Vuvuzela Report

SPORTING GOODS

The most common question I've been asked since returning home from South Africa and the World Cup has been, "So how annoying were the vuvuzelas?"

And my answer is: not really, actually. It would be nice if they don't find their way to any other countries, certainly. And yes I agree they are absolutely awful on television. But in person, they aren't nearly as bad as expected. I think it's something with how the microphones pick up the sound.

The stadium is a constant buzz, but it doesn't sound like being surrounded by a swarm of angry bees like you might think. And there were times when certain patterns started to emerge that were kind of fun.

Watching the few short videos we took of the game we attended, I was amazed at how loud and constant the vuvuzelas were, because we didn't remember it being like that. So I blame the microphones, not the little plastic horns themselves.

Plus, they are really kind of fun to blow for just about any reason: great play, a goal, terrible ref decision, bad pass, nothing else happening. So I'll admit it...we bought one after the game we went to, for future "hooting" in the bars and streets of Capetown. And we picked up a couple more to bring home just for good measure. Which is nothing compared to the dozen plus I saw hanging out of some people's carry-on luggage.