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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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Student
Points: 294
lilly618 says:
Totally don't understand why he said it!!!Quidditch is wonderful!!!I think this guy is just jealous because he can't flay with broomstck!!!
I love Quidditch!!!!
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 3:36 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 367
sparkle_pink says:
Quiddich is amazing! The bit about the bludgers is great too, the author of that article clearly isn't a HP fan or he would have read the books and realised although wizards are civilised they can be a bit medievil in their outlook at times
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 3:50 AM EST
Witch
Points: 804
PadfootsGirl says:
What an idiot, he clearly hasn't read the rules properly. I'd love to play quidditch, or at least have a go.
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 3:57 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 393
Polyjuice209 says:
Haha all they ever do is poke fun at other things..GET A LIFE!
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 4:22 AM EST
Witch
Points: 915
Hermione-half&half says:
I never would have thought it! Quiddith is a fantastic idea! I've always thought so, that's one of the reasons why I picked a broom in one of the other boards. The only thing I don't like about it is the possibility of death, but really, apart from that I think it's fantastic!
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 4:25 AM EST
Witch
Points: 712
i brake for thestrals says:
hahaha... jealous much? dude, just because you can't get on a broom and try it and you wont take the time to understand the logistics of the game or read Quidditch Through the Ages it does not mean that its a bad sport.
Now I am prbably the least athletic person in the WORLD and I can still appreciate Quidditch (although I would never play it because my hand eye coordination is terrible and those bludgers do sound kinda hard :P)
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 4:26 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2857
Oliver Wood is Fit says:
Well, It's quite obvious that the snitch is worth too many points, it gives the seeker too much importance as a position and the whole section of the game involving the quaffle relative pointlessness.
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 4:28 AM EST
Auror
Points: 4247
gryfgirl says:
I agree that the snitch bonus seems largely disproportionate to the rest of the game, but it doesn't render the rest of the gameplay entirely pointless. There is still some strategy involved in timing the capture of snitch relative to whether your team is or isn't the one in the lead, and by how much of a gap.
I also think that were the huge snitch reward something more marginal, say 50 points or so, then it would actually make the other non-Seeker elements somewhat more dynamic and put a lot of these "quaffles are pointless" type comments to rest.
That said, I do partly agree with the criticism that too much importance is set on Seekers within the game, relative to the other players, but overall I do love quidditch & think it sounds like a lot of fun! If it were possible to do so in real life I would definitely go watch a 5-hour match or whatever. (This coming from someone who can't stand to watch football or basketball or any other real sports on tv for more than 5 minutes. :P )
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 5:07 AM EST
Muggle
Points: 31
Andrew Jones says:
I thought the column was really quite funny. He obviously had nothing much to say and was being paid by the word ...
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 5:12 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2363
Nataly says:
In the forth movie there were things more important to show, maybe it is the only disavdantage of the fourth movie alonng with dobby it should be a lit more of quitich inside, but its really great game, even if it is not real i think it will be great if it wat real!! it contians a little basketball a little kandball a little football all!! Its great well dont to those who designed it!
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 5:27 AM EST
Furry Little Problem
Points: 4299
Juicybit says:
I think he's right. Quidditch is a stupid game. Mind you I think most sports games are stupid. But at least the kids are out there on a field, smelling some fresh air and having exercise.
On the other hand JKR might have had some parallel in her mind. Like, the balls and rules kinda symbolise something. Life is disproportionate, yes, it is often violent and many hours or minutes of your life can be rendered worthless, that's how you feel about it sometimes anyway.
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 5:31 AM EST
Points: 861
happy_firebolt says:
Wah? Nooo. Quidditch is the best fake sport ever! And you get to fly...
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 5:39 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 732
kewlguyhere says:
I think this authur should mind his own bussiness and leave HP to us all! Really these people have no other work to do!!
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 5:46 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1921
nik-Knak says:
no way thats Quditch is awsome!! i love it, i would be sooo happy if it was reali, it seems like so much fun and just how could he say that! but tha snitch bit is juz a little bit right, but you know...Quditch Rocks!
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 5:48 AM EST
Witch
Points: 936
Lilium says:
Well I dont agree that the 150 points from capturing the Snitch making the rest of the game pointless. We've seen in the World Cup that capturing the Snitch doesn't mean you win the game... "Is quidditch the worst fake sport ever?" NO,NO,NO of course NOT... quidditch id briliant and I love it!!! Crazy people... they don't have anything else to think about???
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 5:48 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 319
Krithika_21 says:
The author must be a seriously whacked out person to say that !!! Quidditch is simply awesome !!!
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 5:54 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 438
Ainhoa says:
haha that's so stupid that it's funny. I can't believe people doesn't have other thing to write about...
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 6:15 AM EST
Witch
Points: 874
Together Forever, H/Hr... says:
Wow this guy is a little weird... I don't know why he finds it so piintless. I mean yea its a made up sport but whats the use of bashing it and calling it pointles if even for a little while it thrills readers... I mean some on I think its a great idea (quidditch I mean). :)
*%* Susanna *%*
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 6:28 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 485
The_Spectra says:
I don't think that 150 points is dispropotunate. Skill is rewared and catching the snitch needs alot of skill, but then again, I have a soft spot for Seekers.
Anyway, it's slightly sad that the author of the column is arguing about the worth of a fictional sport. But...
QUIDDITCH ROCKS!!!!!!!
^o^
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 6:36 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 708
gildavis says:
I think he fails to understand the basic components of the game and why they are important.
Qudditch requires nerve, skill and luck. Nerve, because of risk of injury, skill, because you have to be a superb flyer with the ability to perform your assigned task in a coordinated effort just to compete and luck, because even your best effort might not be enough to win.
Humm?...Sounds like a sport to me.
It's not for sissies.
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 6:37 AM EST
Parselmouth
Points: 29083
Thestral Eyes says:
You know he has a point, ive always thought the game was a bit stupid with the snitch being worth so much. It does pretty much make the rest of the game pointless. Wounder why she made it such a large value.
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 6:46 AM EST
St. Mungo's Mental Patient
Points: 41829
Phil_ says:
haha, i do find people attemps at digging at the Harry potter world increadibly funny, this one was actually slightly imaginative, but still there is no sport i would love to see a game of more than quidditch, (even after reading that) so i dont' think the authors arguements were very persuesive...:P
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 6:49 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1857
Lily Gymreig says:
I think all you people who have posted angry comments in reply to the article may have missed the tongue-in-cheek attitude of the author. Maybe it´s a British sarcasm thing, but I thought it was a very witty and well-written article!
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 7:25 AM EST
Witch
Points: 713
Lily_Evans says:
Remember the first game with the snitch? EVERYONE went after it, because everyone wanted to win the gold. I still think it is way too much for one catch to be, but I disagree with the author's coment on keeping his eyes on three balls at once. If you are a seeker, look for the snitch, avoid bludgers, and keep out of the way of the chasers. If you are a chaser, avoid bludgers, and try to get your hands on the quaffle. If you are a beater, always have your eye on the bludgers, hit those who arn't watching for bludgers, and keep out of the other players way. Keepers should block the quaffle and and avoid the bludger. No one EVER needs to be constantly aware of all the balls, it's the other players positions to do that.
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 7:27 AM EST
Wizard
Points: 906
*The*Physical*Being* says:
oh wahtever trvor. quidditch rocks. its probably the only sport that will ever fascinate me (I don't care if it ain't real)
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 7:29 AM EST
Harry’s Egg, Dan’s Duck
Points: 4742
Pearl* says:
This column was utterly pathetic. She's having a go at HP where she knows nothing about and criticises Harry's nobility for its not what sport is about and GRRRR. I'll stop. It's a waste of my time to even consider this person and her writing.
(funny by the way everybody seems to think a male wrote this... Marina seems to me a female name, but the sports-department probably is too masculine to see that as an option)
Posted Apr 27, 2006 at 7:35 AM EST
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