Vuvuzelas stir debate at World Cup...

[Upton]

You either love them or you hate them and the vuvuzela is stirring up some impassioned debate on Facebook, YouTube and other sites online.

The one-metre long plastic trumpet is as essential an item to South African fans as getting decked out in the national colours or painting one's face and they have been out in force in the opening days of the tournament.

Eighty thousand of them being blown at full volume sounds like a swarm of angry bees buzzing in your ear, or, as one newspaper put it, an elephant in distress.

------

It appears the trumpets have also hurt the sensibilities of some foreign players, who have lobbied for it to be outlawed, claiming it affects their concentration.

The drone has also attracted plenty of disparaging comments online. One You Tube video providing an insight into the instrument has been viewed by 250,000 people, and it seems many don't like it.

"What an absolutely disgraceful, ear-wrenching noise," wrote one person.

Another said: "The tv stations need to create some sort of noise filter."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g8zfbbGc260dt5xfYMkOswTcNiCg

I have absolutely no idea why FIFA has allowed this crap to go on. They had an idea of how distracting they could be during the Confederations Cup. Are they trying to drive away viewers?

The South Africans are obviously immune to the criticism, but when this World cup is looked back upon it won't be with fondness, due to the annoying noise of the vuvuzelas..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PgKXFEzcG4&feature=player_embedded

[JonLP24]

1. The reason why is

because the South African Football Association made a case that the vuvuzelas were essential for a South African soccer experience. FIFA bought it and allowed them. Not saying I agree but that is the reason FIFA allowed this.

Normally I wouldn't care despite how annoying they are. I do have concerns about reading that the sound levels are so high that they could damage to unprotected ears. So if it does I support a ban.

[Upton]

3. Have you been watching?

Those stupid vuvuzelas are so loud that's all you can hear except for the commentators..and it goes on every match for ALL 90 minutes. I can only imagine how loud it must be in the stadiums...People are complaining, players are complaining, and it's making SA look bad. FIFA made the wrong choice here.

[JonLP24]

4. Yes I have.

Like I said. I support a ban because I read that the noise levels are so loud that they can injure unprotected ears of nearby spectators.

BTW I find them annoying too but annoying is not the reason why I support the ban. I stated the reason above. :)

[sixstrings75]

2. Almost makes it unwatchable...

Terrible, stupid idea.

I don't care about the cultural BS - it is annoying as hell.

[rocktivity]

10. I'm sure it has an effect on TV ratings

especially in the U.S. where it's struggling to build an audience. It made me change the channel. Sounds like a giant bumblebee--I thought something was wrong with the audio!

x(
rocktivity

[Ganja Ninja]

13. Just imagine if you were sitting in the stands. n/t

[HuckleB]

5. People are seriously bored these days.

And obsessive, too!

Let the noise makers be.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. ...you're lucky they perform for you!

[TroubleMan]

6. I like them.

I enjoyed the noise made by them when I watched some games today.

Also, who knows, maybe it helped this happen:

[Upton]

8. I think Green

is just another Britisher with oil on his hands..

[Upton]

7. South Africa ponders vuvuzela ban

South Africa's World Cup organising chief Danny Jordaan may ban vuvuzelas from inside stadiums after complaints from broadcasters and supporters.

The constant sound of the high-pitched horn-like instrument has so far drowned out much of the atmosphere-generating singing usually associated with games.

And Jordaan, when asked if he would get rid of them, told BBC Sport: "If there are grounds to do so, yes.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8737455.stm

Sure I bet. SA is hurting themselves in the eyes of the football world by allowing this noise to continue..

[Auggie]

11. Question for sound experts

It has seemed to me that during NFL broadcasts, producers are able to increase or decrease crowd noise at their discretion. Are these vuvuzelas so loud that they permeate even the broadcast booths at the World Cup? Or are we just experiencing sloppy/indifferent sound engineering?

[HuckleB]

12. Good question.

On the other hand, having been to soccer games in South America and Europe, as well as to NFL games, the crowd noise is far louder, far more consistently at a soccer game than at an NFL game. And that's without every other person in the stadium having a vuvuzela. Anyway, that may be another part of the equation.

[El Supremo]

14. FIFA isn't going to do it.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5284052/ce/us/fifa-president-sepp-blatter-bucks-criticism-vuvuzela-hum&cc=5901?ver=us

Thank God the CWS is starting.

[Upton]

15. Have you seen this yet?

http://www.freep.com/article/20100613/BLOG24/100613003/The-World-Cup

That's you on the left and mad on the right...

[El Supremo]

16. I'd be at a bowling alley not watching NASCAR. n/m