Author: Zach Menchel
Found in section: Sports
Zack Menchel / SPROTS EDITOR
TOOT YOUR OWN HORN
If you have ever wondered what the musical medley of an agitated giraffe mixed with the noise of a moose in heat sounded like, look no further than South Africa’s vuvuzuela. The long plastic horn is taking the World Cup by storm this summer and is creating more of a controversy and buzz than the matches themselves.
If you have tuned in to a match this month, you have already heard them. Thanks to crafty vendors who knew how to pounce on a golden opportunity when they saw one, the trumpet (or horn) made its rounds and its distinctive monotone sound is being exhibited in unison by the millions of rabid soccer fans that made the trek to South Africa from all over the globe. Tourists to the sport of soccer’s biggest stage whom have been enamored with the novelty item have even been buying them in bulk to take home for friends and family.
These sentiments are not exactly shared by all however. Some view the vuvuzuela as an instrument of sheer terror and of utmost annoyance. The noise of thousands of blaring vuvuzuelas not only has been likened to the sound of the inside of a hornet’s nest but the racket they cause is 100% hazardous to one’s health.
The horn’s sound has been registered at 127 decibels, 42 decibels louder than what can be considered safe listening over extended periods of time and ear injuries tied to the instrument’s use have already been reported. The horn was originally intended to summon people from great distances to town meetings so this is unsurprising.
Another aspect of the vuvuzuela’s wrath is its possible affect on the game. Referee whistles are going unnoticed and players and coaches have noted that the sound on the field can reach deafening levels at times and it can be hard to perform. Just imagine waiting all your life for the chance to represent your country in a monumental sports event only to find that you cannot properly communicate with your teammates on the field due to invasive fan noise.
The NFL embraces rowdy fans helping their teams’ cause by showering and in turn disrupting the other team’s offense with boos and chants. Seattle’s own Qwest Field and the 12th Man are a perfect example of this. However, noisemakers of any kind are prohibited which leads people to believe FIFA should follow suit with international soccer.
Bans on the instruments were considered but no action other than politely asking fans not to use them during teams’ national anthems was carried out. A spokesman for the South African organizing committee asked people to “embrace our culture and the way we celebrate”.
That’s all well and good except for the fact that the horns are so disruptive that many World Cup viewers had admitted to watching the games on mute. Television commentators have also filed complaints about the noise making it difficult to carry out their work.
The one bright side to the vuvuzuela in my eyes is not having to hear “Ole, Ole!” a million times over as well as the other cliched soccer chants.
