 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1357
phoenixfire_HG says:
Well, its good that they only put "author" cause i DON"T like this guy!!! Quidditch is the best fake sport of all time!! All of you gotta agree with me on this one!
Posted May 18, 2006 at 7:09 PM EST
Lupin's Eternal Love
Points: 3094
BlackKatL says:
Ohhh Really!!!!
It's a GREAT fake Sport!!!
I admire JKR for making up such an exciting,
complex, wonderful Sport!!!
That Guy must not Know what he is talking about!!!
Quidditch is the COOLEST!!!!!
Posted May 19, 2006 at 6:22 PM EST
Haldir's Horcrux
Points: 6270
Corvis says:
HAHA, that's so mean! Well, that's coming from a chick who hates sports in general. But yeah, I always did wonder why the snitch was worth so much anyway. It sort of defeated the purpose of playing the game before it.
Posted May 20, 2006 at 6:08 PM EST
Witch
Points: 750
magna says:
I sort of agree with this position on Quidditch. It doesn seem rather silly that the capturing of the Snitch basically ends the game. Its almost like dont even try to score points through the hoops. Why doesnt everybody on the team look for the snitch?
Posted May 23, 2006 at 12:57 PM EST
The Chosen One
Points: 9948
Gryffindor Dude says:
What the heck! This article didn't even prove a point! This is just like any other kid who is too un-athletic to play basketball, so they bash it. I swear people just make fun of Harry Potter for the attention now.
Posted May 23, 2006 at 3:14 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1011
Fflewddur Fflam says:
The point about the rest of the game being worthless because of the capture of the Snitch is somewhat valid. In the book, there is only one example where this didn't happen. The World Cup.
Posted May 23, 2006 at 9:32 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1477
lilmisscrookshanks says:
Awww.. no fair I think Quidditch is a great sport.. I mean there's a fair amount of potential death about but that's what makes it exciting right?
Posted May 24, 2006 at 6:21 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1741
HarryAssistant says:
Neat article but there is more to the game then they think. There some worse fake sports that I have heard of in my life.
Posted May 25, 2006 at 9:45 AM EST
Rose Weasley
Points: 3252
KristiD says:
I finally got my boyfriend to watch HP with me, and all he remembers from the movies? Quidditch (it would figure that he would hone in on the only sport!) However, when he tells people he saw the movies, all he says is that "there's a really terrible sport with a bunch of different balls, and if you catch one of them, it cancels out all other play and scoring." I've tried to explain to him that you can still lose if you catch the golden snitch, but it has yet to sink in.
Posted May 25, 2006 at 11:12 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1005
HP_obsessor says:
All I can say is "This person does not understand quidditch!"
Posted May 27, 2006 at 5:19 AM EST
Head Boy
Points: 420
Raccoon_Patronus says:
Obviously the person who wrote that was a squib and wanted the amaziing powers we wizarding folk have. I hsve been a seeker for the ravenclaw team since i was a second year. How rude of him to bash my fave sport.
whateva
Posted May 27, 2006 at 12:47 PM EST
Head Boy
Points: 420
Raccoon_Patronus says:
Sure the writing under my icon says i'm a squib too, but that's me secret identity to protects myself against VOLDEMORT. That's the cue to play really bad horror music.
whateva
Posted May 27, 2006 at 12:50 PM EST
Squib
Points: 161
xUpToNoGoodx says:
Catching the Snitch doesn't always render the rest of the game pointless. Doesn't this person have anything better to do with their time can diss Quidditch? I love it!
Posted Jun 17, 2006 at 1:57 PM EST
Witch
Points: 606
*Wicked*Hermione* says:
oh my god that is the worst thing I ever heard! Quiddich is a awesome sport1 These people dont understand that quiddich is apart of harry otter!!!
Posted Jul 9, 2006 at 8:35 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 526
TheWhiteTombIsEmpty says:
I think the sport is rather facinating. It is really neat how they are on broom sticks and they are playing a sport. If I was a wizard, I would want to play.
Long Live Dumbledore
Posted Jul 29, 2006 at 8:30 PM EST
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