Monthly Archives: February 2010

Penalty Shoot-Out!

Posted on February 18, 2010 by Dr Ted

By Dr Neil: The most nerve-racking element of the game!¬† No other moment in football can match it for anticipation -¬†the torturous mixture of expectancy and uncertainty. Football distilled into its component elements. Football fans cheer when their team is … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts and Law | 4 Comments

The Logic of Shooting

Posted on February 15, 2010 by Dr Ted

Controversial research in the 20th century claimed to prove that a small number of passes yielded the best chance for a goal. This lent ‘scientific’ credence to direct, route-one football. WCC’s Philosophical Statistics department challenges these findings: the rigorous application … Continue reading →

Posted in Physical Sciences | 4 Comments

The Protestant Ethic

Posted on February 14, 2010 by Dr Ted

In ‘The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism’ sociologist Max Weber highlighted how certain types of Protestantism promoted the pursuit of economic gain and thus underpinned the growth of capitalism. The Calvinist doctrine which underpins Protestantism stated that God … Continue reading →

Posted in Social Sciences | 2 Comments

Pawn/non-pawn

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Dr Ted

In his book Football and Chess, Adam Wells outlines the similarities between the two sports. For WCC, one of the crucial aspects of chess is the pawn/non-pawn ratio. Pawns have the least scope for movement of all the pieces, being … Continue reading →

Posted in Physical Sciences | 5 Comments

Greece, Euro 2004

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Dr Ted

Greece entered the Euro 2004 Finals never having won a game at a major tournament. So just how did the rank outsiders end up Euro 2004 champions? Perhaps some of the less fancied sides at World Cup 2010 might learn … Continue reading →

Posted in International Office | Comments Off

I might not know Art, but I know what I like

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Dr Ted

By Dr Neil: Everybody knows¬†what constitutes a good goal! A shot from distance, a¬†lengthy sequence¬†of passes, a mazy dribble or¬†some acrobatic contortions…However, football, like art, isn’t merely about technical excellence, but about the emotions it stirs in fans and players … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts and Law | Comments Off

Alternative XI

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Dr Ted

This is WCC’s alternative England XI: it includes players who are on the margins of selection for the squad. A run of good form, allied to injuries to some of those competing for the same slot, could perhaps mean that … Continue reading →

Posted in Life Sciences | 3 Comments

Football in the fourth dimension

Posted on February 8, 2010 by Dr Ted

In the 19th century, mathematician Georg Bernhard Riemann postulated the existence of a fourth spatial dimension. Whilst it is possible to represent this higher dimension mathematically, it is impossible for humans to visualise this extra dimension as our brains are … Continue reading →

Posted in Physical Sciences | 1 Comment