Talk:Silent football

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Silent Football varies from region to region (UU district to UU District). There are many core elements of Silent Football (dictators, zooms, shrugs), but there are variations on speaking rules, exocism rules and origins too. I propose an over haul to include a core rules sections and then a second section that contains all variations and if possible, marked by region (PSWD plays different from PCD). - Mr._Hat

I agree with Mr.Hat that we should put all the core rules in one section and all the variations and extensions to those rules in another section. And if you go to the article on the game known as Wink, it has a nice example of this.—Devin Murphy 90 20:42, 3 March 2007 (UTC)

I would be willing to put up the Southwest District Rules, though I have actually been out of that community for a few years now. - Thunderrabbit

I would like to undertake a revision here, incorporating Mr Hat's suggestion, and will get to it shortly. Please note the game has transcended the UU world, and become, as of 2000, a staple of the Burning Man community & its billion affiliated clicques. True origins remain opaque, and I would propose stripping the entry of entirely unsourced claims about where it came from. This rumor about an Old British Drinking Game is unsourced and impossible to verify; but it has now circulated widely around Silent Football sites online, thanks I suspect to its prominent mention in the entry here. I've yet to find a Brit who played the game. Plenty of Denverites, Californians, UUs, Sacketeers and Burners however. And, strangest of all, Canadians.

- Spruceball

I noted Spruceball that you fawned it strange that Canadians would be playing this game. But all I can say is that I am a Canadian who also happens to be an UU and I learnt this game at a regional UU youth event where there where both Canadian and American UU’s present. So maybe it was American UU’s who introduced the game to Canadian UU’s, who then introduced it to other Canadians.—Devin Murphy 19:43, 22 February 2007 (UTC)

It is definitely played in Britain. At Warwick University it's known as Imaginary Football, and the leader is known as Mr Chairman. The only moves available are passing left/right (hit appropriate knee once), passing across (make eye contact, bend arm and point with elbow), or passing left/right skipping one person (hit knee twice). I don't think the moves have names. The game is started with a complimentary tip of the hat, then a complimentary salute. Interestingly, the main point of the game seems slightly different from what's described here. Anyone may speak if they raise their hand and ask for permission to speak from the Chairman. There's no requirement to speak only about breaking the rules. As such, each game goes off at a completely different tangent. It is possible to have a two hour long game of Imaginary Football without ever playing the game part of it (i.e. never passing an imaginary football). As all decisions tend to be proposed, seconded, discussed and then called to vote, that can take up the majority of the time in the game and proves hilarious when you get skilled debaters. 86.20.40.177 (talk) 11:33, 7 January 2008 (UTC)

I second Spruceball/Mr_Hat's revisions.

I would like to contribute, but am unfortunately not familiar with Burning man, nor UU, and am more concentrated on the rules of the game and maintainance of this page. Variations would be quite interesting though. I would also like to mention the notice of our page and it's tone; I have considered overhauling that as well. It will be difficult though.

-Karl Schuttler

Is anyone else from Opus2006's game reading this?

- no, but only because I hung out at the fire that night instead of playing. looked like a lot of fun, though!

I contact Troy, who had a long run as dictator at Sackett St, and asked him how the game spread around. Here's the path he gave me:

UUYC & Kevin Heater -> Troy Nachtigall -> Burning Man -> Sackett St -> Robin Thrope

Brian Egge

[edit] needs cleanup?

does it occur to anyone else that this could really use some tidying up? it doesn't look particularly good to me, and there's a lot of random junk in it. i realize it sort of gels with the whole idea of silent football, but really, quality is a good goal. 4.226.12.133 05:05, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

this is happening, but slowly. Baby Steps. Random junk is being removed as it is being seen, but there is a good bit that while seeming random adds to the game itself. If there are changes you think should be made, please go ahead and edit them, and we will eventually reach some sort of happy medium.


-Karl Schuttler

This is spruceball again. Three years later, drunk, and suicidal. I don't think I undertook my revision. I'm not sure what happened. There is no Wikipedia entry for "Sacketeers." —Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.120.237.124 (talk) 01:32, 13 February 2008 (UTC)