What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Can we stop pretending the circle game is racism? (1 Viewer)

Jayrok said:
Gosh I'm old.  Never heard of it.  
Click to expand...
I'm with you.  Never heard of it, never played it, and if some guy punched me for noticing him making silly hand gestures below his waist I would likely level him.  As for some sort of White Power thing, you have no power if you have to be surreptitious in identifying yourself or your membership in a clandestine group. Why is it that most of these White power types are clearly inbreed, mouth breathing, hydrocephalic, hare-lipped illiterates with no concept of hygiene?

 
Dinsy Ejotuz said:
Just a couple?  Like two or three?

I think we're done here.  We all agree that most of the time people use that signal they're saying "OK" or playing the circle game, but sometimes now when people do it it's a racist bat-signal.
Click to expand...
Media could pretty easily find this out. But if they track down the person's social media and see no links then their story is dead. Much easier to just throw it out there and let virtue signalers have at it. 

And to be honest if it is a "bat signal" it is really stupid to make a big deal about it and put the bat signal everywhere on social media and the news. 

Like the cubs fan. Very few people would have seen that. If it was truly a white power dude(which I highly doubt), congrats media. You gave him a huge audience and made him look like an oppressed party. Yay!

 
Ditkaless Wonders said:
I'm with you.  Never heard of it, never played it, and if some guy punched me for noticing him making silly hand gestures below his waist I would likely level him.  As for some sort of White Power thing, you have no power if you have to be surreptitious in identifying yourself or your membership in a clandestine group. Why is it that most of these White power types are clearly inbreed, mouth breathing, hydrocephalic, hare-lipped illiterates with no concept of hygiene?
Click to expand...
The "Knockout Game" is much easier.   Just walk up behind a person you don`t know and sucker punch him or her. 

 
Summer Wheat said:
The "Knockout Game" is much easier.   Just walk up behind a person you don`t know and sucker punch him or her. 
Click to expand...
A long, long time ago now a guy in high school came up behind me while I was standing in line and sucker punched me in the back of the head while wearing his school ring.  I had quite an actively spurting bleeder from it.  It was a guy I had never had a beef with.  Kid was bigger than me.  I destroyed him.  Turns out he was, in his mind, avenging the honor of his kid sister.  He had heard I was being disrespectful.  There was some possibility that I might have been.  She was quite noticeable and every guy I knew had commented on her at one time or another.  I am certain I was no more out of line than any other guy in regards to her, but I may have been out of line.  Still, sucker punching is no way to address any matter.

I still remember her name and exactly how she looked.  Many images from that time I can no longer recall clearly, but her, in exacting detail.  Weird.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
-OZ- said:
In most colleges, not a big issue.

With the military academies? Assuming it's just the circle game (which I assume it is), it still shows a lack of awareness and a certain lack of professionalism. By all means have fun, many of the pregame videos for the rivalry are just having fun with the rivalry. 

But they really do need to be aware of the culture, the ways their actions can be interpreted. Maybe it's unfair to hold college kids to a high standard, but these are soon to be officers in the Navy or Army, about to lead kids from different backgrounds. The expectations and standards are high. 

When I say "discipline", I mean anything from real discipline to extra training. 
Click to expand...
I find this ridiculous.

They are playing the circle game.  The people turning this into something awful, and those falling for it (the TV told me it is racist!).... these are the people needing to be more professional and aware.  All the people in this thread who didn't know about the circle game.. now you do.  Yet you have been told to take offense and seem to be doing so even knowing now that it isn't anything offensive in the least..

I applaud these kids for executing their plan and getting the whole world to look.  They win.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ditkaless Wonders said:
A long, long time ago now a guy in high school came up behind me while I was standing in line and sucker punched me in the back of the head while wearing his school ring.  I had quite an actively spurting bleeder from it.  It was a guy I had never had a beef with.  Kid was bigger than me.  I destroyed him.  Turns out he was, in his mind, avenging the honor of his kid sister.  he had heard I was being disrespectful.  There was some possibility that I might have been.  She was quite noticeable and every guy I knew had commented on her at one time or another.  I am certain I was no more out of line than any other guy in regards to her but I may have been out of line.  Still, sucker punching is no way to address any matter.

I still remember her name and exactly how she looked.  many images from that time I can no longer recall clearly, but her, in exacting detail.  Weird.
Click to expand...
That does not count as he knew you.  You have to KO a unknown person minding their own business walking on a street.

 
I've always thought of it as the circle game, and a buddy and I would try to get each other to look at it when we worked together. No punches thrown, but we had lots of fun laughing with it. It seemed odd that the collection of morons that consider themselves white supremacists would willingly out themselves like that, but after finding out that 4chan is still a thing, now most of those symbols just seem like dorks who spend too much time online found a weird way to out themselves like that.

 
The General said:
How can you stick your finger in the circle and break it without seeing it? Pretty dumb.
Click to expand...
That's the challenge.

Played this in high school.  At football practice, when we went 11 on 11, QB would always come into the huddle near the end of practice when we were all tired and hunched over and give the OK and then claim he got everyone.

My kids now play it in high school.

Next to  "slug bug" might be the dummest, longest running way to get away with punching other people in the name of f"un."

 
TheIronSheik said:
But why?  A lot of these kids don't even realize it's supposed to be a hate symbol to some.  They are playing a game.  This is like getting in trouble for playing Go Fish.  Sure, Go Fish is a game everyone knows, but some people view it as a game of hate towards the Dutch.  And even though that's not true, people who play Go Fish should know better.
Click to expand...
Yeah. I don't believe you. I'm vitually positive they knew what they were doing. 

 
Bull Dozier said:
That's the challenge.

Played this in high school.  At football practice, when we went 11 on 11, QB would always come into the huddle near the end of practice when we were all tired and hunched over and give the OK and then claim he got everyone.

My kids now play it in high school.

Next to  "slug bug" might be the dummest, longest running way to get away with punching other people in the name of f"un."
Click to expand...
By trying to put your finger in the circle you acknowledged you saw it. Rule 3.b.

 
The General said:
By trying to put your finger in the circle you acknowledged you saw it. Rule 3.b.
Click to expand...
What happens is someone will say, "Hey, Johnny.  Look at this." Trying to get the other person to look at the circle below the waist.  But if that person is on to them, they will casually pretend to follow along only to put their finger down there and poke the circle.  If they look, they get hit.  But if you're smart enough to sniff out an obvious attempt to get you to look, you win.  It's the whole reason kids go to extreme lengths to get people to look without them knowing.  Hard to put your finger in a circle in a picture or on TV.

 
TheIronSheik said:
What happens is someone will say, "Hey, Johnny.  Look at this." Trying to get the other person to look at the circle below the waist.  But if that person is on to them, they will casually pretend to follow along only to put their finger down there and poke the circle.  If they look, they get hit.  But if you're smart enough to sniff out an obvious attempt to get you to look, you win.  It's the whole reason kids go to extreme lengths to get people to look without them knowing.  Hard to put your finger in a circle in a picture or on TV.
Click to expand...
It sounds, in many ways, like Otis playing his "Icing Bros" game some years back.

 
TheIronSheik said:
What happens is someone will say, "Hey, Johnny.  Look at this." Trying to get the other person to look at the circle below the waist.  But if that person is on to them, they will casually pretend to follow along only to put their finger down there and poke the circle.  If they look, they get hit.  But if you're smart enough to sniff out an obvious attempt to get you to look, you win.  It's the whole reason kids go to extreme lengths to get people to look without them knowing.  Hard to put your finger in a circle in a picture or on TV.
Click to expand...
So you hit the guy if you don't look?

 
rockaction said:
Fair enough. The circle game seems a little undisciplined whether it has racist origins or not, if one wants to get all authoritative. It's not very professional in the least. 
Click to expand...
🤷‍♂️ These are cadets. We're not Nazi Germany, but you won't find more a authoritative organization in the US. 

 
-OZ- said:
🤷‍♂️ These are cadets. We're not Nazi Germany, but you won't find more a authoritative organization in the US. 
Click to expand...
I agree. Yep. I think I err a little more on the side of undisciplined, too, as I would neglect to punish them but would probably make note and talk to obvious offenders. I was just saying I could see both sides of the debate having merit. 

 
Really dumb to think they were being racist, good grief.

And besides all that, Blow Dart Assassins is a far superior sophomoric endeavor than the Circle Game.

 
Jayrok said:
Gosh I'm old.  Never heard of it.  
Click to expand...
I'll declare it: The Circle Game is simply not a famous, notable, iconic thing. If all 330 million Americans' minds could be read, I bet the percentage of those who are familiar with The Circle Game is less than 5%. Probably less than 1% for people 50 and older.

In addition, it seems regional -- perhaps largely confined to the northeastern U.S.? I'd never heard of it before the "OK = racism" stuff started cropping up, and my kids (now 13 & 16) never played it or heard of it.

 
Doug B said:
I'll declare it: The Circle Game is simply not a famous, notable, iconic thing. If all 330 million Americans' minds could be read, I bet the percentage of those who are familiar with The Circle Game is less than 5%. Probably less than 1% for people 50 and older.

In addition, it seems regional -- perhaps largely confined to the northeastern U.S.? I'd never heard of it before the "OK = racism" stuff started cropping up, and my kids (now 13 & 16) never played it or heard of it.
Click to expand...
Made its way down to at least as far as Kentucky and Tennessee. I "played it" in school, and have seen schoolkids play it in Nashville. Dunno what the percentages are.

 
Doug B said:
No way that's a far-and-wide interpretation. That's niche usage within a certain subculture within a subculture of people.
Click to expand...
Seems generational to me. I have to admit I feel passive-aggressiveness in a reply that is simply "OK". I force myself past it though.

 
hagmania said:
Made its way down to at least as far as Kentucky and Tennessee. I "played it" in school, and have seen schoolkids play it in Nashville. Dunno what the percentages are.
Click to expand...
Add the midwest.  Was played as far back at least as the late 80s in the Twin Cities, and still currently being played.

 
TheIronSheik said:
Yes, it was.  And it meant OK.  Before 4chan, that symbol had nothing to do with white power.

99.999% of people who use it aren't using it in a racist way.  When guys make three pointers in the NBA, are they flashing WHITE POWER as they run down the court?  Should they get in trouble for it?
Click to expand...
Should FBGs have gotten rid of the ok emoji?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
TheIronSheik said:
What happens is someone will say, "Hey, Johnny.  Look at this." Trying to get the other person to look at the circle below the waist.  But if that person is on to them, they will casually pretend to follow along only to put their finger down there and poke the circle.  If they look, they get hit.  But if you're smart enough to sniff out an obvious attempt to get you to look, you win.  It's the whole reason kids go to extreme lengths to get people to look without them knowing.  Hard to put your finger in a circle in a picture or on TV.
Click to expand...
The odds are stacked against the target person. It’s going to be tough to break up the circle without looking even if you know it’s there. Allowing pictures and videos makes it even worse. Why not just take a picture of yourself doing it and show it to them on your phone? Free pass to hit someone with not possibility of stopping it

 
Bull Dozier said:
Add the midwest.  Was played as far back at least as the late 80s in the Twin Cities, and still currently being played.
Click to expand...
It reached as far as California.   A buddy of mine taught it to me in college and we've been playing ever since (20+ years).  I taught it to my kids (son especially since it's more of a "guy thing").

And, at least the way we played it, if the "circler" was able to grab the "circle-piercing finger", then HE won and got to slug the other guy.

So stupidly fun.

And I can't believe all of this BS.

 
I played the circle game as a kid in the 80s. My kids play the circle game now - and I am not the one who taught them. Interestingly, kids at their school do not require the circle to be below the waist (which I don't get - I'll add that to the "ways I know I'm getting old" thread).

 
TheIronSheik said:
You put your hand below your belt and if you can get someone to look at it, you get to punch them in the arm.  If you can stick your finger in the circle and break it, you get to punch that person.  That's it.  It's a stupid game most guys learn when they are in junior high.  It was widely played all over the country for decades.  
Click to expand...
That sounds like the stupidest game I've ever heard of.

Making it a racist symbol of white power is LESS embarrassing.

 
matuski said:
I find this ridiculous.

They are playing the circle game.  The people turning this into something awful, and those falling for it (the TV told me it is racist!).... these are the people needing to be more professional and aware.  All the people in this thread who didn't know about the circle game.. now you do.  Yet you have been told to take offense and seem to be doing so even knowing now that it isn't anything offensive in the least..

I applaud these kids for executing their plan and getting the whole world to look.  They win.
Click to expand...
Yeah... I'd rather out myself as a Klan member as the reason for using that symbol than ever admitting to playing a game as 'tarded as that as an adult. At least as a racist, I'd have some self-respect.

 
EYLive said:
Yeah... I'd rather out myself as a Klan member as the reason for using that symbol than ever admitting to playing a game as 'tarded as that as an adult. At least as a racist, I'd have some self-respect.
Click to expand...
Funny you should use this and the word "adult" in the same sentence.  Might wanna check yourself.  Stay classy.

 
EYLive said:
That sounds like the stupidest game I've ever heard of.

Making it a racist symbol of white power is LESS embarrassing.
Click to expand...
I didn't invent it.  And it's usually played by people from about 12 years old to 20 years old.  So I guess you can say you're more sophisticated than those young'ns.  Congrats?

 
hagmania said:
Seems generational to me. I have to admit I feel passive-aggressiveness in a reply that is simply "OK". I force myself past it though.
Click to expand...
Nobody actually texts ok any more.

At least with my kids it's always "K". No O. 

 
Some of you need to make this your permanent avatar > :whoosh:

You'd think that thicker skin would be grown, but nope. Still sensitive.

 
  • Laughing
Reactions: Ned
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

bigbottom
CHANCE'S CIRCLE OF GOLD DIAMOND HOOP EARRINGS RAFFLE
Replies
18
Views
502
bigbottom
bigbottom
Ministry of Pain
These Drug Commercials are OUT of CONTROL!!!
2 3
Replies
123
Views
3K
jhib
jhib
kupcho1
óld world (4x video game)
2
Replies
68
Views
2K
The Z Machine
The Z Machine

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Top