[Professional Blog] Bzzzzzz

Frankly, the debate over the vevuzelas has become moot. FIFA will continue to allow them, unless they're thrown on the field in protest or celebration or as weapons in the stands, which seems far more likely considering its bludgeoning proportions.

Being that I'm not a huge television soccer fan, my exposure to the vuvuzela has been sparse. That said, they are terribly annoying. And dangerously loud. Loud enough, at 127 decibels, to warrant the biggest maker of vuvuzelas to start making quieter versions and special vuvuzela earplugs, which, not surprisingly, are selling out quickly.

Their origin is interesting, and suspect. They might come from China not suprising for cheap plastic junk. Or they could come from The Nazarath Baptist Church who claim the original horn, used on pilgrimages, was lost when someone from Bafana Bafana visited the church. Or, according to wikipedia, well-known Kaizer Chiefs FC fan Freddie Saddam Maake started the trend.

Either way, does it matter? With all the cultures in the history of the world it has probably existed countless times. Still, the B flat to middle C droning opus is a bit much.

On the subject of the World Cup... Budweiser is the official beer sponsor? That's what passes for international flavour? Heineken or Guiness need to step up next time around... Big television networks need to work better together. Case in point is TSN's World Cup highlights. With the cost of broadcasting rights, Rogers and CBC weren't about to share what they're paying the Host Broadcasting Services. Which, I would imagine is enough to make even Russian sports magnate Mikhail Prokhorov squirm. On the upside, you don't hear the vuvuzelas in the still motion highlight reel... want to learn more about vuvuzelas?