Mexican Waves

[TightEnd]

It was a bit of a hospital pass really. My ex has been ill and is recovering but was in no fit state to take my eldest son to see Bon Jovi at the Milton Keynes Bowl as she had planned. Now I can't stand I'm not really a fan of Bon Jovi, but ten years of marriage with JBJ's number 1 fan had given me more than a passing acquaintance with great and philosophical lyrics such as

"It's my life, its now or never, I just want to live forever"

and

"Your love is like Bad Medicine, Bad Medicine is what I need"

and who could forget

"Halfway there, livin on a prayer"

sentiments with which I am sure we all agree.

So anyway my lad is indoctrinated into the delights of Bon Jovi, which I consider grounds for a custody battle, thoughts of which I withstand only by popping the Chillis and the Kaiser Chiefs on the car stereo to give the poor lad half a chance through adolescence.

Anyway, I digress. So there I am in a crowd of 65,000 people waiting for the Silvrikined coiffured jeans a size too small ones to emerge from their stretch limos. At the front of the crowd a large man emerges, naked to the waist, and blows a whistle. He shouts

"Start a wave now you b******ds"

A few half hearted attempts later, he is becoming almost apoplectic. The 30 somethings of Buckinghamshire who have in the hours previously have abandoned their X5s and Lexi in a car park at £15 a pop to tramp through baked fields to a bowl in the middle of nowhere aren't interested, but he continues and then departs with a hail of abuse volleyed in the general direction of the middle managers now littering the hillside above him when his attempts finally fail.

This led me to wonder about Mexican waves, which actually first came about in the US in the late 60s but only became "Mexican" during Maradona's World cup in 86.

I'm not a fan, and delight in affixing my backside even tighter to my plastic seat in whatever stadia I happen to be when one starts. I don't get it and find myself wondering about the human condition when people around me delight in the phenomenom and cheer wildly as it traverses the crowd.

I was thus immensely cheered in a contrarian sense when the concert crowd appeared to frown upon attempts to start one.

Doing my research though I find that successful Mexican waves apparently occur in limited circumstances. For instance it takes about 30 lets say football fans in a certain area to get a wave going and the chances are that it will go in a clockwise direction at about 20 seats per second with a width of 6 to 12 seats wide <scrabbles with calculator> that’s about 120 to 240 fans per second and according to various websites there’s nothing more depressing than a Mexican wave that fizzles out half way round the stadium like the impotent limp gesture beloved of royalty rather than a magnificent ocean swell crashing onto a beach. I however find it quite uplifting. But then I'm a bugger for being a killjoy.

One website hypothesises building a new stadium in which the seats would have the hydraulic capacity to lift the spectator into a standing position no matter what his/her mood (of course Mexican waves are more likely to occur during unexciting periods of play rather than when the opposing side has scored a goal etc) and all the seats are linked to a centralised computer, operated by perhaps the team managers or the fourth official perhaps! Apparently the waves can  be stylised into any creative pattern that the operator wishes. Waves that move like waves i.e. up and down the rows of seats or a wave that starts near to the pitch and spreads out upwards and outwards – even messages can be spelled out to the crowd “hotdogs are now on sale”, “eye-tests free at Specsavers for football refs!”, “ would the owner of the car with reg plate…”  The opportunities seem endless.

However I'm still not a fan. Unfortunately though I am nearly 40 years old. I find myself in "Grumpy Old Man" mood far more than I do in "lets have fun and frolic doing mexican waves in a field" mood. Perhaps I am not representative of most people's tastes

So I pop the subject over to you.....


Mexican Waves.  Yes or No. Discuss.


 

[Robert HM]

Thought provoking stuff about this profound matter. Never really thought about the plural of Lexus.

[Sark79]

I thought this thread was going to be about surfing


They are good as they bring people together in a positive way.  Bon Jovi is a lot better than all the garbage that is on top of the pops. 

[ifm]

Firstly you are SUPPOSED to be having fun so partaking in the FUN of others is allowed.
Secondly what do you drive? lexi or exy?
Thirdly JBJ is a great actor.
Ninethly the chilis? are you mad?

[TightEnd]

Firstly you are SUPPOSED to be having fun so partaking in the FUN of others is allowed.
Secondly what do you drive? lexi or exy?
Thirdly JBJ is a great actor.
Ninethly the chilis? are you mad?

I drive an Audi.

I think JBJ is a good actor too. Although he was in that ludicrous U boat film which reinvented WW2 and had the Americans capturing the code breaking machine etc etc. He can't be blamed for that screenplay though

I like the Red Hot Chilis.

Finally, I seem to be forgetting how to have fun at these type of events. I attend them slightly befuddled at what I see before me. My problem clearly.

[ifm]

Ok the actor thingy was a joke, i like audis, have had 3 in the past.
I think you may put too much thought into the gig thing, you should be oggling the women.
Chili's, just not my cup of tea i'm afraid (and i like just about anything).

[thetank]

Thought provoking stuff about this profound matter. Never really thought about the plural of Lexus.

I agree, thought provoking stuff.

Are we to to uniformly use the Latin "i" plural on all words with an "us" suffix?

I'm happy enough with stimuli, foci (not when it's a verb, obviously), fungi, cacti and nuclei.

I may take some persuading to use it with proper nouns, such as Lexus, though.

Let's say there's a non sacriligious context in which we need to pluralise the main character of the New Testament. Do we expect the faithful of this world to get on board with Jesi?

[TightEnd]

I think you may put too much thought into the gig thing, you should be oggling the women.

that was what kept me sane


Lexi? Lexuses? Lexus'? hmmmmm, something to ponder

If I accept Lexi is incorrect, do I merely use Lexus with an apostrophe afterwards the next time I need to use the plural of Lexus in a post?

Advice welcome

[thetank]

You could cop out and use "Lexus cars"

[TightEnd]

Copping out involves conflict with the fluidity and aesthetic composition of my posts


I brook no compromise on this subject.

[ifm]

A few (loads) of years back i took my mom to a Rod Stewart gig at V** park (biggest gate they've ever had BTW) because her friend fell ill on the day.
Now as a complete Rod non believer i actually dreaded it but lo and behold i LOVED it, fantastic day all round sort of helped by the fact that the lovely Belinda was the support act (i swear she was staring directly at me during "circle in the sand").
Moral of the story is that once you allow yourself to have fun you usually will.
ahhhhhhh, Belinda where are you?

[TightEnd]

A few (loads) of years back i took my mom to a Rod Stewart gig at V** park (biggest gate they've ever had BTW) because her friend fell ill on the day.
Now as a complete Rod non believer i actually dreaded it but lo and behold i LOVED it, fantastic day all round sort of helped by the fact that the lovely Belinda was the support act (i swear she was staring directly at me during "circle in the sand").
Moral of the story is that once you allow yourself to have fun you usually will.
ahhhhhhh, Belinda where are you?

Rod Stewart. I'm a converted fan too.

To turn to the moral of the story...My boy had a whale of a time, and it was great to see him enjoy it so much. I sang along too. Just don't tell anyone.

[thetank]

I find myself agreeing with ifm.

Those with a pre-disposition to cynicism are less likely to have a good time at such things.

Just like when you watch a hollywood blockbuster, or read a bestselling thriller novel, you are more likely to enjoy it if you suspend your disbelief somewhat. Concentrating not on what is wrong, but what is right. Let the intellectual defences down and get jiggy.

On the other hand, (as agreeing with ifm goes against my ethos) if in the company of a similarly minded cynic, enjoyment can be derived from politely applauding and rolling your eyes at appropriate places. The sense of smug superiority such behaviour affords can be rewarding. You don't have to wear denim and mosh to have fun and enjoy yourself. Be your own man.

[ifm]

*swoon* thump!!

[Trace]

How was the concert?  lol