Published: Dec. 26, 2007, 8:06 p.m.
The title of this episode comes from the following George Orwell quote: “Serious
sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred,
jealousy, boastfulness, disregard for all rules and sadistic pleasure
in witnessing violence: in other words it is war minus the shooting."
This is meant to be a fun episode on the similarities between football, chess, and war. Please take each analogy with a grain of salt.
Football (two armies fighting to reach the opposing camp/end zone):
- Kick-off Team: Skirmishers
- Quarterback: Tactical Commander
- Head Coach: Strategic Commander
- Halfback: Light Infantry Reserves
- Fullback: Heavy Infantry Reserves
- Tight End: Heavy Cavalry
- Linemen (offensive and defensive): Heavy Infantry
- Wide Receivers: Light Cavalry
- Cornerbacks: Light Cavalry
- Linebackers: Light Infantry
- Safeties: Heavy Cavalry
- Kicker: Artillery
Chess (two armies fighting to defeat the opposing commander):
- Pawns: Heavy Infantry
- Rooks: Artillery
- Knights: Light Cavalry
- Bishops: Light Infantry
- Queen: Heavy Cavalry
- King: Tactical Commander
Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine