["Our Man in Österreich" (the enigmatic Buckram) brings us his first report from the spiritual home of football - Vienna! Enjoy. Ed.]
Wien, I have arrived. Going under the guise of a man who has entered the Austrian capital with the sole purpose of tasting and testing culinary delights from the bygone Austro-Hungarian empire; I have successfully tuned into the locals' mindset, won their trust and affection, and am now prising (at will) information regarding the impact of the beautiful game upon this city of symphonies.
First to come to my attention is the subject of flags. Apparently there is/was a law in Austria that prohibits people from flying national flags on their cars. Happily, for the duration of the EM (this is what they are calling the Championships here, not sure what it stands for - "Euro Madness"?) the Austrian Federal Transport Minister has, in his wisdom, decided to lift the ban. Huzzah! The roads are now a mass of red & white! Of the other nationalities, the Turks have given the best account thus far, with many 'star and crescent' sheets flying through the streets (quite sportingly, these seem mostly to be accompanied by the Austrian flag).
Taken over by the sheer excitement of all this flag news, a local radio station decided to take two everyday flags and have them road tested, a la 'Mythbusters' style. And who better to road test two everyday flags than Austrian motor racing legend Niki Lauda?! The three-times F1 World Champion and aviator supreme, took the two types of everyday flags along for an extreme workout on both the highways and motorways (whats the difference?) of Vienna.
The result - a resounding success for both flags! After rigorous testing by the Austrian Howard Hughes, the flags remained, much like a Euro Minister, slightly bent but still in position. Huzzah once more! As for Mr Lauda, it is reported that he thoroughly enjoyed himself - saying that he felt like the Federal President. Thumbs up Niki for a job well done.
Ladies and gents - our roving reporter.
Lord knows what the Austrian transport minister would have made of the scenes here during Italia 90. People hanging out of the boots of moving cars with flags hanging from every limb. Flags on windscreens, flags on roofs, flags in engines.
It was a safety conscious, flag-o-phobe’s nightmare.
June 7th, 2008 at 12:29 amIt needed someone like yourself to draw up proper flag guidelines. I remember you displayed your expertise and knowledge during the 2002 World Cup, when you proudly hung the tricolour from your penthouse balcony, securely fastened amid treacherous flag-flying conditions. I remember you braving the elements and boldly stating “One can not go into the business of flag-tying willy-nilly young Mike, it is a serious business.” Respect.
June 7th, 2008 at 11:32 amMM, I take my flag-tying and flag-displaying very seriously indeed. I like to test myself in inhospitable condition, and the wind whipping in from Galway Bay directly onto that balcony proved a real challenge - even for me.
Someone less experienced would probably have ended up with the flag wrapped round their face before toppling blindly (to their doom) over the balcony.
Leave it to the experts.
June 7th, 2008 at 2:22 pm